Letter to the Editor: Former Region 18 Special Education Teacher Seeks BOE Seat

To the Editor:

I am Marianne DeBruyn – a parent, a teacher, an involved community member, and a candidate for the Board of Education. For the past 27 years my family and I have proudly called Old Lyme home. My two children are graduates of our schools, and for the last 20 years of my career, I had the privilege of serving as a special education teacher in Mile Creek and Center Schools. I feel very fortunate to have had a rewarding career that I felt passionate about, allowing me to make a meaningful difference in the lives of students and families.

Every day, I worked alongside Region 18 students, families, teachers, and administrators to help children overcome challenges and reach their full potential. I helped families navigate complex special education services while ensuring that resources were used thoughtfully and responsibly. Those experiences gave me a deep understanding of both the educational needs of our students and the financial realities every school district must balance.

Beyond the classroom, I served in leadership roles within our teachers’ union, participated on district-wide committees, and worked collaboratively to solve problems and build consensus. Before becoming a teacher, I spent 10 years as a software product manager, where I developed experience in planning, budgeting, and organizational leadership. Together, those experiences have prepared me to understand the many perspectives that come before a Board of Education.

Although I retired from the classroom last year, my commitment to the students, families, and schools of this community has not ended. Serving on the Board of Education is an opportunity to continue that commitment and to give back to a district that has meant so much to me and my family.

Our schools have earned an outstanding reputation because generations of educators, administrators, families, and community members have worked together with a shared commitment to excellence. As a member of the Board of Education, I would work to preserve those strengths while helping our district meet the challenges ahead. I believe the board’s responsibility is to make thoughtful, well-informed decisions that support students, respect taxpayers, and ensure that every dollar is invested where it will have the greatest impact on teaching and learning.

The educational landscape is constantly changing. There are often new academic instructional strategies and programs for supporting the social, emotional, and mental health of students. Additionally, the application of new technologies within the classroom, and emerging impacts of technological resources on the mental health of students, need to be considered. These are just a few ways in which education continues to change and evolve. As an educator, part of the joy of the work is to research, learn about, and communicate with families and colleagues as new practices are studied and implemented. As a board member, I would continue to research and learn all that I could as the district continues to evolve and would assist with communicating these changes to the community. I believe in listening first, asking thoughtful questions, and working collaboratively to find solutions.

I know our schools because I have devoted my career to them. I know our community because it has been my home for nearly three decades. I understand both the opportunities and the challenges we face, and I believe my experience has prepared me to help guide Region 18 thoughtfully, responsibly, and collaboratively into the future. It would be an honor to continue serving Old Lyme in a new way. I respectfully ask for your vote to serve on the Region 18 Board of Education at the Town Meeting on Tuesday, July 21, at 6 p.m. at the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School auditorium.

Marianne DeBruyn
Old Lyme