Anna James (D): Lyme Candidate (Incumbent) for Region 18 Board of Education
Biography:
Anna James is a 30-year resident of Lyme with extensive experience in fiscal management, administration, and community relations. A career educator, she has served as director of the Integrated Day Charter School, a district administrator and principal in New London, and has taught at Connecticut College and universities in California. She has served six years on the Zoning Board of Appeals and is currently a member of the Region 18 Board of Education. Anna also serves as treasurer of the Friends of the Lyme Public Library and on the boards of the Chapman Scholarship Foundation and Joshuatown Road Association.
1. Why are you running for the Region 18 Board of Education, and what skills or experiences make you the right candidate for that role?
As a 30-year resident of the town of Lyme, I have served on numerous boards and organizations. After serving four years as a Region 18 Board of Education member, I find that the current Board has been the most consequential. Our current board is a cohesive, task and outcome-oriented board which is focused on supporting what is best for children and the district. I would like to continue to support and contribute to the momentum this board has generated and I have the skills to do so.
As a career educator, I began my career as a first-grade teacher, then taught at various grade levels including teaching at the college level. I have held numerous administrative positions which enhanced my experience allowing me to focus on inquiry and critical education, bilingual education, special education, and arts education in Pre-K through higher education settings. As the Director of the Integrated Day Charter School, we focused on higher order thinking skills, student research and a complete integration of the arts in all curricular content areas. This experience demonstrated the importance of the arts in the lives of children as well as the importance of creating time for creative endeavors. As Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction, a district-wide administrator, and principal of two elementary schools, I gained expertise in fiscal management, school administration, resource and personnel management and community relations. Additionally, experience came from navigating though national and state level bureaucracy and mandates.
Currently as a Region 18 Board of Education member, I serve as Board Vice Chair, Chair of the Policy Committee and have served on the interviewing committee for the new High School Vice Principal and the negotiating committee for the new Teachers Contract.
It will be my pleasure to continue my service to our exceptional school district ensuring that we do what is best for children and the community.
2. In order of importance, what do you see as the top three challenges facing Region 18 over the next four years?
The three top challenges facing Region 18 over the next four years are:
- Maintaining a high level of communication and transparency with our community. By keeping our community informed in a timely manner, trust is built and maintained. The award-winning newsletter, Education in Focus, has kept families and community members abreast of academic achievement and educational accomplishments, has provided timely budgetary information and has highlighted the excellence of students and faculty. There have been incidents in the last few years that would not have been as controversial had we provided more immediate and thorough information. Incidents include the funding of the turf field, the oil leak in the middle school and the misconception that the music department would be cut.
- Enabling our students to become discerning, critical thinkers by developing policies and providing guidance which support our students in the use of social media and Artificial Intelligence. This year the curricular board goal is “Ethical use of AI.” New policies will support teachers and students as they navigate this new field. Our students are bombarded with a constant stream of information, misinformation and AI generated images. It becomes our responsibility and obligation to ensure that our children have the needed tools to make informed decisions that are based on factual analysis.
- Maintaining and supporting Region 18 as a high achieving school district known for its educational excellence while being fiscally responsible to our community and taxpayers. Our district’s talented administration and excellent teachers in partnership with families, have resulted in outstanding academic outcomes. This is exemplified not only on achievement tests and AP results but also in competitive sports and the arts. Our budgetary increases have traditionally been well below the regional average. The current board and district administration is highly effective in working collaboratively with town leadership to ensure positive outcomes. It will be our task to continue this excellent record.
3. How can the school board help keep costs under control while maintaining the district’s reputation for academic excellence and extracurricular opportunities?
Academic excellence has resulted from the consistent focus on teaching and learning and the efforts of students, parents, and educators. It’s a partnership that has resulted in exceptional results. The same concept can be applied to fiscal management. The current collaboration that exists between the board, the administration and community members contributes to savings and creative solutions to fiscal challenges. For example, the Building Committee has been working tirelessly to keep the renovation project under budget. They applied for and received one of the largest HVAC grants in the state. The committee has made changes to ensure the project is on target. It is currently under budget, yet the needs of the students have not been compromised.
The reserve fund has been used for unexpected expenses and enabled the district to save for future high-cost expenditures and has helped with financial planning. It also provides tax relief. CT law allows a district to put 2% of the total budget aside into a reserve fund. This year, based on future projections, the board returned $740,000 to the towns. These are examples of a consistent effort to keep costs under control while striving to provide the best education possible for students.
4. Amid the ongoing national debate over parents’ rights, how should the Board of Education handle conflicts between parents and the district over curriculum, instruction, learning materials or student support?
There has been an ongoing national debate over parents’ rights and conflicts that may arise between parents and the district over books, curriculum, and instructional materials. There has even been an attempt to ban books in our own community. In some states, historical facts are now being questioned. While parental rights are acknowledged, there may be times when a conflict between a parent and the district must be resolved. To resolve potential conflicts, it is imperative that a Board of Education have policies that provide guidance for the resolution of any problem. Oftentimes an initial conversation between the classroom teacher and parent will resolve a potential conflict or misunderstanding. It is the goal of the Board of Education to effectively address and resolve public concerns and complaints. The current Board policy encourages parents to approach the classroom teacher with their concern. If the concerns are not resolved, then parents can meet with the building administrator and if necessary, followed by a meeting with the Superintendent and then the Board of Education. Educators provide curriculum, instruction and select books based on their years of education and professional expertise.