Candidate Interview: Erin McNeil Halsey (R)

Below are unedited responses to questions posed by NorwalkNet to all the candidates for BOE. Candidate answers are being posted as they are received.

1. Please describe why you feel you are qualified to be on the BOE. Please list your educational, professional, and community background.

• Norwalk High School
• University of Connecticut
• BS Communication Sciences/Marketing
• I have worked in Medical Education for the past 23 years, focusing on logistics, marketing, training and management
• Former Parish Council Member
• I taught religion at St. Jerome church for 6 years, from 1st grade through 4th
• Active volunteer for the American Heart Association
• Active volunteer for my children’s class trips, parties and fundraisers
• Junior Achievement
• Habitat for Humanity
• Americares



2. What are your top 3 goals for the next term and how do you plan to achieve them?

1. To improve communication between the BoE and the community by utilizing various methods from facebook to phone calls, and by being vigilant in getting back with everyone who contacts me with concerns.

2. To be part of a cohesive, communicative board by being respectful of the duties of being a board member, to do research on questions and issues raised by the community and by coming prepared to meetings so they run smoothly and efficiently

3. To be part of the team to select the new superintendent. I want to be sure that the candidate can be an effective leader, can manage and delegate to assigned committees, understands our community and is willing to take this existing system and create an even better environment for the children

3. Norwalk is seeking a new superintendent. What qualities do you believe it is important for this person to have?

• Integrity
• Honesty
• Effective Manager
• Strong Leader
• Transparent
• Dedicated to the children and the community
• High Energy
• Ability to think outside the box
• Fair
• Active Participant

4. The Cambridge and CREC reports have cited communication within the district as a problem. What specific ideas do you have to improve communication?

Utilize methods of communication such as:
• User friendly websites
• Newsletters
• E-mail
• Phone Calls
• Visits to schools and PTO meetings
• Surveys to the children and parents
• Notices sent home to the parents on an on-going basis
• To always acknowledge questions and concerns from the students, parents and community

5. If you a new comer please describe what you feel the current board has succeeded in accomplishing and where it has fallen short.

The current board has:
• Improved security at the schools
• Successfully negotiated teacher contracts

The current board has fallen short by:
• Ineffective communication
• Not initiating the search for a new superintendent soon enough
• Not addressing the over crowding state of the schools in a timely manner
• Technology has not been utilized effectively
• After School Care
• Not marketing our schools in a visible, positive way