School board candidates at-a-glance

Reporter Jackie Majerus compiled some background information on each of the 13 school board candidates, listed here:

WORKING FAMILIES PARTY

MARY RYDINGSWARD
Working Families
47 years old, research administrator
Never held public office. Community volunteer.
One grown child who attended Ivy Drive. Two grandchildren attending Hubbell.


REPUBLICAN PARTY

PEG BONOLA
Republican
65 years old, legislative assistant at the Connecticut General Assembly
Never held public office, but is a Justice of the Peace and a commissioner of the Bristol Housing Authority. Served in the past on the Inland Wetlands Commission, on the Pine Lake Committee and as an alternate on the Bristol Zoning Commission.
Two grown children who attended Greene-Hills School, Memorial Boulevard School and Bristol Central High School.

AMY COAN
Republican
36 years old, chemistry teacher at East Catholic High School in Manchester
Incumbent; was appointed to replaced a school board member who moved.
One child, attends Greene-Hills School.

JANE HOLSCHLAG
Republican
56 years old, Registered Nurse in emergency department, University of Connecticut Health Center
Three children, one graduated Bristol Eastern High School, one graduated Bristol Central High School and one attending Bristol Central.

DICK PRINDLE
Republican
80 years old, semi-retired builder and consultant, former factory owner and engineer
Serves on city charter revision commission and also served on that board in 1995 and 1996
Three grown children, attended private elementary and middle school and graduated Bristol Central High School.

WAYNE SPARKS
Republican
55 years old, retired from the state Department of Correction with the rank of Major
Served as a constable in the city of Bristol in 2005 and 2006
Four children. The two oldest attended Bristol schools through seventh grade and then private school. The younger two attended private school through fourth grade and then were home schooled. One daughter was killed in 1995 in a car accident at age 23.

CHRIS WILSON
Republican
52 years old, insurance agent
Incumbent. Served one term on the school board and in the past, on the city’s charter revision committee.
Three grown children, all attended Bristol schools.


DEMOCRATIC PARTY

JANE ANASTASIO
Democrat
54 years old, medical technologist at the Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain
Incumbent. Elected to a four-year term that is now finishing, and before that, served about two years as an appointed school board member. Served on the city’s ethics board in the 1990s and as an alternate on the Bristol Zoning Commission in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.
Four children, all graduates of Bristol Eastern High School except the youngest, who is in eighth grade at Chippens Hill Middle School.

BARBARA DOYLE
Democrat
Would not give age, retired French teacher who served as foreign language department head for the Bristol schools
Incumbent, appointed to Board of Welfare in late ‘70s, served through the ‘80s.
Four grown children, attended West Woods K-8 and Bristol Eastern High School. One grandchild at Memorial Boulevard Middle School.

JULIE LUCZKOW
Democrat
48 years old, secretary in the Southington school district
Incumbent, serving for 12 years on the school board and the last four as vice-chair.
Two children, one a graduate of Bristol Central High School.

TOM O’BRIEN
Democrat
62 years old, funeral director
Incumbent. Also served from 1981 to 1993 on the school board, from 1977 to 1981 on the Bristol City Council, and on the Bristol Redevelopment Agency from 1976 to 1980. Has served on the Board of Health since 1981.
Two grown sons, attended Hubble School.

SHERRY TURCOTTE
Democrat
42 years old, medical receptionist
Never held public office before.
Two children, one at Northeast Middle School and one at Edgewood School.

KAREN VIBERT
Democrat
45 years old, freelance court stenographer
Never held public office. Longtime parent volunteer in Bristol schools.
Two children, one at Mountain View School and one at Bristol Eastern High School.

ELECTION INFORMATION
Nine of the candidates – and no more than six from a single party –will be elected on November 6. Board members serve terms of four years. This year, the four candidates who get the least number of votes won’t make it onto the board.

And here's her story on why they say they're running:

The 13 candidates for the city school board say they're running for office because they're concerned about education in Bristol, want to serve their community and believe they've got something to offer.
The seven incumbents running for re-election said they want to keep continuity on the board and finish what they've started.
For several potential newcomers, the reason to run is personal, with children and grandchildren the primary motivation for seeking office, while others said the reason came from somewhere else.
"I wanted an opportunity to serve in my community," said Wayne Sparks, a Republican seeking his first term.
Democrat Karen Vibert, who said she's spent many years working in the district as a volunteer – most recently serving as the parent representative on the committee that hired Superintendent Phil Streifer – said she wants communication from the board to the public improved.
"I think I can make a difference," said Vibert, who said she enjoys any civic activity that involves children.
Republican Dick Prindle said his knowledge about building and his experience could be an asset to the board.
"My ideas about education are a little bit above what we have today," said Prindle.
Prindle, who said European kids are ahead of their American counterparts, said he wants "no failing children. We have to teach them something."
Mary Rydingsward, running on the Working Families ticket, said her grandchildren attending Bristol schools makes her "very invested" in the school system.
"I am very concerned about the school facility plan," said Rydingsward. "I want a vote at the table."
Peg Bonola, a Republican, also cited grandchildren as a reason to run.
"I have two grandchildren who will be going to Bristol schools," said Bonola, who said she is concerned with keeping up the level of education in town. "I care about the future of the education 'cause that's the future of Bristol."
Democrat Sherry Turcotte, also hoping for a first term, said she would be able to contribute "a parent point of view at two levels of schooling" because she has children in both elementary and middle school.
She could bring the ideas and concerns of other parents to the board, Turcotte said.
Republican Jane Holschlag, a longtime Bristol schools parent, said education is "one of the greatest gifts that parents can give their children."
Holschlag said she wants to "encourage and support our school administration to continue the improvement and innovation" that will provide the best possible education while expecting high levels of achievement.
"I am running to continue the steady progress we have made to improve the student achievement in our schools," said Republican incumbent Chris Wilson, adding that a quality public education is essential to improving a community's quality of life.
Wilson said he thinks his educational and business background offer a beneficial perspective to the school board, which he said "needs thoughtful input."
Amy Coan, an incumbent Republican, said she's learned a lot from serving on the board, found the work interesting and wants to return for four more years.
Three of the Democratic incumbents said they want another term to keep the district on track.
"There's a lot of work left unfinished," said incumbent Jane Anastasio. "After six years on the board, I understand the issues and what needs to be done."
Anastasio said she wants to work on making the curriculum more challenging.
"We've made some good improvements in the last four years," Anastasio said. "There's still a lot of work to be done."
Another incumbent Democrat, Barbara Doyle, said she wants to "be a part of and continue to support the initiatives that the board has established." She cited the extended day kindergarten, curriculum changes, teacher training and the expectation of high student achievement.
Doyle, who said she wants to contribute to the good of the community, said her experience on the board, as a parent, teacher and department head will bring a "broad perspective" to the board.
Julie Luczkow said continuity on the board would be in the best interests of the district and its new superintendent.
Luczkow said it's also important that the work continues to change to a K-8 system in Bristol, where, she said, "older schools no longer serve the needs of preparing students to become citizens in a global society."
Incumbent Democrat Tom O'Brien said he's running because the city is "at a tipping point."
"The image, reputation and quality of the educational system are the keys to the future of our city," said O'Brien. "We can transplant Blue Black square to replace the Center Mall, but without successful schools, people who have the option of choosing where to live will not move to our community."
Nine of the candidates – and no more than six from a single party –will be elected on November 6. Board members serve terms of four years. This year, the four candidates who get the least number of votes won't make it onto the board.

Two more school board-related stories will follow before the election, one about the candidates' stands on the K-8 issue and another about their positions on where new schools should be built. So watch for them!

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com