Candidate for Board of Education | 2021
My name is Lisa Connelly, and I am running for a seat on the Haddam-Killingworth Board of Education. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and also studied elementary education in the certification to masters program at SCSU. Twenty years ago while I was teaching for Guilford Public Schools, my husband Sean and I moved from New Haven to Killingworth primarily for the excellent school system. We now have two children, Bryce and Ella, who are entering their senior and sophomore years at HKHS.
Throughout my time in Killingworth, I have been active in the Killingworth Women’s Organization, the KES yearbook committee, and was a room parent and active volunteer at KES. My husband coached little league for approximately ten years including some extremely successful HK girls softball all-stars teams. Our family has seen first-hand the benefits of servicing the community and having a direct connection with our children and families.
I will approach every decision as a BOE member with this attitude: Students Come First.
This may sound simple, but as a former teacher and a parent of two high school students, I know that it is much more complex. We are a community with children of many diverse backgrounds, interests, and experiences. It is important that all students feel valued, empowered, and motivated to succeed.
Due to advances in technology, students now have access to limitless information. It is imperative that they have the skills to discern this information. Some of the most important attributes that we can foster in our children are the development of flexibility and critical thinking skills. In addition to the basic academic requirements, we need to prepare our children to be productive citizens in an ever-changing society.
From the perspective of a parent, I have witnessed the profound impact when educators create an individualized learning environment. At the high school, my son participates in Project Lead the Way, a program that provides opportunities for cooperative problem solving and technology education. This fosters a learning environment that is project-based and student-driven. I support a learning model that encourages our children to explore their personal interests while still fulfilling curricular requirements, thus allowing all students to thrive.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are essential to curriculum and instruction in our district. DEI provides opportunities for students to experience the greater world around them and promotes growth and understanding for them to be better citizens of the world. Equity must be an essential core value in our district; all of our students need to feel safe and know that they have a voice and a place in their classrooms.
Some of my most thought provoking conversations about local issues and world relations have been with my teenage children and their friends; they see things through fresh eyes and an idealistic perspective. If elected, it is my goal to be accessible to students, families, and educators as it is the only way to truly understand and assess the ongoing needs of RSD17.
I am excited to serve our community and look forward to the collaboration necessary to assure that all students are valued, empowered, and motivated to succeed.
Q&A
About Me and Why I Am Running for BOE
My name is Lisa Connelly, and I am running for a seat on the Haddam-Killingworth Board of Education. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and also studied elementary education in the certification to master’s program at SCSU. I grew up in the New Haven area and spent time in New York and New Mexico before moving back to Connecticut in 1995. In 2001, while I was teaching for Guilford Public Schools, my husband Sean and I moved from New Haven to Killingworth primarily for the excellent school system. We now have two children who are entering their senior and sophomore years at HKHS. We have rescue dogs and cats, and I have a deep appreciation for our fellow residents who walk on four legs, crawl, fly, and slither.
Throughout my time in Killingworth, I have been active in the Killingworth Women’s Organization, the KES yearbook committee, and was a room parent and active volunteer at KES. My husband coached little league for approximately ten years, including some extremely successful HK girls softball all-stars teams. Our family has seen first-hand the benefits of servicing the community and having a direct connection with our children and families. As a former teacher, parent of two HK students, and now a small business owner in town, I bring a well-rounded perspective to the BOE and hope to be a part of further improving our schools for future generations.
What I Love About Killingworth
After twenty years, I still love everything that originally brought us to Killingworth. I wake up to the sounds of nature each morning, while both New York and Boston and all the culture they offer are within a two hour drive. We have had excellent experiences with HK schools, and the people we have met are genuinely kind and care about each other; we couldn’t ask for better neighbors and role models for our kids. My highest priority for my children is that they are kind and compassionate humans.
Important Issues
The greatest challenge I see facing our schools is adequately preparing our students for an ever changing world. It is crucial that we foster empathy and compassionate critical thinking skills in order to prepare our children to be productive members of a diverse society. For this reason, diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential to curriculum and instruction in our district, providing opportunities for students to understand the greater world around them. All of our students need to feel safe and know that they have a voice and a place in their classrooms.
Due to modern advances in technology, students have limitless, unfiltered information at their fingertips – it is imperative that they develop the skills to discern this information. Some of the most important attributes that we can foster in our children are the development of flexibility and critical thinking skills so they can be better prepared to discern facts from opinions and misinformation. If elected, I will support a curriculum based on the “Vision of the Graduate” which promotes the necessary skills for our students to become productive citizens in our ever changing world.
I am excited to serve our community and look forward to the collaboration necessary to assure that all students are valued, empowered, and motivated to succeed.
Killingworth Democratic Town Committee 