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South Windsor resident Dipali Kalia tells Patch why she should be re-elected to the Board of Education.

SOUTH WINDSOR, CT — The 2023 municipal election season is heating up in South Windsor, and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

South Windsor Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Name: Dipali Kalia

How old will you be as of Election Day? 47

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

Find out what's happening in South Windsorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

https://swrepublicans.com

What city or town do you live in? South Windsor

What office are you seeking? Board of Education

Party affiliation; Republican

Education: Masters in Management Information Systems

What is your occupation? IT Analyst, 22 years

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

Husband Rajat Kalia, married for 25 years, older son Aryan Kalia, 19 years. He is a sophomore at Harvard University. Younger son Aarush Kalia, 15 years; he is a junior at South Windsor High School, and 3 year old Lab - Mowgli

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

Existing Board of Education member

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

I am deeply committed to education and wish to further champion opportunities for our schools.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Increasing enrollment. As our administration grapples with budgetary challenges due to rising enrollment, I want to focus on adding opportunities for our students without placing additional financial strain on our schools.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Firstly, I have great respect for all the candidates seeking this position, and I believe each one brings valuable perspectives to the table. However, what differentiates me is my experience with academic competitions and opportunities for students at all K-12 levels. I've acquired this experience while raising two children, which has given me an intimate understanding of the diverse needs and aspirations of students aiming for selective post-secondary programs.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Addressing falling SAT scores

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

All we get is time and choices. Be wise with both of them.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Board of Education members selflessly volunteer their time, emphasizing the importance of community and education. While they don't have access to individual student data, their primary focus lies in providing holistic direction and governance for the schools. As a BOE candidate, I am wholeheartedly committed to enhancing our educational system and ensuring a bright future for all students.

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It is one of four public schools in Connecticut named by the U.S. Department of Education as 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools.

SOUTH WINDSOR, CT — Four public schools in Connecticut have been designated as 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education, and the Philip R. Smith School in South Windsor is among those on that short list. This prestigious award is given annually to select schools across the nation for demonstrating overall high achievement or success in closing achievement gaps.

The Connecticut State Department of Education uses data from the Next Generation Accountability System to nominate schools for the National Blue Ribbon School (NBRS) award. Current recipients were nominated based on 2021-2022 accountability results.

Nominated schools must complete an application process and be approved by the U.S. Department of Education. All selected schools in Connecticut were designated as Schools of Distinction.

National Blue Ribbon Schools are identified in two categories: Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing and Exemplary High Performing. The Philip R. Smith School was recognized in the latter category.

According to information released by Gov. Ned Lamont and Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker, Philip R. Smith School is a consistently high performing school serving 467 students in Grades K-5. This school earned 87.9 percent of all available accountability points in 2021-2022, leading to School of Distinction status in every category. While the school’s Accountability Index has been strong and stable over time, the 2021-2022 reports show the index being the highest earned since 2015-2016.

The school exceeds the subject performance index targets of 75 for the all students group in all subjects. At the same time, the academic growth in English language arts and mathematics demonstrated by students with high needs exceeds the growth reported for the all students group. Students with high needs are students with disabilities, multilingual learners, and students from economically disadvantaged families. Accelerating academic growth for students with high needs is the key to narrowing achievement gaps.

The school reports in its NBRS application that its “strategy for excellence” is creating a schedule that protects the time needed to provide high quality Tier 1 instruction to all students. Through careful planning, they ensure that students who need extra support receive those services outside of the time reserved for initial instruction for all students. The teachers are able to provide this high-quality instruction because they are supported.

Staff have access to instructional coaching in reading and mathematics, while also benefiting from time reserved for grade-level professional learning communities (PLCs). In these PLCs, the teams review their units with embedded performance tasks to determine what they expect to see in student work and to prepare to support students who may struggle. Educators measure student success and adjust in real time for their students. Additionally, three times a year, all staff come together to review school level data and progress so as not to lose focus on whole-school success.

"Because of the amazing work of our outstanding teachers, administrators, and staff, Connecticut’s public schools are consistently rated among the best in the nation," Lamont said in a written statement. "Every child deserves access to a quality education that prepares them for success throughout their careers, no matter where they live or what their family’s economic circumstances may be. Our administration remains committed to strengthening all the schools in our state and making continued improvements on closing achievement gaps. I congratulate these four schools on earning this national distinction and I wish them continued success."

Russell-Tucker said, "The Connecticut State Department of Education congratulates all of the schools named Blue Ribbon Schools in 2023. We continue to make it our focus to highlight what’s right with schools, and our Blue Ribbon Award winners serve as an excellent example of the creative approaches being implemented to guarantee the ongoing advancement and academic achievements of our students."

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WILLIMANTIC -- Zack Powers wants to be the best player he can be.

For the South Windsor U11 Little League All-Stars pitcher, that means playing against the best.

"I have confidence in myself," Powers said. "Being competitive is so important and I think that I'm a great competitor. I love facing teams that challenge us. Those teams make all of us better, not just me. Beating the not-so-good teams, it's easy and it is fun. But having to be clutch, coming through against really good teams, that feels so much better."

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The right-hander wasn't dominant Thursday like he was most of the 2022 postseason. But with grit and guile he pitched South Windsor to another title and extended its season.

Powers fired five innings of five-hit ball as South Windsor completed a sweep of the best-of-three Section 4 U11 championship series with a 7-0 win over SFC (Sprague, Scotland, Franklin, Canterbury) at the Willimantic Little League Complex.

South Windsor advances to the state final four July 21-25 at Scalzi Park in Stamford. It will play the Section 3 champion — either Madison, Waterford, or Glastonbury National — at 7:30 p.m. on the opening day of the double-elimination event.

Powers walked two and struck out six, reaching the 85-pitch limit with the final batter of the fifth. He did not have a 1-2-3 inning. Of the 17 non-leadoff batters he faced, 10 came up with a runner on base. SFC stranded seven runners. Powers escaped a two-out, bases-loaded jam in a 29-pitch first inning, and a second-and-third, one-out situation in the fourth with the game still on the line.

"Once he dials in he's good to go, and we saw that last year from him," South Windsor manager Seth Falco said. "The best part about Zack is that he always competes no matter the situation. SFC has the bases loaded in the first inning and I'm nervous, but Zack isn't and we get out of it with no runs.

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"What he constantly does is get the job done at the end of the inning or the end of an at-bat."

Shortstop Dominic Caputa was a defensive standout for South Windsor as was catcher Corbyn Falco and first baseman Weston Durbois.

Playing with such solid players gave Powers incentive to raise his game.

"Having some great defense, catching, and coaching gave me all the confidence to go out there and work hard and get better for this year," he said.

SFC, the District 11 representative, fell 11-1 in five innings in Wednesday's opener but showed its competitive spirit with a strong effort Thursday. Ian King had two hits while Brian Bessette tossed four innings of five-hit ball to keep his team in contention.

But South Windsor usually starts fast and for the second straight day it didn't. Manager Falco wasn't pleased.

"Every game has to be taken as the last game and I don't know if winning yesterday made us feel like, 'Well, if we don't win today we have tomorrow,'" Falco said. "I thought they'd be more fired up. But they're different. They're mature 11-year-old kids and they find ways to get the job done.

"I watch from beginning to end. If we get here at 4 for a 6 o'clock game that goes to 8, I'm watching for four hours. You have to be into the game. If we don't have energy in warmups, we don't bring energy to games. I don't like it and I was surprised to see it."

South Windsor took the lead in the second inning with an unearned run and doubled it in the third as Caputa's single plated Jayden Matos. The District 8 squad broke it open with a three-run fourth that included an RBI double by Powers and a two-run single by Grady Moynihan. Durbois' sacrifice fly and a run-scoring groundout by Lyle Dresser made it 7-0.

Grant Welnicki pitched a perfect sixth to complete the shutout. He struck out the first two batters on called third strikes and then got a fine play from right fielder Oliver Nicholson, who fielded what looked like a clean base hit and fired to first in time to get the hitter, to end it.

In seven postseason games, South Windsor has outscored its opponents 77-6.

Dresser finished with two hits for his second multi-hit game of the sectional. He also scored a run and drove in a run. Jacob Zande scored twice while Moynihan had the two RBIs.

South Windsor will now wait. Section 3 play is scheduled to finish on Saturday. But South Windsor won't wait long to prepare.

"I wanted to win today so we could practice tomorrow," Falco said. "We need to work on base running, on situational hitting. The game is going to come faster now that we're headed to states. We're going to face really good competition from some really good teams."

South Windsor resident Mitchell Marks tells Patch why he should be elected to the Board of Education.

|Updated Tue, Oct 3, 2023 at 9:19 pm ET

SOUTH WINDSOR, CT — The 2023 municipal election season is heating up in South Windsor, and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

South Windsor Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Name: Mitchell Marks

How old will you be as of Election Day? 19

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

Find out what's happening in South Windsorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

https://swdems.org/

What city or town do you live in? South Windsor

What office are you seeking? Board of Education

Please give us your party affiliation: Democrat

Education: Pursuing Bachelor of Arts - University of Connecticut, Class of 2026, major in political science

What is your occupation? full-time student

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

Mother - Julie, 54Father - Larry, 58Brother - Seth, 23

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

Board of Education Member - September 2023 - PresentPark and Recreation Commissioner - February 2023 - PresentHuman Relations Commissioner - December 2022 - Present

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

I am running for the Board of Education because I firmly believe that I will bring a unique perspective to crafting educational policy as a young person and recent public school graduate who has firsthand experience with the high-quality education system here in South Windsor. As a student with various academic and extracurricular accomplishments, I have a vision for excellence inside and outside of the classroom that I would like to ensure remains available to all students in our public school system.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Our school district is one of the fastest-growing school districts in the State of Connecticut. In response to this record-growing enrollment, I will work to ensure that every single student receives the services and education that they deserve while maintaining the excellent quality of our schools and responsibly managing our budget. Additionally, I am committed to pursuing the goals outlined in the district’s 2023-2026 Strategic Plan to successfully guide our district through this period of increased enrollment.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I graduated about a year ago as a member of the South Windsor High School Class of 2022 and have extremely recent experience being immersed in the everyday environment in our school system. I will use these experiences, as well as those of other students, to inform my policy views and improve upon our school system throughout my term.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

If elected to the Board of Education, I will support diversity and inclusion initiatives that reflect the vast diversity of South Windsor families and students. As a student myself, various aspects of being a student can often be overwhelming and stressful, so I will commit to ensuring that students receive the mental health resources that they require to strive for excellence in and out of the classroom. In addition, as a leader on the FIRST Robotics Team at the high school and as a determined advocate for STEM Education, I will seek to strengthen support for STEM programs at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Finally, I will constantly seek to improve the student and teacher experience to ensure that the South Windsor Public School system remains one of the best high-quality, public school districts in the State of Connecticut.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As a graduate of the South Windsor High School Class of 2022, I was an honors student for all four years of my high school career and the winner of awards and scholarships that prepared my pursuit of higher education. For one of my extracurriculars, I was a proponent for young people getting involved in politics and advocating for the issues they believe in while gaining financial experience and knowledge as the Treasurer of FLIP CT (Future Leaders in Politics). Also, I held a vested interest in the curricular and academic success of our school and students as a member of the South Windsor High School Social Studies Department and Curriculum Student Advisory Group and a Teacher's Assistant for a United States Advanced Placement Government Class. These accomplishments were the result of a school system that offered me the ability to flourish and of my close relationship with dedicated teachers who compelled me to thrive in every facet of my educational career.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

I’ve always been told to be true to myself and my beliefs. I've also learned that just because you disagree with someone, doesn't mean you have to be disagreeable.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

As a member of a generation that is surrounded by technology, I am interested in continuing to modernize our schools' technological infrastructure and find modern solutions to various issues in our schools, such as the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence. I believe that these tools should be utilized for learning and I will work to ensure that they can be sufficiently incorporated into our students' education so that they will be used responsibly and effectively. In regards to myself, as a lifelong resident of South Windsor who attended the public schools here for my entire K-12 education, I can confidently say that South Windsor made me the person I am today and I look forward to serving our exceptional community and its citizens in the future.

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Schools in Vernon and South Windsor have been nationally recognized for academic excellence, with one from each district being named a Blue Ribbon school by the U.S. Department of Education.

Vernon's Skinner Road School and Philip R. Smith Elementary School in South Windsor are among four Connecticut schools to be named national Blue Ribbon schools. The Marine Science Magnet High School in Groton and Stamford Charter School for Excellence were also honored Tuesday by the federal government.

This is the second time in three years a Vernon school has received achieved the honor, as Northeast School was among the honorees in 2020.

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In addition to the national recognition, Vernon schools throughout the district also exceeded the statewide average in English, math, and science on the Smarter Balanced Assessment test earlier this month.

The recognition awarded each year is based on a school's overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups, a particular area of focus coming of the disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The honorees for our 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award have set a national example for what it means to raise the bar in education," U.S. Secretary of Education and former Connecticut Department of Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona said. "The leaders, educators, and staff at our national Blue Ribbon schools continually inspire me with their dedication to fostering academic excellence and building positive school cultures that support students of all backgrounds to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally."

Cardona said that he and the rest of President Joe Biden's administration "take tremendous pride in the achievements of these schools and their commitment to empowering educators, serving students, and engaging families."

"This is like winning an Olympic gold medal," Vernon Superintendent Joseph Macary said. "I am very proud of the students, teachers, families, staff, and administration at Skinner Road School. They have been working diligently over the last seven years to close the achievement gap and this is a testament to their efforts."

Mayor Daniel Champagne said that Tuesday's national recognition "is a tremendous honor for our students and for our community."

Philip R. Smith Elementary School Principal Michelle Dixon also credits the hard work of her students, teachers, staff, parents, and the entire school community for the honor.

"It reflects our commitment to providing a high-quality education and fostering an environment where every student can thrive academically and personally," she said. "This achievement affirms our mission to prepare all students for a bright and successful future, and we are excited to continue our journey of educational excellence."

Along with the efforts of students, dedication of educators and staff, and "the enthusiastic support" of parents and caregivers, South Windsor was able to develop a home-school partnership that is "integral" to being nationally recognized, Superintendent Kate Carter said.

"While this is clearly a remarkable achievement for (Philip R. Smith Elementary School), it is also a celebration of the entire South Windsor school community," she said.

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Gov. Ned Lamont noted that Connecticut public schools are consistently rated among the best in the nation, and Tuesday's announcement is a testament to that achievement.

"I congratulate these four schools on earning this national distinction and I wish them continued success," he said.

Connecticut Department of Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker said that the schools recognized this year "serve as an excellent example" of creative approaches being utilized to ensure students' academic achievements.

In 40 years of the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, more than 9,700 schools throughout the country have been honored, including 353 this year.

Up to 420 schools can be nominated each year, and the Connecticut Department of Education uses data from the Next Generation Accountability System to nominate its schools.

This year's awards are based on each schools' accountability results from the 2021-22 school year. Skinner Road School's accountability results last school year were the highest ever, according to town officials.

The award recognizes the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in their efforts to strive for — and attain — exemplary achievement.

Schools honored demonstrate effective and innovative teaching and learning techniques, and serve as a model for practices for state and district educators throughout the country, U.S. Department of Education officials said.