Q&A: BoE Candidate Joan Disco

Note: In the days leading up to Election Day, the Ledyard Patch will run short profiles of all town candidates for council and board of education, along with their responses to three questions that we asked. Election Day is Nov. 8.

Name:  Joan Disco                 

Age:  52

Education: BS Degree Elementary Education; minor athletic coaching; concentration psychology

Work Experience: 25 yrs as a teacher in CT

Civic/Political Experience: Director Upward Basketball/Cheerleading in Ledyard, Village Voices Gales Ferry, LHS Music Dept Volunteer, Ledyard Youth Softball Coach, PTO President, Foster parent

Family:  Married to Ernest for 21 years. We have 3 children: Lizzie who is 18 and a freshman at ECSU, Jenni who is 16 and is a senior at LHS and Chantell who is 13 and in eighth grade at LMS.

1. Why are you running for this office? 

My 25 years of experience in education will be an asset to our community.  I have lived in Ledyard most of my life and have always wanted to be part of the political process.  I could think of no better place for a former teacher than the Board of Education.

2.  What do you believe is the greatest challenge Ledyard schools face today, and what would you do to meet this challenge? 

The continued challenge for Ledyard is to creatively stay in the forefront of education and technology with limited budgets.  Also, we need to provide updated curriculum, materials, and learning experiences for teachers and staff to focus on current trends in education.

3. How would you rate the performance of the current board overall, and what, if anything, would you do differently? 

I believe the current board is doing a fine job overall.  They have a good working relationship, which is one of the reasons that I would like to join now.  It is not that I would do anything differently; it is that I think I can add to the current board by using my background in education and my experience working on curriculum to add to the success they have already had.