Candidate Name: Michele DeLucia

Office Sought: Board of Education

Are You an Incumbent for this Seat? Yes

Party Affiliation: Democratic

Campaign Phone Number: 203-467-7058

Family

As a life-long resident, I currently live in the Momauguin area with my husband Steve Delucia and our three children.

EducationB.A. in psychology from SCSU

Studied art history and italian culture in Urbino, Italy

M.A. in industrial/organizational psychology with a concentration in conflict management and negotiation from The University of New Haven

Ed.D in educational leadership and policy studies - in progress, anticipated completion summer 2022

Elected/Appointed Offices Held

First elected to the Board of Education in 2013, serving as chairperson of both Personnel, and Curriculum and Instruction till 2017. In 2017 I was elected chairperson of the Board of Education, in which I currently still serve.

Other Government Service

Member of the Faculty Senate at Southern Connecticut State University

What led you to seek this office?

As a mother of three children and professor of psychology, I wanted to gain a better understanding of the school district my children attended; therefore, I began attending Board of Education Meetings. I attended meetings as a member of the public for about a year, and then decided that as an organizational psychologist specializing in conflict management, I had the ability to offer a skill set that would benefit the school district.

What are your qualifications for this position?

After a few years in private consulting, I began my academic career at SCSU. In addition, to being a mother, I believe my passion for education stems from a combination of my academic interests, including both the academic and social development of children, and organizational culture and development. I have been committed to my position as a member of the Board of Education since 2013, and in my pursuit to better serve my community, I decided to return to school; in an effort to further my knowledge of public education. I was accepted to the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Ed.D program at SCSU in 2018, where in addition to my part-time faculty position in the Psychology Department, I am currently a doctoral candidate.

What do you see as the top three issues or priorities for this position?

In my opinion, the only priority for this position is to be both willing and capable to put in the effort needed to work collaboratively with our district administrators, providing support to our educators in meeting what I believe to be the top three goals of public education 1) to educate our students through the instruction of the knowledge and skills necessary for strategic thinking and problem solving, 2) to provide our students with the social and emotional support and resources to better understand both themselves and others as they navigate through social situations, and 3) to aid our students in their civic development, by offering models of civic duties as well opportunities for engagement.