Meet the Candidate: Terry Schmitt

West Hartford Patch is offering a new feature – "Meet the Candidate" – which is designed to help you get to know your local candidates before the November 8 election. Each profile has been submitted directly by the candidate.

Take a moment to review each profile so you can be informed and prepared when you go to the polls on Nov. 8. Once they have been published, all profiles will be easily accessed through the "Elections 2011" tab at the top of the home page.

Name: Terry Schmitt

Age: 57

Party, Position Seeking: Democrat, Board of Education

Family information: Judy and I have been married for 35 years, and we have three children, all graduates of the West Hartford school system. 

Occupation, if applicable: Minister, United Church of Christ

Political Experience: I have been elected to the Board of Education twice, and served as Board Chair from 2007-2009.

Other Experience: I am the West Hartford representative to the Capitol Region Educational Council, currently the Sec./Treasurer. I am also the treasurer of MACC charities in Manchester, Conn. I serve on the Hopeworks board and was on the West Hartford Substance Abuse Prevention Council for six years.  

Why did you run for office? Our schools are the anchor institutions of our neighborhoods and our whole community.  I want to do my part to make sure that they serve all students and maintain their excellence despite an increasingly difficult fiscal environment.

If elected, what would be your primary areas of focus? Efficiency for the services we provide; excellence in the classrooms; evaluation of our facilities to maintain and enhance student performance; and parental input and choice supporting student success.

What do you feel is the biggest issue facing West Hartford today? Our town is thriving at least partly due to the effective leadership we have had for the last decade. I am increasingly concerned, though, that we cannot be an island of success in a sea of stagnation. We have to help our region and our state develop a healthier economy and outlook for the  long term good of West Hartford.

What skills do you have that you could bring to the community? I bring a data-driven analytical perspective to the task of Board membership, as well as a commitment to collaboration. I have consistently helped all Board members focus on real issues together, rather than engage is mere posturing. I now have years of experience watching other school systems through the CREC offices and thus can often share insights into problems we can avoid, as well as advantages our schools have that are worth supporting.