New London ― Ten candidates, including five incumbents, are competing for seven Board of Education seats currently all held by Democrats.

The ballot includes incumbent school board members Bianca Alexis-Sylvain, Nathan Caron, Danni Cruz, Bryan Doughty and Elaine Maynard-Adams. Susan Hambey and Danni M. Cruz fill out the Democratic roster.

Maynard-Adams, Cruz and Blake are cross-endorsed by the Working Families Party.

Republicans Kat Goulart and John C. Martin Jr, along with Green Party candidate Keith Kimball, round out the candidates seeking two-year board terms.

The board is not subject to minority representation rules, meaning there is no limit to how many seats any political party may win.

The candidates were asked to discuss the most pressing issue facing the school district and how they would address it. Their responses have been condensed for space and clarity purposes.

Doughty, 49, a musician and music publisher is seeking his third board term. He said crafting future budgets without the benefit of federal pandemic relief funding will be challenging. He said the district needs to meet the needs of “21st-century students” by way of appealing programming, pre-K education and an emphasis on capital improvement project planning.

Maynard-Adams, 64, vice president of Jaypro Sports and current school board president, served from 1991 through 2009 and was reelected in 2019. She said the board’s priorities should be “budget, budget, budget,” as well as the attraction of out-of-district students to magnet programming and meeting the needs of students whose primary language is not English. She said figuring out how to continually fund positions paid for with COVID-19 money should be a prime concern.

Caron, 40, a human resource specialist seeking a second term, said creating and implementing a “fiscally responsible, equitable budget” as Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief, or ESSER funds, dry up is paramount. He said he supports policy development and funding aimed at creativity and meeting the diverse needs of students using data-driven analysis and decision-making.

Hambey, 65, a retired chemical engineer, running for her first board term, pledged to be an “effective team player” if elected and compliment the work of current members. She said she’s discussed a variety of district topics with Superintendent Cynthia Ritchie, including pre-K expansion options, year-round schooling, budget concerns, marketing and recruitment, and use of the Shaw Cove’s Welcome Center.

Cruz, 20, a customer service manager who joined the board in 2021, said the annual budget creation process will be tough in the years ahead without the ESSER funding that allowed new programming, mental health supports and staff professional development. He said crucial staff recruitment and retention efforts can be achieved through incentives and development opportunities.

Alexis-Sylvain, 29, a licensed therapist running for a second term, said the district is still dealing with the aftermath of COVID and an imminent loss of related federal funding. She said the knowledge and education students gain in a classroom is needed for “change or growth to occur.”

Blake, 38, a political director seeking an inaugural term on the board, said the budget is the most important issue a member will confront. She said all other issues -- new buildings, wages and supplies -- all depend on “often large, weedy” budget documents. She said her background as a parent makes her especially qualified to advocate for students and their families.

Goulart, 43, a retired bail bond and enforcement worker seeking a first term, said the district continues to struggle with developing students and teachers, its “two most basic resources.” She said students perform poorly compared to other towns and teachers are fleeing the district. She said ensuring teachers receive appropriate salaries and students aren’t short-changed will be her priority.

Martin, 58, a veteran educator who previously taught in New London, is running for his first elected office. He said he saw significant issues in New London during his tenure, including achievement gaps, low engagement and inadequate post-graduation preparation. He said he’ll push an “intrinsic motivation” model to engage disaffected students instead of focusing on artificial grading, social promotion and standardized tests.

Kimball, 53, a retired accountant, seeking a first term, said while funding is a concern, it’s the small problems, like a lack of interpreters for the district’s non-English-speaking families, that require attention. He said some issues, such as promoting better transparency to the community, would not require more money, “just better professionalism.”

j.penney@theday.com