Board of Education Candidate: Pat Doyle

Editor's note: Seven candidates are running for 5 seats on the Groton Board of Education on Nov. 8. Below is a Q&A with one of the candidates.

Name:  Pat Doyle

Age:  54

Education:  Master's in international relations

Work Experience:  Currently work at Project Oceanology

Civic/Political Experience:  Groton Board of Education for 6 years, serve on Policy, Communications, Finance, Facilities and Wellness Committees, Fitch High School Improvement Team, Groton Scholarship Fund Committee, Noank School Re-use Task Force.

Family: Husband, Mike, works for Sonalysts; son, Conor, is 17, and daughter, Clare, is 16.

Why are you running for this office?  I believe that a community is only as good as its school system.  I feel it is a privilege to serve on the board of education and I take my position seriously.  I rarely miss a meeting.  I also have two children who have been in the Groton school system since they were in kindergarten.  They are now both at Fitch High School. I bring a parent perspective to the board.

What do you believe is the greatest challenge Groton schools face today, and what would you do to meet this challenge?  The major issues facing Groton Public Schools require a delicate balancing act - keeping taxes low, finding a way to upgrade our aging school facilities and raising student achievement.  Over the last two budget cycles, Groton Public Schools has not had to implement the draconian cuts experienced by other school districts.  With a 0 percent budget increase we managed to have no staff layoffs.

We accomplished this by establishing priorities and implementing programs attributed to those priorities.  We have centralized some district functions, thereby creating greater efficiencies. We have become a front runner in the use of technology in the classroom.  We have partnered with outside resources for the benefit of Groton students.  

Groton schools are secure, financially stable and academically sound.  But we must continue to make improvements in our facilities and student achievement a priority.

How would you rate the performance of the current board overall, and what, if anything, would you do differently?  Like anything, there is always room for improvement.  But I have the utmost respect for my colleagues on the board of education.  They are dedicated and committed to improving our school system for the benefit of all Groton students.