Bio
Nicola Davies and her husband moved to Wilton in 2005 for the small-town feel and excellent schools. Nicola quickly involved herself in a variety of town organizations, including Minks to Sinks, A Better Chance, Wilton Youth Council and Wilton Go Green.
Her true passion has been the schools. She has been deeply involved in all four PTAs over the last 10 years. She is treasurer at Wilton High School PTSA and a board member of the Music Boosters.
Nicola has served as a substitute teacher at Middlebrook and as a parent voice on many district-level committees, where she is valued for her experience, positivity, and ability to see the big picture. Her sons are students at the high school. Nicola has a BS in economics.
Op-Ed
I believe I am the most qualified first-time candidate running for the Board of Education. Here’s why:
To begin with, I am a passionate advocate for public education. My husband and I are both products of public education, and our two children have been educated exclusively in Wilton and are currently both students at Wilton High School.
What’s more, I’ve done the hard work it takes to understand public education here. I have spent 10 years in our schools, with four PTAs, through work as a substitute teacher and as an independent contractor, interacting with parents, teachers and administrators. Having reached leadership positions in several PTAs, I’ve learned a great deal about leading, motivating and problem-solving. I’ve come to understand the “ecosystems” that exist in our schools, an understanding that is necessary to produce change. In the process, I have helped improve communication between school staffs and parents on numerous occasions.
I believe in our schools and their faculties. My time observing zoom classes last year and as a substitute teacher has reaffirmed for me that our schools are staffed by truly talented human beings who care about our children and want to prepare them to be contributing members of society. I also believe in our Board of Education. Having attended countless school board meetings, I believe that Wilton is fortunate to have a school board that is as conscientious, functional and non-partisan as ours is.
At the same time, I can see ways to make it better.
My goals, therefore, are first, to ensure that our Board stays focused on educating our children, improving our math outcomes and reviewing our curriculum, and not become distracted by partisan issues that don’t relate to us.
Second, I want to enhance communication among teachers, administrators and parents. Having worked on the district website for the last four years, I know of opportunities where we can improve, and I will implement changes that I and many of my fellow parents wish to see. One example of this is calendars; both district and school calendars are often woefully lacking in upcoming events. It shouldn’t be so hard to have calendars that reflect what is going on in our schools. I seek a seat on the BOE so that I’m able to improve communication generally — and through the website specifically — to assure that parents have the information they deserve, and educators get the feedback they require.
Third, as an economist, I understand the necessity of fiscal diligence and, as a professional who has relied on data throughout her career, I’ll make sure we use research and science to make prudent, sustainable decisions within our means.
Finally, I promise to listen. Having been the parent in the room for so many years, with children still in our schools, I know how important it is for you to have answers to your concerns. I promise to make sure you have them.