Occupation: I am assistant commissioner of the Connecticut State Department of Education. I work in Hartford and I have been in this job for the past 18 years. I am lucky to be working in a state like Connecticut where so many problems are actually solvable –– even in the cities. We have good hardworking people who put a tremendous amount of effort toward improving conditions in our schools. Responding in a positive manner is a big part of what I do. I am also a part-time history teacher at Western Connecticut State University.

Career Path: My father was a military officer so we moved often. Before coming to Connecticut, I have lived in Alabama and South Carolina. I have always loved anthropology, and I majored in this field when attending Tuskegee University in Alabama. Then I went to the University of Michigan and on to Columbia University where I had the good fortune to work with Margaret Mead. That was when I began to think more about urban communities and the issue of minority kids not feeling connected to America’s promise. To explore that problem, I began teaching in high school, in middle school, and then in elementary school. It was when I taught kindergarten that I felt I could actually measure my impact.

How Long In Newtown: Our family has lived in an antique home in Sandy Hook for 20 years. It has been a wonderful community.

Good News On Local Schools: I applaud Newtown High School for taking the initiative to reduce ethnic isolation and emphasize racial diversity. Newtown teachers try to bring out the broad contributions made to society from other ethnic groups and societies.

Family: My wife, Carrie, is a psychiatric social worker with Waterbury Mental Health. Our daughter, Olga Coleman-Williams, is a lawyer. She attended St Rose School and Immaculate High School, then George Washington University. We are blessed with two grandsons.

Hobbies: Gardening and scouting out the area flea markets are two favorite pastimes.

Favorite TV Show, Movie, Book: I find that as you age you gain new perspectives, so I’m rereading a lot of the classics. Right now I’m reading Plato’s Republic for the fifth time. Among other things, it teaches you how to look at problems in different ways. On television, I’m a big fan of British comedies and anything on PBS, especially the mysteries. As far as network programming is concerned, I don’t watch it. It is too pessimistic and sensationalist.

Organizations: I volunteer for the Hoard Foundation, an organization that raises money to send minority youth to college. I also serve on the Danbury chapter of the Midwest Council on Alcoholism. We try to help young people overcome the constant perception that drugs and alcohol provide an escape, and we try to deter them from developing dependencies. In Junior Achievement, we help young people learn how to use money in responsible ways. In the past, I was president of Connecticut United Way.

What I Like About Newtown: I love our Booth Library and the Labor Day Book Sale because they mean a lot to the community. I’ve always appreciated the invitations to be a part of things, and don’t feel I have to seek out opportunities to be involved. At town meetings and school meetings, there is a civility and willingness to hear each other that I value. I also appreciate Newtown’s unique restaurants like the Blue Colony Diner and Pizza Palace. Businesses like Bee Publishing and Taunton Press are icons in this town. Incidentally, I love it when the scouts offer free coffee across from the diner on Labor Day and Memorial Day weekends.

Personal Philosophy: As a free society, we invest heavily in our middle class. But we can’t allow ourselves to have an underclass because those people are disposed to feeling like victims. Democracy must be inclusive. At the end of the day, I want to feel I’ve given more than I have received. I have been so blessed to be a part of solutions. I try to keep up my optimism and I am excited about Connecticut schools because of the people who do the work.

Snapshot: George A. Coleman