To The Editor:

I have had the pleasure of working with Michelle Embree Ku for just over eight years on multiple boards here in Newtown. I first met Michelle when I joined the Board of Education in July of 2016, three-quarters of the way through her first term. During our time on the board, I got to know Michelle as a dedicated volunteer that would raise her hand anytime she saw a way to make a difference for the students of Newtown. I also found that she was someone that was always open to discussing topics even though at the time we represented different political parties (she was a Democrat, and I was a Republican). Political affiliations didn’t make a difference, the important thing was following the data to the decision that was best for the students of Newtown.

Michelle not only spent eight years on the Board of Education (four of those as the chair) but volunteered beyond the town level as well. She was an active member of the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education and co-chair of the Task Force to Study Life Threatening Food Allergies in Schools, just to name two. Through this work, she advocated both for the needs of our school district, but also brought many ideas from other districts that positively improved Newtown Public Schools.

This level of commitment to town and state politics is why in 2023, when I began contemplating running for First Selectman, my first call was to Michelle to ask if she would run with me. I knew that she was someone that often had a different perspective on things and through open conversation would help develop a consensus around the best decision possible.

All of this is why I believe that Michelle Embree Ku is the right person to represent the 106th District in Connecticut’s House of Representatives.

Dan Cruson

Newtown