To the Editor:

As a Newtown parent and 22-year resident, I would like to endorse Rebecca Harriman-Stites to serve on the Newtown Board of Education.   As the art teacher at Middle Gate Elementary School, I was fortunate to work closely with Ms. Harriman-Stites where she served as President of the Middle Gate PTA.

She led the way in petitioning and obtaining a grant from the State of Connecticut Office of the Arts.  This grant funded a visiting artist to work with Middle Gate families to create a series of murals for the school cafeteria.  This nine-week project was successful in large part due to Ms. Harriman-Stites’s ability to drawn upon her strong problem-solving skills, and her passion for children and education.  Throughout the project, her major concern was what would work best for families to provide a good experience for all and maintain the collaborative, enriching spirit of the project.

I believe Ms Harriman-Stites has a respect for how hard Newtowners work to provide for their families, and she would not spend tax dollars foolishly.  She is a working parent and successful business woman, with a positive attitude and energy that would serve us well on the Newtown Board of Education.

Sincerely,

Jean Griffin  Walter

19 Fairchild Drive, Newtown                    September 27, 2015