To the Editor:

I have known Dan Delia for over ten years and support his candidacy for the Board of Education, and this is why.

He's not political - he does not come from a political family, nor is he riding the coattails of a recognizable name; he does not view this position as a stepping stone to larger political roles, nor can he leverage support from others in the establishment and incumbents; he is a political outsider.

He has skin in the game - with two kids in the Newtown Public School system he, like many of us, understands education from the eyes of a parent who every day sends their children to our schools and entrusts those educators and administrators with our most precious asset.

He is an educator - in his late 30s, Dan took action on his passion for education. In addition to being a Syracuse University graduate, he has had several careers in the private sector prior to going back to school for education. Once he completed his degree and teacher's certification (looking ahead) he went back to school once again to get his master's in School Administration.

He is fiscally responsible - being an educator, he has learned to do more with less and that that no one gets into teaching to become rich. They become teachers to teach. As a result, he has never let his salary or school spending restrictions thwart his goal; which is to educate and inspire his students.

He is an innovative carer - when Dan's older brother Dave was stricken with brain cancer, Dan, on his own volition, raised funds to help support his brother's family as they dealt with the most difficult time any family could face. Dan did his research in regard to raising funds and made a difference.

He is a dynamic personality - he uses his intelligence and humor to engage the children, he teaches as well as those in his personal life. I will often seek Dan's counsel regarding my 7-year-old daughter and her development.

Most of all, I was there when Dan made the difficult decision to start over and to go back to school; he spoke passionately about teaching and how important it was for him to make a difference. Now he wants to make a difference and pay back our community using his experience as a parent, an educator, a taxpayer, as a family man utilizing his passion, dynamic personality, and intelligence.

This is why I support Dan Delia for the Board of Education and I hope you do, too.

Warm regards,

Chris Marion

15 Cemetery Road, Newtown         October 23, 2017