First Puerto Rican to Head Hartford Education Board News Clipping

    12-4 -9U Har 

First Puerto Rican to head 
Hartford education board 

By DEBRA ADAMS 
Courant Staff Writer 

The Hartford board of education 
Tuesday elected its first Puerto Ri- 
can president in the city’s history. 
Carmen M. = ; 

Rodriguez was 
elected presi- 
dent, Allan B. 
Taylor was 
elected vice 
president and |: 
Thelma E. Ek 
Dickerson was 
elected secre- 
tary at the 
board’s annual 
organizational HM Rodriguez 
meeting. The terms last one year. 

The four board members whom 
voters elected last month — Dicker- 
son was elected to a third term, 
William E. Meagher was elected to a 
second term, Candida Flores-Sepul- 
veda and Patrick Kennedy each was 
elected to first terms — were sworn 
in by Joe Lugo, assistant corporation 
counsel. 

Rodriguez, who succeeds school 
board member Ruthie B. Mathews 
as president, said she spent the past 
week thinking of the late Maria C. 
Sanchez, who served on the board for 
16 years and the woman for whom 
the city’s newest school is being 
named. 

“This moment fulfills her wishes 
that Puerto Rican leadership 

    

  

   
    

emerges and participates in the 
process of policy making that affects 
our children,” Rodriguez said. “It’s a 
privilege to follow in her footsteps.” 

More than half of the city’s school- 
children are Hispanics. 

Outgoing board president Math- 
ews said serving during a time of 
budget constraints and the search 
for a new superintendent was one of 
the most rewarding experiences of 
her adult life and career. 

Included in the board’s accom- 
plishments during the past year are 
the hiring of T. Josiha Haig as super- 
intendent, developing a responsible 
budget to present to the city council, 
developing a long-range strategic 
plan, joining the Hartford Visioning 
Project, strengthening ties with the 
Greater Hartford Chamber of Com- 
merce’s education committee and 
the Hartford Foundation for Public 
Giving, Mathews said. She said she 
will continue to work on an affirma- 
tive action plan being drafted. 

“I certainly will miss the responsi- 
bility and the challenge that has 
come with the office of president, 
however, I plan to continue to be 
involved with all of our committees 
and to more actively represent some 
of the concerns of our schools and 
students,” Mathews said. 

The board also bid farewell to 
outgoing school board member Sal- 
vatore F. DiMartino III, who did not 
seek re-election to the board. DiMar- 
tino was credited by his colleagues 

for his initiation of the school dis- 
trict’s technology task force. Board 
members also have praised DiMar- 
tino as being a link between veteran 
and newer board members during 
the last two years. 

“You were able to reach out to . 
everybody,” said school board mem- | 
ber Courtney W. Gardner. “You | 
were able to be yourself. I've seen a | 
man grow leaps and bounds. It’s : 
been amazing; it’s been beautiful. | 
You've been able to leap like Super- | 
man.” : 

He compared his tenure on the | 
board to being in a family, saying he | 
was like a “babe in the woods” when 
he began four years ago, but grew up 
quickly. 

He quoted Charles Dickens saying | 
of his years on the board, “They were : 
the best of times, they were the 
worst of times,” and he encouraged | 
board members to continue the work 
they’ve begun. 

“Much of our time and effort was Si 
spent dealing with budgetary con-. 
cerns and issues and not enough time 
on the relevant issues of education,” 
DiMartino said. “We must keep the . 
focus about why each and every one | 
of us elected to run for the board of A 
education. My advice, my encour-'| 
agement to board members here 
present is to keep that focus. We 
depend on you.” i 

DiMartino praised his colleagues | 
on the board and school employees.