Board of Education Nominees Are Branford Parents, Teachers

BRANFORD, CT — One incumbent, one former board member and two newcomers – all local parents and teachers – have been nominated to serve on the Branford Board of Education in terms ranging from 2 to 6 years.

All four were unanimously endorsed for the Nov. 2 election by the Branford Democratic Town Committee at its July meeting after outlining their education experience, commitment to communication and transparency and dedication to creating a better educational experience, Kevin Coughlin, chair of the DTC, said in a statement.

Current Branford Board of Education member Cristy Cantu was nominated for a four-year term. Cantu previously served as PTA Cultural Arts Coordinator and vice president at John B. Sliney Elementary School – where both of her children attended – and in 2013 worked on the renewal and revitalization of the Hammer Field/Community House playground.

Cantu received a Master's of Science degree at Columbia University's School of Social Work, the news release said, and her field placement was at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, where she focused on perinatal prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission.

She currently works at Yale New Haven Hospital's Psychiatric Emergency Services and as a counselor at Yale University's Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Education Center (SHARE Center), providing crisis intervention, advocacy, support and counseling to people who have experienced sexual misconduct.

Brett Joly, a French and Spanish teacher at North Haven Middle School who has been teaching for over 20 years, was nominated for a six-year term. Joly and his wife have lived in Branford since 2007 and have two children in Branford Public Schools, according to the news release. He has taught in Mexico and studied in Spain and holds Master's degrees from the School for International Training and the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Joly has extensive volunteer experience that began in 1988, when he worked with unhoused people at Hartford's ImmaCar Inc., formerly known as the Immaculate Conception Shelter, where he began learning Spanish.

Neil Sullivan, a coach, volunteer and congregation member in Branford, has over 20 years of experience as a classroom teacher and school administrator. He holds a Master's in Education from DePaul University and a Sixth Year Degree in educational leadership from Southern Connecticut State University, and was nominated for a two-year term, according to the news release.

"Neil believes in the connectedness between school and community and looks forward to supporting the town he has called home for over a decade via the Board of Education," the news release said. "He is eager to hear from Branford residents about any and all educational matters."

Marie Watson, a 26-year resident of Branford who served on the BOE for over seven of those years, was nominated for a six-year term. Her three children graduated from Branford High School, and her background is in early childhood education, the news release said.

She has supervised teenagers who needed support to re-engage in school and community at the Wheeler Clinic, and while completing her Master's in Social Work at Fordham University, interned at the Yale New Haven Hospital Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program, the news release said.