Unendorsed Greenwich School Board Candidate To Appear On November Ballot After Petition

GREENWICH, CT — Greenwich Board of Education member and Secretary Laura Kostin, a Democrat, will appear on the ballot in this November's municipal election following a successful petition effort.

The Greenwich Democratic Town Committee last month ultimately endorsed just two candidates for two positions on the school board, Bob Chaney and Veronica Chiavaroli. Four candidates could have been endorsed.

"If we run three candidates for two seats, we risk muddying our message," Svetlana Wasserman of the DTC Nominating Committee said in July, according to Greenwich Time.

Kostin then began an effort to petition her way onto the ballot and collected the required 568 signatures on deadline. She said in a statement last Friday "voters will have a true choice when it comes to selecting which Democrat candidates will serve on the Board of Education."

Kostin thanked the nearly 600 voters who signed her petition, as well as her family for their support, and others who helped her collect signatures.

"Now, I look forward to the next phase of my campaign, discussing the issues that matter most: driving student achievement, improving special education, modernizing our facilities, making our buildings accessible and more," Kostin said. "Here in America, voters are supposed to decide elections, not party insiders behind closed doors.

"Forty or so people in a room tried to take that choice away from voters, but over ten times that number of people signed my petition to put me on the ballot," Kostin added. "I believe all the voters in our community deserve the opportunity to choose who will guide the Greenwich Public Schools. I am excited for the work ahead. See you out on the campaign trail!"

The Greenwich Board of Education is an eight-person body split evenly between Democrats and Republicans.

The four-year terms for Republicans Cody Kittle and Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony expire this year, as do the terms for Democrats Kathleen Stowe and Kostin. A fifth seat for a two-year term is open due to former chair Republican Karen Kowalski, who resigned less than a year into her four-year term in 2024.

Kostin was first elected to the Greenwich BOE in 2021, and has served on various committees. She has also served on the Greenwich Representative Town Meeting.

Chaney is currently on the RTM in District 11 and volunteers through the PTA at Central Middle School and Greenwich High School.

Chiavaroli is a graduate of GHS and has a background as a classroom teacher.

She is notably the Special Education Support co-chair for Greenwich Public Schools and serves as secretary on the Board of Selectmen’s ADA & Advocacy Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities.

Greenwich Republicans also endorsed their candidates last month.

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