North Haven Election 2025: Michele Guglielmo Running For Board Of Education

NORTH HAVEN, CT — The 2025 municipal election is heating up in North Haven with plenty of races on the ballot.

Voters will cast their ballots in the Nov. 4 election for the Board of Selectmen, Board of Education, Board of Finance, Town Clerk/Tax Collector and more.

North Haven Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Michele Guglielmo is running for re-election to the North Haven Board of Education as a Democrat.

Campaign Website
https://www.northhavendemocrat...

Occupation:

Teacher

Family:
I live with my husband, 2 children, our dog Kanga, and our cats Vanellope and Ralph. My children both currently attend North Haven Public Schools and my husband is also a teacher.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No

Previous public office, appointive or elective:
I am currently on the North Haven Board of Education. I was appointed by the North Haven DTC to fill a vacancy in early 2024.

Why are you seeking this office?
As an educator and parent with 2 children in our school system, I am truly passionate about education. I would like to continue the work I have started on the BOE.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it:
I think the single most pressing issue many residents are facing is rising costs of living. This is something affecting all of us, including our town government. I plan to continue being mindful of the need to balance being fiscally responsible with the financial needs of our school system.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
Something that makes me stand out from the rest is the many hats I wear. I have always felt having educators on the Board of Education just makes sense. Teachers on Boards of Ed can offer a different perspective that others might not see from the outside the classrooms. Teachers are on the frontlines working with our students every day and KNOW what students (and teachers) really need to be successful! I am a veteran teacher of nearly 2 decades and my experience spans various elementary and middle school grades. I also bring a unique perspective as a current parent in our school system that has experience with special education services (both as a parent and educator). I have been an active parent in our schools for the past 14 years with another 7 years until my youngest graduates. I am invested and committed to our schools!

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?
North Haven receives significantly less state funding than many other districts in our DRG. Getting more funding coming into North Haven would reduce the tax burden of our residents. Collaboration to get this done will be super important moving forward.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
Because I was appointed, I have gained 18 months of experience in doing the job. I have been an active member of the board during this time, volunteering to be part of teacher contract negotiations last summer, working through the RFP process for a new bus company, and the difficult task of helping to build a fiscally responsible budget during a revaluation year. Besides for my BOE experience, being a current teacher adds value to my role as a BOE member. I have run numerous large-scale events at my school as well as after school clubs and activities. I volunteer to participate in things like the Tools for Schools Air Quality assessments. I have received multiple grants through donors choose and local education foundations to support my students.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
"If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." I am not suggesting that we don't speak up and have hard conversations, because we absolutely should. But there is always a nice way to say difficult things too. Words matter. Kindness matters. I preach kindness to my own children and my students on a daily basis. It costs nothing to be kind!

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I love what I do and I hope you entrust me to keep doing it! I truly want the best for our amazing town, as do the rest of my running mates. I hope to see you at the polls this election day. Please come out to vote on November 4th! (Or early voting starting October 20th!)