I am a Republican AND I am voting for Democrat Sheryl Shyloski for the L-OL Board of Education!
Why am I doing so? Well, first of all, she is my daughter-in-law, and, Sheryl Shyloski is much more than that. Her degrees include a Masters in Psychology. Sheryl exhibits vital past experience and respected accomplishment across three school systems, i.e., Plainfield, Guilford, and currently as a school psychologist in East Lyme. Sheryl truly exhibits the critical skills for understanding childhood development issues as well as for contributing to school policies.
Sheryl Shyloski has a keen focus on understanding what works and does not work in today’s education environment including details of procedures, testing, conflict resolution, and work environments. Most importantly, Sheryl always exhibits a cool head for not only policy issues, but she is keen and truthful. Whether dissecting budget and expenditure proposals with regard to either achieving or not achieving results of grammar and high school policy and procedures, understanding programs and standards implementation, enforcement of and monitoring results either attained or results failing to be attained, Sheryl brings the skills we need to enhance our L-OL Board of Education.
Sheryl’s superior veteran educator skills were on display with applause given at the recent Wednesday night L-OL Board of Education Debate at the Middle School where Sheryl was truly very impressive, not only in her opening remarks, but with superior extemporaneous and unassailable responses throughout the debate including her conclusion.
Sheryl Shyloski is one of the most dedicated, truthful, and hard-working educators I have met, and I believe everyone witnessed just that including those who were there both competing with her on stage as well as in the audience.
Ten candidates are running for five open seats on the Region 18 Board of Education.
LYME-OLD LYME–The Region 18 Board of Education candidates, many of them parents of current students, started Wednesday evening’s candidates’ forum by agreeing Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) Schools offer an outstanding education.
The companionable exchange of ideas at the Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau (LYSB) “Meet the Candidates” event continued with broad consensus on numerous issues in the two-hour question and answer session moderated by WFSB personality Eric Parker. About 50 people came out to the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School auditorium while others watched the online livestream.
They agreed on the importance of making all students feel included. They agreed state and district policies give parents the right to shield their children from objectionable material, while at the same time keeping books and lessons available to the rest of the students. They agreed on limiting guns in schools to the security guards already authorized to carry them.
Numerous questions, submitted in advance by residents, had been narrowed down by LYSB to a list of 10. Some of the questions went to all candidates, while others were answered in groups of four. Candidates had 90 seconds to respond.
There are eight hopefuls from Old Lyme vying for four open spots, including one being vacated by Democratic First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker as she makes another run for the town’s top spot. Members Chris Staab (R) and Laura Dean-Frazier (U) are also not running for reelection.
The candidates are evenly split under the Democratic and Republican banners.
Seven of the eight candidates at the forum have children in the school system, compared to four on the current nine-member school board. Several mentioned moving to town because of the quality education.
Among the candidates were those driven by data, like Democrat Sheryl Shyloski, a school psychologist, and Republican Brandy Campbell, a veterinarian and scientist at Pfizer. Jarod Bushey (R) referred to education as the foundation of the American Dream that led him to become an aerospace scientist. Michael Hansen (D) advocated for giving trade-seeking students the same support and resources as college-seeking students.
Shaun Mastroianni (R), who is no stranger to the campaign trail, leaned on experience as a nonprofit healthcare executive and a former regional school board member in Chester. Democrat Cynthia Love McCollum said a career as a public defender gives her the ability to interpret and adapt the rule of law as it relates locally, while Judicial Branch family relations counselor and incumbent school board Chairman Jason Kemp (D) said he has helped ensure all members’ voices are heard.
In Lyme, retired educator and incumbent school board member Democrat Anna James is running against Republican-endorsed unaffiliated candidate Lannie Mossberg, a zoning assistant at Lyme Town Hall.
James was unable to attend because of a family commitment, according to Parker. Old Lyme candidate Carlos Piña, an unaffiliated candidate running with Republican endorsement, also could not be there.
About 50 people came out to watch Wednesday night’s LYSB “Meet the Candidates” forum. By Friday morning, a livestream of the event had 395 views.
Reducing the Budget
When asked to suggest specific areas of the budget that can be reduced, several candidates talked about the state “minimum budget requirement” preventing school boards from cutting a budget below the previous years’ total. Others couched the issue in terms of savings rather than cuts.
Shyloski said she has worked as a school psychologist to bring special education students back to the district after they were placed in outside programs.
Special education costs, which can be significantly affected by the need to find out-of-district programs for students whose situation can’t be addressed locally, are often cited as driving factors in rising education budgets statewide.
She said keeping students in the district is a cost saving, but it’s also what is right for students. She acknowledged it is up to LOL Schools’ staff members to come up with any plan.
“So while that wouldn’t be my role on the board, I would seek to push administration and the superintendent to explore how that might be done here,” she said.
Bushey told the audience that keeping costs down amid inflation and a prohibition on reducing overall spending puts board members between a rock and a hard place.
“So we’re kind of left in a position where the best we can do is slow the rate of growth,” he said.
He was among those who said the district’s reserve fund needs continued attention and discussion.
“If we’re seeing year-over-year surpluses, by definition, that means that we are over-budgeting in certain areas. So we should look at those areas to see if funds need to be moved to different accounts, or look at two ways we can scale back,” he said.
A Focus on Trades
Bolstered by Hansen’s enthusiastic support for more vocational training opportunities in the schools, the candidates got behind the idea of building a focus on the trades into district offerings.
Hansen has cited the issue as a key factor in his decision to run for the school board.
“As a lifelong tradesman, son of a carpenter, currently employed with Amtrak, I believe my experiences could further the district’s efforts to offer our trade-seeking students the same support and resources as our college-seeking students,” he said.
He emphasized he is not talking about “turning LOL Schools into a trade school.”
He said asking an eighth grade student to decide whether to attend a vocational high school is a serious commitment not all are prepared to make. That’s why the students should be supported with opportunities to explore the trades in their home district throughout their high school years.
“I want the climate of our district to be that trades are an equal choice, not a second choice,” he said.
On Censorship
One question asked candidates how they would would ensure that lessons and library resources are appropriate for students while respecting families’ diverse values.
Campbell called it a complex issue.
“On one hand, parents and communities should have a say in what materials are appropriate for their schools. Schools are for learning, and some books may have ideas and themes that require maturity,” she said. “But on the other hand, outright bans stifle conversation and critical thinking, which is essential to an education.”
She said there’s a district policy allowing parents to review instructional material that may not be widely known.
“I do feel appropriate labeling and parental awareness is not outrageous, and it’s not an outrageous idea since we do that with websites, music, movies, and potentially even book content,” she said.
Kemp referenced the same policy to explain that parents can choose to excuse their children from reading books or participating in lessons they deem objectionable. They can also fill out a form requesting review of material by the library media specialist or curriculum director, who must report to the school principal. Decisions may be appealed to the school board.
“So I think we leave it to the experts for the overall picture, but parents have a right to make the decisions for their own family,” he said.
To Mastroianni—who ran unsuccessfully against state Sen. Martha Marx (D-New London) last year—the politically charged question was another way of asking if candidates “support a book ban.”
“I just want everybody to know I am not somebody that likes to be put in a box, and I do not support a book ban,” Mastroianni said.
The issue emerged locally in 2023 when 135 people from Lyme and Old Lyme signed a petition to remove two books from the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library’s Young Adult section based on sexual content. Staff members, bolstered by a vote from the library’s Board of Trustees, refused.
Mastroianni said the district entrusts educators to “make the right decisions” when it comes to curriculum.
“There are ways that you can have your concerns heard, but I do not think that there should be any book banning. I think there is far worse out there on the internet that they can get their hands on than a book,” he said.
McCollum supported the review policy while calling for the free flow of thought-provoking ideas.
“I believe there should be more books,” she said. “I think students should be challenged in complex ideas, that they should be challenged with provocative thoughts. They should learn to discuss them, use their rhetoric to try to persuade, and learn and grow their critical thinking skills.”
Open and Accepting
Another question asked candidates how the Board of Education can actively address the needs of LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming students to ensure they have equal access to support and opportunities.
The candidates agreed state and federal law, as well as district policy, forbids discrimination, bullying and unfair treatment.
Hansen said the guidelines are crucial amid a growing climate of anti-LGBTQ actions nationwide focused on what he described as “the new boogeyman” of transgender students in sports.
“I think every child, regardless of how they feel about themselves, has a right to participate in sports. That is a foundational experience that I don’t think we should be limiting anyone from,” he said.
McCollum said teaching students about the importance of accepting each other is paramount at a time when they are all trying to figure out who they are.
“I think one of the greater challenges that we face day-to-day is how we engender a climate in our schools of acceptance, inclusion, respect for all students – regardless of how they walk through the door of the school in presenting themselves in all of their humanity,” she said.
Mastroianni said the candidates’ answers to the question exemplified Old Lyme’s “open, accepting” sense of community. That’s why he and his husband chose to settle there a couple years ago.
He said the question at the top of their minds when they looked for a new home was whether their daughter, “… would be made fun of because she has two dads.”
“I think that our community handles this well, and I think that our school system handles it well, and this is why I live here,” he said.
Student Safety
None of the four candidates asked to weigh in on the ongoing threat of gun violence in schools supported arming additional staff members.
Kemp said the district employs armed security guards, which he voted for in 2022. Guards must be retired state or municipal police officers with a minimum of 10 years of experience, who have retired in good standing.
He said he does not believe “putting that responsibility on ordinary staff” is either legal or appropriate.
Campbell thanked the Old Lyme Police Department officer standing at the back of the room during the forum while acknowledging the safety is a top priority in the district.
“I have two brothers in law enforcement, and I know that the safety program in our school surpasses what many schools around the nation have,” she said.
She called for the district to “stay vigilant” by looking at emerging technologies and safety protocols to safeguard students and staff.
For Shyloski, staying vigilant means watching out for students mental health, as well.
In response to a question about addressing stress, anxiety and mental health challenges, the school psychologist drew on her professional experience when she said the schools need a clear, consistent approach when it comes to supporting students’ mental well being. As a board member, it would be her job to ensure policies are continually reviewed to reflect the latest best practices.
“Making sure that students all have trusted adults within the school is a protective factor for risky behavior,” she said. “So we need to be very vigilant in that regard because we do see increasing suicide risk and increasing threat risk. And that’s just a reality of where we are today.”
Lyme Contest
Lannie Mossberg, an unaffiliated candidate from Lyme running against incumbent Democrat Anna James, counted artificial intelligence (AI) as a main area of focus going forward. She is the zoning assistant at the Lyme Town Hall.
Mossberg said AI can be an important tool for teachers, while students will need to be taught how to put the technology into action.
“I feel students should learn how to use it more wisely and appropriately for class assignments or in general,” she said.
She told the audience she wants to join the school board to be present in the lives of her three children as well as to advocate for all students and the Lyme community.
“I just would like to help our town thrive and see our students grow in a good direction while keeping the budget under proper alignment,” she said.
Moderator Eric Parker read a statement for James in her absence.
“Our current board is a cohesive, outcome-oriented board, which is focused on supporting what is best for children in the district,” she wrote. “I would like to continue to support and contribute to the momentum this board has generated, and I have the skills to do so.”
James, a four-year member of the board, is a career educator who has served as director at Integrated Day Charter School and district administrator and principal in New London.
She recounted starting out as a first-grade teacher before teaching at various grade levels, including college-level classes. She cited expertise in various teaching disciplines as well as fiscal management, school administration, resource and personnel management, and community relations.
Consensus
Bushey toward the end of the evening noted every candidate had only positive and forward-thinking things to say about the high-quality district in a supportive, welcoming community.
He called for continued opportunities to make inroads with each other, work across party lines, build trust and reach consensus.
“If we’re united, no one can come divide us, and that’s what we should be as Board of Education members: united in purpose to deliver the best education and opportunities we can for our children,” he said.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated to correct the spelling of Shyloski’s name.
OLD LYME–There are 10 candidates for five open spots on the Region 18 Board of Education in this year’s hotly contested race.
All five open spots are for four-year-terms.
The candidates were asked to respond with a 350-word limit to four questions (below) that we posed. We thank those that responded for doing so in a timely fashion and adhering to our rules.
Why are you running for the Region 18 Board of Education, and what skills or experiences make you the right candidate for that role?
In order of importance, what do you see as the top three challenges facing Region 18 over the next four years?
How can the school board help keep costs under control while maintaining the district’s reputation for academic excellence and extracurricular opportunities?
Amid the ongoing national debate over parents’ rights, how should the Board of Education handle conflicts between parents and the district over curriculum, instruction, learning materials or student support?
Click on each name to read the candidate’s responses and learn more about them in their own words.
The eight candidates running for the four Old Lyme spots open on the Region 18 Board of Education are:
Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser. (File photo)
LYME/OLD LYME–The Region 18 school district’s $39.7 million 2025-26 budget has gone from proposed to official now that voters in Lyme and Old Lyme have approved the spending plan, which is up 7.39% over the current budget.
Unofficial numbers show the budget passed by 457 votes to 297, which reflects 60.6% of voters supporting the budget and 39.4% voting against it. That, in turn, shakes out to a vote by town of 374 to 272 in Old Lyme and 83 to 25 in Lyme. The total number of voters in. both towns combined was a scant 754.
Of the proposed budget’s $2.7 million increase, $1.8 million is attributable to debt payments on the renovation project. Calls from some residents to mitigate the increase by dipping into the district’s Rainy Day Fund were rejected by the regional school board at the budget meeting Monday night.
The budget includes an elementary school music position that was on the chopping block when Superintendent of Schools Ian Neviaser presented his initial recommendation early this year. The regional school board reinstated the position after a group of residents decried the ripple effect the reduction would have on the entire music program.
Neviaser on Monday evening welcomed the news. “We appreciate the continued support of our communities allowing for us to provide a top notch education for the young people of our two towns,” he said in a text message.
District budget documents show that Old Lyme is responsible for $31.51 million of the budget, while Lyme must pay $6.96 million. Both towns are billed by the regional school district based on enrollment.
That’s a proposed increase in Old Lyme of $1.99 million, or 6.7%, and in Lyme of $299,504, or 4.5%.
Town residents have received their postcard reminder about the 2025-2026 district budget meeting and referendum vote from Regional 18 school district both scheduled for May 5 and May 6 respectively.
By means of background information on the school budgeting process, it is important to understand some of the Connecticut school laws defined by the general statutes. According to the Connecticut General Statutes Section 10-262(j) on minimum budget requirements, a school budget may not be less than the budget from the prior fiscal year except for limited circumstances defined in the statute.
Additionally, section 10-51(d)(1) was amended in 2024, such that a regional school district can create a “reserve fund for educational purposes” rather than the prior designation of such fund for only “capital and nonrecurring expenditures.” The statute had also been amended in 2021 to change the amount regional school districts are allowed to appropriate from the current fiscal year’s budget from 1% to 2%.
Key takeaway: Outside of exceptional circumstances, a school budget can never go down and there has been expansion for a regional school district like Lyme/Old Lyme in terms of how a budget surplus can be used.
The Region 18 school district has long taken the opportunity to fund their “undesignated fund,” or reserve fund, for at least the last 10 years (per the annual October Board of Education meeting minutes on the district website). For the last four years since the change in the statute to support 2% funding of the reserve fund, Region 18 has appropriated approximately $700,000 annually to the reserve. The current reserve fund balance stands at $3.1 million. Although the Board of Education has not formally approved any of the current earmarked projects in the reserve, they are formulated in the five-year facilities plan for the district. There is no reason to doubt that at the October 2025 Board of Education meeting, the board will again vote to fund the reserve based on past experience and determination of a budget balance (unaudited at the time of the decision) in a similar range of $700,000.
You may ask why these details matter. The 2025-2026 school district budget up for referendum stands at a 7.39% increase over the previous year’s budget and over half of the increase represents debt service (bonds) predominantly related to the $57.5 million PK-8 building project. Debt service obligation (principal and interest) for the district is estimated to increase annually for the next five years then start to drop dramatically.
Rather than increasing the budget as proposed to cover the current year debt service requirement, I recommend the board consider the use of a portion of the reserve funds to dampen the impact of debt service on the budget in the next five years.
Why not use all the reserve? Well, we don’t want to do that as it could adversely impact the credit rating of the district for future debt service. Further, the forecasted campus improvement projects could not be funded for the foreseeable future.
My suggestion is to use a portion of the reserve, equivalent to the maximum allowable 2% of budget holdback. Instead of increasing the budget by 7.39% to $39,650,803, the requested budget could be about $38.5 million, or a 5.5% increase. Presuming the recent historical trend of budget surplus continues, this strategy would limit the growth of the budget until the debt service started to decline in five years, at which time the contribution to the reserve fund could be resumed.
I hope that the residents of Lyme and Old Lyme consider contacting the Board of Education members about the above issues and that the board takes this into consideration at the district budget meeting on Monday May 5.
Editor’s Note:The author, Mary Powell-St. Louis, was a member of the Region 18 Board of Education for eight years.
