• Board of Education candidate Suzanne Cox-Testani. Photo: Contributed Photo

    Board of Education candidate Suzanne Cox-Testani.

    Board of Education candidate Suzanne Cox-Testani.

    Photo: Contributed Photo
Photo: Contributed Photo
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Board of Education candidate Suzanne Cox-Testani.

Board of Education candidate Suzanne Cox-Testani.

Photo: Contributed Photo

Suzanne Cox-Testani is running for her first term on the Board of Education.

Testani grew up in Fairfield, and her experience in local schools is her primary motivator for seeking the position.

“I see this opportunity to give back to the incredible public school system that made me the person I am today,” she said.

Testani lived in Trumbull until recently, where she served on the Board of Education. Over the years, she served as Vice President, chaired the Policy Committee and vice-chaired the Finance Committee.

Testani said she hopes to tackle issues including declining enrollment, decreased funding, the growing need for special education and racial imbalances.

She would also be interested in serving on the Board’s Policy and Finance Committees, as well as establishing a building operations committee.

Testani sees it as an advantage that she does not currently have children in the Fairfield school system.

“This keeps any personal agenda off the table,” she said.

More Information

Suzanne Cox-Testani

Republican

Board of Education candidate

Fairfield

Age 57

Incumbent: no

Current job: Retired - Town of Greenwich, CT

Education: Andrew Warde High School, Honors Graduate - HCC/ Southern CT State U/ Fairfield U, AS Degree - Urban Professional Assistant Program/ Human Services

The most important issue in this election: Address potential student contamination from fill pile materials, growing need for special education programming, explore alternate budgetary avenues to fund academic offerings, focus on current issues such as racial equality in our schools and declining enrollment, create a building/plant management committee to monitor aging BOE infrastructure

Other issues: Properly vet and invite public participation in the BOE Committee process, discover alternate elective choices other than sports, increase wellness programming to offset the ever-increasing academic demands on students

Family: My husband Jack and I are both native Fairfielders, myself being a proud product of the Fairfield Public School System. We have two sons both educated in the Trumbull Public School System. After a highly successful political/public service career in Trumbull, we’ve returned to our ancestral home. Our oldest son Alexander resides in Fairfield, is a Greenwich Police Officer, married to Chelsey and they have a lovely stepdaughter named Sophia. Our younger son William is marrying Cori in October and they’re both Substance Abuse Case Managers at Turnbridge of NH. Both Jack and I practice daily fitness/wellness, and own a horse named Octavian and a Silver Labrador Luka.

Previous elected offices, community group affiliations: Fairfield Alternative Education Art Instructor, Trumbull Board of Recreation, Trumbull Business/ Education Initiative (BEI), St Theresa’s Religious Education Teacher, Chairman, THS Touchdown Club Field Sign Fundraising Committee/Senior Night Event Chairman, Vice Chairman Trumbull Town Council/Chairman Legislation/Administration Committee, Vice Chairman Trumbull Board of Education/ Chairman: Policy Committee/Vice Chairman, Finance Committee

As a new candidate running against many incumbents, Testani believes it’d be useful to have new voices on the Board.

“Fresh eyes are always a positive to any Board or Commission,” she said. “My experience, education and long history of public service will be a definite plus for the FPS system.”