Deborah Low - Board of Education Candidate 2025

Basic Information

• Party: Democratic
• Position: Board of Education (Vote for Up to Three)
• Ballot Position: 10A
• Election Date: November 4, 2025¹
• Age: 69 (as of 2021)²

Personal Background

• Current Residence: Weston, CT (since 2022)³
• Previous Residence: Wilton, CT (long-term resident)⁴
• Family: Two children who graduated from Wilton Public Schools⁵
• Professional Status: Retired educator, currently serving as Acting Superintendent of Weston Public Schools

Current Role

Acting Superintendent, Weston Public School District

• Start Date: March 28, 2025⁶
• End Date: June 30, 2025 (interim position)⁷
• Appointment Reason: Serving during transition period while Superintendent Lisa Barbiero is on medical leave⁸
• Board Chair Quote: "We are extremely fortunate to have Ms. Low join our school district's excellent leadership team during this important transition period."

Professional Experience

Superintendent & Administrative Roles

Ridgefield Public Schools

• Position: Superintendent
• Years: 2007-2015 (8 years)⁹
• Achievement: Led district through significant growth and development

Wilton Public Schools (20 years total)

• Principal, Wilton High School
• Associate High School Principal
• Dean of Students
• Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction
• Administrator of Secondary Education

Teaching Career

• Began as classroom teacher
• Extensive experience across elementary and secondary education

Education Board Service

Wilton Board of Education

• Elected: 2017
• Board Chair: 2019-2022 (until moving to Weston)¹⁰
• Service Period: Approximately 5 years¹¹
• Leadership Style: Collaborative, non-partisan approach

Education & Credentials

• B.A. in English - SUNY Binghamton
• Master of Arts in Teaching - SUNY Binghamton
• Graduate Work in School Leadership - University of Michigan
• Connecticut Administrative Certification

Professional Affiliations

• Executive Board Member - Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS)
• President - Southern Fairfield County Superintendents (regional CAPSS group)

Education Philosophy & Platform

Core Priorities

1. Academic Excellence for All Students

• High academic achievement as primary goal
• Focus on rigorous curriculum
• Data-driven decision making

2. COVID-19 Recovery & Learning Gaps

• Support "Accelerated Learning" approach (not remediation)
• Address pandemic-related learning disruptions
• Focus on students' social-emotional needs

3. Math Program Improvement

• Strengthen math curriculum district-wide
• Implement targeted strategies for Grades 3-8
• Use data analysis to assess program effectiveness

4. Equity & Achievement Gaps

• Work to narrow achievement gap between general education and special education students
• Ensure reasonable class sizes
• Provide social-emotional support for all students

Notable Achievements (Wilton BOE)

• Created Community Steps special education program
• Developed Genesis special education program
• Increased focus on students' social and emotional needs
• Maintained strong standardized assessment results¹²
• Led development of "Portrait of the Graduate" vision with community input

Leadership Approach

Governance Philosophy

• "Our Board works as a collaborative, non-partisan team"
• Focus on strategic goals
• Program support and improvement
• Fiscal responsibility
• Encourages constituent input
• Collaborative decision-making

Campaign Motto

"Continuous improvement" in educational excellence

Core Message

"The schools are a major asset of our town; we must continue and improve upon our tradition of educational excellence."

Professional Strengths

• Comprehensive experience: Teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, superintendent, board member
• Large district leadership: Successfully led Ridgefield (8 years) and managed Wilton schools
• Board governance expertise: 5 years on Wilton BOE, including 3 as chair¹³
• Special education focus: Created innovative programs for special needs students
• Professional recognition: Leadership roles in state superintendent associations
• Current insider knowledge: Serving as Acting Superintendent gives direct understanding of Weston schools
• Crisis management: Experience addressing COVID-19 impacts on education
• Long tenure in Fairfield County: 20+ years in Wilton¹⁴, 8 in Ridgefield, now Weston

Unique Qualifications

Deborah Low has a rare combination of experience:

• Executive leadership: Served as district superintendent
• Board governance: Served on and chaired a Board of Education
• Building leadership: Principal and assistant principal experience
• Teaching: Started career in classroom
• Current knowledge: Currently leading Weston schools as Acting Superintendent

This comprehensive background provides understanding of:

• What boards need to govern effectively
• How administrative teams operate
• What teachers and students need to succeed
• Challenges facing Weston schools specifically

Potential Questions/Considerations

Acting Superintendent Role

• Some may question whether serving as Acting Superintendent creates conflicts with Board of Education candidacy
• Others may see it as providing valuable insider knowledge of current challenges
• Board Chair's positive endorsement suggests strong confidence in her abilities

Board-Superintendent Relationship

• If elected while serving as Acting Superintendent (through June 30, 2025), unique governance dynamics
• Experience on "both sides" of board-superintendent relationship
• Deep understanding of appropriate boundaries and roles

Community Ties

• Weston resident since 2022¹⁵
• Currently serving Weston schools as Acting Superintendent
• Parent of public school graduates¹⁶
• Long history in Fairfield County education (30+ years)
• Deep knowledge of regional educational challenges and resources

Sources & Research Notes

Information compiled from:

• Good Morning Wilton candidate profiles (2021 election)
• Patch.com Wilton election coverage (2021)
• The Hour newspaper articles and editorials
• WestonToday article on Acting Superintendent appointment
• Official Connecticut 2025 Municipal Election Sample Ballot
• Connecticut news archives (Ridgefield appointment coverage)

Research Date: October 15, 2025

Information Gaps:

• Specific policy positions for Weston (vs. prior Wilton positions)
• Campaign platform tailored to Weston's specific needs
• Public candidate statements for this election
• Position on current Weston budget proposals
• Views on specific Weston facilities, programs, or initiatives
• Campaign website or detailed platform materials
• Candidate forum participation or statements

Contact Information

To be added when available

This profile was compiled from publicly available sources. Candidates are encouraged to provide additional information or corrections.

Sources & Verification