Summary

Tom Gorman is a seasoned community member and leader with over 22 years of residence in Glastonbury, where his wife has taught for 23 years and where they are raising four children. In the past year, Tom has served on the Board of Education as an Independent, bringing his background in facilities management and expertise in overseeing large contracts and budgets to the role. Beyond that, he has been deeply involved in the community through his roles as a soccer and baseball coach, a board member for the town soccer club, and a mentor for Lego Robotics. His commitment to non-partisan, free-thinking decision-making sets him apart as he navigates the complexities of educational governance.

Tom is particularly passionate about special education and educators’ needs, advocating for more resources and a nuanced approach to address the diverse requirements of students and teachers. He believes that by focusing on open communication and genuine feedback, the educational structure in the community will be significantly strengthened.

Guiding Principal

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Theodore Rosevelt, 

Citizenship in a Republic

Paris, April 23, 1910

Voting History

Citizen Questions

If elected, what one objective would you like to see the town achieve or work toward?

I would like to see greater resources focused on special education. In CT, the percentage of students who qualify for such need has increased from 11.6% in 2010 to 15.9% in 2020. During that same period, the increases in autism diagnosis went up 79%. On Jan. 9, during the board meeting to approve the budget, I made a motion to increase the special education line item by $87,400 for the purpose of hiring two additional full-time paraprofessionals. Unfortunately, it was voted down. I hope to cast a greater light on our special education program and provide greater resources.

What insight or oversight should the Board of Education have concerning the district’s curriculum?

I believe that curriculum oversight should be minimal at best. My role as a board member is to champion our town’s public education. We have hired administrators who I believe are the most competent at their jobs. It is those associates who have dedicated their careers to education and instruction who are most equipped to design, execute and evaluate a quality curriculum. Only when conflicts arise, should the board step in and mediate.

What is the most important responsibility of the Board of Education?

I feel that the most important responsibility is to eliminate obstacles to quality education. We need to supply our front-line staff with the tools and resources to do their jobs effectively. Each of those employees teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians, bus drivers, foodservice workers, etc. are all there for the sole purpose of making sure our children have a quality education. They know best how to do their jobs effectively and the board needs to make sure that they can.

Letters to Editor

You can often learn a great deal about a candidate from their letters written to the Glastonbury Citizen. The link to to the letter text is found in the dates below.

The letter appeals for votes by emphasizing their commitment to finding middle ground and listening to all sides, in response to the polarization in community opinions on the town’s education system.

November 2nd 2023

The letter to the editor highlights a concern for the quality of education provided to students with special needs, citing an increase in such students and the need for increased resources, particularly more paraprofessionals, to ensure their success, and criticizes a reactive approach to budgeting in this regard.

October 26th 2023

The letter expresses gratitude for the dedication of school district employees but highlights a significant gap in internal communication, advocating for the introduction of an annual, anonymous employee engagement survey to improve job satisfaction and efficiency.

October 5th 2023

This letter explains why Tom is running for re-election, emphasizes his long-standing community involvement, facilities management experience, and commitment to non-divisive politics, while highlighting a focus on special education and improving resources and communication for educators.

September 2023

Social Media

Tom has an active social media account that can be found here.