Meet Angela Rice: Candidate for Ridgefield Board of Education
How has your personal and professional background prepared you for this role?
I’m very passionate about public education. I think I bring a unique viewpoint because I’ve been and am a teacher, substitute teacher, an administrator and a PTA leader in this community.
How did you get into teaching?
I studied English literature in college – at the University of Rochester. I had a professor. Just a brilliant man. He was advising my senior honors thesis. He said, “Why are you going to go to grad school for English Lit? You don’t need to live in a library. You should be a teacher. You’re great with people. You need to engage and teach young people to love literature.” It was one of those light bulb moments where someone gives you permission to do something you already had in your heart but were not seriously considering. I took his advice and have never looked back!
What do you think the Board’s greatest strengths are and how will you build on them?
I think the direction that we have been headed in the past few years is extremely positive in terms of curricular changes. For instance, I know getting back to teaching phonics and foundations as well changes in the math curriculum have resulted in improved outcomes.
What are your top priorities for Ridgefield when you are elected?
While we are moving in the right direction, there’s more work to be done. One area where growth is needed is world language.
I think we’re meeting the needs of our gifted students and of our struggling leaners. But there’s a lot that happens in the middle that, because of the nature of public education, sometimes gets short shrift. All kids need to be celebrated.
I am also committed to creating better alignment between the 5th and 6th grades as well as 8th and 9th. The transitions from elementary to middle school and middle school to high school need to be seamless.
How will you balance growth and progress while preserving Ridgefield’s character?
Ridgefield is a warm and welcoming town. Since the pandemic, we have seen more people moving here from NYC and other urban areas, who are attracted by Ridgefield’s charm and its excellent public schools. Investing in our schools and demonstrating success for all students, regardless of their learning profile, will continue to make RPS attractive to new homebuyers, which ensures the fiscal health of the town.
How would you sum up your philosophy towards education in a word?
Belonging. For both personal and professional reasons. The personal? I belong in education. It’s what I personally feel called to do. But I think belonging and inclusivity need to stay at the forefront of the education conversation. We should not shy away from topics like gender, or race, having dialogue and actual conversation.
I also want to make sure that everyone feels included in this community. That we reach those who might feel apart or isolated. And opening up communication between students and the Board of Education to hear from those people that might not be feeling that sense of belonging.
What are the key issues the Ridgefield Board of Education faces?
For one thing, I view mental health, as we all do, as an important issue for us to address.
Certainly, the use of cell phones in schools is a growing community concern. I believe in the thoughtful, sustainable approach the administration and BOE are currently taking. One that balances the benefits of restriction during instructional periods along with practical logistics or emergencies. It needs to be part of a broader conversation about technology policies, including the use of AI.
What is your leadership style?
I am inclusive and collaborative. This perspective comes from my years in the classroom, where I was committed to giving every child a voice to grow and succeed giving them the tools to achieve.
What is one thing voters might be surprised to learn about you?
I sing and play guitar in a cover band called The Vondrooks.
What sets you apart from your opponents?
I’d like to work for the benefit of the whole community, primarily for the benefit of all children, but for the parents as well. I certainly have that lens. I know about the concerns of the larger parent community really well. I want to do the hard work. I want to listen and learn. I would like to be a steward of this wonderful education community that we already have and see how it can grow in ways that make sense for the town as a whole.
Why should Ridgefielders trust you?
Because of my years of PTA involvement, I’m already known to a lot of stakeholders. I think I’ve built a high level of community trust with the parents that I’ve worked with across different schools in the district. They know who I am. They already know what my values are. They know I’m collaborative, and they know that I’m willing to work with anybody as long as it’s about children and making life better for children.