Board of Education Honors John V. Boulton

At their meeting Tuesday, Oct. 27, the Board of Education honored Chairman John V. Boulton for his nine years of service. Here's the text of their citation:

In the nine years you have served on the Darien Board of Education you have earned the respect of your fellow Board members, the voters, town officials, students and parents. In your four years as Chairman you have confronted the difficult issues earnestly with purpose and determination. When you could have taken the easy way out, you sought the challenges to get the best of academic, athletic and civic opportunities for Darien students.
 
After three years as Vice Chair, you became Board of Education Chairman in 2005 and fostered the Board’s evolution into a nine-member team who works collaboratively and yet expresses differences in open, honest dialogue. Your leadership has been marked by an inclusiveness that extends not only to parent constituents, but to the community as a whole as you have worked to ensure access to reports through electronic mailings and the district website. In addition, thanks to your encouragement, the Darien community can witness first hand the Board’s deliberations and thoughtful policy decisions in the “friendly confines” through Government Access Channel 79.

During your tenure as Chairman, the Board of Education budget has grown from $59,032,677 in 2006 - 2007 to its current level of $68,700,458. Your intelligence and level headed ability to distinguish the “nice to haves” from the “must haves” has assured that Darien students have access to excellent education with state of the art technology in well maintained facilities - all at reasonable cost to the Darien taxpayers.

From the time you sought your position on the Board of Education as part of the “Boulton -Flynn 2000” primary in September 2000, you have never been one to shy away from a contest. You have been passionate in your quest for the best education for the whole student by actively engaging the natural generosity of the community to support appropriate capital improvements and ensuring equitable access to funds donated for extra curricular programs. Public private partnerships to benefit the schools have flourished under your leadership. 

During your time as Chairman you have insisted on local control and have articulately presented Darien’s position to elected officials at the State level. You have been an effective leader in your work as Chair of the Negotiations Committee using your financial acumen, sense of fairness and dedication to the benefit of the administration, teachers and students. You have been demanding of the Board of Education and other Town officials and all have thrived because of it.  You have demanded the best from a hardworking administration, but are steadfastly loyal when they are confronted by adversity. Your knack for knowing when to push for resolution and when to diffuse a situation with humor has been priceless!
 
You have balanced an extraordinarily busy schedule and worked for the art of the possible with an integrity and zest that are exemplary for anyone with an interest in public service. Through it all your colleagues learned that politics can be fun as your humor and propensity for puns propelled us all through difficult times.

We will miss your wise counsel. On behalf of the students you have served so well, we thank you. Here’s to lots of time with the Yankees, the golf course and your incredibly supportive family.

The Darien Board of Education     
Oct. 27, 2009