Press Releases
11/18/2015
Gov. Malloy Appoints Three to Serve on the State Board of Education
(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that he is appointing Erik Clemons of New Haven, William Davenport of Litchfield, and Malia Sieve of Norwich to serve as members on the Connecticut State Board of Education.
"We are making significant progress as we raise the bar like never before. Connecticut's State Board of Education plays a critical role in ensuring that our students receive a world class education that prepares them for careers in the 21st century," Governor Malloy said. "Erik, Bill, and Malia are the right candidates for these roles, and I look forward to having them contribute their experiences and expertise as members of the board. We are going to continue moving our schools forward."
The State Board of Education is responsible for establishing academic standards and setting policy for Connecticut's 149 local and 17 regional school districts, including preschool, elementary and secondary education, special education, vocational education and adult education. It also serves as the board of education for the 17 regional technical high schools.
Erik Clemons
Clemons is the founding CEO and President of Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology, Inc. (ConnCAT), a nonprofit career training institution that aims to prepare youth and adults for educational and career advancement through after-school arts and job training programming. Previously, he served as Executive Director of Leadership, Education, and Athletics in Partnership, Inc., and as Director of Career Technical Training of the New Haven Jobs Corps Center.
He received a bachelor's degree from Southern Connecticut State University, and master's in arts-theology and ethics from Hartford Seminary.
"I am so honored to be appointed to the Connecticut State Board of Education," Clemons said. "This is a great opportunity to give voice to education and it is a privilege to serve in this capacity."
William Davenport
Davenport has been a teacher at Nonnewaug High School in Woodbury since 1986, where he currently teaches sophomore Agricultural Production and junior/senior Agricultural Production classes. He is also the Director of the Ellis Clark Regional Agriscience and Technology Program, which provides students with a balanced combination of technical agricultural knowledge, supervised agricultural work experience, and leadership training.
As a member of the teaching staff at Nonnewaug High School, he has served on various school-wide committees, including the steering committee for two New England Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation visits, a member of the master schedule committee for the past 22 years, and served as a member of the school-wide grading policy committee, attendance policy committee, and the Teacher of the Year committee. He is also a member of the Litchfield County and Connecticut Farm Bureau, and serves on the National FFA Organization's Board of Directors.
He received a bachelor's degree and master's degree in animal science from the University of Connecticut, and a sixth year diploma in administration and supervision from Southern Connecticut State University.
"I am excited to be a member of the State Board of Education to share my 30 years of experience in the classroom to help the board increase equity and accountability in Connecticut public education," Davenport said. "One of my goals is to help highlight programs that work, share best practices and thus enhance student learning in all public schools. The goal of all schools should be to prepare all students to be career ready upon high school graduation, which may or may not include attending further education in college."
Malia Sieve
Sieve is a senior associate with HCM Strategists, LLC, where she works with system and institutional leaders from regional universities and community colleges and elected officials around higher education attainment goal setting and monitoring, and advises leaders in New England states for the Lumina Foundation-supported Strategy Labs. Previously, she worked as an Associate Director of Policy and Research for the Connecticut Board of Regents of Higher Education, where she worked on efforts to align initiatives between K-12 and higher education to improve student outcomes, and as Director of the Community Results Center with the United Way of Connecticut/2-1-1.
She received a bachelor's degree from the University of Connecticut, where she also earned a master's degree in social work.
"It is a privilege and an honor to serve during this time," Sieve said. "I look forward to working with the board and staff to ensure that every one of our children receives the education required for not only their personal success, but ours as a state."
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