FINAL ELECTION STATEMENT

Name: Donna Hayden

Office Sought: School Committee District 5

Party Affiliation: Republican

Date of Birth: June 16, 1963

Describe your family: Married for 12 years to David Hayden. Three children: Thomas (age 21), Alexandra (age 18), and Kyle (age 7).

Education: Coventry High School Class of 1981

Years living in the municipality: 35


Past accomplishments and ongoing initiatives:

For the last five years, I have been the president and CEO of a medical testing facility in Warwick, RI. Professionally, I am a member of the American Polysomnography Association and The American Sleep Disorders Association. Throughout the years I have supported many local and national charitable organizations and I am also a member of many of these organizations.

The current school committee is composed entirely of members from the educational community. As a business-woman I would add a much needed element of diversity to the current school committee. Throughout my years in business, changes to the economy, the community, and the need for specific services have frequently changed, resulting often in immediate responses, or risk impending failure. Many of my responses to these changes have not always been popular with each and every person I encounter, however; without these changes failure is inevitable.
A successful business mindset is a quality which is very much needed on the school committee at this time, and significantly differs from an educator mindset. The successful business mindset is simply, “survival of the fittest” and “don’t spend what you don’t have” which are quotes we are all too familiar with.

The Town of Coventry has to extract itself from the negative publicity surrounding the school department and create a new vision to maintain our property values and restore our previous enviable status to the rest of the state of Rhode Island as a desired community for which to reside. As a school community we need to unite for one common vision which is basically to provide a well-balanced education for our students within a reasonable budget.

I have lived in Coventry most of my life and have been a witness (and student) to:
the burning down of Harris School, the building of the “state-of-the-art” Washington Oak school many years ago (now closed), double sessions at the current Jr. High School, the cutting of sports in 1978 and the devastation that incident brought to Coventry. In addition, I personally coached the first state cheerleading championship for the town of Coventry at the Pop Warner level, spent the last 20 years participating in the Coventry Rams organization (either as a volunteer or a parent), and traveled with my son who was a member of the first team in the history of Coventry to play at a national championship football game in Orlando, Florida. As a coordinator, I was the first to bring a Coventry Rams cheerleading team to a National Championship. I began coaching the Coventry Oakers cheerleading squad at the age of 22; for which I have done on and off for the last 20 years, twice at the request of school administration.
While a student at Coventry High School I was sophomore class president, and chairman of the senior class social committee in addition to being involved with numerous other activities within the school. For the last 25 years, I have worked on the class reunion committee and last year celebrated my 25th high school reunion within the same summer my daughter graduated from Coventry High School as a member of The Class of 2006.
I believe the span of years of my personal town involvement demonstrate my commitment to the Town of Coventry and my desire to alter the current path for which we as taxpayers, students, parents, grandparents, and educators are currently traveling and is a crucial element in determining the main difference between my opponent and myself. This commitment is simply a commitment to the town of Coventry and the school system and my involvement spans decades of service to Coventry.
The potential to reverse Coventry’s reputation is indeed possible and on November 7th the final determination will be left up to the voters. As a community, we must continue on this very important mission we began only a few short months ago….standing up to our current elected officials and just saying NO to increases in property tax rates. This statement was not a vote against our students but a vote against “business as usual” in the town of Coventry. We sent a very strong message to our elected officials but must continue or face the impending doom of higher taxes, the breakdown of community spirit, and the loss of property values.

Plans for coming terms in office:


First and foremost, as an elected representative for district 5, I will always consider the group for which I am representing and may frequently ask for community input, suggestions, and constructive criticism concerning the taxpayers, students, and educators. I believe that input from the community for which we serve should always be a factor in determining our planned course of action. In addition, the town of Coventry is composed of very talented and educated persons many of which would gladly assist to work on committees to improve our schools and town. Our citizens are certainly an untapped “free” resource which should be utilized in times of crisis to create task forces which can only help our community.
I firmly support increased community involvement for our school department and believe the committed residents of Coventry would be more than willing to help rather than continue on the path of a tax rate which is spiraling out of control.



My primary objectives will always be to:

1. Work within a budget
2. Increase communication involving the school committee, town council, town manager, town employees, and taxpayers
3. Removing sports and extra-curricular activities NEVER an option when they are an essential component of an all-around curriculum
4. Increase technology within our schools
5. Promote aggressive grant writing

My immediate plans are as follows:

1. Meet as a committee with the newly elected town council and town manager to evaluate the November 1st projections (as required by law) which have been prepared by the former committees.
2. Determine a plan of action for the 2007 school budget together with the town council to avoid another crisis situation.
3. Reveal publicly the budget and the course of action the school committee will implement.
4. Consider a forensic audit of all school spending by department.


My long-term goals are as follows:

1. Create and implement (as a committee) a 3-5 year financial projection and plan of action for the school department which does not exclude critically classified extra-curricular programs.
2. Implement a tracking system for educational mandates to assure that they are indeed effective and provide measurable results. If these mandates do not meet expectations with positive, proven results they need to be immediately addressed to state officials for action.
3. Implement an evaluation ranking system for extra-curricular activities and sports which measures numbers of students using these activities and the role they may play in personal, educational, and professional advancement following high school.

The voters in District 5 should support me for two very important reasons:
1. The Town of Coventry has given my opponent a chance and we have seen the results at the recent town financial meeting. My opponent has been a strong voice and advocate to increase taxes. We need to continue to: JUST SAY NO.
2. As indicated above, my commitment to the town of Coventry greatly exceeds my opponent. My loyalty to Coventry is immeasurable and I will continue this dedication for the town and our children if given the opportunity on November 7th.