Rhea Klein

Board of Education (2021–2025)

Growing up, I always wanted to follow in my mother’s footsteps and become a teacher. After high school, I attended Boston University, earning a BS in elementary education. Prior to starting my teaching career in East Hartford, I earned a master’s degree in special education from Saint Joseph College. While teaching, I earned credentials in administration and a sixth-year certificate from the University of Connecticut. I pursued further graduate studies at Columbia Teachers College in New York City, and in 1995 graduated from the University of Connecticut with a PhD in special education and cognitive studies.

After thirty-five years with the East Hartford Public Schools, as a special education teacher and administrator, I entered the private sector as education director of a state-approved private special education program in Hartford. During my career, I taught or supervised programs in grades Pre-K through high school and worked closely with the State Department of Education to ensure compliance with special education regulations and best practices. I created and led professional development courses for the East Hartford schools, for the Capital Region Education Council, and as a private consultant. Recently, I had the pleasure of mentoring a Bolton High School student as he worked on his senior capstone project.

As a resident of Bolton for the past 36 years, I have come to cherish the wonderful lifestyle our town affords through its peaceful surroundings and its proximity to all the shopping and activities one could want.

Over the years, I have also noticed and appreciated the commitment of some community members toward the stewardship of the town. When I was asked to become a member of the Bolton Heritage Farm Commission, I was honored to take a roll in the oversight and preservation of our beloved farm. Recently, I was sworn in for another term on the commission. In each of the past four years, I have conducted the well-received Bolton Heritage Farm Yoga Series to provide yoga to the community and raise funds for the preservation of the farm. Additionally, I have helped write successful grants to procure funds for a Revolutionary War Reenactment and to study potential further renovations to the buildings on the farm.

If elected to the Board of Education, I will focus with an open mind on the best interests of the students, families, educators, and citizens of Bolton, putting to use the skills and knowledge I have gained over my long career in education

More

• Watch Rhea introduce herself during the Bolton Democrats’ October 3, 2021, Candidate Q&A.