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NORWALK The Board of Education has selected Diana Carpio to be its new chairperson.

During the annual meeting to nominate Board of Education officers, board member Erica DePalma nominated Carpio, who then received multiple other endorsements.

"Diana is in her fourth year with us on the Board of Education," DePalma said. "It follows decades of service throughout the city in various other capacities and for other nonprofit organizations. Diana currently serves as our vice chair as well as the chair on several committees, and she did a phenomenal job being the liaison of all of those groups."

Fellow council member Mary Ellen Flaherty-Ludwig echoed DePalma's statements by sharing how impressive she finds Carpio.

"The number of groups that she works for and with is pretty staggering to me, and I'm just very proud of her as a Norwalk citizen," Flaherty-Ludwig said.

"I think she'll do a great job as the chair," she continued.

Carpio replaced Colin Hosten, who had been the Board of Education chair since 2020. The position typically rotates from one member to another every few years. Hosten thanked Carpio for "stepping in to serve."

"I have so much confidence in passing the torch to Diana," Hosten said later in the meeting. He also touched upon another important aspect regarding the way Carpio can represent the changing district.

"I haven't done the entire history, but one of the things that we have seen in Norwalk as a city but particularly Norwalk Public Schools is that our population of Spanish-speaking families has grown by leaps and bounds," Hosten said. "I think it's notable and that we have a Latina board chair."

Calls for Hosten to be removed as chair and from the board erupted in September when the district announced the Middle School Choice plan. The frustration culminated in an online petition that claimed Hostens lack of experience, personal agenda and non transparency on crucial issues has led to increased problems."

However, school board members cannot be removed from office and Hosten will remain on the panel.

Carpio thanked Hosten for his time as the chair and acknowledged the difficulty of the position.

"Colin has served this chair for the past couple of years, and it's a very busy and difficult position to be in," she said. "And I'm very honored that I was voted in as chair this evening, and, again, I will work hard for the families and the children of Norwalk and the staff of Norwalk, too."

Carpio previously served as vice-chair and has been a member of the board since 2019 and serves on the executive, policy, facilities and finance committees as well as the MLL Curriculum Subcommittee. The board also chose its new vice-chair and secretary at the meeting. Godfrey Azima also a member since 2019 and the previous secretary will now serve as the vice-chair. The new secretary will be Sheri McCready Brown, who recently joined the board in 2021.

"I was honored to have been elected by my colleagues to serve as board chair these past two years and I also believe that one hallmark of good leadership is helping to create leadership opportunities for others," Hosten said in a statement on Wednesday.

"I was thrilled to support Diana and Godfrey as our new chair and vice chair, and to welcome Sheri to the executive committee as board secretary," he continued. "I look forward to continuing to serve with them, and with the rest of my board colleagues, through the duration of my term, which ends in 2025."

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Norwalk Board of Education selects new leader - thehour.com