Fayston resident Molly Bagnato is seeking one of Fayston’s two seats on the Harwood Unified Union School District board. She is one of two candidates from Fayston seeking seats on the HUUSD board. Rebecca Baruzzi is the other candidate. Fayston’s current representatives are Danielle Dukette and Mike Bishop. Dukette’s term expires this March and Bishop’s expires in 2027.
VR: Why are you running?
I am running for school board because I want to give back to the schools and all the hardworking folks who make them run. I am grateful for the education, support and experiences my children receive at Fayston School and I want to be a part of the continued success of our district's schools. My parents, who both worked in public education, showed me you have to work for what you believe in. I would be an asset to the board at this critical time in our education landscape.
VR: What do you see as the most important issue facing the board?
I understand that folks are struggling to pay their bills, groceries, rents, taxes, etc. Everything has gotten more expensive it seems. School budgets are one of the few things that we can vote on that are affecting the affordability of living here. I think last year they bore the brunt of a lot of affordability frustrations and I think it was a strong message that our education funding mechanism isn't working. I want our schools to have the resources they need to do their jobs and provide students with a breadth of experiences and support, and I want people who are on fixed incomes to be able to afford to stay here. So, what's the solution? I want to be part of figuring that out, understanding there is no perfect answer.
VR: What is your first priority?
I am not coming into this with a big agenda. I would learn by listening and asking questions while familiarizing myself with the job. I would support the board by being an active and engaged member and would work hard to represent the diverse interests of our towns and schools.
VR: What are your thoughts on the district’s exploratory work on consolidation?
I am open to consolidation only if it will actually save the district money since that has been named as the number one driver of the need to consolidate. And if that savings is minimal and over a very long-term period, is closing a school worth the dollar savings when looking at the whole picture and the potential other impacts to our schools and community? I am impressed with the amount of work the board has put into investigating consolidation and looking at it from many different angles. There are also a lot of changes being proposed by the Scott administration so I think it wise to hold off on any big decisions until we see what happens at the state and federal level.
VR: What’s in your background?
I moved to Vermont when I was 2 years old. I have spent all of my life here, save for a decade in Wyoming after graduating from UVM. My husband Todd and I moved to The Valley in 2011. We have two children, who are 7 and 3, and attend Fayston School and Spring Hill. I work for Vermont Bean Crafters in Warren and Todd owns his own woodworking business, which operates out of Roxbury.
