Greenwich School Board Installs Mercanti-Anthony as Chair: “We ask for your grace”

By: greenwichfreepress | 59 minutes ago

Four new Board of Education members were sworn in by Town Clerk Jackie Budkins during Thursday’s school board meeting at Central Middle School.

The four new members include Democrats Bob Chaney and Veronica Chiavaroli the top two vote-getters among the four candidates for full four-year terms in the Nov 4 elections, and Republicans Karen Krause and Paul Cappiali.

Greenwich Town Clerk Jackie Budkins swears in newly elected BOE members, left to right, Bob Chaney, Dr. Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony (incumbent), Paul Cappiali, Veronica Chiavaroli and Karen Krause. Nov 20, 2025

Greenwich Town Clerk Jackie Budkins shakes Paul Cappiali’s hand after swearing him in at the Nov 20, 2025 BOE meeting. Photo: Leslie Yager

Greenwich Town Clerk Jackie Budkins shakes Bob Chaney’s hand after swearing him in at the Nov 20, 2025 BOE meeting. Photo: Leslie Yager

Outgoing chair, Democrat Karen Hirsh, said it had been her honor to serve as chair of the school board for the past year, adding that she would not seek another term as chair.

Hirsh said that per school board policy, the election of officers is done in writing on paper ballot, and, “if a chair person and/or secretary is not chosen within one month, the town’s Selectmen shall choose such officers from board membership.”

Dr. Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony, who won a two-year term to finish out the term of Karen Kowalski who resigned in 2024, was nominated by Sophie Koven to serve as board chair. There were no other nominations.

Mercanti-Anthony was elected unanimously, 8-0.

Dr. Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony was elected unanimously to be chair of the Board of Education. Nov 20, 2025 Photo: Leslie Yager

Outgoing chair Karen Hirsh passes the gavel to Dr. Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony, who was elected unanimously to be chair of the Board of Education. Nov 20, 2025 Photo: Leslie Yager

From there, Ms Hirsh passed Dr. Mercanti-Anthony the gavel and he went on to conduct the elections for vice chair and secretary.

Mercanti-Anthony nominated Ms Koven for vice chair.

Ms Hirsh said she had also planned to nominated Ms Koven and had prepared remarks.

“Sophie will be a thoughtful, steady and highly effective vice chair for many reasons,” Hirsh said. “Her commitment to our schools and our students has spanned more than 13 years. All four of her children have attended Greenwich Public Schools, and her volunteerism extends far beyond supporting her own children. As both an attorney and professional mediator, Sophie brings her fine skills in analysis, communication and conflict resolution – skills that are invaluable in board leadership.”

BOE members applauded after Sophie Koven was elected vice chair of the board. Nov 20, 2025 photo: Leslie Yager

Ms Koven was also elected unanimously, 8-0.

Lastly, Karen Krause was elected secretary unanimously, 8-0.

Dr. Mercanti-Anthony said he appreciated his colleagues’ faith in him.

“As we start the meeting and start the new term – to all of you, the public at home and everyone listening – we ask for your grace. We have a new board – half of us are brand new. We have new leadership and it’s easy to forget that we are all in this together. All of us are parents, all of us ran for the board because we want the best for our children and community.”

He continued, “…in Greenwich we tend to get so caught up in the issue of the day, the challenge of the moment, we lose sight of the real success and progress we should all be proud of. What our teachers, staff and administrators do on a daily basis is phenomenal, nothing short of miraculous.”

“Sometimes you read on social media schools are falling apart, or are not what they used to be. The data doesn’t remotely support that. We are the only district in Connecticut that completely wiped out the gaps from Covid and gotten back to pre-Covid learning levels,” Mercanti-Anthony said. “No other district in the state can say that. We are the only district with 10 Schools of Distinction this year. We are in the top 5 statewide, and there is no one else statewide that has nearly the socioeconomic, the linguistic or the neurodiversity of our population.”

“And on the note that our infrastructure is failing, it’s worth noting the very real progress we have made in the past four years,” he added. “We have an unprecedented level of building projects around town.”

Mercanti-Anthony noted the new Central Middle School was nearing completion ( due to be completed in August 2026), pointing out that project is the single largest capital expenditure in the history of the town.

He said there were also plans for building renovations including Old Greenwich School, Julian Curtiss School and Riverside School in the works, and two projects recently completed at Greenwich High School.

“We’re about to talk about the pool (at GHS). We don’t talk enough about (that) we’re in the third year of an extensive ADA program across the town that, after decades of talk, is going to bring every school into ADA compliance,” he said. “We’re doing all of this as a community because of the faith and support and belief in public education that all of us share.”

Ms Hirsh said she and Dr. Jones had hoped to honor the four outgoing BOE members – Cody Kittle, Kathleen Stowe, Laura Kostin and Jen Behette – at the recent budget meeting, but they didn’t have quorum.

Instead, she said there was a morning event at Havemeyer the works for December 4th to honor them for their service.

“Those four individuals have put so much time, energy, heart and soul into our board, our schools, our district – and they deserve every ounce of honoring we can give them – some for one year, some for eight years, and others in between,” Hirsh said.