Board of Education
Our Board of Education oversees our educational system. Learn more about this body on the pages in this section.
Click below for Meeting information or Policies:
Board of Education Members
- Marla Roscoe - Chairperson
- Rajan Doering - Vice Chairperson
- Jen Passaretti - Secretary
- Caroline Raynis
- Maureen Reed
- Donna Regan
- Ray Ross
- Melanie Rossacci
- Michael Votto
Marla Roscoe - Chairperson
Rajan Doering - Vice Chairperson
Rajan Doering is a lifelong resident and active member of the Wallingford community. He currently is a student at Quinnipiac, where he is in his senior year studying Economics, Public Relations, and Data Science.
Mr. Doering has served in various capacities in the school district, including:
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Community Outreach Strategic Plan Steering Committee
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District Leadership Team
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Wellness Committee
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STEM Steering Committee
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Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee
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Interview Committee for Assistant Superintendent, Guidance Department Chairperson, and Math Teacher
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Sheehan School Climate Committee
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Sheehan Volunteer Fair Coordinator
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Sheehan Student Council President and Student Representative to Board of Education
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Coalition for a Better Wallingford Liaison to Sheehan High School
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State Student Advisory Council on Education
Mr. Doering has also served in several capacities with other organizations in the town, including:
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Board member, food pantry founder and leader, and financial secretary at Wallingford Church of the Nazarene, better known as The Rock Church
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Board member, grant money allocator, and Community Conversations on Race Steering Committee at the United Way
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Board member, Togetherhood Committee (identifies and fills community needs including back-to-school supply drive and family game night) founder and chairperson at the YMCA
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Food truck coordinator and Parade and Marketing Committees Member for Jubilee 350
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Nonprofit Writer for the Wallingford Magazine
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Relay for Life Event Leadership Team
Mr. Doering’s goal for board service is to work tirelessly to maintain positive relationships with parents, staff, community members, and most importantly students, to keep us united in a vision to ensure an equitable and inclusive environment for all, care for academic, emotional, and physical well-being of our students, and use our budget and facilities to prepare our students starting with our youngest learners for the future while operating with the utmost transparency.
Contact info: rdoering@wallingfordschools.
Jen Passaretti - Secretary
Jen Passaretti has been a proud resident of Wallingford for 20 years. She and her husband are parents to 3 children, all of whom are currently attending college. Jen has been an employee of the University of New Haven since 2003 as the Biology Department Laboratory Manager and Adjunct Professor. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a concentration in Microbiology from Messiah College. While at the University of New Haven, Jen earned a master's in Occupational Safety and Health Management and certifications in both Industrial Hygiene and Human Resources.
She has served the Town of Wallingford as a full voting member of the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission. Jen has had the pleasure of working alongside the children of Wallingford through the Wallingford Community Theatre with her husband.
As the daughter of a 3rd grade teacher, Jen was raised with a passion for education. She knows that a town’s value is determined by the quality of its schools. Our school system has always been a source of pride for our beloved Wallingford, representing one of the leading reasons why people are moving here. People recognize that their children will receive an exceptional public education, one that rivals almost any private school option. Jen is very excited to undertake her first term on the Board of Ed and will work tirelessly to maintain that quality which sets us apart and lends support to a thriving community.
Contact Information: Jpassaretti@wallingfordschools.org
Caroline Raynis
Maureen Reed
Maureen Reed has been a lifelong resident of Wallingford. She is a graduate of Sheehan High School. She and her husband have four children, who attended Wallingford schools and graduated from Wilcox, Sheehan and Lyman Hall.
Maureen graduated from SCSU with a B.S. in English. She went on to earn an M.A. in Education and Ed.D in Educational Leadership from SCSU. She has worked in the field of education for over 25 years. Her experiences include teacher of English in the Meriden for the Young Mother's Program, Director of the Adult Education Program in Berlin, and teacher of English in the Cheshire district. For the past 18 years she has been an Assistant Principal/Curriculum at Cheshire High School. She has also served as an adjunct professor for St. Joseph's University and the SCSU graduate program.
Her goal as a Board of Education member is to give back to her community by using her experience in the field of Education. She plans to listen and address to the concerns of students, educators, parents and community members.
Contact Information: mreed@wallingfordschools.org
Donna Regan
Contact Information: dregan@wallingfordschools.org
Ray Ross
Contact Information: rross@wallingfordschools.org
Melanie Rossacci
Ms. Rossacci is currently working at Accenture North America, as a Senior Manager on the Public Sector Services team, where she helps to develop strategy for improving results in programs and systems that serve the most vulnerable children and families in our communities. Her unique background of state government and non-profit work in the areas of children’s mental health, juvenile Justice and child welfare will be a great asset to the Board of Education position.
Ms. Rossacci values transparent communication and stakeholder feedback and will work to ensure these philosophies get embedded into practices.
Ms. Rossacci earned her B.S. in Social Work from Saint Joseph University and an M.S.W with a Concentration in Social Work and Law from Fordham University in New York
Ms. Rossacci has lived in Wallingford for 40 years and has raised her 3 children, Tyler, Sydney and Brady here, together with her husband Steve.
Contact Information: mrossacci @wallingfordschools.org
Michael Votto
Contact Information: mvotto@wallingfordschools.org
Mr. Votto has been a resident of Wallingford since 1971. He was raised in North Haven and attended public schools in that town and graduated from North Haven High School.
Mr. Votto received his BS and MS degrees in Education at Southern Connecticut State University. He also received 30 credits towards his 6th year at Southern Connecticut State University and the University of New England. Mr. Votto taught in the North Branford School System for 37 years as a Middle School teacher, primarily teaching 8th grade U.S. History. In his role as teacher at North Branford Intermediate School he served as Advisor to many student organizations, was Dean of Students, and the substitute Principal and Vice-Principal. Mr. Votto has been a member of the Wallingford Board of Education since 1999 and has served as Chairman of the Board for two of his 10 terms and has also served as Vice-Chairman and Secretary. Mr. Votto also previously served for many years as Chairman of the Most Holy Trinity School Board of Education and also as Home/School President. He has been a Special Minister of the Eucharist at Most Holy Trinity Church since 1983. Mr. Votto recently retired, after 10 years, as principal of St. Aedan-St. Brendan School in New Haven and was also a former teacher at Choate-Rosemary Hall in its Summer Program Department for 15 years.
Mr. Votto and his wife, Ann, have three children, two of whom are teachers. His son, Michael, is married and lives in Massachusetts and is an Assistant Principal at an elementary school and has two daughters. His daughter. Ariana, is also married and teaches Latin in Branford and has fourteen year old triplets who attend Sheehan High School. His youngest daughter, Gena, lives at home and works for Meriden ARC.