Hi! I’m Eleanor Oi
I am a proud graduate of the class of 1991 and a Brighton resident for 29 years of my life. Thank you for visiting and read below for more about why I am running as well as information on the election process.
Vote May 17th, 2022!
More information about the election is available on the BCSD website.
I Believe in Brighton
Brighton has been my home for the majority of my life and where I chose to bring up my children. I believe in all voices need be heard and am willing to listen to others and share experiences.
Bolster the voice of parents and families that have difficulty attending school board events or parent/teacher events due to long working hours, childcare needs, or other barriers
Continue to strengthen diversity and equity efforts in our district to be inclusive of people of color, immigrants, refugees, low-income or first generation families.
Help bring our community back together safely, and appropriately so that everyone feels comfortable in school once again.
Engage in conversations with all constituents to help improve and continue the strong Brighton spirit.
Endorsed by Black in the Burbs
I’m thrilled to be the only BCSD Board of Education candidate with the endorsement of Black in the Burbs, a grassroots organization focused on highlighting and combating anti-Black racism, discrimination, and poverty.
I believe in the philosophy of “those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Anti-racist theory is not creating guilt, but helping put the story telling of our history into context. It is understanding the origins of racism and how they can act to disrupt this. It is giving teachers skills on how to intervene, redirect conversation and help others do the same.
Raising Denny
We’ve been raising a guide dog puppy since March 2021. Learn a bit more about why we’re doing that and why it is so important to me.
Meet the Candidates Night
PTSA recently hosted a Meet the Candidates Night, and asked all candidates a wide variety of questions from the community.
Have any questions? I’d be happy to hear about it!
Answers to Brighton Teachers Association Questions
Each school board candidate was asked a series of questions by the Brighton Teachers Association. My answers to these questions are below.
Explain why you chose to run for the Board of Education and describe what qualifications or strengths you wills bring to this position.
I ran for school board two years ago. I am still incredibly interested in helping grow and support the wonderful education that Brighton has offered me and my family. I am a 1991 graduate of Brighton’s schools and have Class of 2022 & 2024 students at Brighton. Throughout my career I have worked developing programming in diversity, equity & inclusion, leadership development and academic advising. Over the past 18 months, I have worked as a School Specialist for the contact tracing initiative helping schools manage and understand Covid. I have learned even more about how public health impacts our communities, schools and their needs. I started volunteering weekly for Foodlink starting in August of 2020 helping fight food insecurity that exists everywhere. I also served as PTSA president for the past academic year and am an incoming member of the board of Historic Brighton.
How do you envision your role and responsibilities as a Board of Education member?
I envision myself as one of many voices to help weigh in on decisions being made and share my perspective. I will work as one member of a team of advisors for the superintendent and school. I am doing this for my children and my friends children. I have lived here my whole life and feel it would be a privilege to serve the teachers, students, and families in Brighton on the school board.
What are the most important topics in our community that will influence our school system?
- Developing a new normal and continuing the recovery from the educational interruptions from COVID-19.
- Enhance and continued focus on equity and inclusion practices for all Brighton school students, teachers and staff.
- Engage with the community, such that that all voices in the community are heard, rather than just the loudest voices.
What do you see as the role of the Brighton Teachers Association’s members in providing input for the decisions of the Board of Education, and how would you define the relationship between the BOE and the BTA if you were a BOE member?
I would define the relationship as that we are all different spokes of a team advising and working together for a common goal. That goal is educating our students. Everything is about the children. I believe we all are working toward a common cause and should have voices at the table to make the best decisions possible for our children. Teachers, parents, the students and administration all should have a part of those decisions.
Do you have any specific changes you hope to make in school district policies, programs, or the various school curricula being offered?
I do not have any specific changes I hope to make at this time. I feel as though I have a wide and deep background in Brighton, higher education, diversity, equity and inclusion. I am a lifelong learner and I believe that until I am thoroughly educated on why district policies were enacted and curricula developed then I should not say why they should be changed.
My Family
My husband, Jeff Wigal, is a software developer and owns an online business that is used to schedule referees and umpires. I also have two wonderful children, one sophomore and one graduating senior.
If you want to know anything else about me, or my feelings on certain issues, please use the contact form below. I look forward to serving Brighton!
Eleanor will be an outstanding voice for families, students, and all the residents of Brighton who benefit from the excellent education provided by the BCSD. Her background in higher education and public health make her uniquely qualified to lead our school community in this unusual time. On top of that, her MBA gives her strong fiscal management skills. And most of all, her experience as both a BCSD alumna and parent to two current Brighton students make her a most dedicated, loyal advocate for our schools.
Eleanor Oi would bring a wonderful, compassionate perspective to the Brighton School Board! She is talented, committed, and an excellent advocate.
Brighton friends, please consider a vote for Eleanor Oi for School Board. A 40+ year resident of Brighton, Eleanor knows our town and our school district and has a plethora of ideas to improve both.
She’s incredibly empathetic, intelligent, and an excellent listener, and will bring a much-needed fresh perspective to the School Board, as we enter a time period of serious challenges unlike any other in history.
I’ve seen her leadership skills in action, so I know from firsthand experience that she is unafraid to act as a voice for those who need it most in our school community.
