Nate Vieira Thomaston BOE Chair

02/10/2026

I heard some people listening in on tonight’s meeting had trouble hearing the pre-K lottery results, here they are!

02/09/2026

It’s that time again! I hope you can make it to or tune into tonight’s BOE Meeting, if not here’s a quick summary.

It’s been a busy first few months as Board Chair between the Feasibility Study, the beginning of the budget process, and general business.

When it comes to the general business, a big focus has been put on improving existing Board processes. Broadening communications, transparency, and accessibility to information. 

Much work has been done to streamline regular meeting agendas so we can best adapt to the 8:50 deadline under the budget freeze. Policy committee has also been moved to increase available time for discussions. Since it is no longer directly before the regular meeting, we now have more time to deliberate on policy and discuss more items there. Going forward committee meetings will be streamed and posted to our YouTube channel so you can hear our discussions directly. This of course provides more information than meeting minutes alone.

Continuing with this trend we’ll be having a great conversation about the Board contact form tonight, and discussions on updating our public participation policy have been positively progressing in policy committee.

As always, if you have any questions you know where to find me.

Go Bears! 🐻
- Nate V 🇺🇸
Thomaston BOE Chairman

Livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1e2mjVs7lQDv2eWHgQfpXQ

Agenda:
https://irp.cdn-website.com/1512d430/files/uploaded/_Agenda+%28DRAFT%29+February+9-+2026+-+Regular+Meeting+of+the+BOE-37aa09f8.pdf

Written Testimony:
https://www.thomastonschools.org/board-of-education

Public Participation Policy:
https://policy.thomastonschools.org/1120publicparticipationatboardofeducationmeetings .tab=0ardoer

12/23/2025

I hope you’ll consider supporting the Collazo family this holiday season and share their gofundme link. This is absolutely heartbreaking; my heart and prayers go out to the Collazo family and all those who loved and knew Val.

Valentin Collazo was a young man just starting his journey in life, full of hope … Alicia Collazo needs your support for Support for Valentin Collazo’s Family

12/07/2025

I look forward to chairing my first Board of Ed meeting tomorrow!

This will be the first regular meeting of the new Board. As 2025 comes to a close, we will be setting the groundwork for the busy year that 2026 will be.

I hope you tune in on listen online or come to our meeting in person to stay up to date with all things related to Thomaston Public Schools!

For those wondering what was discussed and presented at this week’s community conversation, I am working on a summary post. Thank you to everyone who was able to make it, the turned out and feedback from residents was great and will be vital as we move forward. Here’s to keeping the conversation going! 🥂

Go Bears! 🐻
- Nate V 🇺🇸
Thomaston BOE Chairman

Livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1e2mjVs7lQDv2eWHgQfpXQ

Agenda:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rQltZsjumQgzAsb9bD97ZyhVrGay2Prm0RYizfgj8bU/edit?usp=sharing

Written Testimony:
https://www.thomastonschools.org/board-of-education

Public Participation Policy:
https://policy.thomastonschools.org/1120publicparticipationatboardofeducationmeetings .tab=0ardoer ee

12/04/2025

Tonight’s the night! And for anyone wondering there WILL be childcare available, so feel free to bring the whole family.

The important of tonight‘s community cannot be overstated. The actions that will be pursued after the conclusion of this study will affect every student, family, and taxpayer in Thomaston.

To clarify, this is NOT a town meeting. The BOE will NOT be taking a vote at tonight’s community conversation as it is not a BOE Meeting. We will be getting a presentation  of several recommended options as to how we should move forward. Your feedback is indispensable in this process as we chart the course for our town’s future.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope to see you there!

Nate Vieira
Thomaston BOE Chair

12/02/2025

That’s right, today’s a snow day! While you’re staying warm, don’t forget that Community Conversation #3 is coming up this Thursday, December 4th. We’ll be reviewing recommendations and the key options being considered for the future of Thomaston Public Schools. Your voice is essential in this process, and to the Thomaston BOE, so I hope you’ll join the conversation! 🐻❄️🏫

11/30/2025

Can’t stop. Won’t stop! Stay tuned. Follow Litchfield County Young Republicans

📣 Big news from Litchfield County Young Republicans!

Meet our 2025 - 2026 Executive Board! We thank them for stepping up to serve, lead, and help grow our chapter as we work to recruit, train, and elect Republicans throughout Litchfield County. 🇺🇸

11/25/2025

I hope to see you at the FINAL Community Conversation for the Feasibility Study.

At this meeting we will see several recommendations be brought forward, and your feedback will be essential to making sure our town’s elected officials make the best possible decisions for Thomaston’s future.

So again I hope you’ll come on down, take your seat at the table, and make your voice heard! 🐻

11/21/2025

I know many have been waiting to hear the results from Wednesdays meeting, we did it! I am honored to have the faith and confidence of this board, and look forward to working with them to move Thomaston forward.

The unanimously elected officers of the Board are as follows:
Vice Chair: Sarah Ethier
Treasurer: Marissa McGee
Secretary: Tanya Galpin

Since the meeting, I have gotten right to work, and it’s been a very productive past couple days. I enjoyed attending the BRS/TCS PAC meeting and the PTA meeting directly following the officer elections, and speaking with parents in the district. It was also great to attend my first student of the month breakfast as Chairman the morning after.

My message to residents at every public event has been the same: I am honored to serve Thomaston in this capacity, but I can’t do this alone. This Board can’t function properly without your feedback, and we need it now more than ever. The work done and decisions made in the coming year will effect every current student, every taxpayer, and every Thomaston child for generations to come. With the feasibility study in full swing and its conclusion drawing closer, now is the time to make your voice heard to push for positive change. I hope you’ll join us for the community conversation in the THS Cafeteria on December 4th at 6:30pm.

I’m proud to have been informed that I am now both the youngest BOE Chair in the state, and the first in CT born after 2000. I hope this symbolizes the turning of a new page for our district, a new chapter for our town, and inspires the next generation to step up and get involved in our community which is built on the backs of our great volunteers.

I have attached in the comments below the link to the article of my interview with the Clocktown Chronicle where they asked me many questions about what direction I’d like to see the Board take and some of what lies ahead. Out of transparency I have also attached my full unedited answers, and look forward to addressing the Board at our Regular Meeting on 12/8 at 7PM. I hope you’ll join us for the meeting or tune in to stay up to date with the happenings of Thomaston Public Schools!

Thank you, and let the real work begin!
Nate Vieira
Thomaston BOE Chairman
🐻🇺🇸🦅

11/17/2025

That’s right, I’m jumping in. I hope you’ll join me for both the Organizational Meeting at the THS Learning Commons AND the BRS/TCS PAC Meeting in the Black Rock School Library Media Center at 6:30!

Should the Board vote for me to be the next Chair, I look forward to putting my all into serving our community from this role.

This coming year is going to be absolutely pivotal for the futures of our students, families, and taxpayers. I am greatly optimistic for the future of our town and I hope we will look back on this period as the Dawn of a Golden Era for our Golden Bears!

I have always put public communications at the top of my priorities. So if you have any questions I’d love to talk in the comments or feel free to dm me.

Thank you, and let’s do this,
Nate Vieira 🐻🇺🇸🦅

11/17/2025

It’s a busy week in Thomaston, I hope to see you at these BOE related events this week! If you have other Thomaston events for this week, feel free to drop a comment! 🐻

11/12/2025

The second community conversation will be in the THS cafeteria! We got some of great feedback at the first one but we need MORE!

We heard many different opinions on the several options that could come out of the study: from regionalization, to consolidation, and sharing services. I know you all have opinions on this stuff, so please make sure to make them heard.

Hope to see you there!
🐻🇺🇸🦅