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He is running against fellow Republicans Jerry Pia and Lorraine Olson, and Democrats Dolores Burgess and Polly Rauh. Republicans must fill two of the three open seats.
Hoch, 38, was born and raised in Stamford, is married with two boys and works as the chief community officer at Domus. He is a former member of the Charter Revision Committee and serves on the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals. In his free time, he serves as the president of Springdale Little League, the East Side Partnership, and coaches basketball, baseball, and soccer.
The Daily Voice: What are the biggest issues facing the district?
Hoch: The biggest issue that I see with the school district is the lack of investment we have put into it. We have for years ignored our facilities and it is showing in our buildings. We are in a crisis mode with some of our older buildings and we are going to have to quickly react to those issues before they get worse.
The Daily Voice: What would you do differently than previous office holders?
Hoch: I would look to increase the community and parental involvement. Our community centers have students for two to three hours a day and we should be working with them in a more integrative way.
The Daily Voice: Is the school district headed in the right direction or the wrong direction?
Hoch: I believe in general the schools are headed in the right direction. I think that Dr. Hamilton is on the right path and the board should help support that. However, I firmly believe that the Board of Education has at times become dysfunctional. I believe that, as the leaders of educational policy in the City of Stamford, it is incumbent upon the board to work more cooperatively with each other. It is my opinion that in many cases politics is broken and has become divisive and fragmented. I think people are sick and tired of partisanship and infighting at all levels. Most particularly around a community's greatest asset — our children! The issues the board is facing are massive and complex. There is not an easy answer or quick fix to eliminate the achievement gap, fix our broken schools and work efficiently within the dollars we have. I hope that I can bring a different perspective and a willingness to hear from both sides of the aisle on all issues for the betterment of our community.
The Daily Voice: What would you do to involve your constituents in your decision-making process?
Hoch: Throughout this campaign, I have told people what I have thought. I have been honest as to where our strengths on weaknesses are. Should I be elected, I pledge to continue that level of conversations. We need to have these difficult conversations with all of Stamford.
The Daily Voice: Why should people vote for you?
Hoch: I have dedicated my life to the service of others — in particular the education of children. My hope is that people will vote for me because of my commitment to children; and my experience as a product of Stamford Public Schools, a parent of Stamford Public School students and a community provider working with the Stamford Public Schools.
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