Janet Bates-Wilkins arranged for Senator Carl Marcellino and challenger Larry Silverstein to meet with the Coalition and the public for discussions on education.
(Mayor Suozzi held a community meeting on public education: Several people spoke about problems that they have had with the public schools. We will try to provide information about issues that arose.)
(The school board ran a meeting on the Covello charter school attended by over 1000 people. Dr. Freeley gave an excellent description of the programs and activities available to Glen Cove public school students. Many people defended the schools in the strongest terms. )
Sally Zwiebach has written two “School Spotlight” columns for the Record Pilot and Gazette.
Eight people who have been or might be involved with running for school board met to discuss next year’s school board election. Everyone agreed that it would be best to have two people run for the two open seats, that the candidates should propose positive ways to solve school problems and move the schools forward, that the candidates should not criticize the schools, and that we should draw up a list of suggestions for planks for the campaign platforms of the two people who are supported by the Coalition.
We have a new brochure explaining the school budget and giving our criteria for board candidates
We have permission to mail at non-profit rates
We have approval from the NYS Department of Education to apply to the NYS Department of State for incorporation.
The Coalition now has over 150 members. Chuck Kutruff continues to solicit contributions and to thank those who contribute.
Jean Kuttruff has arranged for visits of community leaders to Glen Cove Schools. The first visit will be in January.
Leslie Whitely is starting a contest among students: who will name “One great thing about the Glen Cove schools”. The best 101 things will go on a bookmark that the Coalition will distribute to senior centers and elsewhere. Can someone in the Coalition do the artwork for the bookmark?
We will have a meeting to draw up a budget for the next seven months including mailings and ads.
We will start a series of interviews with school people which we will submit to the local papers and post on the Coalition website. Some of the first interviews will be with Bob Desiano, Carl Lapointe, Dale Zurbrick, Mary Ellen Freeley, Karen Ravener. Let us know if you want to do an interview, can suggest a candidate, or can suggest questions.
If you are willing to help with any of the things above or below, just do it, and let us know. We rely on Coalition members to choose their activities and work on them independently. The Coalition, of course, can always help with advice, information, and support.
We would like to collect numbers that show the performance of Glen Cove schools and students in comparison with other districts. Fern Lindenbaum has gotten us a list of the excellent Glen Cove scores in the last Advanced Placement tests.
We would like to speak at meetings of the civic groups. Ask churches about church groups we could speak to (Don Ranieri)
We would like to organize a discussion with leaders of Glen Cove Real Estate Firms. (Leslie Whitely, Mary Ellen Freeley)
Help people sign up for STAR exemptions (Janet Bates-Wilkins
Explain mechanics of elections to new voters
Put Coalition literature in boxes in GC Library.
Involve parents of ESL students and parents who do not now participate in their children’s education.
Make list of losses caused by austerity budget.
For the website we need:
Names and addresses of people on school building
site committees, Boosters, Scholarship Committee (Angela Hamel)
A description of what the curriculum supervisors do. (Angela Hamel)
Information about members, meetings, and activities of CSEA, SEPTA, BOCES
Pictures of graduation, play, football, basketball, girls soccer, track, Rising
STAR, jazz band, physics lab, kindergarten, fashion show, art room, shop,
handicapped inclusion
Events, plays, concerts, games, meetings
Chris Swirnoff knows people at the Nassau Board of Elections if we need help there.
Contact custodians union and clerical union
During the Christmas break we would like to send absentee ballots requests to homes of graduates of the past four years.
Distribute brochure to senior and nursing homes about what kids do for the community.
When they bring students to nursing homes, faculty advisors could talk about why schools are worth supporting.
Send letters to seniors who voted. Encourage a sense of community. Announce concerts and plays