Power of Ten Update

Power of Ten Real Facts: Payments from the East Ramapo School District to the "private school community" are much greater than taxes collected from the "private school community".  Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. In This Issue: Finkelstein Library Budget Vote East Ramapo sells Colton for 6.6 Million East Ramapo Inquiry into 2011 Election What Happened to Mr. Santana? Finkelstein Library Budget Vote Monday, June 6, 2011, 7 AM – 9 PM, 3rd Floor Fielding Room, at 24 Chestnut Street and Route 59 in Spring Valley. For additional information, call the Library Clerk at 352-5700, ext. 256 or visit http://finkelsteinlibrary.org East Ramapo sells Colton for 6.6 Million Board President Wieder leads the sale of Colton with 3 years remaining on the lease. The private schools currently renting the building have not paid rent since January 2011. They owe $2,787,555 on the lease. The sale of the school would only net the District $3.8 million. Is this a steal or what? Acting Superintendent Klein want to use the funds as a one time source of income. Video here: http://youtu.be/HmX2mj6BSW8 East Ramapo Inquiry into 2011 Election Is this D'Agostino's retaliation for Wieder being arrested? Is this a friend of D'Agostino's that is being hired? Board President Wieder was arrested for voter intimidation and is going to head this inquiry, is this a conflict of interest? Video here: http://youtu.be/J6ML5D_w3cQ   What Happened to Mr. Santana? You may have heard or read about an allegation against Assistant Superintendent Pedro Santana. Several sources, including a newspaper article, have been vague as to the details, leading to misinformation. The truth of the situation is that his child suffers with mental illness, which caused a police call. This has nothing to do with his work in the school district. You can imagine the difficult situation he is in, because protecting his child is more important to him than dealing with the gossip. Mr. Santana has become a real asset to our schools and is beloved by the students. As responsible stakeholders, our duty is to support those who benefit the children. Our words should support healing for Mr. Santana's family, and dispel the gossip. You can send him a message of support at psantana@ercsd.k12.ny.us  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2011 East Ramapo Stakeholders, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up for our mailing list at http://poweroften.us/ Our mailing address is: East Ramapo Stakeholders 10 Garden Pl. Spring Valley, New York 10977 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser

Election Summary

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Thank you to all the many volunteers and to everyone who cast a vote! You stood out in the rain for two hours, three hours, four hours, six hours............ You smiled, you darted around, you thanked people for voting, you encouraged............. You rearranged your own schedules, putting off dinner or bringing along the kids for a hands on civic lesson.......... I only wish that you had had the satisfaction of a WIN after all of your hard work! Please know that the candidates and everyone connected with the campaign truly appreciates the effort you made. Thank you SO MUCH!!! Once we debrief and get over this horrendous loss, we will keep you posted about the next steps. There will be next steps! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! In This Issue: Congratulations to Stakeholders Candidates East Ramapo Voter Turnout Facts More Scandals, More Media Attention YOUR HELP STILL NEEDED: Congratulations to Stakeholders Candidates One of our four candidates, Joanne Thompson, was unopposed, and got 13,664 votes (unofficial total) which is the highest total ever for any school board candidate in Rockland County.  She continues to serve on the school board with Stakeholders supported Suzanne Young Mercer and Stephen Price (who received similar vote totals last year).  Our other three candidates received about 7,800 votes each, higher than any other opposed candidate for school board in Rockland, ever (excluding Ramapo block vote candidates). While we are all disappointed that we did not win all four seats, we should recognize that our presence and advocacy at board meetings and at the ballot box are essential pressures to keep the focus on education. Your activism and participation has set a good example for the next generation.   Back To Top East Ramapo Voter Turnout Facts About 16% of total registered voters voted for our three opposed candidates. That is about 20% of the voters not affiliated with the block. As the chart below shows, candidates in other school districts win with as little as 7% of registered voters.    Back To Top More Scandals, More Media Attention An article in the Journal News and video from News 12 about alleged voter intimidation by school board vice-president Wieder. NBC News coverage of the East Ramapo School Board Election   Local Channel 12 News coverage of Ramapo High School Demonstration to stop the firing of Assistant Superintendent Pedro Santana   Letter to the Editor from Peggy Hatton in Journal News   Back To Top YOUR HELP STILL NEEDED: HOW YOU CAN HELP: If you or anyone else that to went to the poles to Vote in the East Ramapo School Board Elections saw any of the following conditions please let us know:   1) Aron Wieder or anyone else taking pictures, using a cell phone, or preventing anyone from voting at any polling location.   2) You were intimidated at your voting location.   3) You went to vote and didn't end up voting because the lines were too long.   4) You went to vote and were told that your signature doesn't match, and you were not given an option to vote by affidavit.   5) You were told you have to produce identification in order to vote.   6) You were told you were at the wrong voting location and did not vote. Back To Top  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2011 East Ramapo Stakeholders, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up for our mailing list at http://poweroften.us/ Our mailing address is: East Ramapo Stakeholders 10 Garden Pl. Spring Valley, New York 10977 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser

Final Update: Vote Today!!!

Power of Ten Real Facts: 2 out of 3 Stakeholders Candidates won in 2010. The third lost by only 300 votes.   Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. This is it.  The day has arrived.  We can do this together.  What is at stake in this election is no less that the future of an entire generation of East Ramapo students. Phone Bank Election Day Help get out the last minute voters!!!! Come to our phone bank from 5-9 PM Location: 103 Airport Executive Drive (off New Clarkstown Rd, by COSTCO) Spread the Word! Please remind ALL of your friends, neighbors, and co-workers to go and vote. Polling Place info is available online at www.poweroften.us or by calling the district clerk at 845-577-6015. Students Rally at Ramapo Students at Ramapo High School held a spontaneous demonstration to protest the district's lack of committment to Assistant Superintendent Pedro Santana's continued presence in our district.  As far as the students are concerned, not keeping Mr. Santana is not an acceptable option.  Students also asked that the public pass the budget in today's vote. The protest was covered by News 12, video is available at www.news12.com More Attention from the Major Media: Read the article in the Wall Street Journal  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2011 East Ramapo Stakeholders, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up for our mailing list at http://poweroften.us/ Our mailing address is: East Ramapo Stakeholders 10 Garden Pl. Spring Valley, New York 10977 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser

Final Weekend Update

Power of Ten Real Facts: 2 out of 3 Stakeholders Candidates won in 2010. The third lost by only 300 votes.   Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Final Weekend Issue: Voter Outreach Days Online Phone Bank Election Day Volunteers Needed Rally in Spring Valley Sunday Voter Outreach Days We will be knocking on doors to get out the word about the Election Day – May 17th. Wear comfortable shoes as we will be walking once we get to the neighborhoods. Friday, May 13 at 5:30 PM We will meet in the parking lot in front of the Gilman Clinic nest to Food Mart International in Spring Valley Saturday, May 14 at 10:30 PM We will meet in the parking lot at the Mt. Ivy Cafe on Thiells Mt Ivy Rd (off Rte 202 in Mt Ivy) Sunday, May 15 at 10:30 AM We will meet in the parking lot at the Mt. Ivy Cafe on Thiells Mt Ivy Rd (off Rte 202 in Mt Ivy)   Online Phone Bank We are trying to reach 14,000 registered voters which means LOTS of callers! You can sign up to make calls on the Power of Ten East Ramapo website. You first register on the site and then you can start making calls. There is a video tutorial showing how easy it is to get started. Election Day Volunteers Needed We need help with handing out palm cards at the polls on election day!! We are looking for people to do 2-3 hour shifts at the Hempstead, Summit Park, RCCAnnex and Hillcrest polls. Please let me know if you can help help with that effort. Just email me with your preferred time and place. Hempstead needs the most volunteers because there are two entrances on two different levels. We need everyone's help!! Thank you so much!!!! Rally in Spring Valley Sunday HUMAN RIGHTS and DIGNITY for ALL For Children, For Workers, For Immigrants, For the Community Sunday May 15, 2011 3 pm – 6 pm Memorial Park, Village of Spring Valley 21 Memorial Park Drive Featuring Music: Cool Marasa Truth 2 Power  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2011 East Ramapo Stakeholders, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up for our mailing list at http://poweroften.us/ Our mailing address is: East Ramapo Stakeholders 10 Garden Pl. Spring Valley, New York 10977 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser

One Week Left

Power of Ten Real Facts: 2 out of 3 Stakeholders Candidates won in 2010. The third lost by only 300 votes.   Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. This is the final week before Election day, May 17!!! Volunteers are needed all day on Election Day. To help get out the vote in your neighborhood call Micheal Miller at 845-598-5378 To make phone calls, volunteer your services, or get info including where to vote: log onto www.poweroften.us In This Issue: Voter Outreach Days PTA Meet the Candidates Night A Note on the importance of using our online phone bank Fairness is Focus of Media Attention  YOUR HELP IS NEEDED NOW: Voter Outreach Days We will be knocking on doors to get out the word about the Election Day – May 17th. Wear comfortable shoes as we will be walking once we get to the neighborhoods. Monday, May 9 at 5:30 PM We will meet in the parking lot at the Kennedy Plaza (Rt 59 and Kennedy Dr, just west of Spring Valley High School, by the 7-11) Wednesday, May 11 at 5:30 PM We will meet in the parking lot in front of the Gilman Clinic nest to Food Mart International in Spring Valley Thursday, May 12 at 5:30 PM We will meet in the parking lot in front of the Gilman Clinic nest to Food Mart International in Spring Valley Friday, May 13 at 5:30 PM We will meet in the parking lot in front of the Gilman Clinic nest to Food Mart International in Spring Valley Saturday, May 14 at 10:30 PM We will meet in the parking lot at the Mt. Ivy Cafe on Thiells Mt Ivy Rd (off Rte 202 in Mt Ivy) Sunday, May 15 at 10:30 AM We will meet in the parking lot at the Mt. Ivy Cafe on Thiells Mt Ivy Rd (off Rte 202 in Mt Ivy) Back To Top PTA Meet the Candidates Night A Great opportunity to learn about the candidates and the issues To be held at Spring Valley High School On Tuesday, May 10, 2011 Starting at 7:00 P.M. RSVP to Kim Foskew, PTA Council President  at 914-282-1387 Back To Top A Note on the importance of using our online phone bank Dear Power of Ten Stakeholders, I want to add an exclamation point to this plea for more volunteers for phone calling and door-to-door canvassing: I pledged to myself to start making ten phone calls every night until the election. Ten phone calls went by in no time and I ended up making 20 calls in 45 minutes. All but two of the people I called knew a bit about the issues in East Ramapo but haven't voted in school elections in years. BUT THEY CARE!!!! They wanted to know who to vote for, where to vote, when to vote..... They absolutely want to get the majority back on the board and will go to vote on May 17. These were the easiest calls I have ever made! We have thousands of calls to make and need hundreds of volunteers to make them. My reading is that is if we can contact all of our registered voters, we can easily win this election. PLEASE, let\'s do it!! It is SO IMPORTANT this year! This is the only year that we can regain our majority on the board. If we really care about the children in our community, now is the time to set aside some time for these calls. And we must get started NOW because there is no way that we can make all of these calls in the last week. Thank you in advance, Mimi Calhoun (former East Ramapo School Board Member)   Back To Top Fairness is Focus of Media Attention  An editorial in the Journal News expresses hopefullness that the scrutiny by state abd federal government and renewed community involvement will lead to positive changes in East Ramapo. Back To Top YOUR HELP IS NEEDED NOW: HOW YOU CAN HELP: REGISTER/LOGIN TO OUR SITE SIGN UP FOR THE MAILING LIST USE THE ONLINE PHONE BANK TO MAKE CALLS FROM HOME! VOLUNTEER ON ELECTION DAY MAKE A DONATION (Really needed right now!)  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2011 East Ramapo Stakeholders, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up for our mailing list at http://poweroften.us/ Our mailing address is: East Ramapo Stakeholders 10 Garden Pl. Spring Valley, New York 10977 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser

East Ramapo Power of Ten Update

Power of Ten Real Facts: 2 out of 3 Stakeholders Candidates won in 2010. The third lost by only 300 votes.   Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. In This Issue: NAACP Candidates Forum Voter Outreach Days Meet and Greet Fundraiser YOUR HELP IS NEEDED NOW: NAACP Candidates Forum May 3rd (Today!!!) at 7 PM Come hear the positions of each candidate. Bring a neighbor! Louis Kurtz Civic Center, 9 N.Main Street, Spring Valley.   Voter Outreach Days We will be knocking on doors to get out the word about the Election Day – May 17th. Wear comfortable shoes as we will be walking once we get to the neighborhoods. Wednesday, May 4 at 5:30 PM We will meet in the parking lot at the Kennedy Plaza (Rt 59 and Kennedy Dr, just west of Spring Valley High School, by the 7-11) Saturday, May 7 at 10:30 AM We will meet in the parking lot at Lowe’s (100 Overlook Boulevard, Nanuet, across the street from COSTCO) Meet and Greet Fundraiser with our new ERCSD School Board Candidates Friday, May 6th from 7:00 – 9:00pm at the Home of Joanne Silas, 12 East Court, Pomona, NY 10970 Refreshments will be served. SUGGESTED CONTRIBUTION: $50   RSVP & Donate in Advance YOUR HELP IS NEEDED NOW: HOW YOU CAN HELP: To help get out the vote in your neighborhood call Micheal Miller at 845-598-5378 REGISTER/LOGIN TO OUR SITE SIGN UP FOR THE MAILING LIST USE THE ONLINE PHONE BANK TO MAKE CALLS FROM HOME! VOLUNTEER ON ELECTION DAY MAKE A DONATION (Really needed right now!)  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2011 East Ramapo Stakeholders, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up for our mailing list at http://poweroften.us/ Our mailing address is: East Ramapo Stakeholders 10 Garden Pl. Spring Valley, New York 10977 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser