In this issue:
1) YOUR HELP NEEDED!!!
2) School Board meeting report
3) March 9 Rally in Albany
1) Our Get Out The Vote activities will start early this year. You have seen the videos, you have read the news, YOU KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS!!!
Sunday March 6th is volunteer orientation.
PLEASE REGISTER ONLINE at http://poweroften.us/index.php?page=volunteer
2) The preliminary budget was supposed to be presented at the February 16th board meeting. It was on the agenda and was scheduled to be done before executive session. After an approximately 3 hour executive session the budget presentation did not happen. The usual games were played with many board members in the hall or coming in and out of the board room when they were supposed to be in executive session. The reason given for cancelling the budget presentation is the threat of 2 percent tax cap. This is a cop out by our board since things would not be as bad if our board had been acting responsibly over the last few years.
Plans to absorb a religious school are "stalled" according to the Journal News. They have been replaced with a proposal to create "native language" special education programs. Now that the school board wants to 'absorb' a religious school and create a Yiddish speaking program, suddenly they also want a Spanish one too. The problem is, the program is not recognized by the state, and would segregate the students. Educators have long wanted an enhanced "Native Language Arts" program in Spanish (this is a great benefit to the students, it is recognized by the state and looks great on a college application), but were rebuffed. English as a Second Language teachers work without extra support staff, even though funding for that is provided by the state. Why is the school board so determined to invent a "native language" program that has no precedent in public education, while at the same time shortchanging the English as a Second Language and Foreign Language programs?
3) State Lobby Day on Wednesday, March 9th. The Alliance for Quality Education will be offering free buses to Albany leaving at 8:00 A.M. and returning at approximately 7:00 P.M. Agenda items include a rally, meeting with legislators. Send a message to mbarr@aqeny.org if you are interested.
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