Power of Ten Update

Stakeholders Power of Ten Update FUNDRAISING mode!

In this issue:
1) This Friday, March 11th: Alums & Young Professionals for East Ramapo!
2) This Sunday, March 13th: House Party for Change!

1) Alums & Young Professionals for East Ramapo! (18+ & Open Bar for 21+)

Friday, March 11th from 8-10PM at Black Bear in Nyack

RSVP on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=184963481539537

Please join us for an evening of music, drinks, and food as we raise money to help support the children of East Ramapo at Black Bear in Nyack. The election is just a couple of months away on May 17th, and with your help we can win!

Donation: $15 There will also be FREE Apps for all who attend.

UNDER 21 - Black Bear is kind enough to allow people who are under the age of 21 to come to this event.

OPEN BAR - Special 2 hour open bar for only $15 more, and a portion of the proceeds will go towards our efforts in making a better East Ramapo!

We will have the upstairs part of the bar, and wrist bands will be available by the bartender.

BRING YOUR FRIENDS!!

2) House Party for Change! Get on Board for East Ramapo!

Sunday, March 13th from 3-5PM
at the Home of Rabia & Paul Nagin
23 Dogwood Lane, Pomona, NY 10970
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=204550316224287

Join Us and Show Your Support at a Meet & Greet with our School Board Candidates

with Special Guests . . .

Refreshments will be served.

SUGGESTED CONTRIBUTION: $50
FRIEND $50 - SPONSOR $75 - PATRON $150

Donate in Advance:
http://poweroften.us/index.php?page=Donate

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Power of Ten special announcement

This message is received from a student:

Thursday, February 24 at 2:00pm

Peaceful rally so the state doesn't cut funding to our education which could result in cutting stuff such as teachers, sports, clubs, kindergarten classes and much much more.

The rally will take place on the corner of New Hempstead Rd, South and North Main streets. Near the Rockland County Court House and Chase bank at 2:00 PM. Bring signs supporting education, or use one that we will provide.

The student has created a facebook page for the event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=146655238729538&index=1

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Power of Ten Update

www.poweroften.us update

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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Power of Ten update

www.poweroften.us update

In this issue:

1) School Board meets Monday, Feb 7 at 7 PM
2) Candidates for May 17, 2011
3) January Fundraiser Report
4) The campaign is underway- please volunteer

1) The saga of the proposed absorbing of a private school into the district continues tomorrow, Monday Feb 7 at 7:00 PM at the district offices at 105 S. Madison Ave. in Spring Valley. Also on the agenda is the budget for next year. Once again, the current school board unnecessarily aggravates division and tension in the district by proposing to enhance services to some while cutting for others. Is it really necessary to inflame the public with programs of dubious legality? Is a drop in state funding an excuse to walk away from educating our most vulnerable youth? The future of ALL of our children is at stake!

2) Choosing a slate of candidates this year was a very difficult job. There were several great community leaders who stepped forward to say they would be willing to serve. Feedback from the community and the activists in the group indicated that experience was the most important characteristic for this year's slate. We offer this year: sitting board member Joanne Thompson, last year's candidate Antonio Luciano, 2009 candidate Peggy Hatton, and longtime activist Carole Anderson. Every one of these candidates has shown the commitment necessary to campaign and serve as a member of the school board. Other community leaders who presented at our forum and continue to be active are Margo Abraham, Robert Forrest, Vladimir Leon, Emilia White and Steven White.

3) The January 27 fundraiser was a fantastic success! In addition to raising funds, we enjoyed the delicious food and drink at the 'Chuggin Rhino', and were entertained by Jazz musicians Michel Lemorin and Ali-X, of the group 'Cool Marasa'. Click the facebook link on our donate page at www.poweroften.us to join our facebook group and see photos of the event.

4) Given the terrible performance of the current board, as measured by failing test scores and failing audits, IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE! Please go to www.poweroften.us and click "volunteer" to sign up to help us win!

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Power of Ten Special Announcement

www.poweroften.us Special Announcement

Basic civil rights under attack in East Ramapo school district!!!

There is no single event in the long march toward equality in America more important than the 1954 US Supreme Court decision reversing the doctrine of "separate but equal" in public education.

On January 5, 2011 the East Ramapo school board, composed mostly of men whose families send their children to all-white schools, announced their intention to create a program of separate education for a group of white students.

Thanks to the public who turned out to protest the school board did not take action as expected at the meeting on January 19. The NAACP has voiced its concern in a letter (available at www.poweroften.us). It has asked for a moratorium.

The district has long had the reputation of placing white special education students in separate private schools.

This was confirmed in an audit by New York State Department of Education, which found that "the district has engaged in a practice of placing students with disabilities in private schools when appropriate placements were available in public facilities".

The school board will try to disguise its latest plan for separate education as an accommodation to language differences. There has never been any real difficulty with a language barrier in special education. There are families who desire that their children speak another language, and even that their children not be exposed to children who speak English. The desire to avoid exposing your children to those who speak different languages is just as pernicious as the desire to avoid exposing them to children of other races.

Chief Justice Warren: "in the field of public education, the doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal ... such segregation is a denial of the equal protection of the laws"

The next school board meeting is Wednesday, February 2, at 7:30 PM at 105 South Madison Ave in Spring Valley.

Please come to this meeting and show your support for civil rights and your opposition to this thinly disguised attempt to turn back the clock to the bad old days of "separate but equal".

ALSO Mark your calendars for MAY 17!
This election can change the makeup of the school board.
School Board Election Day 2011 is Thurgood Marshall Day!
Contact TEN people and tell them about May 17.
That is the idea behind "Power of Ten".

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Martin Luther King holiday message

Today is a day set aside from other days to recognize and remember the great gift that we, as Americans, have received from the work and the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Day will be celebrated at Ramapo High School from 5-7 PM today, Jan 17.

While Dr. King is remembered for his work in many areas, including peace and nonviolence, fighting poverty, and achieving voting rights, he is probably most remembered for his role in promoting integration in America.

Today we celebrate the benefits that all races enjoy as a result of our intermingling of life experiences with those from different backgrounds.  Americans today are free to work with, go to school with,  and befriend anyone they choose.  Our government has stopped promoting segregation, stopped tolerating segregation, stopped funding segregation.

All of this progress has been made within the lifetime of many of us who are not so old today.  It is truly miraculous that we have come this far, this fast, and we are already celebrating the holiday's 25th year, less than 50 years after the "I have a dream" speech.

One of the great strengths of the East Ramapo School District has been the diversity of our integrated schools and classrooms.  Many people are unaware that Rockland County was one of the early battlegrounds of integration, and that Thurgood Marshall won a desegregation case in Hillburn 11 years before he ended "separate but equal" in America with his victory in Brown v. Topeka Board of Ed. 

May 17 has been named Thurgood Marshall Day in New York State.  It is also Election day for the East Ramapo School Board.  I am asking everyone who receives this message to help our district to honor the memory of Dr. King and Thurgood Marshall by exercising your right to vote.

We can preserve the legacy of Dr. King and of Justice Marshall, by participating in a virtual march: from January 17, Martin Luther King's day to May 17, Thurgood Marshall Day, by spreading the word to our colleagues, friends, and neighbors. Let them hear "Vote May 17" everywhere they go!

You can sign up to help at our web page: www.poweroften.us

 

Hillcrest Sale- An Inside Job?

Hillcrest Elementary School Closing: An Inside Job? 

• April 5, 1978 - Representatives and community members of New Square attend a public school board meeting.  They urge the district to sell Hillcrest Elementary. The School Board votes unanimously not to sell the school. (Source: 'The Journal News')

 

• 2001 - 2007 East Ramapo spends $3.5 million on improvements for Hillcrest Elementary. (Source: NY State Education Dept)

 

• August, 2008 - Mark Kurzman, a Pearl River attorney representing a yeshiva, said yeshiva builders were competing with residential builders for land, adding that "the pressure is intensified by the fact that it has been well over 10 years since the (East Ramapo) school district has sold any of its sites as surplus." (Source: 'The Journal News')

 

• 2008 and 2009 - 5 men are elected to the East Ramapo School Board who are described as "Our own candidates from within the community in the village of New Square." 
  (Source: 'Community Connections') (courtesy of www.preserveramapo.org)

 

• June 7, 2010 - The East Ramapo School Board, now comprised of a majority of members endorsed by New Square, votes to sell Hillcrest Elementary School.Video:http://www.youtube.com/user/LuckyLouProduction#p/u/20/9OlfgcGwdIU

 

• July 7, 2010 - Two New Square entities, a school and a real estate firm, place bids to buy Hillcrest Elementary.  Both bids are significantly below the appraised value according to Town of Clarkstown records. (Source: http://newcity.patch.com/articles/top-bid-for-closed-hillcrest-school-comes-in-at-41m)

 

• July 27, 2010 – The school board, now controlled by New Square endorsed candidates, votes to accept a bid of $3.16 million.Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtHWf0eYWF0

This sale benefits only the New Square yeshiva and not the public school district. The board members have essentially committed an "inside job", violating their duty to the taxpayers and the public school students. The sale amount is approximately one third of its appraised value according to the town of Clarkstown. It is less than what the district has spent on improvements over the last 10 years.  The state will ask East Ramapo to refund a portion of state funds used to improve the school. There is no valid reason to close Hillcrest Elementary.