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Griffo Hosting Education Town Hall Series
September 26, 2013
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ISSUE:
- Education
- SUNY (State University of New York)
- Higher Education
- Special Education
- Continuing Education
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(Utica) – In an effort to focus on challenges confronting
education and exploring a variety of ideas and policies for North County and
Mohawk Valley school districts and colleges, State Senator Joseph A. Griffo
today announced that the he would be hosting a three-part Education Town
Hall Series in Oneida County. The series will feature some of the state’s
most influential education leaders.
Part one is a public forum that will be a Town Hall-style meeting on
primary education where local school officials and interested public citizens
will have the opportunity to discuss concerns with the Chairman of the New
York Senate Committee on Education, Senator John Flanagan. The Education Committee is currently
conducting hearings assessing the condition of NY’s Education system in our
State.
Griffo said that he will also be hosting a second part of
the series, another Town Hall-style public forum featuring New York State
Education Commissioner Dr. John King, Jr., in Whitesboro, on October
7th.
Griffo will also host the third part of the series - a
visit later in October, from the Chairman of the State Senate Committee on Higher Education,
Senator Kenneth Lavalle, who will be touring local colleges and
universities in the Utica region and discussing higher education issues.
Senator Griffo organized the Education Town Hall Series
after continuous discussions over the past year with local educators, parents,
school administrators, and students on pressing concerns.
“This public discussion will be invaluable to us, as my colleagues
and I work to meet the challenges facing our local school districts and
colleges,” said Senator Griffo. “Both of the Senators and the Commissioner have
been to the area in recent years and they’ve told me that the exchange of
information, the debate and the dialogue which took place was positive and
informative. We’re aware of all of the serious issues confronting NY education
such as State aid, education mandates, student testing, school consolidation,
regional high schools, graduation rates and the skyrocketing cost of a college
degree. Updated feedback and information is essential before we again work on
identifying education legislation and setting budget priorities with the
Governor and the Assembly.”
Westmoreland Central School District Superintendent Rocco Migliori, said, “We have been faced
with some pretty big challenges in public education over the past number of
years. Senator Griffo has remained in close contact with educators and Board of
Education members to make sure he fully understands each of these challenges
and has always pledged his support and assistance. In the past, the Senator has
hosted regional meetings with Senator John Flanagan and Commissioner John King
so that the folks in our area had the opportunity to engage in a dialogue about
the issues most important to us such as funding for public education, mandate
relief, education policy and curriculum and assessment. We can't wait to have
these conversations after a State budget is released or in response to a new
law or mandate. We need to be engaged in a dialogue about public education each
and everyday, not just when responding to an issue. So we appreciate the
Senator making these opportunities available to us in the next few months
through the Education Town Hall Meetings he has arranged and for placing a high
value on what we do. We look forward to the continued dialogue and thank
Senator Griffo for always keeping education in the forefront.”
Education Town Hall (part
I) sponsored by Senator Griffo featuring Senate Education Committee Chair
Senator John Flanagan
WHEN: Tuesday, October
1, 2013 6:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.
WHERE: Westmoreland High School, High School Auditorium,
Route 233, Westmoreland, NY
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