Griffo Hosting Education Town Hall Series

(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