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*GSCS*
'Public Support for Public Education'
FYI--9/9/05
Welcome back to school everyone. I hope that summer was relaxing (at least a little bit) for all. See below for information on the GSCS-sponsored press conference in Trenton, and for commentary on the appointment of Lucille Davy as Acting Commissioner of Education. GSCS is gearing up for action, and I hope many of you will join in.
GARDEN STATE COALITION OF SCHOOLS
*GSCS*
'Public Support for Public Education'
EMAILNET 9-9-05
GSCS "Parents in Trenton" Press Conference
SEPTEMBER 21 confirmed press conference date/see below
*Please circulate*
gscs2000@gmail.com - 2 pages - www.gscschools.org
[Please check our website regularly for updates, info, etc.]
gscs quick facts: Board of Trustees Meeting September 14 2005 4 p.m. East Brunswick Board of Education. See www.gscschools.org for GSCS Meetings Calendar information.
GSCS was invited to attend Senator Corzine's press conference on his education agenda held yesterday at the College of New Jersey ; many college students were in attendance to hear Senator Corzine’s presentation. While the presentation was encouraging because of the candidate's emphasis on quality education, priority issues important to GSCS members were not emphazised, such as the need for a stable, standardized school funding formula for all districts, a predictable program to meet school facilities needs, state support for special education programs and enrollment increases. GSCS was interviewed by NJN Teevision's Michael Aron after the event. See www.gscschools.org for news coverage of the event.
GSCS ‘of note”…
GSCS AGREES w/THE MAYORS ABOUT BUDGETS UNDER UNPREDICTABLE STRESS (See today’s article documenting the issues, available on www.gscschools.org Star Ledger 9-9-05 'Soaring gas costs result in towns asking for cap relief'): GSCS CONTINUES TO PRESS THE STATE TO AMEND S1701; SOARING GAS COSTS UNDERSCORE ISSUES OF INFLEXIBLE CAPS AND SEVERELY RESTRICTED SURPLUS. GSCS continues to press its position that certain 'school budget cost drivers' are beyond local district control - such as gas/energy costs, health benefits, insurances. That these cost drivers can have very negative impact of school budgets, especially in unforeseen circumstances, is sadly proving true today. Steep rising prices will mean program reduction unless that state provides cap waiver for these soaring costs...Surplus is so restricted [2% for schools] that school districts, especially smaller ones, do not have the flexibility to provide for these unpredictable expenses, and bond rating houses do not smile on dipping into such resources that are already so severely limited by S1701 law. The State Senate should allow amendments per S2329 now to reflect reality.
Dear GSCS Members/Central Offices:
GSCS and its Parent Network press conference in Trenton HAS BEEN CONFIRMED FOR September 21 , 11:30 a.m., to be held in Committee Room #1 at the Statehouse Annex. We plan to gather at the Statehouse Cafeteria at 11 a.m. prior to this event.
It would be helpful to have additional participants and we need your help in this regard. Please circulate the following notice to the key communicators in your district. This notice (EMAILNET 9-9-05 is also attached for your convenience for reproducing) is self-explanatory; attendance is not restricted and we encourage all interested parties to sign up to attend. We do ask for an RSVP to help us better plan our program….Your commitment to quality education, as reflected in your GSCS membership, is vital for our advocacy to be effective and heard in Trenton. Thank you for your time and effort. Together we will make a difference.
________________________________________________________________
Dear GSCS Parent:
We are most appreciative that you are interested in being active in the GSCS Parent Network. Your voices are needed and are critical for positive change. GSCS has been conferring over the summer and is now gearing up for a renewed year of advocacy for improving the opportunity for high quality education in our public schools. Taking our first step in this direction, GSCS is planning a ‘parent press’ event for September at the Statehouse in Trenton. Our goal is to get our message out that parents across New Jersey care deeply about the quality of education being offered to their children in our public schools and that parents will take a stand where that quality is threatened or being diminished. (Please see the GSCS website for details on S1701 status).
Politicians seeking elected office need to hear this message and make the well-being of public education delivered to children a part of their political platform. This year there is a gubernatorial election as well as the election of the full Assembly. The Senate on both sides of the aisle would like to see their own party gain seats, so all Trenton leadership has a stake in the November 8, 2005 elections.
In order to kick the GSCS fall advocacy campaign off successfully, we need to ensure that enough of you will be able to attend. We also hope to have geographical representation from around the state. The date for the event is now confirmed for September 21 and the time of the conference will be 11:30 and it should last no longer than an hour, start to finish ( see www.njlegislature.state.nj.us for directions). The event will be held in Committee Room #1 of the Statehouse Annex.
We do encourage you to reach out to others in your community to attend with you – that way we will make a bigger presence and a bigger point – and you will have far more impact in numbers that way, and a more interesting and enjoyable day when you can carpool together and meet with other parents in Trenton who share your vital concerns.
Please fill in the form below & copy-paste it to an email to gscs2000@gmail.com as soon as possible. Title your email reply to this ‘Parents in Trenton’ please.
Thank you in advance for your concerns for quality education, negative impact of S1701 on that quality, and the stability that schools require in order to promote student achievement and engender public support for public education.
MAKE THE TIME TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!
I PLAN TO ATTEND THE SEPT 21 PRESS CONFERENCE
Name: Email: District:
I plan to bring ( ) friends with me. For more GSCS info see: www.gscschools.org