Sachem School Leaders Plan March On Albany

Organizers from the Sachem School District Legislative Committee are putting together a bus trip to Albany in an attempt to restore the $2 million in aid the state intends to steer away from the school next year. The bus trip is slated for Tuesday, February 26 and is being funded by the SCTA, according to an an open letter to the public from Legislative Committee Chair Dana Platin.

In the letter Platin also stated that an organizational meeting to hammer out details will be held next Tuesday, February 19 in Room B of the Board of Education annex attached to Samoset Middle School. The meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

The letter is reprinted in its entirety below: 

As most of you already know, along with Board of Education Trustee, Sal Tripi, I am the co-chair of the Sachem Legislative Committee. It’s time that our community members, just as their children have done, embrace Habit #1 and be proactive! Our government officials need to hear it from parents first hand and that time is now!

I am planning a Sachem Community bus trip to Albany on Tuesday, February 26 to lobby for restoration of state aid for our district.  It is our hope that we will have several parent representatives from each school join us that day. The cost of the bus is being picked up by the SCTA and so there is no charge. I will be setting up meetings with our local legislators and I hope to be able to meet with a representative from the governor’s office as well. I’ve been to the Capitol many times and it’s really a thrilling experience. The bus holds 55 passengers and reservations can be emailed to me at DPLATIN@sachem.edu.  First come, first served.

In addition, we are planning a letter writing campaign, an online petition and a Sachem Rally in early March, where we plan to invite our elected officials and the media.  Our message is positive, as there are so many wonderful, important things going on here in Sachem and we want to make sure that Albany knows it too!

There will be a strategy meeting to work on all of the details for these events on Tuesday, February 19 at 7:30 pm in Room B, BOE Annex.  Please pass the word along to your PTA presidents and any other interested people in your buildings.  I’d love to see district-wide participation from both elementary and secondary levels.