The Committee to Elect KT

Living in a community that is passionate about politics, we are constantly reminded of the need to cast our vote every election day. We need to express our preferences in the polling booth in order to affirm our support for our candidates of choice and in their ability to deliver quality governance. In democracy a vote always counts.

We, the undersigned, along with many others in our community, support KT because:

KT will focus on maintaining educational excellence despite fiscal pressures
KT is an active participant in the middle school renovation process
KT will strive to fulfill our district’s commitment to 21st century education with environmentally & fiscally sound practices
KT will continue to be a voice for transparency in government - increasing communication and civic participation
KT is a voice for families with young students in our schools, who are currently underrepresented on our board
KT will vote YES on the proposed school budget

Alice Andrews
Ariana Basco
Wendy & Josh Baur
Gerald Benjamin
Renee Falanga Brenner
Kitty Brown
Janine & Marty Brutvan
Steve Casa
Jonathan &Amy Cohen
Melanie & Ryan Cronin
Scott & Kim Cuppett
Butch Dener
Theresa Fall & Paul Schembri
Joan Fall & Terence McConnon
Matthew, Padraig, Myles,
&Maeve Flusser
Jeff Fonda
Kit French
Flip & Laura Gertler
Teri Gil & Steve Greenfield
Linda & Rich Guiliani
Linda Majetich Hansen
Robin & Joe Hayes
Margaret Human
Peter Kaufman
Ron & Kate Khosla
Rachel & Ryzard Lagodka
Jazmine Langlitz
Cynthia Listort & Rhett Weires
Amy Little
Jeff Logan
Ed Mannix
Amy Mosbacher
Michael Nielson & Nikki Koenig
Brian Obach & Ilgu Ozler
Ben Olsen
Shari Osborn & Paul Carroll
Mark Portier & Celeste Cleary
Todd, Tessa, & Liam Quinlan
Chandra & Chris Rainer
Jasmine Redfern & Cordell Stahl
Carol Richman
Hector Rodriguez
Lauren Rooney
Rebecca Rotzler
Stephanie Santagata
Kathy Schmidt
Jonathan & MariAnn Sennett
Dan Silberger
Amy Silvestro & Tom Richardson
Michael Stein
AW Sullivan
Matthew Swerdloff & Elise Gold
Laura Trifilo
Bill Tschumi
Kevin Van Buren & Toni Hokanson
Christine Waldo-Klinger
Terence Ward
Maurice Wietman
Jason West
Charlie West & Lin Le Lardiere
Mary Woodburn
Jonathan Wright
Rob Wyman & Kristy Tobin
Barbara & Gene Wyman
Eleanor Wolfe & Alex Young
Tom & Jennifer Zaborowski
Michael Zierler & Andrea Russo

Elections are never done deals

The title to the New Paltz Times' synopsis of the New Paltz School District board race was "Done Deal? Teen, activist mom, incumbent run for 3 New Paltz School Board Seats". The question mark in the title was wise, as demonstrated by the results of the Village Board elections this past week. In democratic polities, elections are never done deals -- and this is especially so in New Paltz.

This very recent electoral experience starkly reminds us of the need for all citizens to show up to vote on election day. We need to express our preferences in the polling booth in order to affirm our support for our candidates of choice and in their ability to deliver quality governance. This is true whether the election is contested or not. Voter turnout in elections mark our commitment to community and its leadership. Votes are never, ever, wasted. This is especially true for school elections, because school votes are the only opportunity to approve a budget which we finance ourselves through our taxes. That's too important to pass up, simply because the races for board seats appear to be uncontested.

I submitted my name for election to the school board because I want to focus on maintaining educational excellence despite fiscal pressures. I want to participate in the middle school renovation process, as I believe this project is an opportunity for the district to concretize its commitment to 21st-century education while going green and staying fiscally sound. I want to continue to be a voice for transparency in government -- we need to continue to open up the process and promote citizen involvement. Lastly, I want to be a voice for families with young children, as this representation is seriously lacking in the current board's composition.

On Tuesday, May 19, the day of the upcoming school board and budget vote, I will be pulling the lever for Don Kerr and Daniel Torres and in support of the proposed school budget. I urge you to do the same.

KT Tobin Flusser, Candidate
New Paltz School Board
(this letter appeared in the New Paltz Times, May 13th edition)

Make sure you vote on May 19

I was sorry to read in the New Paltz Times the headline asserting that the New Paltz School Board election is a done deal. I hope that voters in the New Paltz School District will not be discouraged from coming out to vote for the budget on Tuesday, May 19 at the high school beginning at noon. It is important to pass the school budget that the board and the administration have worked hard to make responsive to the economic times without crippling the school program. This budget is actually lower than the contingency budget mandated to be put in place if the board's budget is rejected. That is to say if it is rejected after a second expensive election.

As for the candidates, the village election has just shown us how well a write-in candidate can do.

Please come out and vote for the budget and KT, Dan and Don so that the school board will feel the support of the community in its hard work in the coming year.

Margaret Human
New Paltz
(this letter appeared in the New Paltz Times, May 13th edition)

Pull the lever for KT Tobin Flusser

I would like to add my name to the list of people who heartily support KT Tobin Flusser for New Paltz School Board. She is articulate, responsible, committed, dependable and personable. She cares enormously about this fine community and has shown over and over on numerous projects that she has a reasoned view of problems and solutions, a mature voice when explaining her positions and open ears and an open mind when working with others. We all can be certain that KT will work diligently and effectively on the school board. Please be sure to vote on May 19 and pull the lever for KT Tobin Flusser.

Michael Zierler
New Paltz
(this letter appeared in the New Paltz Times, May 13th edition)

NPUT endorses Kerr, Tobin Flusser and Torres

The New Paltz United Teachers Executive Committee, after interviewing Don Kerr, KT Tobin Flusser and Dan Torres, has come to a unanimous decision to endorse all three candidates running for board seats in the New Paltz Central School District.

Don Kerr has been a dedicated member of the board for a number of years and has brought an open mind to change and forward movement for our district. KT has been involved in community activities and looks to encourage more interaction and communication at board meetings. Dan Torres brings a fresh look to offering programs to students of all interests and ability levels. All three candidates are determined to see the middle school become 21st-century ready to include a green construction while maintaining fiscal responsibility. Through a collaborative effort with the community, teachers and administrators each of these candidates will be a positive voice toward the continued success of student learning in our district.

The New Paltz United Teachers urges you to support the proposed 2009-2010 school budget. We believe our current school board and Superintendent Maria Rice have created a responsible budget which balances the needs of our students, staff and does its best to take into consideration these difficult financial times. We are especially appreciative of the board and the superintendent for maintaining a high-quality educational program for all our students. New Paltz United Teachers, urges you to support our budget by voting YES on May 19 and asks you to urge your friends and family of this voting community to vote YES as well.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Rachel Busher
President, New Paltz United Teachers
(this letter appeared in the New Paltz Times, May 13th edition)

KT for school board

I'll be voting for KT Tobin Flusser for the New Paltz School Board on May 19. KT's a good decision maker who understands the political process and the impact policy has on individuals and communities. KT is intelligent, articulate, ambitious, good natured, diplomatic, committed, progressive, caring and she loves the beach.

Wendy Baur
New Paltz
(this letter appeared in the New Paltz Times, May 13th edition)

Here's why I'm voting for KT Tobin Flusser

On May 19th I will be voting for KT Tobin Flusser for the school board of the New Paltz Central School District. This is why...

KT is one of the most intelligent people I know. She is open minded to learning what she may not know, passionate and articulate with what she does know and diplomatic when listening to the opinions of others.

For the past few weeks, you have been reading about all her accomplishments and commitments to many organizations and causes. The fact that she is a working mother of three children in our schools, a taxpayer, a PTA member, an activist, a SUNY New Paltz employee, a dedicated volunteer and a person who is concerned with the future for all of mankind, proves she is what the New Paltz Board of Education needs. A well-rounded board member who represents many of the citizens of the New Paltz community.

I have known KT for over five years and have seen her in action! She will be an exceptional board member if elected on May 19th because she possesses the qualities needed to fill such a position.

Renee Falanga-Brenner
New Paltz
(this letter appeared in the New Paltz Times, May 6th edition)

Vote for KT Tobin Flusser on May 19

I am writing to offer my endorsement for KT Tobin Flusser as a candidate for the New Paltz School Board.

I have had the pleasure of knowing KT for more than 15 years. During that time she has been my frequent voice of reason when it comes to issues of politics and public policy. I have never met anyone with a greater passion for understanding the political decision-making process, as well as trying to improve it through increased transparency and public participation.

KT has a wealth of experience directly relevant to being on the school board. Through her distinguished work in the fields of sociology, market research and outreach, she offers a rare combination of skill sets that are well suited to the job at hand. This combined with the fact that she is the mother of three children currently attending New Paltz schools provides the unique opportunity to have someone who can truly see the technical side of policy decisions, as well as the personal impact these decisions will have on students.

The school board needs smart, experienced and visionary members to meet the specific challenges facing New Paltz. It needs members who can respond to educational and community issues without falling prey to special-interest groups or political bickering. Most of all, it needs members who can balance challenging school budgets with well-supported teachers and involved communities. KT Tobin Flusser is that person and much more.

Please vote for KT Tobin Flusser on May 19.

Robert Wyman
Seattle, WA
(this letter appeared in the New Paltz Times, May 6th edition)

KT is a real dynamo

Last winter, our community reacted with outrage when the New Paltz School District announced plans to vacate the historic middle school off Main Street in favor of an expensive and unnecessary new construction near the high school. In an effort to galvanize fellow parents and concerned residents, KT Tobin Flusser led the "Save the Middle School" petition drive, which resulted in successfully getting the new construction off the table. Our community saved thousands of dollars. Since January 2008, KT chaired the "Save the New Paltz Middle School" committee and has regularly attended school board meetings. Now the dynamo who led the charge for fiscal responsibility, environmental stewardship and a great landmark is seeking a seat on the New Paltz Central School District board in this coming May's election.

Why should you vote for KT?

First of all, she has already shown more commitment than many already-elected officials to her community and to the school district. She blogs to raise public awareness of issues confronting the school district (such as the drive for healthier, local foods in our schools), and she accompanies her very vocal support of community and environmental issues with avid and active participation -- she serves on the New Paltz GreenWorks steering committee and the Village Environmental Conservation Commission (EnCC). KT has consistently demanded transparency and openness in the school district's financial records and budgets. KT is not a spectator -- she is a motivated, involved, enthusiastic participant in our community and school system.

Secondly, she has a vested interest. KT owns a home in the village (so she's going to think very carefully about anything that will impact property taxes), she lives near the middle school and she has three school-aged children at Duzine, Lenape and the middle school.

I'm going to vote for KT and I'm going to be very happy about casting that vote.

I was incensed that the school district would even consider a new construction that would inevitably raise our already too-high taxes. I'd like to see healthy school foods taken more seriously. I think parents need more voices on the school board and more people watching for fiscally irresponsible planning or anything that looks like capitalizing greedily on the area's growth and prosperity. I think the school board needs green voices, who want to see environmentally sound policies in place.

KT Tobin Flusser is just what the school board needs -- radical responsibility. I hope you will join me in supporting her for a seat on the school board.

Jennifer Zaborowski
New Paltz
(this letter appeared in the New Paltz Times, May 6th edition)

New Paltz Teachers' Union Endorsement

I am very happy and proud to announce that the New Paltz's teachers' union has endorsed my school board candidacy.

Thanks NPUT!

"Education is not a spectator sport." - Sadker
=

The Activist Mom

The activist mom (this excerpt appeared in the New Paltz Times, April 29th edition)

KT Tobin Flusser, 42, grew up in Middletown and first made her way to New Paltz as a SUNY undergrad in 1989.

Since then the doctoral candidate in sociology has been an active volunteer in town, working with New Paltz GreenWorks, the village's Environmental Conservation Commission and the grassroots group Healthy Food, Healthy Kids.

Right now she works for SUNY New Paltz as the assistant director of the Center for Research, Regional Education and Outreach (CRREO).

Despite actively campaigning for the middle school reconstruction and attending about more than a year's worth of school board meetings, Tobin Flusser hadn't even run for elected office.

To her the most important issue is "staying fiscally sound while going green at the same time."

"That will be exemplified by the way we renovate the middle school," Tobin Flusser explained.

But she would also like to see the schools retain their nationally recognized level of education. In 2007, Newsweek magazine recognized New Paltz Central High School as one of the States' best.

"People move here because they know how well educated their kids will be," she said. Tobin Flusser said she would press the administration to keep up its academic excellence despite the recession and budget woes.

Tobin Flusser also wants to bring community members into the Board of Education fold by advocating for transparency of information.

"We have a $48 million budget -- that's more than the town and village combined. But our meetings aren't well attended and I'd like to figure out why," she said.

The mother of three said she'd like to see the school board and superintendent drop strict public comment requirements during the meetings, allowing for an open exchange. "There's got to be a better way to nurture more interaction with the public at our meetings."

Tobin Flusser's three kids all attend public school in New Paltz, and her oldest child attends the middle school.

"I feel that the board seriously needs more representation from young families," she added. Tobin Flusser said she hopes to provide a voice for parents with younger children in the district.

Outside of her work lobbying the schools for change, Tobin Flusser has some experience getting directly involved. She's serves as part of SUNY New Paltz's Environmental Taskforce and she's also one of the parents helping with Lenape Elementary School's climate survey action team.

Teams from each school building are due to give Superintendent Maria Rice and the Board of Education recommendations on how to improve student, parent and teacher morale in the schools.

Tobin Flusser also contributes political and social commentary as one of the bloggers on the New Paltz Gadfly. Her opinion pieces on the site have commented on the state of the New Paltz schools, but she's also tackled the Democratic establishment at Town Hall and Village Hall.

Click here for the full article

Greening Our Schools Part 2

At the start of the school year last September, my son Myles' third grade teacher Ms. Reilly was guiding the class through the process of compiling the class room rules. My son excitedly raised his hand and offered this rule to the group - "Go Green!" Since the class was unclear about how to proceed, they developed this program that is now being rolled out throughout the school:

There are many ways classrooms can go Green. In Ms. Reilly’s third grade class:
1. The morning message is written on the chalkboard instead of paper
2. Students think about what they are throwing out before they do it: Does it really need to be thrown out? Can it be recycled or reused in any way?
3. Two sides of paper are used whenever possible
4. Lights are turned out whenever they leave the room and things are turned off when not in use: for example, fans and computers
5. Parties are not super-waste creators: for example, only one napkin per student
6. They do not throw out their plastic bottles and cans from snack and lunch; since the school does not have recycling, parents chip in to bring them to the recycling center
7. Hand washing involves the minimum amount of water, soap, and paper towels
8. They have a Green Conservationist (just like a Line Leader, Paper Passer, etc) whose job it is to assist the teacher in making sure:
* Waste items go into the right place: garbage or recycling
* Two sides of paper are used
* Lights are turned out when not needed or no one is in the room
* Things are turned off when not in use: for example, fans and computers
* At parties classmates only use as many napkins, etc as they really need
* Only a small amount of water, one push of soap and one paper towel is used when classmates wash their hands
* Provide Green ideas to the teacher and classmates

Support for KT Tobin Flusser

I am voting for KT Tobin Flusser for New Paltz School Board on May 19 and I strongly urge your readers to do the same. KT has so many of the qualities we need in a school board member: she is intellectually and spiritually strong, she is focused and motivated, she is practical and progressive.

KT's commitment to family and friends and to improving our town is demonstrated on many levels. She has a strong academic background, as a doctoral candidate who already holds a Masters in Social Research and Bachelors in Sociology. Further, her current work as Assistant Director at the SUNY New Paltz Center for Research, Regional Education and Outreach, puts her on the cutting edge of social, educational and political policy issues that our school board must address. KT brings more than just academics and administrative skills to the table, however. While she and her husband Matt raise three wonderful children, KT still finds the time to participate in a long list of core community boards, projects and causes (such as New Paltz GreenWorks, Save The Middle School and the Village EnCC, just to name a few). A visit to KT's website, www.KTforSchoolBoard.blogspot.com, will give you a better look at this great lady and what she has in mind for the future of our schools.

New Paltz is a community favored with an abundance of talented and civic-minded people. If KT is willing to give us her time and effort to serve on our school board, we should seize this opportunity and elect her to the post.

Thank you for permitting me to articulate my support for KT Tobin Flusser.

Jonathan R. Sennett
New Paltz
(this letter appeared in the New Paltz Times, April 22nd edition)

Elect KT to the school board this May

I am writing in support of KT Tobin Flusser's candidacy for the New Paltz Board of Education, as I feel she would be an invaluable addition to the board.

I came to know KT as a result of her involvement with a number of community organizations and after-school activities and have always known her to be intelligent, direct and incredibly compassionate. Her commitment to the community is exemplary; fueled by her energy, intelligence and patience, KT is exactly the type of person I want looking out for the best interest of the children in the district. As the mother of young children herself, KT understands the challenges that families and communities face as they seek to nurture and educate.

Dedicated, intelligent and always fair-minded KT would bring to the board great energy and drive, attributes that are all the more important in today's challenging economic environment.

Please help elect KT Tobin Flusser to the New Paltz Board of Education this May.

AW Sullivan
New Paltz
(this letter appeared in the New Paltz Times, April 22nd edition)

Join me in voting for KT Tobin Flusser

I am writing in support of KT Tobin Flusser for New Paltz Central School District Board of Education. I cannot imagine a more dedicated and enthusiastic member of my children's school board.

KT is tireless and driven. She has competently balanced her commitment to her children, husband and friends, her profession and her doctoral education for many years. Now, as completion of her advanced degree nears, she has decided to devote her personal and professional talents to the New Paltz School Board. KT is passionate about her children's education and about the larger community in which her children grow. Through her work in New Paltz GreenWorks, the SUNY New Paltz Environmental Task Force and the Village of New Paltz Environmental Conservation Commission, KT has devoted a great deal of her time to making New Paltz a healthier, responsible and responsive environment for all of us.

I know that decisions concerning my children's education and their well being at school are in competent hands with KT and I urge you to join me in my vote for KT Tobin Flusser for New Paltz School Board.

Amy Silvestro
New Paltz
(this letter appeared in the New Paltz Times, April 22nd edition)

Support for KT for New Paltz School Board

I think that the Board of Education has got to be the most thankless elected position out there. An unpaid position for which there really isn't any decent training, you're responsible for a very large budget that impacts your neighbors in lots of ways, while being hemmed in by unfunded mandates and unforgiving union contracts. Before I even think about a candidate's qualifications I have to ask myself why someone would run for such a tough job!

With KT Tobin Flusser, I get why she's running. She's got three kids in New Paltz schools and she decided quite some time ago to pay close attention to the top-level decisions that affect her tax bill and her children's education.

KT is running despite knowing that she will likely be a target for criticism if she wins (maybe even from me), and in my opinion she's doing it for the right reasons. KT is concerned about making sure the middle school renovation leads to a better learning center for our kids while not bankrupting the taxpayers. She wants our kids to learn healthy food habits in the school cafeteria. Most importantly, she wants the people that are responsible for spending $45 million of our money each year to do so in a manner that encourages the rest of us to understand what's going on and become involved in the process.

One of my votes for school board this May 19 will be for KT Tobin Flusser.

Terence P. Ward
New Paltz
(this letter appeared in the New Paltz Times, April 15th edition)

KT and Torres Deserve Your Vote

I don't know whose seats are up or who the other candidates for school board are, but I do know that I will be voting for KT Tobin Flusser and Dan Torres.

KT Flusser is an active, engaged community resident who regularly attends GreenWorks, town, village, school board and a myriad of other meetings. And she doesn't just sit there -- she always contributes thoughtful, reasoned data.

Good data leads to good decisions and KT's professional training in research and personal passion for education will help our school board deal with the challenges ahead.

And as for Dan Torres -- what better testament to its effectiveness could a school district hope for than to have educated such an outstanding young man? I like his enthusiasm and his practical ideas on how to "green" the district.

Let's give both Torres and Flusser a chance to serve on our school board.

Kitty Brown
New Paltz
(this letter appeared in the New Paltz Times, April 15th edition)

KT Deserves Your Votes

KT Tobin Flusser is an outstanding candidate for our New Paltz Central School District board. Please join me in supporting KT at the polls, when we vote on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 at the high school from noon to 9 p.m.

Committed, passionate and articulate, she has been attending board meetings regularly, keeping the board on task regarding the renovation of the middle school. She has a keen understanding of the numbers surrounding not only the budget process, but also the proposals for renovation and an amazing ability to process the data and statistics thrown out into real world, applicable implications.

As a mother of three children in the district and an alumnus of and current employee at SUNY New Paltz, KT will provide a key connection to the university, one of the biggest and yet most underutilized assets in our community. Her position at the Center for Research, Regional Education and Outreach affords her the big-picture perspective of policy issues that impact upon and compete with our school district for funding. This understanding creates a substantial advantage in strategizing to build the strongest and most competitive program possible.

An integral part of New Paltz GreenWorks (A town and village committee charged with reducing our carbon footprint), KT has taken initiative on many carbon-footprint reducing activities. Her involvement with other community committees has helped us collaborate on projects served many times as a valuable connection to being more effective and efficient.

Mark your calendars to vote for KT for New Paltz school board!

Nikki Koenig Nielson
New Paltz
(this letter appeared in the New Paltz Times, April 15th edition)

Meet KT Tobin Flusser on April 13

For those of you who do not know who KT Tobin Flusser is (there can't be that many of you), I can tell you that you couldn't ask for a better qualified candidate for school board. This woman, my friend and partner in fighting carbon emissions, organized, took a lead and effectively gathered some 1,000 signatures on a petition to save the New Paltz Middle School.

The heightened awareness of the middle school's future brought in numerous concerned citizens to school board meetings, and brought about a sense of community cohesiveness that only comes around now and again.

What most of you might not know about KT is that long after the votes were taken and it appeared as though the middle school would stay put and be renovated, she stayed on task and has attended nearly every school board meeting since then. As chair of the committee to save the middle school, she updates us monthly on where the board stands on the how and when all the details of the renovation will take place. I for one take comfort in the fact that she is there to represent what seems to be the vast majority of the community's concerns.

During my time as chair of New Paltz GreenWorks (a joint town and village commission charged with educating the public on who to lower their carbon footprint), I have gotten to know KT, a member of our steering committee and can honestly say I have never known a more involved and community minded individual. She is an asset to any committee.

I can turn to her on any given project and know that she will not only follow through, she'll take the lead and run with it. Her background in statistics and research give her an advantage to most when planning any sort of effect strategy.

Aside from all of these invaluable traits she possesses, KT is also a mother of three young children in the district. She truly has a vested interest having a child in each of three out of four schools. What other board member or candidate can say this? There's no doubt she encompasses all the qualities this community needs on our school board.

I'm sure you have more question or concerns. Please come to The Mudd Puddle in the Water Street Market on Monday, April 13 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to get those answers. KT will be there to hear your voice.

Theresa Fall
New Paltz
(this letter appeared in the New Paltz Times, April 9th edition)

Campaign Kick-off Party

I've been an observer of the School Board since the Middle School renovation debate began, and I have spoken out about the need to have a mom on the School Board. After careful consideration I have announced my candidacy, and I look forward to your support.

Please join me to talk about the upcoming election, my candidacy, and the challenges our district will be facing in the next few years at a campaign kick-off on Monday, April 13th, 6pm to 8pm at the Mudd Puddle at the Water Street Market.

You can RSVP on Facebook here.

Announcement Letter

My announcement letter, New Paltz Times, 4/1 edition:

My name is KT Tobin Flusser. Last winter, I led the “Save the Middle School” petition drive which was effective in not only raising public awareness of an effort to vacate the current building and build new on the periphery of our town, but it also served to convey the desire to save the middle school to our school board and district administration. Since January 2008, I have chaired the “Save the New Paltz Middle School” committee and have regularly attended school board meetings. I serve on the New Paltz GreenWorks steering committee and the Village Environmental Conservation Commission (EnCC). With three children in our public schools- one in Duzine, one in Lenape, and one in the Middle School, and as a strong believer in public service, I would now like to formalize my commitment to district activities by seeking a seat on the New Paltz Central School District board on May 19th.

As the recent March 18th school board debate and resulting resolution approving the process to renovate the middle school demonstrated, renovation on-site is by no means secure. The first thing I will provide as a member of our school board is an unwavering vote to commit the district to this project, and to then see that it proceeds in a timely fashion with a fiscally sound plan. We need to get to the design phase as quickly as possible for two very important reasons: the sooner we have a design and a plan, the less expensive this project will be; and, the probability of attaining funding from federal stimulus dollars increases the earlier we get to “shovel-ready” status.

What else do I support?

* I am a strong proponent of educational programming, curriculum, and facilities that prepare our children for success in their 21st century lives and careers.

* I support a critical look at how we fund public education. We desperately need property tax relief and reform, not only out of fairness to lower- and fixed-income property owners, but also so state budget crises don't create educational and tax crises here at home.

* I believe we need to focus on the continued greening of our classrooms, buildings, and buses with an eye on conservation and cost savings.

* I am an advocate for increased transparency in our district which includes an open flow of information, more detail during the budget process, greater opportunities for the public to participate, and a wider incorporation of community and local business involvement.

* I believe we need healthier food in our cafeterias. We absolutely need to implement the Nutrition Task Force recommendations and to purchase more local food.

* Lastly, with grade sizes fluctuating as much as they have in recent years, we need to keep at least one unencumbered teacher in the school budget as this would ensure smaller class sizes at the elementary level and varied course choices at our middle and high schools.

Of course, there are many issues, and I invite the community to meet with me to talk about the upcoming election, my candidacy, and the challenges our district will be facing in the next few years at a campaign kick-off on Monday, April 13th, 6pm to 8pm at the Mudd Puddle at the Water Street Market. For more information, please email kt4schoolboard@gmail.com or visit www.kt4schoolboard.blogspot.com.

Healthier Cafeteria Food

I was so happy today to read about the Victory Garden at the White House. My family has had a membership to Taliaferro Farms for many years, and I can not imagine a summer without all their great, local, organic produce.

We need healthier food in our school cafeterias. We absolutely need to:
1) implement the Nutrition Task Force recommendations
2) to purchase more local food and
3) perhaps even use some from our own gardens as we have new school garden projects at our Duzine and Lenape elementary schools!

Check out www.hfhk.org for more info about Healthy Food, Healthy Kids, an organization I am proud to be a member of.

Greening Our Schools Part 1

I am on the New Paltz GreenWorks steering committee and serve on both the Village Environmental Conservation Commission (EnCC) and the SUNY New Paltz Environmental Task Force. I believe we need to focus on the continued greening of our classrooms, buildings, and buses with an eye on both conservation and cost savings.

For more information about New Paltz GreenWorks, a joint town and village of New Paltz global warming task force, click here.
For more information on the Village of New Paltz EnCC, click here.
For more information on the SUNY New Paltz Environmental Task Force, click here.

Save the New Paltz Middle School!

Last winter, I led the “Save the Middle School” petition drive. Since January 2008, I have been the chair of the “Save the New Paltz Middle School” committee and have been a regular attendee at school board meetings. During these meetings, I have monitored the progress of the middle school project, and have regularly spoken during public comment to both commend and criticize the district's decisions and direction.

Check out the Middle School Renovation Blog.