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
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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)