NORTH ROCKLAND PARENT SAYS REQUEST FOR FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN MET WITH DEAF EARS

To the Editor,

Where is the North Rockland Board of Education? When a group of local community members and I started discussing the early education program in our district, we knew we were facing an uphill battle in advocating for full-day Kindergarten in the North Rockland School District. What we didn’t realize is that our fight would barely be heard by the Board of Education. They have remained uninterested in our concerns.

Out of hundreds of school districts in New York, only nine do not have full-day Kindergarten, North Rockland being one of them. Our district is certainly unique from other districts due to the high-interest Mirant loan and I understand it is a major stress for the district. What I don’t understand is how the board members sit complacent and do not find solutions to these problems. Why aren’t they searching high and low for ways to reduce/relieve the burden of the loan? Why aren’t they working as a team with the community to bring necessary programs to the students? With today’s educational standards, it is nearly impossible for students to receive adequate instruction in a half-day Kindergarten program. So from the very beginning, our students are falling behind.

As elected officials, the Board of Education is supposed to be serving the district and community to the best of their ability. Since the beginning of December, not one board member has replied to numerous email and phone attempts by many members of the North Rockland Full-Day Kindergarten Advocates, even after the promised to set up meetings and provide us with information at the December board meeting. Where are the members of the North Rockland Board of Education?

Sincerely,

Alexandra Hansen
Tomkins Cove

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