Creating a nonprofit to address the needs of SE Queens and Lomg Island students
I am creating a nonprofit to address the needs of SE Queens and Long Island when it comes to French immersion programs. Please contact me directly if you or someone you know is interested in joining this cause.alamsifer@aol.com
Read more…
Comments
UPDATE:
The board of ed has reinstated the 7th grade French program at Middle Country!
I would like to thank everyone who supported us through this struggle.
They did warn us that it will be reviewed again next year and that we must keep enrollment up in order to maintain the program. We will continue to fight.
There is strength in numbers.
Merci mille fois.
Tous pour un,
Laura
A triste situation
This article appeared February 23, 2011.
A 'triste' situation
Hundreds gather at school board meeting; Middle Country School District will phase out French program in middle schools
Michelle Sena is a Middle Country graduate who studied French in the district and is now a classically trained French chef. Graduating as valedictorian of her 2008 class at Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa, Sena said every one of her chefs were from France and the entire curriculum was taught in French.
"Without having any knowledge of the language I would have easily contributed to the 33 percent failure rate but instead I took my education I received at Middle Country and was able to graduate valedictorian," Sena said to the board and the large audience.
Dressed in T-shirts with various sayings from "I love Paris" to "When you end French you end a family" and donning small French flags on their lapels, students, teachers and parents packed the library, standing against walls and in between bookshelves.
Many students, speaking from prepared statements, respectfully and with passion asked the board to reconsider cutting the program and ended their statements with "Merci."
In a few short days after Superintendent Roberta Gerold said the school district would have to cut a portion of the French program due to proposed cuts in state funding, the group of French supporters organized a "Save Middle Country French" Facebook page, a website and collected 1,500 petition signatures asking the district to keep the entire French program runningGerold said the district will be phasing out the French program at the middle schools. Students i
Video clip of News12's coverage of the Board Meeting:
News12: Middle Country students campaign for foreign language program
Ken Hughes of NYSAFLT has created at advocacy Wiki with great resources and ideas to save programs.
http://savenyfrench.wikispaces.com/
There is a growing trend to cut French programs across the island due to low enrollment. We found out through the newspaper that the program of Middle Country School District will suffer the same fate if the Board of Education does not reverse their decision. Students, parents and alumni are standing up and voicing their discontent, however, we need more support and exposure. Please lend your voice to this worthy cause.
Below, please find the contact information for the district. Thank you in advance for your anticipated support. Should you have any questions, please contact me at Lmartin75@optonline.net.
Laura Martin
--------------------------------------
Middle Country School District has abruptly decided to eliminate its French Program. We found out about these cuts by reading Sunday’s Newsday (2/6/11).
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/education/state-number-of-failin...
We need your help to let them know how valuable French is in the world and to ask them to reconsider cutting the program.
The French program at Middle Country has a consistent record of !00% passing on the Regents. For a school that is on the list of failing schools, why take away a successful program? Instead, this program should be promoted and expanded.
The Mission Statement of the District claims, “...to empower and inspire all students to apply the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to be creative problem solvers, to achieve personal success, and to contribute responsibly in a diverse and dynamic world.” By taking away a language, they are minimizing the students chances to compete against students who are offered so much more.
The time to act is now. Time is of the essence. Please show your support in one or more of the following ways:
Correspondence may be sent to Board members through the District Clerk, Administration Building,
8 Forty-Third Street, Centereach, NY 11720.
MIDDLE COUNTRY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
Karen Lessler, Ed.D., President
Susan Jacobson, Vice President
Arlene Barresi
Doreen Feldmann
Nicholas Caracappa
Carmel Fitzpatrick
Deborah Felber
Kristopher Oliva
James Pendola
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!