President's Message
 

Dear Friends and Families of Commack PTA, 

It's a new year, and time for a fresh start! I'm hoping you will all resolve to support PTA Council's our continuing efforts of child advocacy.  This will be especially important during the upcoming budget season, with the implementation of Governor Cuomo's tax cap. The tax cap is a threat to our academic and extracurricular programs, and may change education as we know it in the foreseeable future.

 On Wednesday, January 4, 2012, Governor Cuomo delivered his annual State of the State address. If you have not had an opportunity to hear/read his remarks, you can find the speech at the following site: www.governor.ny.gov/assets/documents/ . While outlining his agenda for the coming year, the Governor made some disturbing remarks as he took issue with lobbyists; “The only group without a lobbyist? The students. Well, I learned my lesson. This year, I will take a second job – consider me the lobbyist for the students. I will wage a campaign to put students first, and to remind us that the purpose of public education is to help children grow, not to grow the public education bureaucracy.”

"NYS PTA has been a ‘lobbyist’ for students for 115 years. That we prefer the term ‘advocate’ in no way diminishes the work we do to put all children first," said NYS PTA President Maria Fletcher. I agree! Yes, property taxes are too high! Yes, we need relief!  How about increasing state aid to schools instead of foisting it on the backs of property owners? That would make a lot more sense if you're advocating for children! While imposing a tax cap and pushing it through the legislature (what were they thinking?) raised his numbers in the polls, it's not a good thing for our children.

I urge you to attend the upcoming budget workshops to understand what will occur in our schools under this new legislation, and to see how we can help to maintain the integrity and excellence of the education our children receive in this school district.

The Parent-Teacher Associations seek to bring together the home, the school, and the community in order to develop the cooperation necessary to secure for every child the highest advantages in physical, mental and social education. The PTA will continue to advocate for all students, to ensure that continues.  

Jacki Fleischhacker
Commack PTA Council President

PTA VISION

Making every child’s potential a reality. 

PTA MISSION

PTA is

✲ A powerful voice for all children,

✲ A relevant resource for families and communities, and

✲ A strong advocate for the education and well-being of every child.