Orchard Farms PTO

The School Committee will meet tonight (Monday, February 2nd, 2009) at Western Hills Middle School. Public session begins at 6:30pm, followed by a public work session at 7pm during which school committee members will deliberate their decisions regarding cuts.

The public will have the opportunity to speak out on budget issues/cuts - a sign up sheet is provided by the podium prior to the beginning of the meeting. Names can be added during the break. Speaking time is limited approximately 3 minutes per person.

Thank you to all of the EPIC parents who have turned out to support this program (and others) at the last two School Committee meetings. We have had great representation - and we are making progress. We need to continue the momentum. Please consider taking the time to attend and speak on behalf of the program tonight- we need to continue to show public support. We had several children speak very eloquently about projects they have worked on in EPIC- and this was greeted very positively. A civic lesson for a good cause - win, win.

Remember, the budget has not yet been adopted. It is not too late to save EPIC - the responsibility falls to us to show how important this program is to the children. Please attend and say a few short words.

Other programs in great jeopardy are middle school sports, elementary strings, some high school sports as well as all text and library
books.

School Committee e-mail addresses:

• P_mcfarland@verizon.net – Paula McFarland
• sculhane@verizon.net – Stephanie Culhane
• andreaiannazzi@msn.com – Andrea Iannazzi
• fsl@lflawri.com – Frank Lombardi
• ch1650@pol.net – Steve Stycos
• jrceegal@cox.net – Janice Ruggieri
• Traficante@nellmct.com – Mike Traficante

Thank you once again for your participation&emdash;please bring this to this matter to the attention of every parent you feel would share our concerns: "It takes a Village"...

Suzanne O'Shea, John Bordeleau, Mark Tetreault, Dennis Grieco, Alison Grieco, Cheryl Kendra, Jane DelVecchio and friends