State Assembly Speaker, Members Visit Port Chester Middle School

By Caryn Furst

New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Assemblyman Steven Otis visited Port Chester Middle School on Wednesday, November 18, to see a public school Community Schools model in action.

Port Chester Middle School, like all of the Port Chester schools, has adopted the Community Schools model, which is designed to help remove obstacles that can keep children from attending school. The school provides medical and dental services to students, and extends the school day through enrichment in the arts, academic instruction and support, food services, and athletic activities.

Speaker Heastie and Assemblyman Otis’ afternoon began at the school’s Open Door Medical Center, which serves the majority of the students. They then visited several classrooms where the after school activities are held.

The extended day is managed in a partnership between the Port Chester School District and the Port Chester Carver Center, a community based organization.

With a large immigrant and the highest English Language Learner population in Westchester that is also the 6thhighest in New York State, extending the school day with high quality support programs is especially important.

Two years ago, New York State discontinued its funding of Port Chester’s after school program after 10 years of support through 21st Century grants. The Carver Center partnered with the district to apply for funding from the Dalio Family Foundation, which stepped in to ensure that the children could continue to experience high quality extended day services.

After the tour, Speaker Heastie and Assemblyman Otis chaired a roundtable with educators, leaders from several child-centered organizations, school board members and parents from Port Chester and nearby school districts to discuss the many issues facing schools. Topics included the Annual Professional Performance Review, NYS standardized testing opt-outs, unfunded mandates, children of poverty, children of immigrant families, high stakes testing, and school funding including the tax levy cap, Foundation Aid and the Gap Elimination Adjustment.

Photo: Seated, left to right, Edison Elementary School Community Schools Coordinator Maria Flores, Rye Neck Board Trustee Patty Nashelsky, Rye City Board Trustee Katy Glassberg, Port Chester Superintendent Dr. Edward Kliszus, New Rochelle Superintendent Dr. Brian Osborne, Blind Brook Board Trustee Jeff Diamond. Standing, left to right, Carver Center Chief Program Officer Mary Norelli, Rye Neck Superintendent Dr. Peter Mustich, Lower Hudson Education Coalition Director Judy Weiner, District 91 NYS Assemblyman Steven Otis, District 93 NYS Speaker of the Assembly Carl Heastie, Port Chester Board of Education President Robert Johnson, Representative from the New York State United Teacher association and the New York Association of School Psychologists Rayna Shapiro, Mamaroneck Superintendent Dr. Robert Shaps, Carver Center Chief Execute Officer Joseph Kwasniewski, Edison Elementary School Principal Ivan Tolentino, Westchester-Putnam School Boards Association Executive Director Lisa Davis, Port Chester Parent and White Plains Teachers’ Association Political Action Committee Chair Robert J. Reis, District Superintendent Southwestern BOCES Dr. Harold Coles, Rye City Superintendent Dr. Frank Alvarez. Photo credit: Port Chester School District

Not pictured: Port Chester Middle School Principal Patrick Swift, and Port Chester Teachers Association President Virginia Ellis