Sturman for Port's Board of Education

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Letters to the Editor, submitted for May 15 edition:

Why vote for Sue Sturman

As an involved and concerned parent of three children in the Port Washington School District, it is not only my pleasure, but my obligation, to tell you why I am voting for Sue Sturman for the school board. I met Sue 6 years ago as my oldest son, and her oldest daughter entered the same kindergarten class. Since then, I have gotten to know Sue in many different professional, charitable and personal contexts. I have watched her run Daly’s Home School Association with boundless energy, incredible organization, and effective communication. On this last point – communication – I found myself numerous times throughout the years most impressed and grateful for the extremely informative and regular unsolicited e-mail updates that Sue sent after every important school board, HSA, and Agate meeting, as well as after her attendance at meetings concerning a host of other important issues affecting our community. While I, myself, was often too wrapped up in my own numerous endeavors to attend these meetings, I always knew that there would be detailed minutes from every meeting in my e-mail in-box by the next morning. I knew that I would remain informed about all important issues, and I knew that Susan’s presence at the meetings meant that the interests of all students in the district were well represented.

Sue is a perfect candidate for the board of education – simply put, she is passionate about education, community and fiscal responsibility, and can proficiently articulate and substantiate her positions. While I have not always agreed 100% with Sue on every issue, I always respected her well-reasoned positions, admired her unwavering dedication, and awed at her devotion and commitment to securing the best education for our children. I have always been grateful to Sue for all of the heart and soul she gives to this community every single day. She has, no doubt, made our district, our school, and our children, and our community richer. Imagine what she can do on the school board!

I have also long-admired Sue’s creativity and problem solving abilities. Sue is an incredible professional chef who runs her own small catering and instruction enterprise out of Port Washington (and is extremely generous in donating her catering and other services to help raise funds for just about every charitable organization in town!). She has also been involved in organizing and promoting seminars on Education Funding Reform in New York State.

I believe that Sue’s own business experience, her HSA experience, her AGATE leadership position, her broad attendance at school board and community meetings and her work on Education Funding Reform have prepared Sue for the curriculum and financial challenges of being a school board member. I don’t think we could find a harder working, more dedicated and passionate person than Sue Sturman. We, as a community, would be lucky to have Sue on the School Board.

Lisa Martin Epstein

All the time I have known Sue Sturman she has never done anything halfway, from being the President of the Daly HSA, to preparing for the events she runs and the classes she teaches for her business.

She has been at every school board meeting and many board committee meetings. She knows the issues and has the insight and ability to come up with creative solutions and can work collaboratively to achieve them. In preparing for her service Sue has read the law, studied the minutes and combed the budget.

Sue does not settle when things can be improved. She is devoted and perseverant, yet also maintains her sense of humor and keeps her eye on the big picture. Born and raised in Port Washington, Sue returned here to raise her family. She has a deep commitment to the community and will truly represent us all on the Board of Education. Please vote for her on Tuesday, May 20th. Thank you.

Star Anthony

Last week’s League of Women Voters’ candidates’ night only served to reinforce my view that the Board of Education needs a fresh voice. In the midst of those seeking reelection and those seeking to be returned to the Board, Sue Sturman stood out as someone who would fill that void. Boards tend to get caught up in the moment, running from crisis to crisis and then become defensive when reminded that things could be better. Sue made a few simple suggestions, like planning ahead, and being prepared, especially for those events that seem to repeat themselves. She isn’t just talk. She has a track record. As co-president of Daly HSA and AGATE, goals were set, agendas prepared and steps were taken to achieve those goals. I have seen her at various board committee and sub-committee meetings and have been struck by her ability to cut through the clutter and rhetoric and focus squarely on the issues at hand. She sticks out clearly as being different from the rest, ready to make a real contribution to the community, schools and our children. Join me in voting for Sue Sturman for School Board.

Larry Tietz
Past President,
Port Washington Board of Education

Letters to the Editor, submitted for May 8 edition:

I have known Susan Sturman since we were both kids going to Flower Hill Elementary school, followed by Weber and then Schreiber. Her family, the Stockers, were our next door neighbors and the entire family remain close friends of my family to this day. It isn’t a life-long friendship that gains my support for her school board candidacy however. It is Susan’s passion and commitment as an adult to every facet of the Port Washington School system that has impressed me for the past 10 years. Whenever conversation inevitably turns to the issues facing our schools, I note that Susan has already researched the subject and can be counted on for a logical and well reasoned position. I have always known her to be a completely honest and honorable person, with extremely high standards, and a flexible attitude, often searching for consensus on complicated issues. She will be an incredible asset on the Board of Education and has my entire family’s support.

Chris Bain

On May 20th, the Port Washington community will vote on the proposed 2008-09 school budget and elect three members to the Board of Education. I am writing to urge you to vote for the proposed budget and for Susan Sturman.

The Port Washington School district is still recovering from the contingency budget of three years ago. Some of the hardships that resulted from that unwelcome situation were larger classes, the severe reduction of extra-curricular activities and middle school sports (later reinstated as result of a one time private fund-raising effort), the elimination of late buses and driver’s education, and the failure to move ahead on many important curricular initiatives and appointments. Even those families with children in private schools suffered with loss of late busing, and higher out-of-pocket expenses for use of public school facilities. On the heels of this situation the district is now offering a bare bones budget with a 4.95 percent increase, much of which reflects legally mandated costs.

Most of us moved to this community because of its rich diversity, stalwart property values, proximity to New York City, and excellent schools. Property values rest squarely on the community’s desirability as a waterfront suburb of New York City with top ranked schools. Mediocre schools and cuts in community services weaken such property value. Most importantly, they also impede our capacity to produce the best prepared citizens of tomorrow. Given the high tax burden in the region and a very challenging economy, we need to be fiscally prudent without destabilizing our existing strengths and community values. We must pull together to ensure the strongest schools and community culture that we can afford.

The district, under the watchful eye of the current Board of Education has conscientiously put forth a budget that will allow us to maintain our position as a strong school district without a significant tax increase. In fact, the proposed budget increase is only 1.4 percent above a contingency budget. It is critical that we all understand that a contingency budget is not simply a “3.06 percent budget”! New York State Education law strictly prescribes where money can be spent under contingency, severely limiting any new or strategic initiatives. The 1.04 percent above contingency is not much of a price to pay for the right to use our own money in areas of greatest need!

It is also essential that the Board of Education provides responsible leadership. There are excellent candidates running for positions on the Board this year. I would like to bring to your attention one of these candidates. Sue Sturman has dedicated herself for the past five years to improving our schools by working with parent groups, the Board of Education, and school administrators. She has proven to be an intelligent, thoughtful and inclusive parent leader, and a voice for all constituencies. Sue is committed to addressing the needs of every child, albeit through a fiscally responsible lens, one that is mindful of the strained resources of the majority of residents. She is a “quick study”, but also very analytic in her approach, paying close attention to all of the standpoints and facts. In short, Sue has demonstrated through both her professional and extensive volunteer experiences, that she does her “homework.”

Sue Sturman has called for strong planning and assessment of district initiatives and long range budget planning to ensure that the community is clear about how budgets annually serve strategic goals. She has further requested the formation of a coalition of Port Washington leaders to work with our elected officials on education finance reform in New York State, a long overdue initiative. Sue would be a great asset to our district, bringing a thoughtful and fresh perspective to the Board of Education.

Please vote on May 20th! I hope you will vote YES for the budget and for Sue Sturman. This is your opportunity to contribute to building an excellent and fiscally responsible school district and community in Port Washington.

Audrey Blumberg Weil

We are fortunate to have six concerned residents running for three Port Washington Board of Education positions.

Of the six candidates, four have capably served on the Board, while two are new. While I do not know Reverend Burt, I have been honored and privileged to know Sue Sturman.

I served with Ms. Sturman as Co-President of the Port Washington Chapter of AGATE from September 2006 through November 2007. During that time, she was a well organized officer of the organization who worked diligently and asked thought provoking questions in pursuing and advancing AGATE’s goals and objectives.

I strongly support Sue Sturman’s candidacy for Port School Board. I know that Sue will not just accept the status quo. Rather, she will work energetically and intelligently to champion the best interests of all Port residents, both young and old, in improving the public education offered by our schools.

Corbey R. Hyman

I am concerned. We should all be concerned.

Saying that they were too busy and that they could do the needed work in one session, our Board of Education canceled a meeting in December. And again in January. Guess what they did in February. Canceled another meeting!

Not only does this deprive our community time to voice our concerns, it is an insult to our sensibilities!

These are serious times educationally and financially. There are so many things left on the table. Curriculum questions, infrastructure questions, communication questions. How can our board members be "too busy" for these?

One fresh new voice has pledged differently. Susan Sturman has stated publicly that "service to my community and the School Board will be my first priority."

This is the attitude we need. In times like these we cannot afford to be "too busy."

Please join with me on May 20th to elect Susan Sturman to the Board of
Education.

Barry Loeb

On Tuesday, May 20, many residents of Port Washington will be voting for members of the Board of Education. I am truly proud to write that my (and Terry Stocker's) daughter, Susan (Stocker) Sturman is one of the candidates. Terry, who passed away in 1999, would be more than proud!

Terry and I bought our home in Beacon Hill in 1959. We have always been involved in the affairs of this town. Together we did public relations for the Community Chest and Terry was always active in The Port Singers (while I helped with photographs and props) for which she served several terms as President. She also was active in the Port Washington Music Study Club, ultimately as President and, at the time of her death, was President of the New York (State) Federation of Music Clubs! Of course, Terry also was very active in the PTA, to the extent that she was honored with a Lifetime Membership and, again, was President for several terms. Fluent in Italian, Terry also taught in the original Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) program. She was so proud of the young people who had been her students as she watched their success as adults! We both were active at St. Steven’s Church, with Terry the first woman on the Vestry.

We brought up our children, Bill and Susan, to have the same values of civic pride and contributing to their community as Terry and I believed was key to living here. In 2002, Sue and her husband, David, purchased my house in Beacon Hill so, happily, a second generation takes over! Sue is running for election to the School Board. This effort is only the most recent of her endeavors to work for the betterment her community.

Back when she was attending Schreiber, Sue volunteered for AHRC, taught Sunday School (still does in fact) and was involved in a number of community organizations. In college, she did pro-bono public relations work (her major) for a childrens’ shelter. Even when Sue lived abroad, she was a leader in a number of civic and social organizations and was a founding member of the Paris Choral Society.

More recently, I have been really proud to see Sue advocate for Port’s children during her five years of service leading various HSA organizations. I know she keeps herself well informed on issues because we have had many long discussions about what is going on in the school system and how things work! Sue has truly come to understand the complexities of such a large and complicated system. She has been able to explain them coherently to my friends and me. She has taken the time to meet with my fellow retirees and me to answer our questions and listen to our concerns about what is “going on.” I do not know of many people of her generation who would take the time out of busy lives with careers and children to do so.

I am proud that my daughter, my pride and joy, Susan Sturman, is a candidate for the Port Washington School Board. I ask you all to join me in giving her your vote on Tuesday, May 20.

William M. Stocker, Jr.