MEDIA CONTACTS:    

Lorey A. Zaman, President

Kyle McCauley Belokopitsky, Esq., Executive Director

518-817-3017 (cell)

execdirector@nyspta.org (email)     

NYS PTA on announcement of Reimagine Education Advisory Council

May 8, 2020 (Albany) – Today’s announcement by Governor Cuomo detailing the members of the Reimagine Education Advisory Council was welcomed.  From the onset, having actual stakeholders engaged in this work was imperative and critical to formulating a successful (and safe) reopening plan for our students and schools.   Parents and families must have a full seat at the table, and NYS PTA will bring the parent and family voice to these critical conversations.

“Our 123 years of advocacy for children will be brought to this Council,” offered NYS PTA President Lorey A. Zaman.  “Our Executive Director Kyle Belokopitsky, herself a mom of a 5th grader in public schools, will represent the parents and families of our 2.6 million school children and our 300,000 members extremely well.  We thank Governor Cuomo for inclusion of the parent voice and teachers and educators in this critical work, as we find solutions to support every child, with one voice, together.”

“There is no more important job than being a mother to my son,” added Kyle Belokopitsky, NYS PTA Executive Director.  “I have personally watched him struggle each day as schools are closed, and I see how much he misses his classmates, his teachers, his school – heck, I even think he misses afterschool homework. And I have witnessed the lengths our great teachers have gone to support him and his classmates, it’s astounding. We have a responsibility to all of our children, and all of our families, to support them to the best of our ability, to see that every child – no matter their zip code – has the tools, resources and supports to succeed.”

During this process, NYS PTA will be seeking parent, family and educator feedback to share. Please continue to check our Facebook page, twitter handle, and website for opportunities to collaborate in this work.

Together, we can make every child’s potential a reality.

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