Answering Parents’ Questions at Long Island Parent Magazine

I’m pleased to let you know that beginning this month, I will be a regular

http://www.liparentonline.com

contributor to Long Island Parent Magazine. 

Published by Liza Burby, it is a wonderful resource for parents as it addresses issues of concern to parents on Long Island and beyond.

My first article, What You Need to Know About Your School District Budget, provides tips about how to navigate the budget process in your school districts.

Here are a few tips from the article: 

• Know your school district’s budget calendar, which will give you a list of meetings and topics. Check your district’s website for information, and read budget brochures that are mailed to your home. Read the fine print so you will understand if your children’s school experience will be impacted. Keep up with local media reports of budget meetings.
• Know when PTA meetings are held. Your PTA president should have the latest budget information.
• Know when and where Board of Education meetings are held, attend them, and feel free to voice your opinion during the public participation part of the meeting.
• Know the names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of the Board of Education members and the District Clerk.
• If you are upset by a proposed cut, you may circulate petitions to the board, discuss the topic at PTA meetings, write letters to the board and to the newspapers, and come to board meetings en masse.
• Make sure you register to vote. Check with the District Clerk for procedures and deadlines if you are not sure if you are registered.
• Remember to vote. If you will be out of town you may request an absentee ballot. Check with the District Clerk for information about absentee ballots, polling places and voting hours. 

To read the full article, go to http://liparentonline.com/features3.html.

In addition to the print version, I will be writing a monthly online column, Ask the Education Expert, on the Long Island Parent website. There I will be answering questions submitted by readers. In the current column, I discuss parent concerns related to kindergarten registration and readiness. Take a look at http://liparentonline.com/ask-the-school-expert.html. Email your questions to me at youreducationdoctor@youreducationdoctor.com and check out LI Parent online for the answers each month.

For more information about Your Education Doctor or Meryl Ain, please visit:

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