School Council adds member

The New York City Department of Education (DOE) is looking for parents to help run the school system in northeast Queens. About the only qualification is that you have to be the parent or guardian of a school-age child.
Each of the city’s Community School Districts, has a Community Education Council that represents parents of pre-kindergarten, elementary, and middle school students. Each Community District Education Council (CDEC) is supposed to have 12 members, nine parents from the district, two appointed by the borough presidents a high school senior (who doesn’t vote) appointed by the community superintendent.
In District 26, which covers all of Bayside, Douglaston, and Little Neck, the CDEC covers 26 elementary and middle schools, in a swath from eastern Flushing to Floral Park. That CDEC recently elected a new member, Marie Pollicino from Douglaston, but still has three vacancies.
“It’s hard to believe that in this district, with its great reputation for schools, we should have vacancies, but we do” said council president Rob Caloras.
Members have a voice in determining educational policies in the district in which they live. They hold regular public meetings, approve changes in zoning lines, assist School Leadership Teams, evaluate the community superintendents, and advise the DOE on policies affecting their districts.
Over the next two weeks, Caloras said that they would be mailing out 17,000 notices to parents, inviting them to apply.
For more information, call 3-1-1 or visit the webpage at: https://schools.nyc.gov.