Stand for Children: supporting Belmont’s schools from the grassroots

Hi, it’s Sara, and this is my first post for BloggingBelmont. I live in Belmont and have a little boy who will head to Winn Brook this fall. As a parent and an educator I am very interested in all things education- which is where I’m headed with this post.

Going into 2009 Belmont’s schools are facing a tough budget crunch, and this is a great time for Belmont parents and supporters of the schools to get involved. I am part of an organization called Stand for Children (www.stand.org), a community based advocacy group that is committed to maintaining and improving programs for children by securing support from local and state leaders.

Stand for Children is in the early stages of establishing a Belmont chapter, and we are looking for committed people to join the chapter and make a difference for Belmont kids.

Stand for Children in Belmont will provide an opportunity to for people to learn about how our town’s government and schools work and interact and will afford individuals the chance to play a role in shaping the future of Belmont’s schools through advocacy. If you are interested in getting involved- to any extent- please send me an e-mail and let me know (masucci(at)post(dot)harvard(dot)edu).

For those who may be interested in learning more about Stand for Children and what may be in store more broadly for Massachusetts schools in the coming year, Stand for Children is hosting their annual Statewide Summit on January 24th in Reading.

The Summit is for parents, educators and community members who are concerned about children and public education and want to learn more about how to make a difference. In just a few hours you can catch up on what’s happening at the state level that will affect our kids and what you can do about it. Everyone is welcome to attend. Advanced registration is required- more details and registration can be found at www.stand.org/ma/summit.

This year’s theme is “working together to keep our commitment to kids in tough times.” You will have an opportunity to connect with other grassroots leaders, learn how you can improve public education, hear from the state’s leading policy makers, and share strategies for winning.

Stand for Children’s 5th Annual Statewide Education Summit, Saturday, January 24, 2009, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., to be held at Reading Memorial High School in Reading, MA. Lunch and childcare provided.