Dear Science Research Students and Parents,

As you know, Science Research was left out of the schedule for the next academic year. At the
last budget meeting on Saturday, March 26th, Mr. Scordo stated that Science Research was left
out because it was on his list of programs to cut from the budget.

This letter is coming to you from several of the parents of students taking Science Research. We
need to individually communicate to the superintendent, assistant superintendent, Board of
Education members, trustees and the administration at the high school to advocate for this
program. Several of us have done that and we heard from the superintendent, members of the
board and principal via email. Email addresses are below. Please send an email to the
administration asking them to support this program. We are small in numbers and all messages to
the administration count, short or long.

 Superintendent, Mr. Scordo superintendent@elwood.k12.ny.us

 Assistant superintendent, Mrs. Llewellyn mllewellyn@elwood.k12,ny.us
 Board of Education administrators and trustees boe@elwood.k12.ny.us
 Principal, Dr. Mulieri vmulieri@elwood.k12.ny.us

Since we are a small number, we thought that sending in a stack of letters signed by parents and
students would provide additional support. Attached you will find a letter of support for Science
Research. We ask that you and your son/daughter sign the letter and return it to Ms. Soehl by
Monday, April 4th. We included room in the letter for your own individual comments. The plan
is for Ms. Soehl to send the letter back to us so that we can present our letters as a stack to the
administration at the next budget meeting (April 7th).

Thanks in advance,

Melissa Drayer-Arnow
David Arnow
Emily Lopez Plunkett
Craig Plunkett
Michael Louis Weissman
Dori Weintraub
 29 March 2011

Dr. Vincent Mulieri, Principal Mrs. Maryann Llewellyn, Asst. Superintendent

Mr. Peter C. Scordo, Superintendent Elwood UFSD Board of Education Trustees

To all,

We note with dismay the omission of Science Research from the schedules for the academic
year 2011-2012. According to statements made at this past Saturday’s board meeting, this was
due to the program’s being on the cut list. Contrary to what we’d been told, the program appears
to have been on a fast track for elimination, a surprise since the program involves relatively little
money and is carried out during the students’ own time. We can only conclude that Science
Research is not considered an important part of the district’s activities.

Clearly, the number of students who take Science Research are not as large as those involved
in music or sports. However, we want you to consider how this program enriches Elwood as a
whole, providing a valuable learning opportunity that makes our district an attractive one in
which to raise a family. Eliminating it will not only affect the students, but will reflect poorly on
our district, presenting it as one in which motivated students are denied experiences that go
beyond the curriculum and dissuading potential homebuyers.

The students who participate in the research program are not easy targets for the budgetary
axe. They are representatives of Elwood’s potential for great and lasting contributions to our
nation and the world, future scientists and engineers who deserve the opportunities a research
program will give them to develop the skills they need to succeed academically and
professionally. We cannot let these students down.

We ask that you keep Science Research at the top of the list of supported programs, not only
because it benefits a committed group of students – increasing their attractiveness to top
schools as well as scholarship administrators – but because it broadcasts our district’s
continuing commitment to a rigorous and enriching curriculum.

Thank you for your support.

Students and Parents of Students For the Independent Science Research Program

Parent's Name Home Address

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Parent's Signature Student’s Name and Graduating Class

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Comments:
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