Dear Editor:

It’s wonderful that Kathy Sullivan was and is so pleased with the Massapequa Schools.

I have been a resident and had three children graduate from elementary, middle and high school in this town. Presently, five grandchildren are receiving their education from this district too.

That being said, Mrs. Sullivan has taken such a strong stance against Mr. Bennett. I do not know either person, but it would seem that we do live in this beautiful country and we still have freedom of speech. So to all I say, “Happy New Year.”

Mary Koetzner, Massapequa

• • • Dear Editor:

Having read Mr. Bennett’s newest attack, I felt I had to respond. Mr. Bennett seemed to get particular pleasure maligning my reputation when I was on the Board of Education, and continues to attack me as an ordinary citizen.

As usual, Mr. Bennett did not check the facts about my present position. Therefore, I will enlighten him. I obtained the job as coordinator of the Continuing Education program after pursuing the normal lines leading to employment. To the district’s credit, I had to submit a resume, engage in an interview and explain how my previous experience in a similar program could be a benefit to the district.

Mr. Bennett didn’t investigate my contribution to the program. Consequently, I will make him aware of the growth that evolved because of the expertise that I brought. • Revamped the brochure to be more user-friendly and appealing. • Established a registration format that saves time and money. • Introduced 73 new classes, 27 of them this year alone, which are timely and address the changing needs of the community. • Designed an evaluation process that accesses the effectiveness of every class, informs the instructor of the results and obtains input from the community as to the offerings that they would like included in the program. • Presented the district with a comprehensive report at the end of each year which includes community responses to the offerings, a financial analysis, recommendations, and an overall picture of the program’s effectiveness. • Increased the registration fees for those people not living in the district who enroll in the program, if room allows. • Made appropriate changes in order to keep the program self-sufficient.

The Massapequa School District is committed to hiring people who are the best for the job and have the experience necessary to add to the growth of the district, not because of political patronage. As a citizen of the United States, I had as much right as the next person to apply for the job, or is this a right that Mr. Bennett feels is not mine?

I have been committed to this district for many years, as a teacher working to enrich the education of children, director of the teacher center working to enhance the skills of teachers, Board of Education member working for the best possible educational system, and now coordinator of the Continuing Education program working to meet the needs of the community members in an ever-changing environment. Despite Mr. Bennett, I will always be involved in the growth of the Massapequa School District one way or another. Or does Mr. Bennett feel that community members shouldn’t care?

Arlene Martin, Massapequa Thewriter is a former Massapequa School Board

President