E.M. PTA recognizes Joe Parisi and Donna LaScala

Joe Parisi and Donna LaScala were chosen as the East Meadow Parent Teacher’s Association Council’s honorees at its annual Founder’s Day dinner and ceremony. The East Meadow PTA Council is comprised of PTA units from each school as well as the Special Education PTA. Each PTA Unit selects three honorees and the council select two who have a broader range of accomplishments and contributions, explained PTA Council President Robin Fitzpatrick.

LaScala’s involvement in the PTA began as the Kindergarten Parent’s Tea Chairperson when her daughter entered the East Meadow School District. She went on to become a Parent Delegate for W. T. Clarke’s middle and high school’s PTAs as well as a Founder’s Day committee member, a public relations committee member and chairperson, the second vice president and the first vice president.

LaScala’s accomplishments include coauthoring a state PTA HIPPA Notification Resolution, launching the district’s first Red Nose Day to raise money for the less fortunate and co-creating and directing the East Meadow SMART Coalition. The coalition, which stands for Sustaining Motivating Achievement Resiliency and Tolerance, brings together parents, administrators, business leaders and local law enforcement who tackle the communities issues and foster positive change.

Joe Parisi is a computer technology guru who works as a Citibank Director and Senior Group Manager in charge of computer application development. When he moved to East Meadow after marrying his wife Grace, Parisi grew involved in the Council of East meadow Community Organizations starting as the delegate for the St. Raphael’s Roman Catholic Church. He is now president of CEMCO and has championed for environmental awareness and change at a local level, including the establishment of a bird sanctuary adjacent Speno Park.

Parisi has been a member of the McVey Parent Management Team, a Scout Master on Boy Scout Troop 362, a Board of Education past-vice president, past-president and now trustee and a past chairperson of the education, personnel, business and facilities committees.

Founders Day is meant to honor those that go above and beyond for the children of East Meadow, as well as celebrate the Founding of PTA which is the largest and Oldest Child Advocacy organization. The honorees are a combination of parents, community members and various staff members. Among its current advocacy efforts is support of legislation mandating that school buildings not be used as polling places if children are present.

The PTA Council cumulatively raised an approximate $50,000 through its dinner to go toward scholarships for graduating seniors of both district high schools. The Founders Day committee members, who promoted the event that had 445 in attendance, are Donna Goldstein, Trish Licciardo, Stephane Ramos and Roxanne Rose.