By Marley Seaman
About 25 Baldwin parents and children talked, played and ate at the gathering, floating around the downstairs of Oceanside Rescue Company #1 and visiting tables full of banana slices, walnuts, whipped cream and butterscotch. The Special Education Parent Teacher Association's executive committee, made up of five publicly-elected leaders, introduced itself to the community it hopes to represent.
"The uniqueness of this PTA is that [parents] are a part of figuring out what [the organization] is going to do," said president Paulette Palmer. "You're going to make it what it is."
SEPTA members do not need to be parents, nor is it a requirement to have children in Baldwin schools, public or private. So far, 72 people have paid the $10 membership fee.
"We need lots of volunteers," Palmer said.
"If you breathe, we'll take you," added vice president Danielle Brooks, the only one of the five committee members with much experience. Brooks, who is co-president of the Parent Teacher Organization at Community Nursery School in Baldwin, said SEPTA's mission is to deal with all forms of special education, including gifted programs and all varieties of aid for students in need.
According to Palmer, "the group reformed because the parents expressed a need" in the wake of the 'green sheet' controversy, which saw special-needs children denied services.
The first official SEPTA meeting will be held on Friday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a 90-minute concert by classical pianist Brittany Maier, who is blind and autistic. For now, all the meetings will run approximately half an hour and will be followed by workshops for members.
"SEPTA's just a baby. We're going to start with baby steps," said Palmer. "Some of the things we do will be very informal. This way we can get a flavor for what direction things are truly going to go."
**formatter, please put this in a box
Baldwin SEPTA Executive Committee
To contact Baldwin SEPTA, write to P.O. Box 45, Baldwin, NY 11510 or e-mail baldwinsepta@yahoo.com. If you are interested in becoming a member, send a check or money order for $10, made out to Baldwin SEPTA. Please include name, address, telephone number and e-mail.
President: Paulette Palmer
Vice president: Danielle Brooks
Treasurer: Jeri Tanen
Corresponding secretary: Sarah Rafalowitz
Recording secretary: Sonia Carrasquillo
