BULLETIN

Offer Satisfies Family,

CCS President Reports

By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.allotsego.com

COOPERSTOWN – The CCS Board of Education has arranged an accommodation that is satisfactory to cancer-fighter Laurie Pestar and her family, board President Theresa Russo said a few moments ago.

The school board had been challenged at Wednesday’s meeting by Mrs. Pestar’s son, Jeremy Denmeade, for a brief and impersonal letter the 30-year elementary school secretary had received advising her a six-month unpaid leave she had sought was denied.

Mrs. Russo said today that “bad communications” had caused a form letter to be mailed before conversations had occurred between the administration, the bargaining unit that represents non-teaching staff, and Mrs. Pestar’s family.

The “communications breakdown” that cause the family’s unhappiness has now been remedied, said Russo.   “Those communications” – outlining the options available to Mrs. Pester –
have happened,” she continued.  “I think there is an arrangement what we had hoped for.  I think it’s all good.”

In addition to Mrs. Pestar’s son, a Marine, 20 of her friends and colleagues appeared at Wednesday’s school board meeting.  Thursday, CCS senior Bobby Walker and CCS alum Benton MacGuire circulated an online petition in support of the cancer fighter, which had been e-signed by 1,025 people by day’s end.

“I am so thankful the BOE became inspired by the outpouring ot support,” MacGuire wrote today on the e-petition site, www.change.org.  “I truly hope that whatever solution was met, it leaves Laurie and her family feeling more comfortable.”

MacGuire and Walker said they still intend to submit the petition at the next school board meeting, 5:30 p.m . Wednesday, Dec. 14, in the middle/high school library.

“Thank you to everyone who signed this petition and stood in solidarity to demand that something be done for Laurie and her family,” wrote MacGuire.  “ Because of you, It only took 24 hours for the Board to ‘make good’ on their mistake. When the people come out in numbers, we can bring change. Large or small. Thank you.”