Bloomberg Greets P.S. 111 Students, Parents, Staff

Bloomberg Greets P.S. 111 Students, Parents, Staff
 

 

New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, City Councilmember Eric Gioia, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Assemblymember Catherine Nolan greet students at P.S. 111, Long Island City for the first day of school.

By Dan Miller
On Wednesday September 9, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, city Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, UFT President Michael Mulgrew, CSA President Ernest Logan, Assemblymember Catherine Nolan, and City Councilmember Eric Gioia joined Randy Seabrook, principal of P.S. 111, 37-15 13th St., Long Island City, in welcoming students, parents, faculty and staff on the first day of school for the 2009-10 academic year.

Joesiah Harris, a ten-year-old fifth grader said that Bloomberg was “nice”. Tanesha Williams, also a ten-year-old fifth grader, and Wendell Sealy, a seven-year-old second grade student, posed for photos with the mayor and Chancellor and said they were impressed that the mayor and other important adults had come to their school and had taken such an interest in them and their education.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg chats with P.S. 111 Principal Randy Seabrook and teachers on the first day of school.

Klein spoke to reporters about what the school system has done to prepare for an anticipated outbreak of H1N1 (swine) flu as well as the imminent start of the regular flu season. Mulgrew added,  “At this point, we are waiting for the CDC [federal Centers for Disease Control], who told us that we will be getting the vaccine sometime in October.

“Children are the priority. We have to make sure that there is staff in every school. The protocols are the key here and they are for everyone. We will have access to vaccinations. But the protocols are for students and teachers and staff. It’s about washing your hands. It’s about when people are not feeling well [and] following the procedures about what you should be doing. [The UFT has] been working with the city. We have been very collaborative throughout the process. We have been able to get the things we have asked for, especially the informational piece.”

New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, City Councilmember Eric Gioia, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott, UFT President Michael Mulgrew, CSA President Ernest Logan and Assemblymember Catherine Nolan.

 After greeting students, the dignitaries were escorted to the school auditorium, where Seabrook welcomed the students back to school and introduced Bloomberg, “You guys are going to have a great year, build some new friendships and have some fun too,” Bloomberg told the students.

 Recalling his own school days, Bloomberg admitted that he was not particularly a good student. He still emphasized the importance of getting a good education to prepare for life ahead as an adult.

 

 

Students and parents arrive at The Judge Charles J. Vallone School in Astoria, on the first day of school, Wednesday, September 9.

“This school system is doing something special,” Bloomberg said during a press conference in the school library, citing some positive remarks made by parents he met outside the school building and referring to recent reports indicating that New York City students have made great improvements over the last five years.