The Watertown Daily Times - Rep. Elise Stefanik Visits Indian River School to Highlight Need for Impact Aid

News Article

By Richard Moody

In a day dedicated mostly to children, Rep. Elise M. Stefanik visited Evans Mills Primary School and read a story to first-graders and in the afternoon, visited the Ogdensburg Boys and Girls Club.

Ms. Stefanik, R-Willsboro, used the visit to Evans Mills to highlight the importance of impact aid for schools with large military populations.

"I not only came here to interact with the students and have fun -- I asked them questions and they had some funny answers -- but I also came to highlight impact aid," Ms. Stefanik said. "I chose to visit Evans Mills today because it has such a high percentage of students who come from military families."

A majority of Indian River Central School District's student body -- 65 percent -- is made up of students from military families. Federal impact aid supports schools with high military populations.

At the primary school, Ms. Stefanik was led to a first-grade classroom, where she met 12 children who were engaged in a lesson about words.

"Today was also about interacting with the students and showing them a young political leader and give them an idea of what I do every day," Ms. Stefanik said.

She introduced herself to the students and asked them if they knew anything about Washington, D.C. A couple of hands rose.

Ms. Stefanik then read a fitting story for the fall, "Applesauce Season," by Eden Ross Lipson.

She asked the students if they preferred applesauce or apple pie and what they planned to be for Halloween.

The students were eager to tell Ms. Stefanik about their costumes, including one girl who said she wanted to dress up as Rapunzel and a boy who said he wanted to be a bat.

"A bat? That is a very good traditional Halloween costume," Ms. Stefanik said.

Following her classroom visit, Ms. Stefanik looked at the extensive construction the school is undertaking to expand the building. The extension will include new classrooms and a new turnaround for buses.

"It is great to see the construction that's going on here," Ms. Stefanik said.

She also visited Indian River High School, Philadelphia, in the afternoon to talk with a class on politics offered through Syracuse University.

"She talked to the kids about her evolution to running for Congress," Indian River Superintendent James Kettrick said. "She told them they have to be well versed in the issues they will face as a politician."

Members of the Indian River Board of Education traveled on Sept. 26 to Washington, D.C., where they met with Ms. Stefanik to discuss impact aid.

"A couple of days later she called us up and said she would like to visit one of our schools," Mr. Kettrick said. "It was great to have her here. She was very good with the first-graders."

The board also met with the staff of Sens. Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand while in Washington.

Mr. Kettrick said the board goes to Washington every year to keep the funds flowing.

"Impact aid is not forward funding, so we have to have a voice speak to its importance here every year," Mr. Kettrick said. "We depend on this funding to educate our students, especially our military students."

Mr. Kettrick said the district receives $20 million in impact aid, but that is only 60 percent of its appropriations.

"We are asking for additional aid," he said. "We are also trying to stop sequestration. There have been huge cuts to the military and education aid. This has to stop."

Ms. Stefanik, who serves on the Education and Workforce Committee in the House, said she will fight for federal impact aid for schools in the Fort Drum area.

"The north country district, we rely heavily on impact aid. It is incredibly important to our military families," Ms. Stefanik said. "We know this in the broader Fort Drum community. I wanted to show my support, and I will continue to advocate for the funding."

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