Assemblyman Weprin Assemblyman
MARK
WEPRIN
Reports to the Community
Winter 2006 - 2007  


Dear Neighbors:

I write to you with great enthusiasm for the coming year. As you know, 2007 will bring a new governor to Albany, another legislative session during which I will proudly represent you, and a fresh start for the Empire State.

During the upcoming legislative session, I will once again pursue equitable funding for New York City’s public schools, quality health care, affordable prescription drugs, civil confinement of sexual offenders, elimination of Medicaid fraud, economic development, environmental protection, and the expansion of MTA’s Access-A-Ride service into Nassau County. In short, I will continue to advocate for my constituents and to support measures that enhance the health, safety, and well-being of all New Yorkers.

In addition, please know that my office staff is always available to assist you. If you have a question, complaint, opinion, or concern, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year.

Sincerely,
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MARK S. WEPRIN
Member of Assembly



school books
WEPRIN RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT HIGH-STAKES SCHOOL TESTS

Addressing school advocates, Assemblymember Mark Weprin expressed concerns about high-stakes school tests - yearly examinations starting in third grade - that the Department of Education uses to rate principals and schools.

"There is too much emphasis on test results in our schools," said Weprin. "As a father of two public school students, I feel that the children of New York are spending too much of their school days on test preparation. Young children should not have to face intense pressure to achieve high scores on standardized tests."

Assemblymember Weprin indicated that there is too much stress on teachers, principals, students, and parents regarding test scores. The pressure forces teachers to teach to the test, instead of allowing students to explore new areas, express their creativity, and enjoy learning.

Judging principals based solely on test results is also unfair, said Weprin. "A principal may be an outstanding school leader and still end up with declining test scores. A high population of foreign-born students, transfer students, or students who have difficulty with standardized tests could skew the results for a school and cast a shadow over a very capable administrator," Weprin said. "We need to lessen the emphasis on testing and begin to rely on a variety of indicators to evaluate students, teachers, principals, and schools.


Assemblymember Weprin Wants To Know
Assemblymember Mark Weprin wants to hear your opinion on high-stakes school tests. Is there too much emphasis on testing or is the current situation appropriate? Please call Assemblymember Weprin’s office at (718) 428-7900 to express your opinion.



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BLUE RIBBON AWARDS CEREMONY AT QUEENS COUNTY FAIR
left to right: Amy Fischetti, Executive Director, Queens County Farm Museum; Assemblymember Mark Weprin; Senator Frank Padavan; Jim Trent, President, Queens County Farm Museum

At the 24th Annual Agricultural Fair at the Queens County Farm Museum in Floral Park, Assemblymember Mark Weprin addressed the crowd and helped to present awards to the talented artists, bakers, farmers, and other winners.



SPEAKING OUT AGAINST HATE CRIMES
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ASSEMBLYMEMBER MARK WEPRIN HELPS TO RENOVATE SENIOR CENTER

Mark Weprin cut the ribbon on the Bayside Senior Center, which underwent capital improvements with New York State funds that he secured. The project included 2,700 square feet of new sidewalk around the building, a ramp to provide handicapped access to the side door, security gates for the glass front doors, and four new windows. Assemblymember Weprin was committed to creating a safe environment for more than nine hundred seniors who use the Bayside Senior Center every week.

left to right: Councilmember John Liu, Marc Haken, Assemblymember Mark Weprin, Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Jagir Singh Bains, Borough President Helen Marshall

On the steps of Queens Borough Hall, Assemblymember Weprin condemned the heinous assault of four Chinese-American men by two white men in Douglaston. The attackers used racial slurs against the four young men and severely beat two of them. Assemblymember Weprin called for an end to all hate crimes and bias attacks.

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MARK WEPRIN HELPS BRING STOP SIGN TO FRESH MEADOWS
photo Assemblymember Mark Weprin and Lillian Ptucha
MARK WEPRIN SPONSORS FLU SHOT EVENT AT SNAP

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Services Now for Adult Persons (SNAP), a senior center in Queens Village, offered free flu shots to seniors at an event that Assemblymember Mark Weprin sponsored. Nurses from New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene administered the shots to over two hundred seniors. The seniors arrived at SNAP early in the morning to enjoy a breakfast, also provided by Assemblymember Weprin.

With the help of Assemblymember Mark Weprin, longtime Fresh Meadows resident Lillian Ptucha finally saw all-way stop signs installed at the intersection of 50th Avenue and 188th Street. Mrs. Ptucha had requested the additional stop signs in both directions on 188th Street for about ten years before the Department of Transportation finally installed the signs. (50th Avenue already had stop signs in both directions.)

"It was a very dangerous intersection," said Mrs. Ptucha. "I would drive home from church, and as I approached 188th Street on 50th Avenue, it was impossible to see the vehicles that were traveling on 188th Street." Mrs. Ptucha noted that the properties on the southeast and southwest corners of the intersection have six-foot fences, which limit visibility for drivers.

"I was very pleased to see the stop signs installed," said Assemblymember Weprin. "There was a long history of traffic accidents at the intersection. The new stop signs are going to save lives."



WATCHING THE GARDEN GROW
photo Assemblymember Mark Weprin and Principal Susan Sherer raided the pumpkin patch at Public School 205.
SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
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Public School 186 Principal Dolores Troy-Quinn (seated, center) and her school leadership team welcomed Assemblymember Mark Weprin (standing, third from left), Councilmember David Weprin (standing, center), and Senator Frank Padavan (standing, third from right) to the school.

Assemblymember Mark Weprin visited Principal Susan Sherer and the students of Public School 205, The Alexander Graham Bell School, to see the fruit and vegetable garden that they are cultivating behind the school. The Oakland Gardens students are growing tomatoes, pumpkins, peppers, watermelons, eggplants - and even bananas - with the help of their teachers and principal. A unique, hands-on project, the garden facilitates the students’ understanding of agriculture, an area of science that New York City’s elementary school students rarely have a chance to learn about firsthand.
TEACHING MIDDLE SCHOOLERS ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION
Assemblymember Mark Weprin visited Middle School 172, in Floral Park, to celebrate Constitution Day by teaching the youngsters about the Constitution, the government, and the importance of freedom.
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BRINGING BALLET TO LOCAL STUDENTS
photo With funding from Assemblymember Mark Weprin, American Ballet Theatre (ABT) came to Public School 205, The Alexander Graham Bell School, and to Public School 186, The Castlewood School. In order to reach New York’s students, ABT offers in-school programs specifically tailored for grades two through four. The program includes in-school visits from ABT Teaching Artists and complimentary tickets to an ABT event at either New York City Center or Metropolitan Opera House.

ABT’s educational and outreach programs help address the need for arts education in New York’s schools. The program aims to introduce ballet to young people who might not otherwise be exposed to it, foster an appreciation for the performing arts, and develop and educate future ballet audiences.

Students participate in warm-up exercises, movement studies to build coordination skills, balance and strength building exercises, across the floor sequences, allegro jumps, and partnering. The Teaching Artists incorporate many of the English Language Arts State Learning Standards into their workshops, introducing new vocabulary to the children, and helping them to express their experiences in group discussions and written reflections.

To enhance their understanding of dance, students also receive tickets to the Young People’s Ballet Workshop (YPBW). Offered at New York City Center in the fall or at Metropolitan Opera House in the spring, the YPBW is one of the largest single outreach events in New York City, with thousands of students attending each performance.




SUPPORTING THE RONALD McDONALD HOUSE
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left to right: Ronald McDonald, guest, former Met Mookie Wilson, Assemblymember Mark Weprin.

Twenty years after they won the 1986 World Series, former members of the New York Mets baseball club visited the Ronald McDonald House in New Hyde Park, which provides a "home away from home" for families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at nearby hospitals. Since 1974, more than ten million families around the world have benefited from the comfort provided by a Ronald McDonald House. Assemblymember Weprin, who attended the event, has supported the Ronald McDonald House for many years.




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HALLOWEEN TRICK-OR-TREATERS VISIT MARK WEPRIN’S OFFICE

Assemblymember Mark Weprin handed out candy to the trick-or-treaters who visited his district office.



***Click here for printable view.***

INFORMATION AVAILABLE
identity theft phone list Assemblymember Weprin’s office has pamphlets available on a range of topics. If you would like to receive a copy, please place a check mark next to the pamphlet you would like, cut out this section, and return it to:

Assemblymember Mark Weprin
56-21 Marathon Parkway, Little Neck, New York 11362

Identity Theft: Everyone Is at Risk
Protect Your Children From Online Criminals
Long Distance Phone Fraud is Just a Call Away
Cellular Phone Alert: Using Hand-Held Phones While Driving Is Illegal in New York
Long-Term Health Insurance: A New York Partnership for Life
Spousal Impoverishment: You Don’t Have to Lose Your Savings to Qualify for Medicaid
Carbon Monoxide: The Silent Killer
What You Should Know About Radon and Your Home
Important Telephone Numbers
ASSEMBLYMEMBER
MARK WEPRIN
ALBANY OFFICE:
Room 626 LOB
Albany, New York 12248
(518) 455-5806
DISTRICT OFFICE:
56-21 Marathon Parkway
Little Neck, New York 11362
(718) 428-7900


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