[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 150 (Friday, October 31, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2153]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING THE THOMAS J. LAHEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

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                         HON. GARY L. ACKERMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 31, 1997

  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Thomas J. Lahey 
Elementary School, in Greenlawn, NY, which has recently received the 
prestigious Blue Ribbon School Award by the Department of Education. 
The school will be honored at a ceremony on November 6 with Education 
Secretary Richard Riley.
  The Thomas J. Lahey Elementary has taken many innovative steps to 
involve the entire community in improving the quality of education for 
its 962 students. Volunteers throughout the community assist in a 
variety of tasks from reading to children to providing computer 
instruction in the classroom. The school also works in conjunction with 
local businesses to further the growth of both the community and the 
students. For example, for National Book Week, a local supermarket 
donated more than 800 grocery bags which students used to create a 
drawing and write a summary of their favorite books. These bags were 
distributed throughout the town of Greenlawn. This unique partnership 
between school and community should serve as a model for other schools 
who are trying to do more for their students in a time of declining 
budgets. The partnership also reminds us all of the role we in the 
community need to play in bettering our Nation's schools.
  Much of the school's success can also be attributed to the work and 
dedication of its principal, Dr. Janet Perrin, who can often be found 
reading to children and participating in classroom instruction. Under 
her leadership, parents, students, and teachers have been challenged to 
give more of themselves to better both the school and the community.
  The school has taken important steps in increasing the children's 
access to the Internet and the World Wide Web. At the same time, the 
school is working with the community to teach students the importance 
of the arts in our society. The Thomas J. Lahey Elementary School truly 
embodies the ideals of creativity and innovation. I ask all of my 
colleagues to join me in honoring this truly dynamic institution.

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