TRUMBULL TO RECEIVE RECOGNITION

 

 

 

Trumbull Citizens Review and Advisory Committee

Special Recognition of Participants and Facilitators

Trumbull Board of Education

Main Street, Trumbull

 

 

 

As property taxes continue to escalate, taxpayers are looking to their public officials to provide greater accountability and transparency.  Taxpayers are also becoming involved in the process through Citizens Review and Advisory Committees as initiated by Dr. Armand Fusco, a retired educator and former superintendent of schools. 

 

Dr. Fusco, who has authored many professional works, to include the book School Corruption: Betrayal of Children and Public Trust,  has developed The Culture of Accountability, Transparency and Participation Index as a means to measure a school district on its policies and practices that would:

 

Ø       indicate its level of accountability to the community in being answerable for the use and maximization of school resources (human, financial, and physical),

 

  Ø     determine whether the district fulfills its obligation to be transparent for its decisions, and

 

Ø      indicate its commitment to participative inclusion of the community.   

 

To date, the Trumbull Citizens Review and Advisory Committee with the cooperation of its public officials has earned 22 commendations representing full compliance with the aforementioned criteria  thereby demonstrating its commitment in providing accountability, transparency and participation to its community of citizens. 

 

It is therefore an honor and pleasure for the Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations to have the opportunity to publicly recognize this unique and noteworthy achievement of the Trumbull School District at a future meeting of the Trumbull Board of Education. 

 

Special recognition will be given to: 

 

Stephen Wright, Chairperson, Trumbull Board of Education

Ralph Lassogna, Superintendent of Schools and his staff

Joann Tyborowski, Secretary and Liaison to the Citizens review and Advisory Committee

 

This commendation will be presented by Dr. Fusco, a Board Member of the Federation, and Susan Kniep, President of the Federation. 

 

During the past month, Dr. Fusco was in Washington, DC seeking to expand Citizens Review and Advisory Committees nationwide. 

 

To date, such Committees have either concluded their work or are in the process of considering, conducting, or finalizing audits in the following Connecticut towns:  Trumbull, Enfield, Brookfield, Woodstock, New London, Monroe, Redding, Farmington and East Granby.  Their efforts demonstrate democracy in action and the willingness of the Boards of Education to help build ownership and support for its schools.

 

The Federation is also pleased to announce that Trumbull will be included in the Federation’s School District Honor Roll Hall of Fame, at the gold level, which is described within the attached.   Based on its level of commitment to the process, we feel confident that Trumbull will continue to grow in its success and will soon be the first district to be at the platinum level of the Hall of Fame.