Jeff Gale for School Committee - News

Cranston Herald - June 10, 2010

Gale looks to fill Styco's shoes
By Meg Fraser

When Jeff Gale heard that veteran School Committee member Steve Stycos wasn’t seeking re-election in Ward 1, everything fell into place.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I’m a political junkie, basically,” he said from a picnic table outside City Hall Monday.

Gale was there to catch some of the Council meeting. Since deciding to run for office several months ago, he has been a mainstay at public meetings. And when the BASICS parent group was formed in February, he soon joined its ranks.

As the group’s director of public relations, Gale is hoping to provide continued support for Cranston students.

CRANSTON

Benefit concert to aid music in schools

A benefit concert to help save the music program in the city’s elementary schools will be held on June 23.

The concert, which will feature the Cranston East Big Band Jazz Ensemble and area band The Rockin’ Soul Horns, will be held in the Cranston High School East auditorium at 7 p.m.

The fundraiser is sponsored by the Cranston East Alumni Band and BASICS (Benefiting All Students In Cranston Schools), an advocacy group founded by district parents.

A group of volunteers is working on an afterschool music program to replace cuts that will go into effect in September. .

The school district cut strings, band and chorus in the elementary schools to help balance the budget.

A similar effort to restore the enrichment program at the elementary schools and sports has been shelved due to lack of support.

Also Wednesday night, BASICS members elected Kerrie Mullen-Kelleher, the group’s co-founder, as president. Dominic Fusco was elected vice president; Peter Kelleher, treasurer; Pam Tcatch Schiff, the other co-founder, director of fundraisers; and Jeff Gale, director of public relations.