SCHOOL CHOICE PETITION DRIVE

 

        Thank you for agreeing to serve as the Parish Coordinator who will facilitate the School Choice Petition Drive after all the Masses the weekend of either October 9-10, October 16-17 or both weekends, whichever your Pastor selected.  The School Choice Petition Drive, under the auspices of the New Jersey School Choice Alliance, is a joint effort by its members, which includes the New Jersey Catholic Conference, Knights of Columbus, and New Jersey ALLIANCE of Catholic School Families.    The purpose of the School Choice Petition Drive is to present the signed petitions to state legislators so that they will get an indication of the support for the general concept of school choice within their districts.  There will be no attempt to pressure anyone to sign the petition.  Since this is also designed as an educational experience, we have provided an information sheet that you should duplicate and have available at the drive for those who wish to have more clarification about school choice and about the myths that are perpetuated by opponents of school choice. 

 

Enclosed are guidelines for coordinating the project in your parish.  Also enclosed are short inserts for your parish bulletin that we hope you will ensure are included during the weeks leading up to the signing of the petition.  The New Jersey School Choice Alliance contributed to the content of these guidelines; however, for further clarification, please email or call the appropriate Diocesan Director for the New Jersey ALLIANCE of Catholic School Families listed below, who will serve as the contact person for each diocese.

 

Archdiocese of Newark:                Mary McElroy

                                                66 Irwin Street, Springfield, NJ 07081

                                                Phone: 973.467.9396; Fax: 973.467.1439

                                                ALLIANCE@rcan.org

 

Dioceses of Camden and Trenton: Mary Ellen Procaccini

                                                1923 Bay Terrace, Ship Bottom, NJ 08008

                                                Phone: 609.361.7885; Fax: 609.361.7886

                                                ALLIANCEMEP@att.net

 

Diocese of Metuchen:                   Judith Krilla

                                                280 White Oak Ridge Rd., Bridgewater, NJ 08807

                                                Phone: 908.526.3898; Fax: 908.526.1870

                                                jkrilla@diometuchen.org

 

Diocese of Paterson:                    Kathryn McGee

                                                7 Patania Court, Lincoln Park, NJ 07035

                                                Phone: 973.305.8391; Fax: 973.305.0560

                                                kmcgee@patersondiocese.org