Local Mayors Take Suggestions From Lincoln Students

Caldwell Mayor Ann Dassing and West Caldwell Mayor Joseph Tempesta met with some very important local citizens to discuss their towns last month.

in Caldwell invited the mayors to visit their school as part of the yearly civics curriculum.

The students questioned the mayors about their positions, responsibilities, likes and dislikes; and provided suggestions for town improvements from an eight-year-old’s point of view. The students shared a variety of ideas, including suggestions for making Caldwell and West Caldwell “greener” and their hope for a community garden in Caldwell.

Following an introductory unit on national and local government, students from Myra Leven and Anna Walek’s second-grade classes devised a list of questions for the mayors that focused on the parks, stores and other places of interest within the town.

“Throughout the lessons, the students learned how to play an active role in government through voting and attending council meetings, and how understanding what these individuals do can help initiate positive changes,” Leven said.

The effort correlated with the students’ work on citizen rights and responsibilities, and both Dassing and Tempesta welcomed the students’ ideas and suggestions. The students thanked the mayors for their visit and presented each with a Lincoln School car magnet.