Update: Ward Melville First Suffolk County Stop for State Education Commissioner

The date of the forum has been moved to Nov. 12 from 6-8 p.m.

Ward Melville High School will be one of two locations on Long Island where State Education Commissioner John B. King will meet with community members to discuss the Common Core standards.

According to the state education website, the forums will be moderated by state legislators. State Sen. John Flanagan's office is coordinating the event. 

King was heavily criticized for canceling a tour of Common Core town hall meetings scheduled to take place across the state, after attending only one in Poughkeepsie on Oct. 10. According to King's office, that meeting, which has been described as heated, "was not constructive for those taking the time to attend." 

In a statement, King said "I want to have a respectful, direct, and constructive dialogue with parents. More and smaller discussions will make sure there's a real opportunity for parents to be heard. This is just the first round; we'll continue to schedule forums for parents. We want these to be regular events. We want the conversation to rise above all the noise and make sure parents understand the Common Core, and, just as important, we want to understand parents' concerns. We all share the same goal: to make sure our students have the skills and knowledge to be successful in a changing world."

Three Village District Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich, in a call made to parents last night, said it is expected that Common Core along with other educational reforms would be discussed.

“Knowing that these are topics members of our community are passionate about, the district encourages those interested to attend," she said.

The forum will be held at Ward Melville High School auditorium next Wednesday from 7-9 p.m. and is the first forum in Suffolk County.