Great News From Bridgeport Public Schools

 

 

The mission of the Bridgeport Public Schools and its supporting community is to graduate all students "college ready"

and prepared to succeed in life.

 

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For more information and registration please call (203) 336-4197.

 

 

DonorsChoose.org is already proving successful in helping Bridgeport teachers receive the funding needed to provide their students with the best learning resources.  Since the beginning of September, DonorsChoose.org has received 55 proposals from Connecticut, and almost all are from Bridgeport. Congratulations to the first two fully funded DonorsChoose.org teachers in Bridgeport Public Schools:

 

Grade 3

Webster Elementary School

Proposal fully funded on Sept. 7

 

Grade 4

McKinley Elementary School

Proposal fully funded on Sept. 14

 

To view the proposal currently being funded, visit http://www.donorschoose.org /donors/search.html?region=101 &action=browse&zone=101

 

Be sure to submit your proposal to DonorsChoose.org by October 1st and help your school meet the challenge of 8 proposal submissions.  Your proposal can help your school receive an extra $1,000 in funding.

 

Last week Longfellow School's seventh and eighth grade classes hosted guest speaker Dr. Gus Karazulas, Chief Forensic Odontologist of the State of Connecticut. The presentation was part of the school's Constitution Week celebration.

 

Odontology is the scientific study of teeth.  It is often used by forensic scientists to identify a victim and/or perpetrator.   Dr. Karazulas' presentation included a slide show featuring images and descriptions from a reopened murder/rape case in Chicago. Dr. Karazulas' testimony brought about the reversal of two convictions in this case on the basis of DNA and Karazulas' new bite mark analysis program.  

 

"Forensic scientists collect and identify evidence, and testify," Karazulas said.  "They serve as referees. You aren't on any side of the case because all you want is the truth."   Dr. Karazulas explained that any time the law is applied to a particular subject or science it is considered to be forensics.  "I wanted the students to learn that there are many careers and a great future within the forensic sciences," he said.   "I hoped to incite students to become interested in forensics and prove that justice works."

 

Mark Napoli, a seventh grade social studies teacher at Longfellow, coordinated the program.  “The Constitution Day event was extremely successful,” he said.  “The students were spellbound with Dr. Karazulas’ presentation.  Indeed, the very popular television series CSI was alive and well in the Longfellow gym, which was packed with students and parents.”  Napoli was also proud of his students.  “I was really impressed by my students’ mature reaction to such detailed photos as well as the intensity of the subject matter,” he added.  “Dr. Karazulas was so impressed with their behavior and willingness to learn that he stated he would be delighted to return to Longfellow.”

 

Dr. Karazulas is a former Bridgeport resident and graduate of Central High School, Fairfield University and Temple University Dental College.   Prior to his position as Chief Forensic Odontologist, which he has held for the past 35 years, he served 10 years as an oral surgeon for the Connecticut prison system.  Dr. Karazulas has been featured on the Discovery Channel, A & E and Court TV, and was instrumental in solving the Connecticut "Woodchipper" murder.   He works closely with the renowned Dr. Henry Lee and has lectured around the world in countries such as Japan, Australia, China and Korea.