Upcoming Events...
Hispanic Heritage
Annual Read Aloud 2007
Featured Selections:
Tito, the Firefighter /
Tito, El Bombero
by Tim Hoffey
Illustrated by Kimberly Hoffman
(For grades K-6)
Yes, We Can! / Si, Se Puede!
by Diana Cohn
Illustrated by Francisco Delgado
(For grades 4-6)
The Parent Center is looking for friends of education who would like to take this
opportunity to read to our Bridgeport
students in grades K-6 throughout
October and November.
For more information and registration please call (203) 336-4197.
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Pitney Bowes Awards $20,000 in Grants to BPS
Yesterday, Pitney Bowes Inc. award $20,000 in grant funding to Bridgeport Public Schools at a check presentation at Edison School. Edison fifth grader Alisha Boyd was the Mistress of Ceremonies, and Pitney Bowes Volunteer Program Manager Susan Rigano, Edison Principal Donna Falat-Rosenbloom, and Superintendent Dr. John J. Ramos, Ed.D were featured speakers.
In the beginning of the 2007-08 academic year, Pitney Bowes Inc. allocated $20,000 in grant monies to support Bridgeport Public Schools. Prior to the presentation, $11,947 had been awarded to fund technology grants for Paul Laurence Dunbar, Edison Elementary, Maplewood Annex and Louis Munoz Marin Schools. Susan Rigano announced the approval of two additional grants yesterday for Multicultural and Park City Magnet Schools.
“By means of these grants, Pitney Bowes will give our schools the materials necessary to improve the way we interact with and effectively teach our students,” said Dr. Ramos. “Bridgeport Public Schools seeks to provide the best education possible, and Pitney Bowes’ generous contribution will help us achieve this goal.”
The following grants have been awarded:
• Dunbar School has received $3,645 to purchase of a multileveled Reader’s Theater program, designed with scripts to enhance creativity as well as verbal and writing skills;
• Edison School has received $1,480 to purchase an Elmo document reader to assist with both in-class instruction and professional development activities. The document reader displays text for students and teachers during shared reading and interactive read alouds;
• Maplewood Annex School has received $3,429 to purchase two laptops and 16 flash drives to use in conjunction with the school’s 6 Smart Boards;
• Marin School has received $3,393 to purchase a laptop, led projector and Smart Board to present interactive PowerPoint presentations for parent workshops and teachers’ professional development activities;
• Multicultural Magnet School will receive $3,500 to purchase 3 more computer work stations for its Special Education Program; and
• Park City Magnet School will receive $4,000 in support of its “Soaring to New Heights” after school math enrichment program.
"The Pitney Bowes Literacy and Education Fund is proud to offer support for these innovative technological programs," said Polly O'Brien Morrow, President, Literacy and Education Fund. "It is critical that students, at an early age, learn how necessary and important technology is to their future. These programs will give students a hands-on experience to inspire confidence in their use of technology as they progress in grade level."
Pitney Bowes Inc. has a long-standing history of supporting the communities in which its employees live and work. In 2004 Pitney Bowes Inc. developed a Community Investments Committee (CIC), which reviews and awards grant applications for Bridgeport nonprofit organizations. Seventy percent of funds from the CIC support literacy and education programs.
Susan Rigano of Pitney Bowes with
Mistress of Ceremonies Alisha Boyd
High Schools Receive Federal Funding for Mental Health Services
Bridgeport high schools recently received $349,558 in federal funding to develop and support mental health services for students. This 18-month-long project will integrate important mental health services throughout Bassick, Central, and Harding High Schools while providing a comprehensive approach to serving students’ needs.
“I think that the mental health of our children is just as important as their academic progress,” said Susan Smith, Director of Social Work for Bridgeport Public Schools. “By means of this funding we seek to identify and refer 'at risk' students and provide a systematic means for them to receive the help they need as soon as possible.”
The project, which is currently in the planning stages, will include the development of an infrastructure that will build a team of teachers and staff to identify, refer, and assist students while providing resources to the schools and their communities to assist in support mental health services. The schools will develop and disseminate a “best practices” method and work to improve the sharing of information between schools.
In addition to improving their existing internal services, the schools will collaborate with the UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools to better assess students’ needs and create a Public Health Model. A portion of the grant will also be used to further parent involvement by providing parents with the resources and education necessary to better help their children.
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