Tamarack Tower Foundation

Newsletter 

 2010 -2011

NEWSLETTER OF THE TAMARACK TOWER FOUNDATION PORT CHESTER/RYE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, INC

PO box 1718, PORT CHESTER, NEW YORK 10573

WWW.TAMARACKTOWER.ORG

LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT

Dear Friend,

As the new TTF President, I first want to thank you for your continued contributions to the Tamarack Tower Foundation. We could not be as successful without the overwhelming support of our Alumni, Retirees, Administrators, Teachers. and community members from around the country and yes, internationally. It is because of this heartfelt support that we are able to continue expanding our programs in support of the next generation,

Your steadfast support, has allowed us to co-sponsor a new program in the district. This year, Tamarack Tower is funding, Rachel's Challenge, an anti-bullying program at the Middle School. We feel that a program such as this will have a lasting district-wide impact as the children experiencing it graduate up to the High School, meeting our mission statement of "Success for every Student." You can find out more about Rachel's Challenge by visiting: wwwrachelschallenge.org.

Elsewhere in this newsletter you will read about a very ambitious fundraising program we are extremely excited about. This year we hope to establish the first "Restaurant 'lour of Port Chester". We are currently in the planning stages and are expecting great things from this event.

The brochure enclosed with this newsletter explains the How, Why, What, and Where, the Tamarack Tower Foundation has come from and where we are going. What it does not tell you is the - Who? We have a highly dedicated and hard working Board of Directors, along with a highly distinctive Honorary Board, that guides our activities. Most of them are local. Still, we could use more help.

Sincerely,

Bishop M. Nowotnik

TAMARACK TOWER FOUNDATION HOLDS FIRST ANNUAL RAFFLE

On Sunday, September 26, 2010, Tamarack Tower Foundation held its first annual $10,000 raffle. This was held at T&J Villaggio Restaurant in Port Chester (the former Village Inn for you old timers). By design, the Raffle was limited to only 300 tickets to be sold at $100.00 each. Each raffle ticket sold also included a dinner buffet for two and an open bar for two hours. As usual, T&J's did an outstanding job with the buffet and the open bar, There were 106 people in attendance and a good time was had by all.

Congratulations to our winner

$10,000 1st Prize - Nick Mecca, Port Chester, NY $2,000 2nd Prize - Nellie K. Gaughean, Hartsdale, NY

 $500         3rd Prize Ken Munnick, Port Chester, NY

 $500         4th Prize -Jersey Shore Group, Port Chester. NY

 $500         5th Prize Frank Forelle of Wyoming

 $500         6th Prize T &J's Villaggio, Port Chester, NY

Although we did not sell out, only 255 tickets were actually sold as a result of a big push from TTF Board of Directors. We want to give special thanks to all our out of town members and alumni for responding to our Raffle Ticket Mailing. Ticket buyers covered the entire United States. Special thanks should also go to Denise Quinn, who did much of the running around and coordination of the raffle.

We are hoping that with the success of our first raffle, our next raffle (and future raffles) will succeed in selling out. The Tamarack Tower Foundation's net, after expenses was $5,600 for its first raffle. Special thanks should go to the Board of Directors for their tireless efforts, and our Honorary Board for their support, to assure this event was as successful as it was. We are all looking forward to next year's raffle. See you all then.

 Raymond Sculky Raffle Chairperson

PORT CHESTER ELEMENTARY JFK BECOMES ONE OF THE NATION'S BEST

On Wednesday, November 17th , nearly 1000 students, parents and community members gathered at the Capitol Theatre to celebrate the prestigious Blue Ribbon Award received by John F Kennedy Magnet School. Although the district received the good news early this fall, that John E Kennedy Magnet was one of some 304 schools nationwide to win the national award, November 17th marked the official party. The celebration drew many politicians from near and far, including the Blue Ribbon prograrn's nation­al director and Robert Kennedy, Jr., the nephew of the school's presidential namesake.  Mr. Kennedy handled guest speaker duties alongside Aba Kumi, the director of the Federal Department of Education's Blue Ribbon pro­gram, who presented the school with its Blue Ribbon Award and told the students to tell everyone they go to a Blue Ribbon School. Kennedy and Kumi, who took turns manning the Capitol Theatre stage, told the kids they should add one more responsibility on top of all the homework and school activities. Kumi said, the students are now role models.  The academic progress, the rising test scores, the intangibles like the sense of family among teachers and kids at the school add them all up, and it's clear why John F Kennedy Magnet School earned its Blue Ribbon Award, said JFK Principal Louis Cuglietto. The award is also proof that a school with limited resources can give kids an education just as valuable as the lauded academic programs in Westchester's more affluent districts.

Winners of the Blue Ribbon Award are picked by a committee within the U.S. Department of Education. The awards are now directly tied in to academic performance. The two main academic routes are high­poverty schools (where at least 40 percent of students are low-income) that make dramatic gains on state tests, and schools that score in the top 10 percent on statewide exams.

Port Chester is famously diverse, a melting pot of second- and third­generation Italian, Irish and Polish Americans living side-by-side with a more recent wave of immigrants from places like Brazil,. Mexico, Ecuador, Argentina and Peru. Turning their disadvantages into motiva­tion, JFK Elementary School teachers and students set their sights higher and raised test scores year after year.

Regardless of the challenges, Kumi said the tools for success are universal. "With good teaching and hard work, each student can succeed no matter what ethnicity or background," she said. Regardless of status, every parent has the same request for their children to be educated and care d for by the best and brightest.

 Robert KennedyJr., whose son attended Westchester's Fox Lane middle and high schools, liraisedJohn F Kennedy's teachers. "I'm happy to see a sense of pride return to Port Chester," he said, "and all of you have been a part of that." JFK Elementary School is the second Port Chester school to receive the Blue Ribbon honor; the Port Chester Middle School received a Blue Ribbon hack in 2005.

As months pass, the Blue Ribbon Award plaque will hang with pride in John F Kennedy Magnet School's trophy case, representing one large victory among many small ones. The JFK band closed the celebrations with the playing of the school song.

 Tamarack Tower Foundation joins the community in celebrating the accomplishment of John It Kennedy Elementary School in attaining their status as a "BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL."

SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

MAY 2010

 The following scholarships were awarded to PCHS Seniors (2010).  Winners were chosen based on academic, extra curricular, community service and financial need.  All students are currently attending four year colleges.  TTF also awarded the Maria Scinto Memorial Scholarship for $1,000 and three awards of $100 each from the Promising Latino Scholarship Fund.

Eleven, $1,000 Tamarack Tower foundation Merit Scholarships to:  Katherine Aguilar, Dulce Angel, Olga Carcamo, Canelli DeaCruz, Andrew Miloro, Stephen Miloro, Kimberly Monter, Helen Nowotnik, Melissa Punturiero, Taylor Quinn, Jessica Ruiz.  Two Bella Fund Endowment Scholarship were awarded to:  Vitor DeSouza, $1,500 (Marie Bellantoni Genteale Scholarship) and Ricky Coria, $1900 (Frank Napolitano Scholarship), one $2,000 scholarship from the Lefferman Family to Martha Torres, one $1,000 Theresa LoParco Dell-Golden Opportunity Scholarship to Christopher Cruz, and one $1,000 scholarship from the Maria Scinto Memorial Scholarship to Amanda Mickatavage.

INTERVIEW WITH CAROLEE BRAKEWOOD

NEW MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

Carolee Brakewood was elected to the Board of Education in May, 2010 and assumed office of Trustee on July 1, 2010.

 Mrs. Brakewood was born in Madison, Connecticut and moved to Rockport, Maine at the age of 9, completing high school there. Mrs, Brakewood then went on to obtain a Bachelor of Music degree in Trombone Performance from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and attended Indiana University-Bloomington, graduating with a Master of Arts for Teachers in Instrumental Music.  In 1997, she served as a Fulbright Scholar in Bangkok, Thailand where she studied traditional methods of Thai music education.  She taught briefly in Indiana and Connecticut.  She was granted tenure as an elementary band teacher at the Washington Irving School in Tarrytown, New York in 2000.

The Brakewoods moved to Port Chester in 1998. parolee's husband, Dan, is a Director of Customer insight at Pitney Bowes in Stamford and is also a trustee on the Port Chester Village Board. They have two children, William (grade 5) and Molly (grade 3) who both attend the King Street Elementary School. Mrs. Brakewood has held a number of PTA roles at King Street, including Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary and Co-President. She also served as co-chair of the cultural arts committee and chair of the "Creative Knights" PTA after school program. She has also served as Co-President of the League of Women Voters for Rye, Rye Brook and Port Chester.

She currently works part-time for the Port Chester Council for the Arts, teaching music to the 15 Kindergarten classes in the district as a resident artist. She says, "I have held this job for three years and truly enjoy working with our students."

 Q. Why did you decide to run for the school board?

 I ran for the school board because I have a vested interest in making our schools the best they can be. I feel that 1 can offer a teacher's perspective - an understanding of what is actually going on and needed in classroom - to board discussions.

 Q What challenges do you feel are facing our district and how would you, as a board member, work to change them?

 1)   Staffing: The Board's most immediate challenge is to fill the superintendent's seat with a new leader. We also need to find a new principal for Edison School and a new Director of Special Education.

 2)   Space Constraints & Class Size: We are running out of classroom space in our elementary and high schools. Class sizes are creeping up at the elementary level. We are conducting high school classes in 37 minute periods. We need to do some short and long term planning to address space issues.

 3) Budget: We are currently facing reduction in state aid, the loss of ARRA federal grant funds, and frozen Medicaid reimbursements. We need to be very creative and resourceful during the budgeting process in order t.o maintain current programming and staff:

 Q After being on the school board for 0 months, can you tell us how you view your future decision-making role as a board member; i.e. staff, budget, negotiations, space, test scores, and graduation rates.

 I understand my role as a board member is to hire leaders, set policy and allocate budget. My role as a parent in the district definitely influences my priorities on the board. I have a vested interest in addressing space concerns, monitoring test scores, and increasing graduation rates. As a taxpayer, I want to make the best use of every dollar we spend. I will question any budget line item that does not directly affect the educational experience of our students.

Q What changes would you want to bring about in the Port Chester schools (academically, administratively, socially, etc.).

We have made significant academic gains in our district in recent: years. I want to make sure we continue that forward momentum. Administratively, my focus is on finding the right leader to fill the superintendent's seat. To me, this is the most important task we are faced with as a school hoard.