Newsletter January 2010 |
We Wish You and Your Families a Happy New Year! We would like to share highlights from this school year’s events which helped raise funds for Wilton’s outstanding school system.
|
Our Partnership with
Wilton’s School System
Wilton Education Foundation is a non-profit organization which supports the Wilton Board of Education. Our goal is to raise and contribute funds to Wilton’s schools which may not be covered by the Board of Education’s annual budget. Due to severe budget cuts this year, the annual school budget is one of the leanest it has ever been. For example, the district is able to spend less than $13 per student for new technology that makes learning more engaging and memorable.
|
|
However, thanks to your generous support throughout the years, we have been able to contribute more than $400,000 to Wilton schools for initiatives in technology, science, the arts and professional development.
We understand this may be a challenging financial year for many. We hope you will consider a gift to our Foundation this year which will support our students, as well as our educators in the coming year.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution, please click here on the big red exclamation point and you will be linked to our Donation page. Or, if you prefer to pay by check, please make payable to Wilton Education Foundation and send to P.O. Box 7090, Wilton, CT 06897.
If you company has a matching gift program, please consider sharing our information with your Employer.
Thank you for your support!
|
|
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT!
|
The year started on a high five as our best and brightest educators took on the Court Jesters Comedy Basketball Team in front of a packed (Field) house. Parents and children cheered on their teachers as they attempted three-pointers, slam dunks and fancy dribbling around the talented former college and professional basketball players who displayed their great showmanship skills! It was a successful evening all around for the community, our organization, and our teachers who will receive funding toward Summer Institute (more to follow)and SMARTboards™. Thank you to all of you who made it a night to remember. |
Middlebrook Science Fair |
|
Wilton Continuing Education has been a supporter of the annual Middlebrook Science Fair for many years. This year’s Middlebrook Science Fair was held in February. It was a tremendous success with 95 student participants and the Spectacular Science Show following the judging of the exhibits. This is the largest student participation the Science Fair has ever experienced! Some teams and individuals then qualified for the State Science Fair at Quinnipiac University in Hamden and went on to receive 2nd honors at the State Fair. Also, one team advanced to the State Science Fair finals. Congratulations to our science stars!
|
|
|
Which Career Is for You?
|
In February, the Foundation facilitated a series of career panels for WHS Juniors during Real World. Panels consisted of industry professionals from areas including Natural Resource Technologies, Biosciences, Media, Arts, Finance, Health, Communications and Biosciences, Government, Entrepreneurship and more. What great advice did our seasoned professionals share with their audience? “Listen to your heart. Follow your passion. Believe in yourself. Be an observer of life and the world. Develop an opinion. Make yourself an interesting person. Always market yourself.” |
|
Once again, Middlebrook Career Day took place at the end of March. This event featured more than 65 professionals from an incredible array of fields from Business to Law, Entertainment to Sports Management, to Medicine just to name a few! Career Day is held annually and is just one of the educational and entertaining programs Wilton Education Foundation provides to our school system. |
GET SMART FOR WILTON 5K !
On May 24th, 238 runners and walkers – individuals, families, Wilton High School Varsity Cross Country Teams and Wilton Running Club Members – stepped up the pace to GET SMART FOR WILTON! Blessed with perfect running weather, two Wilton graduates led the way to win: Katie Bottini for the women and Jeff Raggazini for the men. In appreciation of receiving a valuable Wilton school education, the two winners generously donated back their winnings to the Wilton Education Foundation. We congratulate and thank both Katie and Jeff, and thank all of you that ran and helped to make this a successful event which we plan to run (no pun intended) annually! See pictures here!
|
SUMMER INSTITUTE
The Wilton Education Foundation continued its tradition with a grant of $20,000 to fund the Summer Institute. We supplement the funding of Wilton’s teachers to participate in summer programs held at notable institutions such as Columbia, Amherst College, Taft Summer Institute, University of Michigan and Peters Valley Art Center, to name a few. The knowledge and insight they bring back is shared with other Wilton educators to benefit our children. This Summer, teachers participated in programs covering AP English, AP Biology, Reading and Writing, Art and Photography, the advance use of SMART Boards.
In one Reading Specialist’s own words, “These institutes are extremely valuable to my own personal professional development and have such a profound effect on my teaching and on student learning. I am so thankful that I was able to attend and have this opportunity funded. Thank you, Thank you, and Thank you!”
READ ALOUD DAY
We are grateful to the Village Market for their generous sponsorship of Read Aloud Day! For years, the children have delighted in hearing stories from the hundreds of books donated by the Village Market, our partner in this annual event. Over 100 community volunteers, including Wilton’s seniors, business leaders, parents, and educators, have delighted the children with stories from these books and demonstrated that reading is fun!
|
A WIN/WIN SITUATION
In November, the Foundation participated in a
Lord & Taylor event which presented
a win/win situation! Wilton Education
Foundation received a percentage of tickets we sold to
a day of discounted shopping at Lord & Taylor. Recipients were able to purchase gifts at wonderful prices, and the Foundation benefitted by raising additional funds for our schools. Thank you to all who supported this event!
B R I C K S A L E S
Honor a student, teacher, team, class, even a special event! Order a brick any time during the year. We are currently taking brick orders for graduation. Bricks are $75 and can be placed along the walkways of Wilton’s schools. These special tokens have a lasting value! Help build our Pathways to Learning, brick-by-brick. Proceeds will help to send our educators to Summer Institute. For more information, contact our Chairman, Kit Smith at 762-5357 or cwsmith1@optonline.net, or click on the link: Brick-by-Brick.
|
»»»Similar to other organizations, we are going green. If you enjoy what you read today, would you share your e-mail address with us for future communication? It will be kept confidential! Please send your address to Maxine Berg @ Maxineberg@optonline.net..
Or, if you choose to discontinue receiving our e-newsletter, please notify Maxine at the above e-mail address.
|
Any questions about our e-Newsletter or about the Foundation, please contact Michelle Beyman @ mrbeyman@optonline.net.
If you have any questions or comments in regards to our website, please contact webmaster Colette @ lettepo@hotmail.com |
|
|
|
