News
& Events
Events
Scholarship applications
are now being accepted online at www.StamfordDollarsForScholars.org
for the graduating class of 2012. To
be eligible, a student must live in or attend High School
in Stamford, CT, be graduating this spring of 2012 and
plan to attend a 2 or 4 yr college or a vocational school
in the fall of 2012. Scholarship applications are being
accepted online only at www.StamfordDollarsForScholars.org
through April 15th. The Awards committee
will review all applications, select award recipients
and award the scholarships in May 2012.
Any questions about the scholarship process should be
directed to awards@sd4s.org If you are interested in
volunteering your time, making a donation, or sponsoring
a scholarship in the name of your business, organization
or a loved one, please contact info@sd4s.org.
Applications
are now open for Stamford’s 14th Parent Leadership Training
Institute (PLTI).
PLTI will continue to offer in-depth leadership training
to 25-30 selected parents. Parents are their children’s
first and most important teachers. They are also the
best advocates for children in society. Parents can
speak out on issues and inform policy-makers, the media,
and other parents, about the needs of their families.
PLTI offers a stimulating curriculum that will boost
parents’ leadership skills to address areas of concern
such as, accessible child health, the achievement gap,
neighborhood safety, and the significance of parental
involvement. Together parents will emerge as strong
leaders and advocates for all children.
The institute begins with an all-day (parents only)
retreat and continues with classes on Tuesday evenings
for 19 weeks from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 pm, beginning with
a family style dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Classes
6pm – 9pm. Childcare will be provided for ages 5 and
up. Candidates will be selected from a diverse group
of parents, who are passionate about children‘s issues
and policies, and also have an interest in developing
their individual leadership skills.
The institute is offered free of charge. Your time,
commitment, and a written community project that reflects
your passion, is what we ask for in return. Please consider
whether PLTI is the right initiative for you at this
time. If you are interested, please return the completed
application form on or before January 18, 2012.
Mail to: Stamford Parent Leadership Training Institute,
888 Washington Blvd., 8th Floor, and Stamford, Ct. 06901.
If you have any questions, please call: Josephine Fulcher-Anderson,
PLTI Coordinator – (203) 977-5829 or (203) 216-2063
– Fax 203-969-0797. Download
the Application Form.
March 15, 2012
PTC Meeting 7:30pm in the Government Center
May 15, 2012
PTC Meeting 7:30pm in the Government Center
June 14, 2012
PTC Meeting 7:30pm in the Government Center
Stamford Youth Foundation and
Parent Teacher Council announce registration for the
ODYSSEY OF THE MIND PROGRAM
Are you looking for more enrichment for your child?
Do you want to get involved in your child’s education
in a fun and meaningful way? Are your children looking
for ways to express their creativity and be a part of
a team? Then, Odyssey of the Mind is the program for
you!
Odyssey of the Mind (OM) is an international educational
program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities
which range from building mechanical devices to presenting
interpretations of literary classics. OM provides teams
with the opportunity to learn life skills, teamwork,
brainstorming, self-reliance, and respect for individual
strengths. Teams of students will meet after school
for several months to develop solutions to one of five
Long Term Problems, while practicing for a Spontaneous
Problem. Special Events throughout the year include
Scrimmages, Workshops, a Stamford Showcase and the CT
State Competition. For the past two years, two Stamford
teams qualified for the World Finals in Michigan and
Maryland ! Parents are an integral part of the program.
For more information, visit www.odysseyofthemind.com
or www.ctom.org
(Do not register through these sites. Instead, register
through the Stamford Youth Foundation site).
October-March season, starts mid October,
grades 3-8
Classes meet weekly after school, day and time TBD by
parent volunteer coaches
Required Parent Info Session for new parents
on 10/6 from 7pm-9pm in the 5th Floor Board Room of
the Government Center
REGISTRATION FEE: $180 (Reduced rate of $50 for students
who qualify for free and reduced lunch)
To REGISTER and to check for coach status and schedule,
visit www.stamfordyouth.org
Registration online soon!
Flyers were sent to elementary schools and if you need
more information, contact Leslie Ilaw, llilaw2@aol.com
Back to Top
NEWS
January 27, 2012
CT should slow down on NCLB waiver
Last March, U.S. Education Secretary Arne
Duncan addressed Congress about the flaws in the No
Child Left Behind Law. He called NCLB “fundamentally
broken,” and said its “one-size-fits-all solutions”
usurped the ability of local and state officials to
tailor policies to individual schools or students.
Read
More>
January 19, 2012
We had an outstanding turnout at the Parent Teacher
Council’s Forum with our State Delegation.
As a follow up to that Forum, here are some resources
that will help keep you up to date on what is happening
at the state level in education: http://www.cga.ct.gov/ed/
- This is the link to the State Education Committee
page. It has links to the Education Cost Sharing Task
Force, a record of bills and other helpful information.
chris.calabrese@cga.ct.gov
This is the email address of the person who you can
contact to be put on the email list to get advance notice
of education committee bills and hearings.
Here are the email addresses of Stamford’s
state elected officials:
Senator Scott Frantz: Scott.Frantz@cga.ct.gov
Senator Carlo Leone: Carlo.Leone@cga.ct.gov
Representative Livvy Floren: Livvy.Floren@housegop.ct.gov
Representative Dan Fox: Dan.Fox@cga.ct.gov
Representative Gerald Fox: Gerald.Fox@cga.ct.gov
Representative Patricia Miller: Patricia.Miller@cga.ct.gov
Representative Michael Molgano: Michael.Molgano@cga.ct.gov
Representative William Tong: William.Tong@cga.ct.gov
November 15, 2011 Stamford Advocate
Thumbs up for SCOPES!
Thumbs up to Amy LiVolsi Gragg and Carol Ann McClean
for reviving a support service that is helping many
Stamford parents. The two women have rebuilt the Stamford
Coalition of Parents Expecting Success -- SCOPES --
an organization that provides information and support
for parents of students with special needs in Stamford
Public Schools. Read
More>
November 13, 2011 Stamford Advocate
Parent's Launch Special Needs Group
A group of Stamford parents recently reconstituted Stamford
Coalition of Parents Expecting Success -- SCOPES --
an organization that aims to provide information and
support for parents of students with special needs in
Stamford Public Schools. Read
More>
Stamford Dollars for Scholars - Kickoff Event
Stamford Dollars for Scholars (www.sd4s.org)
is a new to Stamford . They are the only organization
in the city dedicated solely to raising money to support
local students who want to pursue education beyond high
school. They are part of the national Dollars for Scholars
network – a group of 1,100 all-volunteer chapters across
America who in 2010 gave $44.1 million in scholarships.
Stamford Dollars for Scholars’ kickoff event will be
"An Evening with Tom Brokaw" on January 10
at the Palace Theater. SD4S is looking for volunteers
to help on this event. Even those with just a little
time can be very helpful to the cause. Anyone
who is interested in helping, please contact
Lisa Rich at lrich@sd4s.org.
Attention Parents of High School Students!
Site Helps Students Pick College andCareer.Naviance
Family Connection will be conducting training sessions
during the fall and would like to reach out to as many
families as possible to identify the best days and times
to schedule the sessions. View
Now!
The American Language Program at UConn/Stamford
is excited to announce a writing course designed especially
for the college-bound English Language Learner (ELL).
This course is open to all college-bound juniors and
seniors whose first language is not English.
As these students prepare for the next phase of their
academic careers, it is essential that their writing
skills sustain them. It is our goal to supplement the
instruction they receive during the day with a challenging
and enriching college-level academic experience. For
more information or questions please contact: Sandy
Schwoerer, American Language Program Center for
Continuing Studies, University of Connecticut. Tel:
(203) 251-8511
Stamford
YMCA LEAD after School Programs
If
you work or live in the Stamford area and have children
in grades K-12, our LEAD Academy and
LEAD after school programs will be a great fit for your
children. Our LEAD programs provide
homework assistance, strengthening basic math and reading
skills, team building, health and fitness programs,
academic enrichment and recreational opportunities.
Transportation is provided by the Stamford Public Schools
to the YMCA of Stamford. LEAD programs meet after school
Monday-Friday until 6:00PM. Click
here for more details.
VACATION CAMP also Offered!
Attention parents! Need somewhere for your
kids to go when there is no school? During school closings,
the Stamford YMCA offers “YMCA Vacation Days” to accommodate
children in grades K-5 during school closings. Special
activities planned include arts and crafts, open gym,
swimming, movie outings, trips to museums and more.
Hours are 8am-5pm, but extended hours from 8am-6pm are
available! Click
here for details.
Read the fall issue of the Department of Health &
Social Services’ newsletter, the Health
Exchange.
Thanks to those of you who attended the School
Governance Council Forum on Monday night. Attendance
was overwhelming, with almost 400 parents and community
members who came to the Government Center. We apologize
if you were not able to get into the building. Click
on the link to read more and view handouts from the
night.
Read More>
NEW to
PT Council of Stamford - SCOPES!
Stamford Coalition of Parents Expecting Success
SCOPES is group of parent volunteers dedicated to improving
the lives of families in our community, especially those
with children who can and should receive special education
services. Working as a Committee of the Parent Teacher
Council of Stamford, SCOPES will provide a parent support
network and serve as a community resource on issues
related to special education. Read
More >
Movie License Information!
The following website provides instructions for obtaining
a movie license: http://www.movlic.com/.
In addition to purchasing an annual or bi-annual movie
license, a school may purchase a license for a one-time
showing of a movie.
September 26, 2011 The Daily Stamford
Struggling Stamford Schools To Get Parental Help
A lack of improvement on standardized state tests is
forcing 11 public schools in Stamford to form School
Governance Councils by Nov. 1 to get input to improve
schools. Read
More >
March 24, 2011 Stamford Advocate
Stamford parents criticize education cuts
Prospects of additional cuts to the Board of Education's
budget this year would result in the potential for a
significant decline in classroom and afterschool programs
Regan Allan and other parents told city finance officials
and lawmakers Wednesday night. Read
More >
March 11, 2011 Stamford Advocate
Schools Show Real Budget Discipline
The articles regarding the mayor's budget proposal and
his request that the Board of Education reduce its budget
proposal by $1.5 million omitted some numbers. While
the articles did note that the total city requested
increase is 4.7 percent for a 2.93 percent tax hike,
they failed to break down that number. Read
More > |
