Educational Foundation awards grants to benefit students

  • Group of smiling men and women with a large bank check in front of them for $83,794.22
    Nassau BOCES educators receive nearly $84 thousand in grant funds through the Nassau BOCES Educational Foundation.

    At a recent celebration, the Nassau BOCES Educational Foundation awarded 23 grants totaling over $83,000 to Nassau BOCES educators to support various educational initiatives. These grants will provide resources and innovative opportunities for students in various Nassau BOCES programs and schools to enhance their learning experience.

    “We are delighted to support these exciting projects that will have such a positive impact on our students,” said Anthony Fierro, Foundation Chairperson and Chief Administrator of Facilities Services and Capital Projects for Nassau BOCES. “In its 18 years, the Foundation has awarded more than 379 grants totaling over $786,000, that’s something we’re very proud of.”

    The location, grant description and grant winners are listed below:

    Nassau BOCES Career Preparatory High School:

    • Tuition scholarship fund for students with disabilities. Christina Berner, School Counselor, and Easton Hazell, Principal.
    • Tuition Scholarship Fund for Nassau BOCES Early College High School Students at Nassau Community College. Renee Tarzia, Special Education Teacher, and Easton Hazell, Principal.

    Nassau BOCES Carman Road:

    • Purchase instruments that would help foster music participation for students who have physical handicaps. Julie Scala, Music Teacher, Gina DaRocha, Principal
    • Purchase a platform swing to accommodate wheelchairs and adapted seating for non-ambulatory children: Lauren Cuccias, Teacher, Sarah Lynas-Koenig, Physical Therapist, and Gina DaRocha, Principal.
    • Purchase an interactive wall that uses light sensors to provide various challenges for children and adults. It is used to train for increased strength, endurance, flexibility and agility. Karen Russo, MA PT, Anna Kugal, MS OTR/L and Gina DaRocha,
      Principal.

    Nassau BOCES Center for Community Adjustment:

    • Tuition scholarship fund for students with disabilities at the Center for Community Adjustment. Monica Adams, Guidance Counselor and Jeannine Stutz, Principal.
    • General store development project to increase the quantity and diversity of tasks available in the school store to better simulate a real-world retail environment. Kimberly Miller, Guidance Counselor; MaryJo Kennedy, Vocational Counselor and Jeannine Stutz, Principal.

    Nassau BOCES Children’s Readiness Center:

    • Purchase an interactive projector called the BEAM Mobile, to allow students to engage in gross motor, fine motor, visual-spatial and motor planning activities through interactive floor play. Carl Falcone, Occupational Therapist; Lori Cirulnick, Physical Therapist and Jennifer Gielarowski, Principal.

    Nassau BOCES George Farber Administrative Center:

    • Funding for the Compassion in Action initiative. Its goal is to empower the Nassau BOCES community through unity, empathy and support. Joanna Malament, Associate Director, Department of Special Education and member of the Compassion in Action Committee

    Nassau BOCES Iris Wolfson High:

    • Tuition Scholarship fund for students with disabilities at Iris Wolfson High School. Diana Schneider, School Counselor and Lisa Paolucci, Principal.

    Nassau BOCES Jerusalem Avenue Elementary School: 

    • The grant is for 2 OBIE Pro's that can project 125 therapeutic and educational games for children. Students will increase the amount of physical activity they engage in without being limited by environmental restrictions. Nicole Cartier Rosamilia, Occupational Therapist and Dr. Matthew Jurgens, Principal.

    Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts

    • Enable students to work with American Ballet Theatre faculty 2 days a week for 90 minutes per session for two semesters/10months. Lindsay Rogan, Assistant Principal and Laura Vega, Principal.

    Nassau BOCES Preschool at Barry Tech

    • Purchase Haley's Joy Swing to provide a new and innovative and fun way for students to enhance self and emotional regulation necessary to develop gross and fine motor skills. Diana Keegan, Occupational Therapist; Sharon Bentz, Physical Therapist and Gina DaRocha, Principal.

    Nassau BOCES Robert Williams Middle School:

    • Funding for the SOAR Garden, which was established during the 2020-21 school year. It offers students opportunities to participate in healthy lifestyles and access to better nutrition. Dawn Cleary, Teacher and Heather Soffer, Principal.

    Nassau BOCES Rosemary Kennedy School:

    • Purchase a pre-vocational cart program. Students will engage in hands-on tasks using the cart, focusing on sorting, matching, packaging and simple assembly. Gina Lipp, Diane Walsh, Out of Classroom Teachers and Matthew Zegers, Principal.
    • Purchase silent disco headphones to create events that are more inclusive by giving students more control over their own sensory experiences. Gina Lipp, Diane Walsh, Out of Classroom Teachers and Matthew Zegers, Principal.
    • Help assist with social skills training using virtual reality-based social interaction simulations. Mindy Davidson, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and Matthew Zegers, Principal.

    Nassau BOCES Rosemary Kennedy School Program at Woodward Park Elementary School

    • Provide multiple types of seating options to offer several types of sensory input and work on trunk strength. Theresa Baker, Occupational Therapist and Matthew Zegers, Principal.

    Nassau BOCES Seaman Neck Middle School:

    • Sensory chairs provide therapeutic benefits including improved focus, reduced anxiety, and increased comfort. Renata Kay, Carly Schwartz, Special Education Teachers and Christine Nardi, Principal.
    • Engage students in team building and community outreach activities by cultivating and creating a garden as part of Work-Based Learning hours. Tracy Soldano, Jonathan Grossmann, Teachers and Christine Nardi, Principal.

    Nassau BOCES Willet Avenue Middle School:

    • Purchase a Cricut machine to enable students to improve their fine motor skills. Andrea Dahlem, Special Education Teacher and Margot Owen, Principal.
    • Purchase an outside volleyball court set. Mugibullah Ghafari, Physical Education Teacher and Margot Owen, Principal.
    • Create a tranquil environment by giving students access to calming resources. Kate Burke, Curriculum Teacher and Margot Owen, Principal.

    Each year, as one of its main fundraisers, the Foundation holds a gala honoring the Nassau BOCES Education Partner honorees. That gala will be held on April 30, 2025, at the Crest Hollow Country Club.

    For more information about the gala and other ways to support the Foundation, visit, www.nbeducationalfoundation.org/, for information about how to nominate an Education Partner, visit, www.nassauboces.org/nominate.

    About Nassau BOCES Educational Foundation

    The Nassau BOCES Educational Foundation is an independent, non-profit, school community-based organization, dedicated to enriching the lives and learning opportunities of all Nassau BOCES students. Its goal is to secure and allocate funding that supports programs and staff, encourages creative ideas, and enhances educational experiences. The Foundation actively seeks donations and grants to empower students and promote excellence in education.
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