Nassau BOCES Educational Foundation awards over $76K in grants to student programs

At a recent celebration, the Nassau BOCES Educational Foundation awarded twenty-three grants, totaling more than $76,855, to Nassau BOCES educators in support of various educational initiatives. These grants will provide resources and opportunities for students in various Nassau BOCES programs and schools to enhance their learning experience.

“Thank you to our wonderful teachers and staff, and to the grant recipients whose innovative ideas continue to enrich our students’ lives,” said Nassau BOCES Board Vice President and Board Foundation Liaison Michael Wienick at the awards celebration. “Your work is deeply appreciated and truly inspiring.”

Since its inception in 2007, the Foundation has awarded $863,000 through four hundred grants.

“We are extremely proud of the positive impact that these grants have had on students,” said Foundation Chair and Chief Administrator of Nassau BOCES Facilities Services and Capital Projects Tony Fierro. “The Foundation is dedicated to enriching the lives and learning experiences of all Nassau BOCES students.”

Here is a list of winners, by Nassau BOCES school:

Barry Tech
Patient Monitor Machine: Purchase a patient monitor essential for obtaining vital signs and routinely used during physical exams. Students will be able to accurately interpret blood pressure readings and assess patient health effectively.
Michael Natale, Teacher
Dr. William Poll, Principal

Center for Community Adjustment
Freedom Writer’s Teacher Institute: Provides access for educators to transformative teaching methodologies to help students become better writers.
Meghan Abruzzo, Teacher
Matthew Zegers, Principal

Children’s Readiness Center (CRC) and Seaman Neck Middle School
Life Skills and Mentoring Activities: Provide materials for life skill and mentoring activities to be used with the CRC mentor partner program with Seaman Neck Middle School. This includes hands-on projects like assembling a small house, learning to cook and maintaining a kitchenette.
Jennifer Fitzpatrick, Special Education Teacher
Donna Pedone, Health Teacher
Jennifer Gielarowski, CRC Principal
Christine Nardi, Seaman Neck Middle School Principal

BrainPOP ELL: Purchase BrainPOP ELL, a comprehensive English language learning program using animated movies, interactive activities and games to teach vocabulary, grammar and content skills. Used at ENL programs at Children’s Readiness Center and Seaman Neck Middle School.
Dr. Joan Zangerle, Teacher
Donald Brosnan, Program Supervisor

Giving Universal Language to Non-Verbal Learners: Provide a variety of instruments to non-verbal students at the Children's Readiness Center.
Erica Haguisan, Music Teacher
Jennifer Gielarowski, Principal

Jerusalem Avenue Elementary School:
Tranquility Tunnels: Purchase two fiberoptic Tranquility Tunnels to provide a secure and calm location for overstimulated children to decompress.
Francine Mannion, Occupational Therapist
Dr. Matthew Jurgens, Principal

Blaze the Way: Provide students with Blazepods, which are designed to stimulate attention, improve motor skills and provide immediate feedback. Blazepods are an interactive training tool that utilizes touch-sensitive light pods to engage students in a dynamic and stimulating way.
Nicole Rosamilia, Occupational Therapist
Dr. Matthew Jurgens, Principal

Mystery Writing: The Mystery Writing Program turns students into detectives and authors, guiding them step by step in crafting narratives.
Michael Sanginario, Teacher
Dr. Matthew Jurgens, Principal

The Resilience Room at Northern Parkway Elementary School: The Resilience Room will provide a room where students are taught strategies for emotional and sensory regulation. Students rotate through each area to explore and learn which strategies benefit their unique needs.
Lauren Calhoun, Meghan Correira, Jeremy Cusano, Jean Gorman, Megan Herr, Susan Killian, Ben Moston, Karen Stordeur, Sherri Thomas, Alexandra Wollweber – Teachers and Occupational Therapists
Dr. Matthew Jurgens, Principal

Preschool at Barry Tech
LiteZilla Mini Board: Purchase of a Litezilla Mini Board, a giant Light Brite that provides stimulating and interactive activity targeting fine and gross motor skills.
Sharon Bentz, Diana Keegan
Gina DaRocha, Principal

Carman Road School
Adapt-a-Desk: Purchase of Rifton Adaptive Desks, which allow students to stand at the desk or be seated in their wheelchair or classroom chair. The desktops can be tilted for ergonomic positioning.
Karen Russo, Physical Therapist
Gerard Lanciotti, Occupational Therapist
Gina DaRocha, Principal

George Farber Administrative Center - Agencywide
Compassion in Action: Empowers the Nassau BOCES Community through Unity, Empathy and Support by providing basic pantry items to fill everyday essentials for students in need.
Joanna Malament, Associate Director, Department of Special Education

Rosemary Kennedy School
Be a Pre-Voc ACE: A pre-vocational starter kit for learning and practicing appropriate work skills and behaviors.
Mindy Davidson, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Jolie Kowal, Principal

ACE-in Independence: Provide students with the Vocational Mega Skills Bundle to bring fine-motor focused vocational training. By engaging in hands-on activities — such as sorting, assembling and packaging — students will build fine-motor and problem-solving skills.
Kristen Hurley, Occupational Therapist
Jolie Kowal, Principal

Unlocking Potential: Empowering Students with a Life and Vocational Skills Lending Library: Provide students with a Life and Vocational Skills Lending Library. Enhance social skills by utilizing editable social skills stories to improve students' interpersonal interactions and communication abilities.
Sharon Insana, High School Curriculum Teacher
Jolie Kowal, Principal

Life Skills House: Where Learning Meets Living: Funding to reinvigorate a Life Skills House on school premises to create a practical learning environment where students can develop essential life skills.
Sharon Insana, Curriculum Teacher
Jolie Kowal, Principal

RKS Design: Purchase materials for Cricut projects to foster independence, creativity and vocational training.
Lauren Cassino, Christopher King, Jeannie Mengel, Mollie Trauber, Alexandra Zakian - Teachers
Jolie Kowal, Principal

Crafting Independence: Using X-Carve to Foster Vocational Skills: Purchase supplies for the X-Carve machine. Students have been designing innovative projects with the goal of creating products that they can sell. The X-Carve machine has become a valuable tool for several classrooms.
Jeannie Mengel, Teacher
Jolie Kowal, Principal

Special Education High Schools
Tuition Scholarship Fund: Tuition scholarship fund for students with disabilities attending the agency’s Special Education High School programs (Center for Community Adjustment, Career Preparatory High School and Iris Wolfson High School).
Victoria Doucet, Supervisor, Department of Special Education

Willet Avenue School
Standing Tall: Standing desks for students with sensory needs to help reduce sensory overload by allowing them to move freely and improve their ability to concentrate on tasks.
Therese Quinn, Curriculum Teacher
Margot Owen, Principal

Melodies in Bloom: A musical sensory garden.
Therese Quinn, Curriculum Teacher
Margot Owen, Principal

Willet Students Get it Write: Six dedicated keyboard devices to provide students the opportunity to develop written expression skills without the distraction of additional technology.
Kate Burke, Support Teacher
Margot Owen, Principal

Robert Williams School
STEAM Robotics Club: This club will enable students to design, code and compete in robotics competitions.
Elena Perdikos, Teacher
Heather Soffer, Principal