Playing it by ear
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Franklin, MA
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The basketball game last year drew 1,200 people and raised $6,000 to fund field trips and cultural programs for students of the school.
"We're killing two birds with one stone," said Parent Communication Council Treasurer Erin Long. "Families get to go out for a great night, and we raise money for field trips."
Long, who is again organizing the event with former treasurer Karen Ayotte for the second year in a row, said the Harlem Wizards - a basketball show-team similar to the Globetrotters - will take on a group of students, teachers and community members at Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School.
Sullivan Principal Beth Wittcoff said four students from each grade, five teachers, three alumni, Principal Paul Peri from Remington Middle School and School Committee Chairman Jeffrey Roy will comprise the Sullivan Rockets.
From Franklin Matters |
From Franklin Matters |
From Franklin Matters |
From Franklin Matters |
REQUEST OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AUTHORIZATION FOR APPROVAL FOR KEEPING BOOKS RECYCLING DONATION BOX ON ASMS SCHOOL GROUNDS.
We, the Parent Communication Council (PCC) of Annie Sullivan Middle School, are seeking approval to retain the “Big Hearted Books”- (BHB) (http://bigheartedbooks.com ) bookdrop which is currently located at the edge of the lower parking lot. “Big Hearted Books” was formerly known as Community Book Drop until their merger this past summer. ASMS PCC has been selective in our choice of fundraisers, in our effort to balance the need for funds to enrich each student’s experience at ASMS, with the demands that each fundraiser would place on individuals and families. We have also tried to seek fundraising opportunities that would encourage students to “think GREEN” as a way to be accountable to their community in which they live. The ASMS PCC would hope that the School Committee will consider the benefits of keeping this book donation box at ASMS, and that if there are specific concerns about its location, that we will be able to find a way to resolve them while still keeping this great resource available for ASMS families.
WHY A BOOKDROP?
In the past we have collected print cartridges and cell phones, which had required a lot of time from parent volunteers to return mail items, and profited the PCC anywhere from $150-400 a year. The book drop requires no effort on behalf of a parent volunteer and pays an average of $100 or more per month, which will add up to over $1200 per year. Profit to the PCC is only one of the benefits however, as BHB is also willing to take requests for book titles and authors that would help to enlarge the private in-classroom libraries of the teachers. If any of those items are found at their main sorting center, BHB is willing to donate them to ASMS, free of charge. This is a particular benefit to our younger teachers, as well as to the students. Lastly, having a book recycling drop onsite has had a positive influence in the community at ASMS as the students and families are grateful for the opportunity to recycle their books and to focus on the benefits of reading.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
BHB collects unwanted media (books, records, audio cassettes, VHS tapes, CD’s and DVDs) and redistributes them to people who can use them to prevent them from ending up in landfills. The bin is emptied by BHB at different times during the month as they are collecting books from other bins in the area. Collections are donated and weighed and a profit is determined base on 7 ½ cents per pound. The average monthly profit check is just over $100.00. Of all collections made to BHB 85% is given to charities and organizations that are in need, 5% are recycled, and 10% are sold to cover operational expenses. Nothing gets thrown away.
POSSIBLE AREAS OF CONCERN:
The ASMS PCC understands that the DPW may have concerns about the current location of the box as it is located on the asphalt corner of the lower ASMS parking lot. Big Hearted Books is willing to either relocate the box to a level spot on the grass area, or to shovel out any remaining snow around the box after each storm. Shoveling out boxes is a regular maintenance item that BHB have already had the practice of doing at all of their bins.
Submitted by ASMS PCC: Jennifer Maire, Chair and Erin Long, Treasurer
Kevin Philipps"Could make a visual from the chapter book, to take it to the next level"
Emma Campbell
Ricky Hildebrand
Matt Golding
Zoher Ghadyali
Andrew Ayotte
Matthew Peterson
Michaela Lonati
Eighth-graders Maddie Gordon and Jake Sargeant say they don't need an award to acknowledge their volunteer work with students with severe disabilities at Annie Sullivan Middle School.
Still, after watching the pair spend much of their free time volunteering, coordinating activities, and befriending special needs kids for the last 2 1/2 years, special needs teacher Marilee Gleason and Principal Beth Wittcoff were inspired to recognize them by nominating them for the statewide Make a Difference award program.
On Sunday, Gordon and Sargeant will be honored along with 58 of their peers from across the state for their volunteer work at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Dorchester at 1 p.m.
"It's unbelievable, the enthusiasm these kids have for befriending students they normally wouldn't cross paths with. These two are very invested," said Gleason, who also oversees the school's Best Buddies program.
Read the full article about the student volunteers for Best Buddies in the Milford Daily News here
Rather than Girl Scouts or the other clubs they would normally join, seven students at Annie Sullivan Middle School signed up to spend their time after school helping people and saving the environment.
In their first few months with the school's new service club, Communiteen, the young women have already collected more than 250 coats for kids, a roomful of presents and donations for needy families to open up on Christmas and started researching a new community project.
``I grew up always knowing it's important to feel responsible for other people and to help out other people,'' said Mariel Calnan, an eighth-grade special education teacher at Annie Sullivan who started and runs the group.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here