Old Greenwich School
285 Sound Beach Avenue
Old Greenwich, CT
Oct 15, 2011
11 am-4 pm
Admission: Free

Old Greenwich School’s annual Pumpkin Patch is a fall festival offering games for all ages, including a spook-tacular haunted house, hay maze, bouncy castles and more!

For More Information contact the Old Greenwich School PTA at 203-344-1511

Tony Wagner

Tony Wagner EdD, the first Innovation Education Fellow at the Technology & Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard, spoke at Greenwich Library’s Cole Auditorium on “Overcoming The Global Achievement Gap – Learning, Leading, and Teaching in the 21st Century.” As part of the Whitby School Legacy Lecture Series, Dr. Wagner stressed how the US system of education is outdated – our curricula, teaching methods and the tests we require students to take – were created in a different century for the needs of another era.

Dr. Wagner stressed that in todays’ highly competitive “knowledge economy”, mastery of the basic skills of reading, writing and math is no longer enough. All students now need new skills for college, careers and citizenship. The failure to give students these skills leaves today’s youth – and our country – at an alarming competitive disadvantage. Dr. Wagner highlighted the seven essential survival skills for Teens today:
1.    Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
2.    Collaboration Across Networks and Leading by Influence
3.    Agility and Adaptability
4.    Initiative and Entrepreneurialism
5.    Effective Oral and Written Communication
6.    Accessing and Analyzing Information
7.    Curiosity and Imagination

Teaching these skills means a fundamental change in the classroom and a dedicated focus on what matters most – which is what happens between students and the teacher in real classrooms every day. This will require development of new accountability structures for schools and teachers, different ways of teaching and testing, and new ways of working together with today’s “net generation” students. Dr. Wagner stated “Montessori and IB (International Baccalaureate) schools have a lot to tell us on how we should rethink education in our schools”. He went to say, “laboratories of innovation like Whitby School are so important in showing us what a different approach to education really can look like and how much more students benefit from it”.

Tami McCarthy, a Greenwich parent noted: “I especially related to what Dr. Wagner
said on the need to redefine what is meant by academic rigor. Teaching has to move beyond content memorization to focus on learning to ask the right questions and using critical thinking to answer these questions.”

Eric Passarelli, an eighth grade student at Whitby School, stated “Dr. Wagner spoke on what our schools need in our world today but I almost feel as if he has been at Whitby for many years and our school was built around his ideas.”

About Tony Wagner EdD:
Tony Wagner EdD, is the first Innovation Education Fellow at the Technology & Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard. Previously, he was the founder and co-director of the Change Leadership Group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and is author of the best-selling book The Global Achievement Gap: Why Even Our Best Schools Don’t Teach the New Survival Skills Our Children Need – And What We Can Do About It. For more information, go to www.tonywagner.com

About Whitby School:
Founded in 1958, Whitby is a premiere, co-educational independent school for children 14 months through 8th grade. As the only school in America accredited by both the American Montessori Society and the highly regarded International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization for the primary and middle years, Whitby’s innovative approach to education provides children the intellectual, personal and social skills to live, learn and succeed in today’s global community. For more information on Whitby School, visit www.whitbyschool.org or call 203-302-3948.

Greenwich Parents Supporting Educational Excellence(PSEE) offers an in-depth leadership training program to 20-25 selected parents.

Would you like to become a certified American Red Cross Instructor and teach members of the community the skills needed to respond to emergencies?  The Greenwich Chapter of the American Red Cross is providing the following class series to prepare candidates to teach Adult, Infant, and Child CPR, First Aid, and Automated External Defibrillator.

Monday, September 27th, 8:00am – 1:00pm: Fundamentals of Instructor Training (F.I.T.)
F.I.T. is a pre-requisite for all instructor training and must be attended unless it has been completed in the past year. This course will help build and refine teaching and communication skills, explain the history, structure, and activities of the Red Cross and introduce Red Cross policies and procedures. Candidates with significant prior teaching experience or certification through another organization should inquire about self-study options. 

Monday, September 27th, 2:00pm – 5:00pm: Pre-Course Skill Testing
A current certification in Adult CPR/AED, Child CPR, Infant CPR and First Aid is strongly recommended as these skills are part of the testing. Candidates who do not pass the Pre-Course Skill Testing will not be able to continue the Instructor course.

Tuesday, September 28th, 9:00am – 5:00pm & Wednesday, September 29th, 9:00am – 5:00pm: Instructor Training
These sessions prepare candidates to teach the following courses: Adult, Infant, and Child CPR, First Aid, and Automated External Defibrillator. The focus is on proficiency in emergency first aid skills as well as proper classroom setup, skill preparation, administrative procedures, and equipment maintenance.

Candidates must be at least 16 years of age and register for Fundamentals of Instructor Training and the Pre-Course Skill Testing separately from the Instructor Training online.  Interested participants can learn more and register online at www.greenwichredcross.org or contact 203-869-8444 x124 for more details.

Greenwich Library
Training Center
101 W Putnam Ave
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
2:00pm-3:00pm

Ryan Baum from the Apple store on Greenwich Ave will be at the Greenwich Library to demonstrate the newest version of the iPad.

Free demonstration from Apple Computer.

Contact: Michele Martin, 203-625-6533

Monday, April 26, is “Stand Against Racism Day” in Greenwich. The YWCA will host a “Stand Against Racism” event from 10-11am in the Town Hall Meeting Room, 101 Field Point Road. YWCA President and CEO Adrianne Singer will host. Congressman Jim Himes, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and First Selectman Peter Tesei will speak. The First Baptist Church of Greenwich Choir will provide musical interludes. There will be Dunkin’ Donuts and coffee. This is a free event open to the public.

New York Rangers Hall of Fame Goalie, and Proud Whitby Parent Mike Richter to Emcee Spring Benefit

Saturday, April 10th

Whitby, America’s oldest Montessori school, has always been an innovative leader in education and will be the first school in Westchester and Fairfield counties to integrate the International Baccalaureate (IB) program through both the primary and middle years. In fact, today the school announces, just in time for its upcoming community Spring benefit, that it’s accomplished a major portion of this goal. Whitby has received International Baccalaureate Accreditation, and is now an IB World School having been authorized for the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (MYP) for grades 5 through 8. IB Americas has recommended authorization to the IB World Organization in Geneva for Whitby’s Primary Years Program (PYP) for kindergarten through grade 4 as well, and a response is expected soon. As a leading private school in Connecticut, Whitby’s exceptional approach motivates children to acquire the intellectual, personal and social skills that will ultimately distinguish them from their peers. The result is students who learn, live and succeed.

“With so many incredible accomplishments being achieved by the school this year, I’m thrilled to take on a higher profile role at this year’s benefit,” says Mike Richter. “I have seen my own children skip into the building each day, excited about what they are learning.  The quality of their educational environment starts not only with the facilities and their teachers but also their peers. It’s wonderful to see the quality friendships they are forming with like-minded, curious learners. As parents, it’s gratifying to know our kids are happy and getting an education like none other, and one that will fully prepare them for their future.”

Mike adds, “I’m also very excited about attending the Spring Benefit, a chance to spend time with the Whitby community like my good friend Mark Messier.” Richter’s former Rangers teammate and Hall of Famer, Mark Messier, says, “This is a very special school that we feel privileged to be a part of.  Whitby provides the foundation for a lifelong love of learning.”

The aim of all IB programs is to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, confident and caring internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

Headmaster Doug Fainelli, a respected educator in the community for over 30 years, opened the first IB Primary Years accredited school in New England,  the International School at Dundee, in 2000. Following his retirement from 35 years of teaching and leadership assignments in CT, including an eight month role as Acting Superintendent of Schools in Greenwich, Fainelli led the team to launch the British International IB school in Manhattan. He strongly feels the IB approach offers a synthesis of proven best practices including much of Maria Montessori’s groundbreaking work. The IB/Montessori mission and roadmap for learning result in independent, highly skilled, confident and motivated learners with an appreciation of the many cultures in our world. Fainelli is proud to support a mission  that in part produces  graduates who understand that “people with their differences can also be right.”  He notes, “A Whitby education develops a skilled, confident and compassionate learner. Students benefit from a ratio of 1 teacher to every 7 students and a rigorous curriculum, all on a state-of-the-art campus equipped to support the most effective applications of technology. Uniquely, our students are not seen as having mastered the goals of the curriculum until they take action and apply them in their lives.”

He adds, “While the upcoming benefit is a night to celebrate how far the school has come, it’s also about recognizing how far we can go and grow. This community is filled with passionate and talented educators, students and parents, and it’s exciting to be a part of it.”

KEY BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES OF AN INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM INCLUDE:

Proven successful with numerous studies on the performance of IB students, the standards of the IB program and the positive effect of the program on a school indicating that:

• IB students outperform their peers on state assessments

• IB Diploma students have higher acceptance rates to colleges

• IB Diploma students perform better in post-secondary education than their peers

• IB standards are aligned with best practices in education and support effective

teaching practices

• IB has a positive impact on the culture of a school

• 32% of Newsweek’s top 100 high schools in US offer IB

Research based teaching approach with curriculum options to meet differing needs at Primary and Middle school levels:

• Best practices from around world…inquiry and interdisciplinary strategies focused on higher order thinking/problem solving

• Children learn a second language from Kindergarten on and usually others

• Immediate application of learning in student’s life and community

Clear aims and values that develop active, empowered learners who take responsibility for their learning:

• A consistent Learner Profile across three age programs that defines what IB mission means in student behavior terms and unites students, parents, teachers and administrators with a common focus on the whole person and life-long learner

• Emphasis on intercultural understanding

The Whitby School has an advantage over other schools in the area, and the results are found in the students themselves. Just walk the halls or visit the busy, vibrant classrooms, and talk to any one of them. You will quickly understand these benefits in action. The emotionally and physically safe and nurturing environment built upon respecting each child’s uniqueness and supporting those needs with best teaching practices makes this school a gift all children should enjoy. Fainelli expresses regret that all schools do not exhibit the same qualities.

To learn more about Whitby, please visit www.whitbyschool.org. Also check out the school’s benefit blog at www.WhitbyBenefit.org where you will see a video of Mike Richter, as well as get a chance to bid on an exciting “Dancing With The Stars” auction package, or a stay at the Messier’s beach paradise in Harbor Island, Bahamas, where all proceeds go directly to the school.

Media contact:

Tami McCarthy

TMG Communications

Tami@TMGpr.com

Mobile: 917.604.5596

Old Greenwich School
Gymnasium
Sound Beach Avenue

A Three day event
Tuesday, December 8 -
Thursday, December 10, 2009
8:00am-4:00pm

Featuring a very special event on Tuesday, December 8 at 1:30pm when the Old Greenwich PTA Book Fair Committee welcomes award-winning New York actor Dion Graham to the winter book fair.

A  reading of the beloved Maurice Sendak picture book, “Where the Wild Things Are”  will be presented.   Dion, along with children from the audience, will bring to life the Sendak book, as well as Pulitzer Prize-nominee Dave Eggers new young adult novel, “The Wild Things” inspired by the Sendak book and upon which the movie is based.

Following the event, there will be a raffle to give away free audio books to both children and adults.

Dion Graham is a veteran actor and award-winning audio book narrator.  He counts among his Broadway and Off-Broadway stage credits leading and supporting roles in “Lobby Hero,” “Not About Nightingales,” ‘Ten Things To Do Before I Die” and “Washington Square Moves.”  He has appeared in guest roles on “Law and Order” “Homicide,” “NYPD Blue,” “Gossip Girl” and in supporting roles in the films “Malcolm X,” “Asbury Park,” and “Thirteen Conversations About One Thing.”  He played States Attorney Rupert Bond on HBO’s “The Wire,” and narrates “The First 48″ which has run 130 episodes on A&E.

Click here to download flyer.

Community Tag Sale
New Lebanon School
25 Mead Avenue
(Just off exit 2 – 195)
Saturday, October 3, 2009

Come to this enormous tag sale fundraiser organized by the New Lebanon School PTA. Officially opens at from 9:00am but early birds may enter at 8:00am for $10. The sale will go on until 3 pm. Homemade refreshments will also be sold starting late morning, including fresh fruit and Spanish food!

There will be an entire gymnasium full of goodies (donated from more than 50 families!), including a few windsurf boards and masts, designer clothing, lots of vintage and TONS of brand new stuff, including household items, jewelry, toys, electronics, clothing, accessories, handbags, books, holiday items and lots of collectibles – all super low priced! This is a FUN fundraiser for the school and our contributions go for a great cause.

The school is collecting tax-deductible donations which can be dropped off in the front circle of New Lebanon School at 25 Mead Avenue in Greenwich on Tuesday 9/29 from 3:30 – 6:00 pm, and Thursday, 10/1, from 3:30 – 6:00 pm.

Greenwich Town Hall
Cone Room – 2nd floor
Parents Together
Monday, September 21, 2009
9:15 a.m.
Coffee served at 9 a.m.

Internet Smarts:  Online Safety and Social Networking in a Changing World

Richard J. Colangelo, Jr., Senior Assistant State’s Attorney, will discuss tools and strategies for addressing your child’s use of popular social networking sites: Facebook, Twitter and My Space. Topics will include cyberbullying, on-line predators, “sexting”, and 24/7 cell phones.  Learn about the consequences of on-line public socializing and the permanence of digital data.  Learn how to monitor your child’s online activity, be on top of the latest internet issues, set limits, and teach them how to be savvy and safe on the Internet.