Report to the Community, February 2015 W E C OULDN ’ T S UCCEED W ITHOUT Y OU
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT: Cheryl Crocitto As parents and community members, we want to provide the best possible education to our children. Since its reactivation in 2006, the Mid‐
land Park Public Education Foun‐
dation – along with our cadre of volunteers, do‐
nors, faculty, and administrators, who share in our mission – have been doing just that. As you’ll learn in this issue, MPPEF has funded many initiatives that further our mission of bringing academic excel‐
lence to our schools. Because of your support, our children now have exciting new learning innovations and our fac‐
ulty has access to the latest teaching tools. Your support has helped MPPEF supplement some school budget short‐
falls and funding projects presented to us by our administrators. MPPEF is spearheaded by an active and dedicated board of 23 members, who each month come together and inspire each other with novel community fund‐
raising ideas. Our Grants Committee implements MPPEF’s critical function of awarding grants. This committee, which also comprises non‐board members, is charged with evaluating and recommending to the board grants submitted by faculty and administrators. But, at the end of the day, what propels us are our countless volunteers and numerous community members who participate in our events. You are the heart and soul of MPPEF. On behalf of the MPPEF Board of Trus‐
tees, thank you for helping us achieve academic excellence initiatives in our schools. We hope that you can join us at the many exciting events planned for this year. Meet Our 2014‐2015 Board of Trustees Executive Board Officers Cheryl Crocitto President Christine Odell Vice President/
Fundraising Sandra Abballe Treasurer Elaine Seals Recording Secretary Linda Herlihy Corresponding Secretary Board of Trustees Elizabeth Asencio Anne Marie Campbell Kristin Dahl Beth Anne DeMarco Joan Petrocelli Doumas Amy Fells Bridget Galella Carol Guingon Michele Iannone Laurie Kamp Mary Keenan Kyle Kuhnel Patrice McKay Colleen Monahan Trish Olson Kerri Schaefer Toni Tuosto Marianne Vannelli Report to the Community , February 2015 G RANTS G IVE TEACHERS AND S TUDENTS AN E DGE AND THE CURTAIN WILL RISE Thanks to the combined efforts of MPPEF, the Elementary PTA, other organizations, Highland School Band Director Jeffrey Peters and Music Director Loreto Angulo‐Pizarro, High‐
land School stage will soon include a curtain. “Ms. Angulo‐Pizarro and I would like to extend our gratitude to everyone who has supported us during our first year of the “Raise the Curtain Cam‐
paign,” says Mr. Peters. “Through fundraising and donations, we were able to raise enough funds to purchase curtains for the Highland School stage! We are very excited to know that our next performance will be on a stage that looks more profes‐
sional and will be more in line with the standards that we set for the stu‐
dents every day.” THERE ARE ALMOST AS MANY VARIATIONS ON WAYS TO GIVE AS THERE ARE NEEDS TO BE MET To learn more about the Foundation, visit us at www.mppef.org Last year, MPPEF funded 14 teacher‐submitted grants, totaling more than $11,000. Thanks to the generous support of our com‐
munity, our teachers now have new tools that serve to enhance student learning. JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL  Live from Neuro Surgery LSC  Students2Science Lab  Gardening at the High School  Next Generation Science ‐ We Are Ready – (iPAD and equipment)  Go Pro Camera  Palisades Climb Adventure Mrs. Mallon, (c) 7th grade science teacher, is the recipi‐
ent of the Next Generation Science Standards grant. She is pictured with Board Trustees and Grants Committee Chairs (l‐r) Beth Anne DeMarco and Mary Keenan. HIGHLAND SCHOOL  Percussion Clinic Grant 2014  Funomenon: Hi Touch, Hitech  Our Living Planet  Document Cameras for Resource Rooms  Follett Digital Audio Books
(L‐r) Highland School Principal Mr. Galasso, Beth Anne DeMarco, grant recipients Mrs. Kirsch and Mrs. Behan, and Mary Keenan. GODWIN SCHOOL  Guitar for Music Teacher  What’s the Matter – Science Made Fun  High Touch, High Tech Beth Anne DeMarco, grant recipients Ms. Cassells and Ms Clarke, Mary Keenan, and Godwin School Principal Ms. Bache. Report to the Community, February 2015 T HE M ANY W AYS W E R AISE F UNDS T OGETHER Runners and Walkers Make the Finish Line This past September, MPPEF hosted Midland Park’s 1st Annual 5K Run and 1‐Mile Walk, which drew more than 260 runners and walkers. According to Marianne Vannelli, event chairperson, this inaugural event raised more than $15,000, which will fund in‐
novative, sustainable programs designed to enhance the academic excellence in our schools. “MPPEF would not have been able to produce such an event without the gen‐
erous support of our sponsors, says MPPEF President Cheryl Crocitto. “We thank the more than 52 business and family sponsors, especially our Gold Level Sponsors — Atlantic Stewardship Bank, Kuiken Brothers, and State Farm — for their amazing contribution.” Shop Locally to Benefit MPPEF From March 4‐7, 2015, seven Midland Park businesses will participate in three
‐day ‘Glam‐A‐Thon’ with a portion of their sales to benefit MPPEF. Those participating include Custom Cut Salon, Kristin Dahl Fashions, Family Hair Care, Sal Lauretta for Men, Sheer Bliss Nail Salon, Touchstone Crystals, and Z’s Bar‐
ber Shop. “This is a great way to give back to the children who attend Midland Park schools and to support our local busi‐
nesses too,” says Cheryl Crocitto, MPPEF President. Each business offers great products, personalized service, all in convenient locations. When shopping, simply tell the cashier/sales person that you’re shopping to support MPPEF. The busi‐
ness will then donate back 10% of your purchase to MPPEF. Who Knew Trivia Could Be So Fun? New TD Bank Affinity Membership Program MPPEF is now part of TD Bank’s Affinity Membership Program, which gives back to MPPEF based on the activity of par‐
ticipating members’ TD Bank accounts. Checking, savings, money market, CD and retirement accounts are all in‐
cluded in the program. Account bal‐
ances are kept confidential. If you are already a TD Bank customer, visit or call any TD Bank location and ask to have your balances included as part of the Affintiy Membership program or stop in to open an account today. For more information, visit mppef.org. Mardi Gras: Beads & Blue Jeans Ball Saturday March 7, 2015 For the second year, MPPEF sponsored a Fall Trivia Night. The evening of friendly competition and fundraising took place Thursday, November 13, at Christ Episcopal Church in Ridgewood and raised $5,000 for MPPEF‐
sponsored grants. The event included a 50/50, the sale of Midland Park Panther ornaments, and a creative guessing game using wine corks and bottle caps. Our new venue offered more space, enabling 24 teams of up to eight par‐
ticipants to compete in answering chal‐
lenging rounds of trivia devised by Masters of Ceremonies, Ryan Kamp and Mike Calabrese. Teams, including administrators and faculty, demonstrated their smarts. Thanks to all who attended. Get ready to raise the roof, raise some funds, and raise the bar for excellence in education at the MPPEF Mardi Gras: Beads & Blue Jeans Ball! More than 220 people are expected to attend this signature event, spear‐
headed by chairpersons Joan Doumas and Trish Olson and held at the re‐
cently renovated banquet hall at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Wyckoff. Music, dinner, friends, beads and masks! What else do you need to have a blast? For more information, go to mppef.org. Report to the Community . February 2015 PO Box 5 Midland Park, N J 07432 The Midland Park Public Education Foundation is an all‐volunteer not‐
for‐profit organization that en‐
hances and supports new curricu‐
lum initiatives and enrichment op‐
portunities within Midland Park's public school system. MPPEF raises public and private sector money to fund educational initiatives within the Midland Park public schools. Funding comes from individual donations, special events, as well as government and other grants. Proceeds raised go directly to support programs and projects that will enhance the academic ex‐
perience of children enrolled in Midland Park’s schools. The Year Ahead: 2015 Dates to Remember Board of Trustee Meetings Open to the Public 7:30 pm, Highland School Media Center  March 9  April 13  May 11—Annual Meeting  June 8 Upcoming Events March 4‐ 7 ‐ Glam‐A‐Thon March 7 ‐ Mardi Gras: Beads & Blue Jean Ball September 12: Second Annual 5K Run and 1‐Mile Walk Ongoing Fundraisers Community Thrift Shop Amazon Smile TD Bank Affinity Membership Teacher Appreciation Campaign For more information, visit our website at www.mppef.org