| The Clarkstown Family Resource Center Partnership
The Clarkstown Family Resource Center is pleased to announce new members of our Board, Karen Amatuzzo and Dorothy Atzl as co-presidents, Therese Joyce, vice president, Donna Quirk, treasurer, Gail Farrell corresponding secretary and June Ruckel, recording secretary. We are also pleased that the Woodglen Elementary School has chosen to join our Partnership and will be opening its Family Resource Center this fall. We are all looking forward to a terrific year of building on our strengths to fully develop all of our nine member Family Resource Center sites located in the Clarkstown Schools. The Clarkstown Family Resource Center Partnership can be reached at 845-638-4110. For more information, contact CFRCP Coordinator, Sharyn McTigue at 845-638-4110.
East Ramapo
This year, our Grandview and Fleetwood Family Resource Coordinators from the East Ramapo Central School District made great strides reaching out to our immigrant community by offering Adult ESL classes. Our intention was to provide evening classes that would combine learning English, parenting techniques, and everyday skills that benefit both parents and children. We held discussions with community organizations such as H.A.C.S.O., Konbit Neg LaKay, HABLA, The Learning Center, BOCES, East Ramapo staff and parents to plan the curriculum.
These meetings underlined the need for childcare to accompany our classes. We also realized how important it was to incorporate learning about the East Ramapo school district into the curriculum. We offered question and answer sessions with the School Psychologist, Social Worker, Dep’t of Social Services Preventative Service Worker, and the Family Resource Center Coordinator.
We could not have done it without BOCES, who sponsored the program. The Spring Valley Key Club and Rockland Girl Scouts proved invaluable in volunteering their time to assist with childcare. Due to the success and demand of the ESL program, it will continue at Fleetwood in the new school year.
One parent described why it met her need: “Estoy muy contento con el programa porque necesito aprender a escribir y hablar inglés. Ahora que estamos en este programa, tengo tiempo para aprender lo que quiero. Quisiéra seguir como estamos porque aprendo y les enséo a mis hijos a mejorar su education. Gracias.” (“I’m really happy with the program because I need to learn how to write and speak English and now that we are in this program, I have the time to learn what I want. It is why I would like to continue so I can learn and teach my children, so they can have a better education. Thank You.”)
- East Ramapo FRC Coordinators Tanya Soto and Debbie Guerra
Sloatsburg Elementary
“Start Something” is a 10-part youth program developed by the Tiger Woods Foundation and Target Corporation which Sloatsburg School’s 21C Program ran as an after school program in Spring 2004. Each child identified a dream and developed an action project that helped him or her take a step toward fulfilling that goal; projects had a community service aspect so that each child’s work paid off not just for him- or herself, but for others, too.
Mentors such as an architect, a car-customizer, sports players, legislator Harriet Cornell, and others helped the 23 fifth-graders develop their ideas (or, ‘shift before you rev,’ in the words of their slogan). Finally, with the help of their parents, the children performed in classrooms, in a video, and at a restaurant; shepherded a friendly dog through a senior center; built models; designed doll clothes; organized group games; advocated for concerns of importance; and much more.
At the end of the project, the children had a chance to illustrate and talk about what their dream meant to them. You can’t imagine how proud each child was to stand in front of parents to tell their story of how this project helped them to take a step in the direction of their dream and overcome a fear they had. Confidence was gained. The thrill of meeting a challenge prevailed. No matter the size of the challenge, everyone learned the value of perseverance and dedicated work.
- Anne Nissen, Sloatsburg FRC Coordinator
Nyack
If you happen to stop in at the Central Nyack Community Center around 6:20 p.m. on any given Wednesday during the school year, you will likely be greeted by an animated, pizza- faced three or four year old getting ready to move into the story room with about seven or eight other preschoolers and their parent/guardian.
After a lively session of stories and songs with master facilitators, Rachel Berlin, Upper Nyack’s FRC Coordinator and Joanne Wallace, assistant district coordinator you will see creativity abound in the fun filled arts and crafts session. All of these activities take place with mom, dad, grandma or another guardian by the children’s side.
The Central Nyack Playgroup is a collaboration between the Nyack School District, the Rockland Parent Child Center and Clarkstown Recreation. The idea for the group grew out of a need identified by the Valley Cottage School principal and an FRC advisory team. There were many children starting kindergarten at a deficit because they did not have the language rich family experiences that their middle class peers were exposed to by this time.
Our goal was to provide experiential learning opportunities for children and parents together. We needed to find a family friendly neighborhood location and serve dinner. Clarkstown Recreation was happy to give us the space and a staff person for the time we needed.
Rachel Berlin who is Creole speaking and Joanne Wallace facilitate the group. We have also been consulting with Nyack’s Parent Child Home Program (PCHP) Coordinator, Susannah Bozhkov. After twelve weeks, we had between three and five families attending. Although we had hoped for more families by this time, we learned that patience, trust, and relationship building are very important keys to success in any attempt at true change. Rachel and Joanne both speak of the dedication to the program that families have once they start attending. We believe that with time we will see the program take root and look forward to keeping you posted as the Central Nyack Playgroup evolves.
- Julie Kassel, Valley Cottage FRC Coordinator
Saying Goodbye to Nanuet's FRC Coordinator, Lauren Grennan
Dedicated. Compassionate. Resourceful. Courageous. These are just a few words that you will hear to describe Lauren Grennan and the successful legacy she will leave behind in Rockland County. Some 5 years ago, Lauren created the Nanuet School District’s first Family Resource Center (FRC). Lauren worked closely with RASP (Rockland After-School Program) and other after school programs to make the most of their settings and reach families on their waiting lists. Lauren created a series of after school enrichment programs that were selfsustaining and affordable for Nanuet families. She developed a database, which directed families to the most suitable programs and services available. Families were encouraged to keep in touch with her and she consistently proved to be reliable, persistent, and generous with her time and efforts.
During the days and weeks following 9/11, Lauren got information out to teachers and parents in Nanuet on how to console and support the children. She was the driving force behind Friends of the Family – a program that raised money for 3 Nanuet families who lost husbands and fathers. Lauren saw that Friends of the Family was a way of responding not only to 9/11 victims, but also to Nanuet families who faced the loss of a loved one or a medical crisis. Her vision led to its more inclusive approach, an approach that is being adopted at other Family Resource Centers in Rockland County.
Her most recent accomplishment was establishing Rockland’s first FRC on the Middle School level at MacArthur Barr Middle School. As the Middle School model grows in Rockland, it will use MacArthur Barr as a blueprint. Lauren is moving to Wilmington, North Carolina with her husband Chris who will continue his leadership position at Verizon. We are quite confident families and children in Wilmington have a wonderful surprise in store for them.
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