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PAWS 2008
Gala Honors Barbara McAteer and
Norm Wingert
The third annual PAWS Education
Foundation Dinner-Dance was held recently at the Venetian Yacht Club
with 275 guests in attendance. Community member, school activist and
former Board of Education Vice President, Barbara McAteer, was
honored with the 2008 PAWS Outstanding Community Member Award and
West Islip High School teacher and Student Senate Advisor Norm
Wingert was presented with the PAWS 2008 Outstanding Teacher of the
Year Award.
During the cocktail hour,
student-donated artwork, a plasma, flat screen TV, and a variety of
business-donated offerings were raffled as a major fundraiser for
PAWS, which in the last several years has purchased approximately
$200,000 of equipment to enhance students’ learning experiences.
PAWS’ gifts include a Baby Grand Yamaha piano for the high school
Performing Arts Theatre, SMART Boards for classrooms, a Mobile Bio
Technology Station, a Laser Engraver/Cutter, and new equipment for
the MST (Math, Science and Technology) Labs.
Pictured are scenes from the gala,
including honorees Ms. McAteer and Mr. Wingert, Superintendent of
Schools Dr. Beth Virginia Blau, PAWS President Tom McAteer, and the
Dinner-Dance Committee of Chairperson Jamie Winkler, Annmarie
LaRosa, Mary Beth Jacaruso, and Katherine Fix, who oversaw the
PAWS Gala Journal.
Click
here to view the PowerPoint presentation created to honor the
award recipients.
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2007 Shopping Fundraiser at
Barnes & Noble Outdoes Last Year's Event |
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 A
shopping-for-holiday-gifts fundraiser for PAWS was held at the
Barnes & Noble Book Store in Bay Shore that helped community
residents prepare for the holiday season while benefiting the
education foundation. Shoppers using a PAWS voucher at the
cashier helped to divert a percentage of their sales to
PAWS, while also receiving raffle tickets to win a variety of
baskets full of surprises. Teachers,
 administrators,
Board of Education Trustees, and students' families gathered to
support the foundation that has purchased numerous large and
expensive items for the school district, including a Yamaha baby
grand piano for the high school auditorium and Smart Boards for
classrooms at the secondary level.
Organized by PAWS member Annmarie Mahony, the event featured
holiday music by student musicians led by Director of Music
Bernie Jones and music teacher Dave Kaufman. Students
volunteered to handle raffle tickets and to wrap purchases.
Board of Education member Wayne Smith donned his Santa outfit to
the delight of little ones, later reading to them "It was the
Night Before Christmas. Also reading to the children were
several principals, including Westbrook's Jack Maniscalco and
Bellew's Dan Hunter.
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PAWS Announces Honorees for Planned
2008 Gala Dinner-Dance
PAWS, the education foundation, will hold its third annual
Dinner-Dance Gala at the Venetian Yacht Club on March 14,
2008. The Event Committee, chaired by Jamie Winkler, has
announced that the recipient of the 2008 Outstanding
Community Member Award is Barbara McAteer. The Outstanding
Educator of the Year Award will be presented to Norm Wingert. As
plans progress, updated information will be posted on this
site.
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PAWS Participates in 2007
West Islip
Chamber of Commerce Expo
held at LaGrange on October 23rd. |
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PAWS Donates Technology's Latest Learning
Tool to the West Islip School District
Students in Beth Fiorini's grade 9 Global
Studies class are shown working with one of
the Smart Boards that were donated to the school
district by PAWS, the education foundation.
Smart Boards are the latest technological
advance in helping students to learn better and
understand more quickly. Electronic white boards
- as they are also known - allow for dynamic
lessons in whole-class teaching with interaction
by the students. Just as a computer is
controlled by a "mouse," a Smart Board, which
displays computer images, is controlled by the
touch of the teacher’s finger. Images can be
saved to the students’ computers and printed
later. Prices for one Smart Board begin
at $1,500, depending on the type of
technology utilized and the quality of the
projection surface. |
Pictured with Ms. Fiorini are
Sarah H. and Christopher F. |
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PAWS Co-Sponsors W.I.H.S.'s First 50th Birthday Celebration On May 19th, PAWS
co-sponsored one of the community biggest events
of this school year: the West Islip High School
50th Birthday Party and All-Years Reunion.
Held in the high school, the
turnout was large with many returning to school
from out-of-state residences. The biggest
attendance was from the Class of the 1970s. New
class photos were taken, tours of the building
were provided to show off the new library-media
center, computer labs, dance studio and more
(which also provided opportunities for stories
about how things used to be), and a variety of
food was available at the Food Court.
Entertainment was plentiful, provided by the
Music Department in the Performing Arts Center,
departmental displays were set up in the
hallways, and alumni souvenirs and clothing were
sold by DECA in the School Store and several of
the athletic teams. To the delight of many,
former board members, administrators, union
leaders and staff members, as well as previous
superintendents joined Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Beth Virginia Blau, Assistant Superintendent
Joe Stern, Principal Ken Hartill, Associate
Principal Ellen Quaglio and Dean Joann Hilbert
in the celebration.
Proclamations were presented to
Principal Hartill by State Senator Owen Johnson
and his assistant Gordon Canary, State
Assemblyman Andrew Raia, and Suffolk County
Treasurer Angie Carpenter.
A good time was had by all as
old friendships were renewed, children and
grandchildren were introduced, and new memories
were created.
Proclamations were presented
for the high school's 50th birthday. Pictured
are (left to right) Board of Education Trustee
Sharon Bieselin, Assemblyman Andrew Raia,
Suffolk County Treasurer Angie Carpenter,
Principal Ken Hartill, State Senator Owen
Johnson, Asst. Supt. Joe Stern, former Board
member and president Susan Lipman, and Board
Trustee Steve Gellar. |
 Shown at the party are (left to
right)PAWS Vice President Annmarie
Larosa, the West Islip mascot, Board
of Education President George Smith,
Board Trustee Steve Gellar and
Superintendent Dr. Beth Blau.
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Former Superintendent of Schools
Dr. and Mrs. Bill Bernhard with the
West Islip mascot. |
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One of many class photos taken at
the celebration. |
Membership table |
The PAWS table |
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Second Annual
Dinner-Dance Held March 16th
PAWS, the
West Islip Education Foundation, held its second
annual Dinner-Dance on March 16th at the Venetian
Yacht Club. This year's event honored two
extraordinary community members, Susan Lipman and
Bernie Jones, who were presented with the 2007
Outstanding Community Member Award and 2007
Outstanding Educator Award, respectively.
The gala
was a complete success, with guests still going
strong on the dance floor at 11 p.m. Despite the
snow, wind, sleet and rain outside the catering
hall, over 260 guests inside enjoyed the cocktail
hour and dinner. Pictured are scenes from the
party, which includes presentations by NYS
Assemblyman Andrew Raia, Islip Town Supervisor Phil
Nolan, Islip Town Councilman Steve Flotteron, and
Eastern Suffolk BOCES Asst. Superintendent Michael
Locantore.
Click here
to view the PowerPoint Slideshow created to honor these
extraordinary people. |
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2006
Fundraiser at Barnes & Noble is Huge Success
 An
event that joined Barnes & Noble in Bay Shore with
PAWS, the West Islip education foundation, was an
overwhelming success in every way, reports PAWS
(Partners Advancing West Islip Students) Vice
President Annmarie LaRosa. The Sunday event - which
featured Board of Education Trustee Wayne Smith
greeting youngsters as Santa, Elementary School
Principal Jack Maniscalco reading stories to
children, World Languages Director Carmen Campos and
puppets telling stories in French and Spanish, the
High School Chamber Group performing numerous
pieces, and students and Board of Education Vice
President Barbara McAteer wrapping purchases -
turned into a true community-wide happening. Also on
hand were administrators, teachers, and community
members offering assistance.
Additionally, the Chamber Group
was thrilled when an out-of-town shopper, who was
enjoying the music, gave his credit card to an
employee at the coffee and dessert counter and said
he wanted to treat the performers for a job very
well done.
Throughout the fun-filled day,
West Islip residents used PAWS' vouchers obtained on
the website to make their holiday purchases. A
percentage of those sales is being donated to PAWS
by the bookstore. According to Ms. LaRosa, "PAWS'
supporters generated nearly $10,000 that day, a
percentage of which will go to the education
foundation for its grant-giving program."
PAWS President Tom McAteer commented the next day
that Sunday was "the essence of a community-focused
event. It was a wonderful time for all." He also
added his appreciation, on behalf of the PAWS Board
of Directors, to the staff at Barnes & Noble.
"I like to see a man proud
of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man
live so that his place will be proud of him."
Abraham Lincoln |
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PAWS Participates in 2006
Chamber Expo
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PAWS participated
in the West Islip Chamber of Commerce Expo on
October 26th, held at LaGrange. Display
boards, brochures and flyers were available to
the visitors in addition to DVDs titled "The
History of West Islip," which were being sold
for $10 each.
Created by the school
district, "The History of West Islip" begins
with the Indians selling the land that was
to become West Islip and takes viewers
through the farming days, the arrival of the
railroad, the first school opened in 1807,
to the present day. For more
information on obtaining a DVD, contact
Nancy Lenz at 893-3200.
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| Pictured at the Expo are PAWS
President Tom McAteer (left) and Asst.
Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction
Joe Stern. |
PAWS Co-Sponsors W.I.H.S.'s First 50th Birthday Celebration
West Islip PAWS, the education
foundation, hosted the high school's first celebratory
event of the new school year, marking its 50th birthday.
Tying in to the Homecoming celebrations of September
30th, PAWS (Partners Advancing West Islip Students) held
a reception following the football game that included a
tour of the building's new facilities and refreshments.
Pictured are some of the special activities that guests
enjoyed.
Education Foundation Donates Yamaha
Piano to W.I.H.S.
PAWS (Partners Advancing West Islip Students), the
education foundation that formed a year ago, has made its
first purchase and donation to enhance education in West
Islip Schools. Using monies raised from private community
resources, special activities, and during its first big
event, a Dinner-Dance honoring Angie Carpenter Tony
Mellino, the non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization approved a
grant application from the Music Department and Director
Bernie Jones for a grand piano in the high school. The
Yamaha C6 piano, which cost over $23,000, was delivered to
the school in time for the Spring Concert on May 17th.
Pictured at this extraordinary
instrument is 10th grade soloist A.J. Leiman, described as
a "phenomenal musician," who performed "Rhapsody in Blue."
According to PAWS Secretary Annmarie
LaRosa, "This piano will provide a lasting gift of music
for the students and community for many years to come." At
a Board of Education meeting, Ms. LaRosa, representing
PAWS President Tom McAteer who was out-of-town,
formally donated the piano as a gift from the foundation
to the school district. She later encouraged everyone in
attendance to "visit the WIPAWS.org website to learn how
to be part of a positive solution to some of the needs of
this school district."
Contacted later, Mr. McAteer said, "I
saw and heard the piano and am confident that this
community will be very proud of our efforts in PAWS and
the lasting gift of music that this outstanding instrument
will provide for many, many years."
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PAWS Education Foundation's First Major
Event a Success
Partners Advancing West Islip Students (PAWS), the
recently-formed education foundation, has held its first major
fund-raiser: a Dinner-Dance at the Venetian Yacht Club in
Babylon with almost 250 guests in attendance. The event
honored Suffolk County Treasurer Angie Carpenter for her work
as Suffolk County Legislator, and teacher and coach Tony
Mellino, with the PAWS Education Award.
PAWS, a volunteer community group whose mission is to
assist the school district in ways permitted via its 501(c)(3)
not-for-profit status under the Internal Revenue Code, raised
$25,000 at the event through the sale of tickets, journal ads,
and raffles of prizes donated by local businesses.
According to PAWS President Tom McAteer and Event
Chairperson Jamie Winkler, a number of grants were submitted
to the PAWS Committee and the first recipients will be
announced sometime this month.
PAWS Secretary Annmarie LaRosa says that education
foundations for public schools have been around for years, and
explains that monies raised have no connection or impact on
the district's tax base or annual school budget, and can be
used for resources such as VCRs, literary materials, and
classroom smartboards. All contributions made to PAWS are tax
deductible to the extent provided by law. PAWS' mailing
address is P.O. Box 107, West Islip, NY 11795. |
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PAWS
P.O. Box 107 West Islip, NY 11795
Partners Advancing West Islip Students |
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