Eric Carbone » Orange Live

Peck Place Students Raise $4,000 for Cancer Awareness

May 202013

Participants are checked in at the Relay Recess.

Earlier this month, the field and playground of Peck Place School were filled with hundreds of enthusiastic children who were anxious to take part in the first Orange Relay Recess, a mini event to get the kids outside for some exercise, have some healthy snacks and introduce them to the way the Relay for Life is run.

Relay for Life Committee Member and Peck Place School mom Kristin Marquis said she received information in 2012 about bringing the Relay Recess to the grade school levels and tried to get it off the ground, but it was too late in the year.

So in 2013, she jumped on it early because she thinks it is a great way to bring education, exercise and fun to the grade school kids and raise awareness for the BOW Relay For Life which takes place on June 1 and 2 this year.

After reaching out to the student councils and principals of all three Orange elementary schools, she learned that Turkey Hill and Race Brook already had planned some sort of event for other causes and so Peck Place Principal Eric Carbone, the student council advisor, and kids rose up and got as many students involved as possible.

Marquis said Relay Recess was as true to the Relay for Life as possible with the kids getting their names checked off the list as they exited the school, and then walking, or running around the field for the entire recess.

When they were done, they took a break and had healthy snacks, bottled water, grapes, and such.

“There are 385 kids in the school, and we have participation from just about 50%,” Marquis said. “All the kids had to do was bring in a signed permission slip. If they got donations, it was great. All we wanted was awareness and participation.”

The awareness part was tri-fold — awareness for cancer prevention, awareness for being healthier, and awareness of the Relay event in June.

Student council member, Sophie, said the event was important because it helped raise money for a good cause and showed kids that a walk around the field could make a big difference.

Sophie said it didn’t take long to organize the Relay because they all (council members) cooperated nicely and the plans all came together.

Fellow Council member, Jessica, agreed that the Relay Recess was an easy way to help people by walking around the field.

Relay For Life Chairman Lynn Plaskowitz said, “This was our goal this year, to get community involvement, you start with the younger kids and then you get more community involvement.”

In the end the children had a wonderful afternoon of fun in the fresh air, some getting their faces on TV or being interviewed by News 12 and Orange Live, and raising $4,000 for the American Cancer Society.

Relay Co-Chairmen Debby Davis and George Geane had a blast, encouraging the kids as they walked around the track. Happy to see that the town’s youngest residents were giving their all for a great cause.

The 2013 BOW Relay for Life takes place at the Orange Fairgrounds beginning at 2 p.m. (Opening ceremonies are at 5 p.m.) on June 1 and ending at 7 a.m. on June 2. This year’s goal is $95,000.

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Peck Place Students Raise $4,000 for Cancer Awareness

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Welcome to Peck Place School (with video)

Sports No Responses »

Aug 252012

The Peck Place School PTO hosted a “new family” welcome picnic for families with first graders and other students who are new to the school late Friday afternoon. CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

The event included full access to the playground for the children, tours of the school and an opportunity to meet new school Principal Eric Carbone.

As families entered the side playground parents had the chance to see information/and sign up for the PTO, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and an upcoming Golf Tournament fund-raiser. School t-shirts and sweatshirts also were available for sale.

The PTO is responsible for many of the things that students and their parents have come to love at Peck Place including Book Fairs; the DARE Graduation; Buses for Field Trips; Colonial Day; Father Daughter Dance; Class Plays and so much more that we tend to take for granted.

The PTO page soon will be up and ready on the Peck Place Tab of the Board of Education website. Consider joining the PTO or volunteering for one of their fund-raisers throughout the school year to be a bigger part of your child’s life in 2012-13.

All parents should become familiar with what the website has to offer. PTO President Mary Lou Nuzzo is particularly excited and pleased with the “virtual backpack” which contains ALL of the items that historically would get lost between the school and home — event notices, sports registration forms, letters from the superintendent and Principal Carbone, etc.

The first day of school is Wednesday, Aug. 29.

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Welcome to Peck Place School (with video)

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All Orange School Principal Positions Filled

Latest News, School News No Responses »

Jun 292012

Superintendent Lynn McMullin and the Orange Board of Education introduced the new Turkey Hill School Principal-elect during a special meeting at the BOE meeting room on Thursday night.

McMullin posted Stephen Bergin’s bio on the BOE website, in which she stated that he was one of 50 applicants in a search chaired by Race Brook Principal Mike Gray.

The notice stated, “His nomination was supported by the BOE… Bergin comes to Orange with five years of valuable experience as a K-6 principal in Hamden and three years as an asst. principal in Westport, where he also taught at an elementary level. He earned his Sixth year degree from Southern and is currently a doctoral student at Boston College.”

It continued, “Bergin brings a wealth of experiences with data teams, technology integration and Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s). He impressed the interview committees with his open and approachable style an his strong reputation for collaboration and involvement in the school community.”

Bergin is the second Orange elementary school principal that the BOE has hired this year.

Principal Searches

Searches began after earlier this year both Ralph Nuzzo, Principal of Mary L. Tracy School and Al deCant, Principal of Peck Place School announced their plans to retire at the end of the school year.

Finding two new principals would be quite an undertaking, so McMullin and the Board followed a tried and true protocol to get everything in place in time for the start of the 2012-13 school year.

Four search committees were formed to find two new principals. They were comprised of teachers, parents and BOE members.

McMullin chaired the search for the Principal of Peck Place School. Committee number One interviewed candidates, then made their recommendation to Committee Two, which conducted its own interviews and made its decision and then brought it to the full Board for approval.

On June 11, Eric Carbone was introduced at the regular BOE meeting as the new Peck Place School Principal, replacing Al deCant.

Carbone was an Asst. Principal in Wallingford, with six years of experience [Elementary school level for 4 years, Middle School 2 years].

Under Mike Gray’s leadership, the second team of two committees chose Bergin as the Principal at Turkey Hill School.

STOP! What Happened to Colleen Murray?

This is where it may be confusing for some residents. Higher up in this story we mentioned that Ralph Nuzzo from Mary L. Tracy and Al deCant announced their retirements, so why on earth did the BOE need to find a new principal for Turkey Hill School? What happened to Colleen Murray?

On June 8, Orange Live published an article explaining all of these changes.

McMullin explained the Mary L. situation to Orange Live.

Ralph Nuzzo was Principal of Mary L. Tracy School with eight kindergarten classrooms and several pre-K classrooms. A part time director of curriculum rounded out the leadership at that school.

With the Board of Education’s approval, McMullin moved Turkey Hill Principal Colleen Murray over to the Central Office to become the Director of Curriculum and Instruction and Part Time Principal of Mary L. Tracy School.

“Mary L. has something called a 1.0 Lead Teacher, most of the teachers have a .84 contract and a 1.0 lead teacher. We restructured the 1.0 Lead teacher so that person has more leadership opportunities,” McMullin said. “Colleen will supervise the Kindergarten from here (Central Office) and be the Director of Curriculum and Instruction.

McMullin said, “If anyone has any questions about the process with which these principals were hired, the BOE has a protocol for it that is on our web page. Mike and I both followed the same protocol and it worked well.”

Bergin will be formally introduced to the public with a meet-and-greet at the July 9 Board of Education regular meeting at 7:30 p.m.

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Technology Anyone? Orange BOE Introduces Matthew Bruder

Meet Eric Carbone, Principal (to be) of Peck Place School

Two New Principals, But Not What You Think

School News No Responses »

Jun 082012

Earlier this year both Ralph Nuzzo, Principal of Mary L. Tracy School and Al deCant, Principal of Peck Place School announced their plans to retire at the end of the school year (later this month).

So, one might think that this would mean that the Board of Education would have the undertaking of finding new principals for Mary L. and Peck Place right?

Not quite.

It turns out, the Principal searches are actually for Peck Place and Turkey Hill Schools.

Why? You ask. Where did Colleen Murray go? Well — now follow closely.

Peck Place

On Monday night, June 11, at the regular Board of Education meeting, Eric Carbone will be introduced as the new Peck Place School Principal.

The BOE met Carbone, an Asst. Principal in Wallingford, with six years of experience [Elementary school level for 4 years, Middle School 2 years], on Monday June 4.

Carbone is the father of two boys. His wife is a Spanish teacher at Amity Middle School.

If the transition from Wallingford runs smoothly, Carbone could begin his job on July 1.

Turkey Hill

The Principal search for Turkey Hill is currently in the first interview phase — Committee number one is interviewing candidates, about seven applicants thus far, (which should now be completed).

Committee One will make their recommendations to Committee number Two, which will conduct its own interviews of these recommended candidates and make a decision in the neighborhood of June 18-19.

Shortly after the committees have completed their task, the Board of Education will hold a special meeting at which it will meet the recommended candidate.

What about Mary L Tracy?

McMullin explained the Mary L. situation to Orange Live.

Ralph Nuzzo was Principal of Mary L. Tracy School with eight kindergarten classrooms and several pre-K classrooms. A part time director of curriculum rounded out the leadership at that school.

About the searches

Race Brook School Principal Mike Gray is leading the Principal Search for Turkey Hill School.

“It’s a huge undertaking for him, but he’s doing a terrific job,” McMullin said.

McMullin was chairman for the search committee for Peck Place School.

“We have a protocol for it that is on our web page if anyone would like to see it,” she said. “Mike and I are both following the same protocol and it is working well.”

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