Director's Message
Dear Friends of DSABC,
Welcome to the Spring edition of the DSABC Newsletter. It's hard to believe that we are well into the 4th quarter of the school year. Thanks to a mild winter, the 2015-16 Danbury Public School Year will close on
June 9th. This is relatively earleir than past years, therefore, I highly encourage mentors to take note that their sessions will be winding down rapidly. Also, standardized testing will be occurring in the elementary and middle schools throughout May until end of the year. Please check in regularly with school liaisons to confirm mentoring sessions.
By way of update and a sneak peek for what's ahead next year, DSABC has been working closely with the Ct. Mentoring Partnership (Governors Prevention Partnership) to implement recommendations for innovation as part of our participation in Quality Mentoring Research project. Specifically, DSABC is moving towards utilizing a cloud based software program management system, MentorCore. This software will provide mentors to opportunity to log each of their sessions to better track student outcomes while school liaisons and DSABC staff to will be able administer the program in "real time" providing improved efficiency and support of DSABC matches. The first phase is almost complete. DSABC school liaisons are scheduled for training on the system in May. Mentor training will follow in August.
DSABC is excited to continue its partnership with Danbury Early College Opportunity: Workplace Learning EMentoring program. This being the first year of the program, mentors are providing positive feedback about their experience. The majority of the mentors will continue to work with their DECO students in their
sophomore
year. Therefore, approximately 100 new mentors are being sought for the incoming cohort of freshman for the 2016-17 school year. (Workplace Learning Mentors interact weekly for 30 minutes (or less) with Danbury High School students participating in the Early College
Opportunit
y
(DECO) program. Via an online platform, mentors provide guidance and advice on developing workplace skill. Mentors also have the
opportunity
to work with their mentees face to face in a group setting 4 times per year.) Please feel free to contact me for more information on how to get involved.
I hope you enjoy this edition of our newsletter and I look foward to seeing many mentors, corporate & community partners, school partners, and scholarship recipients on May 19th, Annual Scholarship & Awards Breakfast.
Sincerely,
Mary
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 Welcome New Mentors
Mark Gilliam - Independent Gregory Alexander - Praxair
Meghan O'Brien - Independent Jeffrey Tracey - IBM
Yanira Ochoa - Independent Diane Weston - City of Danbury
Miosotis Trommer - Independent, Past Mentee
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Mentor Month Thank-You Luncheon
As part of National Mentor Month celebrations, on January 28 DSABC mentors enjoyed a luncheon and presentation by Alison Fulton, Director of Housatonic Valley Coalition on Alcohol and Substance Abuse (HVCASA) on "Mentors as Assets Builders." The Developmental Assets are 40 research-based, positive experiences and qualities that influence young people's development, helping them become caring, responsible, and productive adults. Based in youth development, resiliency, and prevention research, the Developmental Assets framework has proven to be effective and has become the most widely used approach to positive youth development in the United States and, increasingly, around the world. The framework has been adapted to be developmentally relevant from early childhood through adolescence. To learn more about Developmental Assets and how to implement them in the youth and community, click here.
http://www.search-institute.org/what-we-study/developmental-assets
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| Alison Fulton, HVCASA Director presenting to DSABC mentors |
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Save the Date
Thursday, May 19th - DSABC Annual Scholarship and Awards Breakfast, , 7:45 - 9:00am, Amber Room Colonnade. Register at this link
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FC Gives Event Raises $4,605
Thank you to our 2016 Giving Day donors!
Your generous donations support DSABC scholarships that help our graduating mentees continue their education and achieve their goals.
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Stephanie Ansel
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Kris Davidson
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Teresa LaBarbera
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Douglas Orr
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Robin Shepard
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Diane Arifian
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Fred Eggers
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Dawn Lagarto-Immohr
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Carla Pierce
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Jorge Soini
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Kathi Barese Heering
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Joan Fazekas
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Ann Longest
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Bob Port
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Annie Sorrells
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Uma Bhan
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Michael Ferguson
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Trevor Macomber
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Shannon Rountos
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Barbara Stauder
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Gary Bocaccio
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Marilyn Geti
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Meghan Martins
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Elizabeth Rumbold
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Valerie Tracey
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Sarah Bollert
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Kristin Goncalves
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Victoria Megibow
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Joyce Sands
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Jeffrey & Kelley Troccolo
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Deborah Casey
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Paula Grayson
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Claudia Menezes
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Farley & Kathleen Santos
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Kim Trocola
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Karen Chance
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Mary Gregory
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Ellen Meyst
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Sally Savoia
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Rachelle Wade
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Gayle Clark
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William Gregory
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Bob Meyst
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Lynn Schoonmaker
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Danbury Town Clerks Office
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Sean Colley
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David Honeyford
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Jim Moretti
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Charlie Schott
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Anonymous Gift (8)
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"Education is the most powerful weapon
which you can use to change the world."
- Nelson Mandela
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Praxair Employees bring REAL Program to Park Avenue School
Judy Coco, Praxair employee and DSABC mentor of 13 years, spearheaded the REAL reading program at Park Avenue School. After Judy mentored her mentee Jonathon through high school graduation, she wanted to continue volunteering to support Danbury Public School students. However, with increasing work demands making weekly mentoring a challenge, Judy, still committed and driven to continue to make a difference in the lives of students, initiated this effort.
"Whenever you get a chance to get kids excited about reading and building literacy skills, you have to jump in face forward. When Praxair brought the Real Reading Program to our school, we did just that! Our students have had the pleasure of this community partnership for the past few years which allows our students to interact with kind and caring adults who are not their teachers. They get so excited and cannot wait to have the reading mentors come to meet and to read to them."
David Krafick, Principal, Park Avenue School
Four years ago, Praxair initiated Scholastic's REAL (Read-Excel-Achieve-Lead) program at Park Avenue School with 100 second grade students. Once a month for four months, five mentors began reading age-appropriate books to classes - books that teach life lessons and create excitement for reading. Today, 24 Mentors read to over 500 students in Grades 1, 2 and 3 at both Park Avenue and King Street Schools.
After reading the book, Praxair provides the School Library, the Teacher's Classroom and each student with the book. By the end of three years, the student's home library has grown to at least a dozen books. Students are encouraged to read at home to family, friends and pets. AND they do. When Mentors return the following month they hear stories that are heartwarming. Parents have shared:
"My daughter has been part of the REAL program for 2 years. She is happy when her teacher tells her the next day is the special day when the reader comes in. My daughter tells me she wants to be just like her (the reader). She reads her special book every night."
"My son and daughter have special readers who come into their classroom for some time now. Children read to each other at home and help do homework."
The REAL Program is one of many ways Praxair partners with schools in the areas in which Praxair employees live and work. By fostering literacy, study skills, and lifelong education, children and families become more resilient and everyone is better able to address the challenges of the future.
To learn more about the REAL program, please contact Anne Mead, Program Administrator, Family Learning Center (
meadan@danbury.k12.ct.us
).
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DSABC MENTORS: Making a Difference In Real Life
Watching Mentees Grow
What a surprise! I was walking my current Mentee back to her classroom a few minutes ago when a person started to approach me with her arms wide open. Suddenly, I realized it was my first Mentee, Anastasia. She gave me the biggest hug!! It was wonderful. I asked Anastasia what she was doing here at South Street School and she replied "I volunteer here now." I told her that I'm so proud of her.
I just wanted you to know what a special feeling it is to see someone that I helped come along in her early years growing up as a young adult and to know that she still volunteering! That is so important. She started volunteering in the fourth grade in the library and by the time she was in the fifth grade she was volunteering to help younger students with tutoring. She is such a special girl. This was a treat and I wanted to share it.
- Fran Hendrickson
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DSABC Corporate Partners support Danbury Schools in MANY ways!
Recently, Cartus Donated over 100 new headsets to Danbury Public Schools
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SAVE THE DATE: June 22, 2016
DANBURY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ANNUAL GOLF OUTING
to benefit DSABC!!
Join us to support this event by registering a foursome, sponsoring a tee, donating raffle items, or volunteering at the outing. This is a fun day and great way to end the school year!!
Contact: Sean Colley, colleys@danbury.k12.ct.us
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Calendar Watch
April 18 - 22 - Schools closed for spring recess
May
Be aware that standardized tests will be administered in May; mentors should call ahead to see if testing day conflicts with your regular mentoring day.
3 -
DPS: One-hour early release for students/PD
10 -
HATS: Early dismissal/PD
13 -
DPS: Early dismissal/PD
17 -
DPS: One-hour Early Release for Students/PD
19 - DSABC Annual Scholarship and Awards Breakfast
27 - Professional Development;
DPS schools
closed,
HATS
early dismissal
30 - Memorial Day;
All schools Closed
June
9- DPS LAST DAY OF SCHOOL Early dismissal all schools & DHS Graduation
For the most current information, consult the school calendar:
Danbury Public Schools:
Henry Abbott Tech:
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Mentor Trainings 
Don't forget! All
DSABC webinars are archived on the website,
www.dsabcmentors.org
for viewing anytime.
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Kathi Barese Heering, Editor
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The Mission of DSABC is to Help Danbury Public School Students Achieve Personal and Academic Success. Our Tool: School Based Mentoring DSABC is a 501 (c) 3 Charitable Organization. Please consider supporting our programs. 
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