CommPACT In Action! See What Happened in January

Robert J. O’Brien STEM Academy

Robert J. O’Brien’s renovates space to create a Family Resource Center How It Looked When We Started

Robert J. O’Brien’s renovates space to create a Family Resource Center

The Insalco Crew Creates Great Changes in a Few Hours

Robert J. O’Brien’s renovates space to create a Family Resource Center

How It Looked When the Day Was Done

Margie Williams, O’Brien’s Family Liaison Whole Foods Donated Enough Goods to Fill the Food Pantry at O’Brien’s New Family Resource Center

Visioning at Robert J. O’Brien STEM Academy Left to Right: Kara Levenduskyi (O’Brien Literacy Coach and leader in Visioning event), Lauren Rodriguez (Visioning Consultant and Facilitator), Michele Femc-Bagwell (Director, CommPACT)

Visioning at Robert J. O’Brien STEM Academy

Kara Levenduski, a leader for our Visioning at Robert J. O’Brien STEM Academy Classes and CommPACT created baskets as door prizes selected at the end of the night. The families enjoyed these and it encouraged everyone to stay until the end.

2 of our CommPACT team David Cardona (John Barry) & Jassie Myers (West Side) attended O’Brien’s Visioning Night to determine how best to roll out at their schools.

Visioning at Robert J. O’Brien STEM Academy

Parents, Staff and Students sharing their ideas of what they hope O’Brien’s Family and Community Engagement Will Look Like In 5 Years

January 21 st in Bridgeport Three of the Original Civil Rights Freedom Riders Spoke to Bassick Families, Students and the Community

Then …………………….versus…………………………Now Because of CommPACT, students, parents and staff were able to attend this historic event in Bridgeport and to compare and contrast “then” versus “now.” They learned that the activists were only 19 when they got on these buses and were jailed.

Freedom Rider Joan Browning came out to greet students as the bus pulled in and later said this was the highlight of her trip. Bassick students were invited to be on the bus because of either an academic or behavioral achievement. Their parents were invited as well as the Cadre. Before the trip students saw the Freedom Riders documentary and they made signs for the event.

This event was hosted by a partnership of Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition (BCAC) and the Bridgeport Public Education Fund (BPEF) Left to Right: Bob Francis (Executive Director of RYASAP), Marge Hiller (Executive Director of Bridgeport Education Fund), Mary Pat Healy (Executive Director of Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition), Joan Browning (Freedom Rider), Kathy Silver (Bassick 9 th Grade Academy Principal), Wiley Mullins (CEO of Uncle Wiley’s Inc. & BPEF Board member), Jocelyn Ault (CommPACT) and Sal Hanaif (CommPACT & BCAC Board member)

for Bassick parents, staff and students to remember. It ended with everyone holding hands and singing “We Shall Overcome.” With over 300 people attending, this was a night

At Bassick High School Gathering ideas about space that can be transformed to be welcoming for staff and parents and used for training and meetings

Evan Golden from Insalco Inspires Students, Staff and Parents with ideas for the spaces. Sikorsky has already indicated an interest in an engineering club if this space design goes forward. They can imagine collaborating with students and using their technology expertise to inspire future engineers.

Bassick looks to transform unused space for multiple purposes including mentoring, meeting with parents and doing family training. The space is on the same floor as the student classes and offices.

Bassick’s Cadre Meets

Patti Avallone from SERC provided Waterbury’s West Side Middle School’s School Governance Council with training on how to form and communicate effective school compacts

West Side’s School Governance Council in Training