Great News From Bridgeport Public Schools

The mission of the Bridgeport Public Schools and its supporting community is to graduate all students "college ready" and

prepared to succeed in life.

 

 

The Blue Star Mothers and Families of Stratford Inc held a Packing Day last Wednesday to package and ship supplies collected by Bridgeport and Monroe Public Schools for soldiers overseas.  The event was held at the VFW Hall in Stratford.

 

The effort of collecting supplies for the troops incorporated most Bridgeport and Monroe Public Schools throughout the month of October.  Flyers listing various items were distributed in each school and students and staff collected items. Collection boxes were also placed outside of local businesses. The items collected filled 125 shipping boxes.  Meg Krasko, special education teacher at Bridgeport’s Thomas Hooker School and member of the Blue Star Mothers and Families of Stratford Inc, helped coordinate the collection.  “People were very responsive to our call for help,” she said.  “It has been heartwarming to see the support of the Bridgeport and Monroe Public Schools in support of our soldiers. It’s phenomenal.”

 

Donated supplies included nonperishable food and snacks, personal care products, clothing, containers, games, and holiday items.  Many items were sent at the request of the soldiers in an effort to supply what the military does not provide. The cost of shipping the packages was defrayed by means of a fundraising tag sale and generous donations.  Community volunteers and students assisted members of the Blue Star Mothers and Families of Stratford with packing the supplies.

 

Bridgeport students and other young ones in the community were excited to lend a helping hand.  “I want to help.  It makes me feel happy,” said Jazmin Villafane, a fourth grader at Thomas Hooker School.  Stratford student Kathryn Sullivan agrees.  “It makes me happy to help other people because its fun and I know it makes other people happy,” the fifth grader said. 

 

Kathy Sullivan, Kathryn’s mother and Blue Star Mothers and Families of Stratford Inc President and Co-founder, was please with the outcome of the event.  “The packing party was wild.  We had a lot of fun,” she said.  “This is a tremendously important support group.  We can’t let the soldiers and their families go through this experience alone.”

 

“We do this for all the troops overseas, so that all of our country’s children know that we are here for them and haven’t forgotten about them,” said Karla Mazzey, co-founder and Vice President of the Blue Star Mothers and Families of Stratford Inc. “Without them we wouldn’t have our freedom.  They need our support and encouragement.” 

 

The Blue Star Mothers and Families of Stratford Inc was founded in 2003 by Sullivan and Mazzey, who both had children serving overseas. This organization was founded as a support group for the local families of soldiers and is not affiliated with the Blue Star Mothers of America.  The work of the group is non-partisan and does not take a stand on the merits of the war. Last year, Blue Star Mothers and Families of Stratford Inc collected 123 cases of goods to send to soldiers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last month, Maplewood School Annex received an unexpected surprise from one of its dedicated teachers.  First grade teacher Patrick Stirk and his wife Tara decided to give a special gift at their wedding.  In lieu of wedding favors, the newlyweds decided to make a generous donation to Maplewood Annex. 

 

“Instead of using the money for useless favors that everyone forgets about or throws away, we wanted to donate to something worthwhile,” Stirk said.  Wedding guests found cards announcing the donation on their dinner plates.  Kelly Valeri’s third grade class, made up of Stirks former first grade students, drew pictures of the school to display at the reception. 

 

Maplewood Annex Principal Valerie Singleton was a guest at the Stirks' wedding. “I was so surprised and very touched to find out that this young couple would give such a generous donation and put the needs of the children ahead of their own,” she said. 

 

The donated funds will be used to provide transportation for school field trips.  A portion of the money has already funded a first grade class trip to a theater performance at the Regina A. Quick Center at Fairfield University.  Singleton says the next trip will be a visit to the Discovery Museum, since this year the school has placed emphasis on the science curriculum.

 

Stirk is in his sixth year at Maplewood Annex.  According to Principal Singleton, he is just as great a teacher as he is a donor.  “Patrick is a very dedicated and conscientious teacher,” Singleton said.  “He is definitely a team player at Maplewood and is a great role model.”  In addition to her husband’s contributions, Tara is an active volunteer at the school and often serves as a field trip chaperone. “They are both great, and we are privileged to have them with us at Maplewood Annex,” Singleton added.

 

Stirk, who has been teaching at Maplewood Annex since the beginning of his career, holds the school in high esteem.  “My experience here has been wonderful.  I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” he said. 

 

Principal Singleton and the Maplewood Annex staff and students thank the new Mr. and Mrs. Stirk for their generosity and wish them the best in their new life together.