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Record Results and Regional Acclaim

It was a dramatic year, marked by an historic economic down-turn and challenges at every turn but thanks to the generosity of our Concord Education Fund (CEF) donors, we raised a record $260,000. And today, things are looking up in Concord and Carlisle. The future is bright. As we go to press, the stock market is up. Our schools are thriving. Our students are achieving. Even the media has noticed.
  The Boston Globe ranked Concord the number one most desirable town to live in, citing our exceptional schools, in it's September "Bang for Your Buck" article.
  Boston Magazine's September report on "The Best High Schools 2009," ranked Concord-Carlisle High School number three in the state.
  Contributing to these stellar ratings is the recognition that the curriculum in our schools goes well beyond the ordinary. As Boston Magazine detailed, opportunities exist at CCHS that surpass most secondary schools. A special call-out was given to the new, CEF-funded Professional Digital Recording Studio technology seldom seen in a high school, public or private. It's these inventive and inspiring programs that enrich our schools, invigorate our faculty and enable our students to achieve. CEF is proud to play an important role in ensuring our schools have resources to innovate and impact learning at all levels.
  While some may argue that with tight budgets, enrichment and ambition should give way to minimum standards and expectations. We couldn't disagree more. Providing financial assistance to our schools so that our teachers can continue to create enriching and stimulating coursework is more important now than ever. These resources allow our students and teachers to distinguish themselves from their peers across the state and country.
  As Superintendent Diana Rigby notes, "Our students continue to achieve at very high levels because educators, staff, parents, and community members invest their knowledge, skills, experience, time, and resources in improving our schools. The Concord Ed Fund has generously supported school improvement efforts for many years, and we are very grateful for the annual grants for teacher innovation, new technology tools, the Digital Recording Studio, and Hooked on Science program."
  This past year, our 15th year in operation, CEF granted $109,838 to fund 14 proposals that will impact kindergarten through grade 12. We have gifted over $10,000 (for a total investment of over $61,000) for the completion of the Digital Recording Studio. We have also invested $52,500 in, with an additional $88,000 allocated,
CEF Board Members
CEF Board members relish the news that the Boston Magazine rated CCHS third in its ranking of top high schools.
for the Hooked on Science program at CCHS. None of this would be possible without the generous support of our donors.
  Whether it's funding the innovative programs, purchasing equipment, or subsidizing professional development, CEF is committed to furthering excellence by deepening and broadening the educational experience of our students through grants and gifts to our schools. Grant applications are currently being accepted and we look forward to seeing what inspiration and brilliance is in store for the future.
  Please look inside for photos and descriptions of grants in action. You can support our mission at our Dinner Dance and Auction party at Concord Country Club on Saturday, November 14th. To purchase tickets or make an online donation, please visit us at www.concordedfund.org. Yes, things are looking up in Concord and Carlisle. And, the future's bright.
CEF Annual Party

CEF Grants Awarded for the 2009-2010 School Year

21st Century BLC Conference ($5,360)
This July, an eight-person team of administrators, specialists and teachers attended the three-day Building Learning Communities conference in Boston.
 Attendees learned about the possibilities of education fueled by new technologies including ways to engage students in their learning and prepare them for a global economy that seeks innovation, flexibility, creative thinking, collaboration, extraordinary communication and presentation skills, and authentic opportunities. In the words of one attendee from the Concord Carlisle delegation:
 "It is incredibly exciting! We can accomplish so much in guiding our students toward learning about their global community, giving them the skills to become fluent in the new ways of the digital future, partnering with students and their families in looking forward and embracing the changes that are upon us."
 The team will continue to collaborate on implementation ideas across K-12, which will benefit students and staff district-wide.

Girls With Camera
Alcott students from Concord and Boston use digital cameras to create cross-cultural photo essay books which document their lives outside of school. (2008-2009 Grants in Action)

Integrating Digital Art and Photography ($2,202)
On the heels of a very successful digital program and 2008 CEF Grant "Photo Essays," this grant will purchase additional equipment for full class use in Integrated Arts, Technology and Language Arts projects at Alcott. Fourth and Fifth graders will create books combining digital photography and writing. At times, the photos taken will serve as writing "prompts," while in other projects, students will be asked to photograph an event, place, person, even a period of time, and develop related text.

Making Ecuador a Touchstone of the Sixth Grade Latin American Curriculum ($5,110)
This grant funded a three week trip in June 2009 to Ecuador for Rachel Plante, a Concord Middle School Art teacher. While in Ecuador, Ms. Plante met with artists, political officials, archaeologists and ecologists to identify ways to engage CMS students in the lives and history of Ecuador. In addition, Ms. Plante taught at two Ecuadorian schools—one urban and one rural. While in those schools, she studied the approaches that Ecuadorian teachers use to engage their students in learning about their culture.
 This Fall 2009, Ms. Plante will meet with the 6th grade Art, Social Studies and World Languages teachers to develop curriculum that will give tangible expression to the insights that Ms.Plante brought back from Ecuador.

Moodle Software for Website Development ($11,750)
In recent years, there has been tremendous growth in the array of digital curricula and online learning experiences. This grant will provide funding for a team of teachers to become trained in the use of Moodle software and to develop a template for teachers to use in developing interactive, online learning environments. It is projected that the websites developed will eventually benefit all students at CCHS and CMS.

Sophomore Writing Enrichment Technology Cart ($29,831.74)
With CEF funding, 25 Mac Book laptops were purchased for the Sophomore English class. This yearlong, writing-intensive course teaches students the craft of the written word. Engaging in writing and revising during class time requires electronic word processing. Students now will be able to make extensive progress during class, which will improve overall performance and, ultimately, ensure that they advance through high school with a command of the writing skills necessary to succeed in the 21st Century.

Rehearsal Studio
Talented CCHS musicians enjoy full benefit of the state-of-art digital recording studio. (2008-2009 Grants in Action)

CCHS Advance Multi-Media Production ($26,000)
Great things are in store for CCHS students and faculty interested in video production. This grant funded the purchase of video, digital and audio production equipment to produce high-quality video suitable for television broadcast. A key element of this grant is the development of a professional learning community (PLC) for educators interested in incorporating multi-media into their curriculum. Faculty interested in using multi-media in their curriculum stem from virtually every department at CCHS. The broad range of projected uses of the new equipment include production of CCHS Weather Broadcasts, use within Meteorology and Earth Science classes, and collaboration between students enrolled in digital video courses and CCTV to name a few. Additionally, it will provide a dynamic forum for cross-curricular discussion and professional development.
Renovated Fitness Center
CCHS students take advantage of the newly renovated fitness center.(2008-2009 Grants in Action)

Walk a Mile in your Shoes ($10,000)
 This creative approach seeks to increase students' learning and expand on global education initiatives set by the school district. CCHS students will research and serve as "experts" concerning various cultures represented by Thoreau families. They will work with educators, the Thoreau School Global Education Committee and Thoreau School families to design multimedia presentations to share with the Thoreau students. These presentations will reflect the diverse culture and experiences, beliefs and traditions that have connections to the Thoreau School community. The program hopes to present between five and ten cultures of past, present and future Thoreau students to the current Thoreau student body.

Classroom Math Enrichment Centers ($2,368)
 This grant will fund the creation of math enrichment centers to provide quality, differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all students K-5, as well as ensure opportunities and challenges for those students seeking further enhancement in their math studies. Each center will consist of a mobile cart equipped with challenging and enriching mathematical materials that go beyond the regular mathematics curriculum in the form of activities, problems and games.

Intergenerational Literary Lunch at CMS ($1,500)
 Through a literary luncheon group, Ms. Stockwood plans to instill a passion for reading in 6th grade middle school students. This grant will be used to purchase books and lunch for the parent-student participants. Ms. Stockwood will be recruiting volunteers as well as seeking out those students who might be reluctant readers. Approximately 20 different students will sign up each month with their parents or guardians for a total of six book groups throughout the year. They will meet to discuss the selected book of the month and have a simple but appetizing lunch. This program is modeled after a highly successful literary lunch program that Ms. Stockwood was involved with at McCall Middle School in Winchester.

Students Explore Artifacts
Fourth Grade students explore the scientific artifacts and activities from the Curiousity Carts. (2008-2009 Grants in Action)

Focus on your Footprint - A Home Energy Analysis ($7,075)
During Peter Nichol's Honors Earth Science class this spring, students gained a sobering understanding of the impact of their respective households on the environment. Using the CEF-funded ThermoHAWK Touchless Infrared Thermometers and drawing inspiration from the new textbooks, Low Carbon Diet - a 30 Pound Program to Lose 5000 Pounds, students determined the total energy consumption of their homes. They then planned ways to be more efficient, save energy, reduce their carbon footprint and even save money! This pilot program will be available to all CCHS Earth Science Students as one of the quarterly program projects.

CCHS Global Literacy Program Consultant ($5,000)
Think globally; communicate effectively. This grant funds a coordinator to work along with Iolanda Volpe, CCHS Foreign Language teacher, to create and implement a CCHS Global Literacy Program for students in grades 9-12. The goal of the Global Literacy Program is to help CCHS students foster global awareness through travel abroad, traditional foreign language studies and multi-cultural community service. The program is modeled after similar programs in Needham, Burlington and Belmont Public Schools and is expected to provide students with essential skills for our increasingly global society.

Writing Skills Readiness ($950)
Funds from this grant will be used to produce a classroom friendly instructional DVD to teach and improve K-2 student's writing readiness awareness and skills. The finished product will be shared across all three schools.

Document Cameras for Use with Promethean ActivBoards ($3,390)
This grant funds the purchase of two Document Cameras to be used in math and foreign language classes at CCHS. The Document Cameras will help students and teachers share work-in-progress as well as project 3D items on ActivBoards, many of which were funded by CEF in previous years.
 
Fritz and GiGi
Board of Directors
Jennifer Munn
Michelle Ernst
Co-Presidents

Melissa Olsen
Vice-President

Sarah MacEachern
Secretary

Louis Salemy
Treasurer

Peter Anastos
Clerk
Directors
Susan Barron
John Boynton
Sue Bumpus
Harry Carter
Maureen Dibble
Linda Della Volpe
Andy Dudley
Janet Rhodes Friedman
Pamela Loos Gildehaus
Vaughn Harring
Kim Patenaude
Charlie Sample
Theresa Scalzi
Amy Simon
Richard Wells
 
Concord Education Fund Donor List 2009-2010
The CEF is enormously grateful to the individuals, businesses, and non-profits listed below whose generosity makes our work possible. We apologize if we have inadvertently omitted any names, this list comprises donations through June 2009.
R.W. Emerson Donors $10,000 and above
John and Johanna Boynton
Fabian and Suzanne Fondriest
Michael and Roxanne Zak

H.D. Thoreau Donors $5,000 to $9,999
Timothy and Maureen Dibble
Michael and Maureen Ruettgers
Louis and Holly Salemy
Adam and Amy Simon
Michael and Priscilla Vergura

L.M. Alcott Donors $2,500 to $4,999
Robert and Leslie Bergman
Dennis and Kim Burns
Andrew and Jessica Dudley
Charles and Nancy Morrison
Sven and Janine Olson
William Sabine and Melita Teichert
Geoffand Ramsay Trussell
Dinah B. Vischer

N. Hawthorne Donors $1,000 to $2,499
Reinier and Nancy Beeuwkes
Andy and Jane Boynton
Susan and Jim Bumpus
James and Kristin Canty
Harry and Joyce Carter
Charles and Gloria Clough
Mark and Theresa Cohen
Paul and Marybeth Crabtree
Charles and Frances Crowley
James and Laura Davidian
Wade and Aliza Edwards
Kevin and Claudia Feeney
Kevin Foley and Leah Flanigan
Douglas and Carolyn Gouchoe
Barry and Connie Hershey
Charles Gildehaus and Pamela Loos
David and Jennifer MunnDana NesheJeffand Sarah Newton
George and Connie Noble
Northern Trust Company
Paul and Maria Selian
Peter and Anne Standish
Jeffrey Moore and Barbara Southcote
Edwin H. Thomas Foundation Thomas and Judy Vaughn
Carter and Lissa Winstanley

E. Ripley Donors $500 to $999
Anonymous
Anonymous
Peter and Julia Anastos
Richard Wells and Kathleen Bailey
Devlin and Susan Barron
John and Janice Battle
Jay Copeland and Susan Beede
Russell Beede
Dan and Sally Bowen
Marc and Sheila Boyle
Peter and Pam Callahan
Jim DiGiovanni
Robert and Caroline Donelan
Scott and Michelle Ernst
Michael and Susan Fitzgerald
Polly Gilbert
Paula M. Hobson
Crawford Idema Family Foundation
Peter and Denise Jantzen
David and Mary Learned
Philip and Amy Newell
David and Melissa Norton
Peter and Missy Olsen
Robert and Kathi O’Neil
William and Wendy Page
Steven and Jennifer Pascucci
Robert and Janine Penfield
Bill and Maura Perkins
Christopher and Patricia Popov
Burt Adelman and Lydia Rogers
Charlie and Juli Sample
Paul and Theresa Scalzi
Peter and Alison Small
Jay and Julie Stephens
Ralph and Laurine Verrilli
David Sibley and Joan Walsh
Douglas and Katharine Yoder
Fred Abbott and Linda Ziffrin

S. Willard Donors $250 to $499
David and Sally Abend
James and Elizabeth Athanasoulas
Jeffrey and Beverly Backerman
Thomas and Annette Bagley
Bank of America Foundation
Robert and Katie Barbarisi
Jeffrey and Renee Barrett
Martin and Nancy Beaulieu
Jeffrey and Ellen Campbell
Ellen and John Canepa
George and Ann Colony
Steve and Lori Cook
Dan and Luanne Cordeau
Mark and Joyce Davis
Marshal and Elizabeth Dorr
James Vahey and Joan Eagan
Gregor and Mary Ferguson
Fritz and Gigi's Children's Shop
Jay and Susan Forrester
David Douglas and Pamela Gannon
Robin Garrison
Stephen and Janet Gillies
David DeLong and Susan Gladstone
Robert and Laura Granahan
Aliisa Gray
Michael Vogel and Anne Grover
Charles and Louise Haldeman
Stephen and Jennifer Hart
Mark and Pamela Howell
Bradley and Patricia Howes
William and Lauren Huyett
Alexander and Deborah Lamont
Paul Rogers and Rosa Lasaosa
Karen Long
John and Sarah MacEachern
James Shields and Gayle Merling
David Storto and Shelley Mogil
Karen Muller
Barry Pailet
Christopher and Deedo Painter
Christopher and Ann Sgarzi
Jeffrey Wieand and Janet Silver
John and Ann Slocum
James and Darien Smith
Hillary and Langley Steinert
Heather and Thayer Swartwood
Harvey and Valerie Thayer
Peter and Laurie Thomsen
Alexander and Trish Walker
Richard and Patricia Waters
Timothy and Abigail White
Lindsy and Katherine Wilson
Madelene Wilson

F. Sanborn Donors $100 to $249
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Gordon Thomas and Allison Aley
Sandra Aley
David and Donna Amorella
Steven Bloomfeld andMelissa Apperson
Jeffrey Arle
Ruth Armknecht
Cory Atkins
Chris and Faith Bade
Brian and Ann Bailey
Robert and Katherine Beede
Les Charm and Karen Belinsky
Michael Krupa and Ruth Bell
Lorne Cooper and Nancy Birchard
Timothy and Rebecca Blodgett
Nicole and Jeff Bloomfield
Ronald BottLynn Brennan
Robert and Hester Brooks
Alan Schneyer and Elissa Brown
John McCarthy and Andrea Brox
John and Sarah Brozowski
Stephen and Candace Carr
James and Jean Carter
Brent and Rita Clark
Salvatore Caruso and Stefanie Cloutier
Kathleen Clute
William E. Colleran III
Thomas and Emily Collins
Salvatore and Kathryn DeMarco
William and Laurie Diercks
Lauren and Christopher Dillon
David Holdorf and Kathleen Dwyer
David and Jennifer Eaton
Christina Economos
Christian and Michele Fisher
Kenneth Freeman
Denise and Robert Galejs
Chris and Laurie Garrison
Mark and Eleanor Garvey
John Fyler and Julia Genster
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund
Leonard and Johanna Glazer
Eddie and Milagros Gonzales
Lydia Gregoret
Charles Wilson and Lydia Gregoret-WilsonJack Griswold
Phillip and Liz Gross
Steve Tobin and Nancy Hartle
Rashid Ashraf and Tatier Hartoyo
Elizabeth Harvey
James and Shelley Hawks
William and Angela Healy
Gardner W. Heaton
Ted and Gretchen Hibben
John and Paula Hickling
Barbara Howe
Gregory and Meg Howes
Thomas and Christine Jacobs
Tom and Cindy Jump
Phillip and Melissa Katz
Stephen Katz
John Kennedy
Maura Kenney
Peter Zimmerman and Mary King
Marc and Virginia Lamere
Charles and Teresa Leahy
Nicholas Purinton and Elizabeth Lewis
Karl and Susanne Liebich
Steven Block and Maria Madison
David and Angela Matthews
Michael and Sheila McCauley
Terence and Mary McCourt
Margaret McGillin
Paul and Jan McGinn
John Stevens and Virginia McIntyre
Marshall and Lisa McLean
John and Wendy McNally
Marion Meenan
Peter and Carol Meenan
Schuyler Lance and Linda Merwin
Matthew and Sandra Meyerson
William J. and Hilary Midon
Robert Ferstenberg and Amal Moamar
Robert Morris
John and Ruth Mullaney
Mark and Suzanne Nemec
Paul Nickelsberg
John and Cynthia Nock
Don Bolinger and Susan Norman
Daniel and Hillary O’Connor
Marc and Debbie OsofskyWayne and Kimberly Patenaude
Stephen and Diane Payne
Todd and Brenda Pulis
Nancy Rea
Brooks and Susannah Read
Eric Green and Carmin Reiss
Susan Reynolds
James and Ellen Rice
Coco Richmond
Diana Rigby
Nelson and Ann Rosas
Michael Dettelbach and Holly Rothermel
Terry and Kitsy Rothermel
David Lebling and Janet Rothrock
Wendy Rovelli
Steve and Hope Rubin
Paul and Theresa Ruhlmann
Mark Prior and Abby Russell-Prior
Tony and Diane Saleh
Michael and Trudy Schelzi
David and Mary-Anne Schubert
Andrew Weinstein and Rebecca Shannon
Sergio and Andrea Siani
Charles and Sherin Spofford
Richard and Nancy St. Jean
Debra Stark
Donald and Marjory Stevenson
Michael Epstein and April Stone
James Stubblebine
John and Linda Sweeney
Daniel and Maggie Terris
Daniel and Della Thompson
Richardand Marian Thornton
Louis Putterman and Vivian Tseng
Don and Lynda Voghel
Robert and Robyn Waldeck
Katherine Wasserman
Jerry and Carol Wedge
Sandra Crawford and Mark Weltner
Scott and Carol Wipper
Russell and Martha Wolf
Byron and Ann Woodman

Friends of Concord Education Up to $99
Anonymous
Kenneth and Lynda Anderson
Robert and Judith Anderson
Peter and Laura Anderson
Edward Bander
Phillip Herman and Jane Barnett
Eleanor Bemis
Jeffrey Meyer and Nicole Benecasa
Suresh and Animesh Bhatia
Howard and Lynn Bloom
David Harkrider and Sara Brydges
Paul Kirshen and Bettina Burbank
Nicole Burkel
William Butcher
Marshal and Sherry Cabot
Mathew and Amy Capofreddi
Charlotte Cardullo
Andrew and Liza Carey
Sharon and Robert Castillo
Michael and Diana Cattafe
David and Kathleen Chapman
Andrew and Jennifer Clarke
Savitri Clarke
Judith Cole
David and Jill Collis
Anthony and Nancy Confrey
Tom Hart and Christopher Jane Corkery
John and Holly Cratsley
Nancy Cronin
Thomas and Susan Curtin
Timothy Daughters
Thomas D'Arcy and Joan DiGiovanni-D'Arcy
Raymond Ferrara and Mary Ellis
John and Caroline Ellis
John and Katharine Esty
Paul and Devra Feshbach-Meriney
Richard and Barbara Fine
Phillipe Frangules
David and Donna Frank
Daniel and Janet Friedman
Deborah Disston and Al Froment
Kim Garcia
Frances and John Gardella
Peter and Lynn Gudmand
Dalton and Nannette Gustafson
Nicole Hammond
Elliot Quint and Janice Hayden
Henry and Bette Hess
William and Lee Hoffman
Faith Howland
Tom and Marilyn Hughes
Jane Innamorati
Ann and Edward Jennings
Shelley Johnson
Peter and Kate Kaplan
Cynthia Katz
Jonathan and Judy Keyes
Sylvia Klinck
David Kramer
Bagepalli and Geeta Krishna
Karl and Sarah Kussin
Stephen and Sherry Litwack
Rebecca Loprete
H. Toby and Cheryl Lou
John and Lorna Mack
John and Melissa McBride
Mark and Susan Merlino
Microsoft Matching Gifts Program
Lilt Molla and Dagnachew Mideksa
Joshua and Ursula Millard
C. Kenneth and Dorcas Miller
Millipore Foundation
Laura Mills
Robert and Elizabeth Morrison
Peter Siebert and Candace Nelson
June Patton
Rob and Louisa Paushter
Raymond and Sheila Pavlik
Phyllis Pipkin
Carl and Joan Popolo
Marie Preval
Kyle and Elizabeth Price
Robert Mann and Elizabeth Ramos
William and Patricia Reed
Jim and Julia Reichheld
Robert and Jill Robitaille
Lee and Judith Rosenbaum
Thomas and Elizabeth Ryde
Donald Kupka and Debra Saks
Rex Morrill and Lynn Salinger
Pieter and Elizabeth Schiller
Margaret Schumacher
Shawn and Rosalind Seitz
Frederick and Susan Seward
Hansa Shah
Sarah Sharpe
John and Marcella Shipe
Diana Shoemaker
Scott and Kathleen Snook
Alex Parra and Laura Snowdon
Lawrence and Maryann Strang
Philip and Roseanne Swain
Parker and Midge Symmes
Lawrence Masland and Pamela Talbot
James and Judy Terry
Thomas and Claire Titchener
Thomas and Lynn Umina
Philip and Mary-Wren vanderWilden
Robert and Betsy Veidenheimer Andrew and Claudia Veitch
Verizon Foundation
Frona Vicksell
Eugene and Mary Walker
Judith Walklet
Carrie Waterman
Van C. Smick and Suzanne Weaver
Nathaniel and Debra Welch
Brenda White
William and Sally Williams
Charles and Mary Sue Willie
Donald and Carol Wood
Richard and Veronica Woodworth
 
We also would like to thank all those people who helped make our annual Silent Auction a success through their generous purchases.
 
Lastly, we would like to thank Peter Reed and all the folks at Ambit Press for their generous support these past few years!
 
Learn more about the Concord Education Fund!