Press Archive

Education group provides money for blacksmith shop, BHS program
By Scott Benjamin
THE BROOKFIELD JOURNAL
4/14/06

‘In effect, the program establishes a social contract between the teacher and the students.’ — Bryan Luizzi, BHS Assistant Principal

The Brookfield Education Foundation (BEF) continues to raise money to equip a media center at Brookfield High School (BHS), and it recently provided grants to refurbish a blacksmith shop on the Gurski parcel and provide training for BHS teachers who are using an innovative program in their classrooms.

BEF President Carol Dores said that the organization, which supports a raft of school and civic projects, has raised almost half of the $35,000 that would be needed to equip the studio, which will be built as part of the renovations to the building that are about to start.

“We probably will start buying some of the equipment by this fall,” she said.

The foundation, which raises money from a variety of sources, also recently contributed $2,718 to the Brookfield Museum and Historical Society to help pay for the restoration of the blacksmith shop at the former Gurski Farm on Route 133.

John Furlong, the president of the museum society, said that work would start soon to repair the roof and chimney at the blacksmith shop, which has been owned by the town since 2002, when it purchased the 18-acre parcel.

Mr. Furlong, the former chairman of the Board of Education and the Board of Finance, said that the museum group would be providing a matching grant for the project. He said that former Selectman Judith Heise recommended that the group seek funding from the BEF.

Mrs. Heise is the chairman of a task force that has helped secure state money to help restore the barn at the site.

At her urging, the Board o Selectmen voted April 3 to establish a permanent 11-member committee that would have jurisdiction for the Gurski parcel.

First Selectman Jerry Murphy, who first came to Brookfield in the early 1950’s when his family bought a weekend home in town, has said that the Gurski parcel would provide visitors with a glimpse of Brookfield’s rural heritage.

Mr. Furlong said that up until about 40 years ago there were several farms in operation in town.

Additionally, the BEF also provided $1,600 to the high school so that three teachers and Ron Jaffe, a member of the Board of Education and the BEF’s Board of Directors, could be trained in the Capturing Kids Hearts Program.

BHS Assistant Principal Bryan Luizzi said that he and ninth-grade science teacher Cristie Celello received the training in 2004 on how to establish a more democratic classroom.

He said that program instructs teachers to use several “ice breaking” activities on the first day of class.

Mr. Luizzi, a BHS graduate and local resident, said that the teacher and students discuss how they each want to be treated.

He said that during the marking period the teachers shake hands with the students as they enter the classroom.

“In effect, the program establishes a social contract between the teacher and the students,” Mr. Luizzi said. “We’ve received positive feedback from the teachers and even more positive feedback from the students.”

He said that nine educators from the school have received training and that he is hopeful that some of the district’s staff development funds will be earmarked for further training in the program, which is administered by The Flippin Group, a private company that holds sessions in Hartford.

Mrs. Dores said that the BEF continues to generate money through private contributions and fund-raising events such as the Beaux Arts Masked Ball that it held in Danbury last October.

Correction
4/21/06
In last week’s Brookfield Journal story about the Brookfield Education Foundation it was incorrectly stated that the foundation has provided money for Board of education member and BEF board member Ron Jaffe to be trained, in addition to three teachres, in the Capturing Kids’ Hearts Program.

Rather, the foundation has paid only for the teachers. The Flippen Group, organization that runs the training program, has provided a no-charge opportunity for a board member to attend so that the Capturing Kids’ Hearts program could be better understood at the board level.

The Journal regrets the error.

© The Brookfield Journal 2006
Reproduced with permission

© Copyright 2007 Brookfield Education Foundation. All rights reserved.

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