commitment to her grandmother’s memory - A she would open opportunity for her students TRIP TO by bringing them to France and provide for them a linguistic and cultural experience PARIS, FRANCE which they might otherwise not afford. A Teacher's Commitment To Providing funding became her first priority. Her Grandmother's Memory She started by writing a proposal and submitting it to the Newark school system. By Hal Braff, 1952 In the proposal, Ms. Rogers indicated that the trip would include 15 students - 8 of It’s about 370 miles from the rural streets of whom are the only students in Newark Otisfield, in southern Maine to Chancellor Public Schools who have devoted four years Avenue, Newark, New Jersey and few these of their lives to learning French - and 7 of days design their lives to make that trip. whom will have completed French 2 Honors Fortunately for us all in the Weequahic classes before the trip. community one dynamic, energetic woman - inspired by the wisdom and legacy of her Scheduled to leave on March 23 and return grandmother, enthusiastically made the April 4, 2005, the students, Ms. Rogers, and journey - and has become one of our three other chaperones will spend 3 days in school’s favorite teachers. Paris, then travel by train to Nice where they will be After graduating staying with from Gettysburg host families, College in 2000, attending Lavinia Rogers was school in the looking for a mornings and meaningful way to cultural and both make a sporting difference in the events in the lives of young afternoons. people and to teach Then they the French return to Paris language. Through and finish "Teach For their stay America," an Ms. Rogers (left) with some of her students before flying organization which back home. helps to find teachers for schools which The total cost of the trip will be $39,165. have some difficulty recruiting, Ms. Rogers found the job she wanted and became the The Newark Public Schools provided a school’s first French teacher since the early $5,000 grant. So far the students have 1970's. raised over $7,000 through various school and community projects; the teachers Positive in her approach to her students, $1,300; the Alumni Association and confident in her ability to instill the individual contributions an additional excitement of learning a subject she loves to $12,000. Weequahic kids, Lavinia Rogers has established herself as one of the most More funds are needed, so you can still exciting teachers in the school - and the support this project by sending a check teaching of French as a vehicle to instill the payable to WHS Alumni Association joy of learning. (indicate French trip on the check) and mail to WHS Alumni Association P.O. Box Lavinia will tell you that her mentor and 494, Newark, NJ 07101. role model was her grandmother, Constance Cincotti, who taught her French as a child We are very excited about this wonderful and who also opened up the world of project and thrilled with the opportunities opportunity for her, changing her life by Ms. Rogers, the vibrant faculty, and our sending her to Paris. When Ms. Cincotti principal, Ron Stone, are offering our died last summer at 92, Ms. Rogers made a Weequahic kids. made lists and made suggestions. For the most A little honing here and there, bringing in more ALUMNI BOARD OF part, we focused on the following: alumni who share the "passion" and can provide TRUSTEES RETREAT new energy, getting our committees to function on y our backgrounds, relationship to the high a regular basis, developing an equitable and By Phil Yourish, 1964 school, and current concerns as alumni board specific procedure for distributing funds, and or committee members, administration, faculty, finding more creative ways to bring additional On Saturday, December 3rd, the Weequahic High parents and friends. financial resources into the organization were School Alumni Association Board of Trustees some of the suggestions from the group. So how y ways in which the school, the neighborhood and conducted an all-day retreat at the Parsippany are we doing? We're doing OK. And it's nice to be the city have changed through the different Hilton Hotel which also included the participation of able to confirm that every once in awhile. It was a generations. some former planning committee members, and day well spent. Our thanks to those who partici- pated and to Beth who guided us through this some Weequahic faculty and parents. y educational trends and events that have valuable process. impacted the high school since its inception. The following 22 persons attended: Board What factors made the high school work "then" Members: Marjorie Barnes, Judy Bennett, Hal and what can make it work "now." The Alumni Association Story Braff, Sheldon Bross, Mary Dawkins, Dave Lieberfarb, Art Lutzke, Sharon-Price Cates, Gerald y the challenges facing the high school within the Our presentation of our first Board of Trustees Russell, Vivian Simons, Ron Stone (also WHS next five years and the specific activities that retreat creates the time and place for us retell the Principal), Myrna Weissman, Loraine White (also are needed to effectively address those story of the alumni association. WHS Coordinator), Phil Yourish. Former challenges. Planning Committee Members: Lois Gilbert, y an evaluation of the committee structure of the It’s so hard to believe that it was only 1997 when Marshall Cooper. Weequahic Staff: Rowena board of trustees and its effectiveness. the alumni association made its debut at The Rose (Head Guidance Counselor), Marsha Zak Newark Public Library. So much has happened (Teacher, School Coalition). Parents: Shirley y respect for maintaining that "fine line" between since. Who knew then that the visions bouncing Johnson (President, Parent/Teachers Association), the roles of the alumni association and of the around in the minds of Hal Braff, 1952, and Rasheedah Syed (Parent Coordinator at the high school administration. Sheldon Bross, 1955, would capture the hearts of school), Alita Thompson. Other: Elaine Braff. so many Weequahic alumni. Who knew that an y the accomplishments of the alumni association idea of fancy would turn into such a viable and realistic areas of involvement for the Beth Randall Branigan, a senior consultant organization that has made many important organization as it relates to the high school. with Cavanaugh-Leahy, a company that specializes contributions. in executive coaching, leadership and management Some of the challenges identified were: development, and off-site design and facilitation, academic achievement; facility renovation; It’s been an incredible journey - so much was our facilitator. family/caretaker involvement; the level of support accomplished in so little time. As we move forward services; the new high school academy format; in our 8th year, I can remember vividly how it all Beth's background was a perfect fit for us. In school pride and student motivation; and ways for began. We were a group built on the intangibles - addition to over 15 years of consulting experience, students to "belong" in school. dreams, visions, faith, trust, enthusiasm and the Beth has worked in the private sector as an HR good intentions of a small group of alumni. And generalist at Citibank, and the nonprofit sector as And some of the suggestions for activities to meet we secretly wondered how far would that take us? NYS Director for the Anti-Defamation League. the needs of those challenges were: smaller More importantly, she served on the Maplewood - learning communities; new gyms and athletic I met Hal and Sheldon for the first time at the South Orange Board of Education and as President facility; needs assessments, focus groups, Library as they were planning for our big initial of the Columbia High School Booster Club. Her meaningful activities, and more effective event. Like many others, I was skeptical about experience both in and out of academic settings coordination for parents/caretakers; the input and such an endeavor, but at the same time drawn to enabled Beth to help us focus on the challenges involvement of all stake holders; closer relation- its possibilities. My interest was piqued when they that the alumni association must address today ships with feeder schools; access to the latest assured me that the alumni association was going and into the future. technology; collaboration with community agencies to be more than just good memories and nostalgic and the private sector; anger management/conflict events - that it was going to have a significant What was the purpose of the retreat? As the resolution training and values clarification courses; impact on the Weequahic High School of today. famous South Side High graduate, Ed Koch, used positive role-modeling by individuals on a national to say when he was Mayor of NYC, “How am I and local level and/or by alumni; financial I can recall that fabled Friday evening at the doing?,” we decided to spend some meaningful assistance for vocational training; and greater Library when more than 300 alumni showed up, time looking at what we have accomplished, alumni association resources and scholarships. elbows touching elbows, in a place too small for assessing our strengths and weaknesses, such a large crowd, thrilled about reconnecting appraising our mission statement and goals, and At the end of the day, we all pretty much agreed with classmates and friends from the high school defining the challenges for us as an alumni that the alumni association has been very of their youth. That night was the first tangible - organization in the years to come. successful over the past seven years and has real evidence that this improbable idea might focused on those areas that ultimately benefit the actually have some substance.