Student Chefs Serve the Quincy Community

The Quincy School ~ Community Partnership (QSCP) is grateful to once again partner with Stop & Shop Companies to support the education of QPS Culinary Arts students throughout the 2020-2021 school year. Stop & Shop, an Executive Level Sponsor of the QSCP, is generously donating $10,000.00 in product to support Quincy High School’s Culinary Arts students in preparing food for local non-profit and municipal organizations.

  • On Friday, December 18, 2020 (Term 1), a Grab & Go Lunch was prepared for Quincy’s First Responders (Police, Fire, Brewster Ambulance, Health Department, QPS Nurses). Lunches were planned, prepared and packaged by students enrolled in Quincy High School’s Culinary Arts Program and delivered to each site.
  • On Friday, February 5, 2021 (Term 2), dinner was enjoyed by 50 guests at Father Bill’s & MainSpring (FBMS) Homeless Shelter. Quincy High School’s Career Vocational and Technical Education Culinary Arts students designed and developed the menu, prepped and prepared all food items, and packaged the food for delivery, under the guidance of their Culinary Arts instructors, Mr. Mark Kelly, Ms. Dawn Marie Gainey and Ms. Jacqueline Niosi.
  • On Tuesday, March 23, 2021 (Term 3), a Grab & Go Lunch was prepared for Quincy’s Department of Natural Resources (Parks, Forestry, Cemetery, Recreation, and Conservation), as well as the Department of Public Works (Traffic, Parking, Alarm & Lighting (TPAL), Highway, Sewer/Water/Drain, Engineering, Inspectional Service (building, plumbing, wiring) and administrative support for each office). Lunches were planned, prepared and packaged by students enrolled in Quincy High School’s Culinary Arts Program.
  • Planning is underway for the April 2021 (Term 4) ~ Grab & Go Lunch for Seniors

Special thanks to Stop & Shop Companies for their continued generosity and support!

Cradles to Crayons Donates 500 Winter Coats to QPS Students

The Quincy School ~ Community Partnership is grateful for the continued  generosity and support of Cradles to Crayons! Five hundred winter coats with matching hats and gloves were donated to the Quincy School ~ Community Partnership thanks to Cradles to Crayon’s Winter Coat Initiative. Coats were distributed to each Quincy Public Schools elementary school, as well as Point Webster (Grade 5) and South ~ West (Grade 5) for distribution by building principals.

Backpacks & School Supplies

Special thanks to Cradles to Crayons, NAGE, Granite Telecommunications, Mass Bay Credit Union, and Quincy Credit Union for your generous donation of supply-filled backpacks for the students in Quincy Public Schools. Although the start of the school year was like no other, a brand-new backpack and school supplies were welcomed by our students and families. Thank you for your continued generosity and support!

Innovation Learning Team Grant Awards

Each year, thanks to the generosity and support of our local community business partners, the Quincy School ~ Community Partnership awards grant funds to Quincy Public Schools professional staff. To date, approximately $460,000.00 has been awarded.

Purpose: The purpose of the 2020-2021 competitive Innovative Learning Grant was to support Quincy Public Schools professional staff in designing and developing digital lessons, which support digital/remote learning and are reflective of the curriculum.

Priorities:  Applicants created a minimum of three sequential digital lessons, which included three innovative hands-on learning activities. Applicants also created a Digital Learning Grant Assessment tool.

Eligibility: Eligible applicants included all Quincy Public Schools professional staff.

Funding: Teams, consisting of 3-5 professional staff members, received a stipend of $2,500.00 to be shared equally amongst team members. Up to fourteen teams could be awarded grant funds totalling $35,000.00.

Fund Use: Grant funds must be used to design and develop digital lessons including engaging, hands-on activities consistent with all systemwide/ state requirements. Grant Teams awarded funding are required to share their Digital Learning Grant with grade level peers across the city.

Congratulations

Congratulations to the 10 teams of teachers (representing all grade levels) whose grants were selected for funding. Areas of focus included: Zones of Regulation (coping skills), Social Emotional Learning, Evolution of Atomic Theory, the Earth’s Water System, Camouflage – Changing to Hide, Abstract Concepts of Electricity and Magnetism, Function of the Digestive System, Understanding Multiplication, and Density, Heat, Transfer and Phase Changes.

QSCP Partners Support the 2021 Credit for Life Fair

In Winter 2020, planning and preparations were well underway for the 12th Annual Credit for Life Fair. Little did we know that with the closing of Quincy Public Schools in March, the in-person event would not be held. However, thanks to the dedication and commitment of our innovative business educators, the QPS 2020 Credit for Life Fair: A Digital Experience was designed and developed. It provided high school seniors with an understanding of decisions impacting their spending and developed skills to be financially wise, and underscored the importance of good credit, budgeting, and money management. The program was recognized by the State Treasurer’s Office and shared with school districts throughout the state.

Building on the success of last year’s event, 450 seniors from Quincy Public Schools business electives and career vocational & technical programs will participate virtually in the 13th annual Credit for Life Fair in April 2021 (Financial Literacy Month).

Special thanks to the following partners for their support in making this year’s Credit for Life Fair a fun-filled and rewarding experience: Mass Bay Credit Union, Baystate Financial, Mike Rothberg, Colonial Federal Savings Bank, South Shore Bank, Quincy Credit Union, Quincy College, Quirk Auto Dealerships and Coastal Heritage Bank.

Callahan Construction / Trades Beyond the Bell

Callahan Construction, an Executive Level Sponsor ($10,000.00) of the Quincy School Community Partnership, has been a prominent QSCP partner for the past four years. Callahan’s generosity and support of Quincy Public Schools Career Vocational and Technical Education students is unparalleled. Callahan-sponsored initiatives include:

  • Women in the Trades Summit
  • Summer Internships for Students
  • Student Visitations to Construction Sites
  • Program Advisory Team participation, and
  • Participation on the Quincy Public Schools Outstanding

CVTE Student of the Year Interview Team. This year, Callahan Construction sponsored an exciting new initiative, Trades Beyond the Bell. This 10-week after school program was for students currently enrolled in Quincy High Schools Career Vocational and Technical Education program and included the following trades: Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing and Metal Fabrication and Joining Technologies. Trades Beyond the Bell provided hands-on engagement, safety awareness, technical skills, as well as 40 additional program shop hours for plumbers and electricians. Approximately 25 students enrolled in the program. Special thanks to Callahan Construction for being a devoted and generous partner of the Quincy School ~ Community Partnership.

Thank You Quincy College

Quincy College, an Executive Level Sponsor of the Quincy School ~ Community Partnership, continues their work to support Quincy Public Schools staff and students. North Quincy and Quincy High School students are supported through the following post-secondary initiatives:

Dual Enrollment – High school students have the opportunity to earn three Quincy College credits while they are still in high school. Tuition is at a reduced rate and the courses are conducted at their high school. In addition, Quincy College in collaboration with a Massachusetts High Education grant, allowing 190 QPS students complimentary three credits in STEM related dual enrollment courses.

Career Vocational and Technical Education Pathways – QPS students enrolled in designated CVTE programs have the opportunity to earn 12 Quincy College credits while they are still in high school. CVTE students can earn up to 15 complimentary college credits for a variety of CVTE Programs upon graduation.

Early College High School – QPS students will have the opportunity to earn Quincy College credits during their sophomore, junior, and senior years. A collaboration between State Street Corporation, Quincy College, and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education where eligible students can earn up to 21 complimentary college credits upon graduation.

Special thanks to Quincy College for their continued generosity and support!

Thank You Quincy Credit Union

Special thanks to Quincy Credit Union, an Executive Level Sponsor of the Quincy School Community Partnership, for providing Financial Literacy lessons to all Career Vocational & Technical Education classes at Quincy High School.

5th Grade Student Council Leadership Summit

The annual 5th Grade Student Council Leadership Summit, hosted by the South Shore YMCA, a Platinum Level Sponsor of the Quincy School ~ Community Partnership, was held at the Tirrell Room on Thursday, February 13, 2020. Approximately 70 fifth grade student leaders, representing each elementary school, attended the event. Students participated in a series of interactive Leadership Workshops including Communication Skills, Decision Making, and Teamwork, led by Phil Gay from the South Shore YMCA. Special thanks to the North Quincy High School and Quincy High School senior class officers for assisting students throughout the morning. Following the workshops, Community Leaders, including Quincy’s Mayor Thomas P. Koch and Ms. Janelle Woods-McNish from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, spoke to the students about their leadership roles in business and the community. Special thanks to the South Shore YMCA for sponsoring this exciting event!

Congratulations to Richard DeCristofaro, Ed.D.

Congratulations to Richard DeCristofaro, Ed.D. on his appointment as <strong>President of Quincy College. The Quincy School ~ Community Partnership</strong> is grateful to Dr. DeCristofaro for his continued advocacy of the QSCP throughout his tenure as Superintendent of Quincy Public Schools. For 19 years, Dr. DeCristofaro was the mainstay of the Partnership. He helped design Partnership Pathways, which continues to be the successful model used by the Quincy School Community Partnership today. Dr. DeCristofaro was honored to be supported by the business community of Quincy. We wish him well!

Read Across America ~ Dr. Seuss Birthday

Special thanks to the wonderful partners of the Quincy School ~ Community Partnership who visited our schools in celebration of Read Across America/Dr. Seuss Birthday, February 4, 2020 – March 6, 2020. Those partners included Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Bank of Canton, Bridgewater Credit Union, the Shiner Group, Quincy Retired Teachers Association, National Fire Protection Association, and the Quincy Credit Union. A special shout out to Mayor Thomas Koch, Superintendent Richard DeCristofaro, School Committee Vice Chair Anthony Andronico, members Kathryn Hubley, Frank Santoro, Paul Bregoli and Emily Lebo for celebrating Read Across America/Dr. Seuss Birthday with the students in Quincy Public Schools.

A Matter of Heart ~ a Middle School Initiative

February is Heart Month! Special thanks to QSCP Partner Brewster Ambulance Service, School Nurses, Health Education and Physical Education teachers for participating in “Matter of Heart,” a wellness initiative for Grade 8 students. This year’s “Matter of Heart ~ a Middle School Initiative” took place February 3, 2020 – February 7, 2020 in each of Quincy’s 5 middle schools – Atlantic, Broad Meadows, Central, Point Webster and South~West. A full CPR/AED AHA Certification for Grade 8 students and their parents/guardians was held at Central Middle School, February 8, 2020, 8:30 am – 12:00 noon. Thank you to everyone who participated in this exciting event!

Credit for Life Fair

Quincy Public Schools’ 12th annual Credit for Life Fair, scheduled for March 19, 2020, was yet another victim of COVID-19. Special thanks to members of the Quincy School ~ Community Partnership who were prepared to participate in this highly-active one day seminar designed to instruct 400 high school seniors (200 from North Quincy High/200 from Quincy High) about the basics of credit and the role credit plays in all aspects of personal finance. THANK YOU AXA Equitable, Bank of Canton (Platinum Level Sponsor), Bridgewater Credit Union, Century Bank, Century 21 North East, Coastal Heritage Bank, David J. Donaghue Insurance (Platinum Level Sponsor), Eastern Bank, Hajjar’s Men’s Clothing, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (Platinum Level Sponsor), Mass Bay Credit Union, MASSHIRE South Shore Career Center, MASSHIRE South Shore Workforce Board, Merrimack Valley Credit Union, Michael Rothberg (Platinum Level Sponsor), Morgenthaler, MountainOne Bank, QPS Food Services, Quincy College, Quincy Credit Union (Platinum Level Sponsor), Quirk Auto Dealers, Rotary Club of Quincy (Platinum Level Sponsor), South Shore Bank (Platinum Level Sponsor), South Shore YMCA, State Street Corporation,and TD Bank.

Credit for Life Fair, a Virtual Experience

Planning for our high school students’ financial and professional future is a priority in the Quincy Public Schools. With the cancellation of the 12th Annual Credit for Life Fair, this year’s Fair became an interactive virtual experience/simulation for high school students from both North Quincy High School and Quincy High School. Prior to the Fair, each student selected a career and was provided its financial profile. The financial profile listed income and expenses, including loans and credit card balances. Students were required to visit 15 educational stations learning about Savings & Retirement, Housing, Health, Luxury, Clothing, Transportation, Insurance, Nutrition, Community Service, Job Search, Education, Reality Check, Credit & Lending, Furniture and Credit Counseling. Each station represents an expense or financial decision scenario. The goal of the students is to balance their budget by the conclusion of the Fair. Special thanks to Diana Cavallo, Marianne Collins, and Matt Gibbons from North Quincy High School for making this virtual experience possible!

Thank you Rural Masonic Lodge of Quincy!

The Masonic Lodge of Quincy donated $10,000.00 for professional development and provided student and parent presentations by Charles Appelstein, M.S.W. author of No Such Thing as a Bad Kid: Understanding and Responding to Kids with Emotional & Behavioral Challenges Using a Positive, Strength-Based Approach. This generous donation allowed Quincy Public Schools teachers, administrators, and student support staff to receive professional development sessions and a copy of the book. Schools were able to build upon their positive, strength-based approach through this support. This funding had a direct impact on school climate and fostering the positive relationships between students and educators.

Thank you Peter and Heather Thompson!

The Thompson Family sponsored Mentoring Programs at each high school called Roots and Wings. This comprehensive training for students and staff taught skills to bolster peer mentors in leadership and peer support. About 75 students from each high school participated in the training, which resulted in a more positive and inclusive school climate, where every student is valued and engaged.

Thank you Mike Falco!

Mike Falco, originally from Quincy, maintains his Quincy connection with generous donations to Quincy Public Schools throughout the school year. This past December, Mike ensured that families needing holiday assistance received gifts, food and clothing. During the school closure, Mike reached out to QPS Homeless Coordinator Leslie Bridson to donate Stop & Shop gift cards to families struggling with food insecurity. Through his network of generous donors, Mike has donated over $5,000.00 in Stop & Shop gift cards. Mike is with Santa’s Helpers.

Thank you Quincy Rotary Club!

The Quincy Rotary Club has generously donated $2,000.00 to assist Quincy Public Schools families with food insecurity. Quincy Public Schools purchased Stop & Shop gift cards that were delivered directly to families in need. Families were identified by Student Support Teams and Leslie Bridson, Homeless Coordinator.

Enriching Academic, Social and Vocational Success!

Congratulations to the Quincy Public Schools 2019 – 2020 new professional staff, who were welcomed at the New Professional Staff Orientation, prior to the start of school in September. Approximately 50 new staff participated in a two-day Orientation where members of the Superintendent’s Leadership Team presented district-wide information and services available to Quincy Public Schools students and staff. Special thanks to the following Quincy School Community Partners for funding this event: Quincy Education Association, Quincy Credit Union, Mike Rothberg/Baystate Financial, Montilio’s Bakery, and AXA Equitable.