February 2023

 



The 16th Annual Excellence in Education Awards is coming up! On
Thursday, April 27th, 2023, join SPEF at the Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa as community members, corporations, school administrators, teachers, parents, and other nonprofit agencies gather to celebrate the power of public education. This year's event will celebrate our community's commitment to literacy and the importance of inspiring a passion for reading in all students. Purchase your tickets now!

 

We are thrilled to be honoring the following friends of SPEF with our 
SPEF Leadership in Literacy Award: 

Amy Beldotti 

Associate Superintendent, Teaching and Learning, Stamford Public Schools

For Amy Beldotti, Stamford has always been a special place. As graduate of the Stamford Public Schools, Amy has spent her career advocating for equitable access to quality public education—with her love for books and literacy always shining through. Since 2019, Amy has been responsible for developing and overseeing curriculum, professional development, college and career readiness, technology integration and innovative programming. Previously, Amy has served as a principal, assistant principal and teacher in various buildings. Her commitment to the district is unwavering and inspiring. Thank you, Amy!

 

Reading is Fundamental

Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) is committed to a literate America by inspiring a passion for reading among all children, providing quality content to create impact, and engaging communities in the solution to give every child the fundamentals for success. RIF inspires a joy of reading for Stamford children and others across the nation, helping them to read, learn and grow. Since its founding, RIF has provided more than 422 million books to more than 129 million kids in all 50 states.
Thank you, RIF! 

~~~~

 Purchase Your
Excellence in Education
 
Tickets
Today!

Alice Knapp

Chief Executive Officer,
Ferguson Library

Named Chief Executive Officer of the Ferguson Library in 2014, Alice Knapp has been instrumental in the Ferguson Library's growth and success for the past eight years. She has won countless awards for her leadership and dedication, including the American Library Association's Sullivan Award in 2020, which recognizes a library administrator who has shown exceptional understanding and support of public library service to children. Prior to being CEO, Alice was the Executive Director of the New Canaan Library. Her expertise, vision, and passion for reading and intellectual freedom make her an exceptional public library leader. Thank you, Alice!

 

Books Across Stamford Brings Students and Families Together
 
for a Fun-Filled Afternoon

On Saturday, January 28th, students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade gathered for a special Winter Wonderland Book Giveaway at the Ferguson Library! This free event was sponsored by the Ferguson Library and Stamford Public Education Foundation (SPEF) in partnership with Reading is Fundamental (RIF), Stamford Public Schools (SPS) and the City of Stamford as part of SPEF’s Books Across Stamford program. Students from over 20 schools visited the Library to select three books each, to help build their home libraries.

With the help of over 15 volunteers, SPEF distributed approximately 750 books to two hundred and fifty children! In addition to book distribution, students decorated snowflakes, took silly selfies at the selfie station, and ate snacks that were graciously provided by Chartwells. Thank you to all who attended and made this event a success!

To view photos from the event, please visit our Facebook or click here. 

 
 

Fairfield County's Giving Day 2023

Mark your calendars! Thursday, February 23rd is Fairfield County's Giving Day! SPEF thrives from support from community members who share the same belief as us: that all students in Stamford have the right to benefit equally from a quality public education. On Thursday, February 23rd, please consider making a donation to SPEF so we can continue our work of empowering students and providing them with resources that will help them succeed.

 
 

         End Note:  Black History Month


February is Black History Month, which celebrates the impact that Black individuals have had on U.S. culture and society. During the month of February, SPEF would like to join its friends at Stamford Cradle to Career and Ferguson Library in recognizing and commemorating Black History Month by sharing some wonderful titles by Black authors. Found here, this enriching compilation of titles guarantees a refreshed appreciation for Black literature. 

 
 

Follow Us

 
Stamford Public Education Foundation
177 Broad Street, 3rd Floor
Stamford, Connecticut 06901
(203) 965-7733
ltusa@spefct.org

Educating and Empowering Our Next Generation

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