Community Partnership - in the news!

$12,500 WAS RAISED AT THIS YEAR'S DICE & DINE! 
thanks to our generous
SPONSORS, AUCTION DONORS, and ATTENDEES! 

$3,000 Royal Flush Sponsor
DONOVAN FINANCIAL GROUP/UBS 
$2,000 Full House Sponsors
ATLANTICARE 
BROWN & BROWN BENEFIT ADVISORS 
COOPER LEVENSON ATTORNEYS AT LAW 
GREENS & GRAINS
$1,000 Table Games Sponsors
ATLANTIC CAPES FISHERIES 
REMINGTON & VERNICK ENGINEERS INC.  
​$500 Ace of Spades Sponsors
ADAMS-PERFECT FUNERAL HOMES 
FULTON BANK 
KATES SCHNEIDER ENGINEERING LLC 
LAW OFFICE OF STEPHANIE ALBRECHT-PEDRICK, LLC 
OCEANFIRST BANK 
​$250 Friend of the Foundation Sponsors
D'ARCY JOHNSON DAY, P.C. 
FORD-SCOTT AND ASSOCIATES, L.L.C. CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS 
FRAYTAK VEISZ HOPKINS DUTHIE, P.C. ARCHITECTS-PLANNERS 
GLENN INSURANCE INC. 

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In The News...

May 16, 2022

Tickets Still Available for May 19th Dice & Dine Honoring
​5 EHTPD Officers and an Outstanding EHT Staff Member

On Thursday the Community Partnership for Egg Harbor Township Schools Inc. will host the semi-annual Dice & Dine fundraiser at Linwood Country Club, and toast five Egg Harbor Township police officers and one outstanding Egg Harbor Township School District staff member who go above and beyond to lift up others.

Honorees will include this year’s Lou DeScioli Community Spirit Award recipients Ed Bertino, Ron Koons, Tommy Rizzotte, Jeremiah Simmons, and Heidi Vazquez – all Egg Harbor Township Police Officers, Egg Harbor Township High School alumni and local heroes who go above and beyond the call of duty to provide “Not Even Once” (NEO) instructional programming for Egg Harbor Township High School seniors; and Anthony Brown, a maintenance tech at Dr. Joyanne D. Miller Elementary School and recipient of the George Wilkinson Outstanding Staff Member.  

Tickets are $100 each and include live casino games by Full House Casino Entertainment, $50 in casino chips, two drink tickets, passed hors d’oeuvres, buffet food stations, dessert, an auction, and live music by the Egg Harbor Township High School Jazz Band.

NEO is an interactive opioid awareness program that was created by the Manchester Township Police Department to address the disturbing trend of opioid abuse, addiction, and deaths among NJ youth. This is a continuation of the drug education the students receive as juniors. With the assistance of local treatment facilities and mental health organizations, NEO concentrates on: Avoiding Opioids, Opioid treatment, New Jersey Strict Liability Laws, and Good Samaritan Laws. “The program is important because there are incredibly potent substances in circulation in our community. Fentanyl is an extremely addictive and deadly substance that has the potential to kill someone after only one use.  We update our program on a yearly basis to provide the most up-to-date stats and drug trends. 

"We need to stay current to be relevant,” said Officer Bertino. “I took over the position of Community Policing Officer in September of 2017.  That fall, I was sent to the Not Even Once Instructor Training Course to “evaluate” the program and determine if it could work here in EHT.  I participated in the class and immediately felt the program could be beneficial.  At least I hoped it would because I was tired of reading about young adults in our community dying of overdoses.  My very first arrest as a police officer back in 2003 was a guy who I sat next to in high school math class.  I caught him shooting heroin in a parking lot with the needle still in his arm.  Less than a week later, he was released from jail.  He overdosed the next day.  I knew something had to be done.  I immediately recruited the other NEO Officers to join me and bring the program to EHT.  We each participate in the program for different personal reasons but one thing we all have in common is that we are all EHT Alumni and we have a deep passion for our community,” added Bertino.  

The Lou DeScioli Community Spirit Award is given annually to honor DeScioli’s memory as a former Community Partnership President and dedicated Somers Point businessman who was a strong advocate for community and social responsibility and made it his life’s mission to give back and to encourage others to do the same. 

The George Wilkinson Award honors an EHT School District staff member who emulates Wilkinson’s extraordinary gift of making every person who crossed his path feel important and valued. Prior to his death in 2013, Wilkinson was a beloved EHTHS calculus teacher for over 3 decades who inspired students in the classroom and on the athletic fields by demonstrating the power of positivity, and fostering a sense of belonging in every student.  Brown was selected based on numerous glowing nominations received from his Miller School co-workers. “Anthony is a very friendly, respectful employee who is always willing to help. He is very knowledgeable and skilled in building maintenance and repair. He is a pleasure to work with and is truly an asset to our district,” said Kevin Dick, supervisor of maintenance and grounds for the district. “His job duties include HVAC repair (changing out motors, controls, programing and filters), electrical and lighting repair (wiring, switches, outlets, lighting ballasts, etc), kitchen equipment repair (ovens, coolers, walk in freezer, steamers, warmers, etc.), doors and hardware repair, and all general maintenance,” he added. 

Now in its 12th year, the Dice & Dine is an open-to-the-public, indoor/outdoor event that promises a fun evening from start to finish. Guests will have the opportunity to test their luck at Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, and the Big 6 Money Wheel.  Additional chips are available for purchase throughout the night. At the end of the evening, ‘gamblers’ can exchange their chips for auction tickets and the chance to win exciting prizes donated by generous local businesses.

Event tickets can be purchased by visiting https://www.communitypartnershipeht.org/ or Eventbrite at https://tinyurl.com/yp22n5m8. Established in December 2005 and governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees, the Community Partnership is a 501(c)(3) IRS-recognized public charity that has raised nearly $500,000 for instructional technology, capital projects, academic enhancement and extra-curricular activities for Egg Harbor Township Schools. For more information, call (609)646-8441 x1017 or via email to gregorye@eht.k12.nj.us

The Community Partnership is Betting On a Successful Fundraiser in May; Will Also Honor Five Local Police Officers

February 2022

After a long Covid-hiatus, the Community Partnership for Egg Harbor Township Schools Inc. is reviving the successful casino-themed Dice & Dine to raise supplemental funding for the largest district in Atlantic County.
Now in its 12th year, the Dice & Dine will be held from 6:30 – 9:30 pm, Thursday, May 19, at Linwood Country Club, and feature live casino games provided by Full House Casino Entertainment, food stations, and an auction. The open-to-the-public, indoor/outdoor event promises a fun evening from start to finish by providing each attendee with $50 in casino chips and two drink tickets when they arrive. Guests will have the opportunity to test their luck at eight Blackjack tables, two Craps tables, two Roulette Wheels, and a Big 6 Money Wheel.  Additional chips are available for purchase throughout the night. At the end of the evening, ‘gamblers’ can exchange their chips for auction tickets and the chance to win exciting prizes donated by generous local businesses.
The event will also honor this year’s Lou DeScioli Community Spirit Award recipients Ed Bertino, Ron Koons, Tommy Rizzotte, Jeremiah Simmons, and Heidi Vazquez – all Egg Harbor Township Police Officers and Egg Harbor Township High School alumni who go above and beyond the call of duty to provide “Not Even Once” (NEO) instructional programming for Egg Harbor Township 12-grade students as part of their Health and Physical Education curriculum. NEO is an interactive opioid awareness program that was created by the Manchester Township Police Department to address the concerning trend of opioid misuse and addiction.  The Lou DeScioli Community Spirit Award is given annually to honor DeScioli’s memory as a former Community Partnership President and dedicated local businessman who made it his life’s mission to give back to the community.   
Established in December 2005 and governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees, the Community Partnership is a 501(c)(3) IRS-recognized public charity that has raised nearly $500,000 for instructional technology, capital projects, academic enhancement and extra-curricular activities for Egg Harbor Township Schools.
Tickets are $100 each and can be purchased on Eventbrite at https://tinyurl.com/yp22n5m8. Seven
sponsorship packages -- ranging from a $250 Friend of the Foundation Sponsorship to the $10,000 naming rights Jackpot Presenting Sponsorship -- are also available. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, or to purchase hard-copy tickets, please call (609) 646-8441 ext. 1017, or via email to gregorye@eht.k12.nj.us.  

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The Community Partnership Pays Homage to Founder 

December 2021

     On Tuesday, December 21, Pete Castellano will be stepping down from the Board of Education after serving 20 years as an elected member of the Board including three years as president, three years as vice president, and four years as president of the Atlantic County School Boards Association. 
     What many do not know about Castellano is that the long-time Egg Harbor Township resident is also the founder of the Community Partnership for Egg Harbor Township Schools, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity whose mission is to raise supplementary funding for the largest district in Atlantic County.
          Between 2000 and 2010, the local school district saw a dramatic 42% increase in student numbers. The staggering population explosion was due largely in part to the Township’s designation as a “regional growth” area mandated by the state to protect and preserve areas of the Pinelands. As a result, the local school district was faced with the financial burden of expanding school facilities to support the enrollment surge, with no additional funding from the state. 
        In 2005, Castellano proposed the unique idea of starting a new nonprofit organization to help address the funding shortfalls in the Egg Harbor Township School District. Although the district already had thriving district-approved organizations that raised funds annually to meet their specific goals, there was no group that was dedicated to district needs not covered by the annual budget.
       As Community Partnership founder, Castellano was able to help form the first small board of trustees who were drawn from the community and shared common visionary goals, and who were willing to devote the time and energy needed to help the new organization grow and succeed. With Castellano at the helm, the Community Partnership for Egg Harbor Township Schools, Inc. was incorporated in December 2005 to help address the district’s budgetary shortfalls. 
         Established in December 2005, the IRS-recognized nonprofit has, to date, raised nearly $500,000 for capital projects, instructional technology, academic enhancement and extracurricular activities including start-up funds needed to establish boys and girls lacrosse teams at Egg Harbor Township High School; construction funds for three elementary school playgrounds; three computer labs; iPads for students with autism; an LED marquee sign for Egg Harbor Township High School; a professional Digital Recording Studio and two satellite studios; commercial cooking equipment for the football stadium concession stand; a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) for high school students; new TV Cameras and studio upgrade equipment for media students; a Steinway grand piano for Performing Arts students; districtwide life-saving Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), a ‘Leg-Up’ equestrian program for at-risk middle school students, and other projects and programs.
     “Many support groups are needed in order to allow for the successful operation of the Egg Harbor Township School District,” said Dan Jacoby, president of the Community Partnership. “Each group has a vital and integral role; however, we are happy that Pete saw a need for the creation of the Community Partnership giving even more people the opportunity to make a difference in the largest district in Atlantic County. Over the past couple of years, I am especially proud that the Community Partnership and the other fundraising groups in the district have created new opportunities to work in unison to raise even more supplementary funds together,” added Jacoby. 
      An attorney for William J. Hughes FAA Tech Center during the day, Castellano has decreased his role with the Community Partnership over the years so that he could dedicate more time to the Board of Education, his family, and his career. Although he turned over the Community Partnership leadership reins more than a dozen years ago, he has always remained an active member, keeping a finger on the pulse, supporting fundraisers, attending meetings when they didn’t conflict with his other commitments, and offering advice and guidance when needed. 
    Deciding not to run for Board of Education re-election this year was not an easy decision for Castellano, but ultimately he felt it was time to pass the baton and give other residents a chance to lead the charge.  “I have devoted my entire adult life to public service, at the local, state and federal level. It has been a great honor and privilege to have served the Egg Harbor Township School District over these past years,” he said.  
   ​      The Community Partnership thanks you for your service to EHT Schools and the community Pete! 

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June 2020

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP RECEIVES $250 A.C. ELECTRIC/EXCELON GRANT FOR MEDICAL SCIENCE ACADEMY EQUIPMENT
 
   The Community Partnership for Egg Harbor Township Schools, Inc. received a $250 grant in March from A.C. Electric – an Excelon Company, toward the purchase of an Anatomage Table for the high school’s Medical Science Academy.
   The donation will help kick off the non-profit foundation’s efforts to raise approximately $100,000 toward the purchase of new state-of-the-art touch-interactive display technology that provides true anatomy in life-size scale, through dissectible high-resolution 3-D gross male and female body plans. 
The comprehensive body plans showcase real tissue color and anatomical structures directly from real cadavers in digital form. The table resembles an operating table and digitally illustrates anatomical realism with the unique ability to layer/inspect individual systems allowing students to fully examine specific structures, and manipulate the musculoskeletal, nervous, and circulatory systems of a digital human body without leaving the classroom.
   The Medical Science Academy is one of four unique and specialized ‘schools within a school’ programs offered at Egg Harbor Township High School, serving motivated students who have dreams and aspirations of pursuing higher education degrees and future careers in the healthcare industry.
“Our long-term goal of acquiring an Anatomage Table for the Medical Science Academy, -- and the extensive online library of medical images that accompanies the purchase -- is our most ambitious goal ever, but one we feel will benefit students of EHT schools for years to come,” said Chris Moran, president of the Community Partnership.
   “When we initially requested a donation from A.C. Electric, we had no idea that everything would soon be shut down due to a global pandemic," Moran said. "This technology would give students a true-to-life, first-hand look at the effects viruses like the Covid-19 virus have on the human body, and a better understanding of what this life-threatening disease can do to a community, an entire nation
​and the world." 
   Atlantic City Electric invests in organizations that support education, the environment, arts, culture, community, and neighborhood development programs and focus their funding on programs that can deliver measurable and sustainable improvements in the communities they serve and conduct business, according to their website. “The Community Partnership is proud that the Anatomage Table was selected as a beneficiary of that funding,” said Moran.
   The Community Partnership for Egg Harbor Township Schools, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to providing financial support to Egg Harbor Township Schools, the largest district in Atlantic County. Since its inception in 2005, the foundation has raised more than $475,000 for instructional technology, academic enhancement, extra-curricular activities and capital projects.
To donate to the Anatomage Table fundraising initiative, please visit the Community Partnership’s website at https://www.communitypartnershipeht.org/anatomage-table.html
or call (609) 646-8441 x1017. 

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COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP RECEIVES $500 GRANT
TO ENHANCE MILLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
​OUTDOOR CLASSROOM

    The Community Partnership received a $500 Gro More Good Grassroots Grant in April to enhance the outdoor classroom area at Dr. Joyanne D. Miller Elementary School, which serves more than 1,100 4th and 5th grade students.
     The Gro More Good Grassroots Grant program is part of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and KidsGardening.org’s commitment to bring the life-enhancing benefits of gardens and green spaces to communities across the United States with the goal of supporting programs that reach ten million youth by 2023. 
     One of 175 school and non-profit organizations across the U.S. to receive the grant, the Community Partnership’s award will assist in providing ‘natural’ seating, a compost area, seedling grow trays, seeds, fertilizer, soil, mulch, and a white board for the already-established outdoor learning lab, where lesson plans are delivered through unconventional teaching methods in the Geometry, Vegetable and Pizza Gardens.
     ​Miller’s gardens share one pond and cover more than 800 square feet. The Geometry Garden features perennials including black-eyed Susan, tulips, butterfly bushes, azalea, and lambs' ears planted in geometric shapes to promote cross-curricular learning. Growing takes place in equilateral and isosceles triangles, as well as square, rectangular, and trapezoidal shapes. The vegetable garden features eight raised beds that are planted, cared for, and harvested by students. Cabbage, summer squash, sunflowers (for seeds), tomatoes, and other healthy roughage is planted annually. Herbs are grown in what students dubbed the "Pizza Garden." Vegetables and herbs are harvested for an annual ‘Salad Day’ at the school. What isn’t consumed at school is sent home with students.
     The outdoor classroom enables Miller teachers to work together to apply multiple academic disciplines simultaneously to bring real-world relevance to the curriculum, while increasing student engagement and problem-solving skills through fun, interactive, teamwork-based activities. For more information about the Gro More Good Grassroots Grant program visit: www.KidsGardening.org.

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​COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR EHT SCHOOLS RECEIVES    $2,000 WALMART GRANT FOR SCHOOL SECURITY

1/22/2019

​​    The Community Partnership for Egg Harbor Township Schools, Inc. received a generous $2,000 Walmart grant earlier this month to support their S.A.F.E. (School Action For Emergencies) annual fund campaign.
    The grant funds were used to purchase two TREK mountain bikes custom designed and outfitted for EHT School District police officer use -- giving them better mobility, visibility and access to EHT's eight school campuses.  
     During the 2017-2018 school year, Egg Harbor Township Schools hosted three public strategic planning meetings to gauge public opinion in shaping the future of the district. Based on input received from parents, community members, students and other stakeholders at those meetings, ‘safety and security’ was identified as one of the top five high-priority needs for the district.
     Launched in August 2018, the S.A.F.E. annual fund campaign was designed to raise supplementary funding to support the district’s security plan and upgrades.   
     Since its inception in 2005, the Community Partnership, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, has raised more than $465,000 for academic enhancement, instructional technology, extra-curricular activities and capital projects for Egg Harbor Township Schools. Donations to the Community Partnership are tax-deductible, as allowable by law.
     To donate to the S.A.F.E. annual fund campaign, or for more information please visit https://www.communitypartnershipeht.org/safe-campaign.html, call 646-8441, ext. 1017, or email gregorye@eht.k12.nj.us.

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​​COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP DONATES $50,000 BACK TO DISTRICT FROM YEAR-END FUNDRAISING PROCEEDS

1/22/2019

     The Community Partnership for Egg Harbor Township Schools, Inc. presented  $40,000 in awards to district staff members at the January 22 Board of Education meeting held at Alder Avenue Middle School.
     An additional $10,000 was already awarded last spring for Project Graduation activities bringing the Community Partnership’s total 2017-2018 allocation to $50,000.  David Milnes​, a Piano and AP Music Theory teacher and Jazz Band director at Egg Harbor Township High School (EHTHS), received a $22,000 award to implement a professional-level digital recording studio and two satellite studios for students to learn to produce, engineer and mix original music, while also developing the skill of enhancing various district video projects with high-quality studio-recorded audio.  
     Etzel Brower, an Electrical Technology I & II and Graphic Arts Technology teacher at EHTHS,
received a $15,000 award for a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). According to Brower, the PLC system will greatly advance EHT students’ abilities to become skilled programmers who can write software that controls automated machines that produce product. Mr. Brower believes a higher ratio of career & technical education students from EHTHS will pursue post-secondary education as a result of this in-school training.
     Kristen Boyd, director of A.S.P.I.R.E. (After School Program for Instruction, Recreation and
Enrichment) at Dr. Joyanne D. Miller Elementary School, received a $2,500 award to fund healthy snacks, Fun Food Fridays, family dinner events, and dinner at the end-of-year showcase event for the afterschool community. Now in its second year, the program serves over 200 Miller Elementary School students every day after school from 3 – 6 pm (when school is in session), in a STEAM-themed program that includes academic remediation and enrichment, health, nutrition and fitness education, culture and the arts, positive youth development, transportation home, and a parental involvement component.
     Allison Fenton, an English teacher at EHTHS rounded out the awardees and received a $500 to flexible seating for the Writing Lab course. The course is designed to support students who read significantly below grade level and perform below average on standardized tests. The goal of Fenton’s funding request is to help students feel safe, welcome, comfortable and excited to be in the class.
Projects are selected annually via a voting process based on funding request submissions received from Egg Harbor Township Schools’ staff members.
     Since its inception in 2005, the Community Partnership, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, has raised more than $465,000 for academic enhancement, instructional technology, extra-curricular activities and capital projects for Egg Harbor Township Schools. Donations to the Community Partnership are tax-deductible, as allowable by law.
     For more information or to donate to the Community Partnership , please visit www.communitypartnershipeht.org/, call 646-8441, ext. 1017, or email gregorye@eht.k12.nj.us.

David Milnes​, a Piano and AP Music Theory teacher and Jazz Band director at Egg Harbor Township High School (EHTHS), received a $22,000 award from the Community Partnership to implement a professional-level digital recording studio and two satellite studios for students to learn to produce, engineer and mix original music, while also developing the skill of enhancing various district video projects with high-quality studio-recorded audio.