The Tri-Town Education Foundation welcomed Michelle Roy as a new member during its April 27 Zoom meeting.
A recently retired Rochester resident, Roy brings the experience of an educational career that began at Old Rochester Regional schools in 1985 before developing into a career that saw her spend the last six years as assistant superintendent of Dartmouth Schools. Her resume includes experience as a department head and district curriculum coordinator.
In the winter of 2020, she was among the three finalists to replace retiring ORR Superintendent of Schools Doug White, along with Mike Nelson, ORR’s assistant superintendent, and then-Westport Schools Superintendent Gary Reese. Nelson was hired.
“I remember Dr. (William) Cooper wanting to start this foundation 20 years ago…. I’m glad to see it finally got off the ground,” she said, noting she has two 11-year-olds at Rochester Memorial School. “I get to see the school system firsthand.”
Cooper was superintendent at ORR prior to White’s tenure.
Roy’s appointment comes at a time when TTEF is losing Elizabeth Sherry, library director at the Taber Library in Marion, who had to resign her spot due to schedule overload.
With the new team being assembled, Chairperson Erin Bednarczyk told the membership that TTEF has had periods of high and low profile and would like to turn around the current low.
“We’d like to become more of a force in our community,” she said.
Raising the profile and visibility of the foundation will take work, and Bednarczyk is interested in working to see that happen.
“We haven’t done any (recent) fundraising. Last year was impossible, but there was a lot of things done before,” she said.
Member Karin Barrows said there had been plans for a marketing subcommittee, but the pandemic put those activities on hold.
A brainstorming session ensued, and among the ideas floated, ORR Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Jannell Pearson-Campbell said that in Waltham where she had worked prior to coming to the Tri-Town, wine tasting events and other like events were used as fundraisers.
Roy talked to TTEF members about what went on with Dartmouth’s education foundation.
“When the bike trail opens all the way through, maybe we could do something like a pledge per mile,” she suggested. “People are dying to get outside. Anything that can get any of us out is a good idea.”
In her Treasurer’s Report, Barrows announced that TTEF has received a $970 donation and a balance of $196,550, up almost $5,500 from December. The processing of donations was discussed, including the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts, which invests the money.
The foundation has a new partnership with Abington Bank, 350 Front Street, Marion, in which new checking accounts trigger a $10 donation from the bank to the TTEF/Lighthouse Fund.
Members volunteered to present Lighthouse Book Awards to students during upcoming awards days in all ORR District schools.
The next meeting of the Tri-Town Education Foundation will be set after its Distribution Committee has met.
Tri-Town Education Foundation
By Mick Colageo