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Collaboration Education Newsletter - June/July 2025
Collaboration Education Newsletter - June/July 2025
Celebrating Our First Year
It is hard to believe that Collaboration Education is now celebrating our first full year of serving students! We are so proud of our students and the great strides they have made in building strong family–school connections. As we prepare for the 2025–2026 school year, we want to thank our volunteers and share some highlights of our first year together.
Highlights from the Year
Strengthening Family and School Connections
A high school parent learned how to monitor her child’s attendance through the school’s parent portal.
With guidance from our liaison, one parent agreed to school testing, allowing her child to receive much-needed services.
Two students’ educational placements were reviewed and redirected through strong volunteer–school collaboration.
Student Success Stories
A student with limited English made remarkable progress. Her teacher noted:
“She continues to show significant growth in all areas. She is becoming a more confident reader and writer. She should be proud of her progress.”
Enrichment Beyond the Classroom
Cooking & Math: Students measured and mixed ingredients for cookies, practicing math while building observation and drama skills. Families joined in the fun—and the treats!
Museum Day: Thanks to a grant program, families enjoyed a special visit to the Long Island Children’s Museum. Admission, pizza lunch (courtesy of The Inn), and transportation were provided. Volunteers curated exhibits to make the visit both meaningful and fun.
Summer Kickoff Party: Students launched summer enrichment with gardening and ice cream. Weekly lessons in science, literature, art, and gardening are keeping skills sharp while encouraging outdoor fun.
Looking Ahead
Collaboration Education will soon expand its work to Bethany House, a nonprofit supporting women with children experiencing homelessness. Introductory work begins this summer, with full tutoring services starting in the fall.
Thank You for Your Support
Our heartfelt thanks go to our dedicated volunteers and supporters—without you, none of this would be possible. Every effort makes a lifelong impact on the children we serve.
👉 To volunteer or donate, please visit: collaborationeducation.org
Archive: Collaborative Education Newsletter - August 2024
Archive: Collaborative Education Newsletter - August 2024
Welcome to our first Collaboration Education newsletter, where we will share updates about our activities, plans, and opportunities for involvement. It has been a busy, but very rewarding first semester working with some delightful students at The Inn in Hempstead.
Enrichment Activity Days
Enrichment Activity Days
In February, we held an Enrichment Activity Day with Arts and Math/Science components. The children rotated through a selection of fun activities set up and hosted by our volunteers, and everyone had fun while engaging in the educational games. It was a few hours of fun for all, and the students still ask about some of the one-time volunteers who were there that day! It was a perfect opportunity for some of our people who are not yet able to commit to a weekly time slot to share their wealth of knowledge during this all-hands-on-deck afternoon.
Our second Enrichment Activity Day was held during the spring break, with an emphasis on creative arts. The students once again had a wonderful time – this time working on a project that combined several strands of the arts.
Celebrating the Semester
Celebrating the Semester
On the last day of tutoring at The Inn, we treated the students (and some parents!) to an ice cream party. If there were awards for ice cream consumption, these kids would have won hands-down. It was a happy afternoon and it ended our first semester on a decidedly high note.
Summer Tutoring
Summer Tutoring
In June, we met with the Collaboration Education volunteers who offered to work with our students during the summer break. It was a great meeting and we were able to match up each student with a team of volunteers who will provide individualized help during the summer. We consulted with The Inn and the school districts to determine the areas of most need for each student so we could use the summer break to help our kids catch up in those areas.
Plans for the Fall Semester
Plans for the Fall Semester
We plan to continue this model into the fall semester – matching individual students with volunteers according to their academic needs and the tutor’s expertise. As with the summer work, each student will have a small team of volunteers who can work together to create a tutoring schedule that best fits their availability. This model ensures that each volunteer has fellow team members knowledgeable about the child being served, who can take over when volunteers are unavailable due to travel or other commitments.
Get Involved
Get Involved
If you have any colleagues or friends who might be interested in participating, please share our information. We have other sites eager for our help, and our ability to expand depends entirely on the number of volunteers we can provide.
Please contact us at info@collaborationeducation.org at any time if you have questions, or feel free to contact any one of us individually!
Elaine Kanas, Board Chair – elaine.kanas@collaborationeducation.org
Deirdre Hayes, Secretary – deirdre.hayes@collaborationeducation.org
Tasneem Meghji, Treasurer – treasurer@collaborationeducation.org
Joanne Lufrano, Board Member – joanne.lufrano@collaborationeducation.org
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