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School Feature: Side By Side Charter School and The Carver Philosophy

Fencing is just one of many after-school programs SBS students enjoy

Side By Side Charter School is nestled in the beating heart of South Norwalk, just a short drive from The Carver’s home at 7 Academy Street. If you’re lucky enough to pass Side By Side during their midday recess, you’ll be treated to a veritable cavalcade of play. Song, dance, games, joy! Inside that energy persists as students engage with academic panache. From in-depth ecosystem studies on an extinct species of moth to social-emotional music learning, Side By Side “teach[es] the whole child.”

We sat down with Assistant Director, Mary Newbery, to learn more about how Side By Side cultivated this educational environment. “When the school was founded in 1997 by six teachers, it was done so with the intent to reflect the diversity of the community,” she said. Today, Side By Side teaches 235 students from several surrounding CT towns and cities. “How do we prepare kids to be in a pluralistic democracy if they don’t see and learn with each other?” Indeed, Side By Side focuses on providing students with social context, critical engagement, the ability to broach difficult conversations, and the academic chops to succeed in high school.

With the Carver mission to equip all learners with global competitiveness, Side By Side’s vision of equitable, diverse, and interdisciplinary learning is a match made in heaven. “What was so unbelievably fabulous was that The Carver brought after-school programming here. When kids get to 11, 12, 13… they start having a much harder time getting homework help," said Mary. “Now they’re able to participate in enrichment activities, access tutoring, have snacks, and get a bus home.” Mary brightly credited perpetually honored Carver staff member, Tremain Gilmore, for the vibrant activity planning and the grades it improved. “Kids deserve discourse and a rich learning experience… They use [this background] to come up with their own vision with so much care.”

We at The Carver are delighted to partner with Side By Side. Learn more at sbscharter.org.

Today is George Washington Carver Day, our namesake!

George Washington Carver died on January 5, 1943. The Carver Foundation of Norwalk was founded in 1938 during Carver’s lifetime to honor his example and monumental achievements.

The following month after his death, The National Achievement Club, Inc., based in Pittsburgh, called for George Washington Carver Day to be held each year on the anniversary of his death. Therefore, the first observance of George Washington Carver Day was in 1944. The National Achievement Club worked to spread the holiday. For example, eight governors proclaimed the holiday in their states in 1945 at the request of the club. Similarly, on February 23, 1945, at the club's urging, Representative Robert J. Corbett [R-PA] introduced a joint resolution to establish January 5 as George Washington Carver Day at the federal level.

On December 28, 1945, the 79th Congress approved the resolution and it became Public Law 290. It designated January 5, 1946, as George Washington Carver Day and authorized and requested the president "to issue a proclamation calling upon officials of the Government to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on such day." That same day, President Harry Truman issued Proclamation 2677 in accordance with the request.

George Washington Carver was buried next to Booker T. Washington at Tuskegee. His legacy continued following his death: He appeared on commemorative postage stamps in 1948 and 1998 and was on a commemorative half-dollar alongside Booker T. Washington between 1951 and 1954. The George Washington Carver National Monument was dedicated in 1960, located near his birthplace of Diamond, Missouri. And of course, George Washington Carver Day was established, which is observed today!

Thank you for being such an important part of the Carver story. We're ready for 2023!

Your fantastic generosity has ensured that Carver kids can embrace their dreams and share with the world their joyful voices, beaming faces, and hope for the future. Thanks to your support, the Carver community will continue to instill a lifelong passion for learning in all our young people. 

We feel extra grateful as we celebrate the start of a new year. Each of your gifts helps over 2,500 Carver students reach their fullest potential, both in school and in life. With heartfelt thanks and best wishes for 2023!

As 2022 comes to a close and a new year beckons, we sing, "GOOD JOB!"

As 2022 comes to a close and a new year beckons, we are presented with an opportunity to reflect on the past twelve months. Explore new aspirations. And set intentions for the year to come. Let us indulge this truth by sharing a music video of Carver alumnus Gabi Pierre-Louis singing Alicia Keys's song "Good Job."

This music video features pianist Steve Sasloe, the musical director for Jose Feliciano. What you're hearing in this recording is one single take, no overdubs, no tuning, and no backing vocals—just raw talent delivered with a lot of love from the heart. With just as much love, we continue to sing “Good Job” to the entire Carver community as we prepare for the New Year.

Best friends at Carver read aloud about how a dog becomes a best big sister

By Julia Berg

Before the holiday school break, Ze and Sierra read the book Elana’s Ears by Gloria Roth Lowell together to fulfill Sierra’s reading homework.

They take turns reading paragraphs of the story of a young deaf girl and her dog, Ze reading in a silly voice, and Sierra reading normally.

Occasionally Sierra reads the dialog and interjections in the illustrations, including trying her best to imitate a dog’s bark. A few times during their reading, they point to the illustrated characters and declare that it is one of them, sparking a discussion on which character in the illustration both are as well as which scenes they relate to, such as Elana reading under her covers.

Although the book’s length adds to the challenge, Sierra and Ze remain engaged in the journey of deafness through the perspective of Lacey, the dog, giggling and awwing at moments throughout the story and especially enjoying the sweet relationship that has developed between Elana and Lacey by the end.

Volunteer Julia Berg tells us lively stories about our summer and after-school students at the Carver Community Center. See more of her stories here.

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The holiday season continues to flourish at 7 Academy Street with the annual Holiday Grab-And-Go.

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Pictured: Director of Elementary Based Programs, Tricia Massucco (left) and Manager of High School & Middle School Programs, Mary Martini (right).

Since 10 a.m. this morning, our holiday dynamos, Mary & Tricia, have been handing out personalized gift bags to Carver families. This marks the third annual Holiday Grab-And-Go, a gift-giving initiative developed during the pandemic to bring cheer to the Carver community when the Holiday Party was on hold. What began as a socially distanced solution has become an event in its own right; 75 families will be streaming in and out of the Carver Center today to pick up their gifts!

The gifts in question were generously donated by Toys for Tots, St. Luke’s Church, and the Westport Police Department. From newborns to 13-year-olds, Carver kids are receiving toys picked for their age and interest.

Volunteers from St. Luke’s School and Brien McMahon High School have joined Tricia and Mary in spreading the holiday cheer. As the afternoon rolls on, all hands are on deck to put gifts under trees and smiles on faces!

Pictured: Brien McMahon High School Volunteers and Future Readiness Coordinator, Rayshonda Mitchell. Left to right: Doulsina Sandoval, Darlah Lapommeray, Ashley Fernandez, Rayshonda Mitchell, Isabel Muñoz, Cynthia Sainrilus.

New Canaan High School Service League of Boys bring holiday cheer to Carver kids!

New Canaan's SLOBs visit Carver youth periodically to bring good fun and cheer.  Here they are decorating cookies with our CASPER youth at the Carver Community Center.

Founded in 2004, the New Canaan High School Service League of Boys (SLOBs) is a student/parent-run organization that fosters the parent-son relationship in a philanthropic organization committed to community service, leadership development, and education. It is an organization of parents and sons who join together in service and educational endeavors to foster community responsibility and strengthen the parent-son relationship.

Their mission is "for parents and sons to initiate and promote educational and charitable endeavors that foster community responsibility and leadership as well as strengthen the parent-son relationship."  

They serve approximately 30 philanthropic organizations with over 65 different projects. We are grateful that Carver is among their charitable commitments!