P.R.I.D.E. award honors special Sidway student

by Theresa LeClerc
Grand Island Dispatch, June 1, 2007

Each year, the teachers of the Grand Island Central School District are given the opportunity to select a student for the “P.R.I.D.E. of the Island” award.

This award is given to a student who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement.

What exactly is “outstanding academic achievement”? For some, at the elementary level, it may be defined through accomplishments such as reading, writing or adding. However, academic achievement is not the same for every student.

What comes easily to one student may not for another. This particularly holds true for the students in Marisa Valentine’s self-contained, 8:1:1, special education classroom. It is a unique room where students’ academic gains may not look quite like those of their peers. Each of Valentine’s students has made tremendous academic growth in his/her own way.

Therefore, when Valentine was considering the best recipient for the P.R.I.D.E. of the Island award, she measured the success of her students, based on overall growth and how this growth has affected the people around him/her. The recipient for this year’s award was given to Vincent Quarantello.

Vincent, diagnosed with Down syndrome, attended Heritage Centers in Tonawanda since he was 2-and-1/2 years old. Once he was no longer eligible for the pre-school program, he was required to attend a school age program in the district. Unfortunately, his first year at Charlotte Sidway Elementary School was a difficult one. Vincent and his family struggled with the program and had considered seeking other educational programs. It wasn’t until they met Denise Dunbar that they decided to attend another year within his home school.

In April 2006, Mrs. Denise Dunbar joined Charlotte Sidway Elementary School as the new principal. Once aware of the difficulties the special education program had experienced, Mrs. Dunbar knew hard work and changes would be required to build a solid foundation for the students enrolled in this classroom. In an effort to build a stronger special education program, she hired Valentine, an experienced teacher who had spent more than five years working with special needs children.

Valentine began working with Vincent in September 2006. At that time he had a difficult time maintaining eye contact, following simple directions, and integrating with his peers. Vincent was taken from place to place with hand-held assistance and a light touch cue to his face helped remind him to look at someone when being spoken to. Large crowds were very intimidating for Vincent and he began vocalizing loudly in order to communicate that it was too much. Now, Vincent is independently greeting teachers at their doors with eye contact and a handshake. Vincent walks down the hallways at school without hand-held assistance. He simply walks as the other students do, with an occasional tap on the shoulder to remind him to keep walking. Vincent is integrated for music and library and participates in a lunch bunch with his peers. He really enjoys the other students, and they enjoy seeing Vincent, too. Just recently, Vincent participated in the Kindergarten Concert with half of the kindergarteners who attend Sidway Elementary. He stood on that stage with the other students and was not intimidated by the large crowd at all.

Mrs. Valentine says, “It is rewarding to hear people throughout Sidway, day after day, applaud Vincent for all he has accomplished this school year. Not only are they proud of Vincent, but of themselves as well, for what Vincent has taught them. Vincent has taught others patience, perseverance, but most importantly, to enjoy every moment of life.”

Vincent’s mother, Lynn Quarantello has seen the progress Vincent has made as well. “I’m hoping Grand Island Central School District will be able to attract more special needs instructors to follow Vincent throughout his school years,” Quarantello said. She credits Vincent’s successful year to the dedicated instructors, aides and staff members who assist with Vincent’s daily progress. “These instructors have been instrumental in Vincent’s development this year. They have also come a long way by learning from Vincent. I am proud of their accomplishment this year as they too have had to struggle through yet another learning curve” she said. Both Vincent and his family look forward to another year at Charlotte Sidway Elementary School and watching Vincent continue to grow.

Dunbar has begun the process of paving the way for Vincent to transition to Huth Road Elementary for second grade. “We have implemented an effective team meeting model for discussing student progress. Each student in this class is the topic of a monthly meeting in which all staff, who work with the student, meet with the student’s parent to discuss the student’s progress.

“We are sharing the success of this model with the staff at Huth Road School and have invited them to participate in team meetings for the 2007-08 school year. We have seen a great deal of success this year and are committed to creating a smooth transition for Vincent as well as for other students in the future.”