2022-2023 Annual Report
LETTER FROM OUR LEADERSHIP
“Individually, we are only one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”
The first few months of the new school year certainly have been exciting and busy. With enrollment very strong, it’s a time of fresh beginnings, where our 2023-24 year-long theme, “Together We’re Stronger,” resonates in our classrooms, on our Boards, with our families and staff, and within our GCS community.
The pages of this Annual Report demonstrate how coming together has allowed GCS to accomplish so much over the past year. With your support, we achieved milestones that were once just dreams. I hope that you enjoy reading about the many ways your gift to the Annual Fund will have an impact not only on today’s GCS children, but also on our community’s children into the future.
From the exceptional teaching staff to the continuous improvements to the building and grounds, your generous donations ensure that more young children in our community have access to the outstanding first school experience for which Groton Community School is so well known.
Your ongoing support of the Annual Fund allows GCS to keep building upon our solid foundation and empowering the young children in our care to blossom, grow, and thrive. Later this fall, we will share plans of what’s to come as we look to start some work on our new Community Room.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your friendship and loyal support and look forward to seeing what else we will achieve together!
Thank you for being a vital part of the GCS family.
With my gratitude,
Linda Kosinski, Director
HOW WE HELP CHILDREN SOAR
“No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.”
– RYUNOSUKE SATORO
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
John Amaral, President
Debbie MacDonald, Vice President
Randy Barron, Treasurer
Betsy Kehoe, Clerk
Tom Delaney
Stephanie Morrison
David Moulton
Natina Perrotti
Dan Barton, Honorary Member
Steve Webber, Honorary Member
Linda Kosinski, Ex-Officio
Lisa Stafford, Ex-Officio
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kaitlyn Brokaw, President
Laura Cummings, Vice President
Colleen Neff, Treasurer
Justine Mannix, Secretary
Jessica Barie, Building & Grounds
Otonye Braide-Moncoeur, Member-at-Large
Beth Christoforo, Parent Representative
Lindsay Guaraldi, Fundraising
Laura Hankin, Building & Grounds
Abbey Lambert, Public Relations
Kelly Lopez, Member-at-Large
Kaitlin Phinney, Member-at-Large
Brie Weider, Public Relations
Linda Kosinski, Director
Lisa Stafford, Assistant Director
Terri Martin, Full Day Coordinator and
Summer Camp Director
OUR PATH TO THE NEXT PHASE OF FORWARD MOTION
Groton Community School recently concluded a Leave-a-Legacy Brick Fundraising Campaign, highlighting the community’s unwavering support for early childhood education and their affection for the school, which is nearly eighty years old. With the help of this targeted Brick Campaign, GCS has successfully reached its goal of renovating and expanding its core teaching and staff spaces at 110 Boston Road, bringing the school closer to the completion of the entire
Forward Motion Project.
The bricks were artfully incorporated into a charming walkway featuring personal messages
from GCS family and friends. Additionally, the campaign raised $10K to support the next phase of the Forward Motion Project, which will focus on completing the interior of our multi-purpose Community Room. Once completed, this space will foster gross motor fun and development, showcase children’s performances, and accommodate GCS community presentations and large gatherings for Staff, Board, and Trustee Members.
The generosity of parents, staff, alumni, and friends has not only created a lasting and meaningful pathway for reflections and tributes; it has also laid the groundwork for enhanced educational experiences for our entire community.
Your support has truly paved a brighter future for the children in our community!
A special thank you to former Board President, Kate Ferriola, for her help in facilitating this project.
FINANCIALS* | 2022-2023
EMPOWERING THE FUTURE: YOUR ANNUAL FUND GIFT AT WORK
Your gift to the GCS Annual Fund each year makes a lasting difference in the lives of our youngest community members every day. Your ongoing support is invaluable and makes you an integral part of our school family.
The 2022-23 Annual Fund raised over $76,000, which strengthened Groton Community School’s ability to attract and support its experienced, creative, and talented staff. In addition, your support of the Annual Fund helped us to provide our teachers with the carefully designed training and materials necessary to deliver our exceptional, individualized curriculum.
These dedicated educators are the cornerstone of the school, shaping the experiences of our young children. We are committed to the recruitment and retention of top-quality early childhood educators, as well as to their ongoing professional development and specialized training from outside consultants. By investing in the strength of our teaching team, we are investing in the next generation of learners.
GCS teachers ignite children’s curiosity and a love for learning, setting the stage for future achievement and career success. These amazing teachers also instill the core values that help to define Groton Community School — peace, kindness, and caring. They are not just teachers; they are mentors and role models.
Our teaching staff are a priceless asset, with over 50% having dedicated 19 or more years — for some, as many as THIRTY AND FORTY! — to GCS. We must continue to support our existing and amazing talent, while also attracting a new generation of early childhood educators.
Every child who enters our school’s doors benefits from your annual fund gift. Together, we are empowering the future at Groton Community School. Your contribution matters, and it empowers the GCS mission to provide the best first school experience. Thank you for your continued support in making a lasting impact on our community’s youngest learners.
“Unity is strength…when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.”
– MATTY STEPANEK
DONATIONS | BY GIFT CLUB
Groton Community School
is tremendously grateful for
the following individuals and
corporations who supported the
Annual Fund in 2022-23. Your
gifts help GCS children to soar!
1930s CIRCLE $10,000+
Deborah and Scott MacDonald*†
Mr. Albert Stone*†
LEADERS $5,000+
Mark and Stephanie Morrison†
David Moulton*†
Steven and Jennifer Stone*†
PARTNERS $2500+
John and Diane Amaral*†
Kathleen & Randall Barron*†
Steven Onishi and Dawn Alling†
David and Pamela Stone*†
ASSOCIATES $1000+
Rick and Lindsay Guaraldi†
Stephen and Miriam Helfgott*†
The Howell Family†
Scott and Betsy Kehoe*†
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Kujala†
Stephen Lane†
Jon and Lorrie Morgan*†
John and Janet O’Brien*†
Rajesh and Priya Palakkal*†
Bryan and Natina Perrotti*†
PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE $500+
The Herberich Family
Timothy and Rowe Luca*
Peter and Andrea Myette*
Paul and Inga Nuccio*
The Riggert Family Fund
Alfred and Kristen von Campe*
Scott and Trisha Winroth
BENEFACTOR’S CIRCLE $250+
The Abraham Family
Jonathan Blandford & Rosanna Yuen
Michael & Jennifer Burke
John Ellenberger and Patti Thompson
Jarred & Amanda Gagnon
Cynthia Lane-Hand*
Laura and Monty Hankin
Thomas & Christine Horsman
Cassidy and Karla King
The Moeser Family*
The Moncoeur Family
Rob and Laura Moore*
The Neff Family
Linda Luca Tarpey and Gerard Tarpey*
The Tirella Family
Mary B. Wills*
Catherine and Brian Wong
RED & BLUE CIRCLE $100+
Jessica and Dan Barie
Jean Brady
Scott & Kaitlyn Brokaw
Dan Courcy and Mandy Callahan
The Dagle Family
David and Mara Edgar
Dave and Sarah Eisenklam
Jennie and Steve Fitzkee*
Jonathan and Heather Gerteisen
The Gibney Family
Robert and Donna Halloran
Lee Muir-Hamen & Mark Hamen*
The Healy Family
Priyanki and Mihirraj Joshi
Rick and Noreen Keras
Linda Kosinski*
The Maillet Family
Chris and Justine Mannix
Agnes McKinney
Gabriel and Jacob Miller Quinn
Mary and Ned Mitchell
Barton and Kaitlin Phinney
Elizabeth Reeves
The Resca Family
The Roberts Family
Joan Denaro & Carl Rodrigues
Lisa Stafford*
Caitlin & Virgil Vaillancourt
Chuck and Kathie Vella
Joe Walch and Laura Cummings*
Doug and Hannah Woodbury
Clay and Susan Yost
Bruce and Jolene Zukauskas
FRIEND’S CIRCLE up to $99
John and Beth Christoforo
Ray Ciemny
Peter and Jean Cunningham
The Dewing Family
Michael and Carrie Eubank
Joe and Tracy Guth
Eric and Danielle Hillenberg
Joshua Kosinski*
Ryan Kosinski*
Rocco and Molly Laurano
Cliff Maxwell
Heidi E. May
Katy and David Niose
Carlo Perrotti
Paul and Hannah Pugh
David Quintin & Bonnie Stanton*
Mike and Martha Resch*
The Rubens Family
Jennifer Tramontozzi
Meghan & Steve Zocchi
* Have given to Annual Fund 5 consecutive years
† Members of the Adelaide Luca Giving Society
DONATIONS | BY AFFILIATIONS
ALUMNI
John* Ellenberger and Patti Thompson
Joshua Kosinski
Ryan Kosinski
Rocco and Molly* Laurano
Carlo Perrotti
Elizabeth Reeves
Jennifer Tramontozzi
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jessica* and Dan Barie
Scott and Kaitlyn* Brokaw
John and Beth* Christoforo
Rick and Lindsay* Guaraldi
Laura* and Monty Hankin
Chris and Justine* Mannix
The Moncoeur Family
Barton and Kaitlin* Phinney
The Neff Family
Joe Walch and Laura* Cummings
CURRENT FAMILIES
The Abraham Family
Dan Courcy and Mandy Callahan
Michael and Carrie Eubank
Jonathan and Heather Gerteisen
The Howell Family
Priyanki and Mihirraj Joshi
Cassidy and Karla King
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Kujala
The Maillet Family
The Tirella Family
Caitlin & Virgil Vaillancourt
Catherine and Brian Wong
FRIENDS OF GCS
Timothy and Rowe Luca
Linda Luca Tarpey and Gerard Tarpey
GRANDPARENTS
Robert and Donna Halloran
Stephen and Miriam Helfgott
Lenore Miller
John and Janet O’Brien
Mr. Albert Stone
Chuck and Kathie Vella
Mary B. Wills
MATCHING GIFT CORPORATIONS
AbbVie Bioresearch Center
Agilent
BAE Systems
Red Hat
Bose Corporation
Google, Inc.
Hologic Charitable Fund
IBM Corporation
Microsoft
Millipore
Salesforce.com, Inc.
Thermo Fisher
Viasat
Z. Zurich Foundation
PAST BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Michael & Jennifer* Burke
Dave and Sarah* Eisenklam
Cynthia Lane-Hand
The Healy Family
Agnes McKinney
Mary and Ned* Mitchell
The Moeser Family
Paul and Hannah* Pugh
The Resca Family
The Riggert Family Fund
The Roberts Family
Scott and Trisha* Winroth
Clay and Susan* Yost
PAST FAMILIES
Jonathan Blandford & Rosanna Yuen
Ray Ciemny
Peter and Jean Cunningham
The Dagle Family
The Dewing Family
David and Mara Edgar
Jarred & Amanda Gagnon
The Gibney Family
Joe and Tracy Guth
Lee Muir-Hamen & Mark Hamen
The Herberich Family
Eric and Danielle Hillenberg
Thomas & Christine Horsman
Cliff Maxwell
Steven Onishi and Dawn Alling
Rajesh and Priya Palakkal
Mike and Martha Resch
Joan Denaro & Carl Rodrigues
David and Pamela Stone
Steven and Jennifer Stone
Alfred and Kristen von Campe
Doug and Hannah Woodbury
PAST STAFF
Jean Brady
The Rubens Family
Bruce and Jolene* Zukauskas
PAST TRUSTEES
Stephen Lane
Rob* and Laura Moore
Peter* and Andrea Myette
STAFF
Jennie* and Steve Fitzkee
Rick and Noreen* Keras
Linda Kosinski
Heidi E. May
Jon and Lorrie* Morgan
Katy* and David Niose
Paul and Inga* Nuccio
Lisa Stafford
David Quintin & Bonnie* Stanton
Meghan* & Steve Zocchi
TRUSTEES
John* and Diane Amaral
Kathleen & Randall* Barron
Scott and Betsy* Kehoe
Deborah* and Scott MacDonald
Mark and Stephanie* Morrison
David Moulton
Bryan and Natina* Perrotti
* Denotes persons applicable to the designation
DIG DEEPER GRANT
Groton Community School is proud to share our progress regarding our “Dig Deeper” initiative, and we are very grateful for a generous grant award from the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts to help make it possible. The project allows our children to “dig deeper” through handson explorations in nature, to investigate the life cycle of plants, and to learn about the importance of reducing waste and conserving water.
We strive to provide creative experiences with the natural world by continually enhancing our outdoor Playscape. The addition of sandbox excavators and a mud kitchen set naturally encourages STEM explorations, along with large motor, sensory, and imaginative play. It has been exciting to dig even deeper into our gardening and greenhouse activities this spring, summer, and fall, with the addition of composting bins, rain barrels, and new garden supplies.
Children are learning that uneaten fruits and vegetables — some of which we have grown ourselves! — should not go to the landfill. but instead, they can be turned into healthy soil for our gardens. Participating in the composting process and learning about the water cycle through our rain barrels, are non-stop science experiments that teach environmental stewardship.
We would like to acknowledge and thank our GCS Building and Grounds Co-Chairs, Jessica Barie and Laura Hankin, for their efforts to bring our “Dig Deeper” project to fruition. Special thanks as well to Laura for setting the stage for environmental awareness through children’s composting workshops to kick off our efforts. Children — and teachers — are realizing that simple habits can benefit our gardens and the earth, and these lessons learned can lead to a profound environmental impact as children carry these practices forward.
DONOR PROFILE | LAURA CUMMINGS
When Laura Cummings and her husband, Joe Walch, moved to Groton with their then newborn and three-year-old, one of the first things they did was explore preschools. According to Laura, “My sister works in a preschool in Boston and constantly emphasized the need to find a supportive, innovative, up-to-date preschool for our kids. She came with us on our initial tour of GCS and was immediately impressed!”
“I felt so lucky to enroll my son right away,” Laura added. “GCS quickly became more than a preschool for him; it became a community for our family.” They met some of their first and best friends in town through GCS and developed a sense of belonging.
Laura wanted to join the GCS Board of Directors as a way of supporting the school she instantly loved so much. In doing so, she found her love of volunteerism, excited to learn new things outside of her own profession.
The teachers and staff have always been what makes GCS special to Laura’s family. “The teachers truly take the time to understand and celebrate each child. Conference day was one of my favorite days of the year because the teachers’ anecdotes about the kiddos proved they truly ‘get’ them.” Laura and Joe chose to contribute to the Annual Fund as a way of offering more than just their tuition dollars. “Sadly, these incredible teachers universally earn far less than they deserve. It is a challenging and tiring role, and yet so critically important. Ninety percent of brain development happens in the first five years of life, and we want all those influences to be GCS teachers!”
Laura said that she and Joe will continue to give to the Annual Fund even as their children age out of GCS because they want to support “the best first school experience” for more children.
“I want every child to love school, and this is the best start they could ask for,” said Laura. “I am grateful that GCS is a part of our family history. We are the lucky ones!”