Banquet to celebrate Ansonia Chargers' Coach Brockett's career on his retirement

Shared from the City of Ansonia Facebook page.

Seymour High School to induct members of Sports Hall of Fame

Congratulations to all the honorees!

Click here to read a story about the induction ceremony and banquet by Jean Falbo-Sosnovich in the Valley Independent Sentinel.

Ansonia Chargers' state championship football banquet slated at Aria in Prospect

 

7 named to Shelton High School 2019 Hall of Fame

SHELTON - Seven members of the Shelton High School community ranging from legendary coaches to amazing teachers and impactful community members will be inducted into the school’s 2019 Hall of Fame.

The Shelton High School Hall of Fame was established in 2017 as a way to recognize and honor in a permanent manner those who have excelled in their dedication to the community of Shelton High School and those who have made outstanding contributions both at Shelton High School and in the world which reflect positively upon Shelton High School.

Shelton High School Hall of Fame committee chairman John Niski announced the latest members to be inducted. 

The Class of 2019 inductees are William Banfe, Elaine Biercevicz-Piazza, Kenneth Bobowick, Edward Finn, Maurice Martin, John McNamara, and Donald Ramia.

An induction banquet will be held at 1 p.m. Oct. 20 at The Stone Barn Restaurant, 175 Shelton Road, Monroe. 

Tickets are $50 per person. 

Checks can be made payable to Shelton High School Hall of Fame and sent to: Shelton High School Hall of Fame, 120 Meadow St., Shelton, CT., 06484, c/o John Niski. 

The deadline for purchasing tickets is Oct. 10.

Bill Banfe served as both housemaster and headmaster of Shelton Intermediate School and was involved in Shelton High School football for more than 20 years. 

He served as operations manager for the Shelton Public Schools System and was instrumental in the planning, design, and building project management of Shelton Intermediate School and Perry Hill School as well as the Shelton High School renovation.

Elaine Biercevicz-Piazza was a pioneering athlete, teacher, coach, and athletic director. A 1964 graduate of Shelton High School, she went on to teach physical education at Seymour High School and initiated girls’ basketball, softball, and swimming teams. She was athletic director at Lyman Hall High School for 27 years. Biercevicz-Piazza was a member of the legendary national champion Raybestos fast pitch softball team. 

She is a member of several other halls of fame including the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, the Connecticut Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, the New Haven Tap-Off Club Hall of Fame, the Northeast Hall of Fame, and the Connecticut Amateur Softball Hall of Fame.

Ken Bobowick served as a longtime science teacher and department chair at Shelton High School for more than 30 years, during which time he inspired students to love science, particularly biological sciences, genetics, and environmental science. 

Bobowick was also the golf team head coach—in that role for 34 years—and the girls’ basketball assistant coach during several league, conference, and the 1993 CIAC Class LL State championship run.

Ed Finn was a legendary teacher as well as football and track coach at Shelton High School during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Finn has the most wins of any school football coach in Shelton, including two undefeated seasons. The current stadium at Shelton High School is named in his honor. Ed also held administrative positions including vice principal of Shelton High School and superintendent of schools. 

Maurice “Moe” Martin was a 1952 graduate of Shelton High School and was a standout member of the graduating class. Active in sports and school activities, including being a member of the only Shelton High School basketball team to win a state championship, Martin was a leader among his classmates. 

After retiring as the Judge of Probate for the City of Shelton, Martin volunteers his time with many civic organizations including the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, of which he is also a member of their Hall of Fame.

John McNamara was a teacher and marching band leader at Shelton High School for over 30 years. 

During his time as Shelton High School band director, McNamara led a band of over 350 members strong to appearances in the Rose Bowl and Washington, D.C. 

He successfully instilled a new sense of pride in a small Valley high school band and brought pride to the school and community by taking the band from coast to coast. He was also instrumental in acquiring a pipe organ that was installed by the Organ Society in the Shelton High School auditorium, drawing some of the most prominent organists of the day to perform at Shelton High School.

Don Ramia was a 1964 graduate of Shelton High School and a standout athlete on the football team. He was an industrial arts teacher at Shelton High School and went on to become both housemaster and headmaster of Shelton High School. 

Ramia also served as the vocational education coordinator for the District and was responsible for the overhaul of several adult education programs.

For more information about the Shelton High School Hall of Fame, contact committee chairman John Niski.

This is a press release from John Niski. 

Congratulations to all the honorees!

Banquet slated to honor Derby High School Athletic Hall of Fame

DERBY -  A banquet to honor the Derby High School Athletic Hall of Fame's Class of 2018 will be held at 12:30 p.m. April 28 at Vazzano's Four Seasons, 337 Kenyon St., Stratford.

Doors open at noon.

The cost is $50 a person, payable by cash or check. 
Checks can be made payable to: Derby Athletic Hall of Fame, and mailed to: 
Derby High School, 75 Chatfield St., Derby, CT 06418; Attention Jenn Moffat. 

To reserve a table contact Tom Abel at tom.c.abel@lmco.com. Each table holds 10 people.

Anyone who'd like to sponsor an ad in the banquet program can do so for $25 for a quarter page; $50 for a half page and $100 for a full page.

For more information, email Mike Cannici at neech76@aol.com or at 203-305-9442.

A story about the Class of 2018 Hall of Famers can be viewed online at the New Haven Register: https://www.nhregister.com/valley/article/Derby-High-School-inducts-8-more-in-Athletic-Hall-13330703.php

Newsletter: Griffin 5K, Shelton Gaels Alumni awards dinner, more

Dear readers,

Our latest Valley Voice newsletter features Saturday's Griffin Hospital 5K Walk/Run to benefit the Center for Cancer Care, an annual event that is near to my heart.


Thanks for reading,

Patti

Derby students recognized for academics, leadership, community service

 

DERBY -The Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents has developed a student award program to provide superintendents with the means of aligning themselves with their students.
The program is conducted by CAPSS and made available to local CAPSS superintendents who wish to participate. 

The program awards students based on community service and service to others; academic prowess (relative to ability); and leadership service to the school community. The Superintendent/Student Award Recognition Program is designed to allow Superintendents to move beyond the academic achiever who routinely receives recognition.

Superintendent of Schools Matthew Conway was proud to recognize four Derby students with this prestigious award at the CAPSS 32nd Annual Student Award Banquet Thursday at Grassy Hill Country Club in Orange. 

Derby High School seniors Christian Olenoski and Nailah Huq received awards, along with Derby Middle School students Zachary Banores and Nikita Khanna. 

Board of Education member Dan Foley, Principal Martin Pascale, and Principal William Vitelli also were present to honor the students.

This is a press release from Derby Public Schools. 

* Congratulations to all the students on receiving this prestigious award!

Seymour High School Sports Hall of Fame to induct 6

OXFORD - The Seymour High School Sports Hall of Fame committee shall induct its fourth class at a banquet Nov. 5 at The Colonial Tavern.  

The inductees to be honored are Paul Sponheimer (1969), Karen Cweklinsky Griffin (1984), the late Art Newkirk (1972), Joseph Pawlak (1961), Dave Tokarz (2000),  and Matt Wozniak (1975).  

Social hour begins at 6 p.m. and a 50/50 raffle will be held. 
Tickets for the event will be on sale at Armand's Service Center, Seymour Town Hall, and Seymour High School, or from any of the committee members at a cost of $45. 

Interested persons can leave a message on our Facebook account which is SHSSHOF@yahoo.com or contact either Paul Sponheimer at 203-734-0233 or Paul Roy at 203-305-6731.

This is a press release from the office of First Selectman Kurt Miller.  

Shelton resident named Griffin Hospital 2016 Employee of the Year

Operating room nurse wins top honor  

Griffin Hospital 2016 Employee of the Year Kim Kelly  

DERBY - Griffin Hospital recently honored its nearly 800 employees and physicians who reached service milestones of five years and more and announced its employee and department of the year award winners at its 46th Annual Service Awards Dinner at the Aria Banquets in Prospect.

Operating room nurse Kim Kelly of Shelton was named Griffin Hospital’s 2016 Employee of the Year, and the hospital’s Case Management Department was named the 2016 Department of the Year.
At a “Classic Hollywood” inspired celebration, Griffin Hospital CEO and President Patrick Charmel personally presented gifts of appreciation to longtime employees and announced the winners.
The celebration is held each May during National Hospital Week to recognize employees and physicians for years of service and for outstanding performance.

Kelly Named Top Employee
Kelly joined Griffin Hospital in 1989 as a per diem float nurse, and advanced to a full-time staff nurse on the inpatient floors before being transferred to the hospital’s Digestive Disorders Center in 1998.
She recently took on the new roles and responsibilities of an OR nurse, functioning flawlessly as a patient advocate, teacher, team member, influencer, leader, and communicator. 
Kelly is the Bariatric Surgery Service Leader, the OR Safety Champion and received the Marie Santini Operating Room Nursing Excellence Award in 2015.

“Kim continually goes above and beyond,” Charmel said in presenting the award. “She anticipates the needs of the department, will volunteer to take extra call, and willingly works until all of the patients’ needs are met. She provides a high level of nursing care in all services and departments, with the capacity to float to [gastroenterology], Same Day Surgery, and the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit as needed - always with a smile. To express her appreciation to her co-workers, Kim frequently makes her famous coffee cake to thank the staff for a job well done with the OR’s patient safety high reliability initiative.”

The hospital's Employee of the Year selections come from its monthly I Take It Personally (ITIP) program where employees are nominated by their colleagues for outstanding work. 
Each month, one employee is selected from the hospital’s four service divisions - Ancillary, Nursing, Service, and Support - for his or her efforts to improve patient satisfaction and promote Griffin Hospital’s commitment to patient-centered care. Of these employees, four are selected as finalists for the honor of “Employee of the Year.” 
In addition to Kelly, Amanda Boroski, of Griffin Faculty Practice, Ricky Le Pera, of Griffin's Cardiac Rehabilitation, and Tricia Palmer, of Radiology and The Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness, were finalists for the top honor.

Case Management Named Departments of the Year
Griffin Hospital’s Case Management Department was honored with Department of the Year for improving coordination with other hospital departments and community agencies to provide excellent transition of care and patient satisfaction.
“The Emergency Department Care Coordinators were able to prevent avoidable readmissions by tripling the number of community service referrals, including Meals on Wheels, Health and Human Services, The CHF/COPD Wellness Clinic at Griffin Hospital, and other skilled facilities,” Charmel said. 
“The Complex Care Team monitored patients at the greatest risk for hospital readmission and were able to keep 80 percent of these high-risk patients healing at home and out of the hospital.”
In addition, Case Management was able to help improve Griffin’s financial stability by working with physicians to improve clinical documentation and recoup denied health insurance reimbursements.

The Department of the Year is selected from the four hospital departments selected as “Department of the Quarter” by the ITIP program. 
In addition to Case Management, Department of the Quarter winners were Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, The Childbirth Center at Griffin Hospital, and Medical Education.


This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Derby to honor 1st Athletic Hall of Fame inductees

*Shared from an online community calendar sponsored by the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and The New Haven Independent.