District earns distinguished honor for Vending Machine Books for Kindness Initiative
The Miller Place School District’s Board of Education was recently recognized by the New York State School Boards Association’s Champions of Change program for its Vending Machine Books for Kindness Initiative.
NYSSBA’s Area 12 Director Catherine Romano presented the Miller Place Board of Education with a celebratory banner at last week’s Board of Education meeting, where she commended the District and Miller Place Parent Teacher Organization for working together to promote literacy and kindness.
“It’s an honor to be recognized for our book vending machine program and the work our PTO and administration have done to get children excited about reading, while encouraging acts of kindness,” said Superintendent of Schools Mr. Seth Lipshie. “Thank you to the NYSSBA for recognizing our Board members as Champions of Change and thank you to our PTO for everything you do to support our students.”
The NYSSBA Champions for Change initiative goes to districts with family and community partnerships or collaborations that contribute to a positive student experience and strengthen the bond between the district and community. NYSSBA usually announces seven to eight recipients every quarter and Miller Place is the only school district in Suffolk County to receive this honor in the past half-year.
Last January, the Miller Place School District and the Miller Place Parent Teacher Organization unveiled its book vending machines at North Country Road Middle School, Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School and Andrew Muller Primary School. Each book costs one token, which students earn by displaying good behavior and performing acts of kindness. Earning tokens is built into the District’s existing character education programs, which reward exemplary students each month.
The Miller Place Parent Teacher Organization donated the book vending machines as part of its commitment to increasing literacy and generating excitement around reading. One of their goals was to keep children reading and ensure they could always have books at home and not just in school or at the library. Their research led them to Inchy, the only book vending machine company in the country.
The PTO purchased the vending machines through the District’s Read-a-Thon and has been stocking them with an assortment of books for students to choose.
The PTO executive board includes Kristin Hennig, Suzanne Cloke, Jackie Maloney, Monique Caccavale, Sharda Soohkdeo, Gayle Mancini and Dawn McCarthy.
For more information about the Miller Place School District, please visit the District’s website at www.millerplace.k12.ny.us. To read more about the great things happening in Miller Place schools, visit www.millerplaceinthemedia.com and ‘like’ our Facebook page.
