BROOKLYN EDUCATION: Week of October 20

School District 20 kicked off the middle school superintendent’sprogram application process for current fifth graders by hostingits district fair on Tuesday, October 11 at I.S. 227, EdwardShallow Intermediate School, at 65th Street and 16th Avenue.

There were 11 District 20 junior high schools present, each withan information table and school staff available to answer parents’questions. The schools distributed brochures and used displays andvideos to showcase their unique programs. The district Office ofStudent Enrollment, headed by Paul Helfman, was also available toanswer questions.

Each school is having its own open house during the months ofOctober and November. For a list of dates, go tohttp://cec20.org/G_T.html.

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Former Bonnies reunited on Saturday at Sirico’s where theFontbonne Hall Academy Alumnae Association held its annual reunion.I was proud to be one of them. This year, the reunion honored thegolden anniversary Class of 1961, the silver anniversary Class of1986 and all of the classes graduating in the years ending in 1or 6.

The graduates were invited back to the school for a memorableday that began with a breakfast for the Class of 1961 and wasfollowed by a mass for all anniversary classes in the newlyrenovated Fontbonne Hall gymnasium. Then, the women had theopportunity to tour the school to see how much of what they lovedwas the same and how much had changed.

Good food and good company followed at Sirico’s whereapproximately 160 guests were welcomed by Sister Dolores Crepeau,principal; Mrs. Gilda King, assistant principal; and Mrs. CarolBedrossian Fell, director of development. The graduates andteachers had the chance to share memories and rekindle oldfriendships. The women gathered for class photos, and lovely raffleprizes added to the fun.

The Class of 1986 was well represented with about 35 womenattending the luncheon. Several groups of women from that class arestill close friends.

One group of friends has a wonderful tradition, an annualChristmas party at which one woman passes a friendship ball toanother. The ball gets passed from friend to friend each year. Thewoman passing the ball puts a memento inside to represent theirfriendship.

The first item ever put into the friendship ball was theFontbonne school ring. The ring was a symbol of how theirfriendship began and how important Fontbonne was in creating thebond that is still so strong today.

The women of each graduating class also made donations so thattheir class could give a gift back to Fontbonne to assist theschool in continuing its tradition of excellence in women’seducation.

Last year, Fontbonne began a new initiative called the Woman ofSubstance Scholarship which is used to give four-year scholarshipsto incoming students in order to attract the best and brightestyoung women to Fontbonne.

Congratulations to the anniversary classes!