Two Brooklyn schools were among the 356 across the nation that won coveted designations by the U.S. Dept. of Education as “Blue Ribbon” schools.
They are the Brooklyn School of Inquiry (BSI), an elementary and middle school in the Lucretia Marcigliano Campus Building at 50 Ave. P in Bensonhurst, and the A. Fantis School of Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral, at 195 State St. in Brooklyn Heights.
The A. Fantis parochial school, where Theodore Tasoulas is the principal, is a pre-K to eighth grade institution with 200 pupils. It is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary.
According to the Blue Ribbon panel, BSI, which has 356 students, was recognized for its “progressive education approach, innovative teaching practices and diverse student body.” Eric Havlik is the principal.
Each of the designated schools will receive a National Blue Ribbon flag and a plaque.
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On Thursday, Sept. 26, the Dyker Heights Civic Association held its annual dinner at Sirico’s Catering Hall, 8015 13th Ave. The association was founded in 1928 by Walter Loveridge Johnson and is celebrating its 96th anniversary.
Former President Fran Vella-Marrone, a lifelong resident of the Bay Ridge/Dyker Heights area, was honored for her 30 years of service at the helm of this community-based group. According to her bio, Vella-Marrone has been a civic and political activist for more than 40 years. In addition to her longtime involvement with DHCA, she serves as the chairwoman of the Kings County Conservative Party and has been a member of Community Board 10. The current president, Joseph Loccisano, presented her with a gift-wrapped watch on this auspicious occasion.
If our research is correct, we found that the first president of the DHCA was Robert J. Tucker, who served from 1928 to 1930.
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