Announcements & Press Releases 

CSV Welcomes Newest Board Member - February 2, 2012

Cambridge School Volunteers (CSV) welcomes its newest Board member, Meghan Dulac, who is a Community Relations Senior Specialist for Genzyme, a Sanofi company. Dulac began at the company as a Documentation Specialist in 2005 and now oversees the charitable contributions, sponsorship and internal volunteer grant programs.  Her role is to build and maintain healthy and positive relationships with each charitable partner and to make a difference by working alongside them. 

Dulac serves as the corporate coordinator of Genzyme's Reading Buddies program at Fletcher-Maynard Academy.  "Meghan will bring an exciting combination of qualifications to the board. She has managed a wonderfully successful corporate volunteer program for the past four years, and she has been a Reading Buddy herself. Meghan’s face lights up when she is working directly with children, " says Lisa Van Vleck, Director of Corporate Programs. 

Aside from her newly appointed position on the CSV Board of Directors, Dulac also sits on the Boston Board of Directors for the March of Dimes.  She has a degree in Communications from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and enjoys running, yoga, and spending time with her husband and puppy at their home in Dedham, MA.  “As an active volunteer with Cambridge School Volunteers, I cannot wait to engage on a deeper level to really make an impact with the children in Cambridge,” says Dulac.

CSV Launches 2012 Cambridgeport/Novartis Netpal Program - January 25, 2012

In the large, sun-filled atrium of Novartis in Central Square, 18 seventh graders from the Cambridgeport School joined their 18 Novartis NetPals on January 25 for lunch and conversation.  Every seventh grader at the Cambridgeport School gets a Novartis scientist as a NetPal to support them in learning about the scientific method.  The luncheon was their first face-to-face meeting since beginning the new semester’s NetPal program.   

The program focuses on a Science EXPO project that students design, with assistance via e-mail and in-person communication from their Novartis NetPal friend.  Students and partners have four face-to-face visits, culminating in a breakfast at the school, where students showcase their EXPO project to NetPals and parents.

         For students, it is probably the first time they get to design a science experiment, develop a hypothesis and procedure for testing the hypothesis, do the testing and describe the results. For the NetPal mentors, it is a wonderful opportunity to share their science knowledge and give helpful suggestions during the process. Plus, students get to meet and work with a real scientist, visit a large biotech company up-close and consider possible career choices. This particular NetPal program has been in existence for seven years under the management of Cambridge School Volunteers.  

         NetPals and its sister program, KeyPals, are rites of passage at several Cambridge middle schools.  Cambridge School Volunteers will work to preserve these corporate partnerships next year as upper school grades move to new locations and expand. 

Student Wins Holiday Card Contest - December 16, 2011

Laura Gill, a sixth grade student at the Peabody School, shows off her winning holiday card design while NetPal Kris Venis (R) from Grace Construction Products looks on, along with Susan Krabbe (L), from Cambridge Systematics. The Cambridge corporation initiated the holiday card contest several years ago and has partnered with sixth graders for 12 years in the NetPal program coordinated by Cambridge School Volunteers. Gill created the holiday card that has been digitally animated and will be sent to several thousand Cambridge Systematics clients world-wide. NetPals is a mentoring project that links students and adult mentors via weekly e-mail communication. Grace joined the program several years ago.

CSV Announces Newest Board Members - October 4, 2011

Cambridge School Volunteers (CSV) welcomes its newest Board members, Andrew Magliozzi and Sally Peterson.

Magliozzi is the founder of Veritas Tutors, a Cambridge-based tutoring firm, and FinalsClub.org, a non-profit open education project. He has also logged more than 3,500 hours of one-to-one tutoring and admissions consulting with a range of students from prep school to juvenile prison. He has authored a book about getting into Harvard, serves as an entrepreneurship advisor to Harvard and continues to blog at PleaseStealThisIdea.com.

Peterson, a Cambridge resident and parent of two children at the Peabody School, has experience as an educator as well as mentor to at-risk youth. She has run an early literacy program whose goal was to increase the number of books in the home and the number of verbal interactions between parents and kids, developed a pilot program to address the needs of young homeless children, and run a dating violence prevention program. “I am honored to join the CSV Board because of the organization’s long and fruitful history with the Cambridge schools.”

CSV was founded in 1966 to support the academic success of public school students, grades K-12. Currently more than 900 volunteers participate as tutors, e-mail mentors, classroom or library assistants, and donate more than 44,000 hours of volunteer time per academic year.

Mack I Davis Award and Recognition Event - May 10, 2011

On May 10, Cambridge School Volunteers honored the 800+ volunteers who served in grades K-12 of the Cambridge Public Schools during the 2010-2011 academic year. Hosted by the Harvard University Office of Government, Community and Public Affairs, the reception took place at the Gutman Library of the School of Education. Together, the volunteers provided more than 50,000 hours of individualized academic services to Cambridge students.

After a welcome by Cambridge Mayor David P. Maher, Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey M. Young, and CSV Board president Louise Adler, longevity certificates were awarded by CSV staff to those who had volunteered for four, 10, 15 and 20 years.

Awards honoring the late Mack I. Davis II, a Harvard administrator with an extraordinary record of public service, including membership on the CSV Board, were presented to the following outstanding CSV volunteers: Donald Board (Tutoring Center, CRLS); Doreen Lopes-Smith (MIT KeyPal, Kennedy-Longfellow); Susan Milmoe ( MLK, Literacy); Elaine Schear (Tutoring Center, CRLS); Ellen Smith (Graham & Parks, Intergenerational Math Program); and Robert (Chip) Taggart (Cambridge Systematics NetPal, Peabody).

       

 

 In addition, the Kenneth S. Neal Award, given to a teacher or administrator with exceptional commitment to CSV and its volunteers, was presented by Jennifer Fries, Executive Director, to Robin Harris, principal at the Fletcher-Maynard Academy.  Awards were also presented to the following corporations whose employees participate in CSV team-based projects in the Cambridge Public Schools: Cambridge Systematics; Draper Labs; Genzyme; Grace Construction Products; Harvard Graduate School of Education; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; IBM; MIT; Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research; and the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center.

CSV Celebrates its 45th Anniversary at a Gala Event Hosted by Genzyme Corporation - March 3, 2011
 
The “Creating a Future for Our Children” event, which was held at Genzyme’s headquarters in Kendall Square, was an opportunity to bring community leaders and supporters together to recognize CSV and its years of supporting the academic and personal success of Cambridge Public School students.
 
CSV’s milestone event honored Cambridge resident Lee Robbins, who helped launch Cambridge School Volunteers in 1966 and who served as its first president. Trained initially as a reading teacher for children with dyslexia, Robbins participated for years as a volunteer literacy tutor and inaugurated the long-standing Intergenerational Literacy Program in 1993. She is also a 2007 recipient of a Mack I. Davis Award for her outstanding work as a volunteer and continues to serve as an advocate for early literacy.
 
There were more than 175 guests including Mayor David Maher and Superintendent Jeffrey Young.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame! - January 5, 2011

Attention Red Sox fans! Bidding is open for the right to throw out the first pitch at a Red Sox game, part of a unique package to benefit Cambridge School Volunteers (CSV) and its many programs in the Cambridge Public Schools. At the May 4, 2011 Red Sox game against the LA Angels, you can become one of the select few to have thrown out a ceremonial first pitch in legendary Fenway Park. Generously donated by the Boston Red Sox/Red Sox Foundation, this unbelievable package includes: the ceremonial first pitch on the mound at Fenway; a VIP pre-game tour of Fenway during batting practice; four tickets on the right field roof deck; $100 credit toward in-seat food and beverage service; and your name in lights on the centerfield scoreboard.

The proceeds of the auction will benefit CSV, the non-profit agency that supports Cambridge Public School students with free tutoring and mentoring programs. CSV places almost 900 volunteers annually in the city’s 12 elementary schools and high school and has helped Cambridge students since 1966.

But you must act quickly! Bidding ends on February 10, 2011. To bid, go to:

http://www.charitybuzz.com/auctions/spectacularsports/catalog_items/252601

Student Wins Holiday Card Contest - December 15, 2010

Kiara Osiris, a sixth grade student at the Peabody School, shows off her winning holiday card design while NetPal Rachel Diaz (R) looks on, along with Susan Krabbe (L), both of Cambridge Systematics. The Cambridge corporation initiated the holiday card contest several years ago and has partnered with sixth graders for 11 years in the NetPal program coordinated by Cambridge School Volunteers. Osiris created the holiday card that has been digitally animated and will be sent to several thousand Cambridge Systematics clients world-wide. NetPals is a mentoring project that links students and adult mentors via weekly e-mail communication.

 CSV Taps Former Leader to Take the Helm - Jennifer Fries as New Executive Director

September 2, 2010 - Cambridge, MA – Cambridge School Volunteers, Inc. (CSV), a not-for-profit organization started more than 40 years ago by a group of public school parents, announced today the appointment of Jennifer Fries as their new Executive Director.

 “Cambridge School Volunteers matches volunteers with kids of all needs and levels of learning.” said Louise Adler, CSV’s Board President. “CSV ensures that all children in the Cambridge Public Schools have the attention they need to excel academically and personally. Together, CSV volunteers bring the richness of our community’s intellectual and cultural life to all students. We are thrilled to have Jennifer come back as our new Executive Director, because we know that her energy, experience, and commitment are what our community’s kids need now.”

Superintendent Jeffrey Young said, “Cambridge Public Schools is deeply grateful for CSV's long-standing and deep commitment to our students. In addition to the daily tutoring and support the volunteers provide, we view CSV as a key partner in building a strong sense of community which extends beyond the door of the schoolhouse. I speak for our entire staff when I say we look forward to working with Jennifer Fries to develop the potential for adult volunteers to meet the learning needs of our diverse student body."

As Executive Director, Fries will lead the organization in its efforts to recruit, train, and place more than 900 volunteer tutors and volunteers within the Cambridge Public Schools. CSV’s volunteers work with students from junior kindergarten on up to 12^th grade, in every elementary school across the city, as well as at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, the city’s public high school. CSV volunteers assist in the classroom, tutor students who have fallen behind or who need that extra help in their AP classes, read aloud to promote love of books, coach Science Olympiad and other enrichment activities, promote math literacy, provide career mentoring, share their love of music and the arts, and even help first generation students to apply for college.

Fries’ management background was extremely attractive to CSV. She is an experienced fundraiser, a 2005 graduate of Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and a Cambridge public school parent. Fries’ background includes community involvement and work with a number of education, non-violence, and anti-poverty groups. Fries most recently headed up fund development and policy for One Family, Inc. From 2002-2004, Fries was Executive Director of CSV. Fries’ daughter attends the Amigos School.

Fries said, “I am thrilled to be returning to CSV. Today, education is the key to our community’s vibrancy and growth. More than ever, we need to ensure that there is no achievement gap between our kids, and that we convey high expectations for all children. CSV’s volunteers give kids the boost they need to succeed and excel in math, reading, science, and the humanities. From the retired college professor to the biotech whiz kid, volunteers bring something special to the classroom.”

To volunteer in the schools this year, call 617-349-6794 or visit www.csvinc.org.

Mack I. Davis Award and Recognition Event - May 11, 2010

On May 11, Cambridge School Volunteers (CSV) honored 900 volunteers who served in grades K-12 of the Cambridge Public Schools during the 2009-2010 academic year.  Hosted by the Harvard University Office of Government, Community and Public Affairs, the reception took place at the Gutman Library of the School of Education. Together, the volunteers have provided more than 50,000 hours of individualized academic services to Cambridge students.

After a welcome by Cambridge Mayor David P. Maher, Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey M. Young, and CSV Board president Louise Adler, longevity certificates were awarded by CSV Interim Executive Director Jeff Katz to those who had volunteered for four, 10, 15 and 20 years.

Awards honoring the late Mack I. Davis II, a Harvard administrator with an extraordinary record of public service, including membership on the CSV Board, were presented to the following outstanding CSV volunteers: Judith Clapp (Intergenerational Math, Graham & Parks; Jewish Coalition Literacy, Haggerty); Rick Flanagan (Draper Laboratory KeyPal, Kennedy-Longfellow); Eric Ritter (Early Literacy, Graham & Parks) Jennie Devereaux (Catholic Charities Foster, Peabody); Greg Paris (Novartis NetPal, Cambridgeport; Science Olympiad, CRLS); Alison Stewart (Tutoring Center, CRLS).

In addition, the Kenneth S. Neal Award, given to a teacher or administrator with exceptional commitment to CSV and its volunteers, was presented by Laura Margosian to Ross Benson (Math Teacher, CRLS) for his commitment to the CSV Science Olympiad program.

Awards were also presented to the following corporations whose employees participate in CSV team-based projects in the Cambridge Public Schools: Archemix; Cambridge Systematics; Charles Stark Draper Laboratory; Genzyme Corporation; Harvard Graduate School of Education; IBM; MIT; Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research; the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center; and W.R. Grace Co.

Cambridge School Volunteers Welcomes New Interim Executive Director