Wallace Students Give Generously at Thanksgiving

Wallace Middle School students collected hundreds upon hundreds of canned food times in the weeks before Thanksgiving to help Waterbury families in need celebrate the holiday. Ms. Blacker's sixth-grade homeroom collected more than 500 cans--more than any other homeroom in the school--and won a pizza part to celebrate their efforts.

Lawmaker Discusses Capitol Work with Wallace Middle School Students

(WATERBURY, CONN. – Nov. 17, 2008) - State Representative John "Corky" Mazurek (D-80) visits seventh-grade students on Nov. 10 in daughter Kara Mazurek's language arts class at Wallace Middle School in Waterbury to discuss his work as a lawmaker. Mazurek serves the 80th congressional district, which includes Southington and Wolcott. Seated left to right: Brandon Vega, Kaheim Walker, Karaina Diaz, Elemedina Loga, Juan Parilla, Derick Cianci, and Luis Silva.

Rep. Mazurek said he was "very impressed" by the students' questions. "They had apparently put forth tremendous effort in designing the questions to learn more about my job and what a state representative actually does. For example, one student asked, 'What was the most significant piece of legislation that you supported, and what was its impact on society?' Another student asked, 'What was a piece of legislation that you supported that you now take a second look at?'"

Kara Mazurek said, "The students became very interested in the election as they wrote a full process persuasive paper on the presidential candidate of their choice. They also conducted independent research on their topic which led to their inquiring if a politician could visit their class." 

Friendly's Helps Wallace Middle School Celebrate Mastery Test Acheivement

(WATERBURY, CONN. – Nov. 13, 2008)  Silvio Marchione, general manager of Friendly's Ice Cream on Watertown Avenue in Waterbury, was on hand at Waterbury's Wallace Middle School on Wednesday, November 12, to serve up the first ice cream sundaes to seventh- and eighth-grade students to congratulate them for their improved scores on the 2008 Connecticut Mastery Test. The students' success on the CMT's helped the school reach adequate yearly progress (AYP).

Under No Child Left Behind legislation, the state sets the level of progress a school must attain after each year. Wallace Middle School successfully achieved the AYP goals for the 2007-2008 school year.

"This is a big achievement in an urban middle school with more than 1,300 students," said school principal Dr. Louis Padua.

"This achievement is important for the students, the school, the district, and the community, and it's great that a business in the community supports our kids in this way,"  Dr. Padua added.

Friendly's corporate headquarters generously gave Wallace Middle School students ice cream and toppings for 1,000 students to celebrate the current seventh- and eighth-grade students' success on the CMTs. The current ninth graders (who are now at Crosby High) who took the test last year will receive coupons for ice cream redeemable at Friendly's to celebrate their success. On hand for the first of the ice cream treats were Selmon Rafey, Jorna Sojati, Molly Fitzgerald, Inri Panajoti, and Alesandra Setaro.

"We want to congratulate the kids for a job well done, and we're happy to do it," said Marchione.

Eighth-grade student Gabriel Mobley said he's glad Wallace Middle School is getting credit for working hard. His peers agreed. "The teachers and students at Wallace worked hard last year, and it paid off. Our teachers want us to reach our full potential," said Molly Fiztgerald,  a seventh-grader.

"They want us to be motivated to work harder," said Jorna Sojati, who is in the eighth grade.

Remarking on the various academic challenges facing the diverse population of this urban middle school, eighth-grade student Selmon remarked, "I think the diversity at Wallace is a good thing in our society. We have to learn to work with all kinds of people. At Wallace, we're learning in the real world."

Dr. Padua said, "A diverse  community lends itself to a rich learning environment, and that is what we have here."

Attached Photo (Left to right, back row): Jorna Sojati, Watertown Avenue Friendly Friendly's assistant manager Chris Dunlap, Watertown Avenue Friendly's general manager Silvio Marchione, Selmon Rafey, Gabriel Mobley, and Wallace Middle School Building Principal Dr. Louis Padua. (Left to right, back row): Inri Panjoti and Molly Fitzgerald.