School Volunteers Lauded at Luncheon

“Thank you for your partnership.”

Barrington School Committee Vice-Chair Kate Brody gave that thanks to scores of volunteers who attended the annual luncheon recognizing their service to the schools on Thursday afternoon.

“You are part of moving our district forward,” Brody said. “You role is critical. You are helping students to understand the connection between curriculum and real life, and helping them make healthy choices for a health lifestyle.”

The mid-day event drew principals, administrators and about 100 volunteers to the Barrington Public Library gallery. Singers and guitarists from the high school played background music.

Dara Iserson and Jennifer Gildea were two of the 10-year volunteers who got special recognition at the luncheon. 

“We moved to Barrington when my daughter was in kindergarten,” said Iserson, a co-president of the Barrington Education Foundation, which raises thousands of dollars each year for the schools. “I wanted to get involved. It was a fun thing to do.” 

Gildea, who has seven children ages 3 to 20, said she has volunteered at Primrose Hill School and the high school over the years. She is a room parent every year, and works the annual carnival at Primrose Hill. 

“I was there to help,” she said. “So I did.”

She will continue to volunteer "as long as I keep having children," she said with a laugh.

Tracey Orchard, the volunteer coordinator for the Barrington schools, describes the annual luncheon as a way to show more appreciation to the more than 500 volunteers in the schools – appreciation that was shown by students on an array of posters hung on the walls.

Orchard read some of the ways the pupils said they were thankful, including giving us water, listening to us read, warming our hearts, throwing a pizza picnic, helping with math problems when I’m stuck, eliminating chaos on the playground, and getting me to the nurse when I bumped my head on a ladder.

“You represent what volunteer service means to the community in the classroom,” said Superintendent Micheal Messore, who was attending his first volunteer luncheon as schools chief.

Other volunteers recognized Thursday for 10 years of service were Jill Cuzzone, Laci Costa, Lynn Burke, Leslie Goodwin, Brenda Nowak, Kathy Rywold, Nancy Troiano and Renee Reilly.

Recognized for 20 years of volunteer service was Martha Wallick.