By Randal Edgar
© 2000 Republican-American
WATERBURY – Margaret Generali’s love for children and education burned brightly as ever on the first anniversary of her passing – in the hearts of teachers and fellow educators she inspired.
At the school now named in the late principal’s honor, two teachers were named Wednesday as recipients of the Margaret M. Generali Foundation grants, which will be awarded each year to public and private school teachers and administrators in Waterbury who want to improve language arts instruction.
The recipients were Elizabeth Carroll, a kindergarten teacher at Carrington Elementary School, and Phyllis Gorman, a second-grade teacher at Tinker Elementary School. Carroll submitted a proposal to buy books that will let her students follow along while she reads to them and buy head sets that will allow students to listen to books on tape and follow along by themselves.
“That’s how they learn to read,” Carroll said.
Gorman submitted a proposal to connect her class to the Internet and communicate with the authors of books the class is reading. Her students also will create a class Web site and keep journals as they read books and communicate with the authors.
Each teacher will receive $500. Seven teachers from Waterbury applied for the grant.
Ed Generali, Margaret Generali’s husband, told an audience of some 100 educators, friends and city officials that the foundation will “help fulfill so many of Maggie’s dreams and ideals.”
Margaret Generali, 48, was principal of the then-East Farms Elementary School when she died last year after suffering an aneurysm.
Contributions can be sent to the Margaret M. Generali Foundation, 39 Southwind Road, Waterbury 06708.
The foundation has a Web site at www.maggiegenerali.com.
Also announced Wednesday were some $18,000 worth of donations in Margaret Generali’s name that bought computers, air conditioners, book cases and other items for the school’s media center.