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the PDF of the February 24, 2009 Press Release
February 24, 2009 - Presentation School Foundation to
join with St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Creative Workplace Learning, and Little Sprouts Child Enrichment Centers at GALA Event to announce new partnerships to strengthen Allston-Brighton Community
BOSTON, February 24, 2009 --The Presentation School Foundation (PSF) today announced that it will
be joined at a GALA celebration on Saturday, March 7th by future tenants of the PSF facility in Oak
Square including St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Creative Workplace Learning, and Little Sprouts.
Through partnerships and collaborations with local organizations, including the YMCA, Wheelock College
and WGBH, these tenants will begin delivering high quality programs to support and strengthen the local
community as soon as planned renovations have been completed. At the GALA & Auction on March 7th,
PSF will also unveil plans that will make the center a model of environmentally-friendly “Green”
renovation.
St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, a nonprofit community-based teaching hospital offering state-of-the-art
medical care, will expand its local health education, screenings and support programs. Key components
of the center’s health programming will be Women, Infants and Children (WIC) programs to provide
nutrition, health education and other services to families, and the REACH Program, in collaborating with
The Home for Little Wanderers Boston Early Intervention, to provide developmental support groups and
programs to children and families from throughout the Allston-Brighton community. In addition to housing
these programs, St. Elizabeth’s will also work with PSF and other organizations including the YMCA on
community health programming that will be focused around preventive health screenings and health
information sessions that address the health needs of local residents.
Little Sprouts, a nationally recognized leader in early education, will operate a school that will serve up to
140 local children. A key component of the Little Sprouts program includes curriculum materials
developed by Brighton-based public broadcasting leader WGBH. Designed specifically for use in early
childhood settings, the materials include a classroom library of books, teachers’ guides, DVD’s and
activities that utilize WGBH’s award-winning television series Between the Lions and Peep and the Big
Wide World. This curriculum is a launching point to teach young children reading skills and basic science
concepts. Little Sprouts operates 9 other schools in Massachusetts communities and is accredited by the
National Association for the Education of Young Children.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to participate in such a wonderful community-building initiative”
noted Susan Leger-Ferraro, Founder and President of Little Sprouts.
Creative Workplace Learning (CWL) will expand on its 30 plus year history of innovative on-site education
and training programs for individuals in need of Basic English and academic skills to help meet the
pressing workforce development and skills training needs of the Allston-Brighton community. Key
components of the center’s adult education and job training will include the CWL’s Adult High-School
Diploma Program, English as a second language (ESOL) customized for the workplace, and Computer
Skills for the Office as an employment preparation program. CWL will also collaborate with PSF to offer a
host of functional skills and literacy programs on financial, health, and employment topics.
“CWL’s goal is to ensure that all members of the community have the educational opportunities that will
enable them to succeed whether in school or in their careers.” said Dr. Lloyd David of CWL.
“PSF is extremely pleased that we’ve been able to continue building upon the wonderful grass-roots
efforts of the local community to support diverse families in Allston-Brighton,” said PSF President Tom
O’Brien. “We are very grateful that some of Boston’s leading educational and health organizations are
working together to provide extraordinary opportunities for local children and our community. We believe
that these difficult economic times make the PSF project even more important to boost our local
economy, to support urban children and families, and to serve as a model of community engagement and
Green renovation.”
At the end of 2007, PSF purchased the former Our Lady of the Presentation school building from the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston for one million dollars culminating what was described by the
Boston Globe as “the best example of local grass-roots organizing in many years” and as “an exceptional
effort to buttress an urban community.” The project will be “shovel-ready” within the next few weeks with
the plans calling for the use of solar panels for energy and the creative reuse of old-classroom chalk
boards. The renovation will result in manifold economic benefits for Allston-Brighton. PSF has received
tremendous community support, but PSF still needs to secure financing and significant fundraising
support to move this important project forward.
The PSF Gala & Auction will take place on Saturday, March 7th, at the Royal Sonesta hotel in Cambridge,
and the evening will include dinner, silent and live auctions, and dancing. Last year’s GALA sold out, but
tickets for this year’s event are still available. For ticket or sponsorship information please go to www.psf-
inc.org/gala, email gala@psf-inc.org or call us at 617-782-8670.
About The Presentation School Foundation, Inc.
The Presentation School Foundation, Inc. is a secular community-based nonprofit corporation formed by
local civic and business leaders from different background and faiths who all share the PSF mission: to
provide educational and community services that strengthen Boston’s diverse Allston-Brighton
neighborhood. For more information about PSF please visit: www.psf-inc.org.
About St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center
St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Tufts University School of Medicine, offers patients
access to some of Boston's most respected physicians and advanced treatments for a full-range of
medical specialties including family medicine, cardiovascular care, women and infants' health, oncology,
neurology care and orthopedics. For more information about St. Elizabeth’s please visit:
www.caritasstelizabeths.org
About Little Sprouts Child Enrichment Centers
Little Sprouts has been a leader in providing award-winning early education since 1982. Little Sprouts is a
two-time recipient of the Early Reading First Grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education and is
a Preschool Center of Excellence also awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. Little Sprouts is
accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Little Sprouts has 9
schools in Massachusetts supporting families that reflect 32 cultures speaking 23 languages from all
walks of social, economic, religious and ethnic backgrounds. To learn more about Little Sprouts, visit www.littlesprouts.com.
About Creative Workplace Learning
Creative Workplace Learning (CWL) is a nonprofit provider of innovative on-site education and training
programs to individuals in need of Basic English and academic skills. Since 1977, more than 10,000
adults have attended CWL educational programs designed to help them succeed in the workplace and in
life, including an adult high-school diploma program, English as second language, and computer skills for
the Office. For more information about CWL please visit: www.creativeworkplacelearning.org
ARCHIVED PRESS RELEASES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
- March 12, 2008: PSF joins with Little Sprouts, WGBH, and Wheelock College to Announce the Launch of an Innovative Urban Early Education Initiative
- October 12, 2007: PSF to Make Major Announcement on Ownership and Future
Use of the Presentation School Building
- October 18, 2006: Media Alert
- April 21, 2006: News Release
- March 14, 2006: Letter to the
Community
- June 27, 2005: Joint Statement from
PSF and the Archdiocese of Boston
- June 16, 2005: Irish Wake to be held on June 18, 2005
- June 14, 2005: Joint Statement from
PSF and the Archdiocese of Boston
- June 10, 2005: PSF Chair to make statement on June 11, 2005
Archived News:
December 2005: The Boston Foundation has awarded
PSF a $25,000 grant to assist in the planning and development
of a community center at the former site of the Our Lady
of the Presentation School in Oak Square. The PSF appreciates
the assistance of the Boston Foundation and views the grant
as a further indication of the widespread support for the
PSF's vision for a community center that would serve the
pressing needs of working parents, children and immigrants
in the Allston-Brighton community.
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