School Board Names Friend of Education Award Winners

Each year, through its Friend of Education Award, the Stratford Board of Education recognizes citizens and organizations who have demonstrated commitment to the town’s school system and students in a significant way. The Friend of Education Award is the most prestigious award given by the board.
 
For 2011, the Board of Education recognized five recipients for this award. They were:  
 
The Babineau Family

After the incomprehensible loss of their daughter Erin in a tragic accident, her family established the Erin Babineau Memorial Fund as a way to continue their daughter’s legacy of doing good for others. The fund has generated an Erin Babineau Memorial Scholarship, upgraded the Chapel Elementary softball field, worked with the town and Sterling House to build a new gym on the Sterling House property called “Erin’s Gym.”  In addition, the family has contributed to many other programs that are too numerous to mention.
 
Helen Craye

As a former PTA president at Franklin Elementary School, Helen was instrumental in increasing parental involvement. She is the outgoing PTA Council (composed of the PTA presidents of each Stratford school) serving in that capacity for four years and is taking on the role as Secretary/Treasurer of the Connecticut PTSA Board of Directors. In addition she served as a member of the Long Range Facilities Planning Committee for the Stratford Board of Education and has been very active as a leader with the Girl Scouts. She is a longtime resident of Stratford where she lives with her husband and children.
 
Sanford Lunt 

Sandy is an active member of the Stratford Board of Education’s Communications and Public Relations Committee, bringing to it this acumen a strength in marketing and advertising. He has written articles for the district’s newsletter among other tasks in order to share the successes of the Stratford Public School system with the entire Stratford community. He has also been mentoring at the Nichols Elementary School where he has developed a solid relationship with the staff and especially the students to whom he has shown his great concern for their educational success and well-being. He has lived in Oronoque Village the past 16 years and is an active member of that community.
 
Barbara Sirois

Barbara has been a founder and member of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce for the past 30 years. She is best known, however, in the school district in her role as founder and chair of Stratford’s Business Education Support Team (BEST) for 23 years. BEST is a partnership between business people and educators designed to enhance the educational experience for Stratford’s students. Barbara has been recognized with awards including the I Magna Award for the BEST program, which received national recognition by the American School Board Journal, as well as receiving a letter of commendation from President Clinton that same year. She is a Stratford native and attended Stratford Public Schools, graduating magna cum laude from Stratford High School. She attended Sacred Heart University in Fairfield and maintains a diversified continuing education program which she regards as essential in the “continuing evolution of the mind.”
 
Rich Tallberg

Rich is a former Stratford Academy PTA President and was responsible for instilling and enriching school and community service activities during his tenure in this important school leadership position. He was also a key player in the further development of the performing arts initiative at Stratford Academy. He was one of the managing directors of several full-school plays at the Academy, incorporating hundreds of children into vibrant performances that ultimately increased student stage presence and confidence performing in front of hundreds of parents, students and community members.  Rich also served as PTSA President at David Wooster Middle School and was the driving force in musicals presented there with over a hundred students experiencing the positive force of the performing arts. He is now working with Jeff Leinen at Stratford High School to continue promotion of High School theatre arts.        
 
The recipients were recognized with a ceremony and plaques at the board’s June 27 meeting.