For further information, please contact:
The La Salle School
518
242-4731 ext. 271
Email: Marita Jadlos
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PBIS at Rochester's Hillside Family of Agencies.
During the session, he explained how the model originally developed for public schools, was being applied in alternative settings, and how La Salle could benefit from it's evidence-based instructional techniques and pro-active strategies. These methods help to create positive school environments and supports for appropriate student behavior. In addition, they assist in developing environments where relationships with children, families, and staff are collaborative, respectful, and strength-based.
During a tour of La Salle on the day before the in-service, Kalke observed several staff exhibiting calm and sensitivity when handling difficult situations. He suggested that incorporating PBIS into the School's already excellent practices would be a strong complement to the teaching, modeling, and positive social behavior reinforcement that PBIS espouses.
According to Kalke, more than 1,000 children and youth served in Hillside's residential campuses, campus schools, and day treatment programs are successfully participating in PBIS. A team of La Salle staff were impressed when they visited a large downstate agency and watched the program in action. In their pursuit of PBIS specialists, La Salle administrators discovered Kalke and invited him to the Albany facility to describe PBIS to the whole staff. His direct care experience helped him to interact very well with La Salle caregivers, and lent credibility to his success with PBIS.
Staff have already begun to use PBIS tactics, and La Salle is currently assessing agency-wide implementation.
Wolff honored by Hudson Valley Community College
ALBANY, NEW YORK – October 21,
2008 – La Salle School Executive Director Bill Wolff received the Humanitarian Service Award from Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) on Thursday, October 16th for exercising leadership through volunteer service, participation in public service and personal sacrifice to improve the lives of others. He was honored at the College's Distinguished Service Awards luncheon held at the Franklin Terrace in Troy.
Also recognized for their many contributions to the community were Paula Stopera, executive director of Capital Communications Federal Credit Union; Michael Whalen, practice administrator for Albany Advanced Imaging (HVCC Class of '75), Touhey Associates President Charles Touhey, and Albany Medical Center.
In his acceptance remarks, Wolff remembered his HVCC days. "Going to Community College really is about getting started at living your life, and it proved that at 17 it was okay if you really weren't sure what you wanted to do. Not because you weren't serious, or able to work hard or be a good citizen, but just because you were young."
He then reflected on his work in the field of child welfare urging guests to be aware of all that was being done by thousands in the community to assist needy children and families. "If humanitarian work is done face to face, where people give freely to others in need so their lives might be better, then there are thousands of true humanitarians working every day in (area residential and adoption) agencies," Wolff said. Our region needs to know this."
The awards event was co-sponsored by the Hudson Valley Community College Foundation and the Alumni Association. Wolff is a graduate of HVCC's Class of 1972.
National conference to feature agency-academic partnership
ALBANY, NEW YORK – September 15,
2008 – The national conference
of the Alliance for Children and Families will feature a partnership betweenLa Salle School, St. Anne Institute, and the University at Albany's School of Criminal Justice. This workshop will tackle both the steps organizations should take and those that should be avoided while developing partnerships between academic researchers and service providers. Two problems will be addressed in detail. The first will be how to build practice based on evidence when tested service models are not available or when those that are available are not appropriate to a specific agency. The second problem will focus on how to develop the research capability to engage in this program development when an agency does not have the resources for an internal research unit or an external contract. Attendees will develop an implementation checklist tailored to their own contacts. La Salle Executive Director Bill Wolff, and David Duffee, professor emeritus from the University at Albany will present this workshop on October 30, 2008 in Baltimore, Maryland.
LASALLe-news IS HERE!!!
ALBANY, NEW YORK – September 8,
2008 – LASALLe-news is a new feature of La Salle's website. This form of communication is different from our newsletter in that it will provide technical information about the most recent developments in the agency's various programs and services. The link is now active and currently features a narrative on differentiated instruction and Wilson reading - two new education innovations.
La Salle receives funding to further research
ALBANY, NEW YORK – August 14,
2008 – The Service Outcomes
Action Research (SOAR) project is proving to be a success for LaSalle, and their partner in this effort, St. Anne Institute. This is due to $130,000 in grant monies from the Office of Children and Family Service's Quality Enhancement Fund. Monies will support an expanded effort on the part of the University at Albany. This growth will allow faculty and students from the Schools of Social Welfare, and Education to join their colleagues in the School of Criminal Justice who have championed the project now in its eighth year.
"With SOAR we are developing our own evidence based practices," said Mark Silverbush, Assistant Executive Director for Continuous Quality Assurance. These practices are helping to develop valid and reliable measures for intervention and client improvement, train service staff in recording these steps as part of routine clinical practice, and engage service staff in continual improvement through analysis of agency data.
In addition to a growing number of faculty-authored publications related to research, the progress of this work will be a featured workshop selected by the Alliance of Children and Families for presentation at its national conference this fall in Baltimore, Maryland.
Plug Power names LSS 08-09 Flagship Charity
ALBANY, NEW YORK – August 1,
2008 – Plug Power, a leader in the adoption of fuel cell technology, selected La Salle as the agency they will devote their charitable energies toward during 2008-2009.
Beginning in July and continuing for the next 18 months, Plug's community service staff will conduct classroom demonstrations on new technology and environmentally friendly initiatives.
"Plug Power is an active partner with La Salle providing field improvements and resources for the children we serve," said Christian Brother and Assistant Executive Director James Martino. In July, 30 Plug Power workers were on La Salle's campus to refurbish the multi-use sports field, and install a basketball court providing a recreational space for students. "We're extremely pleased with the work the volunteers have done so far, and excited about the variety of projects they will participate in through the coming year," said Martino.
Plug Power's Flagship Charities have included Unity House in Troy, New York, the Regional Foodbank of Northeastern New York, and Parson's Child and Family Services located in Albany.
Students honored at Annual Youth Summit
ALBANY, NEW YORK – June 1,
2008 – Sponsored by the Department for Children, Youth and Families, the Annual Youth Summit provides an arena for Albany County adolescents, age 12 and up, to explore issues important to them through workshops and presentations. As part of the Summit, students were honored with Youth Recognition Awards for their positive achievements.
Criteria for these awards include exemplifying model behaviors, positive youth development, and progress in making strides for themselves and the community.
Honored this year were Joshua Osborne, named the most improved student, and Wesley Harrigan for his receipt of the George Roe Athletic Achievement award. Both are Family Preservation students.
LSS excels at National History competition
ALBANY, NEW YORK – May 5,
2008 – La Salle students participated in
National History Day, a year-long educational program sponsored in New
York State by the NYS Historical Association. On March 29, two La Salle
students joined 53 other middle and high
school students to compete in
the Capital Region History Day Contest at the State Museum. Judged by
professional historians and educators, students were encouraged to explore
local, state, nation, and world history. They selected historical topics
relating to the theme "Conflict and Compromise in History",
conducted extensive research, analyzed and interpreted their findings,
drew conclusions about the historical significance of their topics, and
created final projects that presented their work.
La Salle 9th Grade Student Olonjadae R. won a silver medal
for his Sr. Individual Exhibit entitled "Conflict from within: Malcolm
X vs. Martin Luther King," and 10th Grade Student Joshua Y. won a
gold medal for his project entitled "Conflict in the Middle East:
Palestine vs. Israel."
Both students presented their projects at the state competition
on May 2nd in Cooperstown, New York.
Cool Insuring named 2008 Corporate
Partner
ALBANY, NEW YORK – March 17,
2008 – La Salle is pleased to announce that
Cool Insuring Agency is the school's 2008 Corporate Partner. Cool offers
hundreds of clients a broad array of assisted
La Salle with health benefits for many years.
Cool Insuring shares La Salle's long-standing commitment to
assist families and children living in our community. "We feel close
to Cool Insuring because of their fine work on La Salle's behalf and the
fact that, like La Salle, they have served our community for 150 years,"
said La Salle Executive Director Bill Wolff. We are particularly proud
that they are partnering with us in 2008 to help expand our presence as
a provider of services for needy children and families."
In October, Cool presented La Salle with a check for $10,000
in celebration of the insurance group's anniversary year.
Lasallian Dinner honors UAlbany's
Dr. David Duffee and Cool Insuring Agency
26th Annual Lasallian Dinner held
May 1, 2008
ALBANY, NEW YORK – May
5, 2008 – Dr. David Duffee and Cool Insuring Agency were
recognized for their community service at the May 2008 Lasallian Dinner
held on May 1, 2008 at the Holiday Inn Albany on Wolf Road.
Nearly 300 were in attendance to help La Salle recognize David
Duffee, Ph.D and Cool Insuring for their outstanding service to the community,
most especially, to those in need. Dr. Duffee received the Lasallian Service
Award for his many community accomplishments including partnering with
La Salle to determine how children and families were impacted by La Salle's
programs and services after they left placement.
Cool Insuring received the Lasallian Benefactor Award in recognition
of the agency's long-time exemplary efforts to connect with their community
and support charitable work beyond their mission to provide excellent
benefit packages to their clients. La Salle is proud that Cool is continuing
their charitable work as the school's 2008 Corporate Partner supporting
all of the agency's community outreach through this year.
Corporate support and donations to the event are expected
to exceed $100,000.
Mary Beth O'Brien receives Volunteer Service
Award from La Salle School
Third annual volunteer ceremony
held March 2008
ALBANY, NEW YORK – March
17, 2008 – La Salle School held the third annual Mary G.
Breslin Volunteer Service Award ceremony on Monday, March 10, 2008 at
8:00 a.m. in the George E. Hanner Chapel Cultural Center on the La Salle
campus.
This year's award recipient - Mary Beth O'Brien - was honored
for her outstanding volunteerism in the Capital District and beyond. She
has held leadership positions and memberships in literally hundreds of
local, state and national organizations. These include the Ladies of Charity
of the United States of America, Catholic Charities of the Albany Diocese,
and the St. Peter's Hospital Foundation. She has also served as co-chair
for La Salle School's 150th Anniversary fundraiser, co-chair of Catholic
Central High School's capital campaign, and the advisory board of The
Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, New York, Inc.
Among the guests congratulating Mrs. O'Brien were Albany Bishop
Howard Hubbard, Albany Mayor Gerald Jennings, and members of the Breslin
and O'Brien families.
Mary Beth was honored in May 2003 with the Lasallian Service
Award, and joins Robert Wolfgang and Rhea Clark as winners of the Breslin
Volunteer Service Award.
A hunt for bargains at La Salle
School
Catholic Women’s Service League
hosts its annual boutique
at home for youths
By Paul Grondahl – Staff Writer
Times Union – p1, Capital Region section
– December 24, 2007
ALBANY – The senior women
with silver hair and colorful holiday sweaters stood expectantly behind
tables piled high with perfume, watches, toys and hundreds of gift items.
A few dozen teens, wearing baggy jeans, team jerseys and baseball caps,
lined up at the opposite end of the room. They clutched hard-earned cash,
ready to rush to the tables with all the jittery anticipation of a pre-dawn
Black Friday shopping spree.
This was the scene just before Christmas at the annual boys’ boutique
at La Salle School.
The school serves 240 troubled adolescent and teen boys, 80 of whom live
at the facility because of a judge’s order due to juvenile delinquency,
or family abuse and neglect issues.
The boutique is a holiday tradition that started in the 1970s and is still
run by the Catholic Women’s Service League despite an aging and
dwindling membership.
“We feel good to see them so excited by all the gifts,” said
Marcia Mahoney, 67, chairwoman of the boutique and a former president
of the league. She joined 40 years ago after her mother brought her into
the group.
“It’s like being Santa Claus,” said Anne Garry Richmond,
69, a member for 30 years and a former president, whose mother also was
a member.
“The ladies bring that special care and warmth that makes La Salle
feel more like a home than an institution,” said Brother James Martino,
assistant executive director at the school.
The holiday boutique is one of several activities the women’s charitable
organization organizes at the school each year. They put on a Halloween
party, birthday celebrations, a bingo night, trips to Great Escape and
a Yankees game.
The women’s group donated $9,500 this year from their fundraising
efforts to support the school’s summer programs.
Their work remains strong, despite the fact that just 110 members remain
from a peak of more than 400 members in the 1950s. Their average age has
risen into the 60s.
Their biggest event of the year is the holiday boutique. The women solicit
donations of money and gifts. They shop for items months before the holidays.
They also receive toys from the Albany Police Athletic League.
The boys come in shifts to shop among the inventory of more than 1,000
gifts. The kids purchase the presents for a nominal fee ranging from 10
cents to a few dollars.
“I love this,” said Demetrius, 15, of Schenectady, who’d
been living at the school for three weeks. He had saved $16 from doing
chores and for
good behavior.
He bought cologne for his dad, a fragrance collection for his mom, and
soap and lotion for his stepmom. While volunteers took care of the free
wrapping, he went back to the gift tables and selected a mimiature TV
and motorcycle model for himself.
The boys’ last names are not used because of privacy concerns.
Most of the boys have a parent, guardian or relative with whom they will
spend the holiday, although some must remain at school.
Jacob, 15, of Poughkeepsie, spent last Christmas at the school, but will
be home this year. He was purchasing gifts with $20 he saved from cleaning
classrooms.
“I like that they sell things for a lot less than they cost because
we don’t have much money,” he said. He bought his mom a necklace
and a bath and body set, and his stepdad a polo shirt and watch.
Alex, 15, of Broadalbin, proudly clutched a wad of bills he earned by
winning school chess tournaments.
“I like buying really good stuff for cheap,” he said, as he
purchased cologne for his two brothers and tools for his dad. He’s
lived at the school for two years and will go home for Christmas.
Alex’s dream gift? A key to the ’68 Firebird his brother is
restoring.
“I can’t drive it now anyway, but I just want a key to hold
onto until I can,”
he said.
La Salle alumnus and board member Bob Conway, 62, an RPI administrator
and former Troy mayor, stopped by to see the boutique, as he does most
years.
“The brothers created the foundation for my whole life and instilled
strong values,” said Conway, who lived at the school from 1958 to
1963. He was placed there and his siblings were sent with relatives and
at another institution because his mother got sick and his father couldn’t
care for them himself.
Conway stopped to chat with Bill Wolff, the school’s executive director.
“I like coming here because this place is always home for me,”
Conway said.
“They’ve got a lot of things I didn’t expect,”
said Jawan, 15, of Middletown, who has lived at the school for four months.
He saved $35 from chores and earning good grades. He bought cologne for
his brother, lotion for his mom and a watch for his girlfriend.
He asked for a new pair of Air Jordan sneakers for Christmas. “But
what I really want is just being able to go home for Christmas,”
Jawan said.
La Salle School receives $10,000 donation from Cool Insuring Agency
ALBANY, NY – October 29, 2007 – Today, the Cool Insuring Agency, Inc., presented a check for $10,000 to the La Salle School of Albany. This
donation will be used to help fund programs and activities for children and their families.
"We feel close to Cool Insuring - not only because of their fine work on La Salle's behalf but because La Salle School has also served this community for 150 years," said Executive Director Bill Wolff. "Their generosity to La Salle at this time speaks highly of our Agency's mission to children and families. We proudly accept this wonderful gift and congratulate Cool on celebrating 150 years of assisting the community.”
$150,000 is being donated by Cool Insuring to charitable organizations in the communities it serves throughout New York State’s Warren, Albany and Broome counties in this anniversary year. La Salle School is one of 15 organizations to receive a donation during 2007.
“Our agency has been involved in the local community since Charles W. Cool founded our firm in 1857,” said Chris Hagen, of Cool Insuring Agency. “We are pleased to show our financial support to worthwhile charitable organizations in the communities that have helped our agency grow and prosper,” he added.
About Cool Insuring Agency, Inc.
Cool Insuring Agency’s rich history and dedication to its clients has helped Cool grow into one of the largest and most innovative corporate and small business insurance agencies in the industry. Cool’s 110 employees are located in full-service insurance offices in Glens Falls, NY (where the firm was founded in 1857), as well as Latham, NY (Albany County), and Vestal, NY (Broome County). Cool offers a broad array of Property and Casualty products to personal, commercial, institutional, and governmental clients throughout the country, as well as throughout the world. For further information, visit www.coolins.com.
Wolff named Lasallian Educator
of the Year
ALBANY, NEW YORK – October 17, 2007
– The Brothers of the Christian Schools are proud to announce that
Bill Wolff, La Salle School executive director, is the recipient of the
2007 Distinguished Lasallian Educator Award representing the Brother’s
entire New York province.
Established in 1989, this annual award recognizes an educator in each
of the Districts who exemplifies the ideals of Saint John Baptist de La
Salle, Patron of Teachers. Representing the New York district, Wolff is
one of five honorees in as many districts representing the U.S./Toronto
region. The New York district includes schools located in New York State,
New Jersey, Michigan, and various Canadian provinces.
Mr. Wolff will accept the honor on November 19th in St. Louis, Missouri
at the Christian Brother’s annual Huether Conference. He was also
named
La Salle School’s Lasallian Educator of the Year at May 2007 Founder’s
Day
exercises.
For further information, please contact The La Salle School Foundation
518 242-4731 ext. 271, e-mail: Marita Jadlos
La Salle School Program Reaccredited
ALBANY, NEW YORK – October 11, 2007
– After intensive staff preparation
and a successful March 2007 site review by Council on Accreditation (COA)
peer
reviewers, the La Salle School program was reaccredited through June 2011.
Remaining an accredited agency demonstrates to stakeholders that La Salle
School implements best standards practices, conducts operations successfully,
and manages funds effectively.
After School Center to open
as a result of
Safe Grant Award to La Salle School
ALBANY, NEW YORK – October 11, 2007
– The $150,000 SAFE (Safe
Alternatives for Family Enrichment) grant awarded to La Salle School
by the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) has made possible
additional after-school programming at the agency. The purpose of the
new
After School Center (ASC) is to introduce at-risk youth to skills, activities
and
opportunities; tap into their strengths and foster appropriate peer and
adult
relationships; and help them become successful members of their
community. For youth ages 15 to 17, the ASC will include a job readiness
component through La Salle’s Evening Academy.
La Salle is one of 23 community agencies across New York State to receive
nearly $4.4 million in SAFE grants for preventive services for at-risk
families
who are not yet in the child welfare system. In an April 2007 press release
announcing the awards, OCFS Commissioner Gladys Carrion, Esq.
stated that“our goal is for all New York State youth to reach their
full
potential and become healthy, productive adults. The SAFE initiative provides
an intervention strategy for families in disadvantaged communities, and
supports a solution to the problems associated with the lack of services
and options available to at-risk youth and their families.”
Funded programs will provide after school activities that include recreation,
tutoring, counseling and advocacy; mental health and substance abuse
treatment; and training in employment skills that will translate to the
current market.
Catholic Women's Service League
plans
for annual holiday open house
ALBANY, NEW YORK – October 11, 2007 – On December 1,
2007,
the Catholic Women’s Service League will hold their annual Christmas
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Open House at 6:00 p.m. with a Mass immediately before in the Hanner Chapel
Cultural Center on the La Salle campus. The event has traditionally begun
the holiday season at La Salle School and is held in the gymnasium of
the
agency’s Arts, Technology and Physical Education building.
The Catholic Women’s Service League is a society of women originally
established in 1918. Its purpose has been and continues to be to support
the Bishop of Albany, and contribute to the spiritual, cultural, civic
and
charitable works in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany.
First Niagara Bank, 2007 Corporate
Partner,
strengthens corporate relations
ALBANY, NEW YORK – October
17, 2007 – Everyone at La Salle
School would like to take this opportunity to thank 2007 Corporate Partner,
First Niagara Bank. Their generosity helped to promote and advance the
goals
of La Salle School while strengthening neighborhood ties. In conjunction
with
organizations like Empire Blue Cross, First Niagara has helped further
the
important work the agency does with youth and families. The significance
of their $12,500 Corporate Partner donation has impacted the programs
and services La Salle offers in a very positive way.
First Niagara attributes the bank’s success to a commitment to
community service. “It’s hard to think how we could have gone
with a better choice for our first Corporate Partner, said La Salle’s
Executive Director Bill Wolff. “John Koelmel, along with the entire
leadership team of First Niagara, through their enthusiasm and generosity,
personally demonstrate their commitment to all the communities they
serve.”
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