Families Celebrate Children & Education: New Business Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
The Kumon Math & Reading Center of Battery Park City celebrates its 100th enrollment with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on Sunday, October 18, 2009 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 2 South End Avenue in Battery Park. Local residents and co-directors Michael Leone and Diana Sutowski invite families and children to enjoy refreshments and participate in story time and math games throughout the afternoon at their Kumon Center of Battery Park City.
The after-school math and reading program has grown rapidly since opening in May enrolling an average of 20 new students each month despite the recession. The ribbon cutting ceremony commences at 11:30 a.m. with an address by Kumon’s vice president of finance, Joe Nativo. Current Kumon parents will also speak about their experience at the center.
“At Kumon we help children unlock their ability and achieve success,” says Mr. Leone, co-director of Kumon of Battery Park City. “My goal is to help more students develop the confidence and independence to excel in and out of the classroom.”
Throughout the day, children and families are welcome to stop by and enjoy stories from around the world being read aloud. Participants will receive Kumon's Recommended Reading List. The list contains hundreds of titles designed to help parents select books that enhance their children’s appreciation and understanding of the English language and develop a lifelong love for reading. Families can also sign up for the next parent orientation scheduled for Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 6:30 p.m.
In honor of October’s National Book Month the students at Kumon of Battery Park City have joined with 1,000 other Kumon students throughout Manhattan to host a book drive. The books collected will be donated to the Manhattan-based organization, Homes for the Homeless whose mission is to help more than 10,000 families living in New York City’s shelter system. The public is welcome to join the book drive by donating books during the open house.
“Every child has unlimited potential for success,” says co-director Ms. Sutowski. “That’s why it is essential for education programs such as Kumon to work with schools, community organizations and families to give all children the opportunity to succeed.”
Tuition at the 2 South End Avenue location is $150 per month for each subject. The cost includes two center visits a week and daily assignments at home. Students and parents meet routinely with Ms. Sutowski and Mr. Leone to plan and review each student’s individual progress and goals. For more information about the open house or parent orientation, call the center at 212-786-4295.
About the Kumon Co-Directors:
Mr. Leone learned about Kumon while teaching mathematics at a local elementary school. In addition to being a completing Kumon’s rigorous training, he earned his bachelor of arts in mathematics from Penn State University and his master’s in mathematics education from Queens College. While earning his teaching certificate from Queens College, Mr. Leone continued teaching as a substitute teacher throughout New York. In addition to teaching mathematics at IS 59 and the prestigious Pathways College Preparatory School in Queens, Mr. Leone developed curriculum for Kaplan's K-12 education programs. His experiences in schools and at Kaplan made him realize the need for students to work at their own pace to completely understand each concept in math and reading before learning a new concept.
Ms. Sutowski, a native New Yorker, is passionate about giving back to the community. Prior to becoming a co-director at Kumon of Battery Park City she worked at the Kumon Center of Chelsea. Diana also worked as a math and literacy specialist at the Hamilton Madison House, a local non-profit organization. In her position, Ms. Sutowski was responsible for creating and implementing individual math and reading lessons for more than 35 students ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade. Her experience taught her how individualized learning helps children achieve success. Over time, she saw her students make remarkable strides in mastering math and reading skills through individualized lesson planning. Their accomplishments made her more determined to help all children achieve academic success.
About Kumon Math and Reading Centers
Kumon [koo-mon] is an after-school math and reading program that helps children fulfill their potential by motivating them to achieve more on their own. The learning method uses a systematic and individualized approach that helps children develop a solid command of math and reading skills. Through daily practice and mastery of materials, students increase confidence, improve concentration and develop better study skills. Kumon has 26,000 Centers in 46 countries and more than four million students studying worldwide. For more information, please visit www.kumon.com.
Contacts:
Kumon
Day-of-Event Contact:
Caitlin
McHugh, 201-696-1782
Business Day: 201-928-0444, ext. 456
cmchugh@kumon.com
or
National
News Media Requests
Jenny Cherrytree, 1-800-213-1613, ext. 226
jcherrytree@kumon.com
or
U.S.
Northwest
Leslie Boelter, 425-990-6284, ext. 29
lboelter@kumon.com
or
U.S.
Southwest
Stephanie Proos, 310-225-2968, ext. 228
sproos@kumon.com
or
U.S.
Midwest
Rasheda Williams, 248-290-0450, ext. 233
rwilliams@kumon.com
or
U.S.
South
Johanna Beeler, 678-244-6283, ext. 299
jbeeler@kumon.com
or
Canada
Daniel
Wooster, 1-800-266-6681 or
416-490-1722, ext. 2265
dwooster@kumon.com
