Borough President James S. Oddo has announced that he is reviving the Patrick F. Daly Award, an award for educators who exemplify the values of fallen principal Patrick Daly, who was gunned down in Red Hook, Brooklyn while en route to a student’s home 25 years ago. The award will go to Paul Martuccio, principal of P.S. 13, and Wilson Mohr, a teacher at Pathways to Graduation. The award ceremony will take place at Borough Hall on Thursday, September 28th at 6:30pm.
 
The Patrick F. Daly Award was established shortly after Mr. Daly’s death to honor his legacy of service to the community, a steadfast commitment to his students, and his leadership. The award has not been given in several years, but at the urging of the Daly family, Borough President Oddo decided to reinstate it to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Mr. Daly’s death. After carefully considering all the nominations of exemplary educators submitted by the public, members of the Daly family and Borough President Oddo’s staff selected Mr. Martuccio and Mr. Mohr to receive the award.
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“This award gives us as Staten Islanders an opportunity to honor Mr. Daly, his legacy, and sacrifice, as well as recognize outstanding educators in our community,” said BP Oddo. “I believe that Paul Martuccio and Wilson Mohr exemplify many of the exceptional qualities Mr. Daly had as an educator. Both have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their students and a love of education. As the Daly family members noted when we selected them, both Mr. Martuccio and Mr. Mohr are following in the footsteps of Mr. Daly through their inspiring work inside and outside the classroom.”

Paul Martuccio has 18 years of experience in the field of education. He began as a Special Education teacher at P.S. 18 before becoming an Assistant Principal at P.S. 21. He currently serves as principal of P.S. 13. Mr. Martuccio’s emphasis on teamwork has been a positive influence on staff as well as students. He has instituted numerous programs to support students and staff, including a mindfulness program that teaches staff and students how to relieve stress and calm themselves. In addition, he has created visual and performing arts programs, as well as a physical education program and a before-school morning academy at no cost to families. Mr. Martuccio’s commitment also extends to the students’ parents and families. He has built a community where parents feel welcome by encouraging open communication between parents and their child’s teacher, ensuring there are capable translators on hand to engage families who are non-English speaking. In addition to his work at P.S. 13, Mr. Martuccio was selected by the Superintendent of District 31 to facilitate a principal’s professional learning group.
 
A devoted teacher, Wilson Mohr has spent 37 years in the school system as a teacher and supervisor at I.S. 49, as a summer school teacher at I.S. 51, and as a camp teacher at P.S. 5, P.S. 6, and P.S. 42. Currently, Mr. Mohr is teaching TASC level classes at Pathways to Graduation at the St. George Hub. He has assisted in the pilot for a new TASC programming and scheduling model, affording the students even more testing opportunities. Though his immediate aim is to help his students pass the TASC exam, he teaches with the ultimate goal of inspiring a love of mathematics in all his students. As a companion to student advocacy, he has worked diligently to expand educational experiences inside and outside the classroom. To this end, he has undertaken the task of organizing field trips and experiences that are both informative and entertaining. Mr. Mohr has an enthusiasm for personal and professional growth and development, which helps his students figure out what their next steps are and what they can achieve.
 
“As we approach the 25th Anniversary of my father’s death, we are honored and most appreciative to Borough President James Oddo for reinstituting the Patrick F. Daly Award. This award will ensure my father's dedication and sacrifice will be remembered and the work of a new generation of dedicated educators will be recognized,” said Patrick Daly, son of the fallen educator.
 
The award ceremony will be followed by a reception with light fare in the main hall of the building.

BP Oddo announced that he will again be joining with the Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation to collect backpacks and school supplies for needy Staten Island families.

“Starting off the year with the necessary school supplies sets children off on a path towards academic success,” noted BP Oddo. “I’m asking Staten Islanders to give from their hearts and donate these items to help the less fortunate in our community. I want to thank the Atlas Foundation for collaborating with us again this year on this drive, which will help young students across the Island.”

Donations of brand new children’s backpacks, folders, crayons, markers, non-toxic glue sticks, notebooks, #2 pencils, construction paper, and other new school supplies will be accepted. Items can be dropped off in the box in the lobby of Borough Hall (10 Richmond Terrace) from 9am-5pm every weekday until Friday, August 25th. Volunteers from the Atlas Foundation will then distribute the items to families in need.

“The 1–2 punch is the most effective combination in boxing, and this partnership between the Dr. Atlas Foundation and the office of Borough President James Oddo is doing its part to knock out illiteracy in our schools,” said Teddy Atlas, Founder and Chairman of the Atlas Foundation. 
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For more information on the drive, call Renee Sarno at (718) 816-2133 or email RSarno@statenislandusa.com.

On Thursday, July 6th, Borough Hall Plaza transformed into a boxing ring as BP Oddo welcomed boxer and Staten Island native Marcus Browne ahead of his big fight against Long Island's Seanie Monaghan.

Those gathered, including boxing commentator and local legend Teddy Atlas, spoke about Browne’s inspiring dedication and perseverance to his craft. After BP Oddo congratulated him and proclaimed July 6th as "Marcus Browne Day," Browne did a brief workout for fans.

"We're proud of him," said BP Oddo. "As he grows with his success in the ring, so, too, does his stature outside the ring. He's a role model for others to follow, and he recognizes that.”

Browne’s big fight against Monaghan will take place on July 15th at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. 

BP Oddo announced that he will host a free thyroid cancer screening day at Borough Hall. The screenings will take place on Thursday, July 20th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Conference Room 125. The screenings are sponsored by HeartScan Services.
 
The rate of diagnosis of thyroid cancer has increased in recent years due to improvements to technology. In many cases, physicians cannot feel a nodule, but cancer can be detected through ultrasound screenings. The survival rate of thyroid cancer is very high when the cancer is found in early stages.
 
“I encourage all Staten Islanders to take advantage of these free screenings,” said Borough President Oddo. “We are providing these services to encourage Staten Islanders to engage in preventative measures and take charge of their health. The earlier cancer is found, the easier it is to treat.”
 
An appointment must be made to be screened. Contact Renee Sarno at 718-816-2133 to reserve your appointment. 

On Thursday, June 22nd, BP Oddo invited the Farrell and Petrides Baseball Teams and the Wagner Softball Team to Borough Hall to congratulate the players and coaches on winning their respective championships.

Msgr. Farrell High School had an undefeated regular season (18-0), winning two championships in the past three years. The Petrides School won their school’s first baseball championship after an undefeated season (20-0). Susan Wagner High School also won their school’s first softball title, with a season record of 20-6.

“Whether you’re learning the importance of chemistry or the importance of leadership, the things you learn on and off the field will help you later in life,” BP Oddo told the students. “You all should be proud of your accomplishments.”

After chatting with the teams and showing them around Borough Hall, BP Oddo faced off against the players in a quick wiffleball game. 

On Wednesday, June 21st, BP Oddo joined with representatives of the Department of Education, as well as Borough Student Advisory Council (BSAC) student representatives, to announce the allocation of $21,189,000 in capital funding for educational purposes in Fiscal Year 18.

The students—who represented CSI High School for International Studies, Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School, New Dorp High School, Susan Wagner High School and Tottenville High School—were invited back to Borough Hall to see firsthand how their voices can make a difference. At the end of April, these same representatives brought their school’s concerns to the BP in hopes that he would listen and take their ideas into consideration when allocating taxpayer money the following year. BP Oddo did just that, and their proposals represent five of the projects put forward in the allocated budget for educational funding.

The projects that were funded from the BSAC meeting were as follows:

• New Dorp High School - Field Lights - $1,500,000
• CSI High School for International Studies - New Track - $100,000
• Tottenville High School - Track - $250,000
• Susan Wagner High School - Wiring for air conditioning - $600,000
• Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School - Upgrade girls locker room - $250,000

“If you look at any of the challenges we have as a community on Staten Island, across the city, or across the country, the solution and the way to improve those things is investing in young people, making them the best they can be and giving them the tools they need to succeed,” BP Oddo told the students. “Thus, when we have the opportunity to give out taxpayer money to a certain project, we have put an emphasis on educational problems. I hope you, as students, realize you do in fact have a say in what happens in your community.”

“It means so much to know that there are people listening to us. We want to leave a legacy. Knowing that future students are going to enjoy field lights because of this opportunity you gave us is such an amazing feeling,” said a New Dorp High School student.

This year’s funding represents a portion of the $51,928,000 of taxpayer money that BP Oddo has allocated for education since taking office in 2014.

See below for all of this year's educational funding allocations:

On Thursday, June 15, BP Oddo joined with DSNY Commissioner Kathryn Garcia to kick off the “Own the 18” weekend. This program, which was first announced in May, encourages Staten Islanders to help improve the litter problem by simply complying with New York City law to clean the sidewalk and 18 inches into the street in front of their properties.

At the event, BP Oddo and Commissioner Garcia discussed the importance of bringing attention to the 18 inch law in order to make progress with the litter problem facing Staten Island.

“What we’re trying to do is encourage Staten Islanders to be a part of the solution,” BP Oddo noted. “On the weekend of June 18th, we want Staten Island property owners to go out and spend five minutes cleaning up the sidewalk and 18 inches into the street in front of their property. Litter is needless, and we have to change the mindset and the culture around littering. It is not normal, it is not acceptable and it should not be a part of everyday life on Staten Island, and that is an ongoing struggle.”

Commissioner Garcia encouraged community involvement, saying, “We need the public. We can't keep New York City clean by ourselves, especially when we see people littering. We hope that ‘Own the 18’ brings more awareness of the 18 inch law and that people get involved in keeping their community clean.”

You can sign up to "Own the 18" here.

On Friday, May 12th, BP Oddo joined with the Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) to launch the Drug Prevention Portal, a new website that tracks data in the battle against the opioid epidemic. The website includes information on Naloxone saves, overdose deaths, Emergency Department visits and hospital admissions. In addition, it provides resources for the families of those suffering from addiction, including contact information for treatment providers and information on where to get Naloxone kits.
 
The idea for the Drug Prevention Portal came from the BP’s Policy team, who found a similar dashboard that compiles data in Rhode Island. Working in conjunction with the PPS, they adapted it for Staten Island’s specific needs.
 
“Late in 2016 my Policy staff presented to me exciting information about the Rhode Island Dashboard that has been such a useful tool in that State as they battle their own opioid epidemic,” said BP Oddo. “We agreed that we simply have to bring something similar to Staten Island. We immediately asked our partners at the SI PPS, who have the experience, access to data, and technical capability to undertake such a project, to consider building our own local dashboard. It is exciting to see it released to the public. Let me be clear, this is not data collection for the sake of data collection; rather this dashboard will be a real time resource for those who need assistance, as well as policymakers as we continue to look for new ways to fight this deadly epidemic.”
 
“By creating this web service for our partners, providers and the community, we have been able to provide an invaluable resource for improving the health and wellness of its users. The site centers on tackling the drug epidemic by bringing together useful data sources, key research and other tools for users to access in an easy to use and convenient online platform. We are very excited to hear about the user experience of the site from our various partners, and hope to continuously improve and build upon this new addition to our arsenal in the fight against substance abuse,” said Celina Ramsey, Director of Health Literacy, Diversity & Outreach at SI PPS.
 
Check out the portal here: www.sidrugprevention.org