D'Ippolito Elementary School

Hello,
On behalf of the staff and students of D’Ippolito Elementary School, I would like to welcome you to our website. For those of you who may not know, D’Ippolito was reestablished as an elementary school last year. The school serves about 650 students in grades kindergarten through grade five.

It is our belief that student achievement is the ultimate goal of our collaborative efforts. The administration and staff are committed to do “whatever it takes” to ensure that each child meets with academic and social success. We believe that this goal can be accomplished by building and maintaining strong partnerships with our school family: the staff, students, parents and our community. D’Ippolito Elementary School is a proud member of the National Network for Partnership Schools (NNPS) through Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. As a partnership school, we encourage families to be involved in their child’s educational journey. We are also a partnership school with Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory-Rutger’s University for Project PORTS (Promoting Oyster Restoration Through Schools.) Our students have learned about oysters and have participated in a restoration of oyster habitats in the Delaware Bay. In May 2007, D’Ippolito School was awarded a $4,500 grant from Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Program to advance our participation with the project. This year we are launching another partnership with Hannah’s House, Inc., an organization that provides literacy services to families in the Cumberland County area. Hannah’s House has granted funding for our Bedtime Story Buddies Program in grades kindergarten through second. We have a very active Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) and an Action Team for Partnership (ATP.) Both committees work to provide activities for enriched learning and parent involvement. They meet on the same nights and welcome all parents to participate. By attending our parent activities, you are volunteering! Look for your “Passport to Partnership” to come home with your child. Be sure to bring it to all parent activities. Another way to stay connected to your child’s school program is to speak to your child’s teacher regularly via e-mail, telephone or student agenda. The student agenda is an excellent communicating tool that is checked daily by most teachers.

I am truly honored to represent the D’Ippolito Elementary staff and students as their principal and educational leader. Each day brings new challenges, but the students bring joy to all who work here. Please feel free to contact me should the need arise. Our office phone number is 794-6934, and my e-mail address is gcurcio@vineland.org.

Best wishes for a school year that sparks wonder and is rich with learning experiences.

My best,
Gail M. Curcio, Principal