Citizenship award named for former board member
BY TALI ISRAELI
Staff Writer

MARLBORO - The Board of Education has approved the creation of the Bill Botwinick award in memory of a former board member.

Botwinick, a longtime resident of Marlboro, served on the board from 1976-88. He died on June 23.

Board President Terry Spilken said Botwinick was an outstanding citizen who continued his community service even after he left the school board.

Superintendent of Schools David Abbott said Botwinick would come to his office several times a year to talk about old times and to discuss his perception of the community. Abbott said he always appreciated Botwinick's insight and said he will be missed.

The Bill Botwinick Award for Citizenship and Outstanding Service will be awarded to a fifth-grader who attends the Frank J. Dugan Elementary School. School officials said Botwinick's children and grandchildren attended the Dugan school.

According to Abbott, the award will be given to the student who demonstrates exemplary citizenship in the school. He said the criteria for the award is being developed by the principal.

The student will receive either a $50

or a $100 U.S. Savings Bond, depending on how much money is raised. Abbott said the award will continue as long as there are funds to support it.

Anyone interested in donating money to the Bill Botwinick award fund may send the donation to the Board of Education, attention Cindy Barr-Rague.

In other business at the July 18 meeting, the board approved the revised middle school trips for jazz band, show choir and string orchestra students.

Board members Joe Hsia, Raymond Eng, Cynthia Green, Terry Spilken and Joe Waldman voted yes to revise the trips; Joel Golub and Isaac Levy voted no.

Board members Murray Hoffman and Andrea Miller were not present at the meeting.

Since the 2000-01 school year, seventh- and eighth-graders in the jazz band, show choir and string orchestra have traveled to Florida once every two years to participate in the Heritage Music Festival.

Eleven teachers from each of Marl-boro's two middle schools join the band and choir students on the trip. Pupils who do not make the trip receive instruction from substitute teachers for four days.

During the July 11 school board meeting, Abbott said his recommendation to the board included overnight trips that would permit students to miss only one day of school.

Marlboro Memorial Middle School students in the jazz band and royalaires jazz/show choir are scheduled to travel to Hershey Park, Pa., from May 4-5, 2007 to participate in the Music in the Park Festival.

Marlboro Middle School students in the show choir and jazz band are scheduled to attend the Heritage Music Festi-val in Williamsburg, Va., from April 27-29, 2007.