A Mary Cariola Story 12 Years in the Making
Mary Cariola’s Alexis Frederick is a woman of her word.
Alexis was just 10-years-old, working on her Bronze Award...the highest honor a Junior Girl Scout can achieve…when the thought crossed her mind in the hallways at Mary Cariola Center.
 
New Principal Announced at Elmwood Campus
Mary Cariola Center is pleased to announce the promotion of Julie Matukewicz to Principal of the Elmwood Campus. Julie has been with the Agency for 22 years and brings a wealth of experience to her new role. She started as a Direct Support Professional in our English Road residential home, has been a Special Education Teacher, the lead in the Education and Training department, and a Vice-Principal at both East Henrietta and Elmwood campuses.
Julie holds a BSED in Special and General Education from SUNY Geneseo, an MSED in Elementary Education and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership from SUNY Brockport. She holds NY State Certifications in K-12 Special Education, Elementary Education, and is also certified as both a School Building and School District Leader.
Julie is excited to return to the Elmwood program to establish new relationships within the school community that allow us all to provide the highest quality services to staff, students, and families. Congratulations Julie!
 
Superintendent's Conference Day
Provides Learning Opportunities
It was pure luck that Mary Cariola’s Superintendent’s Conference Day was on St. Patrick’s Day! After a State of the School report from Mary Cariola School Superintendent, Dr. Christine Sheffer, Rochester native Simeon Banister spoke about the history of redlining in Rochester and how we can make changes in our community to improve equity. A huge thank you to Simeon and his team from Rochester Area Community Foundation for speaking to our Mary Cariola staff at The Theatre at Innovation Square. Following the keynote presentation, staff returned to classrooms or remote work sites for additional online learning opportunities, progress notes and lesson planning.
 
Donor Spotlight: Lattimore Physical Therapy
Special thanks to our friends at Lattimore Physical Therapy! During the month of March, each of their 25 locations participated in a special fundraiser for Mary Cariola Center. Each site sold shamrocks that were displayed throughout their buildings.
The fundraiser was initiated by Tyler Smola, a Physical Therapist at their North Greece location. He said he was inspired after hearing so many incredible stories from his wife Liz, a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant at Mary Cariola. 
Every dollar raised will be matched by Lattimore Physical Therapy and will help support the essential services for hundreds of children with complex disabilities and their families.
 
Want to Feel Happier? Give through United Way!
When we think about what makes us happy, we often focus on things or achievements, such as getting a raise at work or having a nicer place to live. And while getting what we want might improve our moods for a while, Social Psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Dunn says the science suggests that being generous with others is a more effective way to feel joy.
“When we use our resources to benefit other people, we actually can end up being happier ourselves,” Dr. Dunn said. In a global study, Dr. Dunn and her colleagues found that people who give to charity tend to be a lot happier on average than people who don’t.
So, consider contributing to the Annual Campaign for the United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes. Every gift given to the United Way goes a long way in positively impacting people and organizations throughout our community, including Mary Cariola.
Mary Cariola relies on donations through the United Way to provide services for individuals with multiple complex disabilities and their families. Your gift – no matter what size, makes a difference, and now we know it can make you feel happier!
You can designate your United Way donation to Mary Cariola using donor option ID #456 when filling out your workplace pledge form or donating online. You’ll be happy knowing you helped others who need it most!
April is Autism Acceptance Month
In 2021, April was renamed Autism Acceptance Month, with a renewed focus on legislation that would support people with autism in their daily lives. This included advocating for those with autism to have full support in accessing services from childhood through adulthood, with schooling, healthcare, and housing being key campaign points. Mary Cariola Center staff are proud to support Autism Acceptance Month…promoting acceptance and awareness about ASD - Autism Spectrum Disorder.
 
Upcoming Events
 
 
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1000 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620
info@marycariola.org     (585) 271-0761
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