Masera School dedicates new playground
The Masera Learning Center, which educates children with autism, recently dedicated a new playground in the name of the child whose family raised most of the money for it to be built. The Isaiah Alicea Playground in West Islip was constructed with funds raised by Michael Alicea, co-owner of Island Slow Pitch, which hosted several baseball tournament fundraisers titled Knock Autism Out of the Park, raising over $26,000.
A celebration attended by Eastern Suffolk BOCES administrators, West Islip School District administrators, the student population and families, and local politicians highlighted those who consulted on the type of play facility that was needed, including occupational therapists, physical therapists, the parent-teacher organizations, and school psychologists. ESBOCES leases the Masera building from the West Islip School District. Administrators from both praised the equipment, which is beneficial for motor skills development, appropriate for autistic children during playtime, and has a safe ground surface. Also donating to the project was the West Islip Soccer Club. President Gary Kkoffsky commented at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, "We financially and morally supported this project." Shown, left to right, ESBOCES Division Administrator for Special Education Diane Zuchelli, ESBOCES Assoc. Superintendents Dr. Julie Davis Lutz and Barbara Salatto, Mr. Alicea with his son, Isaish, Masera Vice Principal and Principal Nicole Drinkwater and Margo Ude respectively, Suffolk County Treasurer Angie Carpenter, Islip Town Councilman Steve Flotteron, State Assemblyman Andrew Raia, and Islip Town Supervisor Phil Nolan.
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