Lombardia
LA MIA PIAZZA 2015
July 6 -10 and 13 -17
NEWSLETTER & PARENT INFORMATION
The following are enclosed:
1. Short Description of Lombardia
2. Welcome Letter
3. Contact Information
4. Behavior Expectations
5. Who’s Who at La Mia Piazza
6. Calendar Order form
7. Camp Evaluation
Regions of Italy
Lombardia
One of Italy’s largest regions, Lombardy lies in the north of the country, sharing a border with
Switzerland. Stretching from the Alps to the lowlands of the Po Valley, it is home to a wide range of
landscapes, including the breathtaking mountain chain that boasts the Valchiavenna, Valtellina and
the Camonica Valley. Winter sports enthusiasts will find no lack of state-of-the-art facilities in
Lombardy, for example in the extremely popular resorts of Tonale, Bormio, Livigno and
Madesimo.
Another aspect that defines the region is its expanse of rolling hills that encompass the distinctive
Franciacorta area, famous for its vineyards and wine production. The charm of the great lakes is a
great tourist draw, attracting visitors to Sirmione and other well known destinations dotting the
western coast of Lake Garda, while Lake Como and Lake Maggiore are no less beautiful,
surrounded as they are by stately homes, parks and picturesque small towns.
The region is also characterized by the great flat tracts of the Po Valley lowlands, covered by
shimmering mirrors of water and rice paddies: this is the typical landscape of Lomellina, the land
of rice harvesters, steeped in tradition. The region has countless other distinctive facets. Lombardy,
aided by its geographic position and fertile soil, will captivate you - nature, history, art and culture
marry in harmony with innovation, technology, fashion, entertainment, and a contemporary
outlook.
The region comprises the provinces of Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona, Lecco, Lodi, Mantua,
Milan (regional capital), Monza and Brianza, Pavia, Sondrio and Varese.
Article
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Dear Parents / Guardians,
We welcome you and your child as participants in our seventh Italian Language Summer
Camp. You are part of a group which firmly believes in the beauty and significance of the Italian
language.
Our camp will enrich your child not only in the language, but also in the culture, history, art,
and music of Italy, a nation which has contributed greatly to the development of Western
Civilization. Your child will experience games, songs, and activities unique to our camp, with
instructors who are specialized in, and passionate about Italy and all it has to offer.
As we try to do every year, the curriculum focuses on the theme Giro d’Italia-Tour of Italy.
In past years, we have “visited” Rome, Florence, Torino, Venice, Milan, Trieste, Genova, Palermo
and the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Abruzzo, Marche and Calabria. This year we will “travel”
trough the magnificent region of Lombardia due to the special event of the
We welcome back our language teachers Angela Trani Christina Brown, Rosa Iacono, Danielle
Rossi, Emily Bellotti and art teacher Sharon Cilento. We also want to say “Benvenuta” once again
to our teacher from Italy, Mariateresa Esposito.
Our nurses this year are Kathleen Bugbee and Susan Staniszewski, from North Star and
Brandywine Springs Schools. We are so happy to have them join us this summer.
We encourage you to foster the love of learning and to expose your child to opportunities
that will help her/him more fully experience the world around us. In this manner, we believe that
your child will develop the love and respect for not just the Italian language and culture, but for our
American culture and values as well.
We want to thank the COMMISSION ON ITALIAN HERITAGE AND CULTURE whose
dream for, and continued support of this camp has helped to make La Mia Piazza a reality. We also
want to thank the RED CLAY CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT for their continued
guidance and support of this project, and the DELAWARE ITALIAN-AMERICAN EDUCATION
ASSOCIATION whose primary purpose is to create and sustain, throughout Delaware,
educational programs which focus on Italian and Italian--American culture and heritage. Special
thanks go to The Societa` Da Vinci, to the Italo-Americans United, to the Sons of Italy in America Giuseppe Verdi Lodge, Saint Gabriel Society and Prince of Piedmont Society for their generous
contribution toward scholarships. Lastly, to all those private generous donors who fervently believe
in this project, we want to say, “Grazie mille.” Again, we thank you for your participation, as we go
forward with two wonderful weeks of learning while having fun the Italian way!
GRAZIE MILLE,
The staff of “LA MIA PIAZZA,”
Italian Language Camp – 2015
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CONTACT INFORMATION
Should you need to reach the administrators of La Mia Piazza
during the weeks of July 6-17, with questions or concerns, please
call the following numbers:
Gabriella Finizio 302-528-5679
Isabelle Meredith 302-264-0886
North Star Main Office_302-234-7200
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LA MIA PIAZZA 2015 – BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS
La Mia Piazza campers are expected to follow the behavior guidelines established by
the Red Clay Consolidated School District.
“The Red Clay Consolidated School District is dedicated to the development of
each student’s potential for learning in a positive environment. Schools are to be free
from disruptions that interfere with teaching and learning activities. Students,
parents, and school staff will assume a responsible role in promoting behavior that
encourages learning and the development of individual potential.”
Students are expected to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Assume responsibility for their own actions;
Respect and believe in themselves and others;
Demonstrate the ability to get along with others;
Understand & respect individual differences;
Make good choices and understand what happens when they do not;
Be generous, kind, & helpful.
Each teacher will have expectations consistent with the above guidelines. Students
will be assisted in learning & following the rules for their own well-being and the
well-being of others. Every effort will be made to help each child make good choices.
Any behavior concerns will be addressed by the Directors and the teachers.
If your child’s behavior warrants it, you will be called.
Thank you for your cooperation,
La Mia Piazza Staff
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WHO’S WHO at LA MIA PIAZZA
The Creators
Justine Mataleno Clerc is a member of the Italian Commission on Italian Heritage and Culture.
A graduate of the University of Delaware she is retired from Winterthur Museum and Gardens.
Justine Mataleno Clerc is considered the historian of the Italian-American community of Delaware
and has written and consulted extensively on this subject. She has also been a member of various
Italian-American organizations. Justine is President of the Delaware Italian American Education
Association.
Gabriella Finizio, DML, was born and studied in Naples, Italy, where she was a doctoral
student in Philosophy when she married and moved to the United States with her husband,
Michael, a pharmaceutical researcher with the DuPont de Nemours Company. In the USA,
Gabriella received her BA in Latin and Greek from CUNY, her Master’s degree in Applied
Linguistics from the University of Delaware and her Doctoral Degree in Modern Languages from
Middlebury College in Vermont, where she specialized in Italian Medieval-Renaissance Literature
and Italian Cinema. She joined the Foreign Languages and Literature Department at the
University of Delaware in 1982 and earned the University’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 1992
and 2010. Gabriella is also Delaware’s Consular Correspondent for the Italian Consulate General
of Philadelphia, and a board member of the Delaware Italian American Education Association.
Mary Teresa Sachele-Morrison has dedicated more than 40 years to teaching and coaching
children from elementary school to university. She received a BA degree in Education with a
concentration in French from Marywood College in 1968; a Master;s Degree in Education and
Comparative Romance Languages(French, Italian, and Spanish) and Literature from SUNY,
Binghamton, 1982; studied abroad: Quebec, Canada 1967, and Siena, Italy (Corso di
aggiornamento) 1994. Mary Teresa is currently a member of PASR, NIAF, Sons of Italy, UNICO,
and a lector at St. Edmond’s Church – Rehoboth Beach, DE where she resides. She is also a
volunteer at Beebe Hospital, Lewes, DE and an adjunct professor at Wesley College, Dover and
Wilmington University, Rehoboth Beach Center. Mary Teresa is also a member of the Delaware
Italian American Education Association.
The Advisors
Jack Polidori serves as the President of the Delaware Italian American Education Association.
He was the Mid-Atlantic Government Relations Consultant for the National Education
Association and prior to beginning the position in January, 2009, he worked as Government
Relations Director for the Delaware State Education Association for the previous four years. He
and his wife, Dr. Eva Peterson, currently reside in Wilmington. Jack holds a Bachelor’s Degree
(cum laude) in history from St. Bonaventure University and a Master’s Degree in Labor and
Industrial Relations from Michigan State University. He has worked for teachers’ organizations
for the past 35 years as a labor negotiator, organizer, political consultant, lobbyist, and
communications/public affairs specialist. Two years ago, he became an Italian citizen and now
also holds an Italian passport. His father’s family originated from the Ascoli Piceno province of
the Marche Region, and his mother’s family is from the Abruzzo region. Jack is also a board
member of the Delaware Italian American Education Association.
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The Director
Gabriella Finizio (see page 6)
The Assistant Director
Isabelle Meredith has been a language instructor or teacher at different levels and for different
students ranging from preschoolers to business people. She teaches Italian, French and Latin and
has studied Italian from elementary school to college. She graduated with a Baccalaureate in
Languages Literature and Philosophy and then went to Law School at the University of Nice where
she obtained the equivalent of a Bachelor in Business and International Law. Isabelle also worked
for corporations in Europe and in America so she has experience in both the teaching environment
and the business world.
The Teachers
Emily Bellotti received her B.A. in Italian Education with a minor in French from the University
of Delaware. While a student at UD, Emily studied for a month in Caen, France, and for a semester
in Florence, Italy. She currently works at Caesar Rodney High School in Camden, Delaware, where
she has started the Italian program and currently teaches Italian I and II.
Christina Brown received her M.A. in Italian Studies from New York University, Florence, Italy
in January 2015.
She also holds a B.A. in Three Languages – Italian, Spanish, Arabic, a B.A. in European Studies
and a Minor in Political Science from the University of Delaware, Newark, DE, May 2103.
She studied abroad in Sorrento, Italy, and Salamanca, Spain during the years 2010-2011 Christina
will be teaching for the third year at La Mia Piazza
Rosa Iacono This is Rosa's third summer teaching at La Mia Piazza. Rosa received her BA in
Foreign Languages and Literature from the University of Delaware. She also studied Italian and
Art History at the Universita' per Stranieri in Siena, Italy. Rosa began teaching in 1999. She has
taught all levels of Italian, including AP at St. Mark's High School, Padua Academy and Delaware
Technical and Community College. Rosa has also worked for Sterling Publishing translating
several Italian books for the American market. She is currently teaching middle school Spanish at
St. John the Beloved School.
Danielle Rossi received her BA in Italian Education from the University of Delaware. While
attending the University of Delaware, she also studied Italian and Art History in Siena, Italy. She
began her teaching career at St. Mark's High School in Wilmington, Delaware, teaching all levels of
Italian for 10 years. She then moved on to teach Italian part-time at the University of Delaware for
two years. She currently teaches Italian at Concord High School in Wilmington, Delaware. Danielle
has been teaching at La Mia Piazza Camp since it started in 2009. She is very happy to be back
again to share her experiences with the children at La Mia Piazza!
Angela Trani is a graduate of the University of Delaware. She earned a Bachelors Degree in
Italian and Spanish Studies and a Masters Degree in Latin American Literature. She began her
career teaching Italian at Concord High School in Wilmington, where she taught for nine years,
before deciding to teach at college level. She currently teaches Italian at West Chester University
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and part-time at the University of Delaware. Angela is one of the camp's original teachers and has
taught every summer, except for the summer of 2011 when Angela won a scholarship to study art
history in Rome for four weeks. Angela is also a member of the Delaware Italian American
Education Association. Angela has taught Italian to students from ages four to seventy years old.
She is delighted to return for yet another successful summer of La Mia Piazza!
Mariateresa Esposito can’t wait to get together again with the staff and the campers of La Mia
Piazza. Born and brought up in Napoli, Italy, she is working on her dissertation to complete her
doctoral degree at the Istituto Orientale- Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II. Her degree is
in Comparative Languages and Cultures, with specialization in English and Japanese. Mariateresa
has also completed a degree as a specialized guide in art history and tourism geography. She is a
soccer expert and has been playing the game for many years; her favorite soccer team is Napoli, but
she also loves the Philadelphia Union, which she plans on watching again in July. She hopes to pass
on “soccer fever” to the campers, in addition to teaching them some songs, dances and of course…
the Italian language.
Sharon Cilento has been an art educator for 20 years. She currently teaches Fine Arts at Christ
the Teacher School in Newark to students in grades K - 8. She attended The Art Institute of
Philadelphia and earned a BFA in Painting from the University of Delaware. Sharon enjoys travel
(especially to Italy!), singing, visiting museums and hunting for treasures at yard sales and flea
markets. Sharon looks forward to another creative summer experience at La Mia Piazza and the
opportunity to introduce the artistic traditions of Lombardia and Milano to our campers.
The Assistant Teacher
Hailey Weiner graduated from the University of Delaware with a major in Psychology and minor
in Italian studies. She currently works as a vocal coach at the School of Rock in Wilmington, DE.
Hailey has studied extensively in Italy, both at Sorrento Lingue in Sorrento, Italy, as well as at John
Cabot University in the heart of Rome. Having married a Sorrento native, Hailey spent two years
on and off living in Italy, furthering her fluency in the language and culture.
The Chef
Joanne Dell’Aversano decided to devote herself fully to the art of food, and to the research and
preparation of Italian regional cuisine, as soon as she stepped into the year 2000. Since then she
experienced many settings, owned her own Caffè and catering business, and finally decided that
teaching Italian Cuisine was her real passion. We are truly lucky to have her at La Mia Piazza as a
chef and a teacher.
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Camper’s Name: _____________________________________________________
La Mia Piazza – Italian Language Summer Camp
Wilmington, DE
Emergency Medical Information Form
THIS FORM MUST BE RETURNED ASAP, GRAZIE!
Please fill out all information in full.
Parent/Guardian Names:
Primary Contact _______________________ Secondary Contact_____________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________________
City: ___________________________________ State: _________ Zip: ____________
Home Number(s): ________________________
___________________________
Work Number(s): ________________________
___________________________
Cell Number(s):
_________________________
___________________________
Email Address:
__________________________
____________________________
Child’s Insurance Information (policy covering the child)
Insurance Provider: __________________________________________________________
Policy Number: ______________________________________________________________
Medical Data
Child’s Physician: ___________________________________________________________
Physician’s Contact Number: _________________________________________________
Child’s Dentist: _____________________________________________________________
Dentist’s Contact Number: ____________________________________________________
Existing Medical Conditions: ___________________________________________________
Allergies: ____________________________________________________________________
Medicines taken (if any): ________________________________________________________
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ATTENTION
1.
Walking trips around the school community may be a part of the daily camp schedule.
2.
Please indicate any allergies or other medical condition of your child of which the camp
staff should be aware (e.g. asthma, allergy to bee stings, diabetes, epilepsy, etc.) and the use
of an inhaler or Epi pen.
3. By signing this document, I certify that I have read the above notices about trips and
medical needs. By signing, I also give permission for my child to participate in
walking trips off campus.
Signature of Parent or Guardian: _____________________________________________
Date: ________________________________________________
Throughout the summer camp, staff or newspaper photographers may be photographing
students for our calendar and promotional purposes. Please check
the box at left if you DO
NOT want your child’s pictures to be used
for
promotional purposes.
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LA MIA PIAZZA – 2015
We strongly encourage you to purchase the Camp calendar to help with
the expenses of production. Grazie ☺!
CALENDAR ORDER FORM
Our camp calendars will be available and mailed to you by the end of November.
The cost of the calendars is $10.00.
Child’s Name: _________________________________________________
# of calendars: ___________________
Total cost: _____________________________
Mailing Address:
Name: ________________________________________________
Street: _________________________________________________
City: _____________________________________________
State: ________________ Zip: __________________
Thank you for your support of La Mia Piazza.
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LA MIA PIAZZA 2015
PARENT EVALUATION
Grazie mille to all of you for your continued support & enthusiasm. Our goal has always
been to provide children with a unique program that honors the Italian language, heritage,
& culture. To that end we ask for your input.
Please take the time to tell us how we are doing and how we can improve our program.
3 things that you liked about the camp this year.
1. ______________________________________________________________
_
2. ______________________________________________________________
_
3. ______________________________________________________________
_
2 things that you would like to see for next year’s camp.
1. ______________________________________________________________
_
2. ______________________________________________________________
_
3. ______________________________________________________________
_
1 thing that we should change or eliminate for next year.
1. ____________________________________________________________
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
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***** HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT LA MIA PIAZZA?
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