Barbara C. Wilson Preschoolers Celebrate Summer Break with Ice Cream Day!
The Bove Family sponsors ice cream truck for the students
Just three days before summer break, students at Barbara C. Wilson (BCW) Preschool could hardly contain their excitement as the Kool Kat Ice Cream truck pulled up. The truck’s cheerful jingle of “The Entertainer” signaled the start of Ice Cream Day!
To get the party started, each student received a ticket courtesy of the BCW Parents Association that was “good for one frozen treat.” Then, they made their way to the ice cream truck underneath the welcoming awning. The day’s rain did not phase Ice Cream Day and Kool Kat’s Lauren Fiore, also known as @NonnaKoolKat.
After handing Lauren their ticket and placing their orders, each student received a soft serve ice cream or popsicle.
For the second year in a row, the ice cream truck was sponsored by Summit Facility Solutions. Rocco Bove, the proud dad of preschooler Luigi, is a principal owner of the business which provides janitorial and maintenance services locally and throughout the United States. This upcoming school year, Luigi will be attending kindergarten within his district.
“It’s always been near and dear to my heart to try to pay it forward, not only through my lifestyle, but also through my company,” Rocco said. “Anything I can do for Barbara C. Wilson. I always try to pay it forward.”
Rocco is also on the board of the nonprofit, the League of Yes, which helps children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) play baseball and raises money to build adaptive playgrounds. Samantha Bove, Luigi’s mom and Rocco’s wife, has been a member of the BCW Parent’s Association for two years.
“They’re wonderful,” Diane Condy, the Director of BCW, said. “Ice Cream Day is always great, and they’ve been so generous throughout the years that their child has been here. It’s amazing what they’ve done for the staff and for the children.”
The Boves also enjoy donating items to classrooms and catering lunches to show appreciation for BCW staff. “Barbara C. Wilson is really special because they really have a family-first approach to raising your kid, teaching your kid,” Rocco said.
BCW, Rocco explained, helped him and Samantha feel safe and secure sending Luigi to school. Using an online portal for teachers to communicate with parents on daily happenings in the classroom is just one way the Boves felt included and informed on their son’s education.
“You just get that warm feeling,” Rocco said. “They just approach everyday like it’s a special day and I’m happy that they do that. All teachers, obviously, make such a huge impact on a kid’s futures. When you have kids with I/DD, what the teachers do can be so impactful. Every day is such an important day because time is of the essence with therapies and what they can learn and absorb.”
Because every day of learning is so important for a child with developmental delays or disabilities, BCW, along with the other Brookville Center for Children’s Services (BCCS) schools, operate year round, including during the summertime. This ensures consistent support, prevents regression, and maintains the structure needed for these children to thrive.
“Kids with I/DD regress in the summer if they don’t have continued support,” Rocco said. “Summer school is instrumental in the kid’s growth.”
While the summer break is a happy time for many, it’s also bittersweet, Diane said. Incoming kindergartners, including Luigi, will not be returning to BCW, as they will either go in district or continue with BCCS. Some of the leaving children have expressed sadness, as they want to stay with their favorite teachers, teachers’ assistants and friends!