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ISD Launches Campaign to Honor Beloved Greenwich Teacher

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Brenda Macri

This month marks the one-year passing of a very special educator in the Greenwich community. Brenda Macri, a longtime teacher in Greenwich Public Schools and at The International School at Dundee (ISD) passed away on Dec. 8, 2018. To honor her memory, the ISD Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is launching a campaign to purchase library books and flowering bulbs, which students will plant in the garden in the spring. Everyone who met Mrs. Macri knew how much she loved sharing books and her joy for flowers and gardening.

Members of the community can make a contribution to the ISD memorial campaign by visiting memorial.isdpta.org. The campaign will run now through the holiday season. A dedication event is also being planned for early 2020, with more details forthcoming. These thoughtful tributes will remind the community of Mrs. Macri’s beautiful spirit and remarkable life.

Brenda Macri’s career with Greenwich Public Schools started in the early 1980s and spanned more than 35 years. She first taught special education at Eastern Middle School and then kindergarten through third grades at Hamilton Avenue and Cos Cob elementary schools. In the fall of 1999, Mrs. Macri came to the International School at Dundee, where she taught second grade and third grade for nearly 20 years, until her passing following a long battle with cancer. As an educator, Mrs. Macri was recognized for producing some of the most innovative curriculum, and known for challenging students to identify their goals and giving them personalized support to achieve their goals. In 1998, Mrs. Macri won a Fulbright scholarship, which allowed her to travel to Japan with fellow educators and students to immerse themselves in Japanese culture. She was twice awarded the Connecticut State Celebration of Excellence in Education, in 1997 and 1999. Greenwich Public Schools also selected Mrs. Macri as a Distinguished Teacher in 2003, for her outstanding dedication and commitment to the education of Greenwich students.

“Brenda Macri was an amazing parent, friend, and teacher. Her boundless energy, endless kindness, and amazing resilience were an inspiration to us all,” says Gail Martin, a second-grade teacher at ISD who was close with Mrs. Macri and worked alongside her for many years. “Her dedication and love of teaching were evident to anyone who came in contact with her. While we all miss Brenda terribly, I know that she would be thrilled to see that her ‘loves’ will be shared with the ISD community through book donations to the Learning Commons and additions to our garden. What a wonderful way to remember a life well lived.”

Brenda Purdy Macri was born on February 3, 1961 in Denville, NJ. She received a Bachelor’s of Science in elementary and special education from Kean University, a Masters in reading instruction from the College of New Rochelle and a sixth-year diploma in education from Laverne University. She is survived by her husband John Macri, Jr. and sons, Christopher and James, who were by her side when she passed last December.

Mrs. Macri was recognized as an extraordinary educator, touching the lives of countless students, their families and the many colleagues and friends who were fortunate to know her. The ISD PTA would like to thank the families and community members who have already contributed to the memorial campaign as we continue to honor the legacy of Mrs. Macri.

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