For Immediate Release

Thursday, June 22, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Retired Rockland Physical Education Teacher Continues Tradition of Giving Back To District’s Students

ROCKLAND — Superintendent Alan Cron and R. Stewart Esten Elementary School Principal Marilyn Smith are pleased to announce that retired physical education teacher Fred Brown last week continued his longstanding legacy of supporting the students of Rockland’s Public Schools by presenting students with an award named in his honor.

Brown, who spent 23 years of his 31-year teaching career in Rockland, returned to the Esten Elementary School on Tuesday, June 13, to give four students the Frederick D. Brown Spirit Award. The award, which was created in 1990, is presented to students whose leadership, school spirit, sportsmanship and kindness set a good example for their fellow students.

The award is one component of Brown’s longstanding commitment to the Rockland schools, which has resulted in donations of more than $55,000 to Esten Elementary School since his retirement 1994. That money has helped enhance the school’s technology initiative and also assisted with the purchase of new playground equipment, desks and more for Esten’s students.

Among the students who were honored with the Brown award were third grade students Charli Woodward—whose mother was once a student of Brown’s—and Joshua Benson, as well as fourth grade students Dylan Miller and Kailani Farrell.

“Mr. Brown’s dedication to the children of Esten Elementary School has been felt for decades and across generations,” Principal Smith said. “The fact that one of our award winners is the child of one of Mr. Brown’s former students is a testament to his longstanding and unwavering commitment to Rockland’s kids.”  

Brown, 81, taught physical education in the Rockland Public Schools until his retirement, but has returned each year to present the awards to students. He has stayed involved in the schools by donating books and memorabilia to the Baseball Hall of Fame as a way to share his passion for the game with students.

“I enjoy giving back because I got a lot out of working in a school and so whatever I can do to help, I am happy to do,” Brown said. “I am proud of the award and of all of the students it has been given to over the years. It is a really nice honor, which I enjoy and appreciate, so I will be sure to come back to the school for it every year for as long as I can.”

Brown spent 18 of his 23 years in the Rockland Public Schools teaching at Esten Elementary.

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