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Eighth Week of Spring 2005 - March 14, 2005

Words of Inspiration
the collection appears at http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/words.html

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“There is a rich and emotional subtext underneath the obliged politesse and decorum of parent-teacher meetings that needs acknowledgement.”

Professor Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot
quoted at http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/features/sll01012004.html

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Announcements

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1) Upcoming events:

Education Department faculty meetings -  programs' meetings - Thursday, March 17, 2005, 12:30 - 1:45, Webb 115

Mid-semester grades due – March 14

Spring recess – March 21 - 26

Future Teachers Conference - Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - please contact David Stoloff if you would like to present.

Class withdrawal deadline – April 8

Thesis and copies due in Graduate Office – April 11

 “Life After Brown 2005: With All Deliberate Speed … Looking Back, Moving Ahead”  to be held at Eastern on April 15 -16, 2005. A preliminary schedule and registration information can be found at http://www.easternct.edu/depts/bvbed2/

Fifth Annual Excellence Expo - Wednesday, April 27, 2005, 3 - 7 pm - Ed Dept faculty - please nominate those who completed comprehensive portfolios and other teacher candidates with distinction. 

University meeting – May 12, 10 am

Final exams – May 16 – 21

Commencement – May 22

Final grades due – May 25

2) Message from Fran Champney, formerly Fran Tremblay, Education Department Office Manager -

Please note that my new campus email address is now <champneyf@easternct.edu>.

8 ) Information from the U.S. Department of Education

Teacher Loan Forgiveness - The Taxpayer-Teacher Protection Act (P.L. 108-409) :  Teachers who teach math, science, or special education & who have taught for five years in a Title I school may be eligible for new  loan forgiveness limits.  The Taxpayer-Teacher Protection Act (P.L. 108-409) authorizes up to $17,500 in loan forgiveness to eligible highly qualified math, science & special education teachers.  This increase of $12,500 above the previous loan limits is meant to ease the shortage of teachers in key subject areas.

For more information, please see the following web pages:

http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/tools/initiative/updates/2005/0124.html  and
http://www.ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/GEN0414.html.

 Visit the NGA web site at http://www.nga.org

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The Education Department Faculty photo is posted at
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/faculty.html
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The 2002-2006 CSU AAUP-BOT Collective Bargaining
Agreement is on-line at the usual URL:
http://www.easternct.edu/aaup/cba.html

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Alumni News
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/alumninews.html
 

Message from Christine Mengel, elementary education teacher candidate, January 2005:

"Hi All,

 I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank all of you for the wonderful instruction and guidance you have given me through core I and II. I took the Praxis in November for the first time and not only did I walk away from the test feeling confident but my confidence was assured when I found out I did very well and past the tests. So I wanted to thank all of you for your help in this process. Have a wonderful break and Happy New Year!

 Thank you again!

Christine Mengel "

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News from Jessica Bessette shared by Dr. Swaminathan:

"Hi!  I just wanted to tell you that I got a job!!  Starting Monday I will be a preschool teacher in Waterbury.  It's not in a school though, it's in a daycare facility, but I will have my own classroom of 3-5 year olds (although I think right now there are only 3 and 4 year olds).  I am really excited to start, I really have a lot of freedom to teach what I want and how I want, it's a really exciting first teaching job, a really great experience, especially since I have to do most of the planning of what exactly I'm teaching, there is no curriculum to follow or anything.  So I'm really excited to use a lot of the information I got from the core classes @ Eastern.  I'm sure I'll be emailing you (300 times a day!) to ask you questions and get advice, I hope you don't mind!  Just wanted to tell you because I thought you'd be proud :)" 

posted on October 22, 2004

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Dr. Sudha Swaminathan reports that Leslie Labenski has been hired at Andover Elementary in a Kindergarten setting. 

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A message from Ms. Leah  Barbuto -

Joan Culpin was just hired as a third grade teacher in Columbia, CT.
posted on August 20, 2004.

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Good news from Robyn McKenney, MS in Ed Tech program graduate  –

I just wanted to share my great news with you!  I have been offered a job as a K-8 Technology Integration Coach.  I am very excited about this opportunity and feel that my work at Eastern was invaluable in preparing me for this role (especially the thesis).   Some feedback I received was how pleased they were with my understanding of constructivism, project (problem-) based learning, ISTE standards, assessments, and learning environments.  I wanted to share that with you because I feel it speaks directly to your program.

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Another message shared by Dr. Fred Ashton –

Once again, I am pleased to share more good news for the Vocational Technical School System and for ECSU: Mary Schlehofer will be appointed to a teaching position in the English Department at H.H. Ellis Technical High School in Danielson, CT.  Mary did her student teaching here at Windham Tech this past spring semester with department head Jan Marie Weston and she did an outstanding job. 

A message shared by Dr. Fred Ashton -

"More good news for Windham Tech, ECSU, and new graduate David Carter:  David has been appointed to a math position at Windham Vocational Technical High School.  David finished the year for us in a long-term substitute position that he started just after he finished his student teaching and he did a great job.  We are looking forward to him starting the year with us.  His content knowledge and pedagogy are strong and he is a most welcome and valued addition to the teaching faculty!"

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A message shared by Dr. Ann Gruenberg from Cara Ravetto -

I took a long term sub position at the Borough Elementary School for a teacher on maternity leave with the expectation of continuing in the fall for her. As the last few days of school arrived one of the teachers in decided not to renew her contract and resigned, thereby creating an open position. After all was said and done, the position ended up being for first grade. I interviewed for it and was offered the job! I am very excited because I wasn't expecting anything in the district to be open! I was fully prepared to sub for the next year. Now reality sets in as I prepare to set up my classroom and plan the curriculum! My fellow colleagues seem very nice and the principal is very supportive. Hope all is well at ECSU and I plan to return in the spring to complete my Capstone. Take care!

Cara Ravetto

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News from Dr. Fred Ashton:
Scott Hill just emailed me.  He has accepted a 4th grade position at Sweeney School.  Scott was in last semester's student teachers' seminar with me.  He is a fine student and will be a great first year teacher.

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News from Dr. Bland Day:
I heard from Rosemary Humes that Cary Langley and Chad Johnson have taken science teaching positions at the Norwich Free Academy. Cary is teaching biology, and I believe that Chad's job is in General Science.

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Call for Graduate News -

A request from Institutional Research -
Please share news about the plans of graduating seniors.
If they are going on to graduate school, please provide the graduate's name, undergraduate major,
graduate university, location (city, state), field of study and degree program sought, and any information
on scholarships and/or fellowships.
If they have been accepted for employment positions, please provide the graduate's name,
undergraduate major, company, location (city, state), position, salary.
Please email the information to David, who will compile it for the department. Thanks. 

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Other Events
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ECSU - ThinkQuest for Tomorrow's Teachers Projects

Faculty members and students from Eastern Connecticut State University participated in a US Department of Education grant to Prepare Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology with ThinkQuest
[ http://www.preservice.org/] and 13 other universities throughout the US. This project's homepage may be found at http://www.preservice.org/ecsu/ or http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/dept/pt3.html.
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Long Term Announcements
Alumni news may be found at http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/alumninews.html.
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Planning

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Past surveys of our graduates are available on the WWW -
an analysis of the survey of teacher education program graduates 1996-98
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/assessment/survey9698.htm
results of the survey of teacher education program graduates - 1996-1998 -
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/assessment/surveyresults9698.htm, and
results of the survey of teacher education program graduates - 1998-2000 -
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/assessment/gradsurvey2001.htm
survey of interests in graduate programs -1999,
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/assessment/gradinterestsurvey1999.htm
survey of interests in graduate programs - 2001
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/assessment/gradinterestsurvey2001.htm
 
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Research and Creativity Activities
chronicling the ongoing progress of the Education Department at Eastern Connecticut State University

also found at http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/rca.html

Searches and Opportunities
for job announcements at Eastern CSU - http://www.easternct.edu/depts/personnel/jobs.html

departmental searches pending approval -
full-time tenure track faculty members to start in Fall 2005
in Learning and Teaching and
Reading/Language Arts

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Recommendation from Diane Reale, OnlineCSU instructor, to subscribe to Edutopia:

"You may already be familiar with Edutopia, but I recently received an invitation to a free magazine subscription from them, in the mail, so I thought I would send the link along to you....(re: exemplary programs in K-12 schools)....thought your faculty and students might be interested.

http://www.edutopia.org/foundation/foundation.php

Diane"

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Reference from Walter Diaz, Director, Career Services:

Teaching Jobs at SchoolSpring.com

Description: Free educator job search. Apply online, get email job alerts, find 1000s of teaching jobs from dozens of sites with the SchoolSpring SuperSearch. Apply to any job, anywhere with SchoolSpring PLUS!

URL: http://www.SchoolSpring.com

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Looking for an internship, co-op or full-time job? Then check out our new on-line system-eRecruiting at http://eastern.eRecruiting.com

Walter Diaz
Director
Career Services
Eastern Connecticut State University
83 Windham Street
Willimantic, CT  06226
Phone: (860)465.5244
Fax:(860)465.4440
Email: diazw@easternct.edu
University Web Page: www.easternct.edu
Department Web Page: www.easternct.edu/depts/career/

 

Announcement from Robin Shefts, Career Counselor, Career Services:

"I discovered this website recently which I wanted to share with you, faculty and students. http://careers.education.wisc.edu/projectConnect/MoreInfo.cfm

Project Connect is a national cooperative resource between school districts and universities to assist with teacher/education staff employment efforts on the internet.  If you are not familiar with Project Connect, it's worth checking out!"

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For Connecticut teaching opportunities, please visit http://ctreap.net .

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Recently acquired media - in the Chair's Office or on the Web

1) Thank you, Ann, and colleagues in the Education Department for enriching the Education Department Chairs office with

Mitch Albom's The five people you meet in heaven. 

2) Also available in borrowing for holiday reading -

Cambre, M. & Hawkes, M. (2004). Toys, tools & teachers: The challenges of technology. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Education.

3) Ordered for the Curriculum Library -

Comparative guide to elementary and secondary schools:  2005.  Millerton, NY:  Grey House Publishing.

ACPA & NASPA (2004), Learning Reconsidered:  A Campus-Wide Focus on the Student Experience.  Washington,  DC: ACPA - Advancing Student Affairs, Engaging Students and NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.  and other materials from President Carter's Advance on August 17 & 18, 2004. 

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Please contact David Stoloff at (860) 465-5501, email: stoloffd@easternct.edu if you have any questions or comments on this newsletter. Please invite others to receive this newsletter and be added to the Education Department e-mailing list by contacting David Stoloff.