Words of Inspiration

Announcements

Research and Creative Activities

Opportunities

Department Media

Questions about newsletter? Please contact David Stoloff, email: stoloffd@easternct.edu

Eastern Connecticut State University Foster Clock Tower

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT NEWS
Volume XXV, Fall 2006

Fall Arrives, September 25, 2006

best viewed at  http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/060925.html
on the World Wide Web

for past issues Ed. Dept. News Index - http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/newsindex.html


Education Dept. Homepage

Alumni News

Departmental Documents

Please see the University Disclaimer.

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Fall Arrives, September 25, 2006

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

AUTUMN

It's autumn time inside me, as I feel.

It's cool and lucid, and I see quite clearly,

although I’m sad, I am not despaired, really,

and I am filled with patience and good will.

And if , at times, I do get wild indeed,

I do it when I fade and leave my foliage,

and then I come to sad and simple knowledge

that rage and rampage isn't what we need.

But what we really need is just a chance

to see the raging world and our own selves

in all the bareness of autumn spells,

when we can see all through, at once.

Enlightenment is the child of peace and calm.

So never mind if we don't rage and riot.

We'd better shuffle off all wrangles and keep quiet

in order that we see new foliage come.

Something has happened to me, for I trust

and I rely exclusively on silence

where leaves pile on the ground, tired of violence,

and turn, inaudibly, to earth and dust.

Then you see all, like from a mountain bed,

when you can drop your foliage duly,

and when your inner autumn gently, coolly,

will put its airy palpi on your head.

YEVGENY YEVTUSHENKO, 1965
http://vagalecs.narod.ru/Yevtuy.HTM#AUTUMN

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Announcements

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1) Upcoming events

Education Department faculty meeting with President Nuñez, Thursday, October 12, 12:30 - 1:45, Webb 115.

Connecticut's chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME) conference is scheduled for Monday, October 16, 2006.  We are planning to invite faculty members and teacher candidates to participate in this conference. 

“Buzz. A One-Woman Show on Equity in American Public Education”, Wednesday, October 18, University Hour, 3 - 4 pm and 7:30 - 9 pm, Brooke Haycock, Education Trust, Webb Hall 110

Buzz is a play about success and the relentless pursuit of it.  The play is based on interviews with high school students, teachers and school leaders. It chronicles the educational struggles and ultimate triumphs of schools, educators, and students who refuse to settle for anything short of real success.

Also join members of Phi Delta Kappa for a reception in the Joinery in the Child and Family Development Resource Center from 4:30 – 6.  A tour of the center will be available during this time.  From 6 – 7, a buffet dinner in the President's Dining Room in Hurley Hall is also offered prior to the evening performance.  Please contact David Stoloff for more details on these events.

Fall Open House, Sunday, October 22, 2006, 1 - 4 pm, Sports Center.  For more information, please see http://www.easternct.edu/admis/openhouse_000.htm .

Education Department faculty members - Please let David Stoloff know if you would like to join him at the Connecticut Educators Computer Association meeting on Monday, October 23, 2006 in Cromwell, CT.  The theme this year is "Communicating in a Global Society."

Connecticut Chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children is having its annual conference on Saturday, October 28th here in Webb Hall of ECSU.  Please contact Dr. Delar Singh at 860 - 465 - 4555, email:  singhd@easternct.edu  for further information.

3) A labyrinth is being built near the Arboretum and Pigeon Road and across from the parking structure.  Inspired by Dr. Carol Williams, this labyrinth should be a good place to visit after a stressful opening week.  For more information on labyrinths, please visit http://labyrinth.georgetown.edu/

 

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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

Great news from Dr. Ann Gruenberg:

Other Early Childhood graduates I have seen lately, employed:  

       Courtney Tuller-  Inclusive Preschool, Gilead Hill, Hebron

       Carly Grauer -  Inclusive Preschool, Chaplin Elementary School

posted on September 20, 2006

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Good news from Alycia Fargnoli shared by Dr. Sudha Swaminathan:

I just wanted to let everyone at the education department know that I was just hired at Preston Elementary school as a preschool teacher. Thanks for everything that you have done for me to get me here. A year ago I couldn't have imagined having a position this quickly. Thank You!   Alycia Fargnoli -- (class of 2006)

posted on September 14, 2006

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Good news from Jennifer Brokaw shared by Dr. Tannahill:  

I teach at Horace W. Porter School in Columbia.  I am the seventh grade math and prealgebra teacher.   I also just received word that I passed my BEST portfolio.  I am so excited!!   Jennifer Brokaw

posted on September 8, 2006

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News from Colleen A. Moran shared by Dr. Singh,

I am writing to tell you that I have just been hired in FL to teach 5th Grade  at Lamarque Elementary School.  Although I would have prefered to stay in CT there were more opportunities for employment in FL.  

Colleen A. Moran

posted on September 8, 2006

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News from Theresa Tiscia shared by Dr. Ricklin:

I landed a long-term sub position at Lauralton Hall in Milford teaching U.S. History to juniors and seniors.  Although I will only have a job until January, it is a great place to start my career.  I'm really excited to be back in the classroom.  I didn't realize how much I missed it since May!   Over the summer I did have the opportunity to go on several interviews and I wanted to let you know that all of the schools were very impressed with my student teaching portfolio.  It definitely would be a useful tool to continue with future classes, and it was great experience for me as well.   I hope that you had an enjoyable summer and wish you luck in the upcoming school year.  Thanks again for the recommendation and all the help that you gave me over the last year!   Theresa Tiscia

posted on September 10, 2006

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News from Rebecca Stanger:

I wanted to inform you that I have had a wonderful first week of teaching a new pilot position at GH Robertson School in Coventry.  I co-teach third grade in the afternoons, Math, Science, and Social Studies.  This position allows me to focus more on Numeracy, while the morning teacher, Jen Emerson, focuses on Literacy (Reading and Writing).  I know the skills I have learned through ECSU will help co-teaching become more available in other districts.  Who says, "You can't have your cake and eat it, too?"  Thank you to all the faculty in the Education Department.

posted on September 1, 2006

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Great news shared by Dr. Ricklin and Dr. Ashton from Hope Zettwoch -

"I just wanted to let you know that I accepted a long term sub position in the 4th grade at Parker Memorial School in Tolland. I am very excited and have been busy preparing for the upcoming year. I just wanted to thank you for introducing me to The First Days of School by the Wongs. I have found it very helpful as I am planning my classroom for this fall. I have also been using The New Teachers Complete Sourcebook (Grades K-4) by Bonnie Murray which is a great resource for new teachers.

I hope that this email finds you in good health and ready to assist a new group of student teachers. I can't thank you enough for all your advice and support last year. 

Sincerely,

Hope Zettwoch"

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Great news from Bethany Champagne Holland, former student assistant in the Education Department -

Hi David.  I just wanted to share some good news with you.  I have been offered a position in Enfield with Nathan Hale Elementary School as the k-6 School Counselor.  I signed the contract today.  I am very excited to start my career and have been looking forward to this for a long time.  Thanks for all of your kind works and support over the years.  Bethany Holland (new email - bethany3holland@yahoo.com)

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Great news from Kathy D'Amelio relayed by Dr. Fred Ashton:

Hi Dr. Ashton,

Just had to let you know that I was hired as a first grade teacher (possibly a 2nd grade if another person rejects the offer) at Sweeney Elementary School in Willimantic. I will be traveling my favorite route that I traveled to Eastern for 4 years. I am so excited about my new career. I will be working with a great group of people. The principal and staff were so kind and supportive even before they offered me a job. I will have a diverse group of students that will challenge me as a teacher and as a person that cares. I thought of our student teaching seminar and the teachers who visited from Hartford, when I was interviewing and teaching a lesson during the selection process. After an initial offer had been made and I had to leave, a teacher said to me "Our students need a teacher like you." I was so moved. I never felt so much true support and interest. I am so happy. I have to say that it is not easy out there. I went to 7 interviews and taught two lessons. The process was not easy. I learned a lot from it. 

.... It also is good for people to hear that despite the difficult odds of getting a teaching position, it can be done. Boy, did I have some unbelievable experiences out there. If you would like, I would be willing to come back in the fall and talk about the interview/application process that I went through for your students. let me know if I can be of help. I believe we always need to give back the help we've been given. It can be depressing when you hear it takes three years. That is not always the case. Also hearing from other people helped me, inspired me and motivated me to strive even harder. ...

I wanted to thank you for all your ideas, tips and thought provoking sessions. I learned so much at Eastern. Thanks again Dr. Ashton. 

Sincerely, Kathy D'Amelio

posted on June 21, 2006

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More good news from Fred Ashton:

"How I love to convey good news…

Ryan Webb, one of my subs and a recent ECSU graduate student grad, just stopped by. He has just been hired to teach social studies at Vinal Tech in Middletown.

Fred"

posted on June 21, 2006

 

Good news from Noah Ventola, shared by Dr. Ricklin

I am writing to tell you that I have been offered a social studies position at RHAM high school! The position will be either 9th grade global studies or 10th grade world civilization. I am thrilled with the position. It is the position that I wanted in the district that I hoped to work in. I owe part of my success in landing this position to my experience at Eastern as our education department has prepared me for a great future in the public schools. Thank you for all your help and support throughout the last 2 years.

Thanks again!
Noah

posted on May 22, 2006

 

News from Cori (Beckwith) Allard (Early Childhood Education program graduate, January 2000) 

I just have to take this opportunity to share with you how proud I am of my Eastern education.  Upon my graduation from Eastern in January 2000, I taught for 2 years in Willimantic, then for three years in Brooklyn, New York, and have been working as a school psychologist for the past year in California.  I was so well prepared by Eastern for the positions I took on, and often watched my colleagues (who graduated from other prestigious colleges of education such as Columbia University's Teacher's College) struggle to adjust to real-life classroom teaching. 

 
Please forgive me for not knowing the current status of education certification programs at Eastern, but I think that, since the education provided by the faculty there is so comprehensive, realistic, and developmental in nature, a special education track would naturally blossom from what has already been established.  I taught in an inclusion classroom in Willimantic and in a school for Emotionally Disturbed students in Brooklyn, and I cannot emphasize enough how well-prepared I was for those types of settings even though my program of study was not specifically entitled Special Education.  I believe that graduates from Eastern will have no problem implementing the new standards set by Response to Intervention because of the training they have received there.
 
Overall, I wish for Eastern's Education Department to get the kudos it deserves for preparing well-rounded educators who are viable in a variety of regular and special education settings.  I thank you for leading such a well-developed program.
 
Cori (Beckwith) Allard 

posted on April 23, 2006

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News from Dr. Leslie Ricklin

I just had a call from Sandy Boscarino's father telling me that she is the first in this year's graduating class!  Sandy is doing her student teaching right now in the 5th grade in Andover and doing a terrific job; she passed Praxis II with flying colors (199 out of 200 on the multiple choice section, for example).  Oh, by the way, her other major is History.  I bet that Dept. is proud of her, too.

Posted on 2/14/06

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News from Kimberlee Kenney

Mathematics & Education

Class of 2002:

 My husband got orders to the USS Alaska, so we will be moving to Norfolk, Virginia around the first of March.  I resigned my position as a math teacher at Grasso Technical High School and  am subbing until we leave.  Parting is such sweet sorrow.  I have so many memories of our 7 years in Connecticut, some of the most special being spent at Eastern in our Real Analysis study group.  We spent 4-6 hours a week outside of class (studying) just to impress Dr. Kenton!  My love and best wishes go out to Dr. Kenton, John, Lisa, Matt, Kevin, Sita and all of the other math geeks who gutted it out with us.  We are truly a bounded unique subset (in the infinite domain of humanity) in which no other subsequence will converge near our epsilon neighborhood!  In Bolzano-Weierstrass we trust. 

Kimberlee Kenney, Mathematics

Culture Committee, Sophomore Advisor, National Honor Society Committee

441-0387, email:Kim.Kenney@po.state.ct.us


posted on February 6, 2006

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Dr. Fred Ashton reports from Windham Tech - 

 

Our two new teachers and recent Eastern graduates, Glenn Anderson and Chris Morgan, are doing fabulously well, as is Diane Trumbull (also new to us, and a less-recent ECSU grad).

Looking forward to having Violet Lukasik student teaching here with Lyn Williams, ECSU graduating class of 1998, this spring.

 

posted on November 2, 2005

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Message from Mike Hetherington, Master of Science in Elementary Education program graduate, 2003

On October 7th, my 6th grade class at Horace W. Porter School launched their first podcast. A podcast is an Internet radio broadcast available for download. If you or the alumni would like to listen, just go to our class weblog at http://room613talk05.edublogs.org/tag/podcasts/ or look for Room 613 Talk in the Educational Podcast section of Itunes. My students worked collaboratively to write the introduction, feature stories, transitions and closing. So far we have received positive feedback on the podcast from listeners as far away as Georgia, Arizona, and New Zealand. As far as I know, this is the first class podcast in the State of Connecticut.

 
In other news, I'll be visiting China for 10 days starting on November 4th as part of a Connecticut Educators delegation. During that visit I will have a chance to teach at Horace Porter's sister school in Jinan, China. It's been an busy year so far! 
 
Mike Hetherington
6th Grade Social Studies Teacher
Horace W. Porter School - Columbia, CT
MS Elementary Ed. - Dec. 2003

posted on November 1, 2005

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Good news from Michelle Ridolfi O'Neill -

Sharon Hagen was hired for one of a language arts positions in Montville.

posted on October 31, 2005

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Good news from Bethany Champagne (bethany_champagne@yahoo.com):

"Hello everyone

I just wanted to inform you that I have been offered a job as a long-term substitute counselor at DePaolo Middle School in Southington.  I went today to meet everyone and it is wonderful.  I love it.  I will keep you posted.  I should be there until Feb. or March because the person I am replacing just had TWIN BOYS! Yikes.  I am so happy and finally using my degree.  Thanks for everyone's support. 
Bethany"

 

posted on October 6, 2005

 

Good news from Dr. Fred Ashton:

I am pleased to let you know that Windham Tech is employing two outstanding new educators, fresh from the latest graduating class:

--Glenn Anderson, English

--Chris Morgan, social studies

 

As you know, I recruited Chris Morgan for our system last year as a substitute after I saw first-hand the work he was doing in mentoring middle and high school students over the summer at ECSU.  He soon became one of our most-requested subs that fall and student taught at Norwich Tech last spring.

 

Glenn Anderson was a student in my seminar for student teachers last spring.  He completed an exemplary portfolio and had an outstanding student teaching experience at Dr. Helen Baldwin School in Canterbury. 

Both have done a great job in their first week- a testimony to the instruction and experiences that they have had at Eastern.  They are going to make a difference in the lives of our students.

 

Fred Ashton

posted on September 7, 2005

Good news from Alicia Dunbar -

"I just wanted to share some of my own good news.  After teaching this past year in New Haven I have been offered a position in Madison teaching First/Second Grade Multiage." 

 
Alicia Dunbar
ECE 2003 Graduate

posted on August 29, 2005

 

Past Alumni News is posted at
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/alumninews.html

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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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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 to start in Fall 2007 pending approval -


two full-time Reading/Language Arts tenure track faculty members
and

Early Childhood Education faculty member

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For opportunities for technology resources and recognition for exemplary leadership, please visit http://www.futureready.org/about/ .

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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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Teacher Substitute Openings in Windham Public Schools

Windham Public Schools are seeking Eastern graduates, with a bachelor's degree in any major, to substitute for absent teachers.  Please link to the district's home page

@  http://www.windham.k12.ct.us 

 and the district personnel policy page @ http://www.windham.k12.ct.us/DSS_Web/Personnel/Policies.htm

for more information. 

 
There are also substitute possibilities listed without the degree. 

Posted on November 27, 2005

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Multicultural Professional Development Opportunities

Registration is now available online for both the:

1) 11th Annual CT Conference on Multicultural Education - Oct. 16, 2006 in Farmington, CT.

Download brochure at: www.state.ct.us/sde  Click on Calendar

Register Online at: http://www.aces.k12.ct.us/conferences

2) Closing date is approaching for the Multicultural Educators to South Africa Trip - Oct. 23- Nov.1, 2006. Information is at www.billhowe.org  Click on SouthAfrica2006.

3) SAVE the Date also for the NAME Conference in Phoenix, AZ - Nov. 8-12, 2006. Brochure should be coming out in next few weeks. Info at www.nameorg.org.  PLEASE direct all inquiries about the PHOENIX NAME conference to name@nameorg.org

shared by William A. Howe, Ed.D.
Education Consultant for Multicultural Education & Gender Equity
Connecticut State Department of Education - Bureau of Educational Equity
and

Jack Hasegawa

Bureau Chief

Bureau of Educational Equity

Division of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment

Connecticut State Department of Education

860-713-6544

e-mail address:  jack.hasegawa@ct.gov

posted on May 19, 2006

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Alma Exley Scholarship Program

This scholarship program supports and encouraged persons of color who are committed to a career in public school teaching.  A scholarship award of at least $1,500 a year for two years will be granted to an individual who has been admitted to a teacher-preparation program in a Connecticut College or university.  For more information and an application, please contact David Stoloff in the Education Dept, Webb 129 or visit http://www.almaexleyscholarship.org .

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Connecticut Minority Teacher Recruitment Grant information:

http://www.ctdhe.org/SFA/pdfs/MTIP%20Brochure%20and%20Form.pdf

 

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

1) Thanks to the 2006 SIFT faculty, RAs, and staff, available for borrowing for summer reading -

Letters to the next president : what we can do about the real crisis in public education / edited by Carl Glickman ; prologue by Bill Cosby, New York : Teachers College Press, c2004, LA217.2 .L48 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.