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Online learning technology is constantly changing and CREC is most definitely keeping up with the times!Our teaching professionals and management staff across the region are continually asking us and searching for alternative modes of teaching that offer creative, hands-on, real-time and evergreen learning opportunities for students and educators. Kristen Raymond, Assistant Principal at Thomaston High School stated recently, “The CREC Online Learning Portal is an important avenue that is giving my students opportunities to develop individual and balanced educational plans with options that are just not always available through the school. This year I have already enrolled 13 of my students and am so pleased that a majority of them are working on additional World Language courses.”Kathy Randall, CREC Online Learning Coordinator, couldn’t agree more and is proud of the work done recently to update the CREC Online Portal. “Our Portal has a major goal: to entice regional students, parents and learning professionals to take advantage of and enhance their available study time through technology with new and improved courseware that embrace all types of learning styles,” she said. “Simply put, the CREC Online Portal is available with great courses when you need them.”CREC On-Line Learning Portal is accessible from home and offers virtual learning opportunities for students of all levels from those with medical issues to those with learning disabilities and advanced learners looking for the next AP challenge to educators looking for professional development, and everyone in between.If you are not yet acquainted with us, we invite you to take a look at the CREC On-line Portal at http://crec.gennet.us/. Our multiple vendors offer over 2,500 courses that are available around the clock. Take a look, give us a call and we can get you started on a new pathway to learning....

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CREC's Community Education division recognizes one of its students, Freily Medina, for her hard work, dedication, and leadership in and out of the CREC Family Literacy program. Medina arrived in the United States four years ago, apprehensive about her new environment and struggling to understand an unfamiliar language and culture."I specifically chose to attend CREC after hearing several recommendations about the outstanding services, teachers, and staff they have available to provide students with the care, support, and education they need to pursue their goals... and that was exactly what I received," Medina said. She enrolled in basic English classes through CREC’s Family Literacy program, which also provided her two young daughters, ages 2 and 3, with early childhood education. Medina worked diligently to refine her language skills, and as a result of her hard work, was able to qualify for and enroll in the advanced English class the following year. During her time in the CREC Family Literacy program, Medina, along with the guidance and support of CREC staff, has been able to obtain her driver's license, successfully complete her advanced English course, and secure citizenship in partnership with the Hartford Public Library’s Immigration Department. Medina plans to study in the medical office assistant program at Manchester Community College this spring.CREC’s Family Literacy program supports students like Freily Medina by offering a wide range of services that allow students to stay focused on completing their education. The CREC Community Education division regularly receives donations from local organizations, including winter coats, gloves, hats, hygiene products, back packs, clothing, diapers, baby formula, and furniture. Access to these items has allowed students to concentrate on their studies, even in times of need. Program participants also receive hot and nutritious meals from House of Bread, along with professional attire from Dress for Success and Savers for job interviews and career fairs. These additional services allow our students to stay focused on completing their education. CREC congratulates Freily Medina and looks forward to continuing to serve students in the Family Literacy program.###The Capitol Region Education Council was established in 1966 and is celebrating 50 years of academic excellence. Working with and for its member districts, CREC has developed a wide array of cost-effective and high-quality programs and services to meet the educational needs of children and adults in the region. CREC brings five decades of experience in education, regional collaboration, and operations to provide innovative strategies and products that address the changings needs of school districts and their students, corporations, non-profits, and individual professions. CREC regularly serves 36 towns in Greater Hartford, offering more than 120 programs to more than 150,000 students annually. CREC manages more than 35 facilities throughout the area, including 17 interdistrict magnet schools. More information about CREC and CREC’s award-winning schools is available at www.crec.org....

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A national shortage of speech and language pathologists has hit crisis proportions and Connecticut is no exception. The Connecticut State Department of Education’s statistics indicate that there has been a shortage of speech and language pathologists as far back as 1998. A significant impact on why students with special needs are not able to receive speech and language services as part of their Individualized Education Plan is a result of districts not having enough qualified staff. Janet Scialdone, CREC Staffing Solutions Manager, reports that this year it continues to be a problem. “One solution is to provide qualified interim speech and language pathologists who are available for short-term assignments,” Scialdone suggests. Susan Malecky, a speech and language pathology consultant for CREC says, “I have always loved being a speech and language pathologist. This is my dream job! Through the option of a flexible schedule, I am able to continue working and have time for other pursuits.” At a parent and student’s request, an incoming freshman was recommended for a speech and language review to determine if her articulation abilities warranted speech services at the high school level for her to meet expected academic progress, and Malecky supported this request. Upon entering high school, the student and parent reported that the student felt uncomfortable speaking in class because she felt she could not be understood. Numerous observations of the student during academic classes, shop, lunch, one-one-one sessions, and teacher interviews supported this finding: upon occasion she would speak one-on-one with a teacher and was very social with a group of familiar peers at lunch. Overall, speech intelligibility, when she did speak, was good and consistent with previous findings. Her special education teacher reported that the student was struggling in several classes, and PowerSchool revealed that there were many missed assignments and poor test grades. The student reported that she was too busy at home to do the work, was inconsistently compliant with academic support services, and did not seek assistance when needed.It appeared that the family and student were focused on articulation issues and not overall academic performance and personal responsibility as a learner. These issues were discussed with the student, parent, and team members, and both home and school strategies/supports were put into place to decrease the student’s communication anxieties, increase personal responsibility, and improve academic performance. What had initially been presented as an articulation concern was in fact an issue related to school anxiety. Collaboration between home and school has resulted in a positive outcome for the student.Districts and educational organizations like Hartford, New London, Enfield, Granby, Cromwell, and the Connecticut Technical High Schools, who have all struggled with shortages of speech and language pathologists, have found the use of interim speech and language pathologists to be an excellent option until they can find permanent staff members. “Using interim staffing from CREC allowed us to meet our students Individualized Education Plan hours and goals” reflected Jill Dymczyk, a special education consultant for Connecticut Technical High Schools. For more information about how you or your district can benefit from CREC Staffing Solutions, contact Janet Scialdone at jscialdone@crec.org or 860-509-368.###The Capitol Region Education Council was established in 1966 and is celebrating 50 years of academic excellence. Working with and for its member districts, CREC has developed a wide array of cost-effective and high-quality programs and services to meet the educational needs of children and adults in the region. CREC brings five decades of experience in education, regional collaboration, and operations to provide innovative strategies and products that address the changings needs of school districts and their students, corporations, non-profits, and individual professions. CREC regularly serves 36 towns in Greater Hartford, offering more than 120 programs to more than 150,000 students annually. CREC manages more than 35 facilities throughout the area, including 17 interdistrict magnet schools. More information about CREC and CREC’s award-winning schools is available at www.crec.org....

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(Hartford, CT) School security has always been important, but the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown thrust the issue into the spotlight, prompting school districts throughout the country to reexamine their policies and procedures.Educators and law enforcement and government officials have been working together to make sure the safest learning environments are provided for all children, but we can’t be complacent. School districts need to remain vigilant and continue to scrutinize practices, train staff, and strengthen relationships with public safety officials. If a man under the influence of drugs entered a high school hallway near classrooms and the cafeteria, what would you do? Would you know to isolate that person immediately before he entered space occupied by students? Would you know to simultaneously notify security so the police could be called and the person could be escorted off school property?In Connecticut, Public Act 13-3 can be referenced for a comprehensive list of state requirements regarding school security. CREC can also help. CREC’s Director of Public Safety, Chris Nolan, is a retired state police lieutenant and brings real-world law enforcement experience to his job at CREC. He’s a valuable resource—one that you can use. With Nolan’s extensive background in crisis management, CREC is able to offer several security services, including staff training and workshops on security technology. Security audits are available, and CREC can help you develop emergency and crisis management plans. As you consider your school’s emergency preparedness procedures, Nolan shares the following tips:Be sure to regularly talk to your local first responders about school safety plans. The more you communicate; the better off you will be in an emergency. Make sure your school staff members receive an overview of the National Incident Management System and Incident Command System at the beginning of each school year and understand its value. Knowledge is power!Review and update school safety and security plans regularly. Don’t forget to submit them to the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. Assessing security and vulnerability for each school is an important part of being prepared. Connecticut state law requires schools to conduct assessments in these areas every two years. Take these assessments seriously. For more information about CREC’s security services, visit www.crec.org/safety.###The Capitol Region Education Council was established in 1966 and is celebrating 50 years of academic excellence. Working with and for its member districts, CREC has developed a wide array of cost-effective and high-quality programs and services to meet the educational needs of children and adults in the region. CREC brings five decades of experience in education, regional collaboration, and operations to provide innovative strategies and products that address the changings needs of school districts and their students, corporations, non-profits, and individual professions. CREC regularly serves 36 towns in Greater Hartford, offering more than 120 programs to more than 150,000 students annually. CREC manages more than 35 facilities throughout the area, including 17 interdistrict magnet schools. More information about CREC and CREC’s award-winning schools is available at www.crec.org....

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(Hartford, CT) Over the past 20 years, demographics in U.S. public schools have changed. Currently, about 51 percent of children attending public schools are African American, Latino, and Asian or Pacific Islander. Forty-nine percent are Caucasian. Despite these numbers, achievement and opportunity gaps persist between Caucasian students and students of color and affluent and poor children. These gaps remain despite the No Child Left Behind Act requiring that demographic group achievement scores be compared and despite the implementation of numerous other initiatives and programs.Providing equitable and excellent education for all students is a challenge that all educators need to tackle, and school administrators need to think about how their school or district should act from a social justice position? First, a district must consider both the opportunities offered to, and the educational outcomes for, children of color. Additionally, districts must examine school policies, curriculum, and practices from an equitable and multicultural perspective. This is critical to improving education for children from underserved populations. Educators must also be willing to revise and replace policies, curriculum, and practices that do not support a quality education for students of color. To help ensure that all students have access to the best possible education, CREC’s Institute of Teaching and Learning is inviting educators in Greater Hartford to join its Social Justice and Equity Consortium. The consortium will meet three times in 2017 to examine local and state instructional practices, curriculum, student performance, school climate and culture, policies and programs, and leadership from a social justice perspective. The group will also identify and discuss best practices and share those best practices with their colleagues. The first consortium meeting of 2017 will be held in March, and participants will deepen their understanding and improve their practice of culturally responsive teaching. To learn more about the consortium, contact Ellen Retelle, director of CREC’s Institute of Teaching and Learning, at eretelle@crec.org. ###The Capitol Region Education Council was established in 1966 and is celebrating 50 years of academic excellence. Working with and for its member districts, CREC has developed a wide array of cost-effective and high-quality programs and services to meet the educational needs of children and adults in the region. CREC brings five decades of experience in education, regional collaboration, and operations to provide innovative strategies and products that address the changings needs of school districts and their students, corporations, non-profits, and individual professions. CREC regularly serves 36 towns in Greater Hartford, offering more than 120 programs to more than 150,000 students annually. CREC manages more than 35 facilities throughout the area, including 17 interdistrict magnet schools. More information about CREC and CREC’s award-winning schools is available at www.crec.org....

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(Hartford, CT) To ensure that area children stay warm this winter, the CREC Foundation has teamed up with the Hartford Police Department and Go Hartford! Mayor Mike’s Foundation for Kids to provide children in need with hats and gloves.Pooling together their resources, the nonprofit organizations and the police department were able to purchase 300 new hats and 300 new pairs of gloves. CREC school principals, Hartford Region Open Choice Program staff, and city police officers will give the items to those who need it. “It’s extremely cold this week, and winter officially starts next week,” said Aura Alvarado, CREC’s Director of Communications and Community Relations. “All families should be mindful of the frigid weather and wear clothing that is appropriate for the season, and I am happy that the CREC Foundation is able to work with Hartford police and Mayor Mike’s Foundation to help ensure that children stay safe and warm.”The CREC Foundation supports the CREC agency’s programs, missions, and members. This includes helping students and their families in their times of need—a cause in line with Go Hartford! Mayor Mike’s Foundation for Kids, an organization established to honor former Hartford Mayor Mike Peters. “We are happy to partner with CREC as the two organizations have supported kids and youth activities in Hartford,” said Christopher Peters, president of Go Hartford! Mayor Mike’s Foundation for Kids. “We think that a lot of good can be done when people come together. Every kid deserves to be safe and warm, and we are very excited to see our fundraising efforts pay off by giving back to the community in a city that Mayor Mike loved.”###The Capitol Region Education Council was established in 1966 and is celebrating 50 years of academic excellence. Working with and for its member districts, CREC has developed a wide array of cost-effective and high-quality programs and services to meet the educational needs of children and adults in the region. CREC brings five decades of experience in education, regional collaboration, and operations to provide innovative strategies and products that address the changings needs of school districts and their students, corporations, non-profits, and individual professions. CREC regularly serves 36 towns in Greater Hartford, offering more than 120 programs to more than 150,000 students annually. CREC manages more than 35 facilities throughout the area, including 17 interdistrict magnet schools. More information about CREC and CREC’s award-winning schools is available at www.crec.org....

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(Hartford, CT) CREC’s Kim Stroud recently became the first dance educator to ever receive a Connecticut Department of Education’s Excellence in Education Award.Stroud, who lives in Madison, serves as director of the arts at CREC’s Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts High School in Hartford and as general director for the Center for Creative Youth, an internationally-known summer arts program run by CREC and held at Wesleyan University. The Excellence in Education Award recognizes and honors exemplary individuals for their contributions to education in Connecticut. Award recipients are selected by their respective professional organizations.“I thank everyone for recognizing me and for recognizing dance as the valuable educational study that is,” Stroud says. “I respectfully receive this award for me, my colleagues, and my students—all who give so much to the study, elevation, and perpetuation of this beautiful form.”Stroud has worked at the CREC Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts High School since 1993, holding several different positions over the years. She’s also worked at various dance schools, was a principal soloist with the Martha Graham Dance Company for 11 years, and danced with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet. In addition, Stroud has been a master teacher at several colleges, including Connecticut College, Eastern Connecticut State University, and the University of Hartford.This is not the first time that Stroud has been recognized for her work as an educator. She’s been recognized by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts and the Connecticut Dance Alliance. The National Dance Education Organization named Stroud its Outstanding Dance Educator of the Year in 2005, and Stroud was named the International Arts Schools Network’s Teacher of the Year in 2009. “Dance Teacher Magazine” named her its Outstanding Dance Educator in 2012.Stroud is a member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s International Dance Council.###The Capitol Region Education Council was established in 1966 and is celebrating 50 years of academic excellence. Working with and for its member districts, CREC has developed a wide array of cost-effective and high-quality programs and services to meet the educational needs of children and adults in the region. CREC brings five decades of experience in education, regional collaboration, and operations to provide innovative strategies and products that address the changings needs of school districts and their students, corporations, non-profits, and individual professions. CREC regularly serves 36 towns in Greater Hartford, offering more than 120 programs to more than 150,000 students annually. CREC manages more than 35 facilities throughout the area, including 17 interdistrict magnet schools. More information about CREC and CREC’s award-winning schools is available at www.crec.org....

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