This summer, the Center for Education Policy Analysis, Research, and Evaluation (CEPARE) at UConn’s Neag School of Education convened more than 50 principals, assistant principals, educators, and school district leaders from across the state of Connecticut to coach them on fostering social, emotional, and behavioral well-being and safe school environments.

The Regional School District 17 Board of Education appointed Jeffrey Wihbey as its next superintendent of schools this week. He an extensive background and a distinguished career in public education, most recently as superintendent of schools for Connecticut Technical Education and Career System, leading and advocating for more than 11,000 students throughout the state. He holds a sixth-year degree in educational leadership from the University of Connecticut, and superintendent certification from the University of Connecticut’s Executive Leadership Program.

After more than a year of restrictions and online schooling, educators and counselors are focusing on ways to assess the long-term social, emotional and mental impact of the pandemic on school children when they return to the classroom. Christopher Booker reports from Fairfield County, Connecticut as part of our ongoing series, “Roads to Recovery.”

Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry raised some eyebrows recently when he hired Bob Quinn as a senior consultant. Bob Quinn may not be a household name in Cleveland, but he has a long career in the NFL.Quinn was born and raised in Massachusetts and went to college at the University of Connecticut. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in political science and a Master’s Degree in sports management. Quinn worked within the New England Patriots organization from 2000-2015 in various scouting and personnel roles.

The Board of Education named the principal of a New Haven magnet school, Michael Crocco, as the new leader of Southington High School. Crocco received both his Connecticut Administrative Certification and Connecticut Superintendent Certification from the University of Connecticut Executive Leadership Program in 2017.

Cécile Sophie Pieper, who earned a master’s degree in educational psychology as a redshirt senior, will again play for Germany and try to win another Olympic medal to join the Bronze she earned in field hockey during the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.

hen elementary school students return for the upcoming school year those at John F. Kennedy and Clover Street elementary schools will be greeted by new principals. School officials have hired Jennifer Michno as principal of John F. Kennedy Elementary School and Felicia Poskus as principal of Clover Street Elementary School. Both began their new roles on July 1.

In our continuing “Opportunity in Crisis” series, Washington Post opinions writer Jonathan Capehart speaks with Education Secretary Miguel Cardona about what policies can help students, teachers and families as schools reopen again this fall. In 2012, Miguel won the 2012 National Distinguished Principal Award for the State of Connecticut and the Outstanding Administrator Award from UConn’s Neag School of Education. Secretary Cardona then transitioned to lead the work of Performance and Evaluation in the district. He then assumed the role of Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, overseeing teaching, learning, and leadership alignment.

The Lutz Children’s Museum Board of Directors is proud to announce the selection of Dr. Patricia Buxton as its next Executive Director. Buxton holds an Ed.D. in educational leadership from the University of Hartford and a Sixth-Year Diploma in professional education at the University of Connecticut. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Education at the University of Bridgeport and a member of Vernon Public School’s Board of Education.

Throughout my teacher preparation program at UConn’s Neag School of Education, I always knew that my first year of teaching would be challenging. However, I never could have imagined the challenges that the year 2020-2021 has brought. This year has brought students in masks with shields over their desks, hybrid learning, block schedules, fully online students, and the struggle to keep students engaged despite the uncertainty of their outside world. All of the teaching and classroom management strategies that I learned in my teacher preparation program now seemed distant as all teachers learned how to adapt and teach in this new learning model.