Preparing Neag School Teacher Ed Grads for a Successful Job Search

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Many school districts across Connecticut hold Neag School of Education teacher education graduates in the highest regard for potential employment.

Throughout the Neag School’s partner school districts, juniors and seniors in the Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s (IB/M) program get firsthand student teaching experience in urban and suburban classroom settings; during their fifth year in the program, students receive further preparation through various professional development offerings and on-site internships.

Christopher Wethje ’02 JD, human resources director for East Hartford (Conn.) Public Schools, has been active in Neag School's professional development efforts.
Christopher Wethje ’02 JD, human resources director for East Hartford (Conn.) Public Schools, has been active in supporting professional development efforts for Neag School students throughout the year. (Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)

Feedback From Schools
“Neag School students are some of the most intelligent and hard-working students we have the honor of working with,” says Christopher Wethje ’02 JD, human resources director for East Hartford (Conn.) Public Schools. “They receive an incredible education and present themselves with a maturity and professionalism not often see in other educator preparation programs.”

“We have been fortunate to hire Neag students every year and are consistently impressed with their ability,” he says.

Samuel Galloway ’01 6th Year, director of human resources at Bristol (Conn.) Public Schools, participates in campus visits, during which he shares insights with seniors at the Neag School. “I enjoy sharing information with the students. They are very engaged and ask great questions,” he says. “I am proud to say that I hired Amanda Powell, who is the [2019] Bloomfield Teacher of the Year. She helped me build an outstanding math department at Bloomfield High School.”

“Neag School students are some of the most intelligent and hard-working students we have the honor of working with.”

— Christopher Wethje ’02 JD, human resources director, East Hartford (Conn.) Public Schools

Joseph Macary ’94 (ED), ’08 ELP, ’16 Ed.D, superintendent of Vernon Public Schools, speaks with a student during the Education Career Fair.
Joseph Macary ’94 (ED), ’08 ELP, ’16 Ed.D, superintendent of Vernon (Conn.) Public Schools, speaks with a student during the Neag School’s Spring 2019 Education Career Fair. (Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)

Joseph Macary ’94 (ED), ’08 ELP, ’16 Ed.D, superintendent of Vernon (Conn.) Public Schools, says Neag School graduates “are by far the best prepared students for education in the state of Connecticut,” he says. “The Neag program is rigorous, and the faculty hold students to high standards.”

“Our school district has hired dozens of Neag graduates, and we are very pleased with their performance and abilities,” he adds. “Last year, we needed three elementary music teachers, and we hired all of them from UConn – they have shined in their classrooms, and students are enjoying the musical arts thanks to their talents.”

‘Poised, Professional, and Well Prepared’
IB/M students start off the fall semester of their fifth year with a résumé and cover letter writing workshop, according to Mia Hines, an academic advisor in the Neag School’s Teacher Education program. “We coordinate with the UConn Center for Career Development, and their liaison hosts the workshop,” she says. “We don’t want to overwhelm [the students]; we want them to just start thinking about their résumé and cover letter.”

In their master’s year, students are also assigned to a seminar class led by Neag School faculty. The seminar provides a space where students develop their master’s-year inquiry project, engage in ongoing professional learning, and learn about job searching tools and resources that they will ultimately use in the interview process. Recent graduates also return to campus to share their experiences regarding the job search and their first year of teaching.

These opportunities have proven beneficial in preparing students, says Ann Traynor ’05 (ED), ’16 Ed.D., director of advising and certification at the Neag School. School administrators who attend the Neag School’s springtime career fair, she says, “often remark how poised, professional, and well prepared our students are.”

Additionally, many faculty and staff work with students individually on the job search. “For example, David Moss and other faculty members often speak to students who are interested in teaching internationally,” says Traynor. “All of us encourage students to spend sufficient time on reflection, preparation, and stress management during the career search.”

One seminar leader, Professor Todd Campbell, notes how “seriously the Neag School faculty members take the importance of connecting and collaborating with state, district, and school leaders and teachers to focus on continual improvement that not only benefits schools, but also Neag students who take part in shaping innovative work in schools.”

“The Neag School students presented themselves very well at the recruitment fair; they were engaging, passionate, and ready to lead classrooms. The students are ready to teach on day one.”

— Samuel Galloway ’01 6th Year, director of human resource, Bristol (Conn.) Public Schools

Also in their final year in the IB/M program, students attend a workshop on the teacher certification process, run by Traynor, as well as an interviewing workshop, during which local school administrators — some of whom are alumni — are invited to class to work with students on mock job interviews.

Dominique Battle-Lawson and Mia Hines, academic advisors in the Neag School, greet guests at the Education Career Fair.
Dominique Battle-Lawson ’07 (ED), ’08 MA and Mia Hines, academic advisors in the Neag School, greet guests at the Spring 2019 Education Career Fair. (Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)

“They talk to our students about interviewing and answer all the students’ questions, how should they respond to an offer, how to use their portfolio to talk about what they’ve learned throughout their years in the program,” says Hines. “They’re all worried about if their experience is going to be enough to get a job. That session puts them at ease. The HR representatives usually tell our students, ‘Students in the Neag School are highly sought-after.’”

The last workshop is focused on preparing for the Neag School’s education career fair, which is held each April. This workshop, a collaborative effort with UConn’s Center for Career Development and the Neag School’s Office of Alumni Relations, is led by Hines.

“We were already working with the Center for Career Development and brought in our alumni relations director, Caitlin Trinh, who shared that alumni were reaching out to her, asking how they could help with students and get involved,” Hines says. “We came up with the idea of having our alumni come back for [a] panel to talk about their experiences.”

Dominique Battle-Lawson ’07 (ED), ’08 MA, another academic advisor and a Neag School grad herself, shares with students her insights on completing the Teacher Education program and then teaching at a school, and works closely with the students as they move through the program.

Wethje, the human resources director from East Hartford, is also brought in to help with the workshop, offering guidance on the online application process that almost every Connecticut school district uses.

He is impressed not only with the students themselves, but also the advisors at the Neag School. “Neag students are incredibly fortunate to have mentorship from Dominique Battle-Lawson and Mia Hines, who prepare students for the challenges of preparing for career fairs, interviews, and general advice about teaching,” he says. “Many educator preparation programs do not offer this type of support, and it is clear that Mia and Dominique’s assistance is what helps set Neag students apart from other educator programs.”

Career Fair – The Big Day
UConn’s Education Career Fair was run by the UConn Center for Career Development from 1996 until 2009, when the Neag School took over. “We have seen the number of participating school districts increase significantly over the past seven years, from 40 districts to a high of 67 districts in 2019,” says Traynor.

After months of preparation, roughly 200 graduating teacher education students have the opportunity each spring to interview with school district representatives for positions in teaching, counseling, and school psychology.

This past April, school districts from across the state packed into the Student Union Ballroom for the annual Education Career Fair, with some districts overflowing into adjoining conference rooms to connect with students. Some students certified in shortage areas — including math, science, and world languages — had job offers before the Career Fair.

During the Career Fair, students interact with school district representatives, and many secure job interviews for later that same day.

“[It] is the largest career fair East Hartford Public Schools attends, and we’re always amazed at the level of preparation we see from students at this event,” says Wethje. “Students represent themselves very professionally, and as a human resources director, I always appreciate the opportunity we have to interview candidates. The quality of programming at Neag is second to none!”

Samuel Galloway ’01 6th Year, director of human resources at Bristol Public Schools, reviews a student's resume during the Education Career Fair.
Samuel Galloway ’01 6th Year, director of human resources at Bristol Public Schools, reviews a student’s resume during the Education Career Fair. (Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)

Galloway, of Bristol Public Schools, had similar feedback. “The Neag School students presented themselves very well at the recruitment fair; they were engaging, passionate, and ready to lead classrooms. The students are ready to teach on day one.”

Many graduating students, including Jesús Cortés-Sanchez ’18 (ED, SFA), ’19 MA, say they felt prepared to interact with school district representatives, thanks to the months of preparation and workshops. “Having people like Chris from East Hartford Public Schools and Sam from Bristol Public Schools, providing tips on how to prepare for interviews was so helpful,” says Cortés-Sanchez, who has landed an offer to teach music education in West Hartford (Conn.) Public Schools for this fall.

Jenna Bordieri, an aspiring high school Spanish teacher, says she wanted to get the best experience possible out of the Career Fair. “I had my résumé edited multiple times by my friends and the career services office,” she says. “I created business cards and did research on the districts I wanted to speak with. I also created a list of questions that were important for me … to ask during our conversations.”

The Career Fair, she says, “was an effective and organized way for us to get one-on-one conversations with the school districts before the formal interviews. We were able to get a feel for the administration and ask questions to narrow down our search for the right school. Even if you did not decide to apply for a district, it was a great networking event for us to make connections.”

View photos from this year’s Education Career Fair. Learn more about IB/M at teachered.education.uconn.edu.

UConn’s 2019 Giving Day Earns Neag School More Than $22K in Support

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Students take a selfie with Jonathan the Husky at the Gentry Building during UConn’s Giving Day in March. (Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)
Students take a selfie with Jonathan the Husky at the Gentry Building during UConn’s Giving Day this spring. (Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)

UConn’s second annual Giving Day, a University-wide fundraising event held in March, raised more than $400,000 for the University of Connecticut as a whole — all within the span of 36 consecutive hours.

As part of the institutional campaign, each of the Neag School of Education’s three departments, as well as its Alumni Board, promoted a specific Neag School-focused project, seeking contributions in any dollar amount from donors far and wide. In the end, gifts to these four education initiatives alone resulted in more than $22,000 in support for the Neag School.

“This was a months-long effort in the making, and we could not be more pleased with the outcome,” says Neag School Dean Gladis Kersaint. “Our Neag School community, our Alumni Board, our Dean’s Board of Advocates members, as well as the many generous supporters and friends of our School from UConn and beyond, have given us many reasons to celebrate. Our project leaders are thrilled to have inspired more than 400 individuals to choose our students and initiatives as deserving of support on Giving Day. A sincere thank-you to everyone who contributed to our causes.”

Giving Day 2019 Results.
PDF view of Giving Day 2019 Results.

Education Policies in Action
The Neag School’s Department of Educational Policy organized a project titled Education Policies in Action, focused on expanding the reach of the Center for Education Policy Analysis (CEPA) Speaker Series. The series brings experts from universities nationwide to campus throughout each academic year to speak with educators, community members, and researchers to discuss some of the toughest challenges facing education today. With 36 donors, the project raised more than $1,700 on Giving Day.

Forging a Path for Aspiring Educators
Forging a Path for Aspiring Educators, a project centered on defraying the rising costs associated with entering the profession of teaching, was spearheaded by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. With more than $2,700 raised by 50 donors, the project will help to subsidize a variety of expenses facing UConn’s teacher education candidates– from fees for required licensure exams to the transportation costs that aspiring teachers incur in community to local schools for their internships.

Think About the Link
A third Neag School-affiliated project, Think About the Link: Resources for Schools, sponsored by the Department of Educational Psychology and the Collaboratory for School and Child Health, sought donations that would assist schools in supporting child well-being through a model known as Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC). The production of toolkits funded through this effort will help schools link learning and health initiatives in order to coordinate services that support whole child success.

Think About the Link raised more than $4,500 on Giving Day and ultimately landed in second place University-wide for garnering nearly 300 contributions — the second-highest number of individual donors during UConn’s 36-hour Giving Day campaign.

“Our Neag School community, our Alumni Board, our Dean’s Board of Advocates members, as well as the many generous supporters and friends of our School from UConn and beyond, have given us many reasons to celebrate.”

— Dean Gladis Kersaint

Jonathan the Husky celebrates UConn’s 2019 Giving Day with Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor Sandra Chafouleas and Professor E. Carol Polifroni (right), co-directors of the Collaboratory on School and Child Health, at the Gentry Building in March. (Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)
Jonathan the Husky celebrates UConn’s 2019 Giving Day with Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor Sandra Chafouleas and Professor E. Carol Polifroni (right), co-directors of the Collaboratory on School and Child Health, at the Gentry Building in March. (Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)

As a result, the project secured not only its 293 direct contributions, but also nearly $10,000 more in matching gifts following the campaign’s final tallies. Coming in second place in the Giving Day overall leaderboard challenge earned the project a $3,000 University match. In addition, having scored the highest number of individual donations out of the four Neag School-based projects, Think About the Link received an additional matching gift of $6,500, generously funded by the Dean’s Fund and several individuals serving on the Dean’s Board of Advocates — all told, bringing more than $14,000 to support this specific cause.

Supporting Tomorrow’s Educators
The Neag School Alumni Board also led a Giving Day project focused on raising funds for scholarships that will help graduate students in education at UConn, titled “Supporting the Passion and Talents of Tomorrow’s Educators.” In total, the effort raised nearly $4,000 with 24 donors during the 36-hour campaign.

“We are truly appreciative of the many supporters who came out to show that UConn is committed to the well-being of children and schools,” says Sandra Chafouleas, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Educational Psychology and director of the Collaboratory of School and Child Health. “The UConn Gives campaign was a great opportunity to bring together the many partnerships that the Collaboratory on School and Child Health has worked to build, with thanks to the Department of Educational Psychology for believing in the project and the Public Health House Learning Community and school psychology graduate students and alumni for being our boots-on-the-ground champions.  We are excited to continue our ‘think about the link’ work to help schools integrate learning and health initiatives.”

Contributions to UConn came from donors around the world, via online giving, over the phone, through pledge forms, as well as from in-person contributions during events held across each of UConn’s campuses over the course of the 36-hour Giving Day campaign.

Events in the Neag School’s home Gentry Building in Storrs, including a two-day Think About the Link workshop, a CEPA Speaker Series event featuring Preston Green, and a tabling event in Gentry’s atrium featuring Jonathan the Husky mascot, all brought together students, faculty, and staff in buoying the fundraising effort. With final results calculated, the University-wide campaign has officially broken all previous records for any UConn giving initiative.

Dean Gladis Kersaint gathers with IB/M student Kyre McBroom; Dominique Battle-Lawson, academic advisor; Anne Denerville ’18 (ED), ’19 MA; Danielle DeRosa, program coordinator with Husky Sport; and Mia Hines, academic advisor, to celebrate L.I.D. and Husky Sport’s first-place showing in this year’s Ignite campaign.
Dean Gladis Kersaint, third from right, gathers with (from left) IB/M student Kyre McBroom; Dominique Battle-Lawson, academic advisor; Anne Denerville ’18 (ED), ’19 MA; Danielle DeRosa, program coordinator with Husky Sport; and Mia Hines, academic advisor, to celebrate L.I.D. and Husky Sport’s first-place showing in this year’s Ignite campaign.

Meanwhile, the University’s annual Ignite fundraising campaign, a crowdsourcing campaign that engages students and alumni in raising money specifically for UConn student organizations, was held in tandem with UConn Giving Day. The Ignite campaign’s first-place slot was secured by two Neag School-affiliated student organizations: Husky Sport and Leadership in Diversity (L.I.D.). The combined effort of these two student groups locked in first place for the second year in a row among all Ingite student organization fundraisers University-wide, raising more than $5,000 in donations. Having come in first place, they also will receive an additional $5,000 in matching prize money from UConn.

Read more about UConn’s record-breaking 2019 Giving Day on UConn Today.

CSI and the Inquiry Process

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Editor’s Note: The following article, authored by Neag School alumna Lisbeth Dizney ’99 (ED), ’00 MA, was originally published on LinkedIn.

Opportunities for students to take notice and observe the world around them are essential to the inquiry process. In any investigation, students practice patience while closely observing, collecting and organizing evidence, and synthesizing ideas. Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) has the potential to develop these skills, and can be integrated into almost any content area.

 

“Scientific inquiry starts with observation. The more one can see, the more one can investigate.”

— Martin Chalfie

My interest in bringing CSI into the classroom began when I took a course during Confratute, a summer institute, at the University of Connecticut. When I returned to school that fall, eager to provide unique experiences for my students, I invited experts in the field into my classroom. Our school resource officer graciously accepted. He not only worked with students in the fall, but made himself available to students and, later in the year, brought in a local CSI team.

Even if you are unable to bring in an expert, you can still integrate CSI in your classroom by creating content related crime scenes. One of scenes I set up in my classroom introduced ocean pollution. Additionally, I have used CSI for units on parallel and perpendicular lines, symmetry, and electricity.

To create the crime scene, I collected nine of the top ten items polluting our oceans and scattered them on the floor.
To create the crime scene, I collected nine of the top ten items polluting our oceans and scattered them on the floor.

An just how does CSI meet the learning objectives? Students, during any scenario, assume the roles of crime scene investigators. Their initial observations set inquiry into motion. In the real world, an investigator arrives to and secures the scene. To do this in a classroom, I set up the scene while students are out of the room (at a special, lunch, recess) and block off the area. You can introduce the scene in several ways. You can prep students before they enter, letting them know they will be walking into a mock crime scene. Or you can just let students enter and provide information as needed. Once the scenario is explained, students walk around the crime scene and generate questions and theories based on their initial observations. We come back as a whole group, and, through this collaboration, students discuss those observations.

During the next phase, the students begin to write. They make notes of what could be potential evidence, while being reminded not to disturb the crime scene. Students use words and sketches as they document their findings. Then, we come back as a whole group. And, once again, students share their ideas. Through this dialogue, they may add on to earlier ideas or change their theories completely.

Depending on the amount of time you have, the investigation can end here as was the case with the ocean pollution. However, depending on how much time you have, students can collect and bag evidence, dust for finger prints, and use additional forensic tools. When wrapping up this activity, in the event a students has not determined what has happened, the incident is revealed. Below is the graphic I used to explain the ocean pollution crime scene.

Graphic of Top 10 Items Found. This image was created and distributed by Ocean Conservancy. Cigarettes were not part of the scene.
This image was created and distributed by Ocean Conservancy. Cigarettes were not part of the scene.

 

How could you integrate CSI into your classroom?

Spring 2019: Retiree Announcements and Faculty Appointments

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George Sugai
Faculty, students, alumni and guests gathered to recognize George Sugai and CBER’s 10th anniversary celebration in 2016. Sugai retired May 1. (Ryan Glista/Neag School)

This spring, two longtime faculty members will retire from the Neag School’s Department of Educational Psychology and Department of Curriculum and Instruction. In addition, new heads have been named to the Department of Educational Psychology as well as the Teacher Education program for the fall of 2019.

PBIS Expert Sugai Retires
George Sugai, the Neag School’s Carole J. Neag Endowed Chair in Behavioral Disorders since 2005, retired on May 1 after serving for nearly 14 years at the Neag School. One of the nation’s leading authorities on behavioral disorders, positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS), classroom management, and special education, Sugai secured more than 20 funded projects totaling tens of millions of dollars over the course of his tenure at UConn.

He has taught special education courses at the graduate level; has presented at local, national, and international conferences and professional meetings; and has served as an advisor to the U.S. Departments of Education, Justice, and Health and Human Services. His work includes projects in Jamaica, Cayman Islands, New Zealand, Netherlands, Australia, Spain, and Canada, and invitations to present in Japan, England, Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark.

“Professor George Sugai retires from UConn having left an indelible mark on the field of education as one of the prime leaders of PBIS.”

— Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor Scott Brown on Professor George Sugai

Former director of the Center for Behavioral Education and Research (CBER) at UConn, Sugai founded the Center, which was approved by the UConn Board of Trustees in 2006. Its mission has been to promote equity and improve educational outcomes for all learners, especially those with, or at risk for, learning and behavioral difficulties, with research efforts focused on four key areas: literacy; positive behavior supports; behavioral health and school climate; and transition and postsecondary education. Since its inception, CBER has secured $55 million in federal and state research grants and contracts, and has engaged schools in all 50 states and 20 countries.

Sugai also is co-director of the widely respected Center for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. The Center seeks to improve social, emotional, and academic outcomes for all students, including students with disabilities and students from underrepresented groups.

He earned his M.Ed. in 1974 and his Ph.D. in special education in 1980 from the University of Washington.

“Professor George Sugai retires from UConn having left an indelible mark on the field of education as one of the prime leaders of PBIS, who has prepared thousands educators across the globe to use evidence-based practices to directly impact students by encouraging prosocial behavior, improving academic performance, and promoting positive school cultures,” says Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor Scott Brown, head of the Department of Educational Psychology. “His PBIS framework is a signature component of preparing Neag preservice teachers for our nation’ schools, having been presented at the White House and at international conferences across the globe.”

Former Neag School dean Thomas DeFranco retires this spring after nearly 28 years with UConn.
Former Neag School dean Thomas DeFranco attends a 2015 reception honoring former UConn President and Neag School dean Harry Hartley. DeFranco is set to retire June 1 after nearly 28 years at UConn. (Stefanie Dion Jones/Neag School)

DeFranco to Retire After Nearly 28 Years at UConn
In addition, Thomas DeFranco, professor of mathematics education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction with a joint appointment in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, will retire on June 1 after serving at for nearly 28 years at UConn.

Arriving at UConn in August of 1991, Defranco earned one of the University’s highest honors in 2001 when he was named as a University Teaching Fellow. In 2008, he received a Teaching Innovation Award from the UConn chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). He has served in numerous leadership capacities at the Neag School, including as director of teacher education, as associate dean, and, from 2009 to 2014, as dean.

With nearly $900,000 in funded projects, DeFranco’s research has focused on mathematical problem solving and on teaching and learning of mathematics. He also is credited with co-developing an innovative proposal for improving teacher preparation, which resulted in the Neag School’s landing the Teachers for a New Era project, a major initiative and grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. He served as co-director the Center for Research in Mathematics Education.

“We are richer for the legacy he leaves us all.”

— Neag Endowed Professor Suzanne Wilson on Dean Emeritus Thomas DeFranco

DeFranco earned his Ph.D. at New York University in 1987 and began his career in teaching at the elementary and secondary school levels. He also taught mathematics at St. John’s University on Staten Island and mathematics education at the University of Hartford.

“Professor Tom DeFranco known for his passion in teaching UConn students in his calculus classes retires after more than 27 years teaching and leading at UConn,” adds Brown. “Dr. DeFranco, a former dean of the Neag School of Education, will be remembered for his bold cluster hire initiative in which he hired 22 faculty in two years to address the achievement gap in Connecticut’s schools, reinforcing the leadership position of the Neag School of Education for many years to come.”

At the Neag School’s end-of-year faculty-staff meeting in May, Suzanne Wilson, Neag Endowed Professor of Teacher Education and head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, offered insight into DeFranco’s legacy as well. “He’s a man with a huge heart,” she said.

Michael Coyne (pictured, center) was named the Neag School’s 2017 Distinguished Scholar. Associate Dean Del Siegle, left, and Dean Gladis Kersaint presented the Neag School research awards in December.
Michael Coyne (center) was recognized by Associate Dean Del Siegle (left) and Dean Gladis Kersaint as the Neag School’s 2017 Distinguished Scholar. This August, Coyne will begin serving as the head of the Neag School Department of Educational Psychology. (Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)

“Over his career, he did everything this institution asked him to do: raised research money, established scholarships, served his department, School, and University, and taught,” she added. “We are richer for the legacy he leaves us all.”

Coyne Named EPSY Department Head
Meanwhile, Brown will step down from his position as head of the Department of Educational Psychology as of June 22. An internationally recognized expert in learning and cognitive processing, Brown was appointed department head in 2017 by Dean Gladis Kersaint.

Professor Michael Coyne will succeed him as department head this August. Coyne, who currently serves as co-director of the Center for Behavioral Education and Research (CBER) and coordinator of the Neag School’s special education program, is an expert in reading instruction and intervention, effective practices for students with learning disabilities, and language and vocabulary learning.

Michele Femc-Bagwell headshot
Effective Aug. 23, Michele Femc-Bagwell, associate professor-in-residence, will begin serving as director of the Neag School’s Teacher Education program.

“I am grateful to Scott for his service, positive energy, and the sense of commitment he brought to his role as the educational psychology department head through the first few years of my deanship here in the Neag School,” Dean Kersaint says. “We are delighted to have Mike, another renowned scholar, with expertise in special education, to carry the torch forward for our EPSY programs.”

Femc-Bagwell to Lead Teacher Education Program
Effective Aug. 23, Michele Femc-Bagwell, associate professor-in-residence, will begin serving as director of the Neag School’s Teacher Education program as René Roselle steps down. Femc-Bagwell, who arrived at the Neag School in 2005, has a Ph.D. in educational administration from UConn.

Her educational experiences include teaching and school leadership positions in traditional and nontraditional public schools and higher education settings. She is a former secondary school English teacher, middle school assistant principal, and principal of one of Connecticut’s first charter schools. She also has served as the director of the University of Connecticut Administrator Preparation Program (UCAPP) and of the CommPACT Community Schools Collaborative.

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Hartford Schoolchildren Enjoy ‘UConn Day’

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Little girl holds up UConn sign.
First-grader Emily Garcia holds up a UConn Nation banner during UConn Day at Kennelly School in Hartford this May. (Sean Flynn/UConn Photo)

Editor’s Note: The following piece was originally published in UConn Today.

E.B. Kennelly School in Hartford, Conn., hosted the second annual “UConn Day” at the school on May 2, an event that included a schoolwide parade and a basketball game with students playing against the teachers and staff.

The idea for “UConn Day” came from the Neag School of Education’s 2018 graduating interns after a brainstorming session to identify an activity to drive student excitement about college, and to end the school year on a celebratory note.

“Our UConn students are a special part of the Kennelly staff,” says June Cahill ’93 (ED), ’94 MA, and school principal. “This high-energy event allows our students and staff to celebrate the partnership. With the college year ending in early May, our students often have a difficult time separating and saying ‘goodbye.’ This allows us to end the year in a positive way.”

The Kennelly School has enjoyed a longstanding partnership with UConn’s Neag School of Education, in which UConn education students in the Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s program get hands-on experience through student teaching and internship opportunities during the school year. In 2016, this partnership was honored as a national model with the National Network for Educational Renewal’s Richard W. Clark Exemplary Partner School Award, which recognized the strengths of this collaboration.

Schoolchildren, teachers, and Neag School of Education student interns parade through the halls of Kennelly School in Hartford to celebrate UConn Day.
Schoolchildren, teachers, and Neag School of Education student interns parade through the halls of Kennelly School in Hartford to celebrate UConn Day. (Sean Flynn/UConn Photo)

In addition to the parade and basketball game, Kennelly students also participated in a service learning project to support HuskyTHON, UConn’s fundraising initiative for the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

Kennelly’s schoolwide motto is “Be the Change.” Students are given opportunities to be a part of effecting change, and this year, coins were collected in each classroom and donated to this cause. The winning class received UConn Dairy Bar ice cream and attended the basketball game.

Every year, Kennelly receives a critical mass of education students from the Neag School. All 650 Kennelly students are impacted by the juniors, senior student teachers, and master’s year interns, who work closely with them through intervention groups, tutoring, service learning projects, as well as student leadership opportunities. UConn Day was developed to recognize the partnership and give the children a chance to celebrate the University’s impact.

Kennelly is a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) school, where students are rewarded for good choices. “Bee” bucks are awarded for the three BEES (be safe, be respectful, be responsible). Students that showed outstanding effort in this area were rewarded with a “Golden Bee Buck,” which was their ticket to the basketball game, providing an incentive for all students. In addition, all Hartford Public Schools support college and career readiness opportunities. The partnership with UConn allows elementary and middle school students firsthand access to college students, encouraging them to view college as a realistic goal.

Check out the gallery of photos from Kennelly School’s 2019 UConn Day on Facebook.