Neag Administrator Returns to Faculty to Focus on Research; Reflects on 10 Years in Administration

Posted on November 13, 2014January 27, 2017 by

Marijke Kehrhahn, who returned to faculty this fall after serving in administration in the Neag School of Education for 10 years, talks about her past experiences and future plans.

Q: What did you like best about serving as the associate dean?

I really liked having access to the ‘whole school’ perspective and to have the opportunity to be engaged in projects that would have an impact on the school level and the university level. As a faculty member, my interests and influences were at a more local program and department level. One example was setting up and leading the Neag Leadership Academy. I really enjoyed working with department heads to identify potential future leaders and to facilitate the yearlong cohort of future leaders. Some good leaders came out of that group – Sandy Chafouleas, Morgaen Donaldson, Betsy McCoach, and David Moss!

Q: What would you say were your proudest moments/biggest accomplishments during the five years?

I think it has to be working with the dean to get approval for two cluster hires and then successfully filling those positions, as well as recruiting and hiring some stellar senior faculty. The recruitment effort and the search process took a lot of focus and a lot of work, and resulted in adding a really terrific group of new faculty to our school. They bring new ideas and at the same time, fit so well with what we are all about as a school.

Q: What was your favorite memory as the associate dean?

Being able to read all the names at Commencement!

Q: During your sabbatical this coming spring in London, what are your plans for research/writing?

After spending ten years in administration in the Neag School, I am way behind on my reading in my field of study, adult learning and workplace learning! I plan to find a cozy chair in the British Library and read, read, read. I am hoping to be inspired by the great British authors and produce four manuscripts for publication, as well. I am seeing my time in London as an urban writing retreat. I am working on plans for a collaboratively developed book on how school leaders can help teachers adopt and integrate new classroom practices into their instructional repertoires.

Q: Having recently returned to faculty after 10 years in administration, what do you look forward to most about teaching?

Well, I’ve been teaching all along, but I do look forward to spending a bit more time with my students than my previous job allowed. I also had to teach at 6:30 pm to have enough time at the end of the administrative day to get ready for class – so I am looking forward to teaching at least some classes at more reasonable times!

Q: What will you miss most about being in administration at the Neag School?

The people – working day to day with the folks in the Dean’s Office was rewarding. It was wonderful to be part of such a smart, thoughtful and enjoyable team. We laughed together, cried together, and sometimes stewed together. These are the people who are here in the Gentry building every day, all year. We developed a bond and while our relationships will certainly remain, I miss our day-to-day interactions.

Q: With the Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) program, tell us the international partnership with the University of Glasgow and their future plans?

I’ve enjoyed working with former Provost Peter Nichols and Dr. Sue Saunders to support the HESA International Experience at the University of Glasgow. The HESA “Glasgow 5” did an excellent inquiry project on the use of social media to attract, enroll, and support international students at UG and the Glasgow community of student affairs professional really embraced the HESA scholars. At the moment, U Glasgow continues to be our priority and we plan to continue to nurture and grow our student affairs partnership in a number of ways. Completing a three week international experience is challenging for HESA students, given their assistantship responsibilities here at UConn but we are hoping that we will build enough interest to develop additional sites and are currently focused on UConn’s U-21 partner University of New South Wales in Sydney.

Q: Outside teaching, what are your top research plans?

I continue to work on NSF-funded projects on problem-based learning (PBL) in technical education and have just co-authored and submitted another grant, with a research focus on how departments support teachers to integrate new PBL teaching practices into their instructional routines. I am very interested in the process of modifying and innovating work routines, early career development, and organizational learning systems and hope to do more research and writing on these topics. I think my reading during my sabbatical will help me hone in on research ideas that will contribute to the body of knowledge about adult learning in the workplace.

Q: What interests you most about Neag’s new academic vision?

The high level of involvement in crafting the four dimensions of the Neag academic vision resulted in a plan that speaks to the majority of our faculty and students in a real way and shows a path to having a collective impact on the university, the state, and the nation. I look forward to seeing how Neag faculty use their creativity to turn the ideas into action in ways that capitalize on our collective expertise and have a real impact in the field of education.

Q: As a triple UConn alum, how has the academic training helped you throughout your career?

After graduating from UConn with a BFA in Dramatic Arts, I earned two degrees from the Neag School. I earned my Master’s in Special Education in 1980, then worked as a special education teacher in Windham Public Schools and then went on to work for the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services, essentially to resolve the CARC v. Thorne lawsuit and close the Mansfield Training School (now the UConn Depot Campus).

During my Master’s program, I learned from Neag faculty greats – Stan Shaw, Jim Strauch, Mel Reich, AJ “Pappy” Pappanikou, Isabel Liberman, and Miriam Cherkes – who held us to high standards of practice and modeled a capacity-driven mindset about disability that provided me with excellent skills and dispositions for being successful as we all engaged in the work of inclusion and education for all.

As a doctoral student in the Adult and Vocational Education program, under the guidance of another Neag great Barry Sheckley, I was provided with many opportunities to practice academic and research skills and was very well prepared to be a successful faculty member at a Research 1 university.

Q: With your early background as a middle school special education teacher and director of volunteer services for 1995 Special Olympic Games in New Haven, how did those experiences impact your professional career?

My teaching time in the special education classroom changed my life in big ways – each and every student taught me something about life, about interaction, about goals, about collaboration. And although much has changed in the 30 years since I was in the K-12 classroom, my memories of that time connect me to the Neag students of today and fuel the deep respect and admiration I have for them and their desires to change the lives of young people in their care. Honestly, nearly every day I am inspired to tears by the dedication, compassion, and desire to reach every child that is displayed by Neag students. They’re amazing!

My work at the 1995 Special Olympics World Games impacted my career by providing me with a goal that was bigger than anything I had ever done before – so that work was a game changer because it changed the boundaries on what I thought I could accomplish. AND it brought me into day-to-day work with another Neag alum, Dr. Timothy Shriver, who challenged me, inspired me, and conspired with me to change the ways we think about people with intellectual disabilities.

Neag Students Reflect on the Impact of Scholarship

Posted on November 13, 2014October 17, 2018 by

Neag Alumni President Louis Ando (pictured in the middle) attends Neag’s Honors Ceremony with Alyssa Bogdanowicz and Gabrielle Pollatto.

Alyssa Bogdanowicz received her bachelor’s degree in Special Education with a concentration in English last year. Gabrielle Pallotto earned her bachelor’s degree in Early Education and is currently studying abroad in London through the Neag IB/M program. Current Neag Alumni Society Scholarship recipients recently reflected on the impact of the scholarship.

Q. What did the Neag Alumni Scholarship mean to you?

AB: When I received notice that I had been selected for the scholarship, it was shortly after my father had passed away. Living off of a single parents income and having 3 siblings is a challenge for any family. This scholarship meant that I could finally help contribute to the costs of my education and didn’t have to rely on loans and my mother’s bank account.

GP: The Neag Alumni Scholarship means a lot to me because I feel it is one of the most prestigious scholarships that can be awarded through Neag. The presenter of the scholarship at the night of the award ceremony showed great gratitude toward me as a future educator and I felt as if the Neag Alumni Association has hand picked me because they feel I will be a great asset to the field.

Q: What are your plans for the scholarship?

AB: The scholarship was applied directly to my fee bill to help pay for some of the expenses of a Master’s year program. Because I will have to start paying back college loans shortly after graduation in May, the scholarship means that I will have less money to pay back which is very helpful for me.

GP: In Fall 2014, I was chosen to attend the Neag IB/M program in London, England, among 14 other recent undergraduate students. This will be a continuation of our graduate studies through the Neag program. This scholarship will go to great lengths in helping me receive a well-rounded experience while abroad.

Q. How has the Neag School of Education prepared you thus far for your future career?

AB: After spending 2 ½ years in the program, I couldn’t imagine feeling any more prepared for my future. Neag has not only taught me the skills necessary to be a great educator, but has helped me become a mature professional. I am a strong collaborator with staff and parents, and have learned how to be a team player as well as a leader in each school I have interned in.

GP: The Neag School of Education instills us with the notion that we are the ones that can make the change, be the difference in the system. I feel as Neag pushes its graduates into the field, giving them a notch up from other education programs around the world because of their commitment to success.

Thank you to all those who have supported students like Alyssa and Gabrielle. We greatly appreciate your support with helping our future educators! Do you want to make a difference? Please join us and make a gift today! Visit www.friends.uconn.edu/neagschool and select our Neag Alumni Society Scholarship Fund. For more information, please contact Heather McDonald at hmcdonald@foundation.uconn.edu or (860) 486-4530.

Neag Alumnus Awarded Milken Award

Posted on November 13, 2014December 7, 2021 by

Desi Nesmith reacts to being recognized with the Milken Award. Photo credit: Milken Family Foundation

Sitting in the exact gym where he sat as an elementary school student, Metacomet Elementary School Principal Desi Nesmith was brought to tears when he learned that he had received the Milken Educator Award–nicknamed ”the Oscars of Teaching.”

“I wasn’t sure if it was real,” Nesmith said of receiving the prestigious honor. The Milken Educator Award is the premiere teaching accolade that recognizes the “unsung heroes” of education, providing them with a $25,000 award. Nesmith says that he is giving “serious consideration” on what to do with the award money.

Nesmith was told that Commissioner of the State Department of Education Stefan Pryor was visiting to congratulate Metacomet Elementary School on their reading and writing scores. Before Nesmith was named principal four years ago, the Bloomfield elementary school had a wide achievement gap of 19 percent and struggled in reading, writing, and math scores. Just last year, Metacomet reported that these scores exceeded the state average by 8.1 percent. Nesmith is credited for eliminating the achievement gap and bringing up the academic scores.

“It’s fantastic when a home-grown hero-educator receives the recognition they deserve,” Pryor told the Hartford Courant. “He’s the superb kind of leader we need to foster in Connecticut … he sets a precedent for his peers and we are so proud.”

Nesmith was “absolutely overwhelmed and humbled” to receive this award and was the only educator in Connecticut this year to do so. His roots are here in Connecticut, graduating from the Neag School of Education and working around the state. Previously, Nesmith presided over the turnaround of SAND Elementary School, which went from being the sixth lowest performance school to being recognized in 2010 as one of the top ten improved schools.

This isn’t the first time Nesmith has been highlighted for his accomplishments. After earning his BS in 2001 and an MA in 2002 through the Neag School of Education’s IB/M program, he went onto complete the UCAPP administrator preparation program in 2009. In 2009, he received the inaugural “Outstanding Young Professional Award” from the Neag School of Education Alumni Society.

“Neag prepared me for my position by equipping me with the tools necessary to be a change agent for kids,” Nesmith said. “The relationships that are established are life long relationships with professors and Dean Schwab that last far beyond the end of the semester. Neag faculty stay with you as a support system for all your endeavors.”

To receive this prestigious award at Metacomet, where his love of learning began, is something Nesmith will always cherish.

“I remember my older brothers walking me across the street to school every day before they’d run off to the middle school – we lived right across the street,” Nesmith told the Hartford Courant. “Being able to be a principal here is what it means to me to come full circle – this award, this is just so much more.”

Nesmith is added to the list of 92 Connecticut educators to be recognized as Milken Educator Award recipients since the award’s inception. The Milken Family Foundation has honored early to mid-career educators around the country with unrestricted $25,000 awards since 1987.

“I see this award as a culmination of the hard work of many people including the Metacomet students, teachers and families,” Nesmith said. “To receive this award and to represent both Metacomet and Bloomfield Public Schools with this honor is the most humbling thing that could happen to me as an administrator.”

Neag Alumni Society Hosts Holiday Celebration

Posted on November 13, 2014December 9, 2016 by

Neag Holiday Photo 2 Begin the holiday season with fellow alumni and friends hosted by the Neag Alumni Society. Enjoy seasonal desserts and a holiday performance at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, Dec. 2.

Complimentary dessert reception, with cash bar, will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. at the UConn Alumni Center. After the reception, guests will head over to the Jorgensen Center to enjoy a holiday concert performed by Seraphic Fire.

To purchase tickets to the show, contact the Jorgensen Box Office at 860-486-4226 by Tuesday, November 25, 2014. A block of tickets have been reserved in section F, rows G-N. When purchasing tickets, be sure to mention the ‘Neag Alumni Society Holiday Celebration.’ Tickets for the performance are $32 each. Discounts for UCAA members.

Contact Robyn Wilgis, director of alumni relations for the Neag School of Education, with any questions (robyn.wilgis@uconn.edu or phone 860-486-6044).

UConn’s Neag School of Education Celebrates 15th Anniversary

Posted on November 12, 2014November 27, 2018 by

Guests at the Neag 15th Anniversary Celebration gathered at Laurel Hall after the Faculty Talks.

More than 250 students, faculty, and alumni recently celebrated the 15th anniversary of the naming of the Neag School of Education. The name honors Ray and Carole Neag, who in 1999 generously donated $21 million to the school–the largest gift ever given to a U.S. school of education at that time. Since then, the Neag School has grown to become a nationally ranked school, with additional recognition for teacher preparation, educational research, and educational leadership.

The event began with remarks from Dean Richard L. Schwab, who noted he has witnessed “tremendous growth” at the school and expects to watch much more be achieved in the years ahead.

Since becoming the Neag School of Education, the school has awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships, expanded its teacher education program by 60 percent, risen from an unranked public school of education to a highly ranked school of education in the U.S., expanded and renovated the Gentry building, grown its faculty from 50 to over 80 professors, increased the number of endowed professorships from one to seven, and expanded both its donor base and endowment fund. Schwab estimates that during the last 15 years, Neag graduates have gone on to teach as many as 266,000 schoolchildren.

“This number only represents our teacher preparation program. It does not include those who’ve graduated from our doctoral, psychology, school counseling, principal or superintendent programs,” Schwab continued. “Add those graduates into the mix, and that 266,000 increases exponentially. The Neag School is significantly shaping the way teachers teach and students learn. It’s a job we tackle with enthusiasm, excellence and expertise.”

Among other notable graduates, he cited Neag Scholars–those who received scholarships to attend the school–who have gone on to receive recognition for accomplishments in their fields. Among them are 22 teachers of the year, three assistant principals of the year, two superintendents of the year, two counselors of the year, and 58 others who have received a variety of similar education awards, Schwab said.

Just last month, Neag alumnus Desi Nesmith, principal of Metacomet Elementary School in Bloomfield, was presented with a 2014 Milken Educator Award, which is nicknamed the “Oscars of Teaching.” He was the only Connecticut educator to receive the honor.

Guests at the Neag Neag Investiture and Medals Ceremony thank Ray and Carole Neag for their generous support.

Schwab said the $21 million given by the Neags–which was matched with $3 million in state funds–has provided countless opportunities for students, as well as has allowed the Neag School to become one of the top research institutions in the nation and the world.

“Our faculty consists of a healthy blend of new talent, and established scholars, who are all distinguished in their areas of expertise,” Schwab said. “I believe a great faculty is like a great symphony. You can’t have all who play the same instrument. Our school cannot prosper without people who make partnerships work, provide service to a broad range of committees, carefully advise and support students, and who excel in the classroom.”

Among other faculty members, he cited educational pioneers Don Leu, the John and Maria Neag Endowed Chair of Literacy and Technology; George Sugai, the Carole J. Neag Endowed Chair in Special Education; Joseph Renzulli, the Ray and Lynn Neag Chair of Gifted Education and Talent Development; and Sally Reis, the Letitia Neag Morgan Chair in Educational Psychology. The hiring of these four faculty members alone has resulted in more than $150 million in grant support for the Neag School, UConn and the state overall, Schwab said.

After Dean Schwab’s opening remarks, 2006 Neag alumna Kaitlin Roig-DeBellis gave the keynote presentation, which addressed the “incredible impact” teachers have on the world.

“I was recently asked, ‘What would the world be like without teachers?’ I replied, ‘It wouldn’t work.’ Everyone starts with school,” Roig-DeBellis said.

A first-grade teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School when the tragic December 2012 shooting occurred, Roig-DeBellis is the founder of the non-profit Classes 4 Classes, an organization that uses engaging projects to connect students from different classes across the country. Through these projects, young people discover ways to learn from, and care for, each other.

“It was something that grew out of the Sandy Hook shooting, when students from not just throughout our nation, but from throughout the world, were sending things to our school. Teddy bears, cupcakes–so many things were sent to us,” Roig-DeBellis said. “And I said, ‘I need to take this moment to teach my students that when you get, you have to give.’ Because that’s what ultimately makes our world a better place.”

The work led to her being named one of Glamour Magazine‘s 2013 Women of the Year and sitting next to first lady Michelle Obama at the State of the Union address. During the Neag School’s celebratory weekend, she received the UConn Alumni Association’s Humanitarian of the Year Award.

“Being surrounded by this group of educators, and listening to the speakers, reminded me even more of how much I want to be a teacher,” said current fourth-year elementary education student Krista Hespeler. “The message from Kaitlin Roig-DeBellis was one of so much power because, as teachers, we do more than what people think we do. I’m so lucky to be part of the Neag School of Education, and I’m so excited to continue my teaching journey.”

The evening prior to the Oct. 25 celebration event, Dean Richard Schwab and Provost Mun Choi hosted an Investiture and Medals Ceremony recognizing Preston Green III as the John and Carla Klein Professor of Urban Education, and Jonathan Plucker and Suzanne Wilson as Neag Endowed Professors. Scott Brown was also recognized as a new Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, the highest recognition UConn bestows.

“Our students get to work on some of the most critical issues facing our nation, with some of the most accomplished faculty in the world,” Schwab said. “Faculty get the support they need to conduct groundbreaking research. It’s a win-win situation with incredible benefits.”

Among other activities during the celebratory event, breakout sessions were held for students, faculty, alumni and friends. Sessions led by Neag faculty members Preston Green, Suzanne Wilson, Sally Reis, Joseph Renzulli, George Sugai, Scott Brown and Jonathan Plucker addressed issues as varied as charter school funding, the achievement gap, student behavior and educational creativity.

“The anniversary celebration was a great event in which I was able to personally connect with professors and leading researchers one to one,” said past scholarship recipient, Justis Lopez. “It was also heartwarming to meet Mr. and Mrs. Neag, and thank them for all they have done, through a meaningful conversation.”

To view videos from the Keynote and Faculty talks, click here.

To view pictures from the Investiture & Medals Ceremony event, click here. To view pictures from the Keynote and Faculty Talks, click here.

Neag Professor’s Gifted and Talented Project SPARKS U.S. Ed Officials to Award $2.5M Grant

Posted on October 22, 2014February 17, 2023 by

Fourth-graders perform an electromagnetic experiment with the help of teacher Freddie DeJesus at the Renzulli Academy, a school for gifted and talented students in Hartford. (Peter Morenus/UConn File Photo)

Neag School of Education faculty member Catherine Little received a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s revitalized Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program to better serve gifted and talented students being stymied by extreme poverty, race, disabilities or other barriers.

It was the largest Javits award given to a single researcher this year.

“When we talk about the achievement gap, our focus is generally on the lowest-performing students. But there’s also an excellence gap showing differences based on student demographics at high-performing levels, indicating barriers to high performance for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds,” said Little, an associate professor in Educational Psychology. “The potential for excellence exists among all populations. But to date, we haven’t done a very good job finding and serving them.”

Guided by the successful Young Scholars Model used in Fairfax County, Va., researchers in Little’s study–called Project SPARK (Supporting and Promoting Advanced Readiness in Kids)–will help teachers screen and support kindergarten, first- and second-graders in 24 diverse schools in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

They’ll pay particular attention to Latino and African-American students, who represent just 26 percent of students currently enrolled in U.S. public school gifted and talented programs.

Other federal statistics show similar gaps for children with disabilities, who represent just 1 percent of students in gifted and talented programs.

Through Project SPARK, students who teachers and researchers identify as showing high potential will be invited to take part in specialized gifted and talented programs during the summer, where staff will provide a challenging academic curriculum designed to push students’ abilities.

Researchers will also work to provide teachers with ongoing classroom support and to promote students’ continuous growth.

The project, which could become a national model, is expected to involve up to 4,000 students and 300 teachers, who will receive ongoing professional support from researchers on Little’s team, as well as Dr. Carol Horn, who directs Fairfax’s Advanced Academic Programs. Another key partner in the research effort, Dr. Jill Adelson of the University of Louisville, received her Ph.D. from UConn with emphases in Gifted and Talented Education and in Measurement, Evaluation, and Assessment.

“For all we know, the next Steve Jobs or person able to discover the cure for Ebola is sitting in a public school classroom right now,” Little said, “but is being overlooked because he or she is performing at grade level and seems to be doing just fine. But what if that student could do more than fine? What if, with the proper supports, that student could become a high achiever and exceed everyone’s expectations?”

“Kids are missing out on opportunities to discover what they’re capable of achieving, and our country is missing out on opportunities to tap into its people’s abilities,” she continued.

Projects like this that encourage students from underrepresented groups to excel in core subjects, and prepare for advanced coursework, are directly in line with U.S. Department of Education goals. According to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in a U.S. Department of Education release on Javits funding, “This grant program will help these schools replicate success and challenge the opportunity gap for students who far too often are not given a fair shot at success in college, careers and life.”

In additional to the Javits award, the Neag School recently received a two-year, $2 million grant to establish the National Center for Research on Gifted Education at UConn. If the center meets all performance benchmarks, it will receive an additional $3 million over three years.

The Neag School has served as the nation’s gifted and talented education research center since 1990, when it was established by field pioneer and UConn Distinguished Professor Joseph Renzulli. The new Center is headed by Gifted and Talented Education Professor Del Siegle, head of the Neag School’s Department of Educational Psychology.

“So many things can limit a child and keep a child from achieving maximum growth,” Siegle said. “Our commitment is to finding ways to help ensure every child, from every background and circumstance, is able to go as far as he or she possibly can.”

How to Expand Who Gets Gifted Services

Posted on October 22, 2014December 8, 2016 by Brian Dunnigan

There were more than 140 comments on my last Local Living column, where I said gifted education programs were too selective and did not appear to educate bright children any better than challenging courses we offer everyone in this region.

This is a sensitive topic, particularly with parents of gifted children. I expected the worst of those comments, but instead, they were intelligent and unthreatening. Many shared my yearning for more research on the issue. I did some more reading and reacquainted myself with the work of Joseph Renzulli, a University of Connecticut scholar who has much to say about how gifted programs can work for all students.

Like me, Renzulli thinks gifted programs in public schools have admission rules that are too restrictive. Many designate only 5 percent or less of the student population for gifted services. Renzulli’s research has convinced him that 10 to 15 percent of students could benefit from the gifted services we have now. Even a few students below that level who have demonstrated unusual motivation and performance in certain areas should be included, he said. “That’s how we find the Edisons and the Helen Kellers,” he said.

How does he propose finding that untapped reservoir? He says schools should consider not only students who score high on achievement or intelligence tests — the most-used method — but also those who show unusual intelligence, perseverance and creativity at home or school and are nominated by their teachers, parents or themselves.

He calls this the Schoolwide Enrichment Model. He has been working on it since the mid-1970s. The idea is to identify and enhance not only academic giftedness but what Renzulli calls “creative-productive” giftedness. He and his wife, Sally M. Reis, like him an educational psychologist, defined this in a recent report as human activity that places a premium “on the development of original material and products.”

They say giftedness is a combination of “above average ability, high levels of task commitment, and high levels of creativity.” They want to move from deciding who is gifted and who isn’t to developing academic talent and creative behavior in students who have a great potential

Their program, used in about 2,000 schools, including six D.C. public middle schools, focuses on three kinds of enrichment: (1) exposing students to a wide variety of disciplines, occupations, hobbies and people to stimulate new interests, (2) training in creative thinking and problem-solving and learning research and communication skills and (3) creating individual or small- group projects inspired and nurtured by the first two types of enrichment or regular curriculum experiences.

As an example, they cite a Massachusetts fifth-grader who turned her interest in Louisa May Alcott and cooking into “The Louisa May Alcott Cookbook” — the first contract its publisher ever signed with a child author.

Renzulli and Reis have research indicating that their method has benefited nearly all teachers and students at some schools. They say it helps educators identify talents in students who were not designated as gifted. Its projects enhance learning. It accelerates instruction for many so there is more time for enrichment.

But there is a problem. Many schools that welcome their system are often motivated by what they call “mistaken beliefs,” such as the notion that the Renzulli method will let the school do away with teachers trained to teach advanced and creative students and eliminate grouping of some students by ability, achievement or interests.

When budgets are cut, enrichment specialists and gifted teacher slots are often the first to go. Money has always been the issue with helping our brightest kids. Many legislators and taxpayers think that if those students are smart, they don’t need extra help. In the next and final column in this series, I will suggest ways to deal with that.

Jay Mathews is an education columnist and blogger for the Washington Post.

Educator and Neag alumnus is Connecticut’s Teacher of the Year

Posted on October 10, 2014December 7, 2021 by

"One teacher, one pen, one book can change the world," reads teacher Cara Quinn from the book "I Am Malala" to her sixth-grade class at Sunset Ridge School in East Hartford. Quinn has been named the 2015 Connecticut teacher of the year. (Patrick Raycraft -- Courant) — “One teacher, one pen, one book can change the world,” reads teacher Cara Quinn from the book “I Am Malala” to her sixth-grade class at Sunset Ridge School in East Hartford. Quinn has been named the 2015 Connecticut teacher of the year. (Patrick Raycraft — Courant)

Sometimes Cara Quinn’s sixth grade students at Sunset Ridge School like to call her “crazy.” But they mean it in a good way, that she stands out, said Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman to the sixth- and fifth-graders from Sunset Ridge who gathered in the gym Wednesday afternoon.

“That means she’s kind of neat, right?” She’s a special lady,” Wyman said.

Quinn is not only a standout for her students, but also for the Connecticut Teacher of the Year Council, which chose Quinn as the state’s teacher of the year for 2015.

Her selection was formally announced during the assembly Wednesday. The students, who were kept in the dark about the honor, burst into cheers and applause when State Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor broke the news.

“I get the sense that you agree with our selection,” Pryor said.

Quinn was chosen from among four finalists, 15 semifinalists and more than 100 district-level teachers of year. The council is made up of educators who have won the honor in the past and representatives from educational organizations, businesses and the community.

“She makes an incredible difference in the classroom every single day,” Pryor said, “but Mrs. Quinn also goes above and beyond and helps young people learn about their place in the world and how they can contribute to the world.”

As the state’s teacher of the year, Quinn will be part of an advisory council that works with the state Department of Education on policies, he said.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to shine a positive light on the great work of our schools here in East Hartford,” Quinn said.

She told positive stories of students who she saw grow academically. She talked about one who had tested below grade

level in math but is currently taking honors-level algebra in 7th grade and another who advanced four levels in reading assessment.

“The heart of these positive stories are the extraordinary teachers that I’m so fortunate to surround myself with. I am so honored to work alongside people who are so invested here and are so committed to bring about positive change for our students and the community of East Hartford,” Quinn said.

Quinn received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in education from the University of Connecticut. She taught first grade at Silver Lane Elementary School for five years before transferring to Sunset Ridge in 2011.

Kim Knapp, a friend and colleague at Sunset Ridge, said she knew when they first met that Quinn cared deeply about children and the school.

“She cared about East Hartford. She was so sensitive about the issues affecting our world,” said Knapp. “Working alongside her has solidified my initial views about her.”

Quinn instills a passion for learning in her students and she makes and a challenging profession look easy, she said.

“Whenever you walk into Mrs. Quinn’s classroom you see actively engaged students who are constantly being encouraged to give more, to think deeply, to care about their learning and to challenge themselves daily to be their personal best,” Knapp said.

Several of speakers at the assembly noted that Quinn’s lessons go beyond the classroom and her dedication to developing her students’ character.

During a math lesson on ratios and proportions, she had her students start a business of selling lollipops. The money they raised paid the tuition for a student in Haiti.

She got students and staff to commit to doing 26 acts of kindness last year in honor of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. She started an annual trip for sixth-graders to the University of Connecticut.

Mya Mason, a former student of Quinn’s, said Quinn made learning fun with real-life situations and encourages students to set goals for their futures.

“She always tries to tell us that we should go to college, get better jobs,” Mason said. “She wants us to do what we want to do, she wants us to go to work for fun. Mrs. Quinn has helped me and other student a lot. She’s changed many lives for the better.”

Neag Alumnus Receives Milken Educator Award

Posted on October 10, 2014December 7, 2021 by

Desi Nesmith, center, is overcome with emotion as Milken Family Foundation representative Jane Foley, left and Connecticut Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor right congratulate Nesmith on winning the Miulken Family Foundation 2014 Educator Award. Nesmith is principal of the Metacomet... (MICHAEL McANDREWS / Hartford Courant) — Desi Nesmith, center, is overcome with emotion as Milken Family Foundation representative Jane Foley, left and Connecticut Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor right congratulate Nesmith on winning the Miulken Family Foundation 2014 Educator Award. Nesmith is principal of the Metacomet… (MICHAEL McANDREWS / Hartford Courant).

In the midst of what Metacomet Elementary School Principal Desi Nesmith believed was an assembly to congratulate students on their reading and writing scores, Nesmith was surprised to learn that he was the reason school staff, community and state officials had gathered.

Thursday afternoon, Nesmith was recognized as the 2014 recipient of the Milken Educator Award and awarded $25,000. Nesmith is the only educator in Connecticut to receive the award this year.

State education department Commissioner Stefan Pryor credited Nesmith, who is in his fourth year as Metacomet Elementary School principal, as the reason the third-grade achievement gap has been eliminated, and the reason why the third grade reading, writing and math scores exceed the state average by 8.1 percent.

“It’s fantastic when a home-grown hero-educator receives the recognition they deserve,” Pryor said. “He’s the superb kind of leader we need to foster in Connecticut … he sets a precedent for his peers and we are so proud.”

Superintendent James Thompson said the award “speaks volumes” about Nesmith’s leadership skills – particularly for his work in closing the third-grade achievement gap.

Before becoming Metacomet’s principal, Nesmith was the principal of the SAND Elementary School in Hartford. Nesmith, 35, who is married with two young children, has deep roots in Bloomfield, and attended Metacomet Elementary School for first and second grade.

“I remember my older brothers walking me across the street to school every day before they’d run off to the middle school – we lived right across the street,” Nesmith said. “Being able to be a principal here is what it means to me to come full circle – this award, this is just so much more.”

Nesmith said when he was younger he would go to school with his father, a former teacher at the Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in Hartford, and help him hand out papers – “I thought it was the coolest thing ever… I knew in high school and in college exactly what I wanted to do, I’ve been surrounded by educators my whole life.”

Nesmith said he credits his teachers, staff and a “very strong community of some of the best kids and parents” for their dedication to learning.

“When you have those components, you can only succeed, we can only succeed,” Nesmith said. Milken award recipients are not notified ahead of time about their selection.

Jane Foley, the program’s senior vice president and a former recipient, said the program aims to award the “unsung heroes” – educators.

Since Connecticut joined the Milken Family Foundation in 1988, 92 Connecticut educators have been recognized as Milken Educator Award recipients.

Founded in 1987 as an initiative of the Milken Family Foundation, the program honors early to mid-career educators around the country with unrestricted $25,000 awards. This year, up to 40 educators will join a group of over 2,600 total recipients.

Neag Celebration and Faculty Talks

Posted on October 8, 2014June 16, 2021 by

Please join Dean Richard L. Schwab at the Neag School of Education’s 15th Anniversary Celebration of the naming of the School by Ray and Carole Neag on Saturday, Oct. 25 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at UConn. Listen to a powerful keynote speaker, learn from a faculty member talk on an important education issue, and then enjoy lunch. The event is free to attend.

Keynote Speaker:

Kaitlin M. Roig-DeBellis ’05, ’06, an honors student at the Neag School of Education, began her teaching career as a reading specialist in Westport, CT, in 2006. While there, she worked with first- and second-grade struggling readers and worked closely with teachers and administrators to implement strategies and action plans for these readers.

In 2007, Kaitlin began teaching first grade at Sandy Hook Elementary School. There, she served on numerous academic committees and she began Marathon Mondays, a running club for third and fourth grade students. Kaitlin was granted a year leave from her first-grade position at Sandy Hook in 2013.

Kaitlin founded Classes 4 Classes, providing the opportunity for every student in the US to learn: compassion, caring, kindness, empathy, and consideration through active engagement.

Praised as a hero by President Obama and Former First Lady Laura Bush, Roig-DeBellis was named one of Glamour Magazine’s Women of the Year and a “L’Oreal Paris Women of Worth” as one of “10 Inspiring Women Making Beautiful Differences in their Communities.” Roig-DeBellis also spoke at the 2014 Neag School of Education Commencement Ceremony.

Faculty Talks:

Dr. Scott Brown – UConn Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor

Building Problems to Promote Learning in an Interdisciplinary World.

Dr. Preston Green III – John and Carla Klein Professor of Urban Education

Having it Both Ways: How Charter Schools Try to Obtain the Funding of Public Schools and the Autonomy of Private Schools.

Dr. Jonathan Plucker – Neag Endowed Professorship

Exploring the Frontiers: The Role of Creativity and Innovation in Education and Society. Dr. James Kaufman and Dr. Ron Beghetto will be on this panel discussion.

Dr. Sally Reis – Letitia Neag Morgan Chair for Educational Psychology

Lessons Learned from 30 Years of Research About Academically Talented Students.

Dr. Joseph Renzulli – Lynn and Ray Neag Chair for Gifted Education and Talent Development

Addressing the Achievement Gap from the Other End of The Instructional Pipeline: Using a Strength Based Rather Than Deficit Based Approach to Learning.

Dr. George Sugai – Carole J. Neag Chair in Special Education

What do School Climate, Culture, and Behavior have to do with Academic Achievement?

Dr. Suzanne Wilson – Neag Endowed Professorship

The Good Teacher? Are Current Policies and Practices Changing the Nature of Teaching in U.S. Schools? A conversation between Suzanne Wilson, Dorothea Anagnostopoulus, Morgaen Donaldson, Rachael Gabriel, and Sarah Woulfin.