Hartford’s Renzulli Academy to be Replicated in Other Districts

Posted on January 30, 2013November 8, 2019 by

Sixth-graders work on writing projects with teacher Kim Albro at Dr. Joseph S. Renzulli Gifted and Talented Academy in Hartford. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

Hartford Public Schools’ acclaimed Renzulli Academy for Gifted Students is set to be replicated in at least three other districts, under a $500,000 grant announced in October by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, as part of the foundation’s Centennial Celebration to honor Mr. Kent Cooke’s legacy.

The Talent Development Award, presented to the University of Connecticut’s Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development, is the first of its kind for the foundation. It comes on the heals of a $250,000 grant that the foundation presented to the Renzulli Academy earlier this year to provide a six-week, full-day summer enrichment program in science, art and math for its students. The foundation has pledged to renew the grant for up to three years.

The foundation’s mission is to advance the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. It regards these students as a powerful and untapped resource for the United States. The academy is named after the director of the Neag Center, Dr. Joseph S. Renzulli, who provided much of the expertise needed to launch the school in 2009. Dr. Renzulli and the Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development are part of the Neag School of Education.

“At the Renzulli Academy, we have implemented a model program that has enabled Hartford to become a leader in yet another area of urban school reform,” said Superintendent Christina M. Kishimoto. “Students have an opportunity to learn advanced thinking skills, complete independent studies and do high-level project learning in their interests and academic strength areas.”

Since the academy was founded, Renzulli students have consistently recorded the highest scores in the district on the Connecticut Mastery Tests.

Prospective students are extended a preliminary invitation to apply to the academy based on exceptional test scores. The district follows up the initial application with a thorough examination of grades, attendance and discipline records, as well as a nomination by each student’s classroom teachers.

In addition, the student must demonstrate advanced levels of knowledge, outstanding communication skills, creativity, curiosity and resourcefulness in solving problems. In short, students must be highly motivated to excel.

“Three districts in Connecticut and several out-of-state districts have expressed an interest in replicating the academy model,” Renzulli said. “As part of the grant, teachers from the selected districts will be receiving staff development training and internships at the academy in Hartford.”

In addition to the grants, the Renzulli Academy, at 121 Cornwall St., and the district have been recognized by the National Association for Gifted Children and the Connecticut Association for the Gifted for their work in helping high-ability students reach their full potential.

The academy currently serves students in kindergarten and grades 4 through 9. Plans call for the Renzulli Academy to expand to a full K-12 program by 2015.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, under the direction of Dr. Lawrence Kutner, is a private, independent organization established in 2000 by the estate of Jack Kent Cooke, a Canadian entrepreneur born in 1912, who owned the Washington Redskins football team, the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team and the Los Angeles Kings professional hockey team. The foundation supports exceptionally talented students from low-income areas through scholarships, grants and direct services, including the largest private scholarships in the United States for students transferring from community colleges to four-year institution.

Chinese Delegation Visits UConn Kinesiology Department

Posted on January 30, 2013February 16, 2023 by

Chinese delegation at UConn. — A member of the delegation from the General Administration of Sports in China photographs an exercise routine during a tour of UConnʼs training facilities. UConnʼs kinesiology department is home to some of the countryʼs top researchers in sports and exercise science and is ranked the top graduate program in the country. (Shawn Kornegay/UConn Photo)

A delegation of top sports and exercise scientists from China visited UConnʼs Department of Kinesiology last month to catch up on the latest in scientific research and training in their field.

The 25 delegates representing Chinaʼs General Administration of Sports attended presentations on sports nutrition, hydration, injury rehabilitation, resistance training, aerobic training, special considerations for the female athlete, and other topics during their six-day visit.

The presentations were conducted by top professors and researchers in the Department of Kinesiology, which is considered the top doctoral program in the country by the National Academy of Kinesiology. The Kinesiology Department is part of the Neag School of Education, which is also home to the top public graduate school of education in the Northeast and East Coast.

“It is a real honor for the University of Connecticut, but more specifically the Department of Kinesiology, to host this delegation representing the General Administration of Sports in China,” says Dr. Carl Maresh, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Kinesiology and head of UConnʼs Kinesiology Department. “The fact that our department was chosen to conduct a comprehensive series of lectures and discussions with these men and women, who are experts in their own right, speaks volumes for the strong international reputation gained through the cutting-edge basic and applied research conducted by our stellar group of faculty over the past 15 years.

“As a result of the professional and personal contacts developed during this time, we expect that important and mutually beneficial research and educational collaborations will develop for both faculty and students,” Maresh added.

Chinese delegation visits UConn — The delegation watched members of the UConn baseball team work out in one of the training rooms at Gampel Pavilion. (Shawn Kornegay/UConn Photo)

The visitors from China were selected from a much larger group of professionals for the trip through a national competition. The delegation was expected to make brief stops at several other universities during its time in the United States, but its main focus was UConn because of the kinesiology departmentʼs reputation and outstanding programs.

“This visit has been excellent,” said Wenge He, director of the Research Institute of Sports Science in the Hebei Province. “The teachers who lectured were very professional and very prepared. The material they shared with us was very up to date.”

Despite its relatively small size, UConnʼs kinesiology department is home to some of the countryʼs top researchers in sports and exercise science, Maresh says. Having the professors share labs has fostered a strong spirit of collaboration among the faculty, which produces between 30 and 40 research papers a year.

Many members of the Chinese delegation work with Olympians and other elite athletes. The visitors represented provinces throughout China and included a high-ranking government official, Liqiang Liu, deputy director of Chinaʼs Division of Science and Technology Cadres Personnel Department.

In between lectures, the Chinese delegation toured UConnʼs various athletic training facilities, the kinesiology departmentʼs Human Performance Laboratory, the Universityʼs recreation center, and Gampel Pavilion. The group left Nov. 7, following a luncheon reception with interim Provost Mun Choi and other guests.

“The goal of this trip is to learn the latest information in sports and exercise science to better our athletes,” He said through an interpreter. “We hope to use this trip to network and build collaborations with other scientists in this field.”

Dr. William J. Kraemer, UConn professor of kinesiology, physiology and neurobiology, and medicine, was one of the principal organizers of the visit, after meeting researchers from China at a national strength and conditioning association conference last July.

“These are some of the top professionals in their field in China,” Kraemer said. “We are sharing with them some of the latest sports science information available, and at the same time helping promote UConn on the international scene.”

University of Illinois post-doc Chenyi Ling served as the groupʼs interpreter for the week. UConn graduate student Courtney Dunn-Lewis helped lead the delegation to different events during the visit.

Maresh said parties from both sides are continuing to stay in touch and there may be opportunities for UConn representatives to visit China in the near future and for researchers from the two countries to collaborate down the road.

Dr. Larry Armstrong Appointed Interim Kinesiology Department Head

Posted on January 30, 2013December 7, 2021 by

Dr. Larry Armstrong has become interim department head of the Department of Kinesiology. Previous department head Dr. Carl Maresh has returned to research and his academic roots as director of the Human Performance Laboratory and professor in physical therapy.

Armstrong began his career at UConn in 1990 as a member of the Department of Kinesiology and currently holds a joint appointment in the departments of Physiology & Neurobiology and Nutritional Sciences. He is recognized internationally as one of the top scholars in his field, publishing more than 170 articles, two books and 31 book chapters, as well as receiving numerous awards from national organizations.

“In addition to his strong research record, Dr. Armstrong served as interim department head during fall 2007 and did an outstanding job in his leadership role,” said Dr. Thomas C. DeFranco, dean of the Neag School of Education. “Please join me in congratulating Larry as he transitions into his new role.”

“I also want to thank Dr. Maresh for his 15 years of service as department head,” said DeFranco. “Through his leadership, he has elevated the department to new heights, including transforming the doctoral program of Kinesiology into the No. 1 program in the nation.”

“We are very proud of Carl’s and the department’s accomplishments over the years. His hard work and dedication have left a lasting legacy in kinesiology at UConn, the Neag School and circles around the country. We look forward to the next chapter in Dr. Maresh’s career with the Human Performance Laboratory and his continued scholarship efforts,” said DeFranco.

Maresh is a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, the highest award bestowed on UConn faculty. It honors faculty who have achieved exceptional distinction in the areas of scholarship, teaching and service, including public engagement, and who excel in at least one.

He has been a faculty member at UConn since 1985, holding joint professorships in the departments of Physiology & Neurobiology and Nutritional Sciences. Maresh is a fellow of both the American College of Sports Medicine and a past member of the National Board of Trustees (Basic and Applied Science) for ACSM. He is also an active fellow in the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education. Among his other professional memberships are the American Physiological Society, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the New York Academy of Sciences and the American Association of University Professors.

UCAPP: Preparing Tomorrow’s Principals with Vision, Experience and Knowledge

Posted on January 30, 2013February 17, 2023 by

ThinkStock Graduates give high grades to the University of Connecticut Administrator Preparation Program (UCAPP), as well as credit it for giving them the confidence, knowledge, experience and professional connections needed to achieve their career goals of becoming a principal, vice principal, department head or other school administrator.

Indeed, more than 80 percent of those who’ve completed the rigorous two-year program give it an “A” for the professional learning, growth, management skills, collaboration tools and intellectual introspection they received in the classroom, curriculum laboratory and from mentors during their clinical internships.

These 90-hours-per-semester internships prove to be one of the most valuable aspects of the program for many students, said Neag School of Education Department of Educational Leadership Head Casey Cobb, Ph.D. A partnership with the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) ensures that each UCAPP participant is matched with an “appropriate and exemplary mentor administrator.”

“Our partnership with CAS is one of the many strengths of the program,” said Cobb, who also serves as director of the Neag Center for Education Policy Analysis. “Their vast network of schools helps ensure students are matched with the best possible mentor, and also allows us to bring in instructors and speakers with valuable experience—administrators who’ve faced and learned from budget crises, personnel issues, ethical situations, and the many other challenges educational leaders face.”

“Even the best classroom instruction can’t fully prepare someone to become a principal or other type of administrator. Much of the most important learning comes from practical experience, so we work hard to provide students with that essential blend of classroom and clinical learning,” Cobb continued.

Ranked as one of the leading educational administrator programs in the U.S., UCAPP earns students a Sixth-Year Diploma, as well as qualifies them to take the Connecticut State Certification as Intermediate Administrators (CT-092) exam. By documenting the integrated, problem-based learning they experience, students also create a professional portfolio that shows they’ve achieved what the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education defines as administrative competency, as well as met Educational Leadership Constituent Council specialized professional association standards. The curriculum also incorporates Connecticut Common Core of Learning requirements.

“There’s a whole new emphasis on the role of principals, who today are really at the center of leading the many reform efforts under way,” Cobb said. “Having knowledgeable and skilled leaders is more important than ever, and the reality is that there is a shortage of really good principals—principals who know how teaching and learning occur, and who have the ability to inspire and lead. It’s a broader role than many people think.”

As many as 90 students divided into roughly 15-member cohorts are enrolled in the program at any one time. Since the majority are also working teachers, cohorts meet both on UConn’s main campus in Storrs and at satellite campuses in Farmington, Stamford and other locations, to make attending as convenient as possible, Cobb said.

Courses and seminars that range from Contemporary Educational Policy Issues to the Legal Aspects of Education, and Creating and Sustaining a Positive School Climate, are not just grounded in adult and experiential learning theory, but led by instructors who worked in schools or as school administrators and are considered experts in their fields.

Overseeing all this is UCAPP Director Diane Ullman, Ph.D., who before joining the Neag School of Education in the Spring of 2012 was an adjunct instructor and superintendent of schools in Simsbury for eight years.

“It’s the wealth of experience that comes from the internship and our outstanding instructors that give our students an edge,” Ullman said. “Our students are taught by some of the best practitioners in the state, all of whom are committed to not just sharing knowledge, but inspiring vision and purpose.”

Also new to the program are assistant professors Richard Gonzales, Ph.D., a former elementary teacher and principal in Texas and Colorado, and Sarah Woulfin, Ph.D., whose research focuses on the relationships between educational policy, leadership and classroom practice. The two bring to the program essential experience working in urban school districts, as well what Woulfin calls “a shared dedication to developing the best possible educational leaders.”

“There’s so much work to be done in Connecticut to remedy the achievement gap,” Woulfin said, “and it’s exciting to know I’m helping create leaders who will help facilitate some of the much-needed change to the way we teach and help all students succeed. Today’s educational leaders need to think critically and creatively, and that’s what we help them achieve.”

Deadline to apply for the program is March 1. Among other requirements, candidates must have a master’s degree, a minimum of three years of teaching experience and be screened by a committee made up of Neag faculty, CAS directors and clinical supervisors. Click here for all application steps and requirements.

Physical Therapy Students Give Back By Refurbishing Medical Equipment

Posted on January 30, 2013December 7, 2021 by

On the first Saturday of every month, University of Connecticut physical therapy students volunteer at the New England Assistive Technology Center in Hartford (NEAT). A branch of Hartford’s Oak Hill School for adults and children with physical disabilities, NEAT is an important resource for assistive devices and technology in Connecticut.

At NEAT, donated medical equipment is refurbished and sold to the public at a reduced price. The equipment is often available at less than half of the original price, making wheelchairs, walkers, standers, bath equipment and other assistance devices truly affordable to those who need them.

“I think the most rewarding part of my experience at NEAT was when I realized how many families NEAT assists with acquiring good, functional equipment at a price which is much more affordable than brand new,” says student Rob Pritchard.

It is important to note that NEAT does not compete with other vendors in the state. Indeed, NEAT and several retail outlets work together to ensure patients get the equipment they need. While the majority of NEAT customers are Connecticut residents, people from throughout the US—and even Third World countries—have turned to NEAT for assistance.

UConn physical therapy students work with NEAT staff to clean and refurbish equipment—a process that teaches them how these devices work and are put together. Students also learn from NEAT staff how to train patients to use the equipment. This often involves students taking part in simulations that allow them to experience challenges related to certain disabilities.

“As a DPT student, it’s important to gain an understanding of what types of devices are available to help your patients,” Pitchard says. “Volunteering for NEAT has been a good opportunity for me to learn about options that can increase patients’ mobility or overall level of function.”

Dr. Deborah Bubela, clinical assistant professor in residence, is also happy at how students are able to help NEAT. She said she first became involved with NEAT while practicing PT and was looking to help patients find affordable equipment: “As an instructor, I feel strongly that NEAT provides an important resource that I’d like students to not just recognize, but be involved with. Our students do a lot of good there.”

The volunteer work also provides students with an opportunity to distinguish themselves and make connections with professionals in the field. “You never know where this can take them,” says Dr. Bubela. “It’s important for UConn to have positive working relations with facilities and give back to the resources in our state, especially when the partnership is mutually beneficial. I hope to get even more students involved in the future.”

UConn Students Learn First-Hand How to Plan Wellness Fair and Provide Health Advice

Posted on January 30, 2013January 3, 2017 by

Kinesiology students — UConn student, Jess Lang, tests a participant’s grip strength. The test provides insight to overall health, according to research by kinesiology faculty in the Neag School of Education. Photo credit: Shawn Kornegay

Second-year students in UConn’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program got first-hand patient care experience working at a daylong wellness fair. Held at the Court House Wellness and Fitness Center (CHFW) in Vernon, the event was planned by students who, with the help and guidance of their professor, designed and carried out all aspects of the fair. It gave them the opportunity to not just organize a large-scale event, but to consider the various aspects of wellness people need to practice and integrate for optimal health.

The fair marked the culmination of “DPT 5431: Prevention, Health Promotion, Fitness and Wellness.” This new class was developed in response to an increased awareness in the role physical therapists can play in health promotion. At the fair, students manned stations that checked vital signs, offered balance checks, shared information about the role of exercise and nutrition in overall health, and offered preventive exam guidelines, among other services.

According to Clinical Assistant Professor in Residence Susan Glenney, effective physical therapists commit to following American Physical Therapy Association guidelines that require clinicians work to “restore, maintain, and promote not only optimal physical function, but optimal wellness and fitness and optimal quality of life, as it relates to movement and health.”

Preparing for the fair required the 16 doctoral students to conduct a needs and market analysis, publicize the event, and execute all other aspects related to ensuring that it would be both beneficial and well attended.

“CHFW offers many fitness classes that are geared toward seniors, so we knew that having the fair there would target a population that would truly benefit from receiving health promotion and preventive screenings like blood pressure checks, as well as receiving important information about fall prevention,” Glenney says.

The DPT program is part of the Department of Kinesiology, housed within the Neag School of Education.

For DPT student Abby Gordon, the event was more than worthwhile: “I liked having the opportunity to discuss wellness and disease prevention with the community and hope that the information we provided will help participants to either get checked by their doctor or to alter their exercise regimen to improve their health.”

Neag Student Reflects on Impact of Scholarship

Posted on January 30, 2013May 30, 2018 by

Neag Alumni Society Scholarship recipient, Lauren Nero, received her bachelor’s degree in education last spring, with a concentration in Secondary English. She’s currently a fifth-year student, working on her master’s degree in education. She recently reflected on the impact of the scholarship from the Neag Alumni Society.

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

A: It is truly an honor to be the recipient of the Neag Alumni Scholarship. As a future educator, I believe that it is important to give back to the community and this scholarship really fosters the concept of helping students of all ages.

Q: What are your plans for the scholarship?

A: I plan on using this scholarship to help pay for my fifth year in the Neag School, where I will be pursuing my master’s degree in education.

Q: How will the scholarship help you achieve your goals?

A: The Neag Alumni Scholarship has given me even more motivation to give my all to my graduate studies and my students. I realize that there were many other students who were eligible for this scholarship and I was fortunate enough to have been selected as the recipient. This scholarship will allow me to continue on with my ultimate goal of understanding the state of education today and it will also allow me to work with Neag faculty members to figure out how educators can help affect change in our community.

Q: Why do you want to be a teacher?

A: I want to be a teacher because this is where I believe I can make the greatest impact in my community. Education is the key to success and I want to help the youth of our state realize their own dreams and succeed in their own individual and unique ways. I truly have a passion for helping students to begin thinking critically about the world in which we live and further delve into thoughts on the human experience. A teacher is able to serve as a mentor, an investigator, a friend, and someone who can ignite passion to become a life long learner in his or her students

Thank you to all those who have supported students like Lauren. 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 selecting our newly created Neag Alumni Society Scholarship Fund.

Neag School Hosted Fall Fest at North Windham Elementary School

Posted on January 30, 2013December 13, 2021 by

The Neag School of Education hosted a Fall Fest Literacy Night at North Windham Elementary School as a way to engage students and strengthen the Neag-North Windham relationship. The event gave pre-teaching students in Noemi Maldonado Picardi’s “INTD 1810: Inspiring the Urban Educator” class the opportunity to work together on a large-scale project, gain experience working with young students and give back to the community.

This is the second year Neag students have participated in this program.

“The event is a great opportunity for students who participate in North Windham’s Before/After School program, their parents, and UConn students to participate with a read-aloud literacy event, along with arts and crafts and health awareness activities,” said Picardi, the Neag School’s outreach coordinator.

“I thought of doing this as part of my class to allow students to have hands-on experience working with students and build a relationship with Windham Schools,” Picardi said.

Approximately 22 Neag students participated, coordinating and working at the 2012 event. Throughout the school year, Neag students also work with students in the Before/After program coordinated by Luis Rivera, providing homework help and a safe place for students to play and interact with their peers. “The extracurricular and enrichment activities combined make it a rewarding learning environment where parents can feel comfortable leaving their children,” Picardi said.

Letter from the Dean: You’re Invited to the Neag Alumni Society Awards Dinner

Posted on January 18, 2013December 8, 2021 by

Neag Alumni Society Celebration Dear Alumni and Friends of the Neag School of Education:

The Neag School of Education Alumni Society and the faculty of the Neag School of Education cordially invite you to attend our 15th Annual Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2013 at the South Campus Ballroom (Rome Ballroom) on the Storrs campus. Click here for the UConn campus map.

This evening promises to be memorable as faculty and alumni gather to formally recognize the achievements of some of our outstanding graduates. It is our hope that you will be among those returning to the University for this event. Our award recipients are educators who have made significant contributions across all levels of education. We know that you will agree with our outstanding selection of alumni to honor:

The Outstanding Higher Education Professional is Dr. Patrice E. Farquharson, ’78 BS in education, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education/Child Studies at Post University and Executive Director of West Haven Child Development Center in West Haven, CT.

The Outstanding Kinesiology Professional is Dr. Karen S. Castagno, ‘80 MA adapted physical education, ‘91 Ph.D. in education, Associate Dean for Teacher Education and Co-director of Ph.D. in Education Program at Rhode Island College in Providence, RI.

The Outstanding Physical Therapy Professional is Dr. Kathleen K. Kelley, ’88 BS in physical therapy, Associate Professor of Physical Therapy at Quinnipiac University and former Director/Owner of Yoga Center in Plantsville, CT.

The Outstanding School Educator is June L. Cahill, ’92 BS in elementary education, ’94 MA in education, Instructional Coach at E.B. Kennelly School in Hartford, CT.

The Outstanding School Administrator is Dr. Miguel A. Cardona, ’00 MA bilingual bicultural education, ’04 Sixth Year Certificate in educational leadership, ’11 Ph.D. in educational leadership, Principal at Hanover Elementary School in Meriden, CT.

The Outstanding School Superintendent is Dr. Janet M. Robinson, ’06 Ph.D. in educational leadership, Superintendent of Newtown Public Schools in Newton, CT.

The Outstanding Young Professional is Phillip D. Bryant, ‘08 MA in educational technology/learning technology, Director of High Tech Classrooms at Southern Connecticut State University, in New Haven, CT and President of the Hartford Hurricanes in Hartford, CT.

The Outstanding Professional is Dr. James D. Spina, ‘82 Ph.D. in educational leadership, Senior Lecturer at the University of Maryland’s Smith Business School in College Park, MD; past Consultant with The Spina Network in Annapolis, MD and past Director of Management and Succession Planning Development with the Tribune Company in Chicago, IL.

The Outstanding Alumni of the Year will be announced the night of the awards dinner.

Come and bring others with you to honor your colleagues and friends who are so influential in the field of education. The evening begins with a reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. The entrees include a chicken or salmon choice. A vegetarian meal is also available. Attire is semi-formal. No-host bar. The cost of the dinner is $55.00 per person. To make reservations, go online at www.UConnAlumni.com/NeagAwardsRSVP or call (888) 822-5861 by Feb. 25, 2013. If you have questions, please contact Robyn Wilgis at (860-486-6044) or robyn.wilgis@uconn.edu.

We look forward to greeting you on March 9 for our celebration.

Sincerely,

Thomas C. DeFranco

Dean, Neag School of Education

Teacher-Turned-Author Inspired by Personal Experiences

Posted on December 17, 2012December 13, 2021 by

Lynda Mullaly-Hunt, Neag graduate and former third-grade teacher, admits that she wasn’t always an aspiring author. “Most authors say that they’ve wanted to write since they could chew on a crayon,” says Mullaly-Hunt, “but that wasn’t true for me.”

She says she wrote One for the Murphys, a middle school-aged novel published in May by Penguin Group for Young Readers, more because it “bugged” her not to and because she kept hearing the voice of 12-year-old protagonist Carley inside her head. At the time, she had no idea whether the story would sell.

Called “a beautiful book” and “an astonishing debut,” the novel follows 12-year-old Carley Connors as she tries to adapt to a foster family environment. Coming from a less-than-ideal family situation and not used to having an attentive mother or stable family, Carley rebels against the attention she receives in this loving home. Conflict arises in the form of an unsupportive foster sibling and a biological mother who might just want Carley back in her life.

Mullaly-Hunt says the character of Carley was based partially on the vulnerable sides of herself. “I’ve known Carley forever—not the facts of her life, necessarily, but her emotional journey,” she explains. Through the process of writing One for the Murphys, Mullaly-Hunt says she has also grown attached to her characters: “Honestly, sometimes when I think about them, it makes me sad that they don’t exist in the real world. I suppose that may sound a little odd to some, but they really have become a part of me.”

Mullaly-Hunt began writing fiction during a children’s literature course at UConn, which she took with professor Francelia Butler. “An early assignment was to choose a fairy tale and rewrite it as a contemporary story,” explains Mullaly-Hunt. “I really got into it, having used a forest-full of typing paper and a vat of Wite-Out because I kept revising.”

Bitten by the writing bug and recognizing its value, she went on to implement writing programs in her third-grade classroom and, eventually, join a writer’s group before composing her novel. She is grateful for her education from Neag: “Not only did I graduate well-prepared, but attending UConn made me so happy.”

Looking back at the novel-writing experience, Mullaly-Hunt says partial inspiration came from an experience she had when she was young and spent a few months living with another family. Seeing a family dynamic outside of her own opened her eyes to the possibilities of what life could be like.

The Broadway musical “Wicked” also inspired Mullaly-Hunt. She found herself playing the soundtrack while writing, something unusual since she typically does not listen to lyrical music while working. After “hearing” Carley speak her first line and beginning to get the story down, Mullaly-Hunt says, “I just had to finish it. It was like having a sliver in my hand—painful, at times, but I just had to get it out.”

After shopping the novel around, Mullaly-Hunt signed with Nancy Paulsen Books and Penguin and is excited to be a part of such an iconic publishing house. “It’s pretty amazing to step off of the elevator at Penguin and see book characters on the walls… books I’ve known and loved as a kid, teen, teacher, mom and writer,” she explains.

In addition to enjoying the success of One for the Murphys, Mullaly-Hunt is currently working on her second novel, Alphabet Soup. This novel follows the story of a new young heroine named Lucy Nickerson, as she hides behind bad behavior while struggling with her inability to read.

As a former teacher, Mullaly-Hunt says her favorite part about publishing a novel has been the reaction she’s received from children, fellow teachers and parents. “When a teacher or parent tells me that Murphys has had a ‘profound impact’ on a child, I want to thank [the teacher] for being there in the flesh for that child and caring enough to give him or her the book and then following up,” says Mullaly-Hunt, who often visits schools to talk with students about the creative writing process. “They are the real heroes.”