EASTCONN Annual Board Update 2023-24

2023-24

BOARD UPDATE

Executive Director’s Note

As EASTCONN’s Executive Director, I am honored and pleased to present this year’s Annual Board Update, which provides a vital snapshot of our agency’s finest achievements over the past year of building partnerships and bringing exemplary programs and services to residents of northeastern CT and across the state. While this publication gives you the highlights, I encourage you to peruse our Supplemental Report at your convenience. Enjoy!

• eprotulis@eastconn.org

Our Core Beliefs.

EASTCONN Believes:

Equitable Access empowers individuals, schools and communities.

Diverse Partnerships elevate inquiry and sustainable solutions.

Innovation energizes our organization.

Reflective Practice enriches the lives of those we serve.

EASTCONN Board & Leadership

Board of Directors Officers

Chair: Justin Phaiah, Brooklyn Public Schools

Vice-Chairperson: Sonia Greene, Woodstock School District

Secretary/Treasurer: Katherine Paulhus, Mansfield Public Schools

Board of Directors Members

Amy Blank, Union Public Schools

Jennifer Beausoleil, Coventry Public Schools

Terry Cote, Eastford Public Schools

Laura Dombrowski, Killingly Public Schools

Maryellen Donnelly, Hampton Public Schools

Sarah Haynes, Lebanon Public Schools

Leadership

Eric Protulis, Executive Director

Shawn Brodeur, Facilities

Kimberly Bush, Transportation

Larisa Carr, ECHIP

Andrew DePalma, CTO/Technology Solutions

Diane Dugas, K-12 Magnet Schools; Leading & Learning

Diane Gozemba, Early Childhood Initiatives

Kristin Hempel, Adult & Community Programs

Melanie Marcaccio, Human Resources

Amy Margelony, K-12 Pupil Services

Dona Prindle, Marketing & Communications

Patricia Ann Proctor, CFO/Finance

SCAN THE QR CODE TO VIEW EASTCONN LEADERSHIP TEAM BIOS

Sara Kelley, Stafford Public Schools

Jamie Kleinman, Canterbury Public Schools

Michael Morrill, Putnam Public Schools

Barbara Riley, Pomfret Public Schools

Diane Summa, Plainfield Public Schools

Services for Students & Families

With highly regarded educational programs for children, young adults and adult learners, EASTCONN provides a wide array of options and opportunities for students and families with unique learning needs and special interests.

what we did.

453 youth participated in our EWIB-funded Connecticut Youth Employment and Training Program, with 93% achieving an attendance rate of 80% or better and 95% returning to school or finding jobs.

YOUTH PARTICIPATED

$121K

SAVED BY FAMILIES

In 2023-24 , students took 187 classes at CT State Community College-Quinebaug Valley. As tuition and books are free of charge for QMC students, our families saved roughly $121,000 in college credit costs.

Interdistrict Program Design & Management grant facilitators led three state-funded grant programs, providing integrated learning experiences for more than 871 students representing 11 rural and urban CT school districts, 18 schools, 40 teachers and 44 separate classrooms.

Our Birth to Three program served 200+ families monthly, with 400+ participants receiving evaluations/ services; 81% of infants/toddlers with Individual Family Service Plans showed improved social-emotional skills, 92% improved in knowledge/skills, and 84% in appropriate behaviors.

Following an approved change in scope, EASTCONN’s Head Start program reduced its home-based and increased center-based slots, including 8 new EHS openings and an additional classroom at the Danielson location. Our team also implemented a music focus with Music Together curriculum through an ECI specialist.

Services for Students & Families

Six students were inducted into the Arts at the Capitol Theater (ACT) chapter of the National Honor Society. ACT students entered videos in the ECSU Film Festival, participated in the scholastic writing competition and earned recognition from the CT General Assembly during their December community carol sing.

Clinical, Developmental and Therapeutic (CDT) Services supported 75 students from 25 districts at EASTCONN’s EVC and NRP, with 13 graduates in 2023, 37 students in extended school-year services, 7 students served by EXCELS and 13 young adults in EASTCONN Transition Academy (ETA) moving into community-based employment programs.

218 adults sought to improve their basic skills and/or earn their high school diploma through one of EASTCONN’s three high school credentialing options.

Our Community Arts Connection After-School Program reestablished partnerships with EASTCONN’s Adult & Community Programs, UConn, Goodwin Forest, Windham Library, and local storytellers, with 27 regular student attendees. The group also took 25 Friday field trips to UConn from October to May.

Organizational Services

EASTCONN fosters collaborative, regional strategies for school operations across a wide range of areas. This includes providing transportation services, offering technology and conference center services, supporting district marketing needs, assisting with regional staff recruitment efforts, and managing food services. Our goal is to identify and implement cost-effective solutions that benefit all participating districts within our region. what we did.

As of June 30, 2024, EASTCONN’s Conference Center has had more than 865 booked events with over 9,000 guests attending in-person and 900 participants attending online workshops.

BOOKED EVENTS

$148K

GRANT RECEIVED

EASTCONN Head Start was awarded a $148,000 grant from the Office of Early Childhood and Local Initiatives Support Corporation for renovations at the Danielson location. The grant includes adding a bathroom, a new EHS classroom and an outdoor play space for each classroom.

Food Services planned, prepared, packaged and served more than 375,000 fully reimbursable school meals from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024.

The ECHIP collaborative of four municipalities, four school districts and EASTCONN, in partnership since 2012, have been able to cost-effectively navigate the healthcare and pharmaceutical rating systems to save taxpayer resources.

EASTCONN Facilities staff managed and maintained all details related to the safe and effective operation of all agency sites located in seven towns across a 33-town service region.

Organizational Services

EASTCONN’s Human Resources staff implemented and provided new and enhanced electronic fingerprinting services for approximately 820 individuals.

Marketing & Communications conceptualized, designed and presented hundreds of digital and printed standalone pieces and numerous campaigns to support EASTCONN programs and to help meet program goals.

Our Finance staff processed roughly 40,000 transactions in the management of EASTCONN’s $46 million operating budget while providing management for about 65 grants and contracts totaling $17 million and the Student Activity Fund.

Consultative Services

EASTCONN offers assessment, consultation, and professional development in a variety of areas to support districts, programs, and individual student needs in maximizing student academic and behavioral outcomes.

what we did.

EASTCONN’s Psychological and Behavioral Consultation (PBC) Services were accessed by more than 40 districts, benefitting more than 10,000 students district region/statewide.

10K

STUDENTS BENEFITTED

300+

CHILDREN DIRECTLY IMPACTED

EASTCONN Early Childhood Initiatives has been at the forefront of improving the transition to kindergarten after the state required children to be 5 years old before enrollment. To achieve this, staff engaged in community conversations, conducted a media outreach campaign, and developed a new framework that directly impacted 12 school districts and approximately 300 children.

There are over 10,333 active users of the Teacher Education and Mentoring (TEAM) Program. This year, we’ve celebrated over 396 successful TEAM completions.

EASTCONN’s Assistive Technology (AT) Lending Library provided 72 loans to 44 representatives of education, while our Related Services Group (RSG) served 30 districts during the school year.

EASTCONN and the RESC Alliance hosted the Igniting Change Conference on equitable teaching, learning and leading, with 700 total attendees, 10 breakout presenters, and over 150 pathway participants across the Fall and Spring conferences.

EASTCONN’s Regional Groups & Councils welcomed 75 ELA educators, 136 Social Studies attendees, 64 Math educators, 36 district representatives from the RESC Curriculum Council, and 90 Science educators from various districts across Connecticut.

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION

Eric S. Protulis, Executive Director 860-455-0707

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES & CONFERENCE CENTER 376 Hartford Turnpike, Hampton, CT 06247 860-455-0707; 860-455-8026 FAX

Adult Programs, Assistive Technology, Conference & Food Services, Early Childhood Initiatives, Facilities, Finance, Human Resources, K-12 Student Services, Leading & Learning Services, Marketing & Communications, Organizational Support Services, Technology Services

ADULT & COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Kristin Hempel, Director of Adult & Community Programs 860-423-2591

COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER

Tyler Square. 1320 Main Street, Suite #25 Willimantic, CT 06226 860-423-2591; 860-450-0853 FAX

NORTHEAST LEARNING CENTER

562 Westcott Road, Danielson, CT 06239

860-779-3770; 860-779-3384 FAX

EARLY LEARNING INITIATIVES

Diane Gozemba, Director of Early Childhood Initiatives 860-455-1518

• EARLY HEAD START & HEAD START AT MOOSUP 10B Gorman Street, Moosup, CT 06354 860-564-7199; 860-564-2630 FAX

• KILLINGLY EARLY HEAD START & HEAD START 562 Westcott Road, Danielson, CT 06239 860-779-0410; 860-779-1377 FAX

• KILLINGLY HEAD START AT KILLINGLY HIGH SCHOOL 226 Putnam Pike, Dayville, CT 06241 860-779-6793; 860-774-0846 FAX

• PUTNAM HEAD START 33 Wicker Street, Putnam, CT 06260

860-928-0004; 860-963-6922 FAX

• TOLLAND COUNTY HEAD START HOME-BASED PROGRAM

860-455-1586; 860-455-1005 FAX

• WINDHAM EARLY HEAD START HOME-BASED 1320 Main Street, Willimantic, CT 06226 860-455-1586; 860-455-1005 FAX

SCHOOLS & PROGRAMS

CLINICAL, DEVELOPMENTAL & THERAPEUTIC PROGRAMS (CDT)

Amy Margelony, Director of Special Education

860-377-7650

EASTCONN BRIDGES COMMUNITY SCHOOL 10 Commerce Drive, Columbia, CT 06237 860-228-3240; 860-228-3206 FAX

Erin Crosby, Program Director

EASTCONN TRANSITION ACADEMY 1320 Main Street, Suite 27, Willimantic, CT 06226

860-931-0250

Jessica Miglio, Program Director

EDUCATIONAL & VOCATIONAL CENTER (EVC) 14 Route 66, Columbia, CT 06237 860-228-4317; 860-228-1147 FAX

Gregory Biggs, Principal

NORTHEAST REGIONAL PROGRAM (NRP)

79 Westfield Avenue, Danielson, CT 06239 860-779-6794; 860-774-0006 FAX

Kurt Mias, Principal

EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY, EMPLOYMENT AND LIFE SKILLS (EXCELS) 79 Westfield Avenue, Danielson, CT 06239 860-933-1257; 860-774-0006 FAX

Kurt Mias, Principal

MAGNET SCHOOLS

Diane Dugas, Director of K-12 Student Services 860-455-1569

• ARTS AT THE CAPITOL THEATER (ACT) PERFORMING ARTS MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL 896 Main Street, Willimantic, CT 06226 860-465-5636; 860-465-8115 FAX

Sarah Mallory, Principal

• QUINEBAUG MIDDLE COLLEGE (QMC) MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL 742 Upper Maple Street, Danielson, CT 06239

860-932-4100; 860-932-4950 FAX

Ted Keleher, Principal

TRANSPORTATION

DISPATCH

109 Route 6, Columbia, CT 06237

860-228-6751; 860-228-6756

Kimberly Bush, Director of Transportation