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80 ~ 2020
WINTER 2020
EmployeeUpdate
Celebrating 40 Years 1980~2020
faces of EASTCONN
We believe we’re transporting the world’s most precious cargo; we pride ourselves on pairing our drivers and aides with the needs of the students being transported. And my team? Their passion is to start each day transporting children that may have special needs and may not have a voice – they’re really making a difference.
Where were you last employed, for how long, and what was your title and role? Kim Bush - Transportation
Share your “elevator speech,” describing your role at EASTCONN.
I oversee the safety department, fleet maintenance and dayto-day operations of the Transportation division. I’m responsible for 117 employees; and my staff is responsible for the maintenance on 159 vehicles, including the Mobile STEM Lab and the drivers’ education vehicles. We transport 648 students daily from 26 districts in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and last year we drove over 2.1 million miles.
What do you like best about your current role?
I love seeing the responses from the parents in our districts. There’s a special connection and trust between our drivers, aides and office staff and the students and parents we serve.
I was employed by Specialty Transportation in Hartford and Avon for about 5 years. My roles were Operations Manager and Charter Manager, managing charters for field trips and school athletics, as well as for corporate outings, weddings and local sports teams.
What brought you to EASTCONN?
EASTCONN’s commitment to our districts and to our students is well-known and it’s wonderful to be a part of that.
Share a fun fact about you that we wouldn’t otherwise know.
It’s funny, but I absolutely love ‘80s rock music: Poison, Bon Jovi, Skid Row…My kids hate riding with me in the car because they know what I’ll be playing.
What’s your favorite quote?
“Will it be easy? Nope. Worth it? Absolutely.”
Would you like to nominate an EASTCONN employee for an upcoming Faces of EASTCONN article? Email your suggestion to tsleight@eastconn.org with a short message explaining your nomination.
EASTCONN Marks 40th Anniversary in 2020
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80 ~ 2020
EASTCONN is proud to announce that 2020 marks its 40th year of serving the education needs of northeastern Connecticut’s schools and communities.
partnerships, collaborations and regional solutions that respond to the needs of all learners through exemplary programs, products and services.
Established by state statute in 1980, EASTCONN was formed to create Connecticut’s 6th public, non-profit, Regional Educational Service Center (RESC).
What began as a small organization with a handful of employees has grown into a full-service agency with 650 employees.
EASTCONN’s mission was – and still is – to initiate, support and facilitate
EASTCONN continues to provide the quality education programs and services needed by the 33 towns and 36 districts that comprise EASTCONN’s region.
$ finance UPDATES Mileage Rate Update In accordance with IRS guidelines, the reimbursable mileage rate is being decreased to 57.5 cents per mile, effective January 1, 2020. Please be sure to apply this rate to your mileage incurred as of this date. Any mileage incurred up to December 31, 2019, will be reimbursed at 58 cents per mile.
by Sharlene Edwards
Direct Deposit If you have any questions or interest in the Direct Deposit benefit, please call Sarah Sadowski at 455-1524 or send an email to ssadowski@eastconn.org
Final Pay Planning ahead, for those on the 21-week pay schedule, your last scheduled payday will be June 12, 2020.
$.575 per mile
MILEAGE RATE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 2020
EASTCONN message board EASTCONN Driver Education Programs Starting Soon! 38-hour Full Program: Willimantic, March 10 - April 9 Danielson, March 17 - April 16
8-hour Safe Driving Program Willimantic, March 7 & 14 Danielson, February 22 & 23
For more information, visit: www.eastconn.org/driver-education-home
Winter’s Not Yet Over… Be sure to check with your supervisor or principal about individual school and program protocols for closings and delays. Please remember to watch your step in parking lots and on sidewalks on snowy days.
We want you to stay safe!
Office Home & Professional Plus
EXCLUSIVE FOR EASTCONN EMPLOYEES!
Adult Classes GetEducation a licensed copy of Microsoft Office
Receive 10% Employee Discount 365afor your home Mac or PC for just $69.95, a savings of 30%! Visit: www.eastconn.org/communityed/
http://hup.microsoft.com and enter your EASTCONN email address to get started.
Visit
Check out the featured photo gallery posted every week! www.eastconn.org Have an event, program or special, EASTCONN-related activity that you’d like to share with the EASTCONN community? E-mail your suggestion to: dprindle@eastconn.org
human resources UPDATES We welcome all our new employees, and congratulate those who are celebrating an anniversary with us! ANNIVERSARIES November
Years Title/Role
Brian Blanchette 36 Kimberly Brennan 7 Suzanne Cohen 10 Sarah Crowley 5 Shayna Doyle 6 Carol Drouin 4 Robin Dupre 22 Louisa French 8 Jenelle Gagne 6 Jared Haines 6 Javier Jimenez 4 Nadine Maciolek 8 Michael Mahony 26 Keenan Marr 45 Heidi Montigny 32 Amy Norton 11 Nicole Pannone 4 Melanie Smith-Cervera 6 Daniel Verboven 19
Van Driver Special Ed. Instructor Adult Education Teacher Tutor Instructional Assistant Van Driver Receptionist Substitute, Basic Head Start Case Manager Instructional Assistant Van Driver CDL Driver Technology Specialist Teacher Instructional Assistant Assistive Technology Spec. Speech Language Assistant Early Childhood Specialist Teacher
December
Years Title/Role
Carol Ann Gray Cortney Hyte Geryth Iozzo Desiree Lalumiere Andrea Messenger Ann Marie Milette Ewelina Olak Justin Picard Tammy Lynn Shippee Constance Sipos Cynthia Wells
11 8 12 4 7 10 4 5 26 5 19
Teacher Social Worker Physical Therapist Driver Aide Employment & Training Coord. Administrative Assistant Van Driver System/Data Analyst Instructional Assistant Employment Specialist Employment & Training Coord.
January
Years Title/Role
Kristin Becker Ian Colwell Andrew Depalma Donna Drasch Stacey Fulton David Gonzalez Diane Gozemba Cheryle Hicking John Holmes Jimarie Morales Carol Peters Thomas Schenking Michael Shea Robin Smith John Switchenko Gail Switchenko Michael Ternowchek Michelle Tharp Ellen Tinturin
10 6 6 27 10 6 7 7 7 10 6 13 8 6 5 4 18 8 9
Head Start Family Advocate Special Ed. Instructor CTO/Dir. Technology Solutions Bootcamp Instructor Assistive Technology Spec. Driver Supervisor Dir. Of Early Childhood Init. Instructional Assistant Van Driver Substitute Clerk Food Service Worker IT Unit Manager Teacher Instructional Assistant Van Driver Van Driver Van Driver Speech Language Pathologist Substitute, Basic Head Start
EASTCONN NOW HIRING! Tell your friends and family! We’re hiring Autism Instructors, Special Education Teachers and Instructional Assistants, as well as part-time Adult Education ESL Instructors. We offer training & excellent benefits. If you know someone who wants to make a difference, have them apply today at www.eastconn.org/jobs.
EASTCONN AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE NOVEMBER 2019
The EASTCONN Awards of Excellence are part of Executive Director Gary Mala’s ongoing efforts to recognize the great work done by employees across the agency.
NEW EMPLOYEES Adult Programs Francis Ashline Substitute Teacher Christina Beckett Adult Education Teacher Shalimar Camacho Program Assistant Lisandra Rodriguez Cabrera Program Aide
Early Childhood Initiatives Donalyn Berry Substitute Early Head Start Elizabeth Goodwin HS Home Visitor Jennie Kapszukiewicz Transition Coordinator Jennifer Lynch HS Home Visitor Meghan Moore Substitute Early Head Start Jamie Musa EHS Coordinator Kelly Sorrow HS Home Visitor
K-12 Student Services Madeleine Adam-Kearns Autism ABA Instructor Tiffany Anderson Teacher Naisha Antonetty Instructional Assistant Christine Armstrong Instructional Assistant
Annalicia Berard EHS Assistant Teacher Amanda Carchidi Instructional Assistant Jennifer Celorio Special Ed. Instructor Emily Craig Instructional Assistant Hilda Cruz Instructional Assistant Katherine Elwood Autism ABA Instructor Anna Hilbie School Counselor Kimberly Jacques Teen Outreach Facilitator Michelle Galante Plucenik Speech Language Pathologist Kelsie Rivera Instructional Assistant Matthew Santerre Instructional Assistant Danielle Saunders Autism ABA Instructor Kevin Segar After School Prog. Ashley Spalty Instructional Assistant Steven Starr Autism ABA Instructor Carolyn Stearns After School Prog. Bryalis Torres-Serrano Special Ed. Instructor Dorene Zhulkovsky Autism ABA Instructor
Leading and Learning Services Kelly Francis Education Specialist Monica Rivera Clerk
Organizational Support Services Melissa Bergeron Accountant Krystal Bezio Driver Aide Cecilia Boudreau Van Driver Todd Collins Driver Aide Genesis Conde-Lopez Driver Aide Mayte Couvertier CDL Driver Jadira Delgado Van Driver Michelle Durocher CDL Driver Ahmed Elsherif CDL Driver Nardia Gayle Driver Aide Delia Gonzalez Van Driver Patricia Hackett Driver Aide Cecily Iturrino HR Data Specialist Cheryl Jones
Van Driver Shannon Jones CDL Driver Stephanie Kopetz CDL Driver Catherine Lane Security Guard Samantha Narvaez Driver Aide Brenda Nelson Van Driver Miriam Oquendo Van Driver Tonia Ortiz Support Driver Judi Patterson Van Driver Diana Reyes CDL Driver Brandon Rhoades Mechanic Marixza Santiago Driver Aide Jeanetta Singletary-Bailey Van Driver Paul Thomson CDL Driver Gary Uterstaedt CDL Driver Sarah Warzecha Employment Specialist Stephanie White Grant Facilitator
IN MEMORIAM ~ JOHN BASKOWSKI
We are sad to announce the passing of our colleague and friend, John Baskowski. Prior to John’s death in January, he had served as EASTCONN’s Chief Financial Officer for nearly 16 years. A graduate of Central Connecticut State University with a bachelor’s in Finance, John spent two decades in the manufacturing industry before moving to Connecticut
State University as the Director of Finance and Administration at the System Office in Hartford. He joined EASTCONN in February 2004. John was known for his professionalism, his gentlemanly conduct, his mischievous sense of humor, and those marvelous pots of homemade chili, which he generously shared during staff pot-luck lunches. He will be missed.
EASTCONN spotlight EASTCONN Appoints New Chief Financial Officer EASTCONN is pleased to announce that Joni L. Weglein has been named its new Chief Financial Officer. The appointment is effective immediately. Weglein joined EASTCONN last spring as Business Office Manager. She had been EASTCONN’s acting CFO since last fall. “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to continue supporting EASTCONN’s mission as a public, non-profit, Regional Educational Service Center,” said Weglein. “I look forward to my new role, and to working closely with EASTCONN’s leadership to meet the agency’s financial needs.” Contact Weglein at jweglein@eastconn.org.
EMPLOYEE INTRANET Resources are Just a Click Away
You may have used the Employee Intranet to access Munis or Payroll information, but the site is also chock full of other useful items and tools you can use.
Here are just a few: • Site Contacts • Staff Phone List • Tech Support Request Form • Marketing Request Form • Copy Center Request Form • Facilities Request Form • Employee Handbook • Change of Address Form • Wellness News For these resources and many others, access the EASTCONN Employee Intranet at
http://intranet.eastconn.org/index.php
EASTCONN schools
SAVE THE DATES ARTS AT THE CAPITOL THEATER (ACT) Friday, February 27 at 6:30 p.m.
Spanish Night: Noche de Español Free Event. Call 860-465-5636 to reserve tickets.
QUINEBAUG MIDDLE COLLEGE (QMC) Application deadline is Friday, February 28. Visit www.eastconn.org/qmc to apply.
technology UPDATE How To: Change Your Computer Password Have you recently been prompted to change your EASTCONN computer password? Are you stumped as to how to complete this quarterly task? Visit EASTCONN’s employee intranet page and click on Information Technology for step-by-step instructions. Remember: Changing your password will help prevent unauthorized log-ins to your ESS account, keeping your personal data and tax information safe. It also keeps EASTCONN secure from hackers!
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Events, Photos and More!
Fall 2019/Winter 2020 at EASTCONN ACT
Interdistrict Grants
Legislative Breakfast
LEAP
QMC
Follow EASTCONN on Facebook to see more pictures!
@wherelearningcomestolife