Celebrating 40 Years 1980~2020
LEADING & LEARNING Leading & Learning Our vision is to integrate learning
opportunities for educators so that professional learning is embedded in district culture and is no longer limited to events that occur periodically each year. We create opportunities for administrators and teachers to participate in regional professional learning communities, and have expanded our capacity to provide coaching to districts that are engaged in personalized, competencybased learning. We continue to collaborate with colleagues from other EASTCONN divisions to expand professional learning options for educators throughout the region.
COVID-19 Response
Leading & Learning offers important professional learning opportunities that help shape educators’ perspectives and understanding as they encounter new concepts.
Even before COVID-19 forced Connecticut schools to close, Leading & Learning staff were anticipating the state’s move to distance learning. They ramped-up to provide new ways of adapting and providing high-quality, online-classroom learning plans and resources, as well as teaching strategies, which they shared freely with all educators on EASTCONN’s website. These resources, learning plans and curricula were aligned with the CSDE Common Core, and benefited not only EASTCONN students and schools, but enriched options for educators in districts across the region and state. Our education specialists also offered free, interactive, weekly webinars to inform educators about new approaches to online teaching and learning, as well as how-to sessions on subjects like online-learning web platforms, and refreshers on NGSS, social-emotional learning, and more. Learn more about the support Leading & Learning provided the region in the COVID-19 Response Supplement insert.
2019-2020 HIGHLIGHTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS The EASTCONN Center for Educational Leadership (CEL)
Both virtually and in-person, our CEL offers education leaders access to regional communities of practice, as well as coaching and adult-centered learning opportunities, that examine the nature of leadership in today’s world. Administrators and other district leaders benefit from interactive, experiential activities that are dedicated to evidence-based practices and personal reflection.
• Leadership Coaching: Pre-COVID-19, CEL staff
provided in-person, customized coaching to 29 school and district leaders, addressing the unique needs and challenges in their schools. We utilized
the Connecticut Leadership Framework to guide the discussions, while supporting new and veteran leaders with current initiatives, challenges and opportunities in their respective schools.
• Strategic Advancement Planning: Facilitated
strategic planning in 2 districts, leading to customized action plans for district advancement. We engaged stakeholders in an analysis of the current state of education, generating skinny plans for implementation.
• SEL: Through a cross-divisional effort, we created
an action plan that coordinates services to districts, including professional learning integrated with SEL
www.eastconn.org 1.
LEADING & LEARNING | HIGHLIGHTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2019-2020
205
Days of on-site & in-person PD & support were provided in 20 NE CT school districts, pre-COVID-19 EASTCONN supported implementation of the Reading & Writing Workshop model for area educators, working on-site alongside teachers to demonstrate different teaching methods and structures.
(social-emotional learning) support. We supported over 150 educators and leaders through in-district coaching and professional learning, prior to the pandemic’s arrival. Once schools closed, and throughout the COVID-19 crisis, staff moved their direct-service strategies online, supporting hundreds of educator-leaders with free professional learning webinars and online resources.
• District-Based Leadership Academy: 20 aspiring leaders from a member district engaged in a multiyear cohort of professional learning, leading to increased coherence and systemic alignment of key initiatives.
Educator Evaluation Planning & Support Professional Development & Evaluation Committee (PDEC)
Our Center for Educational Leadership (CEL) education specialists continued to support PDEC committees in 3 EASTCONN-region districts, contributing to increased coherence between teacher evaluation, student performance data and professional development. Such supportive professional learning strategies led to the improved alignment of strategic initiatives across each district.
Professional Learning: Regional & Local Embedded In-District Support & Training
Provided 205 days of on-site, embedded PD and support in 20 districts, prior to COVID-19 school-site closures. We implemented customized professional learning plans for a variety of transformational foci, including the transition to personalized, competency-based learning (PCBL), integrating SEL and academics with curriculum, instruction and assessment development.
Readers & Writers Workshop
Supported implementation of the Reading & Writing Workshop model for area educators. Pre-pandemic, staff provided professional learning in 9 districts for 164 teachers. EASTCONN hosted national literacy consultant and author Kate Roberts for a session in summer 2019 for 37 educators from 8 districts. Also facilitated a 1-day session with author Gravity Goldberg for 30 educators from 12 districts, that addressed practical reading and writing strategies for goal-directed learning. EASTCONN Education Specialists offered literacy workshops from interventions to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) for over 45 participants.
“We are seeing the benefits of [the workshops] with all our students, who are more excited about reading and writing than they have ever been. Meaningful and impactful professional development such as this is helping to move our students and staff to the next level.“ - Paula Graef, Principal, Brooklyn Public Schools 2. www.eastconn.org
LEADING & LEARNING | HIGHLIGHTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2019-2020
Students and teachers take their scientific investigations beyond the traditional classroom when EASTCONN’s Mobile STEM Laboratory travels with them to nearby streams and forests, where they conduct hands-on experiments using the Lab’s on-board science resources.
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
Supported educators from 4 districts in the adoption of NGSS. Activities included sessions on NGSS curriculum alignment, developing rubrics, assessments and administrator support for implementation of the new science standards.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math)
Prior to COVID-19 school closures, 4 organizations used our EASTCONN Mobile STEM Laboratory, which traveled with students and teachers to provide unique, highquality, inquiry-based STEM experiences in off-site, nontraditional settings, like parks, fields and streams.
Mathematics
Provided district-embedded professional learning, modeling and coaching to math educators in 4 districts, addressing Connecticut Core Standards for mathematics and readiness for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) assessment. A second year offering of Math Recovery Course 1 and the addition of Course 2 in summer 2019 offered continued learning on instructing and diagnosing math misconceptions to 20 math educators from 17 districts.
Regional Professional Learning, In-Person & Online KnowledgeWorks
A multi-year partnership with KnowledgeWords, a highly regarded national organization, provided professional learning and leadership coaching to 3 districts and 3 EASTCONN schools, including 50+ educators. The development of EASTCONN Education Fellows has positioned the agency to support transformational implementation and provide deep learning to interested districts.
Webinars & Video-Conferences During COVID-19
During the pandemic, Leading & Learning staff responded quickly with ramped-up, online supports. The EASTCONN Regional Staff Development Council offered a weekly video-conference with member-district school administrators, providing an interactive forum for peer support, educational, national and statewide developments, and other resources. Other CEL staff quickly designed and delivered a series of interactive, free, weekly webinars and video-conferences, supporting the teaching and learning needs of educators working from home. Among the topics presented were NGSS explorations; STEM; teaching-from-home strategies; the effective use of online platforms; integrating socialemotional learning into curricula, and more.
“The science and social studies integration into the [Interdistrict] grant is a huge positive for our district, since these areas continue to experience budget cuts.“ - Jennifer Vocatura, Moosup Elementary, Plainfield Public Schools www.eastconn.org 3.
2019-2020
LEADING & LEARNING | HIGHLIGHTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
50
K-8 students at Windham Heights attended our after-school arts & academic tutoring program
In October, the SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) Leader’s Workshop helped educators develop a deeper appreciation for the importance of SEL approaches and competencies, while introducing them to new ways of implementing sustainable SEL changes, district-wide.
Other Teaching & Learning Initiatives Teacher Education And Mentoring (TEAM) Collaborative
EASTCONN continued to lead the statewide initiative that enabled 196 districts/schools to enroll more than 2,761 beginning teachers in the TEAM Collaborative teacher induction program. This interactive, online platform and support network enables TEAM District Facilitators and Mentors to collaborate and support beginning teachers throughout the module and reflection-paper process. We provided 3 regional TEAM training sessions for more than 50 new Mentors and Reviewers and coordinated District Facilitator meetings for 40+ participants.
Title III Consortium for English Learners
Twenty-four (24) districts participated in this regional consortium, enabling them to access more than $42,000 in resources to support the teaching and learning of English Learners (ELs).
Perkins Consortium
Through this federally funded grant, we provided support to 6 districts and distributed almost $72,000 and helped them define goals for Continuous Improvement Plans that will strengthen their Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs; build college-career pathways; and increase the size and scope of their CTE programs.
Community Arts Connection After-School Program
Provided school literacy and arts programs for more than 50 students in a small-city public housing complex, where youths enjoyed weekly arts-themed programming; read books written by visiting guest artists; and participated in a wide variety of engaging arts, physical activities, academic supports and family field trips with the support of valued community partners.
Interdistrict Grants
Provided 4 state-funded grant programs, with integrated learning experiences for over 1,200 students through the match-ups between rural and urban districts and students. This year’s themes included diversity and cultural competency; mindful practices to develop social and emotional understanding and self-regulation; the food cycle from growth, production and distribution; and inquiry and data analysis through forensics.
1,200
Students attended our 4 Interdistrict Grant programs this year
“I want to let you know how very impressed I have been with the caliber of the [Leading & Learning] consultants we have worked with from EASTCONN.“ - Kenneth W. Craig, Lead Learner/Principal, Hall Memorial, Willington Public Schools 4. www.eastconn.org
LEADING & LEARNING | HIGHLIGHTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2019-2020
Through EASTCONN’s customized approach to professional learning, we partner with districts to engage educators and build in-district capacity.
Leading & Learning Councils
Continued to host and facilitate free regional councils across a wide variety of content areas, all designed to provide member districts with opportunities to share resources, information and professional learning. PostCOVID-19, many councils moved their meetings to online platforms, such as Zoom.
• English Learners Roundtable: 11 districts took
part in discussions focused on emerging trends in instruction for English Learners. Participants shared best practices and received updates from CSDE Consultant Megan Alubicki-Flick on curriculum, assessment and effective instruction strategies.
• English Language Arts Council: 26 educators
from 16 districts participated in our ELA Council. In addition to receiving updates from the CSDE, participants shared their knowledge on topics that included Scientific Research Based Intervention (SRBI), executive function and disciplinary literacy, among others.
• Math Council: 36 educators from 18 districts
participated regularly, receiving up-to-date information, resources and professional development around developing students’ deep learning through the implementation of mathematics instruction and assessment.
• Regional Staff Development Council (RSDC):
Hosted educators from 21 districts at monthly meetings, and weekly meetings after school closures, where they received updates on state education initiatives from CSDE officials, and engaged in regional collaborations around professional learning opportunities, current challenges and shared resources.
• Science Council: 26 educators from 12 districts
gained information and resources for improving science curricula, assessment and instruction. Participants also obtained the latest information about the Next Generation Science Standards, STEM and related topics.
• Social Studies Council: 10 educators from
6 districts attended. The Council provided a forum for social studies educators to present new programs, share resources and professional learning opportunities, including a visit to the Windham Textile Museum.
• Regional Library Council: 8 educators from 4
districts attended regularly, exchanging ideas and resources to support progressive practices in school library, media and technology.
“The EASTCONN educational consultant has provided our staff with hands-on professional development, bringing a depth of knowledge about the workshop model and the driving philosophies that make it a powerful and impactful model for the middle school classroom.” Lisa Lobik, Literacy Leader, Stafford Public Schools www.eastconn.org 5.
LEADING & LEARNING | HIGHLIGHTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The free Regional Staff Development Council at EASTCONN brings district and school leaders together in a collegial forum to discuss current educational issues with agency education specialists, CSDE leaders and job-alike peers.
2019-2020
36
Districts participated in free Regional Council meetings, which shared resources, information & new professional learning
PLANS & IMPLICATIONS FOR 2020-2021 • Personalized, Competency-Based Learning (PCBL) As the need to re-engage students in our region and state grows, we will focus on supporting districts in research-proven processes that emphasize student agency, as well as the development of Portrait of a Learner and a comprehensive plan to guide their journey, including jobembedded coaching by Education Fellows.
• Social Emotional & Academic Learning (SEAD) We will continue to deepen professional learning with core elements of SEAD. Building on the EASTCONN theory of action, we’ll strive to adapt and implement evidencebased practices for academic, social and emotional learning across all grades, and provide professional support to teachers and leaders to promote sustainability.
• Innovative Staffing Configurations & Partnerships Ongoing funding challenges necessitate new
approaches to recruiting and retaining qualified staff with expertise across an array of content areas and topics; as a result, we must actively develop alternatives to having full-time, permanent staff. We will seek to expand our use of consultants and brokered services to meet district requests within challenging fiscal parameters.
• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Curriculum Alignment Our reach is extending
beyond the EASTCONN region, as we have been contracted for services in 4 districts beyond our borders. This speaks to the need for effective Science / NGSS leadership and to the capabilities of our new science specialist. We will continue to explore avenues to expand our support, using virtual learning tools and online strategies.
• Strategic Advancement Planning for Districts & Schools We will engage multiple stakeholders in
identifying priorities and then developing an action plan to accomplish specific goals and outcomes. Based on the inquiries received this spring, we expect requests for our facilitation to grow as districts confront fiscal, COVID-19 and programmatic challenges at the local level.
• Math Workshop Building upon the benefit of the workshop model to engage students and develop student
agency, we will focus on extending these best practices to math. Providing professional learning with national experts supporting implementation with in-district coaching will drive sustainability.
6. www.eastconn.org