SPRING 2019
EmployeeUpdate faces of EASTCONN
M
aintaining a household kitchen can be a challenge – the planning and preparation of daily meals for a busy family can be overwhelming. Now, consider overseeing those tasks for EASTCONN schools and programs plus 7 districts, plus a public café, plus catering. This is what Heather Plourde, EASTCONN’s Director of Food and Hospitality Services, manages each weekday. She is responsible for menu planning, staffing, meeting nutritional requirements and quality control for these locations and more.
“...looking ahead, we plan to bring on additional member
districts and offer even more catering options. Stay tuned” Together with Executive Chef Lance Plourde, Heather began working for EASTCONN in 2012 at the Educational & Vocational Center (EVC) in Columbia. At the time, she was responsible for 1 kitchen and 1 location. Fast forward to 2019, and the Food Services program has grown considerably. Designed to be an efficient, cost-effective alternative for member districts, we partner with Columbia,
EASTCONN Director of Food and Hospitality Services Heather Plourde in her Hampton office.
Hampton, Scotland, Pomfret, Hebron, Brooklyn and Bolton. “It’s hard to believe that in just 7 years, the program has grown so much. And looking ahead, we plan to bring on additional member districts and offer even more catering options. Stay tuned,” says Heather. EASTCONN Food Services is a proud sponsor of the National School Lunch Program, in which breakfast and lunch are offered to over 3,700 students each weekday. “Our first year working with EASTCONN Food Services has been outstanding,” says Timothy M. Van Tasel, Superintendent of Hebron Public Schools.
Food Services continued on page 5
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 spotlight EVC & NRP ART SHOWS
The EVC and NRP Art Exhibitions were held in early April. ‘Our Art History Timeline’ was the theme of both shows,
and student work reflected the art of ancient Egypt, Post-Modernism, Pointillism, Cubism, Claymation, Pop-Art and more. The work featured the style of many artists, including Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Leonardo da Vinci. Student art from EVC and NRP
$ finance UPDATES
by Sharlene Edwards
As the end of the 2018-2019 fiscal/school year approaches, please review the information below to ensure a smooth process. • FINAL PAY – for those on the 21-pay schedule is June 14th, 2019. • REQUISITIONS – All requisitions must be entered into the MUNIS system by Friday, June 14, 2019. Anyone needing to process a requisition after this date MUST contact Sharlene in the Finance Office. • MILEAGE FORMS – Mileage reimbursement rate is .58 per mile; effective January 2019. Please submit June mileage forms before leaving for summer break. All June mileage forms must be in by Friday, July 15, 2019 in order to be paid from the 2018/2019 budget. • PETTY CASH FORMS & Debit Cards– All receipts together with any remaining funds should be submitted to Suzanne Lapointe in the Finance Office by Friday, June 14, 2019.
• FINAL 2018/2019 PAYMENT TO VENDORS – All Purchase Orders (pink copy together with vendor packing slips) must be received in the Finance Office no later than Friday, July 15, 2019 to be paid from the 2018/2019 budget. It will not be possible for us to write checks in the 2018-2019 database after July 26, 2019. • REVENUE INVOICES – All billing information should be submitted to support staff as soon as possible to ensure billing arrives in the Finance Office by Friday, June 14, 201 FINAL PAY on 21-PAY SCHEDULE
6/14/2019
MILEAGE RATE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 2019
$.58 per mile
EASTCONN message board NOW HIRING AT EASTCONN Office Home & Professional Plus
Microsoft Office Employee Discount
Exclusive for EASTCONN employees! Get employee pricing on both PC and Mac versions of Microsoft Office 2019 for your home computer for just $14.99 each, a savings of over $200! You must use your EASTCONN email address when signing up.
Adult Education Classes
Receive a 10% Employee Discount Visit: www.eastconn.org/communityed/
Ordering Copies?
The copy center requests you please fill out a form to request copies. If you do not have that form please send a request to: ecopycenter@eastconn.org
• Van Drivers • Instructional Assistants
www.eastconn.org/human-resources What do you love about EASTCONN and what we do? What do you think makes us unique? Why should a funder invest in us instead of another nonprofit down the street? Christine Homa, Director of Research, Development & Innovation is working on a grant template and is looking for your help. Email your responses to Christine at choma@eastconn.org and remember, there are no wrong answers! 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
ANNIVERSARIES FEBRUARY JOHN BASKOWSKI LEANN BEAULIEU
BENJAMIN BOLT NANCY CELENTANO BETHANY FERNANDES JESSICA FOLTA MICHELLE GIARD EMILE HAMMETT RANDI HENRY CYNTHIA HIGGINS DONNA MARIANO FLORA PETERSON COLIN PYZO MARY KATHLEEN TSHONAS KENNETH WHITE LORNA WILLIAMS KRISTEN WOOD
MARCH
We welcome all our new employees and congratulate those who are celebrating an anniversary with us! by Kerry Akana
Save the Date 15 4
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
13 31 7 8 13 8 4 13 20 13 14 5
VAN DRIVER STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST TEACHER ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SITE COORDINATOR TEACHER BHS PROGRAM AIDE HS HOME VISITOR ASSISTANT TO DIR OF FACILITIES EHS TEACHER CDL DRIVER PRINCIPAL
6 17 4
VAN DRIVER VAN DRIVER HR ASSOCIATE
APRIL
MICHAEL AKANA JOHN GRIGGS MEGHAN HAYES-GARCIA SUZANNE LAPOINTE AMY MARGELONY LINDA MERRILL DANIEL ORTIZ
EASTCONN
29 18 13 15 6 10 13
DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES MAINTENANCE WORKER CASE MANAGER ACCOUNTANT ASSISTANT DIR. OF SPECIAL SERV CDL DRIVER CDL DRIVER
10 8 9 7 6 5 5
REGIONAL NEDP AUTISM ABA INSTRUCTOR EARLY INTERVENTION ASSOCIATE VAN DRIVER BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONIST FOOD SERVICE WORKER VAN DRIVER
UNITY DAY MAY
NANCY DAVIS LORI GARRITY TERESA GOCHROS YARITZA GONZALEZ ERICA LEONE CAROL PETERS DAVID WICKISER
8.23.2019
DONALD COURTEMANCHE JODY JEAN HAWKINS JILL DEAN KAREN HEATH DOROTA KNORR MISTY MURDOCK ROBERT NORGREN HEATHER PLOURDE LANCE PLOURDE DIANE TURKIS EUGENE VOSTINAK NINA SHEA
6
CDL DRIVER
4 7 8 4 11 30 7 7 18 5 4
CASHIER BHS ASSISTANT TEACHER EHS ASSISTANT TEACHER ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT PHYSICAL THERAPIST INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT DIR OF FOOD & HOSPITALITY SERV EXECUTIVE CHEF SENIOR BOOKKEEPER TEACHER SOCIAL WORKER
MORE NOW HIRING DETAILSAT TOEASTCONN COME! • Van Drivers • Instructional Assistants
www.eastconn.org/human-resources
Save the Date EASTCONN
UNITY DAY 8.23.2019
MORE DETAILS TO COME!
NEW EMPLOYEES Adult Programs
K-12 Student Services
Ivonne Solano Cortes Front Desk Greeter Ian Harrington Manufacturing Resource Spec Shari Latif Program Assistant Christopher Sheehan Adult Education Teacher
Early Childhood Initiatives Ebiasaf De Anda Substitute Basic Head Start Myra King Parent Educator Kristina Knapp EHS Assistant Teacher Ashley Laferriere Early Interventionist McKayla-Lynn Loranger BHS Teacher Aide Illenys Martinez-Cruz BHS Assistant Teacher Heather Tracy BHS Assistant Teacher Julia Zeppieri Early Interventionist
Mary Ahlberg Special Ed. Instructor Anne Collelo Instructional Assistant Kyla Desroberts Instructional Assistant Brieanna Friend Instructional Assistant Arielle Gabor Autism ABA Instructor Margaret Huston Instructional Assistant Alisha Knox Autism ABA Instructor Marcia McGinley Supervisor Shared Services Didier Moncion Special Ed. Instructor Rachel Muniz Instructional Assistant Paige Nee Instructor Sarah Pasiakos Speech Language Pathologist Michael Rafferty Principal (Interim) Jennifer Sprague Instructional Assistant Michaela Woods Instructional Assistant Kelsey Young Special Ed. Instructor
Organizational Support Services
Elizabeth Vargas Bonilla Van Driver Michael Caron CDL Driver Michael Conde Truancy Residency Investigator Joni Cullan Assistant To Director Of HR Kerry Dexter Coop Purchasing Clerk Spencer Grimes Copy/Mail Room Clerk Ezekiel Kallio Food Service Worker
Jonathan Kennan Driver Aide Lucian Norton Senior Bookkeeper Danny Panciera Van Driver Elizabeth Villanueva Van Driver Joni Weglein Business Manager
Teaching and Learning Services Humair Ahmed STEM Lab Program Aide
EASTCONN HAS TOP TEAMS!
T echnology Solutions O rganizational Support P rofessional Development for Educators T ransportation E arly Childhood Programs A dult Education & Job Skills Programs M agnet High Schools S pecial Education Programs K-12
EASTCONN Awards of Excellence
The EASTCONN Awards of Excellence are part of Executive Director Gary Mala’s ongoing efforts to recognize the good work done by employees across the agency.
JANUARY
MARCH
APRIL
K-12 Student Services
K-12 Student Services
K-12 Student Services & Teaching & Learning
@wherelearningcomestolife
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Events, Photos and More!
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Food Services continued from page 1
Committed to providing exceptional service and fresh food, our Food Services group is co-located at Quinebaug Valley Community College (QVCC), where EASTCONN staff prepares high-quality food in a commercial-kitchen setting. Here, meals are prepared for NRP in Danielson; Regional Transition Services; 3 Head Start locations and all catered EASTCONN workshops and events. Food Services also operates “Food for Thought,” the public café at QVCC, which also feeds QMC students and staff.
EASTCONN Executive Chef Lance Plourde prepares lunch at the Food for Thought café, located on the QVCC campus.
The original Food Services kitchen remains at EVC, where weekday meals are prepared for the students and staff of ACT magnet high school and the Autism programs in Columbia.
Add the expansion of Conference Center catering services for local businesses and non-profits, and one might legitimately describe Heather as an overachiever. But understanding what Heather manages on a daily basis somehow makes the thought of preparing dinner for our own families seem a little bit easier, no?
EASTCONN magnet schools
SAVE THE DATES ARTS AT THE CAPITOL THEATER (ACT) COFFEEHOUSE #2 May 16 • 6:30 p.m. VIDEOFEST #2 May 23 • 6:30 p.m. ACT - For ticket reservations, call 860-465-5636
QUINEBAUG MIDDLE COLLEGE (QMC) 1 OUTDOOR CHORUS CONCERT & ART SHOW June 4 • 5:00 p.m.
Free to the public - Bring your lawn chair
QMC GRADUATION Killingly High School Auditorium June 14 • 5:00 p.m.
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!
EASTCONN security by Don Skewes
Always be on the lookout for people trying to scam you out of your money and/or personal info. “You’ve got a new voicemail from (920) 710-1026. Transcript: This call is from the Department of Social Security Administration. The reason you have received this phone call from our department is to inform you that we just suspended your social security number because we found some suspicious activity. So if you want to know about this case, just press one. Thank you.” The Social Security “ADMINISTRATION” (no use of “Department” in their name) will not ask you for personal info over the phone. Don’t fall for these scams, and be sure your elderly friends and relatives don’t fall for them either. Let’s all look out for each other.
WINTER/SPRING 2019 AT EASTCONN Interdistrict Grant
QMC
Toddler Conference
Assistive Technology Conference
ACT
Learner of the Year
Autism Awareness Month Like EASTCONN on Facebook to see more pictures!
/wherelearningcomestolife