Hartford Region Open Choice Program
Colt Dome
THE ORACLE April 2020
DIRECTORS' CORNER
DEBRA BORRERO, DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAMS and
KRISTINA JORDAN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF OPEN CHOICE
Dear Open Choice colleagues, 

CREC’s Open Choice would like to formally thank you for the gargantuan effort in supporting your Hartford resident students and families. As we continue to transition into distance learning, our team has heard from countless teachers, paras, building administrators as well as district-level leadership, who have leveraged time and resources to ensure that your students and families have what they need to be as successful as possible.   

We wanted to use this Oracle as a hub for resources you may find useful in the coming weeks with links for academics, behavioral support, self-care, as well as internet and meal access for families.

Please note, our entire staff is working remotely and are available via phone, email, video-conferencing to assist with PPTs and 504s, family meetings, behavioral support, parent training, and whatever else you need. The instructional coaches have shifted their work from coaching to teaching and are available to their assigned schools to co-teach, plan, small-group instruction, substitute… we encourage you to take advantage of all of our offerings.

Thank you for your continued collaboration and commitment. We are wishing you all health and well-being during these times and look forward to being in your schools and districts again in the near future.

Fondly,
Debra and Kristina
UPCOMING EVENTS
April 2020
  • Open Choice Liaison Check-In
  • April 9, 11 a.m.
  • Meeting will be held on Zoom. Contact Curtis Porter III or Karla Cruz if you are interested in joining us.
OPEN CHOICE SHINES!
POSITIVE STORIES FROM OPEN CHOICE STUDENTS, STAFF, AND PARTNERS
Open Choice Team's Hat Day!
The Open Choice team got creative this week as we worked remotely to support our families and districts. 
We would like to feature the excellent work and partnership we have with our Open Choice districts. Please share your brief stories about Open Choice students and their positive experiences in your school/district, along with any high resolution photos. We will share them here and on CREC's Facebook and Instagram pages. Stories can be sent to  openchoice@crec.org

Join us on social media to catch all the Open Choice buzz!!
RESOURCES
FROM ALL THE OPEN CHOICE STAFF
Well-being and Self-Care
Here are some helpful links that can be shared with everyone to help reduce anxiety.


Elementary School Resources
Some suggested resources for learning and fun.

Resources to help parents and guardians support distance learning in math:

Resources to support EL distance learning:

Have fun with science at home from the CT Science Center:
  • ctsciencecenter.org
  • Join in the online FUN:
  • Science At Play - on our Blog
  • Animal Encounters - Tuesdays & Thursdays at Noon on Facebook
  • Kahoot! Challenge - on Facebook
  • Field Trip Friday - Fridays on Facebook
  • #MuseumFromHome - Weekends on Facebook
  • *Any times and days listed are subject to change.

Please consider reading this informative report from the Hartford Courant that vulnerable children are at greater risk of abuse or neglect while isolated by social distancing:

Additional Academic Resources from Open Choice Instructional Coaches
As we make the shift to distance learning, here are some websites that teachers and families may find fun and useful!


Behavior Supports
The RESC Alliance has compiled an extensive list of resources for districts to reference while navigating the distance learning model:    www.rescalliance.org/covid19

This page includes links for resources pertaining to Equity and Special Education, Early Childhood, Continuity of Instruction Plans and Vendors and Online Instruction Providers.  
The following spreadsheets are a compilation of resources for distance learning for students with Autism and other developmental disorders. It includes online learning options as well as visuals for all related service providers: 
 
This spreadsheet compiles resources for general education targeted at enhancing skills practice during distance learning: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mFNwJZyLG-yYH3PgORvdK8wJzwiOlOKchGaakUhwzUU/edit#gid=0
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT NEWS
The Open Choice Office has been busy supporting districts and families in the following ways:
  • Educational Materials sent home 
  • Technology for appropriate grade levels 
  • Meals or food support 

Hartford Public Schools continues to offer ongoing meal supports at several local Hartford Schools. Click here for the locations . If you were not able to take advantage of the CREC Grab & Go opportunities, please use these Hartford School sites to continue your efforts, if needed. It is recommended that you contact the school’s principal and or the superintendent’s office, which several districts have already taken advantage of.

Internet and meals for families in need:
  • For more information regarding Comcast internet access please click here. 
  • For families that may not be able to get to meal locations and districts still want to assist please consider the Stop & Shop Peapod service. More information is available here
  • Open Choice will be providing Zoom Meeting opportunities so that families can have the opportunity to connect with each other and our staff. These meetings will occur every two weeks, beginning in April, and adjusted as needed. Contact Curtis Porter, cporter@crec.org or Karl Cruz, kcruz@crec.org if you would like to join in!

Connect with us on Instagram and be in the know @OpenChoiceHartford