THE ORACLE —
Novem
ber 2019
|
|
DIRECTOR'S CORNER
DEBRA BORRERO, DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAMS
|
|
|
As we prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, we are reminded of the importance of relationships and appreciate your partnership in the Hartford Region Open Choice program.
Teachers - consider asking students the questions below to help deepen your relationship with them:
- When do you feel most successful? How often?
- When do you feel you are being listened to?
- When do you feel your voice is respected?
- When do you feel cared for in school or in my classroom?
- When do you get a chance to be a leader?
- When do you feel most safe/unsafe at school or in my classroom?
- When do you laugh at school?
- What do you find most enjoyable about your experience in school or in my classroom?
The mechanism in which you use to solicit the answers is up to you. The important part is not just asking the questions, but using the information to shape your instruction and inform your practice. Asking the question is the first step, what you do with the information is the next critical step in deepening your relationship with them.
Warmest Regards,
Debra Borrero
|
|
|
OPEN CHOICE SHINES!
POSITIVE STORIES FROM OPEN CHOICE STUDENTS, STAFF, AND PARTNERS
|
|
|
First Annual Open Choice Day of Service
|
|
On October 30, twelve students, parents, and staff participated in our first annual Day of Service at Foodshare in Bloomfield. We volunteered a couple of hours labeling and packing frozen meats for their food distribution in the local communities. We are looking forward to our next annual Day of Service.
|
|
Diana Lamenzo, Open Choice Instructional Coach
|
Open Choice Instructional Coach, Diana Lamenzo, is pictured (left) with staff from Roaring Brook Elementary School in Avon. They are participating in a monthly book club with the book, Whatever it takes! For all students to succeed in school and life, by Dr. Brian Pearlman. Each month they read a chapter and discuss a case study with focus questions based on social-emotional learning. At the end of each session, they brainstorm ways to help integrate strategies in their classroom so all students are successful. Relationships matter!
|
|
This Fall’s Dine & Discuss featured
panel discussions with Hartford parents sharing both positive & negative aspects of their children’s experiences enrolled in suburban districts through Open Choice. They also discussed ways educators can strengthen relationships with their Hartford families. A central theme emerged: we need to hear each other’s stories and move beyond solely calling to communicate student challenges and reach out to share positive news as well.
|
|
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!!
|
|
RESOURCE SPECIALIST UPDATES
FROM KIM GUZZO, JENNY MALDONADO, AND CELIA NOE
|
|
|
Elementary Resource Specialist, Kim Guzzo
Under a rainbow of balloons and a six-foot butterfly mural, students, parents and Open Choice staff recently gathered to celebrate ‘Family Literacy Night’ themed with Eric Carle’s
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
on October 23. Interactive stories, literacy games, dinner & dessert were enjoyed by our elementary students who also received books, activities, and resources to take home. Thank you to all the teachers and schools who helped promote this event to make it successful.
This month I also began visiting several schools for “lunch bunch” check-ins. Building relationships with as many students as possible is part of our goals, so thanks for your efforts and support towards this.
Keep reaching out to families with positive notes, emails and phone calls. In regard to contacting a parent with a concern, I always remember a phrase from a professional development:
“You can’t make a withdrawal without making a deposit.”
|
|
Middle School Resource Specialist, Jenny Maldonado
The Open Choice program conducted its second Middle School Orientation. The orientation included students and parents. The first Middle School Orientation was conducted in August. The orientation gave the students and parents an opportunity to learn more about the Open Choice team and its resources and to participate in a presentation on code-switching hosted by Gloria Mengual, our Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator.
|
|
High School Resource Specialist, Celia Noe
We want to send a big shoutout to the University of Saint Joseph Department of Social work & Equitable Community Practice interns who are helping out with the Choice After School Academy that began recently. We are excited to have them join our team! The Social Work interns, in collaboration with the Open Choice Resource Specialists (MSWs), will be working with the students in group and individual counseling.
|
|
MARKETING AND OUTREACH MUSINGS
FROM RENITA EZELL, OUTREACH AND ENROLLMENT COORDINATOR
Open Choice (then Project Concern) Class of 1983, West Hartford
|
|
|
Apply for Open Choice through the Regional School Choice
Office (RSCO)
!
The RSCO application for Open Choice and magnets is now available for families to apply through January 31, 2020 at
www.choiceeducation.org
. We are always looking for
parent recruiters
to assist in sharing the positive experiences and relationships they have with your schools/district. Please help us in identifying families who would be willing to support our outreach efforts this year. Also, a friendly reminder to share the successes and positive relationships of students enrolled in your district through Open Choice. We will share these stories on
CREC's social media
.
The Open Choice Information Session is scheduled for January 14, 2020. Details to follow.
For more information, please call the CREC Welcome Center at (860) 509-3700 or email
schoolchoice@crec.org
.
|
|
TRANSPORTATION TIDBITS
FROM RUDY THOMAS, STUDENT SERVICE COORDINATOR AND TRANSPORTATION LIAISON
|
|
|
Transportation
I am here to offer my assistance with your transportation concerns. As the Open Choice Transportation Liaison, I am the bridge between you, RSCO transportation and HBOE Special Education and displaced family transportation for the Open Choice Students.
Contact me for assistance with your transportation concerns. I’m here for you.
ruthomas@crec.org
860-525-4075
CASA
The Choice After School Academy (CASA) enrollment is open for middle and high school students for assistance with homework completion, academic support, and credit recovery for high school students. The program is located at CREC Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts Middle School, from 3-6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Transportation and meals are provided. To apply, go to
www.crec.org/casa
.
|
|
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT NEWS
FROM CURTIS PORTER III, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST
|
|
|
Has your school conducted a Welcoming Walkthrough? If not, this may be an opportunity for you to formally assess if ALL families and students feel welcomed and included in your school community. From finding the school entrance to what visitors experience when entering the building and interacting with the office staff.
The CREC Resource Group can assist you. As partner districts, there may be opportunities to further engage all students and families. I am often asked, “What more do you think we can do?” Family engagement goes far beyond a family attending a meeting or showing up for a school event. The sooner this is recognized the sooner the school community can build a strong and inclusive foundation for all. Visit
CREC Resource Group
for more information.
|
|
This month I had the opportunity to partner with other CREC Family Engagement Specialists to connect with families from both CREC Magnet Schools and Open Choice to discuss family engagement. During our sessions, we've come to realize our current perceived status, and that we need to take a
Two-Generation Approach
when serving our families. Having families at the table and part of the discussion and planning process is vital.
|
|
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT POSSIBILITIES
FROM GLORIA MENGUAL, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COORDINATOR
|
|
|
The Open Choice Program provides
two, free days of professional development to your district.
Following these pro bono opportunities, fee-for-service options are also available.
The most commonly requested professional development sessions include:
- Storytelling as an Empathy-building Tool (1.5 – 2 hours)
- Implicit Bias in Education (1.5 – 2 hours)
- Strategies to Address Hurtful/Biased Comments or Actions in Elementary School (3 hours)
- Peeling Back the Layers: Understanding Structural Racism within Education
- Addressing Increased Conflicts through Civil Discourse in the Classroom (2 hours)
- Facilitating a Civil Discourse in the Classroom (7.5 hours)
- Co-facilitation of Student/Staff Race Dialogues – (2 days) (Educators who complete the Facilitating a Civil Discourse in the Classroom session co-facilitate with me.)
See what Open C
hoice can do for you! For more information about any of our Professi
onal Development Services, including the opportunities below, visit
www.crec.org/choice/pd
, or contact Gloria Francesca Mengual at
gmengual@crec.org
or 860-509-3768.
|
|
Each month, I will share information that may be of use to you and your staff. This could include our continued work and resources in the field of Equity and Critical Race Theory, legislation, professional development offered by CREC and our partners, technology, and more!
HBCU Tour:
Hartford's Union Baptist Church is hosting its 30th Annual Historical Black College/University Tour. It is open to all high school students The tour will be April 13-21. Please distribute this information to all interested High School students in your district.
Click this link for the flyer for more information.
Equity:
As we continue to stretch ourselves in the field of Equity, I invite you to view the TEDx by Peggy McIntosh. It’s from 2012, it is still true, still brave, and still relevant.
|
|
December 2019
- Leadership Institute Day 3
- December 6, 8 a.m-3 p.m.
- CREC Central, 111 Charter Oak Ave., Hartford, CT 06106
|
|
Hartford Region Open Choice Program
111 Charter Oak Ave., 3rd Floor
Hartford, CT 06016
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
