Overview
The State Department of Education is looking for best practices from districts across Connecticut in the areas of distance learning, early childhood, English learners, food distribution, and special education. The following video provides instructions on how to submit your best practices so we can share through social media and our website and learn from each other. Send us your examples.
Best Practices from Districts
Moving to Distance Learning: Early Issues and Learnings during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Description: Richard Lemons, Executive Director of the CT Center for School Change shares what he and his team are learning from district leaders across Connecticut and the entire United States as school systems pivot from face-to-face, classroom-embedded instruction to distance learning.
Brookfield Public Schools
Description: Brookfield is actively collecting and using student feedback to inform continuous improvement of our distance learning plan. Middle and high school students met with administrators in large and small group “virtual meetings”, and also provided information through online surveys. Survey data collection will be collected and analyzed weekly. We are happy to share surveys, our PowerPoint presentation for sharing data, and answer questions.
Contact: Maureen Ruby, Assistant Superintendent
Bristol Public Schools
Description: Bristol Public Schools utilized a three phase approach to transition staff, students and families into a distance learning environment. Each phase of the transition outlined specific goals for staff, families and scholars. Goals ranged from ensuring our scholars had access to technology and meals, to developing professional learning series for our educators and paraeducators on the use of Google Classroom and Seesaw learning platforms, to designing twenty days of instruction in grades PreK-Grade12 that were available through a variety of formats and accessible in a variety of ways. Phasing in virtual learning first focused on having our families get accustomed to accessing and submitting work on-line, while at the school and district level we gathered information about families’ access and their needs as they adjusted to this new way of learning. We also used the second phase in the process to afford teachers time to engage in professional learning experiences to learn how to create their virtual learning opportunities using Google Classroom and Seesaw.
East Hartford Public Schools
This page highlights the resources East Hartford has developed for students, parents, and staff. We are incredibly excited and proud of the work in East Hartford and are glad to share them with you and your team. This page will be designated for all learning content throughout the duration of the District Distance Learning Plan, called the DLP. All content needed for students will be housed in this central location, as well as resources for families and staff. Together we will learn, develop, and try a new approach to teaching and learning.
Contact: Chief Performance Officer, Dr. Sarah Brzozowy
Meriden Public Schools
Description: Meriden Public Schools Distance Learning Plan.
Contact: Mark D. Benigni, Ed.D.,
Odyssey Community School
Description: This video highlights ways to keep track of communication for Special Education teachers, schedules for staff and students, how to set up live meets with your students via google meet, and a variety of online platforms to use during distance learning.
Contact: Lisa Kimyachi, Lead Teacher Special Education
Stafford Public Schools
Description: Interim Learning Plan
Contact: Steven M. Autieri, Director of Curriculum and Instruction; Stafford Public Schools
Stonington Public Schools
Description: Distance learning at Dean Mills School
Produced by parents of a student with special needs, this video shows how consistency, flexibility, and communication are necessary elements of a successful distance learning program for a fourth-grader with an IEP. The video includes comments by the members of the student’s team.
Vernon Public Schools
Description: Transition Age Students with IEPs (18-21): Best practice of a program developed by Vernon public schools and successfully adapted to distance learning.
Contact: Peter Lynch, Vernon Public Schools