As we enter the second half of August, new teachers around Connecticut are heading back to the classroom to meet their colleagues, learn about their district, and get to know their union. At Hamden’s new teacher orientation yesterday, 45 new educators met the Hamden Education Association’s leadership team as well as CEA Vice President Joslyn DeLancey and UniServ Rep Ed Thibodeau.
“A lot of times, people think of the union as insurance. We do represent you when something goes wrong, but we support you in many different ways,” Thibodeau said.
He explained that in addition to lawyers who represent teachers in workers’ compensation, termination hearings, DCF cases, and more, CEA also has a number of specialists on staff who can be an invaluable resource.
“We have a certification specialist, we have a teacher evaluation specialist, an insurance specialist, and a retirement specialist. Most of you are not worried about retirement right now, but someday you will be and you’ll have someone you can turn to with questions.”
Hamden’s new teachers selected from a variety of school supplies courtesy of CEF.
Thibodeau said that CEA membership also comes with political advocacy on educators’ behalf to ensure better teaching and learning environments. Recent legislative wins include mandatory play-based learning, guaranteed 30-minute lunches, and teacher evaluation improvements.
“The teacher evaluation legislation that we got passed, CEA actually wrote it and got it passed,” DeLancey said. “So the reason why we are the only state nationwide that has no rating in teacher evaluations is because of the work that your union did. And the new school climate legislation to protect you—we also wrote that and got it passed.”
“Increasingly, the smallest kids are lashing out and don’t know how to handle situations,” Thibodeau said. “We’ve had teachers hurt.”
HEA President David Abate said that school climate is a focus for the association this year. Challenging student behavior was an issue in the district last year, and he and other leaders are looking at solutions in addition to the new legislation.
HEA Elementary Vice President Shelby Irwin (right) reconnected with Anabella DiGioia, a former student who will now be a colleague.
“A lot of teachers don’t feel comfortable saying something, especially if they’re not tenured,” he said. “We encourage educators to advocate for themselves and document everything.”
DeLancey also told Hamden’s new teachers about the work of the Connecticut Education Foundation and how it can support them and their students. CEA members who have students in need of items like a winter coat, medicine or eyeglasses, or school items like a calculator or Chromebook repair, can apply for funding of up to $150 per student for up to two students each year.
CEF also organizes the Holiday Bear project that ensures donations of gifts for students who otherwise wouldn’t receive any and provides scholarship programs for future educators.
DeLancey, who serves as president of CEF, brought in school supplies that had been donated to CEF and the new teachers eagerly selected notebooks, pens, markers, and more for their classrooms.
A fresh start
Among the new teachers who appreciated the school supply donations was special education teacher Lexi Pivarnik. Pivarnik taught in Bridgeport previously and is looking forward to meeting her new colleagues as well as a fresh start as a special ed preschool teacher.
Helen Street Elementary School teachers Alyssa Fameli and Hannah Marcano are both new to the teaching profession.
“I’m continuing with my special ed certification that I will finish in December, which is very exciting,” she said. She enjoys the different perspectives she gets teaching special education and the way she is able to tailor her teaching to meet each child’s needs.
Helen Street School teachers Alyssa Fameli and Hannah Marcano enjoyed the HEA provided lunch together after the orientation.
Marcano, a recent Southern graduate who will be teaching sixth-grade literacy, says she’s looking forward to meeting her students.
“I can’t wait to get to know the kids and connect with them, make a safe space for them. It’s going to be exciting,” she said.
Fameli taught in Milford for half of last year, but this fall will be her first time having a classroom of her own. She’s a special education teacher in a self-contained classroom.
“I’m very excited to build my confidence so that I can feel less like a first-year teacher,” Marcano said. “I’m also looking forward to meeting the staff. I ran into a sixth-grade teacher and she told me to reach out if I need anything—it was so nice.”
Fameli agreed, “Everybody’s been so nice and supportive, reaching out and offering help with my classroom.”
