All CEA-Retired members are invited to join hundreds of their retired colleagues at the Retired Teachers Lobby Day at the State Capitol in Hartford on April 29. CEA-Retired members will be joined by their retired colleagues from AFT Connecticut and the Association of Retired Teachers of Connecticut to meet face-to-face with legislators and speak about…
DetailsChildren are sometimes kept in from recess as a disciplinary measure, but thanks to studies showing play and exercise support classroom learning, fewer students are now having recess taken away, according to Education Week. The publication reports that many schools have implemented policies to limit the use of withholding recess as a form of punishment. Those…
DetailsThe next Connecticut commissioner of education is a long-time educator with many years of experience in the classroom and as a school leader. Dr. Dianna Wentzell was today named commissioner after serving as the interim commissioner of the department since January. Wentzell has over 25 years of experience working in Connecticut public schools in roles…
DetailsThe U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions unanimously passed a bipartisan rewrite of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB)/Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) this afternoon. Education Week reports on details of the bill and amendments that have been added — read the article here. The bill has yet to be scheduled…
DetailsBloomfield families now have many new-to-them books to read thanks to a great idea by teacher Jen Coleman. Coleman and other Bloomfield educators organized the first annual Bloomfield Education Association (BEA) Community Book Swap to rave reviews. Over 100 families came and swapped a wide variety of books, from picture books to adult literature. Parent Carla…
DetailsThis Earth Day, April 22, 2015, explore new and review familiar ways to live responsibly. Retired middle school teacher Phil Nast compiled the following resources for NEA. Resources for: Grades K-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12
DetailsStudents need to be adept with technology in order to succeed in the 21st century, but how do schools judge which technology initiatives are appropriate for students and worth the investment? WNYC came up with a list of questions for parents to ask about technology use in their children’s schools — and the questions are equally useful…
DetailsSpecial education students in Hamden playing on their school’s softball team will soon have new pride in their school and their abilities thanks to a grant from California Casualty. Whitney High School East/West vocational teacher and local association co-president Bill Jacobs submitted an application that has allowed the school to receive a $2,000 grant to purchase…
DetailsThe legislature is considering a bill that takes a baby step toward fairly funding Connecticut schools, by requiring the state to provide at least 50 percent of mandated education funding to municipalities. Currently, 16 cities and towns receive less than 50 percent of the education funds owed to them by the state. Senate Bill 816…
DetailsEducators got a sneak preview this week into what’s ahead for the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council (PEAC). CEA is one of many public education stakeholders who sit on the advisory group that makes suggestions to the State Board of Education on teacher evaluation. Although the group has not met in months, officials from the State…
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