Author Archives: Woody

Orlando Valentin Jr. Is Honored as Alma Exley Scholar for 2016

Orlando Valentin Jr. of Meriden, Conn., a student at the University of Connecticut, has been honored as the Alma Exley Scholar for 2016. Seven previous scholarship recipients were among those celebrating with him at a reception on May 4 at the Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford.

reception recipients 2016
Alma Exley Scholars from 1998-2015 celebrated with Orlando Valentin Jr. at a reception in his honor. Others. from left, Chi-Ann Lin, Violet Jiménez Sims, Dr. Miguel Cardona, Desi Nesmith, Margaret Seclen, Justis Lopez, Nadine Rosa.

Justis Lopez, the 2015 Alma Exley Scholar, was the guest speaker at the 20th annual reception, reflecting on his first year of teaching at Manchester High School and welcoming Mr. Valentin into the scholarship family.

In accepting the honor, Mr. Valentin announced that he had accepted a position as fourth grade teacher at Casimir Pulaski Elementary School in his hometown of Meriden. A graduate of Wilcox Technical High School, he is a student in the five-year Integrated Bachelor’s and Master’s Program in the Neag School of Education at UConn. He received a B.S. in Elementary Education with a concentration in science in May 2015. He was scheduled to receive an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction on May 7, 2016.

He has an outstanding record of academic achievement and public service. He has been an active volunteer in Windham elementary schools as a site manager with America Reads and as a team leader with AmeriCorps’ Jumpstart program. He has served as a leader in Bringing Awareness Into Latin Ethnicity (BAILE) and as president of Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity. He also served as a leader of a student volunteer project that aided elementary schools in Jamaica.

He has been a martial arts practitioner for 15 years and holds a second-degree black belt. He works as an instructor in the Korean martial art of Tang Soo Do.

He is a most deserving scholarship recipient, and we are delighted to welcome him to the Alma Exley Scholarship Family.

Justis Lopez Full of Energy and Ideas in First Month on the Job

It’s all happening in Mr. Lopez’s classroom.

Justis Lopez is the most recent recipient of the Alma Exley Scholarship. Since receiving his master’s degree from UConn in May, he has begun teaching social studies at his alma mater, Manchester High School.

I had the chance to visit in his classroom the other day when I dropped off some books for his “Lopez Lounge.” And what I saw amazed me.

Only a few months removed from UConn, he has established a classroom that is a testament to his creativity and his connection with his students.

IMG_0303
Justis Lopez in the “Lopez Lounge”

One of his first moves upon setting up shop in Room 290 was to establish the Lopez Lounge in one of the back corners of the classroom. There’s a couch, an easy chair, a computer table, a lamp with a Tiffany-type UConn lampshade, and a bookcase crammed with books on a variety of subjects.

“Students who have a hard time sitting still for the entire period can take a break and get comfortable on the couch,” Mr. Lopez told me. “Sometimes before making a presentation to the class, they like to relax there and collect their thoughts.”

Also, Mr. Lopez’s classroom is the place to be during the school’s “Power Hour.” That’s a free period for all students, when they can consult with teachers, work on projects or catch up on their homework.

In Room 290, however, every Friday during Power Hour, it’s time for “Open Mic.” Mr. Lopez invites students from throughout the school to drop by to recite poems, rap, sing, or do whatever their spirit moves them to do in front of the microphone. In just few weeks, the Open Mic session has become a highlight of the week for many students.

Justis Lopez is well known as a showman. He portrayed Jonathan the Husky at UConn sports events during his sophomore year. He has made a name for himself as a master of ceremonies and DJ for hundreds of social events. Now he has a company, Justis League Entertainment, which provides music and photography for school functions, weddings and business events.

He brings his DJ equipment in the classroom every Friday for what he calls “Freestyle Fridays.” He does a freestyle DJ mix of music for his students as they walk into classroom to create a lively environment for learning.

With Mr. Lopez’s showmanship carrying over into his classroom, it seems there’s never a dull moment. I wish I could go back to school and take one of his social studies classes. I’m sure I’d learn a lot and have fun at the same time.

The wall behind Mr. Lopez’s desk is covered with about a dozen photographs of lighthouses. “A teacher is a lighthouse,” he said. I took that to mean that he sees himself as lighting the way and guiding his students through unknown waters on their journey of learning.

– Woody Exley

Connecticut Gives Boost to Minority Teacher Recruitment

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has signed two bills into law to advance minority teacher recruitment and training in Connecticut.

According to a report in The Hour newspaper of Norwalk on August 8, Public Act 15-108 creates an 11-member task force to study and develop strategies to increase minority teacher recruitment and retention. The task force also will ensure that cultural competency instruction is included in teacher preparation programs and in-service training for educators.

The legislation also allows the State Board of Education to grant temporary, 90-day certificates in teacher shortage areas. And the law will enable Connecticut to enter into teacher certification reciprocity agreements with other states, making it easier for teachers from other states to earn certification in Connecticut.

Strengthening Teacher Preparation

The other law, Public Act 15-243, is aimed at improving the effectiveness of teacher-preparation programs in Connecticut’s colleges and universities.

The act requires the Office of Higher Education to submit a report on the quality of teacher-preparation programs leading to professional certification. It also revises the clinical, field or student-teaching experience requirement for teacher preparation programs.

Both bills passed unanimously in the state Senate and House of Representatives.

High Priority to Education

Jennifer Alexander, CEO of ConnCAN, a state education advocacy group, endorsed both bills.

“We are pleased that Gov. Malloy and the state legislature prioritized Connecticut students and educators this year by passing legislation that will help bring diverse and high-quality educators into our schools and prepare all our educators for the work ahead,” she said.

“Research shows educator effectiveness has more impact on student achievement than any other factor within a school’s control,” she said. “These bills go a long way towards ensuring our state is able to attract and recruit highly effective and diverse teachers and administrators and that we continue to push for rigorous educator training and preparation.”

8 Percent Minority Teachers

A ConnCAN study released in March revealed that 92 percent of Connecticut’s 36,823 public school teachers are white. The study reported that 3.5 percent of the state’s public school teachers are Hispanic, 3 percent are black, 1.1 percent are Indian and 0.13 percent are listed as other.

“Right now, the richness of diversity in our student body is not mirrored in our teacher and school leaders,” Alexander said. “Almost half of Connecticut students are students of color, but only 8 percent of our teachers and 12 percent of our administrators are people of color.”

Scott X. Esdaile, president of Connecticut Chapter of the NAACP, said, “The passing of this legislation is a clear indication that our state leaders are committed to better preparing our highly qualified teachers for the job ahead and enhancing the educational experience for all our students.”