Student Services
Interdistrict School Year Programs

Interdistrict School Year Programs
EASTCONN offers a variety of state-funded programs designed to increase student awareness, understanding and appreciation of diversity. Programs are limited to districts (in italics) who have elected to participate. A variety of programs for students of all ages are available. Descriptions follow of Interdistrict programs that have been funded for the 2007-2009 grant period.

Creating Community Builders - Contact Donna Drasch, ddrasch@eastconn.org and
Cathy Smith-Carolan, ccarolan@eastconn.org
Creating Community Builders provides an opportunity for students in grades 7-12 to integrate art, science, and technology education in the service of others through student-produced projects. Interdistrict teams of students collaborate on the planning, designing, coordinating of tasks, construction and final distribution of the finished projects to the community.

Expanding Horizons - Contact Nancy Magnani, nmagnani@eastconn.org
Opportunities to participate in real-world, scientific endeavors that require problem-solving skills, content knowledge, creativity, and teamwork help students in grades 6-8 gain a greater understanding of how scientists come to understand and explain the physical phenomena of the world. Each interdistrict team of students will undertake a yearlong exploration based on authentic, science-related community problems.

Faces of Culture - Contact Nancy Vitale, nvitale@eastconn.org
Faces of Culture engages students in grades 8-12 in an interdistrict, interdisciplinary study of culture from several historical periods combined with a full array of visual, media and performing arts. Culminating art projects and performances will be showcased at the annual arts symposium..
Arts Symposium '06

Forensics 101 - Contact  Mary Lou Smith, msmith@eastconn.org and
Grace Levin, glevin@eastconn.org
Together students in grades 5-12 apply science and technology to investigate and solve problems, including ecological conundrums, unsolved mysteries from history and mock criminal investigations.

Imagination Connection - Contact Lisa Taylor, ltaylor@eastconn.org
Using literacy as a common foundation for enhancing multicultural awareness and appreciation, second-grade students will develop positive relationships among a diverse group of peers while writing, illustrating and producing their own storybooks or books of poetry.

Legacy Explorations -  Contact Cathy Smith Carolan, ccarolan@eastconn.org. 
Through the words, voices, visuals and life experiences of human rights heroes and heroines, students in grade six will work with original documents and artwork to better understand the struggle for social justice, rights, and freedom.

MOSAIC - Contact Cindy Curry, ccurry@eastconn.org
The MOSAIC Program is an experientially based leadership training program for students in grades 7-12. Students come together to experience new roles and responsibilities as they grapple with real-world, service-learning projects using team-building and positive interrelationship skills. Leadership and community engagement are strong components of this diversity-based project.

New Images: Connecticut Youth Learn Together - Contact Barbara Greenbaum, bgreenbaum@eastconn.org or Peter Landry, plandry@eastconn.org 
Students in grades 9-12 have the opportunity to meet and work with students from other districts as they explore digital photography and creative writing together. In the process of creating their own books, students take photographs and write poems or short stories describing their views on how people express or elicit emotions. Students will participate in a final exhibition of their photography and writing that will also provide an “open mic” opportunity.
Web Page 2006-07

Skills for Success - Contact Cyndi Wells, cwells @eastconn.org
Skills for Success addresses the need for young adults to master both the personal and interpersonal skills that are necessary to be effective in the workplace and post-secondary educational settings. High school students (grades 9-12) participate in team-building and workshops to develop project-planning and management skills, technical writing and reading skills. They also learn how technology can be effectively used to market oneself.

Successful Journeys - Contact Barbara Greenbaum, bgreenbaum@eastconn.org
Students in grades 8-9 develop and master new habits for studying, building and enhancing their own learning skills and strategies, and for building relationships and sustaining friendships as they navigate the difficult transition to high school. Writing, reflecting, journaling, exploring and mastering effective study and learning skills are key aspects of this program.

Systems Explorers - Contact Nancy Magnani, nmagnani@eastconn.org
Systems Explorers encourages students in grades 5-8 to build positive relationships as they work together as diverse engineering teams to tackle “big systems ideas” and solve complex challenges. Through the use of LEGO construction challenges, students build problem solving, critical thinking, mathematical and technology skills. The culminating event each spring is the annual EASTCONN Robotics Challenge where student achievements are showcased.

WWP (Water, Wildlife, People) - Contact Mary Lou Smith, msmith@eastconn.org
Water, Wildlife & People allows 375 fourth- through sixth-grade students to explore the concept of diversity through the study of our natural environments — from local aquatic fresh-water streams to the estuaries of eastern Long Island Sound. Students will focus their research on ecosystems, the human impact on water resources and wildlife habitats, and environmental changes over time.

Contact: Nancy Vitale
EASTCONN Windham Mills, Bldg.1, 3rd floor, 322 Main St., Willimantic, CT  06226
860-455-0707; FAX: 860-456-7845
Voice Mail: 860-455-0029, box 3009
nvitale@eastconn.org