Browsing all Student Services

ACT Arts Magnet High School ACT (Arts at the Capitol Theater) is a full-day, comprehensive, arts magnet high school located in the Capitol Theater in downtown Willimantic. The curriculum is arts-integrated and standards-based with differentiated instruction to address individual learning needs. Students study with certified academic teachers and professional artists in this small, arts-focused learning community. Each grade is limited to approximately 35 students, making this an intimate, focused, artistic learning environment for about 140 students, grades 9-12.

Arts in the Afternoon Students in grades 4-8 will work in diverse teams during vacations in February, April and over the summer. Students participate in EASTCONN Adventure activities to promote self-esteem, build confidence and to increase group problem-solving abilities, in addition to building their visual and performing arts skills by working with guest and visiting artists.

Assistive Technology Consortium The Consortium is the result of continued collaboration efforts between EASTCONN and the Connecticut Tech Act Project. This collaboration provides access to an expanded library of assistive technology tools for use in professional development, student assessment and trial use of devices within member school districts. Districts can customize a package to meet their district's needs. Consortium membership includes priority scheduling of services, access to the expanding Assistive Technology Lending Library, and participation in four half-day and a full-day of Consortium trainings.

Assistive Technology Consultation EASTCONN's Assistive Technology (AT) team works directly with staff and students in the classroom to support the effective use of AT, including Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), to support student learning. Consultative services include maximizing the use of a district's existing AT resources and identifying new and emerging resources to complement a district's curriculum and students' educational programs.

Assistive Technology Demonstration Center and Lending Library EASTCONN's Assistive Technology Demonstration Center and Lending Library is housed at EASTCONN's 10 Commerce Drive facility in Columbia. The expanded Lending Library is supported through an award from the Connecticut Tech Act Project, as well as through the assistive technology team's support of vendors, software developers and manufacturers. Consortium member districts can try devices from the Lending Library on a trial basis with students in their customary learning environment. The Demonstration Center offers free open houses every other month, highlighting new product development.

Assistive Technology Student Assessment EASTCONN's Assistive Technology (AT) specialists are available to assess your students' needs and identify potential AT and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) solutions, from low- to high-tech, to provide students with access to the general curriculum and support their independence in achieving their learning outcomes. Assessment is on-site and includes review of the EASTCONN Student Information Guide, review of relevant education records, consultation with the student's educational team, trial use of potential AT solutions and a final assessment report.

Assistive Technology Training Assistive Technology (AT) and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) solutions are constantly changing and expanding as the world of online applications, portable electronics and wireless access continue to make devices more commonly used and often more affordable. Staying current has become increasingly difficult. EASTCONN's AT specialists have established partnerships with a number of AT manufacturers and distributors to ensure that the most up-to-date information can be shared. Districts can participate in an EASTCONN workshop or arrange for a customized AT training to meet the needs of district staff.

Audiological Services An educational audiologist supports schools with specific students and/or school-wide initiatives. Contact us for information about students with hearing loss, students with central auditory processing disorders (CAPD), FM systems, classroom acoustics for new construction or existing buildings, and rapid hearing screening. On-site consultation and professional development are available.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication Services EASTCONN's Assistive Technology (AT) team can provide a range of services for students with communication needs. Services include evaluation of appropriate communication solutions from low- to high-tech; assistance with documentation for funding; training regarding implementation of communication technology, including device programming; and use and integration into the educational program. Through the Lending Library, established and expanded through an award from the Connecticut Tech Act, and relationships with leading vendors, EASTCONN's assistive technology team can try out various communication devices with students to determine the device that best matches the student's needs.

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Other Developmental Disabilities Program, Pre-K through 8 Located at EASTCONN's Commerce Drive facility in Columbia, our program provides a highly structured, intensive and individualized classroom experience for children in grades preK-8 with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. Students are supported by a multidisciplinary team, which includes a BCBA, an occupational therapist, a speech-language pathologist, a physical therapist and an assistive technology specialist. Parental involvement is a key component of the program. Extended school year services are available.

Capitol Theater Arts Academy (CTAA) Created for northeastern Connecticut residents of all ages and taught by some of Connecticut's finest arts professionals, CTAA classes explore disciplines like dance, theater, cartooning, creative writing, and individual music lessons. Classes are offered in fall and spring sessions at the beautiful, Art Deco-era Capitol Theater, which houses CTAA in busy downtown Willimantic. CTAA also offers a summer theater program for children entering grades 4-12.

Child-Specific Consultation & Assessment Comprehensive evaluation and on-site observation are available to districts to assist teachers in selecting the most appropriate instructional or behavioral management strategies for individual children. We offer a full range of specialists, from those in early childhood to professionals across the entire spectrum of special needs, preK to grade 12.

Cool Directions This is a year-round, in-school, youth initiative for students, ages 14-21 (grades 9-12), who participate in team-building, portfolio development and employment activities. The program also offers a summer component with paid jobs.

Cool Directions: Summer Component The summer component is a continuation of the year-round, in-school youth program, Cool Directions. Youth have the opportunity to participate in paid, project-based learning projects, as well as team-building, ropes-course activities, and/or work at individual sites.

Creating Community Builders Students in grade 5 integrate art, science and technology in the service of others through community projects. Interdistrict teams of students collaborate to plan, design, coordinate and present their finished products to community members. Through literature, 5th-graders explore the concept of character and the ways in which it defines and creates community.

EASTCONN Adventure Program for Students The EASTCONN Adventure Program can fast-track your student group into a cohesive and high-performing team. Plan a single or multi-day Adventure Program for your class, group, or team at your site or our facility in Hampton. Through our experiential activities, participants learn strategies to increase trust and develop communication, leadership and problem-solving skills.

Educational and Vocational Center (EVC) The EASTCONN Educational and Vocational Center (EVC) addresses the special educational needs of students, grades 4-12, with behavioral challenges. Conveniently located on Route 66 in Columbia, EVC merges best practice in academic and clinical programming to meet the needs of middle- and high school students with social, emotional and behavioral issues. The center offers an integrated, hands-on, day-treatment program with both on-site clinical support and a highly successful, comprehensive vocational program.

Energy for the Future Students enrolled in Energy for the Future are engaged in a sustained investigation of evolving energy sources. Interdistrict teams explore energy myths, nuclear power technology/controversy, solar photovoltaics, wind turbines and other emerging technologies, while they design and construct their own alternative energy models – such as solar ovens and cars that must meet certain performance criteria.

Faces of Culture This Interdistrict Grant school-year program is designed for students from participating districts in grades 8-12. Viewed through the indigenous arts and crafts lenses of several different historical periods, this engaging, interdisciplinary study of culture culminates in student art projects and performances that are showcased at an annual arts symposium.

Farming the Land and Sea Why do Connecticut farmers and fishermen grow and harvest the products they do? Students in grades 2 and 3 will learn about state agriculture and aquaculture. Students in 2nd grade will focus on foods that come from the land, with activities that allow them to explore the life cycles of plants, as well as balanced nutrition, while 3rd-graders will focus on adaptations that allow certain plants and animals to thrive in local aquatic environments.

Forensics 101 Together, about 300 high school students explore not only the science of crime scene forensics, but also the many other areas of study that comprise forensic science. Students also explore a wide variety of careers that use forensic thinking to solve real-life problems.

Growing Green Ideas Growing Green Ideas brings interdistrict teams of students in grades 9-12 together to focus on the differences and similarities across customs and community, while collaborating to explore food cycles, Connecticut farming, the food industry and healthy eating. Diverse guests will include scientists, researchers, farmers, writers and nutritionists, who will conduct collaborative, hands–on workshops.

Healthy Youth, Mind and Body How do I stop a bully? Students in grades 6 and 7, who participate in Healthy Youth, Mind and Body will explore this question and other concepts as they engage in a sustained exploration of health, physical and cyber safety issues.

Heroes and Heroines "Who is my hero?" Students in grade 3 explore this question and other universal concepts of character development and social responsibility through fiction and non-fiction as they engage in a sustained exploration of heroic figures, both past and present.

High School Completion EASTCONN Adult Education offers three alternatives to complete a high school education. Our counselors can help you determine which program is the best option for you! Choose from among the GED, the Credit Diploma and the National External Diploma (NOT recommended for 17-18 year old students). As of July 1, 2011: To enroll in adult education, an individual must be 17 years of age or older. Individuals who are 16 years of age and withdrew from school with parent consent prior to July 1, 2011 may also be eligible to enroll in adult education.

Imagination Connection Using literacy and creative writing as a foundation for multicultural understanding, 300 second-graders from five schools read multicultural stories, folktales and poems and create a collaborative folktale or a collection of poetry. Students exchange pen-pal letters with their interdistrict peers, participate in EASTCONN Adventure team-building and illustrate their poems and folktales. This grant includes a bilingual class. The program culminates with a celebration of books and Adventure activities.

Interdistrict Program Design & Management Every two years, EASTCONN collaborates with area school districts to respond to CSDE-funded Interdistrict Grant opportunities designed to boost students' academic skills and increase their understanding and experience of diversity. If selected for funding, programs are limited to districts that have signed on to participate in that funding cycle. Contact us for more information about currently funded programs or new grant opportunities.

Interim Diagnostic Placement EASTCONN offers short-term, flexible placement up to 45 days for students who need to be educated outside the public-school setting. Individual diagnostic and/or programmatic assessment is provided. Call for availability.

Learning Lands: Stewardship and Conservation in Northeastern CT Students in grades 5-8 from four school districts meet several times over the course of the school year to explore the concept of diversity through the study of our natural environments, conservation and biodiversity. Students focus on investigating flora and fauna, as well as vernal pools and the value of biodiversity on Joshua Trust properties in northeastern Connecticut. Joshua’s Trust properties provide a natural classroom where students can conduct scientific research in a living laboratory. Students participate in workshops to learn about regional ecosystems and habitats, biodiversity, invasive species and the ways in which human development is impacting local wetlands. Students conduct field research to identify vernal pools and to understand their value as amphibian breeding habitats. Use of global positioning systems is integral to mapping natural resources on Trust properties.

Legacy Explorations Students in grades 5-8 meet throughout the year to participate in various activities relating to human rights, civil rights and diversity. Participants read different types of literature related to their own rights, contribute a piece of writing to a program anthology, attend speeches given by advocates of civil rights and civil liberties organizations, take part in numerous EASTCONN Adventure activities to enhance team-building skills, and visit a local history museum. Their overall focus is on acquiring a better understanding of rights and the importance of diversity.

MAPPS: Matching Areas and People Project Third-graders experience a sense of place and belonging as they explore natural wildlife habitats and study the local history of development and its environmental impact; they also participate in orienteering and map-building activities.

Minds in Motion Using real-life explorations and inquiry activities, students in grades 5-12 explore forces/motion, astronomy and optics/photonics. Throughout their hands-on team investigations, students study the big questions science, including humanity's relationship with the natural world.

Mosaic This experientially based leadership training program focuses on students' team-building and community engagement skills as students in grades 6-12 grapple with real-world service learning projects. These projects meet the needs of other students, families, schools and communities. Students will work together with the Center for Community Engagement at Eastern Connecticut State University.

Multidisciplinary Consultative, Assessment and Support Services Access our in-house team, which specializes in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and other developmental disabilities to build internal capacity through training and support in an optimal, inclusive educational environment. Let us complement your in-house team and support your individualized programming for students in their home school.

New Education Options EASTCONN collaborates with the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), public schools, higher education and community leaders to promote increased educational options for students and families. From needs assessment to conceptualization of design models, and from funding-source referrals to implementation, EASTCONN staff members are able to help create innovative choices for students.

New Images: CT Youth Learn Together Students in grades 7-12 explore digital photography and creative writing as a way to share their own views of the world. Students focus on composition and theme by examining images at the Lyman Allyn Museum, the Florence Griswold Museum and the New Britain Museum of American Art, and then create visual expressions that reflect the world as they see it through their own eyes.

Northeast Regional Program This highly regarded K-12 program addresses the educational needs of non-traditional students with behavioral challenges. Located in a new facility in Putnam, Northeast Regional Program merges best practice in academic and clinical programming to meet the needs of elementary, middle- and high school students who have social, emotional and behavioral issues. The program offers an integrated, hands-on, day-treatment program with both on-site clinical support and a highly successful, comprehensive vocational program. Lower and upper grades are taught in separate wings.

Northeast Regional Summer Program - Grades K-12 This comprehensive, individualized summer school program helps students maintain basic academic skills and build effective social skills through small-group activities and community-based experiences. For grades K-8, the program is facility-based, providing lively and engaging small-group activities and community-based experiences. For grades 9-12, the program is community-based with a vocational component, enabling students to build work-related skills and earn a summer paycheck. Students may also earn high school credit.

Occupational Therapy Services Occupational therapists address student needs related to fine motor skills, visual perceptual motor skills, adaptive skills and sensory processing. They provide direct special education services, as well as consultation services, as part of the educational team in the school to which they are assigned.

Our Changing Earth, Our Connected World Students in grades 5-7 engage in a sustained exploration of the geosciences as they explore the relevance and impact that geology has on their lives and on the world around them.

Physical Therapy Services Physical therapists support the gross motor, sensorimotor and mobility needs of individual students and systems. Specific student services include screening, evaluation, development and implementation of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 plans, adaptive equipment services and wheelchair evaluations. Consultation and training services focus on motor development, positioning and handling, and body mechanics.

Quinebaug Middle College (QMC) This regional magnet high school offers an innovative educational experience to non-traditional learners who are capable students, but who are also disengaged from the more traditional high school environment. Located on the Quinebaug Valley Community College campus in Danielson, QMC provides students with the individual support they need to succeed, while they complete their high school education, attend college classes and earn college credits. Community service, internships and student engagement are essential educational components of this unique high school/college experience. Open to grades 10-12 in 2011-12.

Related Services Our staff members are available for assessment and treatment of student needs, as well as for staff development and training to support students and school systems, including Scientific Research-Based Interventions (SRBI) initiatives. Service delivery is designed with student and curricular needs combined, ranging from direct student therapy to collaboration and consultation. Full-time or part-time staffing assignments are accepted for ongoing involvement; student-specific evaluations are also available.

School Nurse & Health-Related Consultative Services EASTCONN is available to help with a broad range of training options for your nursing staff, your administrators and other educational personnel who require OSHA-mandated training. Take advantage of a wide variety of health-related trainings for nurses and other certified and non-certified staff, including quality-of-service evaluations.

Skills for Success Students in grades 9-12 participate in team-building activities to master both personal and interpersonal skills for the workplace and post-secondary educational settings. Career development workshops focus on career acquisition and retention skills, technical writing, reading and effective study and learning skills.

Speech & Language Services Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) are available for full or partial caseloads and/or for individual students (including diagnostic evaluations, consultation and treatment). Speech-language pathologists are integral to school-wide Scientific Research-Based Intervention (SRBI) initiatives, providing universal screening, progress monitoring and intervention services across the tiers.

Student Transportation Services Flexible, customized transportation services are available for regular and special education students who need to be transported to destinations, ranging from local areas to neighboring states. Our drivers and aides are specially trained to transport medically fragile students, as well as those with severe behavioral challenges.

Successful Journeys Ninth-grade students will have an opportunity to meet several times during the school year to explore diversity and multiculturalism, and to focus on the importance of respecting other cultures and perspectives. A variety of carefully crafted field experiences will challenge students to collaborate with student-peers from other participating towns as they solve challenging experiential exercises. Success will require effective communication and leadership skills, trust and respect. Students develop positive friendships and team-building skills.

Summer Musical Theater Program Each summer, northeastern Connecticut students who will be entering grades 4-12 may perform onstage or work behind the scenes in this exciting, Broadway-style, musical theater experience through EASTCONN's Capitol Theater Arts Academy (CTAA). This highly regarded summer program, which culminates in a fully staged show, takes place at the Capitol Theater, a state-of-the-art theatrical and teaching facility in bustling, downtown Willimantic.

Teaming & Conflict Resolution EASTCONN can provide training, coaching and support to groups that must function as high-performance work teams. Learning how to manage conflict resolution is a critical part of effective team performance. Provide your teams with the skills they need to achieve their outcomes.

The 4th R: Robotics Students in grades 4-8 are introduced to the world of robotics through this engaging program. While working in diverse engineering teams, students use problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to help them understand the role of robotics in today’s manufacturing environment. This program culminates with the annual EASTCONN Robotics Challenge. During the Challenge, students showcase their understanding of robotics by solving a unique engineering/manufacturing challenge that requires computer programming, engineering design and Lego parts.

Virtual High School Access more than 160 full-semester, online, high school and some middle school courses through a statewide consortium program. Courses are available in all content areas, including a selection of Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

Water, Wildlife, People (WWP) Water, Wildlife & People focuses on ecosystems and man’s impact on water resources and wildlife habitats, as fourth-graders explore the concept of diversity through the study of natural environments — from local, aquatic, freshwater streams to the estuaries of eastern Long Island Sound.

Waves of History For students in grades 9-12, Waves of History combines diversity awareness with activities based on the history of immigration and the many ways in which immigration affects our society. Participants will take part in reading and writing workshops, and attend a conference during which they will hear from speakers who have immigrated to the United States. Students will explore their own families’ immigration history, and will be involved in a variety of other experiential activities that include EASTCONN Adventure team-building exercises.

Wheelchair & Adaptive Equipment Consultation EASTCONN's certified assistive technology professionals (ATPs) are available to consult with school district teams regarding students' positioning and mobility needs. Services include assistance with evaluation, design and acquisition of equipment, such as customized power and manual wheelchairs, and positioning and mobility devices. EASTCONN's ATPs are also available for trainings and follow-up consultation.

Woodstock Academy: Cooperative Program This collaborative program between Woodstock Academy and EASTCONN provides services for high-school-age students (grades 9-12) with intellectual/developmental disabilities. EASTCONN special education personnel and Woodstock Academy educators work together with LEAs, individual students and their families to facilitate growth in identified educational areas and transition planning.

Young Adult Programming and Services Young adult students with developmental disabilities, ages 18-21, are provided a continuum of transition services to address community, activities of daily living, and vocational/work skills to prepare them for adult responsibilities.