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Greetings!
How should Connecticut's educational system work to reduce our state's worsening achievement gap? What must be done by our communities, city-by-city and district-by-district? And, most important, what must be done by our state government in its role as leader and primary funder of our public education system?
This spring, these questions and others are fueling the debate that rages within the Connecticut legislature and in the media about how our schools should be structured and our teachers evaluated. Regardless of one's position on the specifics of the various proposals under consideration, it's important that we understand the fundamentals.
Read on to learn how CFGNB, the District and Attendance Works - in partnership with community based organizations across Greater New Britain - are shaping an action plan to reduce chronic absences and improve reading levels for our children.
In our article "What happens if you build it, but they don't come", we address why education reform must address chronic school absence and what New Britain is already doing about it. Sincerely, Jim Williamson President
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| Featured Fund |
We're happy to announce the CFGNB will be managing the William J. Tomasso College Bound and Vocational Scholarship Program. Now in its 32nd year, this scholarship program was started by William (Bill) Tomasso in 1980 to provide freshman year scholarships for deserving public school students from Berlin, New Britain and Plainville needing financial assistance to attend college or vocational school. Approximately $500,000 in scholarships has been awarded since its inception. Read the Press Release!
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 CFGNB Addresses Chronic Absenteeism The CFGNB and schools within the New Britain Consolidated School District are partnering with Attendance Works - a national organization that promotes better policy and practice around school attendance - to begin the implementation phase for one of the key strategies of Greater New Britain's Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. "National research shows that chronic school absences, especially in kindergarten and 1st grade, put children at a huge learning disadvantage for the rest of their lives," said CFGNB President Jim Williamson. The campaign includes working with parents, teachers, principals, administrators and other community and state organizations. Read more online. |
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CFGNB - The Catalyst Fund
The Catalyst Fund, an initiative of CFGNB that offers its members a participative voice how their dollars are invested to improve quality of life in Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington, will convene the first of three meetings for 2012 on Tuesday, May 15, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be hosted by and held at the Hospital of Central Connecticut, 100 Grand Street, New Britain.
"The Catalyst Fund brings together citizen donors with a common love of their communities who pool their resources to address critical issues in our four cities and towns," said Steering Committee Chairman Keith Bova. "This year, we have chosen to explore the various issues and needs of our military veterans. This issue was suggested and voted upon as a matter of interest by several members as a topic and a need that we wanted to learn more about."
Learn more about the evening and the Catalyst Fund.
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UConn Student Receives Alma Exley Scholarship
Jessica Raugitinane, a junior at the University of Connecticut and resident of Alexandria, Va., has been chosen as the 2012 recipient of the Alma Exley Memorial Scholarship, which supports and encourages greater diversity in the teaching profession.
CFGNB administers the program as a way to recognize and support outstanding persons of color who are preparing for careers in education. When the program was established in 1995, only seven percent of the teachers in Connecticut's public schools were persons of color, and Alma Exley believed that students of all ethnic backgrounds would benefit from greater diversity in the teaching profession. Alma Exley Scholars are chosen from applicants who are enrolled in teacher-preparation programs in Connecticut. Read more about the Scholarship!
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 CFGNB Provides Spring 2012 Grants of $222,333
The Community Foundation of Greater New Britain recently approved $222,333 in grants to organizations and programs that support arts, culture and heritage, special education, early childhood development, benefits for working families and expanded healthcare services. Recipients include the Queen Ann Nzinga Center, Trinity on Main, the New Britain Museum of American Art, the Hole in the Wall Theater, Southington Public Schools, the New Britain Early Childhood Collaborative, Words and Numbers, the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, Connecticut Association of Human Services, and the Hospital for Special Care.
Read more about these important community investments.
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