Ahead of the Curve:
C.E.S. Foundation Provides Teachers and Students with iPad Technology
In 2010 Kate Mundy, a teacher in the Developmental Learning Center, a program for intellectually disabled or autistic students at Cooperative Educational Services (C.E.S) presented the C.E.S. Foundation with an unusual request in her application for a mini grant. She asked for an iPad as a tool to help her students improve their communication, academic and social skills. According to Kate, “The iPad offers communication and behavioral supports, access to a wide variety of educational lessons and drills, games to develop leisure skills, and provides self-regulation through music and social stories. It is portable and can be used in many different settings.”
Since that time stories of the remarkable success of iPads and their applications in facilitating communication has exploded onto the news scene. The New York Times, 60 Minutes, the BBC and NPR have all reported on this amazing new technology and its impact on students with disabilities well after Kate Mundy wrote her grant demonstrating that C.E.S. was well ahead of the curve.
Due to the success of the iPad with Kate’s students, this year the Foundation awarded three more mini-grants to teachers Gabrielle Bekalowicz, Robyn Johnson and Kelly Linane all of the Therapeutic Day Program at C.E.S. which serves students with a range of disabilities including emotional disturbances, autism, learning disabilities and other health impairments.
Bekalowicz’s project, iReading, was designed to promote literacy, independence of student learning, and enhance interest in reading via a mainstream technology. According to Bekalowicz, Johnson’s project, iPads for Individualized Center Based Learning, the iPads will help to individualize instruction for her multi-grade level classroom through center-based learning in math, language arts, science, social studies and occupational therapy. Linane’s project, iClassrooms: Using iPads to Enhance and Support Student Learning, targets her middle school students to increase student engagement in their learning and provide an additional way to deliver instructional support for practice with challenging concepts.
Additionally, through the generosity of People’s United Community Foundation, the Foundation received a grant that it matched to support a literacy initiative using iPads at the Preschool-Primary Learning Center (PLC) which serves younger intellectually disabled and autistic students at C.E.S. The purchase of portable labs of iPads for the entire program gives all teachers access to tablet technology to help severely impaired students develop their interest and comprehension of print and oral language. Project leaders Eve Mullen, PLC program administrator, and Wendy-Wilson Russell, speech and language pathologist co-authored the grant with Dr. Nancy Cetorelli, President of the C.E.S. Foundation. Along with the technology the grant will provide a variety of literacy apps matched to student IEP goals. The dynamic properties of the iPad and apps help students learn reading strategies which link the written word to more concrete visual representations. According to Mullen and Wilson-Russell, “We are hoping that the highly motivating aspects of the iPad (visual and interactive) will engage non-readers, who may also be emerging in their verbal skills, and teach them to read at some level. Teachers are incorporating the iPad into their literacy lessons, snack time, cooking lessons, art lessons and circle time lessons to enhance how they imbed literacy instruction throughout the students’ day. We’re excited about the prospects of using this dynamic technology as an instructional/reading tool.”
Cetorelli indicates that these projects help the C.E.S. Foundation achieve its mission of providing enhanced learning opportunities for students at C.E.S. schools and programs. “The mini-grant program encourages research and development of unique, creative and enriching projects many of which have a multiplier effect beyond the classroom of the applicant and many of which have become permanent additions to the curriculum and ancillary learning activities. The People’s grant and the corresponding Foundation match emanated from Kate Mundy’s original mini-grant. The Foundation Board and I are so pleased with the efforts of the dedicated C.E.S. educational personnel. The iPad projects are just one of many exciting mini-grants awarded over the past five years.”
C.E.S. Foundation Provides Teachers and Students with iPad Technology
In 2010 Kate Mundy, a teacher in the Developmental Learning Center, a program for intellectually disabled or autistic students at Cooperative Educational Services (C.E.S) presented the C.E.S. Foundation with an unusual request in her application for a mini grant. She asked for an iPad as a tool to help her students improve their communication, academic and social skills. According to Kate, “The iPad offers communication and behavioral supports, access to a wide variety of educational lessons and drills, games to develop leisure skills, and provides self-regulation through music and social stories. It is portable and can be used in many different settings.”
Since that time stories of the remarkable success of iPads and their applications in facilitating communication has exploded onto the news scene. The New York Times, 60 Minutes, the BBC and NPR have all reported on this amazing new technology and its impact on students with disabilities well after Kate Mundy wrote her grant demonstrating that C.E.S. was well ahead of the curve.
Due to the success of the iPad with Kate’s students, this year the Foundation awarded three more mini-grants to teachers Gabrielle Bekalowicz, Robyn Johnson and Kelly Linane all of the Therapeutic Day Program at C.E.S. which serves students with a range of disabilities including emotional disturbances, autism, learning disabilities and other health impairments.
Bekalowicz’s project, iReading, was designed to promote literacy, independence of student learning, and enhance interest in reading via a mainstream technology. According to Bekalowicz, Johnson’s project, iPads for Individualized Center Based Learning, the iPads will help to individualize instruction for her multi-grade level classroom through center-based learning in math, language arts, science, social studies and occupational therapy. Linane’s project, iClassrooms: Using iPads to Enhance and Support Student Learning, targets her middle school students to increase student engagement in their learning and provide an additional way to deliver instructional support for practice with challenging concepts.
Additionally, through the generosity of People’s United Community Foundation, the Foundation received a grant that it matched to support a literacy initiative using iPads at the Preschool-Primary Learning Center (PLC) which serves younger intellectually disabled and autistic students at C.E.S. The purchase of portable labs of iPads for the entire program gives all teachers access to tablet technology to help severely impaired students develop their interest and comprehension of print and oral language. Project leaders Eve Mullen, PLC program administrator, and Wendy-Wilson Russell, speech and language pathologist co-authored the grant with Dr. Nancy Cetorelli, President of the C.E.S. Foundation. Along with the technology the grant will provide a variety of literacy apps matched to student IEP goals. The dynamic properties of the iPad and apps help students learn reading strategies which link the written word to more concrete visual representations. According to Mullen and Wilson-Russell, “We are hoping that the highly motivating aspects of the iPad (visual and interactive) will engage non-readers, who may also be emerging in their verbal skills, and teach them to read at some level. Teachers are incorporating the iPad into their literacy lessons, snack time, cooking lessons, art lessons and circle time lessons to enhance how they imbed literacy instruction throughout the students’ day. We’re excited about the prospects of using this dynamic technology as an instructional/reading tool.”
Cetorelli indicates that these projects help the C.E.S. Foundation achieve its mission of providing enhanced learning opportunities for students at C.E.S. schools and programs. “The mini-grant program encourages research and development of unique, creative and enriching projects many of which have a multiplier effect beyond the classroom of the applicant and many of which have become permanent additions to the curriculum and ancillary learning activities. The People’s grant and the corresponding Foundation match emanated from Kate Mundy’s original mini-grant. The Foundation Board and I are so pleased with the efforts of the dedicated C.E.S. educational personnel. The iPad projects are just one of many exciting mini-grants awarded over the past five years.”
Highlights from Footloose! Fundraiser
Mary Miller, Deveiopment Committee Chairperson and Dr. Nancy Cetorelli, C.E.S. Foundation President present 2011 awards.
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Mini grant recipient Robert Bonazzo, RCA. Project: Key to a Musical Success
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Mini grant recipients Valerie Lupinacci; Megan Sauers, Beginnings. Project: Parent Power: Translation to Spanish
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Mini grant recipient Gabrielle Belcalowicz, TDP. Project: iReading
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Mini grant recipient Giovanni DiMonaco,TDP High School. Project: Robots
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Mini grant recipient Michelle Peluso,TDP. Project: The Document Camera
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Mini grant recipient Kelly Linane, TDP. Project: iClassrooms Using iPads to Enhance and Support Student Learning
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Mini grant recipient Lauren Wilson, Six to Six. Project: What Will I Be in Magic Play
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Guest bidding on silent auction items at the C.E.S. Foundation Signature Event
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Scene from Footloose!, the student production performed for the C.E.S. Foundation Signature Event
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Footloose!
October 25th, 2011
The Regional Center for the Arts presents a special performance of the hit musical Footloose for the C.E.S. Foundation’s fourth annual fundraiser.
Thursday, November 17 at
Regional Center for the Arts
23 Oakview Drive
Trumbull, CT 06611
6:30 Appetizers, Coffee, Dessert and Silent Auction
7:30 Performance of Footloose
Suggested Contribution: $25.00 minimum
Come join us!
Dancing in the aisles encouraged!
For ticket information call Barbara Pace at (203) 365-8803 or send in name, email address for confirmation and home address to:
Barbara Pace
40 Lindeman Drive
Trumbull, CT 06611
The Regional Center for the Arts presents a special performance of the hit musical Footloose for the C.E.S. Foundation’s fourth annual fundraiser.
Thursday, November 17 at
Regional Center for the Arts
23 Oakview Drive
Trumbull, CT 06611
6:30 Appetizers, Coffee, Dessert and Silent Auction
7:30 Performance of Footloose
Suggested Contribution: $25.00 minimum
Come join us!
Dancing in the aisles encouraged!
For ticket information call Barbara Pace at (203) 365-8803 or send in name, email address for confirmation and home address to:
Barbara Pace
40 Lindeman Drive
Trumbull, CT 06611
Dr. James Castonguay Joins C.E.S. Foundation
Board of Directors
May 26, 2011
Dr. James Castonguay, associate professor of media studies and digital culture at Sacred Heart University has been appointed to the Cooperative Educational Services (C.E.S.) Foundation board of directors.
The nomination for his appointment, from fellow board member Dr. Patricia Walker, was the result of a need to enhance publicity efforts of the organization through the guidance of a communications professional.
“We created a communications committee to better communicate who we are,” explained Dr. Nancy Cetorelli, president of the Foundation, “Jim has the expertise we need to help us achieve this.”
Castonguay has taught, lectured and published work on diverse topics including health care in rural America, the war on terror, gender and Hollywood. He has been on the faculty at Sacred Heart for over 10 years.
“I’m very excited to join the board of directors at this special time,” stated Castonguay. “It’s a young foundation, but is achieving more and more every year with regard to enabling enhanced student learning. I’m ready to help implement a communications program that will take the organization to the next level.”
The C.E.S. Foundation is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization created in 2007 to enhance learning opportunities for students at C.E.S. The Foundation funds innovative and/or targeted education projects including support for existing curriculum through its mini-grant program.
Since its inception, the C.E.S. Foundation has awarded more than $22,500 to forty-three C.E.S. projects and programs.
Dr. James Castonguay, associate professor of media studies and digital culture at Sacred Heart University has been appointed to the Cooperative Educational Services (C.E.S.) Foundation board of directors.
The nomination for his appointment, from fellow board member Dr. Patricia Walker, was the result of a need to enhance publicity efforts of the organization through the guidance of a communications professional.
“We created a communications committee to better communicate who we are,” explained Dr. Nancy Cetorelli, president of the Foundation, “Jim has the expertise we need to help us achieve this.”
Castonguay has taught, lectured and published work on diverse topics including health care in rural America, the war on terror, gender and Hollywood. He has been on the faculty at Sacred Heart for over 10 years.
“I’m very excited to join the board of directors at this special time,” stated Castonguay. “It’s a young foundation, but is achieving more and more every year with regard to enabling enhanced student learning. I’m ready to help implement a communications program that will take the organization to the next level.”
The C.E.S. Foundation is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization created in 2007 to enhance learning opportunities for students at C.E.S. The Foundation funds innovative and/or targeted education projects including support for existing curriculum through its mini-grant program.
Since its inception, the C.E.S. Foundation has awarded more than $22,500 to forty-three C.E.S. projects and programs.
C.E.S. Foundation
Receives Frederick
A. DeLuca Foundation Grant
March 29, 2011
The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, which assists public charities with grants to help give others a chance in life specifically in the areas of education, job training, and the arts, has granted the C.E.S. Foundation $1500 to enhance learning opportunities for students through the mini-grant program.
The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation is named after co-founder and president of the SUBWAY restaurant chain. Headquartered in Milford, Connecticut, SUBWAY is the largest restaurant chain in the United States and Canada with more than 31,600 restaurants in 91 countries.
“We’re thrilled to receive this grant from the DeLuca Foundation,” stated Dr. Nancy Cetorelli, C.E.S. Foundation Board President. “The mini-grant program has yielded highly creative, educationally exciting learning programs for a broad spectrum of students in C.E.S. schools and programs. The DeLuca grant will help us continue this successful Foundation initiative.”
The C.E.S. Foundation awards mini-grants up to $750 to C.E.S. administrators, teachers and support staff who present projects and programs to enhance learning opportunities for their students. Recent projects include iPads for Autism, standing desks for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, using the Nintendo Wii for experiential learning in mathematics, exploring fields of music for aspiring musicians, and more.
Since its inception in 2007, the C.E.S. Foundation has awarded more than $22,575 through 43 mini-grants to teachers and support staff in C.E.S. Special Education programs, the C.E.S. School Readiness preschool program, C.E.S. Regional Center for the Arts magnet school, and the Six to Six Interdistrict Magnet School.
The mission of the C.E.S. Foundation is to enhance learning opportunities for students of Cooperative Educational Services.
March 29, 2011
The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, which assists public charities with grants to help give others a chance in life specifically in the areas of education, job training, and the arts, has granted the C.E.S. Foundation $1500 to enhance learning opportunities for students through the mini-grant program.
The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation is named after co-founder and president of the SUBWAY restaurant chain. Headquartered in Milford, Connecticut, SUBWAY is the largest restaurant chain in the United States and Canada with more than 31,600 restaurants in 91 countries.
“We’re thrilled to receive this grant from the DeLuca Foundation,” stated Dr. Nancy Cetorelli, C.E.S. Foundation Board President. “The mini-grant program has yielded highly creative, educationally exciting learning programs for a broad spectrum of students in C.E.S. schools and programs. The DeLuca grant will help us continue this successful Foundation initiative.”
The C.E.S. Foundation awards mini-grants up to $750 to C.E.S. administrators, teachers and support staff who present projects and programs to enhance learning opportunities for their students. Recent projects include iPads for Autism, standing desks for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, using the Nintendo Wii for experiential learning in mathematics, exploring fields of music for aspiring musicians, and more.
Since its inception in 2007, the C.E.S. Foundation has awarded more than $22,575 through 43 mini-grants to teachers and support staff in C.E.S. Special Education programs, the C.E.S. School Readiness preschool program, C.E.S. Regional Center for the Arts magnet school, and the Six to Six Interdistrict Magnet School.
The mission of the C.E.S. Foundation is to enhance learning opportunities for students of Cooperative Educational Services.
