[CASL-L] Fwd: CT CSTA - Winter 2024 - Newsletter #1

[Barbara Johnson]

FYI

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: CSTA Connecticut <connecticut at csteachers.org>
Date: Thu, Jan 11, 2024 at 7:30 AM
Subject: CT CSTA - Winter 2024 - Newsletter #1
To: Barbara Johnson <bajohnson at colchesterct.org>


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*From your (former) President:*

Hello friends and welcome to 2024.  This will be my last bulletin as your
chapter President as our Special Elections have been completed and I'm
making my last official duty the wonderful task of announcing YOUR new
Connecticut Computer Science Teachers Association leadership.

For me personally, it has been a grand pleasure serving you as a Board
member for over 5 years and as your President for 3.  I worked hard to
create a professional facing organization that believes in the uplift and
empowerment community and mentorship can create.  COVID certainly
challenged that but with the help of* some amazing peers such as* Betsy
Dillard, Jackie Corricelli, Jamie Lang, Shawn Draczynski Tobin, Dr. Winnie
Yu, Brad Kjell, Dana Kinel, Norm Sondheimer, and many more friends made
along the way we were able to make something I believe is stronger than
ever before.

*I would ask of you this final request:*  Stay involved or get involved.
CT CSTA saved my career when I first started out.  I found people like me
doing what I was doing at other schools.  They understood my challenges,
spoke the same language as me, and became people I can call not just
colleagues but friends.  If this is a moment you're reflecting on your
professional life and wondering how to shift gears - consider reaching out
<https://connecticut.csteachers.org/page/contact-us>.  There's always a way
<https://connecticut.csteachers.org/page/how-you-can-help!> CT CSTA can
build something amazing with you.

All the best - remember the human before the student and remember to secure
your own mask before helping others.
~Christopher Kerr
*Chapter News*
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*Chapter Election Results!*

Our Fall Special Elections have been completed and I want to share with you
the results.  Below the results are a few blubs about our new Officers so
you can get to know them!

*Executive Board*
*President:*  Shawn Draczynski Tobin
*Vice President:*  John Tusch

*Extended Board*
*Secretary*:  Dana Runkle
*Treasurer: * Jackie Corricelli

*Advisor Positions*
*Elementary Grade Band Advisor: * Open
*Middle School Grade Band Advisor:*  Dana Kinel
*Secondary Grade Band Advisor: * Berni Lally
*Higher Education Grade Band Advisor:*  Dr. Winnie Yu


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*President:*  Shawn Draczynski Tobin
*Science Teacher: Regional School District 6*

Shawn is a chemistry, biology, and computer science teacher at Wamogo
Regional High School in Region 6. She has taught all ages in different
environments from urban, rural, suburban, public, and charter schools,
along with tutoring up through professional degree preparation programs.
While she is a trained biologist, her passion for computer science comes
from the essential nature of the subject, and a drive to make a daunting
task accessible via relevancy and deconstruction of the task. With her
current position as Chapter President, Shawn hopes to encourage rural
computer science education and build out elementary education pathways. She
earned her B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology and her double B.A. in
Political Science and Sociology from the University of Connecticut, and her
M.S.Ed. in Elementary Education from the University of Pennsylvania.
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*Vice President: * John Tusch
*Theme Coach:  CREC Academy of Computer Science and Engineering*

John Tusch is proud to be a public school educator for over 30 years. He
serves as the Theme Coach for the CREC Academy of Computer Science and
Engineering, a computer science-themed Magnet school in Enfield, CT. Before
joining CREC, he taught Computer Science and English in Hartford, where he
was honored to be Global Communications Academy’s Teacher of the Year in
2020. He has served in various administrative roles on the building and
district levels. In addition to Computer Science, John has taught Music,
English, the Gifted & Talented, and Theater Arts.

John has a B. Mus in Music Education from Boston University, an MS in Music
Education from WCSU, and a 6th-year Professional Degree in Educational
Leadership from SCSU. He is certified in Technology Education, Intermediate
Administration, English, and Music. He is grateful to have developed new
programs and curriculums in Computer Science, English, Theater Arts, and
Music for several Connecticut districts, including Weston, Hartford, and
CREC.

An experienced entrepreneur, John was the founding owner/operator of Steve
DeMasco’s Shaolin Studios of Fairfield. He owns Fanfare Enterprises LLC, a
digital marketing firm where he enjoys helping fellow entrepreneurs
establish their digital presence. He is an avid baseball fan (Let’s Go
Mets) and an unapologetic Trekkie, and he lives just outside of Hartford
with his daughter, Heather.
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*Secretary*:  Dana Runkle
*Computer Science Teacher:  Westbrook Middle School*

Dana Runkle is a self proclaimed geek, nerd, and all around brainiac. Her
first experience with Computer Science was being a beta tester for Adobe’s
PageMaker software - back when you still had to boot DOS from a floppy
disk. She earned a Masters in Education from UCONN and her undergraduate
degree is a BA in Theatre Technology from UC Davis. She has been teaching
Computer Science to grades 5-8 in Westbrook for the last 8 years and this
year added AP CSP in the high school. Her goal is to see every child
receive high quality computer science education that helps increase
diversity, equity, and inclusion both in education and in the professional
realm. She firmly believes that the world is changing and Computer Science
is essential to give students the skills necessary to be successful in
every possible career field.
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*Secondary Grade Band Advisor: * Berni Lally
*High School Computer Science, Engineering, and Design Teacher: Green Farms
Academy*

Berni is a Computer science, engineering, and design teacher and robotics
coach. Berni’s passion is teaching students how to design, build, and
program. She’s helped students send robots into space and track them using
radio communications and satellites. Berni earned her B.S. in Information
Systems from Florida Atlantic University, her M.S. in Technology in
Education from Trinity College, Dublin, and her M.S. in Education
Leadership from St. Mary's University, Twickenham, London. Berni loves to
play soccer, volleyball, and Irish music on the tin whistle and bodhran.

*News & Opportunities for you!*

Upcoming Events
February Chapter Meeting
<https://connecticut.csteachers.org/Events/february24-chapter-meeting>

VIRTUAL
Feb 12, 2024
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

March Chapter Meeting
<https://connecticut.csteachers.org/Events/march-chapter-meeting>

VIRTUAL
Mar 11, 2024
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

View entire list <https://connecticut.csteachers.org/Events>

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*Our Meeting Calendar*

*February Chapter Meeting
<https://connecticut.csteachers.org/events/february24-chapter-meeting/>* -
Virtual
Date & Time: Monday the 12th | 7-8 pm
✔ Agenda
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1R7nGDlNBboFyYwS8o4KlZVASrTtjwHwVjVKYs9iq-ts/edit>
 📅Calendar Entry
<https://calendar.google.com/calendar/event?action=TEMPLATE&tmeid=MDhpbG11NjM2Z3FtanRydWZtNXZla3BqMjMgY29ubmVjdGljdXRAY3N0YS1ocS5vcmc&tmsrc=connecticut%40csta-hq.org>
(click me to add me to your calendar!)
*Praxis Subject Area*:  Programming

*March Chapter Meeting
<https://connecticut.csteachers.org/events/march-chapter-meeting/>* -
Virtual
Date & Time: Monday the 11th | 7-8 pm
✔ Agenda
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Sd5X5NrP7PaDIr8W60Nk3rB3hSgI8_MOGf-MljyucHE/edit>
 📅Calendar Entry
<https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/r/eventedit/copy/MjUzaWVlMDgzNWRmNThtZzYxYjJva3IxZDMgY29ubmVjdGljdXRAY3N0YS1ocS5vcmc/a2luZWxkQGdsYXN0b25idXJ5dXMub3Jn>
(click me to add me to your calendar!)
*Praxis Subject Area*:  Impacts of Computing

*April Chapter Meeting
<https://connecticut.csteachers.org/events/april24-chapter-meeting/>* - *In
Person, Location TBD*
Date & Time: Thursday the 18th | 6-7 pm
📅Calendar Entry
<https://calendar.google.com/calendar/event?action=TEMPLATE&tmeid=MXN1aHRuYzY3MzVkM3NoY2VjaGgwNzRxczUgY29ubmVjdGljdXRAY3N0YS1ocS5vcmc&tmsrc=connecticut%40csta-hq.org>
(click me to add me to your calendar!)

*May Chapter Meeting
<https://connecticut.csteachers.org/events/may24-chapter-meeting/>* -
Virtual
Date & Time: Monday the 11th | 7-8 pm
✔ Agenda
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h9AU8o952_7v1_0CBh6gxoBf1dCWF5ZdkoiQy7L8DQo/edit?usp=sharing>
 📅Calendar Entry
<https://calendar.google.com/calendar/event?action=TEMPLATE&tmeid=NHZkN2d0bHRib2RxOHBqMDVkMWk0MDRvcG0gY29ubmVjdGljdXRAY3N0YS1ocS5vcmc&tmsrc=connecticut%40csta-hq.org>
(click me to add me to your calendar!)
*Praxis Subject Area*:  Review of most needed areas.

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*Remember, your Connecticut Computer Science Teacher's Association loves
you! Thanks for everything you do!*

>From CSTA NE 2023:
*From Left to Right (Shawn Draczynski Tobin, Dana Kinel, Christopher Kerr,
Jonathan the Husky, Jackie Corricelli, and Jamie Lang)*
This email was sent to Barbara Johnson by Your Board
CSTA Connecticut

© MemberNova 2002—2024. All rights reserved.


-- 
*Barbara Johnson*
*Instructional Technology Coordinator*
Colchester Public Schools

-- 
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