EL Summit 2016
Presenters
Bridgeport Public Schools Interim Superintendent
Frances M. Rabinowitz is the Interim Superintendent of the Bridgeport Public Schools (BPS). Prior to joining the Bridgeport Public Schools this past March, Fran served as Superintendent of the Hamden School District since 2007. From 2003 to 2007, Fran worked as Associate Commissioner in the Division of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment for the Connecticut State Department of Education. From 2002 to 2003, she served as the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Chief of the Bureau of Curriculum and Instruction. Prior to that role, Fran worked for 29 years with the Bridgeport Public Schools, where she held various posts including: Interim Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, Director of Evaluation and Research, Testing Assistant, and Teacher. She received her Bachelor of Arts and Certification in Elementary Education from Sacred Heart University, and her Master of Arts in Counseling and Guidance, as well as her Sixth Year Studies and Intermediate Certification in Administration and Supervision from Fairfield University.
Director of Bilingual Education & World Languages in Bridgeport, CT
Ana Sousa-Martins has over 20 years of experience in the field of education. She is the Director of Bilingual Education and World Languages for the Bridgeport Public Schools for K-12. She holds a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Southern CT State University, an M.A.T. in Elementary Education from Sacred Heart University, a Sixth Year in Bilingual Education and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Fairfield University and a certification as a Literacy Specialist and Educational Leadership from Sacred Heart University.
She has conducted many workshops on a variety of topics that include curriculum, instructional strategies and assessment, Professional Learning Communities, SRBI, Data Teams and Data Driven Decision-Making. Her quest for educational challenges have led to involvement in many committees and task forces as well as an adjunct professor at Sacred Heart University.
She has received the following awards: Milken Educator Award, Bridgeport Teacher of the Year, and BPEF Outstanding Teacher Award.
Key Note Speaker
CAS Assistant Executive Director & Executive Coaching Program Director
Marie Salazar Glowski recently joined the CAS central office. She graduated from Latin American Institute and became a foreign export correspondent for a medical company in Manhattan. After moving to CT, she earned an Associates in Mental Health, a Bachelor's in Psychology, Masters in Special Education, 6th year in Educational Leadership and the Superintendent Certificate. She also has TESOL Adult Education Certification. As a special education teacher, she has taught at all levels. In the New London Public Schools, Marie served as principal of their facility for the multi-handicapped and then, principal of the early childhood facility and then became the Director of Special Services. After 11 years in New London, she was appointed as the Assistant Superintendent of Special Services in the Hartford Public Schools.
Marie has served as adjunct faculty at Middlesex Community College and Southern Connecticut State University. She is a member of the Regional Education Lab and Northeast Islands, Education Development Center Governing Board, the Alternative Route to Certification for English Language Learners (ARCTELL) Executive Board and the ConnTESOL Executive Board.
For the past 11 years, Marie has worked at the CT State Department of Education as the English as a Second Language – Bilingual Program Education Consultant. As a member of the Council of Chief State School Officers and communication with the United States Department of Education and her colleagues throughout the country, she has brought up to date guidance to the state and districts in CT. Her experience in supervision and evaluation and passion for supporting all students with a particular focus on special education students and English Learners has brought her to CAS. She is eager to work with coaches and principals bringing her background and specialized lens to their trainings.
Mayra Medina
Mayra Medina has been teaching at the Bridgeport Public School System for 25 years. She was an English Language Learner as an early elementary student in Bridgeport and is currently an ESL teacher at Barnum Elementary School. Mayra Medina has a Bachelor's Degree from Scared Heart University and received a Master's Degree and 6th year credits from Southern CT State University and Fairfield University. Mayra is a committed teacher and an active community member.
Luz Butler
Luz S Butler received an undergraduate degree from Connecticut College and a Masters in Bilingual Education from Fairfield University. For eleven years, she taught bilingual education in Bridgeport for grades 3-6. She was also a Mathematics Coach for 9 years in various schools in Bridgeport. She rejoined the Bilingual Education Department in 2010 as the EL Assessment and Data Specialist.
Sessions: Research-Based Instructional Strategies for English Learners (ELs)
Grade leves: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Leslie Perez
Leslie Perez is originally from Peru, has been teaching Spanish for 6 years in CT and is currently teaching Spanish at Cesar A. Batalla in Bridgeport. She also tutors students in different subjects in their native language (Spanish) after school. Ms. Perez has a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Education from SCSU and also has a Master’s degree in TESOL from Fairfield University.
Sara Marr
Sara Marr is an English as a Second Language teacher at Cesar A. Batalla School. She has been teaching in Bridgeport for five years and has worked with English Learners (ELs) from kindergarten through eighth grade in both mainstream and bilingual classroom settings. Sara strives to work with the teachers in her building to develop collaborative relationships in order to facilitate her students' language acquisition. She received her Master’s Degree in TESOL from Fairfield University and is currently pursuing her Intermediate Administrator Certification at Sacred Heart University.
Dana DeNomme
Dana DeNomme has been working in the Bridgeport Public Schools System for the past 13 years. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelors of Arts in Spanish and a Minor in Education. She also received her Masters degree in TESOL and Childhood Education. Dana has worked as an English Learner (EL) Teacher and as an ESL Curriculum Specialist. Dana is currently teaching ESL in grades 2-5 at Geraldine Johnson School three days a week. There, she advocates for all ELs at the School Leadership Data Team, the School Improvement Plan team as well as the SRBI team. She also serves as a TEAM Mentor. When she isn't teaching at Johnson, she is assessing and assisting with program placements for ELs at non-bilingual schools throughout the district. Both facets of her job are immensely enjoyed as she loves working with both students and teachers.
Sara Koch-Aquino
Sara Koch-Aquino has been working with ELs for 8 years, where she started teaching in adult education. After getting her Master's degree in TESOL from Fairfield University, she worked in elementary schools in Stamford. She's currently a bilingual first grade teacher at Johnson School in Bridgeport, CT.
Martha Soto
Martha Soto has been working in the Bridgeport Public Schools system for 17 years. She has been a Spanish bilingual classroom teacher for grades 1-3 in Columbus School, Elias Howe, and Cesar Batalla School. Martha holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a Master's Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Bridgeport, and a 6th year degree in Bilingual Education from Fairfield University. Martha is looking forward to her new position as an ESL teacher in Cesar Batalla School.
Session:
How to Effectively Differentiate a Lesson:
Simple Strategies for Struggling Students and Keeping your Advanced Students Engaged
Layla Intellisano
Ms. Layla Intellisano is a K-8 ESOL Teacher for the Bridgeport Public Schools. She earned her Master’s degree in Teaching from Sacred Heart University and her cross-endorsement in TESOL from Fairfield University. She began her teaching career in Adult TESOL in 1998 and upon her endorsement completion began teaching K-8 TESOL. She served as the PBIS Coach and CommPACT Facilitator at the district and school level, in partnership with the University of Connecticut, Storrs and is a trained Teacher Mentor for the Bridgeport Public Schools. She provides professional development at the national, district, and school level in areas of ELL Policy & Procedure, ELL Advocacy, Standards Based Instruction, and Second Language Acquisition. Ms. Intellisano currently serves as ELL PD Trainer for the National Education Association, Washington, DC