CES Foundation donates to pair in TRP program
The CES Foundation awarded two $3,000 awards to participants in the Connecticut Teacher Residency Program (TRP) to help cover the supplemental costs associated with their efforts to become certified teachers. The news was announced Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2021, during a meeting of the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
The recipients of the Foundation’s awards are:
- Denise Estemil, who is spending this school year working in a first-grade classroom at Six to Six Magnet School with mentor teacher Carrie Evans. Six to Six is a Cooperative Educational Services School.
- Devan Jones, who is working with mentor teacher Marilyn Schlosser in second-grade at Northeast Elementary School in Stamford.
 |
 |
| Denise Estemil | Devan Jones |
“You have both been selected for your passion for teaching, humility and long term service to the district you are serving,” TRP Director Marlene Megos wrote to them in a congratulatory email.
Denise and Devan were selected for the awards by CES Executive Director Dr. Charles Dumais and Foundation President Dr. Nancy Cetorelli.
“The CES Foundation is pleased to support the TRP program,” Cetorelli said. “It is so critical for all students to have access to quality teaching from a diverse teaching force. The number of applications for this program shows that the talent and willingness is there. And with some financial assistance, many people can achieve a valued goal.”
Denise and Devan are part of a cohort of nine people in TRP this school year. The program was created in 2019, with approval from the state’s Department of Education, to increase the number of teachers of color in Connecticut’s schools. The group began by taking classes in the summer and then moving into residency spots with classroom mentors in CES, Darien, Fairfield, Stamford, and Westport schools.
TRP eliminates typical barriers to certification for teachers of color, such as the high cost of graduate school tuition, standardized test requirements, and inadequate preparation. After enrolling, the candidates go through 18 months of the TRP program that consists of:
- The six-week intensive summer training led by practicing professionals;
- A year of residency in a school that allows them to gain experience working with a mentor teacher, while also taking courses at night;
- Six weeks of training next summer.
After that, the teacher trainees are eligible to seek certification from the state. Once certified, they will spend at least three years working in the district that sponsored them throughout the training process, while continuing to have access to TRP’s professional development opportunities.
While this year’s group is on a path to become elementary school teachers, the TRP program is expected to add more certification areas, such as STEM and special education, and expand to offer more training locations, Megos said.
In addition to funding from the partner school districts, support for TRP has been provided by the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation, NewSchools Venture Fund, Black Educators Initiative, and the CES Foundation.
TRP first began training teachers at CREC, the Regional Educational Service Center based in Hartford, in 2019. This summer was the first time the program expanded to three other RESCs, including CES. Enrollment for the next class opens in November and classes will begin in June 2022.
For more information about TRP, visit www.ct-trp.org or visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/trpct.
CES Executive Director Dr. Charles Dumais
with TRP participant Denise Estemil.
Devan Jones and his mentor teacher Marilyn Schlosser.