It was a wonderful evening at the Torrington Country Club on June 9. Both the Litchfield Hills Chapter and the Southern CT State Chapter joined together to initiate new members, install new officers and celebrate the exciting changes coming to PDK! Both chapters announced scholarship winners. These scholarships support prospective educators in our area. Pictured from L-R, Dr. Dominick Vita, who highlighted the new responsibilities of PDK. Dr. Vita is the new Field Representative for the East Coast (CT to Fl, Central America, Carribean). Carol Mikulski will take over as president of the Southern CT State Univ. Chapter while Peter Boppert becomes the Area Director for CT and RI.

While our scholarship winner could not attend our dinner, we were able to celebrate the achievements of Colleen Traub with her grandparents, Dick and Barbara Traub! Colleen is very accomplished indeed! Placing 1st out of a class of 179 with a 4.0 GPA (weighted for honors classes), she was the perfect choice for this award. In addition to being vice president of the Honor Society and the captain of her swim team, Colleen was on Student Council and Math Team. She was also involved in Junior Achievement, worked with 2nd graders and has volunteered at a summer camp for inner city families. The last experience touched her greatly and inspired her to become a teacher. Best wishes to Colleen as she attends Marywood University in Scranton, PA in the fall!!

On April 27, 2010, members from our chapter and guests gathered at the First and Last Tavern in Avon, CT. Mary Anne Butler, from the State Department of Education, did a terrific job presenting an eager audience with up to date information regarding SRBI! It was a wonderful opportunity for members to learn more about this initiative.

Kappans from across CT enjoyed the unique opportunity to tour the new CT Science Center in Hartford on November 21, 2009. Feedback was only positive as members participated in many fun activities! The center is located at 250 Columbus Blvd in Hartford and has an incredible website that is packed with great information! Visit www.ctsciencecenter.org for everything you need to know about your outing to the center! This is just one more example of the interesting opportunities that PDK members have! We hope that 2010 brings YOU to a Litchfield PDK meeting or event!

At the Saltwater Grille in Litchfield, on October 27, 2009, members of the Litchfield Hills Chapter of PDK enjoyed and evening of fine dining and discussion. Returning for a follow up to their popular presentation, Buffie Clarke and Fran Goodsell provided more information regarding the AimsWeb program and how it can be utilized to address SRBI in schools. Using a Powerpoint presentation, Ms. Clarke (a special educator at Cornwall Consolidated School) and Mrs. Goodsell (school psychologist at Salsibury Central School)shared information regarding their progress in their respective Region One schools. They discussed how probes are used and managed, while positively affecting instruction. Both fielded a variety of questions before the group enjoyed a delicious dinner. We look forward to learning how Region One progresses!

At Bogeys, at the Yankee Pedlar in Torrington, CT, CEA Rep and retirement guru Robyn Kaplan Cho shared information regarding teachers retirement plans. She presented insight into issues currently affecting funding and policy while also providing valuable handouts filled with things we need to know regarding this hot topic! In addition, Ms. Kaplan Cho fielded questions from the enthusiastic group! Lively discussion at dinner followed. Guests donated non-perishable food items that were brought to the Torrington Chapter of FISH. Thank you to Ms. Kaplan Cho for a wonderful presentation and our appreciation to all of those who brought food items for donation!!

What a terrific night at the Torrington Country Club! During a joint meeting between the Litchfield Hills Chapter and the PDK chapter from Southern Connecticut State University, both groups initiated new members and installed officers for the 2009-10 year. The Litchfield Hills Chapter also presented the Joy D. Rice Book Award to Katherine Bucaccio, now graduate of Torrington High School. Please check out our "Past Events" Section for more pix and info from that night!!

Katherine Bucaccio is not only a super student but is now the recipient of the Joy D. Rice Book Award! A member of the Chamber Choir, National Honor Society and Model United Nations Club, Katherine has received many academic awards. She is an incredible young person and a worthy recipient of this award. Proud parents are PDK member Mary and her husband Michael.

Sponsored by member Dotty Bates, Keri Snowden joins PDK while teaching at Booth Free School. She and her husband, project manager Todd, live in Northfield with their two children Meredith, age 9 and Roxanne, age 7. In addition to singing and reading, Keri enjoys running.

Sponsored by member Susan Hackel, Christy Keefe is a reading tutor at SNIS in New Milford. Christy lives in Southbury with her husband Michael, who is retired (from the health care field). They have two children, Katherine (24) and Timothy (22). In addition to crafting, which includes knitting and quilting, Christy enoys the outdoors. Notably, she is active in, and her work has been recognized by, the Girl Scouts of America.

Remedial Math and Science Teacher Susan Bayer and Retired Early Childhood Coordinator Nancy Dyer were initiated into the Litchfield Hills Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa. Susan lives in Canaan with her husband, high school teacher Deron. She enjoys canoeing and painting. Riverton resident Nancy lives with her husband, who is in administration, Tom. Her 24 yr old daughter Samantha is a teacher and artist in DC, while her 23 yr old son John is in the US Army, currently training in special operations to become a Green Beret. Family comes first for Nancy, but she also enjoys gardening, biking and hiking. Both new members were sponsored by Carole McGuire.

A small group of hearty participants met at the White Memorial in Litchfield on a rainy Cinco de Mayo! We explored one of the many nature trails at the park, walking through beautiful forest area, past lovely ponds and streams. Despite the weather, spirits remained high and $750.00 was raised for our scholarship fund! Thank you to all of our donors!

Members and guests gathered to hear more about this interesting program that determines RTI (Response to Intervention. Mary Bush, special education teacher, Fran Goodsell, school psychologist (both at Salisbury Central School) and their colleague Elizabeth Clarke, special education teacher at Cornwall Consolidated, presented their real life experiences with Aimsweb. Aimsweb is a �process monitoring system based on direct, frequent and continuous student assessment. The results are reported to students, parents, teachers and administrators via a web-based data management and reporting system to determine RTI (Response To Intervention)". This talented trio of educators shared their thoughts regarding the program. In their experience, it is easy to use, targets important skills while being quick and efficient. Most importantly, though, they are receiving positive feedback from their colleagues who are helping to obtain the data. In return, they are providing teachers will ways to analyze the data, which can be shown in various charts and graphs. The very interested audience asked many questions and we are all looking forward to more information on this very hot topic! Pictured L-R, Mary Bush, Fran Goodsell and Elizabeth Clarke.

On a chilly evening in Kent, CT, the Litchfield PDK members welcomed Perri Murdica, an educational consultant for the Connecticut Department of Education in the Bureau of Special Education. Ms. Murdica provided a very interested audience with an overview of Scientific Research Based Interventions (SRBI) Connecticut's Framework for Response to Intervention (RTI). Based upon her experience on both the state leadership team for SRBI and the state advisory panel, convened by the Associate Commissioner, she answered questions and lead an exciting discussion regarding the state's current and future plans. Perri's other work at the Department includes early literacy, inclusive practicies, and paraprofessionals. Pictured: Our president Ed O'Connell welcomes Perri Murdica to Doc's Trattoria in Kent, CT.

On a Tuesday evening in October, members gathered at the quaint Miranda Vineyards ready to sample wine and light refreshments. Guests were treated to musical, jazzy delights provided by our very own Dr. Dominick Vita and his duo, Dolce Vita. The pleasant surroundings and music provided a lovely backdrop for networking and catching up. Patrice McCarthy, Associate Executive Director and General Counsel of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education was able to share some of the work that the state has been doing, particularly in the area of high school reform. She touched upon changes in the state mandates concerning cerification, the BEST program and in-school suspension. Our knowledgeable guest answered questions and provided more insight into upcoming changes and proposals. It was a very informative and enjoyable evening!

The Litchfield Hills, CT Chapter of PDK shook things up a little with an amazing cooking class on the calendar! Members and friends were able to watch and cook with Torrington chef Jill Nicolson. Participants were then able to indulge in wonderful delights including cucumber rounds with dill sauce and lemon pepper, a fabulous salad featuring butter lettuce topped with a pomegranate dressing, chicken scallopini and a chocolate torte that everyone is still talking about!! A fantastic part of this evening was hearing how Chef Jill is teaching students in our local schools! Her enthusiasm for her craft showed us how great she must be at working with children, teaching them how to make all kinds of terrific treats! It was a super night!

The Litchfield Hills Chapter of PDK celebrated the end of another school year at the Torrington Country Club on June 3. The chapter welcomed special guests Frank H. Nappi, Jr., Region H Representative, and his lovely wife Sandy. It was a pleasure to have them with us on such a special night!

Our busy evening began with the presentation of the Joy D. Rice Book Award by Treasurer Ron Dower and Ralph Nigra, husband of the late Joy D. Rice. From Lewis S. Mills High School, Amy Symonds was this year's recipient. Amy, a member of the National Honor Society, attended the event with her parents (pictured: Amy is 2nd from right flanked by her parents; Ron Dower is far left). Amy has an impressive resume of both school and community work. She will attend UCONN in the fall. We wish her the best of luck!

The chapter also initiated a new member, Mary Bucaccio sponsored by member Dotty Bates. Mary is a fourth grade teacher in Farmington! We are happy to welcome her into the membership!

Finally, the evening was capped off with the installation of new officers for 2008-9. While many faces remained the same, Carole McGuire formally stepped down from the executive board, though she always will have an open invitation for any participation! Renee Walsh joined the committee and will work on special projects in the coming year.

It was a wonderful evening that was filled with recognition of the past and the future. We look ahead to the coming year with renewed energy and bright expectations!

On a lovely April evening, the Litchfield Hills, CT Chapter of PDK met at Brandywine in Litchfield. Carol Mikulski, Special Projects and Co-CML for CT, VT, NH, presented the findings of the most recent PDK gallop poll. The discussion focused on the controversial "No Child Left Behind" Act and how Americans feel about the current state of education in our country. A complete summary of results and more information regarding the 39th PDK Gallup Poll can be found on www.pdkintl.org. In fact, a complete directory of past gallup poll results is available in their archives. We encourage you to learn more about this very interesting process. In the picture above, Carol Mikulski catches up with Ron Dower, Treasurer.

On a chilly night in Bethlehem, CT, PDK members gathered at the Painted Pony restaurant to learn more about sensory integration. Debbie Pitcher, O.T.R. is an occupational therapist currently working in Region #1. Based upon her 20 years of experience, Mrs. Pitcher defined sensory integration, identified behaviors of children who may have difficulties and outlined several practical strategies for teacher use in the classroom. She also highlighted a variety of products that would increase student focus, attention and comfort at school and at home. Attendees were able to experience many products firsthand, while asking more specific questions related to children they would like to help. It was a wonderful and enlightening evening for all!

On October 30, at the quaint Black Rock Tavern in Thomaston, CT, the Litchfield Hills Chapter of PDK was moved by a presentation given by Lee Kellogg art teacher, Chris Hanley. She described her experiences while visiting northern Africa, touring a variety of schools. Her goal was "to create a cultural bridge-building experience between students from the northwest corner of CT and the students in a remote, poor part of Africa". In fact, Ms. Hanley ended up doing far more than that! She took it upon herself to increase security for the school, while spearheading an effort to build a library and provide much needed supplies to the school of 97 students ages 6-15. Her group has hired a nurse, librarian and a library assistant. Clearly, they have proved that we can make a big difference in the lives of those less fortunate. They continue to look for new ways to help the students. If you would like to support this worthwhile goal, check out their website: www.mekeleblindschool.org.

On a beautiful September day, an enthusiastic group of walkers embarked on our 3rd Annual PDK Walk for Education. The event was held at a community track in Litchfield, not far from President Ed O'Connell's home. After several laps around the track, the group retreated to Ed O'Connell's house for refreshments. Donations have been tallied and a total of $817 was raised this year! 60% of all monies raised will come back to the chapter and help fund our Joy D. Rice Book Award. The remaining donations go to PDK International to fund educational initiatives around the world. Thank you to all who participated!

The Litchfield Hills, CT Chapter of PDK met "under the rainbow" at the Torrington Country Club on Tuesday, May 15. It was a fantastic evening of awards and celebration! The evening's honorees included our Joy D. Rice Book Award winner Britney Kaminsky, Scholarship winner Daniel Robinson, new initiates: Renee Walsh, Suzi Kinabrew, Wayne Kukucka and Kristen Vagnini. However, the evening belonged to charter member, Joanne Hausmann, who received the chapter's prestigious Service Key Award for her long time dedication and service to the chapter. Here, Joanne (Center) is pictured with President Ed O'Connell and VP of Membership, Carole McGuire.

Kicking off the Spring season, PDK members gathered at Wasabi, a Japanese restaurant in Kent, CT. Speakers Bill Jassey and Robin Rosenfield shared their experiences in Taiwan and China, respectively. Mr. Jassey is the Director of the International Degree Program at the University of Bridgeport. He was able to share information and enlightening stories about education in Taiwan and about Taiwanese students. Ms. Rosenfield teaches first grade at Center School in Litchfield, CT. Her experiences at the International School in Nanjing, China gave her the ability to provide us with insights into the differences between Asian and Western students and families. Both dinner and presentations were fabulous!

Member Ann Perrault has earned her Doctorate by researching the connection between the process of concept mapping and school bullying. On Tuesday, November 28 at Crystal Peak in Winchester, CT, chapter members and guests gathered to hear more about this interesting connection. Dr. Perrault presented a powerpoint that detailed the methods used in her research study and also the interesting outcomes. To find out more details and specifics from the study, feel free to contact Dr. Perrault at per5fam@yahoo.com.

On a chilly afternoon in October, our third annual PDK Walk for Education took a historic turn with a walking tour of Litchfield. The enthusiastic group of just about 20 braved the cold to explore the rich history of Litchfield. A warmer reception at the Litchfield Historical Society followed, where members could tour the facility and enjoy the many exhibits. Through generous donations, walkers raised $900! A portion of funds will go to PDK International while the majority will fund our Joy D. Rice Book Award! Thank you to all who walked and made donations!