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Students, teachers push Newington to formalize 'Educators Rising' pathway to grow local teachers
Summary
High school teachers and students told the Newington Board of Education they want to formalize an Educators Rising pathway that would let students earn early college credits and career experience to address teacher shortages; the board asked staff to prepare a fall plans proposal.
Elsa Batista, a Spanish teacher at Newington High School, and student leaders urged the Newington Board of Education on Wednesday to formalize an Educators Rising academy that would create a local pathway into teaching.
The presentation, given by Batista and students including Katherine “Kasha” Dapoli, Isabella Palano and Thomas Denapoli, described a rapidly growing club that expanded from two to 11 students this year, competed at regional conferences and seeks to convert the extracurricular chapter into a pathway of courses that would offer Early College Experience (ECE) credits and a capstone teaching experience.
Board members pressed presenters on staffing, credit articulation with partner institutions and the timeline for implementation. The district’s director of talent said the Ed Rising curriculum is currently licensed through PDK/Ed Rising and the district is preparing to adapt that curriculum locally and to secure agreements with regional colleges so ECE credits will transfer. The director said consolidating existing courses could keep initial costs low and that a formal plans proposal will be submitted in the fall.
Why it matters: Newington’s presentation aims to address a statewide shortage of teachers by creating a local “grow‑your‑own” pipeline. Students told the board the pathway would provide hands‑on experience, leadership development and scholarship opportunities; presenters noted existing competitions and partnerships with colleges such as CCSU and Southern.
The board did not vote on the proposal. Several members praised the student presenters and asked staff to return with a plans proposal that specifies course sequencing, FTE implications and college credit agreements. Batista said she and student leaders will submit plans this autumn and asked the board for “visible support” as they build curriculum and partnerships.
The district’s immediate next step is a fall plans proposal that staff said would outline costs, staffing impact, required course approvals and potential funding sources. Board members signaled support for expedited implementation if the board approves the plan and provides additional staff time.
Quoted: “Our goal is to create a pathway like biomed and business,” Batista said, urging the board to help the club move from extracurricular to curricular offerings. Student leader Kasha Dapoli said the program “opened my eyes” to teaching and that ECE credits would let students pursue education careers earlier.
What’s next: Staff will prepare a detailed plans proposal for the board to consider in the fall; if approved, the district will pursue curriculum agreements with partner colleges and integrate the pathway into the high‑school schedule.
