National Immunization Month Concludes as School Year Begins

National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is an annual observance held in August to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages, and communities throughout Connecticut are responding with local initiatives aimed at increasing public awareness and understanding. NIAM was established to encourage people of all ages to make sure they are up to date on the vaccines recommended for them. Communities nationwide – including in Connecticut - have continued to use the month each year to raise awareness about the important role vaccines play in preventing serious, sometimes deadly, diseases.

NPHIC, in collaboration with CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, developed information focusing on various age populations, including Babies and young children (July 31-August 6); Pregnant women (August 7-13); Adults (August 14-20); Preteen/Teen (August 21-27); Back to School (July/August).

Among the Connecticut communities participating through the end of the month are Bridgeport, Danbury, Hartford, Naugatuck Valley, New Britain, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford, Torrington, Waterbury and West Haven.  In West Haven on Thursday, for example, there will be an information table at the West Haven Farmer’s Market.  That same day in New Haven, immunization coordinators will be on hand at the New Haven Health Department offices. Other communities have been utilizing social media, meeting with parents and students to assist with immunization information at the start of the school year, providing explanatory materials and making health department staff available for public information sessions.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) explains that most vaccine-preventable diseases are caused by germs that are called viruses or bacteria. Vaccines to help prevent these diseases generally contain weakened or killed viruses or bacteria specific to the disease. Vaccines help your body recognize and fight these germs and protect you each time you come in contact with someone who is sick with any of these diseases.

There are a series of steps that your body goes through to develop immunity through vaccination, the DPH website explains:

• a vaccine is given by a shot (influenza vaccine may be given by a nasal spray and rotavirus vaccine is given by mouth).
• over the next few weeks your body makes antibodies and memory cells against the weakened or dead germs in the vaccine.
• the antibodies can fight the real disease germs if you are exposed to the germs and they invade your body. The antibodies will help destroy the germs and you will not become ill.
• antibodies and memory cells stay on guard in your body for years after vaccination to safeguard you from the real disease germs.

The Connecticut Vaccine Program is Connecticut’s childhood vaccination program. It ensures all children in the state get the vaccinations they need, when they need them, to stay healthy. The state buys vaccine at the lowest possible price through a government contract, and gives the vaccines at no cost to clinics, private doctors, and other health care providers. These providers then vaccinate children without charging patients for the cost of the vaccine (health care providers may still charge an administration fee). Without this program, some insurance companies may not cover the full cost of vaccine, making it too expensive for some families.  There are hundreds of health care providers enrolled in the Connecticut Vaccine Program (CVP) throughout the state, according to the department.

Most vaccines are given to babies and young children, DPH points out, but “some are needed throughout your lifetime to make sure you stay protected. This protection is called immunity. Vaccines are an important and safe way to keep you healthy.”

Stamford Taking Strides to Respond to Student Mental Health Concerns; Research Recommendations Lead to Progress

Stamford Public Schools, acting on recommendations developed by the Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut (CHDI), is making strides in addressing students mental health needs that may provide effective approaches for schools systems in Connecticut and nationwide that are looking to better address mental health issues, especially in light of increased public attention on issues from suicide prevention to trauma response. “While appreciating that the schools’ primary role is to educate children, many districts such as Stamford are increasingly seeking ways to address behavioral health concerns as an important way of supporting academic achievement, school climate and overall well-being,” said Dr. Jeana Bracey, Director of School Community Initiatives at CHDI.

Results reported in an Issue Brief published by CHDI highlight some of the measurable “improved outcomes” in Stamford Public Schools following an intensive study and systemic recommendations for what is described as a “trauma-informed model for school mental health”:

• Data from 76 Stamford students who completed specific programs in FY 17 and 31 students in FY 16, showed significant reductions in PTSD symptoms and problem severity symptoms.
• Feedback from parents and teachers indicate a decrease in the severity of behavioral concerns in the classrooms and at home.
• School personnel report important changes in culture and climate that reflect an understanding of trauma, how it impacts students, and how to better address students’ needs using supportive and restorative approaches, rather than punitive measures.

The review of Stamford’s mental health services and supports for K-12 students, initiated in 2014   following a series of student suicides and an increase in the number of students experiencing suicidal thoughts and hospitalization, included an examination of the behavioral health needs of students, as well as the districts’ strengths and areas of concern in addressing these needs.  The process included focus groups and interviews and led to recommendations for improving Stamford’s school-based and school-linked mental health services and supports in four priority areas initially:

• Ensuring Sufficient Clinical Staff Capacity
• Providing Professional Development in Mental Health
• Engaging in Mental Health Planning and Oversight
• Promoting Data Collection and Evaluation

In the 2 ½ years since CHDI began to work with Stamford, the local school district has expanded the number of evidence-based services for students from zero to four, implemented district-wide trauma and behavioral health training and supports for staff, and collaborated to build internal capacity and integrate community and state resources and services for students.

Overall, officials report positive feedback from parents, teachers and other school personnel to the changes, and their impact on students and the school communities.

The Issue Brief notes that “Lessons learned in Stamford can help guide other districts seeking to improve their mental health services and supports.”  Among the recommendations to achieve a system “that is more responsive to the needs of their students,” are a commitment from district administrators and school board members, a comprehensive needs assessment, an examination of public and private funding sources, a blending of school-based and community-based services, establishment of peer groups to support mental health staff, and creating small pilot projects that would provide information that would inform subsequent efforts.

In Stamford, CHDI assisted in training school social workers and psychologists to deliver Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS), a school-based group intervention for grades 5-12, and its counterpart for younger elementary school children, Bounceback.  CBITS began in July 2015 and has been used in 46 schools across the state, reaching more than 800 students.  The results in Stamford mirrored those in other communities utilizing the approach; it has been shown to reduce PTSD and depression symptoms and psychosocial dysfunction in children who have experienced trauma.

Significantly, of the children who likely met the criteria for PTSD prior to treatment, approximately half of them no longer met the criteria for PTSD after 10 sessions of CBITS/Bounce Back.

The Child Health and Development Institute (CHDI)’s goal is to improve the health and well-being of Connecticut’s children by building stronger and more effective health and mental health systems that result in better outcomes for all children in Connecticut, especially the underserved.  The organization pursues these objectives with research, evaluation, training and technical assistance and support for demonstration projects that inform system change.

CT Educator Named to Key Post in International Dyslexia Organization

The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) has named Fairfield University’s director of Reading and Language Development, Jule McCombes-Tolis, PhD, as the organization’s new chief academic officer for Educator Training Initiatives.  McCombes-Tolis will continue to serve as director of the Reading and Language Development program at Fairfield as she takes on new responsibilities with the IDA. The mission of the IDA is to support individuals who struggle with dyslexia and other related reading differences around the world. The 63-year-old organization provides current and reliable research to educate families and professionals about dyslexia, and to identify policy changes needed to deliver effective instruction to all students. 

Dr. McCombes-Tolis has been an advocate for student literacy growth throughout her career, including faculty positions at University of Saint Joseph (USJ) and Fairfield University. In addition to holding credentials in both special education and remedial reading, she has served families and school districts across the state of Connecticut - from Bloomfield to Norwalk - as an independent educational evaluator specializing in the identification and remediation of reading disorders. That dual expertise is essential, she explained, as she helps special and general education teachers better understand the literacy needs of diverse student populations.

“IDA’s Educator Training Initiative strives to ensure that all students have access to classroom teachers who are knowledgeable about the principles and practices of structured literacy, and that students who require additional practice — or who require individualized remediation — have access to nationally credentialed specialists who have proven, through their supervised clinical training experiences, that they are able to positively and meaningfully impact students’ reading outcomes," said Dr. McCombes-Tolis.

The National Institutes of Health estimates that between six to 17 percent of school-age children have some form of dyslexia, although not all of those students have been identified by their schools.

"Dr. McCombes-Tolis brings not only her significant expertise, but also her visible passion for assuring that teachers across our country and globally have better tools to recognize, understand, and reach students with dyslexia and other reading differences," said Rick Smith, chief executive officer of the IDA.

With academic degrees from the University of Connecticut (Ph.D.) and Southern Connecticut State University (Sixth-Year Degree) and university teaching experience at USJ prior to joining the faculty at Fairfield, McCombes-Tolis has provided expert testimony at the State Capitol, collaborating with the Commission on Children to advocate for policy geared toward reducing the achievement gap, and has served on several key state advisory panels.

In a previous interview, she emphasized, “all of my professional endeavors are focused on helping to ensure that future and current educators are provided with the necessary training and supports to serve the ever-changing needs of children, their families, and their communities.”

Recently, McCombes-Tolis partnered with Norwalk’s Superintendent of Schools (and former Hartford Superintendant) Steven Adamowski on a grant to develop a summer dyslexia training program in an effort to help the district meet their teacher training and student intervention needs in the area of dyslexia. The first cohort of six Brookside Elementary School teachers is receiving training needed to earn certifications with the IDA as dyslexia practitioners.  The educators are serving 12 students this summer and will continue to work with them over the course of the next school year. In addition, five Norwalk school psychologists will receive training by Fairfield University in how to diagnose dyslexia.

Earlier this month, Dr. McCombes-Tolis presented Fairfield University’s new Remedial Reading and Remedial Language Arts Certification program to the Connecticut State Board of Education, which received unanimous approval to award the certification as a stand-alone endorsement, and in the context of both a master’s degree and a sixth-year certificate.

New School Year Approaches Without Seat Belt Requirement on School Buses

June 7 was the final day of the regular legislative session in Connecticut.  It was also the day following the signing of a new law to require seat belts on school buses – in Nevada. Gov. Brian Sandoval signed legislation, approved overwhelmingly by his state’s legislature, which requires that any new school bus purchased by a school district on or after July 1, 2019, be equipped with a shoulder-harness-type safety belt assembly for passengers.

There was no similar bill signing in Connecticut.  Legislation that would have imposed a similar requirement in Connecticut, effective in 2022, failed to get out of the Transportation Committee after a public hearing months earlier.  The new school year approaches with no requirement in Connecticut, and no change in policy on the horizon, despite years of efforts.

Nevada joins only six other states — California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York and Texas —in enacting laws requiring seat belts. In Louisiana and Texas, however, the requirements are contingent upon funds being appropriated by the state, which has yet to occur.

The Connecticut legislator leading the unsuccessful effort says cost, rather than safety, drove the result.

"While the bill did not get voted out of the Transportation Committee, it was given a public hearing and received some favorable comments from committee members,” Rep. Fred Camillo told CT by the Numbers this week.  “The main hold up continues to be funding, something that will take out of the box concepts as the state fiscal situation has not been resolved. I look forward to continuing the effort until our goal is achieved."

It has been elusive here, and elsewhere, despite a change in position by the National Highway Traffic Administration, more than a year ago.  The federal agency previously viewed school buses as safe without seat belts, because of their construction.  That changed in 2015.  Since then, as Connecticut’s Office of Legislative Research noted last year in a report to the legislature, “NHTSA has been exploring ways to make seat belts on schools buses a reality.”

The Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents testified against the measure, calling for approval to be “postponed” until a series of questions – ranging from the use of bus monitors to the cost of seat belt maintenance to district liability from unused seat belts – could be answered.

The Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE) – representing local elected school boards across the state – also voiced their opposition at the January 30 public hearing.  CABE officials expressed concern about “years of busses” that would “need to be replaced or retrofitted.”  They also noted that lap belts “would not work best for 5-year-olds and 18-year-olds alike.”  In addition, questions were raised about students who might “unclick the belt” and the liability of bus drivers if they did.

Camillo initially proposed the bill in 2011 after a Rocky Hill student was killed in a school bus crash.   earlier this year, in March, after a school bus accident in Canterbury sent five students to the hospital, public discussion on the pending proposal was renewed, but the legislature did not take action.  “This accident today is just another reminder that we really need to do something regarding this issue. We don’t want to wait for another tragedy to occur,” Camillo told the Norwich Bulletin.  Later that month, five people were injured after a crash involving a school bus in North Haven.

Federal law doesn’t require seat belts on the “big yellow school buses” that most students ride, Stateline reported earlier this year. The buses are designed to protect riders through “compartmentalization,” structural safety features such as high, energy-absorbing seat backs and closely spaced seats so children are kept snug like eggs in a carton, Stateline reporting explained.

However, published reports indicate that those features don’t necessarily protect children during side-impact crashes or high-speed rollovers because passengers don’t always remain within their seating compartment, according to the National Transportation Safety Board, which has recommended for nearly two years that three-point seat belts be included in new buses.

Over the past 10 years, NHTSA reports, 6.2% of fatal injuries in school bus related crashes were school bus occupants.

The American School Bus Council, urging people to “support the school bus,” points out that “students are about 70 times more likely to get to school safely if they ride in the school bus instead of a car.”

Jepsen Stresses CyberSecurity at Home and Business, with Settlements and Warnings

National Cyber Security Awareness Month isn’t until October, but Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen and just over a dozen of his colleagues across the country are getting a head start in warning the public about the dangers of so-called pirate websites. In televised public service announcements now airing in Connecticut, along with social media and radio psa’s, Jepsen shares hackers can infect visitors’ computers with malware and viruses that can leave consumers’ personal and financial information vulnerable.

Cyber security is a topic Jepsen has been involved with for some time.  This past March, the Attorney General announced the creation of a new department within the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General – the Privacy and Data Security Department – that works exclusively on investigations and litigation related to privacy and data security.

The new department has been responsible for all investigations involving consumer privacy and data security. It also helps to educate the public and business community about their responsibilities, which include protecting personally identifiable and sensitive data and promptly notifying affected individuals and the Office of the Attorney General when breaches do occur.

Jepsen is immediate past president of the National Association of Attorneys General (his one-year term ended in June) and has been a member of the organization’s Internet Safety/Cyber Privacy and Security Committee.

National Cyber Security Awareness Month, a month-long collaborative effort between the United States Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance, began in 2004 and is held every October. During the campaign, individuals are encouraged to take advantage of resources that can help them be safer and more secure while online.

This week, Jepsen’s office announced that Connecticut has joined with 31 other states and the District of Columbia in a $5.5 million settlement with Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and its subsidiary, Allied Property & Casualty Insurance Company, which resolves the states' investigation into a 2012 data breach that exposed sensitive personal information of 1.2 million consumers across the country. Approximately 774 Connecticut residents were impacted by the breach, the Office said. Connecticut's share of the settlement funds totals $256,559.28, which will be deposited in the state's general fund. The Connecticut Attorney General's office was a co-leader of the investigation and negotiations, along with the Offices of the Attorney General of the District of Columbia, Florida and Maryland.

In May, Jepsen announced that Connecticut joined with 46 other states and the District of Columbia in an $18.5 million settlement with the Target Corporation to resolve the states' investigation into the retail company's 2013 data breach. The settlement represented the largest multistate data breach settlement achieved to date.  That breach affected more than 41 million customer payment card accounts and contact information for more than 60 million customers. Connecticut will receive $1,012,936 from the settlement, which will be deposited in the state's General Fund.

In the new public service announcement, Jepsen stresses that “Nowadays, all of you have to worry about cybersecurity,” Jepsen tells viewers in his ad. “Hackers are always looking for new ways to break into our computers. Something as simple as visiting pirate websites can put your computer at risk.”

"State AGs often serve as the consumer protection agency for their citizens, so we appreciate the leadership they are taking in alerting consumers to the new danger that consumers face from malware and content theft websites," said Tom Galvin, Executive Director of the Digital Citizens Alliance, a consumer-focused group that looks at how to make the Internet safer. "Criminals are exploiting stolen content by baiting consumers to view videos and songs and then stealing their IDs and financial information. It should be a wake-up call for consumers."

Among the states whose Attorneys General are participating in the initiative are Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r1wMnXP9Bk&feature=youtu.be

The Connecticut Attorney General's office has previously issued a series of tips for consumers:

TIP #1: When it doubt, throw it out:

Be very cautious about clicking on a link or opening an email, social media post or tweet (or its attachment) from someone you do not know and trust, and always keep virus protection software up to date. Consumers that use Facebook or Twitter should regulate their privacy settings to ensure personal information is protected and not accessible. Also, only allow those that you know into your social network rather than those that you may not recognize.

TIP #2: Watch out for phishing emails or scams:

You may do business online with financial institutions that you know and trust, however, always keep in mind that legitimate businesses will never ask you to reply in an email with any personal information such as your Social Security number, PIN number. If you question the validity of an email you received, call the number on your credit card, bank statement, or on the financial institution's actual website (which you should find online without clicking on any links in a suspicious email).  If available, always use a safe payment option when making online purchases, such as a credit card.

TIP #3: Keep your machine clean and up to date:

Online users can reduce the risk of their computers being infected with malware by keeping antivirus software up to date and having the latest versions of apps, Web browsers and operating systems. Many but not all software programs will automatically update in order to avoid risks.  Consumers should consider turning on automatic updates when available to be sure that critical updates are not missed while waiting for manual download.

TIP #4: Help to educate your children about online safety and security:

Remind your family to limit how and with whom they share any information on line.  When made available, set privacy and security settings on accounts and web browsers used by children to your comfort level for surfing the Web and information sharing.  If your browser does not support such settings, consider using one that does.  From social media to simple internet searches, it is important to talk to children about online security before they potentially confront risks on line.   

TIP #5: Regularly change and update passwords and web keys:

If you use the Internet for banking, bill-paying or other monetary transactions, be sure to select secure, difficult-to-guess passwords and PINs, and get in the habit of changing them on a regular basis whenever possible. Consumers can also protect their personal and communications data by encrypting their own wireless Internet networks and regularly changing their wifi passwords. Try not to login into any social media accounts on a public computer and if you must, be sure to never save passwords or login information.

Ana Grace Project Establishes Partnership, New Home at CCSU

The Ana Grace Project (AGP), established to promote love, community, and connection in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, has a new home at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) in New Britain. A pilot partnership between the AGP and CCSU establishes a new base of operations for the Ana Grace Project, in addition to the blending of resources, services, and expertise, officials of both organizations have announced.

Nelba Márquez-Greene was a CCSU adjunct faculty member in 2012 when her daughter Ana Grace was killed at Sandy Hook, along with 19 other first-graders and six educators. She established The Ana Grace Project to honor her daughter’s memory and, as its executive director, she will oversee the CCSU-AGP partnership.

In announcing the partnership, CCSU President Zulma Toro said, “This arrangement will enrich our longstanding commitment to serving our communities as well as deepen our commitment to being a University of compassion. We are happy to welcome Nelba Márquez-Greene back to the CCSU family.”

“I’m looking forward to the amazing things we can do together,” says Márquez-Greene. “CCSU already has an extraordinary depth and breadth of talented, skilled people. We'll add another layer of support and love available to all.”  She is a clinical fellow of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy and has experience in private practice, as well as academic and community mental health settings. For a time she served as coordinator for Klingberg Family Therapy Center’s outpatient child and adolescent psychiatric clinic.

“By partnering with CCSU, we’ll be able to expand our vision of ensuring every student in Connecticut has access to healthy relationships and tools of self-regulation – setting them up for life long success,” Márquez-Greene explains.

Also expected is the continuation and expansion of AGP’s “Love Wins: Finish the Race” initiative hosted at CCSU for the past two years. Several hundred New Britain school children spend a day on campus with CCSU student volunteers for a taste of the college experience with the hope, says Márquez-Greene, of “instilling the belief that there is a world of possibilities awaiting them.”

Márquez-Greene will also work with the School of Education & Professional Studies to establish a Center for Social & Emotional Learning to provide education, training, and research to the campus, community, and state. Other expected collaborations include the training of CCSU undergraduate and graduate students in the Marriage & Family Therapy, Psychology, and Counseling programs in the use of social-emotional curriculum in the classroom.

Her husband, Jimmy Greene, is Coordinator of Jazz Studies and Assistant Professor of Music at Western Connecticut State University, another of the four state universities in the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system.

Greene teaches applied jazz saxophone, jazz history, jazz pedagogy, jazz improvisation, jazz theory, jazz arranging, conducts the jazz orchestra and was awarded a 2013 Outstanding Faculty Award for his efforts. A native of Hartford, Greene is considered one of the most respected saxophonists of his generation since his graduation from the Hartt School of Music in 1997. His most recent recording, Beautiful Life (Mack Avenue) is a celebration of the life of his daughter. The album features touching performances by giants like Pat Metheny, Christian McBride, Kenny Barron and Kurt Elling amongst many others.

Three Metro Regions in CT Are Among Top 30 Most Educated in the US

Three Connecticut metropolitan areas are among the top 30 “most educated cities in America,” according to a new analysis.  The Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk area ranked #12 in the nation, narrowly missing the top 10.  Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford placed 22^nd, and New Haven-Milford ranked 29^th in the ranking developed by the financial website WalletHub. The Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk region ranked fourth in the nation for the highest percentage of individuals who have earned Bachelor’s degrees and fifth in the percentage of “graduate or professional degree holders,” according to the analysis.  The New Haven area ranked second in the nation in the quality of universities.

Overall, the top 10 most educated cities were Ann Arbor, Washington DC, San Jose, Durham, Madison, Boston, Provo, San Francisco, Austin and Tallahassee, according to the analysis.

To identify the most and least educated cities in America, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 150 most populated U.S. metropolitan statistical areas, or MSAs, across two key dimensions, including “Educational Attainment” and “Quality of Education & Attainment Gap.”  Data used to create the overall ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, GreatSchools.org and U.S. News & World Report.

The Ann Arbor, MI, metro area has the highest share of bachelor’s degree holders aged 25 and older, 52.7 percent, which is 3.8 times higher than in Visalia-Porterville, CA, the metro area with the lowest at 13.8 percent.

Economic Policy Institute analysts point out that one way to strengthen an economy is to attract well-paying employers “by investing in education and increasing the number of well-educated workers.” In states where workers have the least schooling, for instance, the median wage is $15 an hour compared with $19 to $20 an hour in states where 40 percent or more of the working population hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.

A similar study by WalletHub earlier this year, comparing states, ranked Connecticut as having the fourth highest educated state population, just behind Maryland, Massachusetts and Colorado.

Play with Purpose at Two Connecticut Pre-Schools

Local school systems in Enfield and Manchester implemented a purposeful play initiative, with support from LEGO Community Fund US and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.  The results of the initiative are highlighted in a new video, which emphasizes that there’s more to play than may be apparent at first glance. Program organizers point out that “young children are naturally curious and full of life. Provided a supportive environment, they will joyfully splash, build and smash, pretend, sing, and dance.” While they are having a ton of fun, they are also making sense of the world and learning through exploration, experimentation and social interaction.

The LEGO Community Fund US has long asserted that learning through play enables children to become creative and engaged lifelong learners. In 2014, they put forward a proposal and funding to develop and test new materials to advance facilitated play in children’s homes, preschool and kindergarten. The idea is that a young child’s parents and teachers should really be facilitators of intentional play experiences.

The Hartford Foundation matched LEGO’s grant, and the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood participated with in-kind funds to create a training video, making the initiative a cross-sector effort. Laura Post, Vice President of Consumer Insights, LEGO Group, said of the collaboration, “We shared, as organizations, a passion for early childhood.”  The pilot was run in Manchester and Enfield, home of LEGO’s U.S. headquarters.

The collaborative, 17-month initiative ran from January 2015 through May 2016. During that time, participating parents and educators learned how facilitated play can support children’s cognitive, social and emotional development. Emphasis was placed on how to teach young children, not what to teach them.  The goal was to incorporate life and academic skills in a way that is fun for young children.

The Supporting Educational Success through Playful Learning workshops, that Enfield held in English and Spanish, were a catalyst for the development of a community campaign on the importance of play.

Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Shumann said the program sets students up for success in the future.  “It gives them those interpersonal skills, creative thinking skills, the problem solving skills, and certainly the communication skills that will help them enhance their learning as they get into deeper and more rigorous academics in the coming years.”

Kindergarten and pre-K teachers are receiving coaching to integrate purposeful play into all curriculum areas. Early educators participated in a series of play based workshops, and families attended play events, gaining an understanding of the value of play.

Manchester’s Supervisor of Student Development, Karen Gray, says it became “obvious how developmentally appropriate it is for children to play, and to have fun, and to smile and to laugh.”  As they did, teachers would “see them develop cognitively," although "they are not necessarily aware of the skills that they are actually developing.”

Adds Latasha Easterling-Turnquest, District Director of Manchester Public Schools’ Family Resource Centers, “Given the opportunity, a child, through play, can show you what he or she can really do.”

PHOTOS:  Jeff Shumann,  Karen Gray.

https://youtu.be/y20-G6AnIV0

Hartford Region Ranks 13th in National Fitness Ratings

The Hartford region ranks as the 13^th “fittest” metropolitan area in the nation, according to a nationwide fitness index developed by the American College of Sports Medicine.  Hartford ranked 9^th a year ago and 11^th in 2015 in the ACSM American Fitness Index, now in its tenth year. The top 10 “fittest” metropolitan areas are Minneapolis, Washington DC, San Francisco, Seattle, San Jose, Boston, Denver, Portland, Salt Lake City and San Diego. The top seven cities in the 2017 AFI are between 4-13 percentage points ahead of the rest of the pack, principally related to lower rates of smoking and cardiovascular disease deaths and higher reported physical activity, consumption of fruits and vegetables, and per capita park expenditures in their communities.

The index publication is supported by the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation.  It is a scientific snapshot of the health and fitness status at a metropolitan level using data made up of personal health, community and environmental factors.

The United States Census Bureau defines the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as containing 54 towns of Hartford County, Tolland County, and Middlesex County. The 2015 population estimate for the MSA is 1,211,324 and is ranked as the 47th largest metropolitan area by population in the United States

Fifty regions were rated, with the Hartford MSA the only region in Connecticut.  Boston-Cambridge-Newton ranked 6^th and Providence-Warwick ranked 31^st, among the New England states.

The Hartford region’s total score has ranked among the top 12 metropolitan areas since 2009, until this year. Strengths include a high number of farmers’ markets per resident, a high percent of parkland as city land area, as well as a high number of recreational facilities per resident, including ball diamonds, golf courses, park units and recreation centers.

The region’s personal health rank was 13; its community/environmental indicators rank was 25, leading to an overall ranking of 13th.  The analysis points to “Areas of Excellence,” in the region, including:

• Lower death rate for diabetes
• Higher percentage of parkland as city land area
• More farmers’ markets per capita
• Higher Walk Score® (75% report engaging in physical activity or exercise in the last 30 days)
• More ball diamonds and basketball hoops per capita
• More recreation centers per capita
• More swimming pools per capita

Nationally, there were numerous positive shifts during the last year:

• 0% increase in the percent who met the recommendations for aerobic and strength in the last 30 days
• 5% drop in the percent with diagnosed angina or coronary heart disease
• 9% increase in walkability scores
• 9% increase in the percent who live within a 10-minute walk to a park
• 7% increase in the total park expenditures per capita
• 0% increase in the number of recreation centers per 20,000 residents

“Our ultimate goal is to offer individuals, families and communities trusted resources that can help them assess, plan and implement policies that promote positive health outcomes,” said Walter R. Thompson, Ph.D., FASCM, who chairs the AFI Advisory Board and is president-elect of ACSM.

The 2017 AFI report also revealed some shortcomings over the past year:

• 7% increase in the rate of diabetes deaths
• 3% reduction in the percent of residents biking or walking to work
• 2% decrease in the percent of individuals eating the recommended number of servings of fruit
• 6% reduction in the number of tennis courts per 10,000 residents

The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 50,000 international, national and regional members are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine. The Anthem Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Anthem, Inc. and through charitable contributions and programs, the Foundation promotes the inherent commitment of Anthem, Inc. to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families in communities that Anthem, Inc. and its affiliated health plans serve, including Connecticut.

Safest Places to Raise a Child? Connecticut Communities Dominate A National Ranking

If you’re in the market for a safe community to raise children, and you are wondering about Connecticut, there is a new ranking that will be of particular interest. Developed by the SafeWise, a home security and safety brand, the ranking considered reported sex offender concentration, state graduation rates, overall school quality ranking, and FBI violent crime data in communities nationwide.  Parks and recreational opportunities as well as special programs focused on providing services for kids and families, were also in the mix.  And when the top 30 communities were ranked, Connecticut dominated the list, with nine towns.

Number one in the rankings was Greenwich, with Fairfield placing third.  Ridgefield, Southington and Westport earned a spot in the top 20, and Simsbury, Cheshire, Milford and Glastonbury also reached the top 30.

SafeWise said “these communities do exceptional jobs of protecting not only adults but also their smallest, most vulnerable residents.  The safest cities for raising families tend to skew towards coastal New England towns, where quiet, suburban neighborhoods have less crime, promote healthy and active lifestyles, and enjoy well-funded school systems.”  Communities across the country with populations exceeding 10,000 were considered.

Connecticut’s “exceptionally low rates of violent crime” contributed to the state’s strong presence – nearly one-third of the top 30 – on the rankings.

“While parents always strive to closely supervise their kids, it helps to have a community that’s willing to focus on family-friendly initiatives that make the difference. These are the cities across America that make one of the toughest and most rewarding jobs you’ll ever undertake a little less stressful,” commented Kaz Weida of SafeWise.

Among the Connecticut communities receiving honorable mention were Farmington, New Canaan, West Hartford, Newtown, Madison and Darien.

1. Greenwich
2. Essex, Vermont
3. Fairfield
4. Carmel, Indiana
5. Merrimack, New Hampshire
6. Fishers, Indiana
7. Monroe Township, New Jersey
8. Irvine, California
9. Middletown, New Jersey
10. Cary, North Carolina
11. Wayne, New Jersey
12. Franklin, Massachusetts
13. Toms River, New Jersey
14. Warwick, Rhode Island
15. Ridgefield
16. Gilbert, Arizona
17. Bridgewater, New Jersey
18. Southington
19. Orem, Utah
20. Westport
21. Cumberland, Rhode Island
22. Hillsborough, New Jersey
23. Milton, Vermont
24. Simsbury
25. Cheshire
26. Milford
27. Glastonbury
28. Narragansett, Rhode Island
29. Lakeville, Minnesota
30. Newton, Massachusetts