Joe Bellavance

In 1986, Bellavance earned his bachelor’s degree in broadcast production from Lyndon State College in Vermont. In 1989, he began his education career as an admissions counselor at his alma mater. He later received his master’s degree in administration from St. Michael’s College in Vermont, where he researched and published his thesis: “Transitional Issues Affecting Persistency Rates Among First-Generation Students in the Vermont State College System.” Bellavance rose to the position of dean of enrollment at Lyndon State College before moving on to become the dean of admissions and financial aid at Nichols College in 1999.

VP Mike Bartini

 
I hope that your semester has started out strong and that your students are gearing up for another exciting year. There is no doubt that this will be a challenging year for everyone as we continue to feel the pressure from the downturn in the economy and the related stress to produce more with fewer resources. As you discuss these very important issues, I hope you will consider your regional office a resource for information, support and services.

One of the major projects that we have been working on at the College Board is the revised SAT® score-reporting feature, Score Choice™, which will be available to students starting next spring. Over the last 12 months, the SAT Program staff and your representatives on the Advisory Task Force have worked diligently to ensure an easy transition to our new service. Click here to learn more about how students can control their score reporting.

In just a few weeks the College Board will hold its annual Forum in Houston, Texas, Nov. 5-8 (www.collegeboard.com/forum). As in previous years, the Forum will have a wide array of sessions for teachers, counselors, school administrators, and admissions and financial aid professionals. Our keynote speakers this year are Richard Rodriguez, author and essayist, and Bud Selig, the commissioner of Major League Baseball. I hope you join us in Houston for this very timely and content-rich professional development experience.

In August, the College Board released the 2008 College-Bound Seniors report. National and state SAT scores can be reviewed on the College Board Web site. School-specific reports have been sent to institutions. For more information on school-based reporting, contact NERO at
781-663-2700.

This year’s Fall Counselor Workshops provided professional development for more than 1,800 school counselors in the region. Program updates and other professional development topics filled the morning. Because colleges so generously hosted the workshops, counselors were able to visit many of our beautiful college campuses in New England. If you were unable to attend one of the meetings and would like a copy of the presentation, please contact NERO at 781-663-2700.

The Connecticut State Department of Education was awarded an Advanced Placement® Incentive Program Grant to facilitate efforts to increase the participation of low-income students in both AP® courses and exams and pre-AP® courses. The U.S. Department of Education provided this grant, which will be used to support the development, enhancement or expansion of AP courses, including pre-AP courses in mathematics, science, English and other subject areas.

The DOE selects grant recipients from school districts, state and local educational agencies or national nonprofit educational entities with expertise in providing Advanced Placement services. The competitive three-year awards must be used to expand access for low-income individuals to Advanced Placement programs. Some of the options funded by these grants include teacher training, development of pre-AP courses, coordination and articulation between grade levels to prepare students for academic achievement in AP classes, books and supplies, and participation in online AP courses.
                                 
In collaboration with the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, CSDE will implement a comprehensive initiative in 53 high-poverty schools across the state — including 17 high schools and 36 middle schools — to increase student participation and success in AP and pre-AP courses. Project Access for All will double the number of AP courses available in the selected high schools by providing teachers and administrators with assistance in creating and delivering new AP courses, developing new online AP courses that will be provided by the Connecticut Virtual Learning Center and ensuring that all Early College Experience courses offered through the University of Connecticut provide AP credit. To better prepare students for advanced course work, pre-AP and AP teachers will work together in Vertical Teams to improve the alignment of academic courses and eliminate curriculum gaps. In addition, Algebra I will be offered to all students in grade eight in the selected middle schools. Teachers will receive intensive and sustained professional development in the content areas in which they teach through summer institutes provided by Eastern Connecticut State University and workshops throughout the year. Teacher mentors will provide additional support to first- and second-year AP teachers. Project Access for All will also develop a sequence of courses and enrichment activities to prepare students for success in AP Chinese Language and Culture courses. AP Chinese Language and Culture teachers will receive financial incentives for the successful performance of their students on the AP Exam. 

                             

Click here to see events and workshops in the New England region.