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What's New
Literacy Director is Top Educator
By Marlene Clark March 23, 2006 Cindy Cappetta had a St. Patrick’s Day celebration she won’t soon forget. The Connecticut Association of Adult and continuing Education had named Cappetta its outstanding educator of the year. She got her award during special ceremonies during a two-day conference at Water’s Edge in Westbrook. Cappetta runs the Even Start Family Literacy program at Middletown Adult Education. She started in Middletown’s adult education literacy program more than 10 years ago as a classroom teacher and was promoted to Even Start facilitator in 2001. Even Start is a federally funded family literacy program designed to break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy in low-income families by integrating early childhood and adult education, parenting classes and home visits. The program serves about 25 families each year. Parents range in age from 16 to the late 30s and children from 6 weeks to 3 years old. Providing this inter-generational link is the key to Cappetta’s success, said Middletown Adult Ed outreach coordinator Susan Ladny. “Cindy is a true educator,” Ladny said. In late 2005, the program earned accreditation from a national commission of early childhood education and child care experts. Cappetta said she'd like to continue to stretch the family literacy program to greater success, but here's the irony: The program is facing a 27 percent decrease in federal funding. It's receiving $172,000 in the current year. Middletown Adult Education staff agree it will be difficult to grow or even maintain the program at its current level, but it's a case of the cup being half empty or half full: There was talk of eliminating the program entirely, said adult education director Jim Misenti. “The good news is, the program will go on,” Misenti said. “We have great people who are invested in the program.” Cappetta exemplifies that kind of employee. She provides the kind of leadership that gets things done and her dedication has had a strong impact, not only on students enrolled in the program, but on family literacy, said Ladny. She has educated parents, staff and community members to the value of a solid educational start for all children. She has developed a quality early childhood program that mentors parents and provides an exceptional environment for the next generation of learners. Now, if she could only get the money to do it.
3/23/2006
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