Feb-March Advisor 2020 Online

ENGAGING

FEBRUARY–MARCH 2020 CEA ADVISOR 15

Coming This March Permission to Feel

Book Talk with Marc Brackett

CEA has partnered with Marc Brackett, author, professor, and director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, to offer CEA members two free book talks on his latest book, Permission to Feel . Dr. Brackett will discuss the critical role social-emotional learning plays in improving children’s academic outcomes,

Wednesday, March 11 Filomena’s Restaurant 262 Boston Post Road Waterford

Thursday, March 19 Testo’s Restaurant 1775 Madison Avenue Bridgeport

enhancing their health and well-being, and promoting long-term benefits such as success in college and career. A highly engaging speaker, Dr. Brackett will share emotional regulation strategies that can be used in the classroom as well as personal anecdotes to illustrate key points. CEA and Yale are also partnering on a study of teacher stress, the findings of which will be previewed for attendees. Dr. Brackett will entertain questions from the audience during his presentation as well as mingle with participants and sign copies of Permission to Feel immediately following his talk. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to meet Dr. Brackett and learn how you can help make Connecticut the first emotionally intelligent state!

Registration. ............................4:00pm Talk with Q&A............... 4:30 – 6:00pm Book signing................. 6:00 – 6:30pm

This event is free to CEA members. Complimentary appetizers and a cash bar will be available.

Register at cea.org under Events .

Kim Bertolini, Government Relations Associate

In 2003, when Kim Bertolini joined the staff of CEA, the federal No Child Left Behind Act had recently been signed into law, and a looming funding crisis put pension benefits for Connecticut’s teachers in jeopardy. Much has changed since then, and Bertolini, who’s in charge of CEA’s Voter Activation Network (VAN) system, has often had a front-row seat to the action. “VAN is a database where I can pull up contact information for teachers by district,” she explains, “so when there are upcoming education issues that impact them, we’re able to reach out and let them know. VAN also helps map out routes for door-knocking campaigns during election season.” Very often, she says, teachers express that they want to be more active in helping CEA pass legislation on specific issues that are important to them. “Using our database, we can help our members connect with their legislators.” One of the busiest times of year for her is now, when the state legislature is in session. “I keep track of public hearings on education issues. When bills are raised or debated, I pull the information necessary to contact teachers who live or work in key legislative districts so that we can let them know the status of a bill and what action they can take.” When the Education Committee,

Appropriations, or other legislative group holds a public hearing, Bertolini collects written testimony by CEA staff, leaders, and members and forwards it to the committee. That can be especially important when

at the scene unfolding below—it was just the most rewarding feeling. I felt so much respect and pride toward our teachers. We have had other events that have also made an impact on me, but this one will always stand out.” Bertolini, whose own daughter is a teacher in Colorado Springs—

where Bertolini’s son and grandchildren also live—says helping educators is the most rewarding part about working for CEA. When she’s not at work, you can find her out tag-saling or upcycling furniture—a hobby she picked up from her parents. “My mother would bring home her ‘finds,’ and my father would fix them up,” she recalls. “That’s where I got the bug.”

hearings take place at a time when teachers are not able to attend but still want their views made known to legislators. One of her most memorable moments at CEA—when thousands of teachers made their views known to lawmakers—was the 2006 Keep the Promise rally. The event, organized by CEA, drew thousands of teachers to the State Capitol and brought others out to roadside vigils and rally sites at school buildings throughout the state. At issue was the future of teacher pensions, and teachers came out in force to ask lawmakers to uphold their promise. “It was 2006,” she recalls “and I hadn’t worked at CEA that long. We all put in long hours and did a ton of work to get everything together. Once it started, seeing thousands of teachers from all over the state come in on school buses after working all day, watching them walk up the hill to the steps of the Capitol for a rally in support of their rights, and seeing legislators looking out their windows

One the most memorable moments in Kim Bertolini’s career at CEA so far was the 2006 Keep the Promise rally, where thousands of teachers turned out to ask for full funding of their pensions.