News, updates, and resources from CREC Resource Group's Professional Learning team.

Jess leading the conversation at Coaching Collective: Advanced Leadership & Practice. 

Connect. Reflect. Guide. — CRG (Get it?)

By October, the plans and priorities established at the start of the school year are beginning to meet the realities of implementation. Goals that looked clear in August are now showing up in classrooms, team meetings, coaching conversations, schedules, and the countless decisions leaders and educators make each day.

This is often where leadership matters most. Strong implementation is about creating the conditions that allow the work to take hold. Do educators have clarity about what quality looks like? Do they have time to collaborate and learn from one another? Are our observation and feedback practices reinforcing the instructional approaches we say we value? And are we creating enough space for professional judgment, problem-solving, and thoughtful adaptation along the way?

As you settle into the rhythm of the school year, this month’s newsletter invites you to consider the connection between leadership decisions and classroom practice. Sometimes the most important question isn’t, “What should we add next?” It’s, “What do our educators need from us to do this work well?”

Feedback is always welcome!

— Dana Corriveau, Ph.D., Managing Director of Professional Learning

Insights & Influence

Looking Ahead: November CREC Curriculum Council

Our next CREC Curriculum Council will bring district leaders together around an issue that touches curriculum, instruction, intervention, special education, and systems of support.

On November 5, Kristin Allen, Lisa Gianni, and Cherie Kent from the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Office of Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities will join us for the next Council meeting. September’s newsletter encouraged participants to consider bringing their Special Education Director as well, reflecting the cross-departmental nature of this work. C.R.G. newsletter September 2026

The Curriculum Council is designed as a space for district leaders to connect statewide priorities with the practical realities of implementation in their own systems. As we continue conversations about literacy, intervention, instructional coherence, and meeting the needs of diverse learners, this session offers an opportunity to hear directly from CSDE and think together about implications for district practice.

November 5, 2026

CREC Curriculum Council

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Consider attending with colleagues whose roles intersect with literacy, special education, curriculum, MTSS, and intervention.

Professional Learning Opportunities

Oct. 20 | Restorative Practices for School Social Workers and Psychologists

A half-day opportunity focused on applying restorative practices within student support roles.

Oct. 27 | Empowerment Through Perspective: Reframing Deficit Mindsets and Moving to an Asset-Based Mindset

A two-part learning experience focused on recognizing deficit thinking and shifting toward strengths-based perspectives and practices.

Oct. 28 | From Contact to Community: Working Together with Families Across Cultures

Two interactive sessions focused on strengthening culturally responsive family partnerships.

Nov. 5 | CREC Curriculum Council

Join colleagues from across the region for our next Curriculum Council, featuring Kristin Allen, Lisa Gianni, and Cherie Kent from the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Office of Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities. Consider bringing colleagues whose roles intersect with literacy, special education, intervention, and curriculum.

November 12 | Middle School Mathematics Intervention Learning Series, Session 3: Shifting Mindset to Focus on Strengths

Math leaders will examine how beliefs about students influence instructional decisions and explore asset-based approaches that leverage students’ strengths, prior knowledge, and cultural assets.

Nov. 13 | CREC Councils and Communities of Practice

November 13 offers multiple no-cost opportunities for educators and leaders to connect across districts, share practices, and engage in collaborative problem-solving:

• Coaches Council | 8:30–10:00 a.m. or 1:00–2:30 p.m.
• Humanities Council | 8:30–10:00 a.m. or 10:15–11:45 a.m.
• Mathematics Council | 10:15–11:45 a.m.
• English/Multilingual Learners Council | 1:00–2:30 p.m.
• MTSS Council | 10:15–11:45 a.m. or 1:00–2:30 p.m.
• Special Education Educator Council | 8:30 a.m.
• School Assistive Technology Community of Practice | 12:00 p.m.