Groton Public Schools
P.O. Box K
Groton, CT 06340
P: 860.572.2100
F: 860.572.2116
August 17, 2010
Dear Staff,
Welcome back to the start of the 2010-2011 school year. I hope you had a restful and relaxing summer break and spent
much needed time reconnecting with family and friends. Although it has been a very busy summer for all of us at central
office, we are excited to welcome you back and begin working together on major district initiatives during the professional
development sessions on August 27 and 30.
Considerable time was devoted at the end of the school year and during the summer to rolling out the district’s plan for
SRBI or Scientific Research Based Interventions to all district administrators. We have planned building based training
sessions at each school to familiarize all staff members with this system-wide instructional framework. Your insight and
expertise in working with students who do not demonstrate proficiency on grade level standards in language arts and math
as well as your knowledge of behavioral intervention strategies will be invaluable as we begin to implement the district’s
SRBI plan.
As you all know, we will be partnering with LEARN this year for occupational therapy services. LEARN will be
providing the district with a licensed occupational therapist to complete evaluations and to provide supervision to the
occupational therapy assistants who will also be working in our schools from LEARN. Shoreline Physical Therapy will be
returning this year to provide physical therapy services to our students. I hope you will join me in welcoming back Kate
Haaland and Andrea Carlow to the district.
Please join me in welcoming the following new staff members to our department:
Laura Ambroise, Special Education Teacher, Cutler Middle School
Leah Cunningham, Guidance Counselor, Fitch Senior High School
Kelly Ennis, Special Education Teacher, Fitch Senior High School, New Beginnings Alternative Program
Nina Hallissey, Speech and Language Pathologist, Charles Barnum and Northeast Academy
Kathryn Peirce, Guidance Counselor, Fitch Senior High School
Included with this letter are the PPS Department roster, the speech and language pathologists’ schedule, and the
department meeting dates and agenda coordinators for each discipline. A blank schedule template is included as a sample
if you chose to use it to record your schedule and the schedule for any paraprofessionals and tutors who work with you.
You will also receive a copy electronically for those of you who prefer to complete your schedules electronically. Copies
of all schedules are due to your principal and the PPS Office by Monday, September 13. While schedules are being
developed, special education and related services are to be delivered in accordance with page 11 of the IEP beginning on
the first day of school.
Have a great year!
Sincerely,
Denise A. Doolittle
Director of Pupil Personnel Services