Hello friends and welcome to 2024. This will be my last bulletin as your chapter President as our Special Elections have been completed and I'm making my last official duty the wonderful task of announcing YOUR new Connecticut Computer Science Teachers Association leadership.
For me personally, it has been a grand pleasure serving you as a Board member for over 5 years and as your President for 3. I worked hard to create a professional facing organization that believes in the uplift and empowerment community and mentorship can create. COVID certainly challenged that but with the help of some amazing peers such as Betsy Dillard, Jackie Corricelli, Jamie Lang, Shawn Draczynski Tobin, Dr. Winnie Yu, Brad Kjell, Dana Kinel, Norm Sondheimer, and many more friends made along the way we were able to make something I believe is stronger than ever before.
I would ask of you this final request: Stay involved or get involved. CT CSTA saved my career when I first started out. I found people like me doing what I was doing at other schools. They understood my challenges, spoke the same language as me, and became people I can call not just colleagues but friends. If this is a moment you're reflecting on your professional life and wondering how to shift gears - consider reaching out. There's always a way CT CSTA can build something amazing with you.
All the best - remember the human before the student and remember to secure your own mask before helping others.
~Christopher Kerr
Chapter News
Chapter Election Results!
Our Fall Special Elections have been completed and I want to share with you the results. Below the results are a few blubs about our new Officers so you can get to know them!
Executive Board
President: Shawn Draczynski Tobin
Vice President: John Tusch
Extended Board
Secretary: Dana Runkle
Treasurer: Jackie Corricelli
Advisor Positions
Elementary Grade Band Advisor: Open
Middle School Grade Band Advisor: Dana Kinel
Secondary Grade Band Advisor: Berni Lally
Higher Education Grade Band Advisor: Dr. Winnie Yu
President: Shawn Draczynski Tobin
Science Teacher: Regional School District 6
Shawn is a chemistry, biology, and computer science teacher at Wamogo Regional High School in Region 6. She has taught all ages in different environments from urban, rural, suburban, public, and charter schools, along with tutoring up through professional degree preparation programs. While she is a trained biologist, her passion for computer science comes from the essential nature of the subject, and a drive to make a daunting task accessible via relevancy and deconstruction of the task. With her current position as Chapter President, Shawn hopes to encourage rural computer science education and build out elementary education pathways. She earned her B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology and her double B.A. in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Connecticut, and her M.S.Ed. in Elementary Education from the University of Pennsylvania.
Vice President: John Tusch
Theme Coach: CREC Academy of Computer Science and Engineering
John Tusch is proud to be a public school educator for over 30 years. He serves as the Theme Coach for the CREC Academy of Computer Science and Engineering, a computer science-themed Magnet school in Enfield, CT. Before joining CREC, he taught Computer Science and English in Hartford, where he was honored to be Global Communications Academy’s Teacher of the Year in 2020. He has served in various administrative roles on the building and district levels. In addition to Computer Science, John has taught Music, English, the Gifted & Talented, and Theater Arts.
John has a B. Mus in Music Education from Boston University, an MS in Music Education from WCSU, and a 6th-year Professional Degree in Educational Leadership from SCSU. He is certified in Technology Education, Intermediate Administration, English, and Music. He is grateful to have developed new programs and curriculums in Computer Science, English, Theater Arts, and Music for several Connecticut districts, including Weston, Hartford, and CREC.
An experienced entrepreneur, John was the founding owner/operator of Steve DeMasco’s Shaolin Studios of Fairfield. He owns Fanfare Enterprises LLC, a digital marketing firm where he enjoys helping fellow entrepreneurs establish their digital presence. He is an avid baseball fan (Let’s Go Mets) and an unapologetic Trekkie, and he lives just outside of Hartford with his daughter, Heather.
Secretary: Dana Runkle
Computer Science Teacher: Westbrook Middle School
Dana Runkle is a self proclaimed geek, nerd, and all around brainiac. Her first experience with Computer Science was being a beta tester for Adobe’s PageMaker software - back when you still had to boot DOS from a floppy disk. She earned a Masters in Education from UCONN and her undergraduate degree is a BA in Theatre Technology from UC Davis. She has been teaching Computer Science to grades 5-8 in Westbrook for the last 8 years and this year added AP CSP in the high school. Her goal is to see every child receive high quality computer science education that helps increase diversity, equity, and inclusion both in education and in the professional realm. She firmly believes that the world is changing and Computer Science is essential to give students the skills necessary to be successful in every possible career field.
Secondary Grade Band Advisor: Berni Lally
High School Computer Science, Engineering, and Design Teacher: Green Farms Academy
Berni is a Computer science, engineering, and design teacher and robotics coach. Berni’s passion is teaching students how to design, build, and program. She’s helped students send robots into space and track them using radio communications and satellites. Berni earned her B.S. in Information Systems from Florida Atlantic University, her M.S. in Technology in Education from Trinity College, Dublin, and her M.S. in Education Leadership from St. Mary's University, Twickenham, London. Berni loves to play soccer, volleyball, and Irish music on the tin whistle and bodhran.
