NORTH HAVEN — Last week Connecticut transitioned the state’s education responsibilities to Miguel Cardona as the new Connecticut Commissioner of the state Department of Education. Family, friends, and colleagues surrounded the Meriden native when Lt. Gov. Susan Bysewicz administered the oath of office. Area Cooperative Educational Services (ACES) Executive Director Thomas Danehy embraced the new appointment and is looking forward to working with the former Assistant Superintendent of Meriden Public Schools, which is a part of the ACES 25-community district. ACES is one of six regional educational service centers (RESC) serving the state.
“Since Miguel is from Meriden, we have seen firsthand and up close the professionalism he brings to the post as an educator and school administrator. The RESC Alliance is looking forward to working closely with him particularly regarding the RESC Alliance’s legislative priorities including regionalism, school choice and equity, Birth-to-Three programs, minority teacher recruitment and the Fingerprinting Task Force,” said Danehy. “At ACES, diversity is one of the cornerstones of our beliefs and we are encouraged that one of his priorities is to prepare students for success and sharing equitable outcomes of students regardless of zip codes they reside in. Our problems are sophisticated so we support his initiatives to remove barriers between the education department and other agencies and partners to ensure collaboration is seamless.”
Cardona spent his career in Meriden Public Schools helping to develop programs and partnerships that boost student achievement in underperforming schools. He won the 2012 National Distinguished Principal Award for the State of Connecticut and the Outstanding Administrator Award from the NEAG School.
Cardona, 42, is the first Hispanic to head the state office. His nomination was approved by the state Board of Education and forwarded to the General Assembly by Gov. Ned Lamont. Bysewicz praised Cardona Wednesday for his career path from classroom to principal to administrator. Cardona also serves as co-chairperson of the state Birth to Grade Three Leaders Council and the Professional Evaluation Advisory Council to the state Board of Education and Department of Housing. He was also on the Minority Teacher Recruitment Committee for the Connecticut State Department of Education.
“I want to say how very proud we are of Commissioner Cardona,” Bysewicz said. “He has led a very large school district in Meriden and has been teaching and mentoring new educators. The governor and I can’t think of a better person to be part of a very experienced and diverse team.”
About the RESC Alliance: The Connecticut RESC Alliance ACES is one of six regional educational service centers (RESCs) in Connecticut. All RESCs support Connecticut school districts’ instructional and operational components. The RESC Alliance works collaboratively to develop and deliver high-quality, cost-effective collaborative programs and initiatives. For additional information on the RESC Alliance, go to www.rescalliance.org.
About ACES: Area Cooperative Educational Service’s (ACES) is to transform lives through education, innovation, and leadership. One of six Connecticut regional educational service centers, ACES is the regional educational services center for the twenty-five communities in New Haven and is both a school district and a non-profit services agency. ACES serves 2,300 students from fifty-seven communities throughout Connecticut at its three magnet schools and nine special education schools. ACES service divisions include international educational programs and services, technology, transportation, translation, behavior services and autism programs, extension therapy services (occupational and physical therapy), assistive technology, collaborative programs, professional development, human resources, and financial services, and ACCESS, a vocational and life skills program for developmentally and physically challenged adults. ACES also runs the Open Choice program for New Haven County as well as a magnet school parent choice program for its Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet School and Thomas Edison Middle School. Additionally, ACES runs the Middlesex County Early Head Start Partnership program. For additional information, go to www.aces.org.
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