{"id":228499,"date":"2025-04-17T07:15:42","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T11:15:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=228499"},"modified":"2025-04-16T14:41:05","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T18:41:05","slug":"local-partnership-expands-early-childhood-development-training-for-uconn-waterbury-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2025\/04\/local-partnership-expands-early-childhood-development-training-for-uconn-waterbury-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Local Partnership Expands Early Childhood Development Training for UConn Waterbury Students"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Alee Ennis \u201925 (CLAS) began her required practicum hours for her human development and family sciences (HDFS) degree with a specialization in early childhood development, she faced a grueling commute. Without a car, she traveled nearly two hours by train and Uber each way from her home to practicum sites in Stamford and Westport \u2013 often leaving before sunrise and returning long after dark.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy GPA took a hit, and I was constantly tired,\u201d Ennis says. \u201cBut I knew this was the path I wanted.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In Fall 2024, HDFS expanded its <\/span>Early Childhood Specialization (ECS) program<\/span><\/a> to UConn Waterbury in partnership with the Slocum School, a local Head Start program operated by <\/span>TEAM Inc<\/span><\/a>. The collaboration brought practicum opportunities just minutes from the Waterbury campus, making the program more accessible for students like Ennis.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt changed everything,\u201d Ennis says. \u201cI could finally focus on the experience, the kids, and the material \u2014 without worrying about trains, rides, or losing an entire day to travel.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ennis was drawn to early childhood development after taking an HDFS course that introduced her to a more holistic approach to child development across a person\u2019s lifespan. Initially interested in psychology, she realized the ECS program offered more hands-on, immersive learning that would prepare her to work with young children in a real-world setting.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Determined to stay on track despite the commute, Ennis says she worked closely with Cora D\u2019Alessandro, instructor-in-residence and student coordinator for the ECS program. When the local practicum site launched in Waterbury, D\u2019Alessandro was able to help Ennis transition into a preschool classroom placement.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCora made it happen,\u201d Ennis says. \u201cWe even did an independent study so I could take a required course that was still only offered in Stamford. She made sure I stayed on track to graduate.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Cora
Cora D\u2019Alessandro, instructor-in-residence and student coordinator for the ECS program and Alee Ennis \u201925 (CLAS) at Slocum School in Waterbury. (Steve Bustamante \/ University of Connecticut).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The ECS program at UConn Waterbury blends research-based coursework with reflective practice and culturally responsive teaching. Students not only learn child development theory \u2014 they\u2019re taught to apply it, observe, and adapt in real time. This collaborative model benefits students interested in teaching as well as those interested in pursuing careers across the full range of services TEAM offers, such as home visiting, health screenings, nutrition services, and a family resource center.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur students are learning how to teach, but also how to think critically about their teaching,\u201d D\u2019Alessandro says. \u201cBy working alongside professionals in a high-quality program like Slocum, they\u2019re gaining the tools they need to support children and families in meaningful ways.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Slocum School serves more than 200 children annually through TEAM Inc.\u2019s Head Start program. As part of the program, Ennis was paired with a focus child for her practicum project. She documented the child\u2019s language, motor, and social-emotional development, and worked closely with the classroom teacher to support growth in key areas.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe classroom at Slocum was bigger and more diverse than what I\u2019d experienced in Westport,\u201d Ennis says. \u201cI worked with kids with autism and other developmental needs. At first, I was nervous, but over time I learned how to build trust and support each child based on where they were developmentally.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At Slocum, students like Ennis also work alongside experienced early childhood professionals, observing and engaging in classroom activities, assisting in curriculum implementation, and applying culturally responsive and inclusive teaching strategies. Many of the professionals at Slocum are HDFS alumni themselves, many of whom specialized in early childhood development, including TEAM Inc. CEO David Morgan \u201997 (CLAS).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe bedrock to our TEAM achievements is collaboration, and we\u2019re humbled and honored that the University of Connecticut recognized and embraced this opportunity to partner with us,\u201d Morgan says.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Fumiko Hoeft, dean of UConn Waterbury, the partnership is not only enhancing student learning but also strengthening the local early childhood education workforce.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis collaboration with Slocum and TEAM Inc. is giving students the chance to stay local and still get a high-impact educational experience,\u201d Hoeft says. \u201cIt\u2019s a win for students, families, and the community.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ennis plans to pursue graduate study to become a child life specialist, supporting children and families navigating serious health challenges. Her time at Slocum affirmed her career goals and gave her the confidence to take the next step.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t think I would\u2019ve made it through this program without the support I found here in Waterbury,\u201d Ennis says. \u201cHaving this kind of opportunity close to home made all the difference.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A new partnership with a Waterbury school is allowing UConn students the opportunity to specialize in early childhood development by gaining hands-on experience closer to campus<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":211,"featured_media":228503,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[147,2226,2194,2235,90,2458],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[2618],"class_list":["post-228499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-clas","category-new-haven-county","category-today-homepage","category-uconn-waterbury","category-undergraduates"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-06 09:44:33","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/211"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=228499"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228499\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":228506,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228499\/revisions\/228506"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/228503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=228499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=228499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=228499"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=228499"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=228499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}