Dominique Johnson

I am pleased to share that several Norwalk based organizations will receive grants to fund summer programs. The Carver Community Center, King Kennedy Learning Center, Horizons at Norwalk Community College, and Columbus Magnet School will all receive grant money to fund summer programs.
 
This funding initiative is part of the Connecticut Summer Enrichment Program, where 110 Connecticut organizations will be awarded more than $13 million in grants to provide educational opportunities to students during the summers of 2023 and 2024.

The Connecticut Summer Enrichment Program was established in 2021 in response to K-12 students that the pandemic may have negatively impacted. These programs were created to connect students with low or no-cost, high-quality enrichment opportunities when they are out of school during the summer months.
 
The state projects that this program will serve more than 66,000 students over the next two summers.
 
So far, a total of $33 million has been dedicated to the program since its creation, with these resources coming from federal COVID-19 relief dollars the state received to support its response to the pandemic.
 
For more information on all participating programs this summer and enrollment, visit summerct.org.

One provision of this bill I am particularly proud of passing is for Play Based Learning (PBL) to be supported by those Districts who choose to implement it. I have been working with advocates, including pediatric experts from Yale University and CT Education Association, to ensure this is something teachers are supported in doing should they decide to use this results-based teaching method for our youngest learners. Supported by research from Harvard University, it is an innovative pedagogy that will give our youngest grade school students the opportunity to catch up on much-needed socialization with their peers that they missed out on during the pandemic and keep them engaged with play-based educational activities that do not include screen time. Thank you to all of you in the District who wrote me about how they would like PBL available for their kids – now onto the Senate! 

We have seen states around the nation recklessly retreat from sensible gun regulations, but Connecticut continues to lead and stand strong in the push to make our communities safer. I want to thank Gov. Ned Lamont for his leadership on this bill in addition to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and the Judiciary Committee for their work on it.

The bill now moves to the Senate for its consideration.

✅ HB 6813: We are committed to protecting our marine ecosystems. H.B. 6813 ensures the safety of seabirds and shorebirds by establishing a protection program, including designated protection areas.
 
✅ HB 5917: Connecticut has recently seen an increase in roadway fatalities. Implementing the recommendations of the Vision Zero Council will make the roads safer for drivers and pedestrians alike.

✅ HB 6755: Advanced manufacturing is our future – H.B. 6755 establishes a working group to develop a plan for an advanced manufacturing technology center in the state, and to maximize the economic, educational and workforce benefits provided to the state.

✅ HB 5441: HB 5441 is a bipartisan effort that improves the state’s workforce pipeline, including the extension of the existing teacher loan subsidy program for teachers in Alliance Districts, to paraeducators and school counselors.

Norwalk and Westport will hold Memorial Day parades on Monday.

Norwalk's Parade will begin at 10 a.m. at Veterans Park and end at the Town Green on East Avenue. Click here to learn more. 

Westport's will begin at 9:00am on Riverside Avenue. The Memorial Day Program will begin immediately after the Parade on Veterans Green. In case of rain, the program will be held in the Town Hall Auditorium beginning at 10:30 am.

Have a great long weekend, everyone!

Sincerely,

Dominique Johnson
State Representative