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| It is crunch time at the Capitol as we enter the final week of the legislative session. This week, the House passed a priority bill that will reform special education across the state. Please keep scrolling for a deep dive into how this legislation will address funding and shortfalls in the special education system for students and teachers. |
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It's a big party in Derby for its 350th birthday! A delegation from its sister city in Italy flew over the Atlantic to join in on the fun. Keep scrolling to see pictures from that visit and to see what fun events are happening this weekend!
The state awarded some critical funding to Orange to make some important upgrades to our roads. I'll walk you through how the state funding will improve our community.
Here are the sections and topics in this week's email:
- Special Education Reform
- Celebrating Derby's 350th Birthday
- $600,000 in State Funding for Orange
- Remembering Our Fallen Heroes
- Hamden Track Champs!
- Derby Events Calendar
- Upcoming Events in Hamden
- Orange Events Calendar
- Upcoming Events in Woodbridge
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For too long, Connecticut's special education model has faced fundamental flaws that prevented all students from receiving the proper education they deserve. With our recent passage of HB 5001: An Act Concerning the Quality and Delivery of Special Education Services in Connecticut, we are taking important steps to reform this system.
As a member of the Select Committee on Special Education, I am proud the House passed the bill 148-0. It makes historic investments for students in special education, delivers better access to services, and provides cost controls and greater transparency. |
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Key provisions of the bill include:
- Historic investment in our students, including $30 million for the Special Education Expansion and Development (SEED) grant program, which will help build capacity to serve students closer to home.
- Prioritizing better access to services through enhanced development screenings, behavioral assessment and intervention plans, access to remedial classes in higher education, and involvement of parents and local school districts before a student is moved from their school.
- Reining in costs by regulating third party rate processes and developing new billing and licensing standards.
- Increasing oversight through on-site compliance visits and detailed system-wide reporting to reduce unpredictability and improve accountability.
Children are our future, and it is our responsibility to provide them a proper education. In a state that has one of the best K-12 public school systems in the country. This legislation makes sure our special education program maintains that same level of quality.
The bill must now pass the Senate before the governor can sign it into law.
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| Celebrating Derby's 350th Birthday |
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| Derby is honored to celebrate its 350th anniversary, and this momentous occasion became even more special when prominent members of its sister city in Italy dropped in for a visit! |
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| Several politicians from the town of Puglianello in the province of Benevento, including its mayor, town administrator, and town councilor, received a warm welcome at the State Capitol. They met Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, Rep. Kara Rochelle, Sen. Jorge Cabrera, Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria, and many of my other colleagues. |
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| Their visit could not come at a better time because Derby has a full slate of events this weekend to mark 350 years! There will be concerts, food trucks, merchandise and so much more on the Derby Green from Friday through Sunday. |
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| In addition to all the fun events planned above, on Saturday, May 31, you will be able to tour the inside of the Sterling Opera House from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. The tour will be up the Grand Staircase into the orchestra level of the stage and back down. |
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| $600,000 in State Funding for Orange |
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| The state has granted the town of Orange $600,000 for parking lot paving and guardrail replacement projects. The town will contribute $150,000 to help cover the cost. This funding is part of a $30 million investment across dozens of small towns to complete vital infrastructure improvement projects. |
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The money comes from the Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP), a state program that delivers grants to small towns for economic development.
I would like to thank Governor Ned Lamont and the State Bond Commission for their support or Orange. I deeply appreciate their leadership and commitment to strengthening communities like ours. |
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| Remembering Our Fallen Heroes |
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| It was an honor and a privilege to join the community in remembering our heroes at various Memorial Day parades and ceremonies in Orange, Derby, and Woodbridge. I am grateful for all of our local traditions that let us honor the brave and dedicated men and women who sacrificed everything for the freedoms we enjoy today. |
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| Congratulations to the Hamden High School Boys Track & Field Team for winning the Southern Connecticut Conference meet. The student and coaching staff are dedicated to excellence, and the community is proud of your accomplishments! |
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| Check out the events and community calendar in Derby below. |
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| Connecticut Foodshare will give away free food to the community on Tuesday from 2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church on Elizabeth Street. Make sure to bring a bag so you can bring food home. |
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| Upcoming Events in Hamden |
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| Look at the flyers below to learn more about the upcoming events in Hamden. |
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| Check out the flyers and community calendar in Orange below. |
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| Upcoming Events in Woodbridge |
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Check out the events and community calendar below.
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Woodbridge is hosting a community party on Thursday, June 5 for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate our town. The date 06.5.25 matches our ZIP code, and we'll pay tribute to Woodbridge's identity, community spirit, and everything that makes our town feel like home.
Drop in anytime at Pease Park from 3:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. and make sure to bring the kids, meet up with friends and neighbors, grab a pizza and some ice cream, and experience all the many things that make our town HOME. |
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