A new program in Waterbury is helping teachers advance their careers and it is also a way to address a large teacher shortage in the district.
There are teacher shortages across the country and the Waterbury school district is also feeling that pressure. To address the issue, Waterbury is launching a program that invests in and values its teachers.
It is like a mini university for Waterbury teachers. "Waterbury U" gives them the chance to earn a master's degree or micro-credentials, a form of certification in a specific area.
The program is open to all staff including paraeducators and administrators. So far, 80 educators from Waterbury Public Schools have signed up.
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"We want them to take a look in Waterbury and say, 'Oh, my goodness, you know, this is an opportunity for me to continue to work, I can go to school, I can earn some micro-credentials. I can get an advanced degree and master's degrees, specifically, and I could move up in the steps on the salary scale, and I could stay in a district that values me," said Waterbury Public Schools superintendent Dr. Verna Ruffin.
Ruffin said the program also has an impact on students as teachers can apply what they're learning the very next day in their classrooms.
A ceremony to celebrate the program's first round of participants is Wednesday afternoon at the Waterbury Arts Magnet School from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
