PUTNAM — Brittany Bonchuk, psychotherapist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Day Kimball Healthcare, has been appointed to the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Evaluation Committee by the Governor’s Task Force on Justice for Abused Children (GTFJAC). The committee is charged with evaluating 17 multidisciplinary teams across the state that investigate cases of child abuse and provide services to those victims and their families.

Committee members are nominated for consideration for the State Evaluation Committee by each of the 17 state wide teams, followed by a vote by the existing Evaluation Committee members, and then the larger Task Force performs the final vote. Nominees represent diverse cultures and geographic areas across the state, as well as the many disciplines that participate on the Multidisciplinary Teams.

Currently, there are 16 members appointed to the MDT Evaluation Committee who agree to participate for a 3-year term. Bonchuk was nominated by the Windham County Wendy’s Place Team and is the only member elected for this term representing northeastern Connecticut.

“Brittany was nominated by the Windham team,” said Krystal Rich, Chapter Director of the Connecticut Children’s Alliance and Co-Chair of the MDT Evaluation Committee. “The team coordinator gave Brittany a glowing recommendation,” she said.

“I was specifically selected by the Governor’s Task Force in my role as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and provider of trauma-informed behavioral health services to children and their families for over 10 years. While appointed, I will also continue to participate in our Wendy’s Place MDT meetings which are held locally on a monthly basis,” said Bonchuk.

As part of the committee, members are responsible for objectively participating in several multidisciplinary team evaluations each year, and provide their feedback to the larger task force and the Connecticut Children’s Alliance in order to provide follow up support for the teams. Members also participate in revising Connecticut State Standards on Multidisciplinary Teams which outlines best practices for providing child abuse investigation services.

First established in 1988, the Governor’s Task Force on Justice for Abused Children identified the need for greater coordination of agencies involved in the investigation, intervention and prosecution of child sexual abuse and serious physical abuse cases. As a result, multidisciplinary teams were developed around the state, and in 2002 a permanent Multidisciplinary Team Evaluation Committee was established.

“Given the complex nature of child abuse and neglect investigations and family assessments, MDT’s are often helpful in enhancing and improving investigations and responses for children and families during a very difficult time,” Bonchuk said.

When asked about having been selected as a Committee member, Bonchuk said, “It is an honor to have been nominated and selected by my peers for this Committee. I am able to take a deeper look at ways to better coordinate practices to diagnose, treat and plan for children and families receiving child welfare services. As a part of this selected Committee, I can help do so not only in our surrounding community, but [also by] outreaching to our entire state.”

 

Then

The Israel Putnam School on School Street in 1902. Putnam Town Crier file photos.

 

 

& Now

This is the same building today, now apartments.

 

Smooth

schools'

transitions

expected

By Linda Lemmon

Town Crier Editor

WOODSTOCK --- Woodstock Academy and Hyde-Woodstock school officials expect smooth transitions for the 2017-2018 school year. Woodstock Academy officials last week announced that the academy will be purchasing the 127-acre Hyde campus down the street. 

Woodstock Academy Christopher Sandford said that the "due diligence" phase of the purchase should be finished in December. That includes legal, financial, environmental and other items.

Sandford said that some of the due diligence items are already done, such as the environmental, so he sees "no problem" with the Academy taking occupancy in June and getting the campus ready for students in the fall of 2017.  

Likewise, in a letter to members of the Hyde community, Hyde expects to consolidate the two campuses into a single campus at Bath, Maine.  The Woodstock campus of Hyde opened in 1996. Hyde-Bath officials said that Hyde is "an idea first and a place second. Our senior leadership team and Board of Governors share a strong belief that this transition will serve to strengthen that idea while enriching our educational excellence and securing our financial well-being as we prepare to meet the future."  Hyde officials are committed to making the transition a smooth one. In addition, Hyde officials said they expect some of the Connecticut faculty, coaches, etc. to transfer to Maine and added that the academy intends "to make every effort to offer employment to those not transferring to Maine."

Sandford said,  the campus "has a number of highlights, including: a gymnasium with a basketball court, locker rooms, wrestling room, and fitness center; a 1,018-seat auditorium; three dormitories; a dining hall; a turf field that allows for night games; an eight-lane track; residential houses; classrooms; and offices.  The facilities at the Hyde School’s campus provide all of the strategic priorities outlined by both our faculty/staff, and the Board of Trustees.  This acquisition provides increased opportunities now, while realizing major long-term construction savings." The Woodstock Academy’s Board President Christine Swenson said, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and allows us to fulfill every part of our strategic plan to move our school forward. We are beyond grateful and excited to be able to provide these new facilities to our faculty, staff, students, and our larger community.”

Holly Singleton, associate headmaster, said the addition of 25 classroom spaces will provide most faculty his/her own classroom and create more specialized education spaces, thereby having a significant impact on educational programming."  The academy intends to continue its capital campaign for a new science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics center. The campuses  are 2.2 miles apart and shuttle buses will run between the campuses during the day. Time between classes will increase. 

Sandford said one of the most exciting aspects for the local community is the space the school will have to form additional partnerships, Current ideas include summer activities and camps, senior programming and fine arts programming in what will become the academy's new performing arts center. Sandford said the Performing Arts of Northeast Connecticut and its Community Cultural Committee will still have access to the auditorium and the academy is hoping to expand cultural offerings in the region.

The Hyde campus has 250 dorm rooms which would allow for expansion of the student population, Sandford said.  Currently the Academy has 1055 students. Of that 92 are international, 21 are paid and 942 are from the sending towns.  Sandford said the academy is not looking at that big an increase in (international) students, "but it does provide us with more flexibility." Asked if the tuition for sending towns might increase, Sandford said "if there is (an increase) it would be a small one."

Sandford said the process started in March when one of the Board of Director members at the academy came to the board with the idea of buying the Hyde school campus. 

Asked what the best part of this is, Sandford said it's the excitement of the fourth largest historic expansion of the school. First was the school's opening in 1801; second was the new building in 1873, third was a 1992 expansion and this marks the fourth.

 

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