Sen. Witkos, Rep. Hampton Host Special Education Day at the State Capitol

On Wednesday March 14, State Senator Kevin Witkos (R-Canton) and State Representative John Hampton (D-Simsbury) welcomed students and families to the State Capitol to raise awareness about special education.

Organized by the Connecticut Special Education PTO Alliance and Simsbury Public Schools, the 7th annual “Special Education Day” at the State Capitol was hosted by Sen. Witkos and Rep. Hampton. The event brought students, teachers and advocates to Hartford to discuss the importance of special education and its impact on children’s lives.

“The dedicated teachers, administrators and students from the special education community never cease to amaze me,” said Sen. Witkos, who serves as Deputy Senate Republican President Pro Tempore. “Special education plays a key role in development for so many children throughout Connecticut. Hearing from those who are directly affected and influenced by a strong special education system is so important to understanding what is working and what we can do better to support the needs of every student. I want to thank all those who came to the Capitol this week to share their stories. From the talented United Sound students at Henry James Memorial Middle School to the teachers who make programs like this possible, I am impressed by the amount of positivity, energy and perseverance these individuals embody every day.”

“Our teachers and administrators have an irreplaceable role in our students’ lives. They teach them valuable lessons and ultimately help shape who our students become. Our children’s education comes first. Hearing firsthand from our teachers and administrators will allow us to determine how we can better aid them in educating our children and how we can further support our students’ needs,” said Rep. Hampton.

Sen. Witkos (pictured) and Rep. Hampton (who could not attend due to a family emergency), were joined by Senators Henri Martin and Tony Guglielmo and Representatives Kokoruda and Staneski. Also in attendance: the Simsbury High School Chorus and members of United Sound from the Henry James Memorial Middle School; Kevin Daly, Chair of the Connecticut Special Education PTO Alliance; Sue Homrok-Lemke, Assistance Superintendent of Pupil Services, Simsbury; Diana Yeisley and Joan Robichaud from the Simsbury Special Education Parent Teacher Organization; Bryan Klimkewicz, Chief of the Bureau of Special Education; Carl Gross, President of the CT Council of Administrators of Special Education; Ellen Cohn, Deputy Commissioner of the CT State Department of Education; and Colleen Thompson, Simsbury Teacher of the Year.