Welcome to the Center for University, School and Community Partnerships (CUSP). Located at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's satellite location in Fairhaven, CUSP is part of the University's division of Professional and Continuing Education. CUSP offers professional development and alternative licensing programs for teachers and administrators.

Chancellor MacCormack recently wrote in a New Bedford Standard Times editorial, "Our Center for University, School and Community Partnerships will engage local educators in innovative and transformative joint programs. We will re-invigorate our educational programs to prepare a new generation of teachers and educational leaders."

New Teacher Center workshop at CUSP

The prestigious New Teacher Center of Santa Cruz, California, is coming to CUSP this summer to present "Coaching Leaders to Attain Student Success (CLASS)," a three-day workshop on how to provide intensive individualized support to new and experienced principals. Check out the workshop flyer (pdf) for more information.

Mentoring in Action is back!

Building on the success of our year-long Mentoring in Action courses over the past two years, we will be offering this popular 3 credit course again, beginning this fall. Mentoring in Action has been designed for teachers and administrators who are interested in learning how to support and retain new teachers. For more information about this exciting opportunity, visit our Mentoring page.

New poetry book a result of CUSP Writing Retreats

CUSP friend Cathie Desjardins reports that her just-released book of poetry, With Child: Poems, is largely the result of her time at CUSP Writing Retreats. Desjardins says, "Like many other teachers, I was an instant convert the first time I attended, won over by the collegiality of educators sharing their stories, helping each other focus the lens through which they saw the world."

The book is available at Amazon.com (Follow the link or search for ISBN 9780 978994693)

Click here for Cathie's full story about how this book came about

Math and Science Teachers Wanted

TEACH!, the innovative teacher recruitment program at CUSP, is looking for a new group of math and science teacher candidates as it enters its second year. The first-year candidates started leading classes at New Bedford and Fall River high schools and middle schools in September, following months of preparation. See the fall TEACH! Newsletter(pdf) for more information about the first TEACH cohort. To find out more about program benefits and application requirements, check out this information sheet(pdf), or follow the link to TEACH! at left or above.

CUSP News Archive