Who We Are

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The Connecticut Writing Project/Fairfield, an affiliate of the National Writing Project, is dedicated to improving students' writing abilities by strengthening the teaching and learning of writing, providing professional development programs for classroom teachers, and expanding the professional roles of teachers.

Using the model of teachers teaching teachers, CWP/Fairfield has trained more than 250 teachers, kindergarten through college. In addition, CWP/Fairfield offers a rich assortment of programs including nationally-recognized speakers on reading, writing, and learning issues, Institutes for Urban Teachers, Young Writers Institutes, and Writers Retreats.

The Connecticut Writing Project was designated a Center for Excellence by the Connecticut State Legislature in 1986 and shares with other Writing Project sites the Carnegie Corporation of New York's evaluation as the "best large-scale effort to improve composition instruction now in operation in this country."

• We are more than 200 teacher/consultants, from kindergarten through college. including teachers of math, science, history, English, and language arts.
• We are committed to improving student writing abilities by improving the teaching and learning of writing.
• We provide professional development programs for classroom teachers and school administrators.
• We provide opportunities to expand the professional roles of teachers.
• We believe that teachers are key to educational reform.
• We operate on a teachers-teaching-teachers model. Successful writing teachers attend the Invitational Summer Institutes at their local universities. During the school year these teachers provide workshops for other teachers in the schools.
• We know that writing deserves constant attention, from kindergarten through university.
• We are committed to the idea that exemplary teachers of writing are themselves writers.

• We hold invitational Summer Institutes.
• We provide seven other Institutes in the summer including an Early Literacy Institute, an Institute on the Teaching of Literature, a number of Institutes for Teaching Writing, an Institute for Teachers of English Language Learners, and an Institute for the Study of Issues of Race, Gender, and Equity.
• We provide workshops and in-service programs in 49 districts throughout the state of Connecticut.
• We hold seminars on writing issues with speakers such as Toby Fulwiler, Barry Lane, Ralph Fletcher and Robert Probst.
• We hold retreats for writers.
• We offer outreach programs in writing for local non-profit organizations.
• We offer a Young Writers Institute for students in grades 6 through 10.
• We serve on the boards of professional organizations and committees of the Connecticut State Department of Education.

The leadership of the CWP- Fairfield is provided by:
Faye C. Gage, Director
Betsy Bowen, Associate Director
Bill McCarthy , Associate Director
Bob Wilson, Associate Director

The members of the Executive Board are:
John Chiappetta (tech liason), Susanne Conklin, Lis Comm, Katie Ferguson, Jean Gaumer, Mary Grandville, Penny Liu, Diana Martinez, Jane Mahr, Linda Miller, Susan Pascucci, Julie Phares, Jack Powers, Sara Reilly, Del Shortliffe, Lynn Winslow, and Judy Wren