from left to right: Byron Crozier, Stephanie Lopez, Cailtin McDonald, James Turner, Kinsley Sanders Rausch, Jennifer Dziekan, and Pete Govert.
FLI is an acronym for the Franklin Learning Institute, a program specially designed to give our seniors and postgraduates (as well as graduates from other high schools) the best chance for success in college. With the motto of “preparation through practice,” FLI replicates the structure and experience of the college freshman year. However, there is this difference – we have a safety net in place that supports each student as new challenges are embraced and new lessons are learned. Here is the leadership lineup for FLI this year.
Kinsley Sanders Rausch is our FLI and FACTS Coordinator, having previously served as a Residential Dean. She is beginning her fifteenth year at Franklin Academy and her thirtieth year as a professional educator. Having raised a daughter on the Autism Spectrum, she is grateful for the excellent training and welcoming environment Franklin Academy has provided.
Pete Govert continues for the fifth year in his role as a Residential Dean on FLI, and he is also a member of the Transition Department where he is responsible for work experience programming. Previously, he taught Humanities at Franklin Academy for six years after a long career as the Training Director for the Peace Corps Training Center in East Africa.
Stephanie Lopez is beginning her fourth year at Franklin Academy as a Learning Specialist, returning to FLI after several years of working with the boys on Team C. She is a native of Texas, but she is very happy to have made the transition to Connecticut, allowing her to remain in close proximity to her daughter who attends college in New Jersey.
James Turner serves as a FLI Learning Specialist. James is beginning his fifth year at Franklin Academy. He is a veteran participant in the school’s annual Fall College Trip, and he is excited to continue his work on FLI, especially since his Master’s Degree from the University of Connecticut focuses on transition services for college-bound students. He has a black lab named Maggie that occasionally will be seen on campus.
Caitlin McDonald serves as the Counselor for FLI. She is beginning her fifth year at Franklin Academy, following earlier experiences as a Summer Sojourn Intern while in college. She excited to be on FLI again this year. Caitlin is a Marvel movie fan, and she has a miniature Schnauzer who occasionally comes to campus to visit with the students.
Jen Dziekan is joining Franklin Academy as our new FACTS College Transition Advisor. Jen has served as a high school counselor and headed counseling departments for fifteen years. She has extensive experience helping students transition from high school to college, a process she is currently involved in with her own teenagers. She is very excited to be part of the Franklin family.
Byron Crozier is Franklin Academy’s long-tenured College Counselor, having joined the school in 2003. This is the start of his forty-third year as an educator, a lengthy career that includes twenty-three years in international schools. A graduate of Westminster College in Pennsylvania, Byron has also studied at The University of London and International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan.
During FLI deliberations this past week, the leadership team processed feedback from last year and decided to tweak the opening day schedule in order to provide more time for seniors, postgraduates, and their parents to register and then move belongings into dormitory rooms. Attached is the revised schedule for FLI Registration and Opening Day on Friday, August 31. Here also is a photograph of FLI leadership.