Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Staff Donate $400 To CCA Kids



Schools may not be in session over the summer, but the work for all school systems continues behind the scenes. Mary Ann Jackman, mother of CCA staffer, Kara Jackman, is one of the people that makes schools kind, welcoming spaces for diverse students in cities across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. After 11 years of service as a regional director for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Statewide System of Support [SSoS], she brought her service to a close on June 30th. In her honor and in lieu of a gift, her colleagues donated $400 to CCA after hearing about the good work that we do for kids across the country. On top of that $400, Mary Ann and her soul mate and husband, Patrick Jackman, contributed an additional $200 towards their daughter’s birthday club fundraiser. This $600 will bring about a positive impact for our families, providing life-changing medical care for kids in need, building family network connections, and educational materials for students of all ages.

Mary Ann and Patrick Jackman in San Diego, CA


Mary Ann Jackman is a tireless advocate for children in urban, diverse municipalities from Chelsea, Framingham, Randolph, Taunton, and Lowell.  She began her educational career at schools in Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, and Roxbury.   She taught at various grade levels, plus put her certifications in math and computer technology to good use in the Boston Public Schools. Mary Ann was the first to bring computers into Boston classrooms. Later, she would move into administrative positions, working as an assistant principal, principal (of two schools no less), and ultimately superintendent in a small town closer to the family home, so she could better care for her family.  She retired as superintendent in 2006, but her passion for education remained intact. Mary Ann knew there was more work to do. It was then, after two years working at an Apple retail store, that she returned to work in education with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. There she teamed with colleagues and partnered with schools/districts to work together to better understand and support the needs of the diverse and changing student populations, toward the goal of improving outcomes for all.  Surrounded by dedicated colleagues and school/district leaders, school improvement plans were developed, implemented, and progress monitored; student opportunities and achievement grew and improved. 


Her colleagues wanted to share their appreciation for her years of leadership and hard work. Mary Ann is a tough woman for whom to purchase gifts, so when she caught wind of something going on, she talked with her long time colleague Casel Walker and SSoS assistant director, Rebecca Hyde, about CCA and the work that CCA did in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and her daughter, Kara’s, passion for creating opportunities and making a difference for those with facial differences.  


Mary Ann leaves a positive impression on all people with whom she works. She exemplifies all the principles in our #ChooseKind initiative, especially for black, indigenous, and students of color. Many of the team members were touched by her work ethic and eagerly took the opportunity to donate in her honor. Thanks to Mary Ann’s leadership, all of them live out Margaret Mead’s message. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."


CCA is grateful that this group of thoughtful, committed citizens has helped to improve the lives of families in the facial difference world, too. Thank you to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Statewide System of Support Coastal Region. We salute you, your work, and the countless opportunities you gave to a young girl from Dorchester that just wanted to help children reach their aspirational educational goals


Three cheers for you, Mary Ann! What a life well lived!


Monday, July 20, 2020

#ChooseKind Schools: Massachusetts School Reading Teacher Visits CCA Offices

Mrs. Lima of the Morse Pond School in Falmouth
Massachusetts came to visit the CCA offices in December 2019
before coronavirus hit. 


Before the coronavirus struck the United States, friends and teachers visited the Dallas, CCA offices. One of them came as 2019 came to a close. 

Thank you Mrs. Lima for stopping by our CCA office in Dallas, TX in December 2019 before our world turned upside down with the coronavirus. Great timing. Mrs. Lima is a Reading Teacher at Morse Pond School in Falmouth, Massachusetts on good, old Cape Cod. She teaches mostly 5th and 6th grade students. 





Over winter break, Mrs. Lima was in town visiting family and friends. She dropped by to send along some pen pal letters that her students wrote to our CCA Kids. She had been in contact with Khadija, our outreach director, about the pen pal program, our #ChooseKind Initiative, and curriculum for her students. During Mrs. Lima's visit, Khadija was kind enough to give her a tour of the office suite and provide her with more resources for her kids.

Thank you Mrs. Lima and Morse Pond School staff for teaching your students the importance of kindness through our #ChooseKind programs. 

If you are a teacher looking for curriculum or ways for your kids to connect with CCA kids with facial differences, please visit our Choose Kind Initiative webpage or email Khadija at [email protected]. There are resources for parents, kids and more on our website. 

Saturday, July 11, 2020

Apply For This Life-Changing Internship with Libra Group



The Libra Internship Program is a paid opportunity for undergraduate students to intern with the Libra Group and its global businesses. Internship roles are available in social responsibility, finance, engineering, human resources, accounting, hotel operations and more. The Summer 2021 program will run from June 7 – August 13, 2021.

If you are interested in applying to the Summer 2021 Libra Internship Program this fall, register below for Libra’s upcoming information session. Please note that slots are available on a first come, first serve basis.

Thursday, September 10th from 5:30-6:15pm EDThttps://bit.ly/2Z28DzY

Friday, July 10, 2020

Strategies that Stick, Med-El Offers Promoting Positive Behavior At Home Webinar





On July 18 and July 21, join a MED-EL parent workshop that will focus on promoting positive behavior at home using Pyramid Model strategies for preventing challenging behavior in children with hearing loss.


Sign up for this virtual learning opportunity here.