Connecticut
As more school districts consider cell phone restrictions, Waterbury rolls out new policy
More school leaders are considering restricting cell phones in the classroom.
It comes after the state recently urged districts to come up with rules for the devices.
Students in Waterbury are already joining the list of communities where access to cell phones is limited, and it seems to have been met with mixed reaction.
“There’s benefits, but there’s there’s ups and downs,” Imaje Pitt, a Kenney High sophomore, said.
Students in Waterbury began the new year with a new policy that requires cell phones to be locked up in a pouch for the day at the middle and high schools.
“Nobody was OK with it. Like at all. Everyone was like, ‘No, I don’t want to put my phone in this,’” Jayleyah Harris, a Kennedy High sophomore, said.
Students were missing the devices and everything they use them for, but they were also seeing the positives like not having the distraction in class and connecting with others.
“To see people who were like interacting with each other where they were like, I don’t know. People were making new friends,” Pitt said.
There’s also a learning curve for parents, according to the interim superintendent.
“It’s kind of reteaching parents how to contact their child during the school day, which is through the main office,” Dr. Darren Schwartz, the Waterbury Public Schools interim superintendent, said.
“The reality is that also, you know, texting and using the phone during a real emergency actually could be putting their child in danger. And so removing that opportunity for students is actually going to make them safer in many cases,” he continued.
Waterbury joins districts around the state finding ways to limit access, including in Hartford and Ellington. Now, it appears other communities are taking action.
This comes after Governor Lamont last week urged schools statewide to come up with rules to restrict the use in classrooms to help improve learning and mental wellbeing.
“I think at this point virtually every board in the state has started a conversation or will be doing so,” Patrice McCarthy, Connecticut Association of Boards of Education executive director, said.
Those talks can take a while and it’s suggested everyone gets involved. Potential solutions can range from pouches to just leaving a cell phone in a designated area in class.
Connecticut
Canadian aerospace company Bombardier launching new ‘fast track’ training program in Connecticut
WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. (WTNH) — Bombardier, a Canadian company, is launching a new “fast track” training program in Connecticut.
The new program will expand Connecticut’s aerospace industry by creating an accelerated pathway for experienced aircraft maintenance technicians to receive new certifications and enter high-demand careers quickly.
“We know the demand for aviation technicians far exceeds the number of students we can currently prepare throughout our traditional programing alone,” Dr. Alice Pritchard, executive director of Connecticut technical education and career system, said. “Our goal is to create a sustainable workforce solution that can continue producing skilled aviation technicians for years to come.”
The program is set to start soon at the company’s service center at Bradley International Airport.
Injuries were reported in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 91 South in Hartford on Wednesday morning.
State police said the four-vehicle crash happened around 5:55 a.m.
The highway was briefly closed between exits 30 and 29A. It has since reopened.
According to state police, injuries were reported, but the extent is unknown.
The crash remains under investigation.
Connecticut
Avon daycare releases dates, times that former employee accused of sex assault worked at other Connecticut locations
AVON, Conn. (WTNH) — In light of recent information that a now-former Avon daycare employee accused of sexually assaulting children had filled in at multiple Connecticut locations, the company has released a timeline of when and where he had worked.
Jan Carlos Berrios Otero’s employment with BrightPath Early Learning began in January 2022, according to a letter sent out to families. Within the last four years, he had filled in at daycare locations in Simsbury, Windsor and West Hartford.
According to BrightPath, Berrios Otero had covered partial shifts at the following locations on the following days:
- Simsbury, Jan. 20, 2026: Berrios Otero covered a shift for about four hours and 20 minutes
- Windsor, Sept. 16, 2025: Berrios Otero covered a shift for about six hours at the 555 Day Hill Road location.
- West Hartford, Sept. 24, 2025: Berrios Otero covered a shift for about three hours at the Park Road location
BrightPath stated that to its knowledge, there are no known allegations, complaints or incidents that occurred during these time frames.
Berrios Otero, 29, is facing six counts of risk of injury to a minor, six counts of fourth-degree sexual assault, and two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a minor for allegedly sexually assaulting five boys ages 3 to 5 during the month of March.
BrightPath is working to identify all students who were in attendance in Berrios Otero’s classroom during the partial shifts that he had covered, and will communicate with the families directly as soon as possible, the letter stated.
“Please know, we also understand our review is taking a considerable amount of time; however, the time we take to ensure we are supplying the most accurate information is critical,” the letter said. “We are working diligently to get information to law enforcement and the appropriate governing agencies to support their investigations, and of course to all our families.”
According to BrightPath, Berrios Otero underwent a state and federal background check, which includes state and national criminal records searches and a review of the sex offender registry.
During the background check, which is renewed every five years, Berrios Otero had no prior convictions and was thoroughly vetted through the company’s hiring requirements. He additionally complied with staff qualifications and training.
The daycare says it is conducting a review of all of its records for the past four years across all of its Connecticut centers.
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