Chicopee Public Schools Testimonial – Andrea Stolar

The Challenge

Chicopee Public Schools wanted professional development that better matched the realities of a diverse, urban district, especially in the areas of inclusive instruction and interventions. Like many districts, Chicopee faced common obstacles, such as:

• Professional development gaps for key roles: Paraprofessionals, special educators, and related service providers are often underserved by traditional PD and may not receive learning that feels relevant to their day-to-day work.
• Growing staffing pressures: Finding qualified, certified teachers is increasingly difficult, and districts need practical training resources for new staff, emergency licensed teachers, and waiver teachers.
• The need for breadth and quality: The district needed access to high-quality training on a wide range of topics that educators can apply immediately.

The Choice

Dr. Andrea Stolar, Director of Special Education at Chicopee Public Schools, discovered Vector at a conference. Chicopee was already using a Vector platform for teacher evaluation, so the team was familiar with Vector and open to learning more.

What stood out was Vector’s extensive professional development video library and, in particular, the Inclusive Instruction and Interventions focus that aligned with Chicopee’s priorities for serving diverse learners.

The Change

Vector’s Inclusive Instruction and Interventions courses have become a meaningful part of professional learning at Chicopee Public Schools. The district is now incorporating Vector videos into yearly professional development plans and using them to onboard new staff. Educators have broader access to high-quality training topics, and the district has been able to better support emergency licensed and waiver teachers as they work toward meeting requirements and progressing their license status.

About Vector Solutions

Vector’s K-12 training management solution makes it easy to deliver relevant online training to every employee, helping districts mitigate risk and prevent safety incidents, improve operational efficiency, and empower staff to create safer, more supportive schools.