In the News

Suzanne Duran Crelin Enlightens at ACES

February 27th, 2015

Suzanne Duran Crelin Enlightens at ACES

Like her husband, Bob Crelin (who's cost-saving, "dark sky" initiative brought about Branford's non-invasive business lighting regulations adopted in 1997), Suzanne Duran Crelin is taking a simple, inexpensive idea-mindfulness-and applying it to help students stay focused, calm, and present.

Suzanne is now enjoying her third year as principal of the K-8 ACES Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet School in Hamden. Branford families can apply for their child to attend through Parent Choice; for which tuition costs are covered, but transportation must be provided by the family. ACES is one of three Regional Educational Service Centers that oversees the magnet schools "choice" effort in Connecticut.

Suzanne was teaching in New Haven several years ago when she began to realize that practicing mindfulness had an impact on her students, in part because it provides a "strategy for helping people, in general, to learn, to cope, to relate," she explains.

"I found that working even with students others may have found challenging, I didn't find challenging. Or I'd find they settled fine and we had a great relationship, and they would take [learning] risks," says Suzanne. "And I was wondering, 'Why?' And I thought, 'Oh, I think it's my practice of being aware and present with people."

Suzanne was a language arts teacher at ACES Collaborative Alternative Magnet School for Leadership (CAMS) and also taught at New Haven's Hyde Leadership School before serving her first principal's post at New Haven's MicroSociety Magnet School (now West Rock Authors Academy). She earned a B.A. in English from New York University; a master's in English and peace studies from Teachers College, Columbia University; and a sixth-year diploma in educational leadership from Quinnipiac University.

In fact, the idea of applying mindfulness to an educational setting was what led Suzanne to pursue her administrative certification.