Nancy Zychek

Background

About Nancy Zychek

For twenty-five years I taught Middle school and High School students as a special educator. This involved co-teaching and collaborating with subject area teachers as well as managing and teaching a group of students in a Resource class setting. I was also involved in developing programs for students with special needs, implementing differentiated instruction, educational consultation and developing Individual Education Plans for students. I became highly qualified in the area of secondary science and reading and specialized in those areas, most recently collaborating with science and reading teachers at the middle school and high school level. I also collaborated with teachers in after school programs involving life skills, such as cooking and sewing and began a gardening group at the middle school level. An area of interest has been helping with costuming for the annual spring musicals at the high school. After moving to the high school, I took over as advisor for the school environmental club and was involved with planting a Learning Garden at the town community garden. I also volunteered to work with students as they trained for the state Envirothon, a program that trained students from area high schools in helping to solve environmental issues. I earned certification in Sustainable Nutrition from The Institute Of Sustainable Nutrition, August 2014 and the Science and Art of Herbology with certification through the Institute of Sustainable Nutrition and Rosemary Gladstar's program. In the Fall 2018 program of the Connecticut Audubon Society, I earned certification as a Master Naturalist and in 2019 I earned my certificate as a Master Gardener through UCONN's agricultural extension office. In 2021 I achieved Advanced Master Gardener status. Since retiring from teaching I have joined the non-profit Real Food Share, now Real Food CT, and am currently serving on the board of directors. I am involved with planning fundraising, growing our vegetable crops, organicly and regeneratively, to donate to area food pantries, partnering with local farmers to distribute fresh produce to local food pantries and planning various educational projects including our "Grow Your Own" monthly program for area gardeners and our "Little Sprouts" program for pre-school children at our location at Sticks and Stones in Newtown. As a member of Real Food CT, I am interested in increasing the health of the soil as we grow our produce and monitoring the nutritional value of our produce.