Rutgers NJ Alternate Route Alum Denis Cretinon Improves Virtual Learning Through Collaboration

When COVID-19 hit, Discovery Charter School Leader and Alternate Route alum Denis Cretinon knew he wouldn’t succeed without a team.

“I wanted to create a space for all teachers to discuss what’s not working,” he said. “If we can all share without the fear of being reprimanded, we can create a space where we can talk about a problem we can all work on solving.”

Cretinon, who recently finished his first year as School Leader, worked with fellow Discovery educators on March 13th to put a plan together that best serves students and teachers. On March 16th, school was back in session… but had a new look.

Alternate Route Teachers Drive Diversity and Quality Education in New Jersey Schools

Part of our mission at Rutgers Alternate Route is to create pathways for people of all backgrounds, ages, and educational levels to pursue and launch successful careers in teaching and education. The Rutgers Center for Effective School Practices’ Alternate Route Program surveys our graduates each year to allow insight into their transition into teaching and learn about program satisfaction.

The results of this year’s survey remind us to continue providing these new pathways to teaching. Here are just some of our findings about the typical Alternate Route candidates and how they are challenging the status quo by transitioning into a new career in education.

See our inphographic below and click here for our blog to learn more about our candidates!

Related reading on the web


Strict measures are necessary to protect everyone’s physical health at school, but what will be the effects on young children’s social and emotional health? Pre-K and kindergarten are pivotal points in a child’s education, in part because they set the tone for long-term feelings about school. Read more here!	Many teachers are already back in school, and others are preparing to face the same challenges they had only a few months prior. Some are looking at it as just another year, while others are seriously concerned about class sizes and keeping students properly social distanced. This HuffPost article has varying perspectives from teachers around the country. Read more here!

Do you know someone who is interested in making a career change to teaching but doesn't know where to start?

Refer a teaching candidate to Rutgers CESP Alternate Route program and you could receive a special gift!

Alternate Route Spotlight:

Steve "Stand Tall Steve" Bollar

Listen to our conversation with Steve here!

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