Friends & Neighbors

Frances Godek Goodman

Frances Godek Goodman of Mystic has spent her professional career focused on financial education, and now she has written a book to transmit a lifetime of knowledge.

“I started my career teaching at Bay Path University,” she said in an email. “I left teaching to become the co-founder of the Center for Tax Education and Research, a 501(c)(3) educational foundation.”

After the center’s dissolution, she took a position as a financial counselor and educator/trainer with the U.S. Naval Submarine Base in Groton.

Now retired, she recently penned an eBook, “Small Steps and Stories to Achieve Financial Security.” It is free on Amazon Kindle, and costs 99 cents if not a member. Sales are being donated to veteran organizations.

“My counseling experience at the Subase made me realize how great the need is to support our veterans,” Goodman said. “My eBook provides basic financial tools to help understand and manage money.”

Stories are intertwined in the chapters, including one involving a young military man saddled with significant debt from downloading music. Those who are in debt, she added, are sometimes targets of foreign powers that try to bribe service members to obtain secrets.

“A significant part of learning about how to handle money is math,” she said. “According to the National Association for Education of Young Children ... a child’s math knowledge at the start of kindergarten predicts later academic achievement better than early reading or attention skills.”

In addition to her eBook, Goodman tries to educate through her website, money-o.com, which has a link to access “Small Steps and Stories to Achieve Financial Security.”

Karen Stewart 

Karen Stewart, a paraprofessional at Montville High School, was selected last month as Montville's Paraprofessional of the Year.

She was surprised by a recognition ceremony which included students, faculty, and administrators. Stewart has worked in the school district for 18 years but this is her first year at Montville High School.

According to a release, "It is especially impressive that Karen received eight nominations from MHS core area teachers, elective class teachers, and special education teachers for Paraprofessional of the Year despite the fact that they have worked with her for less than a year."

Some of their comments included: "Karen approaches every day with the intent of making a difference for students," and "She is an integral member of co-taught classes who is always professional, positive, consistent, and enthusiastic."

Stewart was praised for communicating effectively with special education students' families and going above and beyond expectations every day.

The Montville High press release concluded, "We are very grateful for Karen's devotion to our students. She is an extremely important and effective member of the MHS team."

Jennifer Hills-Papetti and Carrie Rivera

The New London Board of Education has approved the promotion of two school district employees to new management positions.

Jennifer Hills-Papetti is the district's new assistant superintendent of student achievement and academic programming. She will lead the district's strategic initiatives in support of instructional leadership, including oversight of all academic and instructional practices, professional learning, curriculum development and intervention practices.

Hills-Papetti is the former director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, pre-K-5.

Carrie Rivera, a former school psychologist, is the new assistant director of mental health.

She will lead the implementation of federal and state mental health policies, serve as the department leader and evaluator for all district social workers and psychologists "and ensure that systems are in place to support the physical, emotional and intellectual safety of all students and staff in our learning environments," school Superintendent Cynthia Ritchie said in a statement.

The school board made the appointments at its April 22 meeting.

Susan Shepherd

Charter Oak Federal Credit Union has named Susan Shepherd of Pawcatuck, an experienced banker with over two decades of lending expertise, as its new mortgage officer.

"Susan is well versed in both banking and mortgage lending and her talents will fit nicely with our lending team at Charter Oak," said Brian A. Orenstein, Charter Oak's president and chief executive. "She's well-known throughout the mortgage industry and her extensive experience will serve our members well for all their lending needs, from first-time homebuyers to those looking to refinance."

Shepherd joined Charter Oak in 2018 and is now one of four mortgage officers who work with Charter Oak's lending department serving New London and Windham counties.

Shepherd has worked in the banking industry for more than 30 years, with 25 of those years dedicated exclusively to providing mortgages for homeowners across eastern Connecticut. Throughout her career, she has been active with numerous civic and community organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce, and the Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce.

She also has been a member of the Eastern Connecticut Association of Realtors, Habitat for Humanity and Mystic Rotary Club.

Shepherd can be reached at 860-235-6346 or sshepherd@cofcu.com. More information is available at her website, sshepherdcharteroak.org.

Friends & Neighbors is a regular feature in The Times. To contribute, email times@theday.com.