Faculty Biographical Sketches
Dr. Bonnie Lee Rabe, Department of Education & Educational Psychology
Dr. Bonnie Lee Rabe is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education and Educational Psychology. Dr. Rabe is coordinating the development of the 092 Administrator and Supervisor endorsement program option for our Instructional Leadership Ed.D. students in collaboration with Central Connecticut State University; and the new Master of Arts/Science in Teaching Program. Dr. Rabe facilitates the 092 Seminar, is a supervisor of the 092 Internship and teaches in the Instructional Leadership program.
With more than 28 years of educational experience ranging from pre-K through higher education, Dr. Rabe has served in urban, suburban and rural districts. Teaching science at the middle level for 16 of those years, she extended her expertise to include enrichment and gifted programs. In her ten years as an educational administrator, Dr. Rabe held various positions including Assistant Principal, Principal, Director of Program Development and contributed to the start-up of three Connecticut interdistrict magnet schools.
During her tenure in public schools, Dr. Rabe was honored as the Meriden Teacher of the Year, recognized by her colleagues with the Staff Recognition Award, elected as a Fellow of the Connecticut Academy for Education and awarded the Exemplary Teaching at the Middle School Level Award by the Connecticut Science Teachers Association. Dr. Rabe is also a Past State President of the Connecticut Federation of Business and Professional Women, an organization that also honored her as Woman of the Year.
Dr. Rabe served as Project Coordinator of Operations and Programs for the Western Connecticut Academy of International Studies Elementary Magnet School, located at the edge of our West Campus. This unique school was developed in partnership with WCSU and Education Connection serving Kindergarten through grade 5 students from the original partner school districts of Brookfield, Danbury, Newtown, New Fairfield, and Redding. The school has expanded to include several new participating districts.
As an Adjunct Professor at Quinnipiac University, Dr. Rabe developed curriculum and courses for the middle level component of the Master of Arts in Teaching Program. As an Adjunct Professor at Central Connecticut State University’s Department of Physics/Earth Science, Dr. Rabe taught three undergraduate science courses: Teaching Science in Secondary Schools, Teaching Technology in Science and the Student Teaching Seminar.
Focusing on leadership development, culture development, differentiated instruction, scheduling, transitioning teacher learning and curriculum development, Dr. Rabe continues her consulting work, recently creating a Peace Curriculum for Danbury Public Schools.
Dr. Rabe holds a B.S. in Education, a M.S. in Environmental Education and a 6th Year Diploma in Science Education from Southern Connecticut State University. Her Administrative and Superintendent of Schools endorsements were earned from the University of Connecticut where she also earned a Ph.D. in Educational Administration. Dr. Rabe’s research interests include differentiated instruction, the transition of teacher learning, teacher retention, relationship building through the evaluation process and leadership development.
