Greetings to you with a wintery shiver!

 

It continues to be such a busy season for Coventry Public Schools as we design and develop programs for implementation during the 2009-2010 school year.  Our educational offerings are in constant stages of refinement and extension.  This means that even as we are working with current standards, we are collaborating with staff and outside agencies to create projects that better serve our young people. 

 

Let me share with you two of our exceptional plans. 

 

Coventry/Shandong Sister Schools Partnership

Since 2005, Coventry schools have been involved with Qingdao, China as a part of our sister schools project.  This collaboration is related to a twenty-year Connecticut/Shandong partnership which enables us to exchange teaching methods with Shandong teachers and administrators.  In addition, State of Connecticut standards specify that students engage in projects that value diversity and help eliminate racial and ethnic isolation. Programs such as these address specific state standards. Our developing plans for exchanging students with our sister school will increase our students’ understanding of the world and its cultures. Most enthusiastically, we report that our Shandong/Coventry program was enhanced this past January when three educational researchers from Shandong, China visited our town and schools studying our programs.  Their ten day stay was a wonderful opportunity for the exchange of ideas and practices.

Coventry High School/ Capt. Nathan Hale School Alignment

 

I am VERY pleased to commend the staff and parents at Coventry High School and the Capt. Nathan Hale School for their extraordinary efforts to align the schedules of the two schools.  For the very first time, beginning in the 2009-2010 school year, the students in both of these schools will have the same time schedules as it relates to the rotation of their class periods.  Following an exhaustive completion of the research related to grades 6-12 schedules, the representative committee has developed a plan for scheduling that will enable a much greater exchange of students and staff between the two buildings.  The benefits of increased course opportunities and academic rigor are significant as are the advantages of staff and resource utilization.  The fact that these two schools occupy the same facility provides a wonderful opportunity for cooperation and mutually beneficial educational experience development.  

Both of these initiatives are commendable achievements that would not be possible without the exceptional collaboration and commitment of devoted staff members and supportive community partners.  In spite of the dire economic condition within this state and throughout our country, these are beacons of hope as groups come together to develop new practices within constrained budgets, in the interest of supporting young people.  I’m very grateful for the service that is rendered.

May these positive visions and expectations warm you during this season of shiver!

 

Best regards,

Donna

 

PS – Do you have questions or comments for the Superintendent?  The next session of Donuts with Donna is scheduled for Wednesday, February 25 from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. at the Booth & Dimock Library on Main Street.