Donna's Dispatch
October 2008
A message from Donna Bernard
Superintendent of Schools
Golden autumn greetings to you.
As we celebrate the golden moments of this season, let us take this opportunity to celebrate some of the special accomplishments here at Coventry Public Schools. Here are just a few of your schools’ golden moments:
- We are providing more quality services with less additional need for resources! Coventry schools continue to increase opportunities for expanded instructional and experiential student activities without increases in resources to the public schools. Even with the staff reductions implemented for the 2008-2009 school year, as a result of reduced district budgets, we are redeploying current staff to provide more before and after school and small groups programs. Commendations go to a very dedicated staff for their focus on providing further services to students.
- We are collaborating with many outside agencies to further student development! There are so many examples of exceptional collaborations that are benefitting Coventry young people. Our partnerships with town services such as Parks and Recreation, Youth Services, and Human Services result in aid and programs for students and their families. Especially in these economic times, our families are requesting more support than ever. The educational and social development of students is well served by these interactive collaborations.
- We are winning grants and awards like never before! Coventry Public Schools is very proud to be a recipient of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association’s Project Opening Doors Grant. This grant will increase the number and variety of Advanced Placement courses available at Coventry High School. The grant will allow for staff development related to advanced placement courses and for the paying of financial rewards to students that score well on advanced placement exams. In addition, our more rigorous programmatic offerings are expanding at the Capt. Nathan Hale Middle School. For the first time, eighth graders are taking freshman Algebra I class in the high school. We are quite proud of these exceptional accomplishments.
- We have received accreditation for our preschool program! We are indeed proud that the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has informed us that our preschool programs and practices are worthy of their accreditation. After an exhaustive, complex, and extensive effort by the staff of our Coventry Early Childhood Center and Coventry Early Intervention Services programs, assisted by the efforts of the town wide School Readiness Council, the preschool passed with flying colors (…like the golden colors of autumn to be sure!). Coventry has a right to feel quite proud of its preschool staff and practices.
- We are saving families money! Many of our students are reporting that they are leaving high school with college credit already validated by the rigorous course work that they have taken here in school. The UCONN Early College Experience program at Coventry High School allows for students to take college credit courses right here at their own high school. This saves Coventry families thousands of dollars in tuition costs each year, because the students do not need to take those credits at the college tuition rate. Our families are very pleased to have their young people partake in these opportunities. A student that can complete college in less time saves the family a great deal of precious resource.
We have so many golden moments here in our schools. Thank YOU for your support and for passing on the good news about Coventry Public Schools. I look forward to visiting with you more to share our accomplishments.
Best regards,
Donna
PS: Do you have questions or comments for the Superintendent? Our next fall Donuts with Donna session is set for Wednesday, November 12 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. at The Knitting Nook, 3466 Main Street.
Previous Dispatches
September08
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May08
April08
March08
February08
Dec07/Jan08
November 07
October 07
September 07