Newtown Reflects On Chinese Delegation’s Visit

BY ELIZA HALLABECK

School administrators and one student involved in the growing Chinese Initiative in Newtown this week reflected on the visiting delegation’s most recent stay in Newtown, from February 7 through February 13.

Newtown schools welcomed visiting delegates from Liaocheng Middle School #3 and a lower school from the Shandong Province of China with a ceremony at Newtown High School, Reed Intermediate School, and Newtown Middle School. The visit marked another stage in the expanding Chinese Initiative in Newtown, as it was the first time delegates visited NMS or Reed.

Newtown High School was ready for its visitors on Monday, February 4, with a pep rally and the delegates’ visit was packed with itinerary events, like a trip to Sturbridge Village and New York City. Delegates also attended classes and met with school administrators during the week to further the sister school partnership, as NHS Assistant Principal and program coordinator Jason Hiruo has said. During the visit, the delegates stayed with host families.

This was the third year the partner school has sent a delegation of students and school representatives to visit NHS, and the trip marks the partnership’s third year. Last fall, the program was accepted into the Hanban-Asia Society Confucius Classrooms Network, which represents more than 15,000 students in 23 states and the District of Columbia.

While the program is comparatively young, Mr Hiruo said it is advanced for its age. The average age of school programs accepted into the Hanban-Asia Society Confucius Classrooms Network, he said, is 15 years.

“As a partnership we show no signs of slowing down,” said NHS junior Abbey Doski, who has been involved in the China Initiative since last year and will be one of 12 students to visit Liaocheng in April as part of a delegation from NHS.

The April trip, Mr Hiruo said, will mark the first time students will be part of an official delegation from Newtown to another country.

The Newtown China Initiative is based on the current sister school partnership with three schools in the city of Liaocheng. The partnership now provides opportunities for fifth to twelfth grade students, and a student ambassador preparatory program. The Mandarin language program will extend to level III by the fall of 2011 for students, and is currently piloting a language workshop to Newtown educators, according to the school.

Both Reed Intermediate School and Newtown Middle School welcomed delegates to the schools during the recent visit, and both schools will also be sending teachers as part of the delegation in April.

“It was unbelievable,” said NMS Principal Diane Sherlock. “It was a learning experience. I think all of us felt honored to have them here. It was just fabulous, a fabulous week.”

Both the students and staff, Mr Sherlock observed, found the week unforgettable.

At the goodbye ceremony held on February 13, Ms Sherlock said she reflected on the week with colleagues.

“We began with handshakes, but when we said goodbye the following weekend it was with hugs,” she said.

Everyone involved in the China Initiative, Ms Sherlock said, hopes this year’s visit is just the start of the program.

“Our new sister school relationship is about connections,” said Reed Principal Sharon Epple on Thursday, February 10, to delegates visiting her school.

Orchestra and students in chorus performed for the visitors during the school’s welcome ceremony.

“Your special visit here to extend a hand of friendship means so much to us,” said Dr Epple.

Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson, who visited Liaocheng before starting her career in Newtown three years ago, said the school district is now talking about a teacher exchange program, with a Newtown teacher going to China and a teacher from Liaocheng coming to Newtown.

“For me it was an unbelievable experience to have the principals and the students from both schools here,” Dr Robinson said. “I never dreamed that when I started this three years that in such a short time we would have grown this experience to this point.”

Once Dr Robinson started her position in Newtown, Mr Hiruo and NHS social studies teacher Martha Parvis also visited Liaocheng as the first delegates from Newtown to the eventual sister school. Since then, the China Initiative has grown to include a team of teachers and school staff, community members, and students working to further the partnership.

Mr Hiruo said the success of the program has been thanks to the hard work and support of everybody involved in it.

“I couldn’t be more impressed with the dedication of everyone involved,” said Abbey.

Abbey and fellow NHS students Austin Baldour, Kate Bartel, Nicole Davis, Liam Ferguson, Marina Lleonart-Calvo, Hannah Maret, Don Morrissey, Justina Paproski, Madalyn Petrovich, Leah Pinckney, and Kevin Rovelli will travel with Newtown teachers and administrators to Liaocheng in April.

Anyone interested in learning more information about Newtown’s China Initiative can contact Mr Hiruo at hiruoj@newtown.k12.ct.us.