After arriving in Newtown on Sunday, March 15, a delegation of 21 students and two teachers were welcomed at Newtown High School on the morning of Monday, March 16, before starting a day of visiting the school.

The group, from the I.E.S. Las Encinas School, is visiting through the Newtown International Center for Education (NICE).

NHS teacher and NICE Program Manager and Europe and Spain Project Co-Manager Liz Ward-Toller and NHS Principal Lorrie Rodrigue welcomed the delegates in the school’s cafetorium at the start of the day. The visiting students were situated around the cafetorium with their host students.

During the delegation’s visit, the visitors will stay with host families, set up through NICE.

On Monday the visiting students shadowed their host students. Throughout the week the students were set to also shadow other students at NHS and attend different classes.

Visits to New York City, Yale University, and Newtown Middle School were planned for the delegation. Other activities scheduled for the week included an after school St Patrick’s Day snack on Tuesday, March 17, and a presentation by the NHS graphics department on screen printing T-shirts.

The delegation will stay until Monday, March 23.

“Welcome, and I know our students and staff are so excited to have you,” said Dr Rodrigue to the gathered students on Monday morning.

Dr Rodrigue also thanked the NICE team for organizing the delegation and thanked the delegates for their visit before introducing the students to the high school’s assistant principals.