With A Multi-Cultural Theme –

A Spring Break Preview Of A Magnet School

By Tanjua Damon

For three days, while other students were on vacation, 40 students from five school districts around the area got a glimpse of what the proposed magnet school for the region might be like during a “mini pilot program” this week at Stadley Rough School in Danbury.

A magnet school has been in the works for seven years for the greater Danbury area. Education Connection is spearheading the project that has been under discussion for the past seven years. Plans have been delayed by a land transaction from Western Connecticut State University to the City of Danbury, but the plan is to have the K-5 school open in 2003.

The Early Academy of International Studies is a pilot program of the proposed Magnet School, Western Connecticut Academy of International Studies, that will be located in Danbury. The school will bring children in grades K-5 together from several school districts in Western Connecticut.

This week, the program “Just Like Me” brought together students from Danbury, Brookfield, New Fairfield, Newtown, and Redding to learn about how their families are similar to families around the world. The students created their own books about families and participated in multicultural theme activities, including games from other countries, reading books from various regions, singing a song about different people from around the world, and art projects.

The 40 students in grades K-2 were selected from among applicants on a first-come first-served basis. The Danbury district received 20 spaces while the other four districts received five spaces each. Over 160 students applied for the 40 spots, which were filled within two days, according to Program Director Joyce Mowrey of Education Connection.

Education Connection at the Regional Education Service Center (RESC) will collect the data that the state needs to assess interest in a magnet school for the area, according to Ms Mowrey. Education Connection would also run the magnet school once its doors are open.

“The state wants to know you can generate interest,” Ms Mowrey said. “This creates a situation were students can interact and work with students in other school districts. It creates a learning environment with a carefully created mix of students.”

Three teachers, Helena Andrade from Stadley Rough Elementary in Danbury, Karen Blasko from Head O’ Meadow School in Newtown, and Megan O’Rouke from Redding Elementary School in Redding, volunteered to be teachers for the pilot program. The teachers spent time meeting for a few months to prepare for the program.

“It’s a lot of fun. I really like working with people from other districts. It’s exciting to plan a new program,” Ms Blasko said. “We planned the activities so it would accommodate multi-aged students so they all could have experiences. It’s not difficult to teach multiple levels.”

The pilot program concentrated on multi-cultural themes and on literacy by working with the students on reading skills, according to Ms Mowrey. Students spent time each of the three days reading in groups and individually.

Lisa Chaloux of Newtown sent her daughter, Danielle, to the program not only to see what a magnet school would be about but also to give her an additional educational opportunity.

“I’d be very interested in alternative education. Yes, I need to know more about the magnet school,” Mrs Chaloux said. “I’m always looking for more opportunities to help my children grow educationally. This program just seems so professionally put together.”

Danielle is in kindergarten at Hawley School, and Mrs Chaloux said that she came home on Monday very excited about the program and explained everything the group did.

Jane Tedder, who wrote the initial grant for the magnet school, said the school will have a special theme of international studies as well as a strong academic background that will meet Connecticut requirements. The proposed school will also provide a bilingual atmosphere in which the students in K-5 will be exposed to Spanish.

“It’s a way that public school systems can give their students and parents a choice. The area, such as Danbury, is a way we can bring school systems together collectively to decide on a program,” Ms Tedder said. “It’s a place where we can look at ways of doing things differently, so you can provide options.”

The magnet school would provide an opportunity for regional school districts to provide diversity and another approach to educating students, according to Ms Mowrey.

“I come from California, where it is diverse. It’s a way of life. My seven-year-old is so hungry to have diversity,” Ms Mowrey said. “It takes a certain flavor out of your life when diversity isn’t in it. Kids need a chance to have that.”

Once the magnet school opens, it would be the smallest elementary school in the region, housing 350 students, according to Ms Tedder. The school would probably open with K-2 students and the grades 3-5 would be phased in over a period of time.

On Saturday, May 5, the group of youngsters will return to Stadley Rough Elementary School to share the books they made with their parents and enjoy a puppet show as well as a picnic with their families.

A two-week summer program is being planned for July 30 to August 11. Education Connection is waiting to hear about funding for the proposed summer program. Students will be selected by a lottery system for this two-week program.