New Teacher Orientation At Reed

By Eliza Hallabeck

New teachers in the school district attended this school year’s new teacher orientation held at Reed Intermediate School on Tuesday, August 25, where they began the three-day orientation with introductions. Within the first hour the teachers stood in two lines to complete “speed introductions.”

As professional development coordinator for the school district, Kathy Swift, who oversaw the orientation and is also an English teacher at Newtown High School, said the orientation will become more specific to the teachers’ discipline as they progress through the three-day program.

This year’s group of a 24 teachers comprises mainly Newtown High School teachers, according to Assistant Superintendent of Schools Linda Gejda. She said some of the teachers in the group have already been working in the school district, but started working after last year’s new teacher orientation was held.

“There’s a lot of energy in the room,” said Ms Swift, “and there’s a great belief in what we can accomplish as teachers.”

Ms Swift said this is the ninth year she is overseeing the new teacher orientation, and added the program cultivates loyalty to a “great school district.”

Being in the orientation, Ms Swift said, “is a positive experience.”