Date: Fri 20-Aug-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: JEFF

Quick Words:

teacher-orientation

Full Text:

New Teachers Get Introduction To Newtown

(with photo)

BY JEFF WHITE

The high school lecture hall resembled a war room this week, where amid

binders of teaching standards, attack plan posters and half-finished water

bottles over 60 new teachers got oriented with the Newtown school district.

As of Wednesday, August 18, 63 new teachers have been hired to begin the

coming school year. In previous years, a typical teacher orientation might

have had around 30 new teachers, according to Superintendent of Schools John

Reed. Though challenged with familiarizing more than twice the number of new

teachers with the Newtown school system, Dr Reed seemed encouraged in the

middle of the orientation's second day.

"I think it's going reasonably well," he said.

Breakfast and icebreakers kicked off the orientation Monday, as teachers

grouped together to introduce themselves to their colleagues. "It is important

for each of you to get to know one another across schools, because one of the

things you'll be hearing about is the value of team work," Dr Reed told the

teachers.

"You are first and foremost a member of the Newtown school system," he added,

a sentiment supported by the fact that not one new teacher wore a name tag

that signified at which school they will teach.

The purpose of this past week was to reinforce the district's belief system.

The high school's lecture hall was the nucleus of the orientation, where

videos were shown and brainstorming occurred. There were also three group

breakout rooms, and the computer lab was utilized for teacher research that

was presented toward the end of the week.

The orientation was a tangible product of the long, intense and at times

frustrating hiring process that began in January, with a few key teaching

positions not being filled until recent weeks.

Throughout the summer, two areas of concern for Dr Reed had been physical

education and special education positions, but he was happy to report this

week that all PE positions had been staffed, and a special education job had

recently been filled.

Although there are still a few teaching positions that remain vacant, Dr Reed

maintained that the district was prepared for the start of school.

"All the positions that involve a teacher being in front of a student on the

first day of school have been filled, so we're not in bad shape," he said.

All teachers are set to report to school on Tuesday, August 24, at which time

new teachers will begin more school-specific orientations to prepare for the

start of the new year August 30.