During a report from Newtown International Center for Education (NICE) Executive Council members, the Board of Education learned of a new strategic plan for the program at its meeting on December 16.

NICE Executive Council members Tim DeJulio, Liz Ward-Toller, and Jen Davidson explained goals and objectives for the program along with presenting the strategic plan.

“Some of our objectives are to really maintain,” said Mrs Ward-Toller. “… as you can see there are three of us. In the past there have been 20-something members [that] would come to Board of Education meetings.”

NICE oversees three sister-school relationships, according to the presentation, with China, France, and Spain. Those relationships, Mrs Ward-Toller said, include having groups of students and chaperones visit each country from Newtown and having visitors come to Newtown from those countries. NICE also has a Japan program, and Mrs Ward-Toller said it could be another sister-school relationship for Newtown.

“The student excitement is there and we just need the support to make it happen,” said Mrs Ward-Toller.

The NICE program also has a NICE Club that holds and participates in different activities. Mrs Ward-Toller said NICE would like to hold more activities, but needs support to make those happen.

“Our ideal is to expand the NICE program into all of the schools,” said Mrs Ward-Toller, “and really, again, have culture and global awareness be truly entrenched in their learning and prepare them for the word. And we would like to connect NICE with other countries.”

Ms Davidson shared what NICE has planned for the next two years. She also said Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, asked NICE to present a group of aspiring administrators in the district with the idea of how to make NICE a viable district-wide kindergarten through 12th grade initiative.

“Our hoped for outcome there is to have NICE building liaisons throughout the district,” said Ms Davidson.

Other planned efforts for this year include cultural awareness programs, asking study-tour student participants to create research portfolios on a topic of interest, developing a pilot curriculum for an international studies program that will be rolled out for the 2015-16 study tour participants, recognizing study-tour students upon graduation with a certificate or pin, engaging more staff to become involved, and having high school NICE students visit other schools in the district to share information with students.

Expanded Scope

In 2015-16 Ms Davidson said NICE hopes include expanding the scope of NICE throughout the district and community, piloting the planned international studies curriculum, and working toward awarding credits for the international studies curriculum.

Another plan in the making, as shared by Mr DeJulio, would be a summer institute for language learners.

“Which would allow us to attract students who need the credit or would like to take up some extra linked courses during the summer,” said Mr DeJulio, “but would also be a means to attract students from other school districts and could help provide funding for our program by having neighboring students come by and take language classes over the summer…”

Mr DeJulio said summer language courses could also help the NICE program be self-sustaining.

In order to maintain the program and allow it to grow in the future, Mr DeJulio said five executive board positions would need to be filled, including the three presenters.

“One of the things that we are asking for is that there be stipends available for these positions that exist as this executive committee and that is currently volunteer,” said Mr DeJulio. Adding later, “we are also asking for curriculum hours… to begin writing materials for these courses that would allow students to receive credit the hard work that they do during these programs, and also for seven positions for the building liaisons.”

The NICE program team, Mr DeJulio said, is working hard, but he also said the program has reached a “critical point” and help is needed to continue the program.

School board members asked questions of the presenters but made no decisions on the topic during Tuesday’s meeting.

“What you have are three… exceptionally dedicated folks to students,” Dr Erardi said of the three NICE Executive Council members.

The superintendent also told the board a further report on the financial aspect of the presentation will be shared with school board members in the coming weeks.

“We are at a point where we, as an administrative team, are looking to support all of the actions going forward,” Dr Erardi said. “It’s our belief that their work is meaningful. It’s important.”

Songs For The Board

Hawley Elementary School third grade chorus students gathered inside the Newtown Municipal Center’s Council Chambers on Tuesday, December 16, to sing for the Board of Education before the start of its meeting.

The students sang of snow and snow days with two songs; “Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?” and “Snow Day.”

Hawley’s third grade chorus, as music teacher Brian Kowalsky pointed out, is a volunteer chorus that meets once a week before school.

The students also performed two weeks ago alongside Hawley’s fourth grade concert students during the school’s winter concert on December 3.

During his Superintendent’s Report, Dr Erardi, announced a scheduled community informational meeting for January 21 from 7 pm to 8 pm at Reed Intermediate School’s library media center that will be conducted through Assistant Superintendent of School’s Linda Gejda’s office. The meeting will focus on math programs, resources, and instruction; strategies to help children solve problems; and activities. A snow date is set for January 29.