Great News From Bridgeport Public Schools

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Oil paintings

by

Harding High School Psychologist

 

will be on exhibit at

until

January 30, 2008.

 

All are invited to view his works of art.

 

 

Park City Academy has been busy in the community.  The following are two examples of the school’s community efforts:

 

In November, Park City Academy students and staff participated in a Thanksgiving food drive for the needy. The drive, which was organized by Kathy Costa, English Teacher and community-school coordinator, was a huge success. The students and staff collected enough non- perishable items for 4 food baskets, which Marjorie Coble, Supervisor of Alternative Education, distributed to families in need.  Coincidentally, Mrs. Costa’s 9th grade homeroom, led by student Jacob Similien, brought in the most items and will have a lunch of their choice with Mrs. Coble.  Thanks to all who participated in this worthy cause.

 

Just before all the snow arrived, Mrs. Cowper's 10th grade science class planted tulips, other flowers, and plants in the memorial garden started by Mrs. Singleton and her staff for a former student of Longfellow Annex and former teacher Ms. Rose. The class has taken on this year-long project as another way of giving back to the community. A portion of Park City Academy's mission is, ".....to promote social consciousness...and to become contributors to their communities....."

“Our goal is to find ways to engage students in their learning,” said Carol Birks, Harding Principal. “We want to get the most out of our limited resources so we can have the most direct student impact.”   This goal will be address in a variety of ways.  First, the school plans to expand its existing smaller learning community programs, which include the International Baccalaureate, Medical Careers Program, Law and Public Services Program, and the World Language Academy.  Each program is designed to provide students the opportunity to explore their career interests and prepare them to succeed in college and/or the workforce.  Harding is the host high school for the district’s bilingual program, and the school seeks to provide additional educational options by means of the World Language Academy. 

 

Second, the grant will also help to create new programs in clothing construction, culinary arts, and wood construction, which are currently offered on a limited scale.  “The same skills a student needs for college are the same skills needed in the workforce,” Birks said.  “We want to look at our elective courses and look at how to bolster these programs so we can prepare those students interested in a trade to be successful.”

 

Additionally, the Presidents Academy consists of students who have not identified a scholastic area of interest, and are thus not enrolled in these programs.  Birks plans to utilize the expansion of the school’s programs to offer more opportunities for these students to engage in a smaller learning community.  An expansion of Harding’s numerous pre-collegiate programs will encourage all freshmen to be involved in one of these communities to promote academic success and college readiness. Grant funds will also provide resources to assist students with academically deficient backgrounds to achieve grade-level proficiency.  In addition to its Opportunity Program, which is available to freshmen, the school will provide evening programs for upperclassmen in order to reach achievement goals.

 

“We also want to empower students to be leaders in their school,” Birks stated.  More students will now have the opportunity to join the peer mediators, Principal’s Roundtable student advisory board, or fraternal peer group, Eta Upsilon Lembda, and present school data such as SAT and CAPT statistics to the student body.  "The purpose of these programs is to use positive peer influence to encourage students to take their education more seriously," Birks added.  Advisory programs will also be established to build strong student-faculty relationships.

 

Plans are currently in progress to enhance student and teacher capacity.  Grant monies will be used to establish a core curriculum and offer more extensive professional development through the school’s Learning and Teaching Institute. 

 

Of Harding’s 1,700 students, only 75 percent attend school regularly. As a result, Harding plans to develop a marketing program to focus on the “Great Things” happening in Harding High Schools and increase attendance.  “We want to galvanize the community to support our efforts as well,” Birks said.  In addition to the present increase in parent involvement, Harding has planned a series of community forums throughout the school year to address important school issues and receive feedback from the supporting community.

 

This school year, the U.S. Department of Education’s SLC program awarded at total of $86,315,245 in Smaller Learning Communities grants to 38 school districts in 22 states. To learn more about the SLC program, please visit http://www.ed.gov/programs/slcp/index.html.