Area Magnet School Wins School of the Year Award

From a Western Connecticut Academy for International Studies parent:

The Western Connecticut Academy of International Studies was awarded the "2014-2015 Outstanding Elementary School Of the Year." How was our local school chosen for this prestigious award? It starts with a nomination. Dr. Sal Pascarella nominated WCAIS to be considered for this award. The application was long, and many different people, took pain staking hours to complete the application completely. WCAIS needed to " Provide, to the Connecticut Association of Schools, evidence of the characteristics of a high-performing school by describing:

1. Your school’s mission/vision.

2. How your educational programs meet the needs of all students.

3. How instructional and administrative leadership implements the requirements of the teacher and administrator evaluation.

4. How the school welcomes participation from all constituencies.

5. How curriculum and instruction is aligned with the state standards and professional development. Where are you moving to in the Common Core?

6. How the school’s educational programs are consistently reviewed and improved.

7. How student opportunities go beyond those that are a part of a typical school day, i.e., clubs, activities, support services and extra help for those who need it.

8. How the school welcomes family involvement and plays an active role in the community.

This a tremendous amount of information to put on paper. The entire staff, with parents, worked as a team, on the pieces and parts they were most familiar with, to complete the application.

Hundreds of applications were submitted, and 2 schools were chosen as finalists. Official School site visits would determine the school awarded the honor. A team came to WCAIS, and first verified the information on the application. They checked the school curriculum, programs, professional development, etc. Then they walked through the school facility, and observed the staff implementing the plans they supplied on paper. They interviewed The administration, consisting of Dr. Pascarella, and Dr. Nitowski, and a team of teachers, parents, and students who volunteered to represent a small part of what WCAIS is. They took teachers from all grades and subjects, and parents and students from different towns, ethnicities, and grade levels.

Upon completion of their visit, they had discussed that there were a few things that really stood out in their visit. They had noticed, that throughout all the interviews, the same words kept coming up... "family, kind, community, safe, supportive, exciting, culture and innovative."

The staff at AIS believes in enhancing life experiences, for a basis for the retention of knowledge. When teachers are interviewed for positions in AIS, Dr. Nitowski is sure to inform applicants, that in order to expose our students to experiences that will make them well rounded, it might take time away from learning, and they would need to work extra hard to make sure all materials and learning takes place. I can give you so many examples, but just to name a few... Dr. Nitowski, each morning, stands outside and greets each student as they enter the building. She has "Student of the Month" luncheons each month, with a hand full of students, and talks with each of them as individual people. Mrs. Aponte, the school secretary, handles everything! The parents have a schedule, where they volunteer 1 day a week, to sit in the office for 1 hour, so Mrs. Aponte can leave her desk for lunch, and the phones will still be answered. Many of the teachers not only show up, but participate in ALL the evening activities, plays, concerts, art shows etc. When a teacher has a great idea, all the other staff members 'buy in' and take the time to make it a school wide effort, such as "Hello Week", "Ben's Bells", Field Day, Valentines Day. When they change "Continents of Study," each student in the school displays a theme related piece of art to decorate the halls. Parents come in to hang them on display for everyone to see. As these activities are happening in this school, the teachers ask the parents for help. Last year, the students put on a play written by Mrs. Woodruff. Dr. Nitowski, came each night and played herself, as did Mrs. LaValley who played a fairy and Mr. Hauser played his guitar (who is at AIS only 3 days a week!). Mrs. Bosworth, created the set with students while being at AIS on 3 days a week also. Mrs. Teagarden, the school Nurse, made the costumes. A parent trained students to be escorts, and printed Playbills. My children just put on a concert, in which they sang songs in Spanish, played the recorder, and danced. Mrs. Cardillo does a wonderful job teaching them music, and the Physical Education teacher, Mr. Hauser, taught them how to perform a proper ball room dance.

The International Studies component, is a curriculum written by the staff, and there are additions and changes made each year as they discuss it. Mrs. Dyer has worked very hard to bring a gardening program to AIS, with a Master Gardener, but for it to work, each teacher brings their class to the Garden each week to learn, care for and plant, in the garden. The PTO raises money to purchase the materials needed, and parents volunteer to help with these gardening classes, AND volunteer to maintain the garden during the summer months. Mrs. Dyer and Mrs. Woodruff bring in Therapy Dogs for the students to read to each week. Mr. Calvanese participates in every fundraiser as an MC, and will return your emails almost immediately until very late in the evening. He created a power point presentation to teach parents how to do the new Common Core math! Mrs. Milligan planned a Bed Time Stories Evening, and all of us, including the teachers, came in PJs. Each year my daughters have been in the school, their teachers have planned wonderful Earth Day Activities. One is better than the next! I cannot wait to see what they do this year! The amount of fundraising the school PTO does, affords the students many of these opportunities, as well as scholarships for those who cannot afford paid programs such as Nature's Classroom.

As a parent of 3 WCAIS students, I can attest to the fat that our children are not only learning the Common core, but they are learning about the world! This award was well desirved.

Shari Styranovski

Mother of Nikki, Morgan and Casey Styranovski