Connecticut 2007 Teacher of the Year and Dignitaries Tour
Pomperaug High School; Have Conversation About Preparing Students for 21^st Century

(See photo gallery)

   Connecticut's 2007 Teacher of the Year took his tour of Connecticut schools to Pomperaug High School on October 24, 2007. State and local officials, parents and students talked about what’s working in the schools and how education could be improved.

   Mr. Christopher Poulos, a Spanish teacher at Joel Barlow High School in Redding, CT and the State's 2007 Teacher of the Year, initiated the “Tour of Connecticut Schools” where the State Legislators, local elected officials, and Board of Education members toured the schools for the purpose of identifying and increasing the understanding of specific trends and issues that confront Connecticut schools.

    The Tour of Connecticut Schools is designed as a vehicle for strengthening the bridge between education policymakers and the teaching and learning that takes place in classrooms across Connecticut. The Connecticut Teacher of the Year has visited one school from each of the state District Reference Groups (DRG) throughout the fall. Pomperaug High School was chosen as the District Reference Group “B” representative out of 21 schools in the classification.

   Invited guests, including dignitaries and Region 15 Board of Education members, visited classrooms, and then Mr. Poulos hosted a town meeting for the general public and students. The panel of dignitaries spoke for a few moments each to share what they saw in the classrooms.

   The panel included State Senator Sam Caligiuri (Dist. 16), Robert Desmarais (Middlebury Selectman), John Reilly (Southbury Board of Finance), State Representative Arthur O’Neill, Ken Kerin (Southbury Selectman), Laurence Shapiro (Region 15 Board of Education), Robert Radar (Executive Director, Connecticut Association of Board of Education), Sharon Elias (Region 15 Board of Education), Carol Hubert (Southbury Selectman), and Tom Kilborn (Region 9 English Teacher).

   “I was impressed with the quality of the teaching and how well the students interacted with the teachers,” said Ken Kerin, Selectman from the Town of Southbury.

   Visitors were broken into groups of four for the classroom observation. During this time, the guests were asked to reflect on how the classes and lessons compared with those from when they were students. Also, the participants were asked to observe how the teaching and learning may prepare students to be competitive in the 21^st Century.

   “I witnessed a lot of interaction between the teachers and the students,” said Bob Desmarais, Selectman from the Town of Middlebury. “Whether it was an English lecture or a Forensics lab, every student was engaged and participating. The quality of instruction, and involvement and participation by the students are what will serve these children well in the future.”

   It is Mr. Poulos' hope that the Tour of Schools will help begin a conversation with school administrators, citizens, and legislators about what’s working in today’s schools and what needs to be reinvented.

   “One thing that is consistent throughout all of the school tours is the desire to identify good teaching strategies in order to have meaningful learning opportunities,” said Mr. Poulos, “and try to replicate these strategies throughout all our schools in the state.”

   The Connecticut Teacher of the Year and Teacher of the Year finalists serve as teacher-ambassadors for public education. They are appointed to various education advisory committees and become consultants to the Commissioner of Education. They present workshops; speak at education conferences and meetings; address student, civic, college and university, and governmental groups; and operate special programs in accordance with their interests and expertise. The Connecticut Teacher of the Year also represents the state at the national level -- participating in national educational forums, National State Teacher of the Year Program planning and networking sessions, and U.S. Department of Education meetings.