The dates for the visit to the town of Bolton and Bolton High School by the delegation from the Shandong Provincial Department of Education have finally been confirmed!The delegation will have their visa interviews in Beijing in early December. The group will arrive in Connecticut on Sunday, January 4. They will be provided with professional development activities by the Connecituct Department of Education on Monday, January 5 and Tuesday, January 6.
We will pick up our visitors on Tuesday, January 6 at the Best Western Camelot Hotel in Wethersfield at 5:00 PM. We are then responsible for their schedule through Friday, January 16.
The purpose of this visit is to study American schools, classrooms, and teaching techniques. In addition, a home stay with an American family and interaction with the community are important aspects of the experience.
Bolton High School and the Bolton Education Foundation are already in the process of coordinating a full slate of activities for the delegation including classroom visits, meetings with teachers, meetings with students, attendance at school functions, visits to area schools, receptions at various homes, a dinner evening for members of the community, and tours of Hartford and Boston.
A full itinerary will be shared as soon as events are confirmed.
Even though these education officials are not directly associated with our "sister school" in Jinan, they do oversee the education that takes place in the province in which our school is located.
And, all of the activity between Connecticut and Shandong is directly connected to maintaining the very positive relationship established between the state of Connecticut and Shandong Province in China. In fact, as we prepare for our own visit to China in April 2010, re-connecting with these officials who visit our community when we arrive in Jinan will be a priority!
I am confident that Bolton High School and the entire community of Bolton will make a very long-lasting connection with these officials.
More news to come on their visit!
