April 2010 Tour Meeting - on Wednesday, April 29

On Wednesday evening April 29, 2009 we will hold our next meeting for all interested in the April 2010 China Tour. The meeting will be held in the Bolton High School Library at 6:30 PM.

Information will be shared with all students and family members who have expressed an interest in being part of the April 2010 China Tour. By this date, an exact itinerary will be shared and decisions on several possible excursions will be discussed. If you missed the fall meeting, please join us for this event. All confirmed participants should attend as well!

(Please note that it has been necessary at this time to start a waiting list for the trip as we have reached our capacity of 55 travelers.)

Pictured above: Structure on island on Daming Lake, Jinan - Shandong Province

Spending time meeting with students was a priority for our visitors from the Shandong Province.

Bolton High School grade 9 students share information Geng Shuai.

Geng Shuai presents a gift to BHS student who acted as a guide to classroom visits.

Wang Fuhai shares information on the Shandong Province with classes.

Geng Shuai, He Chengjin, and Wang Fuhai enjoy dinner at the Smith house one evening.

Inside Hartford's Capitol

Representative Pam Sawyer shows Mr. Fuhai, Mr. Shuai, and Mr. Chengjin her seat in the House and brings them to the podium!

Welcome to our Capitol in Hartford, CT!

Our Chinese delegation got the royal tour of our state capitol with Representative Pam Sawyer.

Bolton High School Chinese Delegation meets Connecticut's Lt. Governor

While touring Hartford, Representative Sawyer arranged for the delegation

to meet Lt. Governor Mike Fedele.

From left are: He Chengjin, Rep. Pam Sawyer, Wang Fuhai, Lt. Gov. Mike Fedele, Geng Shuai and Bolton High School principal Paul Smith.

The Chinese Delegation enjoyed a tour of M.I.T.

Diplomacy over Cannolis!

Enjoying canolis from Mike's Pastry in the North End of Boston,

it is clear that any group can come together and enjoy each other's foods, customs, and traditions!

Visiting the Old North Church in Boston

A trip to Boston for our China Delegation

Lunch at the Olde Union Oyster House.

At the lobby of the Mandarin Oriental Boston.

At the reflecting pool of the Christian Science Center with the Prudential complex in the background.

Chinese Delegation at Bolton High School

We were honored to greet our guests at the front door of our school:

Mr. Wang Fuhai (Foreign Affairs Office, Shandong Provincial Department of Education, Section Chief), Mr. He Chengjin (Zaozhuang Teaching Research Office, Senior Teacher), Mr. Geng Shuai (Weifang Education and Science Research Institute, Researcher)

Principal Smith exhanges gifts wtih Section Chief Wang Fuhai.

The Seniors present them with gifts from the Class of 2009.

Meeting with English teachers to gain insight on American teaching techniques.

Our Chinese delegation with the Bolton Board of Education.

No school on day one of the visit, but we still had fun!

In spite of the fact that snow and ice cancelled school for the day, our Chinese delegation still experienced U.S. culture.

Time was spent at Cabella's and at Rein's Deli! The snow and ice only added to the whole New England experience.

Join the Bolton Community Education Foundation in welcoming our Chinese delegation!

The Bolton community is invited to a reception to welcome educators from China who will be visiting the town as part of a “sister school” collaboration. The reception will be held Thursday, January 15, 2009, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Bolton Senior Center, 104 Notch Road. Light refreshments will be served at the reception, sponsored by the Bolton Community Education Foundation.

The three Chinese visitors – Mr. Wang Fuhai, Mr. He Chengjin, and Mr. Geng Shuai – will be spending 10 days in Bolton as part of the collaboration between their school system and Bolton High School. (The itinerary for their visit is included in the posting below this invitation.)They will visit classrooms, meet with teachers and students, dine at local restaurants, have dinners at private homes, take a trip to Boston, and attend school activities such as sporting events and the annual “Mr. BHS” contest.

The Connecticut Principals' Center of the Connecticut Association of Schools and the Connecticut State Department of Education have collaborated on a Connecticut-Shandong Province (China) Principal Shadowing Project as part of the Connecticut-Shandong Sister School Initiative. The goal of the project is to build partnerships between school administrators, promote mutual intercultural understanding, and create opportunities for professional development.

The town of Bolton is expanding this opportunity even further by exploring educational programs and opportunities to share information with residents about Chinese history, culture, and lifestyle.

The January visit by the Chinese educators will be followed by a trip in April 2010 where up to 50 Bolton residents will travel with Principal Paul Smith to China to tour Beijing and visit Bolton's sister school in Jinan, the capital city of the Shandong province.

There is no cost to attend the January 15 reception, but in order for food to be planned, attendees are asked to register by calling BCEF Chair Beth Harney at 649-1331 or via email to info@BoltonEdFoundation.org.

A special thank you to the Bolton Community Education Foundation for organizing this event and for their assistance in making our Chinese visitors feel welcome to our community!