Even though I have been at LEARN for over 20 years, it still amazes me that so many members of the LEARN family look at each new opportunity as an adventure. People often comment on the willingness of LEARN staff to take on new initiatives with a sense of adventure and excitement even though some of these adventures take longer than others to achieve. When I think about the recent groundbreaking of our Marine Science Magnet High School, I cannot help but be impressed with our continued dedication and excitement with a project that has taken ten years to come to fruition.  When we took on the oversight of the Dual Language Arts Academy in August, 2009, we had to move quickly and reestablish the program within two weeks and amazingly enough --we did it! This middle school magnet with 67 students relocated and opened on schedule. We have recently established a unique partnership with Goodwin College to support their Connecticut River Academy Magnet, which will open with 15 new staff members and over 160 students in September 2010.

LEARN staff members have also recognized the need for creativity to seek new sources of revenue   during these  difficult economic times. The employees who oversee our interdistrict grants wrote very professional and innovative grant applications obtaining funding for the largest number of new interdistrict grants in the state. The programs they developed seek creative ways to help students achieve while having fun with students from other districts. Members of LEARN’s  Development Department have partnered with educational service agencies in Connecticut and across the nation to  apply for competitive grants. Reaching beyond our own region not only brings resources to our community, but gives our students new and exciting programs that enable them to interact with other students across the nation and around the world.

Our region is truly committed to looking at opportunities for collaborative regional initiatives. LEARN continues to sponsor and participate in numerous presentations, discussions and pilots aimed at creating efficiencies for ourselves and our districts.  My efforts along with others in our state  to seek legislative changes which allow for regional insurance consortia recently resulted in a supportive editorial in The Courant. We have many meetings and workshops planned for the new year to keep these regional initiatives moving forward.

All our adventures have one common goal - that of helping students achieve and prosper. We have shown that this can be accomplished even in difficult times when we enjoy each adventure, work hard, and are open to new opportunities each day. Our staff keeps “soaring to new heights” knowing the sky is the limit!