The town of Stonington is no island.  It is a small part of a much larger, ever-changing world.

Recognizing this, the Stonington Board of Education adopted budget goals emphasizing the need to prepare students for success in the 21st Century. One way it does this is making sure that courses and course content are relevant and not outdated.

At all of the Board of Education budget meetings parents requested the expansion of the world language program into lower grades and the addition of Mandarin as a language choice.  These citizens cited data about the emergence of Asian countries as economic powers that would have even greater global importance in the future.

Last November I participated in a program sponsored by the CT State Department of Education to visit China and establish a sister school.  Stonington was the 69th school district in the state to participate in this program.  I personally paid for all of my expenses incurred for that trip.  As I was sure much more could be accomplished if the partnership were extended to include economic development for our town and region, I approached both candidates for First Selectman and both pledged support for establishing a sister city in 2008. I established Chinese contacts to enable such a venture.

The October 2008 visit to China will accomplish three objectives.

1. Establish More Sister Schools with More Educators Included

Having at least one sister school for each level will encourage students of all ages to become intrinsically interested in learning about Eastern culture.  Since Americans know little of Eastern Asia, professional development for staff is essential to implement the Board goal to educate for the 21st Century.  Educators who have a first hand experience with Chinese culture, history, and education will be better prepared to provide a global perspective in their teaching.

Educators who told me about their interest in 21st Century learning, how education should change to meet global change, and comparisons between American and Chinese education were issued invitations to attend.  A middle and elementary principal will attend to create a strong bond with the Chinese principals. Substitutes for teachers attending professional development opportunities are regularly paid out of school budgets. The cost of eight substitutes for seven days was budgeted into the 2008-2009 professional development line item. Each participant has paid all of his/her own expenses.

2.    Include Students

Three students will participate in the trip.  Two students from SHS talented in writing and photo/videography will create a documentary of the establishment of the sister city and sister schools (with all their formality and ceremony) to be shown at town functions.  A third grader who took Mandarin at a DMS after-school program will also attend with her father. Therefore, people of our sister schools will meet not only Stonington teachers and principals but also students and parents.

3.    Create a Sister City and Include Business People in Visit

Last year I realized that Stonington could leverage the educational partnerships and create other cultural and economic possibilities.  Contacts made with Chinese officials and ranking educational leaders have resulted in Stonington business people being able to spend several days with their Chinese counterparts in two different cities. This opportunity to meet Chinese businessmen with similar companies was regarded by many as an out-of-the-box approach to town economic development as well as possible resources for themselves.

Establishing a visionary approach to local and regional economic development, a collective town partnership with a Chinese city of 7 million, personal relationships that could become conduits for cultural, business, and educational opportunities is a progressive step forward for Stonington.