SANFORD — In recognition of the efforts of teachers, students and their families to help build a bright future for the city, the Sanford School Department is hosting the third annual “Celebration of Learning” on Thursday, May 22 at Memorial Gym on Main Street.
The celebration will be held from 4-6:30 p.m., and will highlight all the activities in the schools and how the community at large is supporting Sanford’s young people.
“The vast array of sophisticated skills that today’s young people need to navigate modern life are so different from what was required of previous generations. That’s why we are stepping up our game with educational strategies and learning environments that meet the high bar for 21st century success,” said Superintendent David Theoharides.
In 2012, Sanford was awarded a three-year, multi-million dollar grant from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, the largest private educational charity in New England. Funding was provided to both Sanford schools and Strategies for a Stronger Sanford for the organizations’ joint work to “remodel” the education system in Sanford.
“When you remodel a house, you want to preserve its best features, but you also want to make sure to fix what’s outdated, to bring the plumbing and the electrical systems ”˜up to code,’” said Rachel Phipps, project director for Our Schools Our Future at Strategies for a Stronger Sanford. “The same thing is true for our educational system. Our system has ”˜good bones,’ but, like most school systems in this country, it’s time that our teaching and learning reflect 21st-century science and best practice.”
Sanford High School students, along with Theoharides and others will host the Celebration of Learning. Guests will have the opportunity to watch videos, visit exhibits and talk with educational leaders from each school. They will also have a chance to see the design and learn more about the construction of the new high school and technical center. The Sanford High School Jazz Band will play at the beginning of the celebration, and the Service Learning program in Sanford will present awards to all of the young people who participated during the school year.
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