Ansonia Board Of Education Highlights

ANSONIA – The Ansonia Board of Education held its monthly meeting at Mead School Wednesday (May 10).

Here’s some of the meeting highlights:

Celebrating Chargers Champions

The board feted two longtime supporters of all-things Ansonia schools, bestowing its Chargers Champions awards to retired reading specialist Laura Lane and TEAM Inc. President/CEO David Morgan.

Lane, who retired from the school system in 2001, along with her husband Ed, created a family fund several years ago. Ansonia’s two elementary schools-Mead and Prendergast schools, were recent benefactors, each having received book vending machines. These machines don’t drop candy or soda, but rather when students who’ve shown reading gains earn coins from their teachers and pop them into the slot to choose a book of their choice. School officials said the vending machines are a great way to further promote literacy and foster a lifelong love of reading.

“The kids love the (book) vending machines and the fact that you chose Ansonia schools to have them is really special to us,” said Sara Crooks, the district’s social emotional learning coordinator.

Lane said she was ​“humbled and honored” to be recognized as a Chargers Champion and has enjoyed serving on various school committees and being involved in many school events. 

“I’ve learned so much and that has helped me to keep up with the changes in education which are so many since I retired in 2001, it’s like a whole different world,” Lane said. ​“I can continue now to be a cheerleader for the Ansonia schools, I’m so proud of what’s going on in our schools.”

Crooks lauded Morgan and TEAM, Inc. for being one of Ansonia schools’ biggest partners. From distributing food to the community to helping Ansonia High School students recently attend an historic Civil Rights trip and tour of all-black colleges and universities in Atlanta and Alabama. Crooks said Morgan has played a major role in the schools.

Future Leaders Feted

Ansonia Middle School Principal Peter Colaccino presented two of his students with CABE (Connecticut Association of Boards of Education) leadership awards. The awards are annually given out to middle school students across Connecticut who demonstrate exemplary leadership skills. This year’s award winners were Leah Kish and Collin Copeland.

A Tour Through History

Reese Morales, Ansonia schools’ director of equity and communications, gave an overview of the recent and historic trip 18 AHS students were able to take last month. The trip to Atlanta and Alabama focused on visits to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), as well as a Civil Rights tour. Students, in part, toured Morehouse and Spelman colleges, as well as Tuskegee University, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Martin Luther King National Historical Park and even Tyler Perry’s movie studio. Morales said students also enjoyed classic barbecue and peach cobbler at popular Southern restaurants.

The students who attended wrote journal entries about what the trip meant to them, which Morales compiled into a booklet he presented to the board. A resounding theme echoed by students was the overwhelming sense of community and pride they felt touring the all-black colleges and universities where everyone looked like them and held similar values. Many students wrote how the trip helped them gain a deeper understanding of the struggles and sacrifices black people made throughout history and how their fight for equity and justice continues to shape the world today.

Superintendent’s Corner

Superintendent of Schools Joe DiBacco gave his monthly update first by thanking all the district’s teachers during this week’s annual Teacher Appreciation Week. He also touched on a continuing school partnership with area businesses, Sikorsky, Microboard of Seymour and Budderfly of Shelton for accepting several Ansonia students for summer internship programs.

DiBacco also noted that Ansonia was cited in an April 6 press release put out by Gov. Ned Lamont and Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker, regarding dual credit offerings in Connecticut high schools. The state announced it will dedicate $5.5 million in COVID-19 relief funds to expand the program. In the press release, DiBacco said, ​“Ansonia High School’s partnerships with local universities provide our students with access to both academic and career readiness opportunities.”

AHS students have opportunities to earn college credits while still in high school from UCONN, SCSU, Post University, University of Bridgeport, Quinnipiac, Housatonic Community College and the University of New Haven.