52 educators joining East Hartford Public Schools this school year attended New Teacher Orientation. Their 3-day training opened with team building activities facilitated by student leaders from East Hartford High School.
“What we did was play activities with them to make them feel comfortable in this environment and maybe show them new games that they can play with their own students” said Presca Ntiamoah, EHHS Senior who participated in the Summer Leadership Institute.
The high-energy activities encouraged these new educators to learn about one another and to build connections. Members of the Superintendent’s Cabinet team also joined in on the games.
“It was great building relationships with people I have never met before so quickly. I think that’s probably the purpose of this all was to build those quick relationships,” said Shannon Schneider, new 8th grade Special Education Resource Room Teacher at East Hartford Middle School.
Schneider says building relationships comes first for her as a special education teacher.
“I’m really excited to build those relationships with my kids,” she said. “I do deal with a lot of behaviors and stuff like that. If my kids trust me then I feel like they’re working better and they’re going to grow better throughout the year. My main goal is to really make my classroom that safe environment.”
The theme of the 2022-2023 school year for all of EHPS is growing and building a strong culture where everyone feels welcome. New Teacher Orientation facilitators, both staff and students, hope these activities help set the tone.
“I was a little nervous coming in, but now I’m so relaxed,” said Francisca Quainoo, new School Psychologist at Pitkin Elementary School.
She said, “I am so excited because the teamwork here is strong and the standards are so high. So it makes me nervous, and when I’m nervous it’s good for me. It makes me work harder.”