NHS Prepares For Sister School Delegation

By Eliza Hallabeck

It has been nearly two years since Newtown High School Assistant Principal Jason Hiruo and NHS teacher Martha Parvis were welcomed visitors to NHS’s sister school, Liaocheng No. 3 Middle School, in Liaocheng, China. And one year ago, a delegation of educators and students were welcomed from Liaocheng to NHS in February. Now, Mr Hiruo says preparations for welcoming another delegation, including Liaocheng No. 3 Middle School’s principal, are moving along smoothly.

“I am always excited,” said Mr Hiruo recently, about preparations. “I think it is just an exciting time for our school.”

Mr Hiruo added he has been excited for the ongoing sister school relationship for a long time, and planning preparations for this month’s visit were completed in chunks.

“I am really proud to say we have such a supportive community here,” said Mr Hiruo, regarding the large number of the school’s faculty, staff, and students, along with members of the community, who are donating time and energy to preparing for the delegation’s visit to Newtown this month.

Close to 100 people have been involved in planning across the school district and the Newtown community.

“On top of that. you have the host families who are dedicating their home and all their time,” said Mr Hiruo.

The delegation from Liaocheng is scheduled to be visiting from February 17 through February 27. A welcoming ceremony, hosted by the NHS Culinary Department, will most likely be held on February 18, depending on the delegation’s arrival.

“I have been excited since we talked last year when they were here and they told me they were coming back,” he said. Adding later, “I see that other people, students, staff, and families are excited too, and I think that gets me more excited.”

Feedback from students taking the Chinese language course taught by Ding Hong, an exchange teacher at NHS this year, has been positive, according to Mr Hiruo.

Trips planned for the delegation’s stay include Yale University in New Haven and New York City. Students will serve as guides for the delegation.

The delegation from Liaocheng will comprise ten students, two teachers, two language coordinators in English, and three principals.

“When they get here the priority is to talk about next year already,” said Mr Hiruo. “That will entail dialog about our first student exchange, our first official student exchange, a teacher exchange, and both schools have worked through the relationship to the point where we are both comfortable with sending both students and teachers.”

He said through emails and other forms of contact, other schools in the district have notified Mr Hiruo of their interest in the program.

Mr Hiruo said he has also been contacted by the state, the Asia Society, a national foundation based in New York City, which is looking at NHS as a model school for a Chinese language and cultural program.

“Hopefully if things come to play over the next few years, we would be included as a model school for Asia Society,” said Mr Hiruo.

A large amount of school district and community support, Mr Hiruo said, created momentum for the sister school initiative.

“It will really create a tremendous amount of success for our students and for the community,” Mr Hiruo. “As I’ve gotten this off the ground, I think, Liaocheng has started to send city officials to Newtown, that is obviously with the help of [Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson] and with the town offices. I think it will blossom beyond the school system, especially as we work to educate students on 21st Century skills. We know the United States and China will be superpowers still throughout the 21st Century. It is important that they understand one another’s cultures.”

Preparations for a group of 28 teachers and administrators who will be traveling to Liaocheng from Newtown during the school district’s April break are also continuing.

The teachers will be teaching for four of the days spent in Liaocheng, and, Mr Hiruo said, the teachers will also have time to talk to Liaocheng counterparts.

“I’m confident the majority of teachers who are going will come back with a stronger understanding and appreciation of the Chinese educational system,” he said. He added it is an opportunity for professional development, and all involved are paying for the costs of their trip.