Outdoor Learning at Camp Sloper

The Southington Education Foundation is continuing to sponsor a program that gives local students a chance to explore Camp Sloper while the process of creating a new educational building at the site moves along.

A Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Center has been a longtime goal of the foundation, but some teachers and students have already begun to utilize the natural area at Camp Sloper to enhance classroom discussions about ecology. A “pilot” program last fall brought fourth-graders to the camp and these students are now returning for a spring visit.

“Despite not having an actual facility there, we’ve already implemented a science program for kids,” said Town Councilor Dawn Miceli, the chairperson of the SEF executive board.

“Until we can get that structure built, we’ll keep moving along with this.”

Since most of the same kids visiting Sloper this May are the ones who did similar work in the fall, teachers hoped they could observe how the changing of seasons affects the area.

“There are a lot more things out there growing and developing right now,” said Dale Riedinger, the school district’s coordinator for math and science. “This whole program is going very well. Some kids just don’t get outside much, but they learn a lot when they do.”

Fourth-grade student Alexandra Rogers was one of several Kelley students who gathered around the lakefront to watch and participate in exercises supervised by staff at Camp Sloper.

“I like doing experiments more than just read-

See SLOPER, page 14

Thalberg Elementary School principal Beecher Lajoie is moving on at the end of June, leaving behind a school that is very different from the one he walked into on his first day as principal 16 years ago.

Focus on school leadership

The Board of Education has appointed Megan Bennett, currently the principal of West Hill Elementary School in Rocky Hill, to replace him.

“It’s been a fantastic experience and a privilege to be principal here,” Lajoie said. “I feel like everything I wanted to do when I first became principal has been accomplished.”

Lajoie was raised in Southington and attended local schools up until his high school years at Cheshire Academy. His teaching career began at Kelley Elementary School, where he stayed for 18 years. After some time as an administrative intern, he served as assistant principal at Derynoski Elementary School before starting his 16-year tenure as principal of Thalberg.

“Beecher has led Thalberg Elementary School for nearly two decades and leaves behind a school this community is extraordinarily proud of,” said Superintendent Dr. Joseph Erardi. “I hold him in high regard.”

Lajoie recalled that in his early years at Thalberg, only about 250 students attended rather than over 400 currently. The school has changed a great deal since then and not just because of a major renova-

Southington High School’s new off-campus program for special education students has gotten off a strong start and will be able to develop further thanks to a van funded by community donations.

A vehicle large enough transport students around Southington was an important early goal for the group of teachers and administrators who created this program. However, it wasn’t particularly feasible as an addition to the school budget.

Thanks to a $2,000 donation from the Calvanese Foundation and $16,333 donation from the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, they have been able to reach this goal.

“In a town with no public transportation, this opens up so many doors for us,” said Beth Ozkan, the school district’s coordinator of special education. “We have been staying inside the downtown Southington community, but now we’ll be able to access the entire larger community.”

Special education students can spend anywhere from four to eight years at SHS, though they walk with their peers at graduation at the end of their fourth year.

After that, they become what the teachers refer to as “super seniors.”

The goal of the new fifth-year program is to take this continuing education out of the high school and into the Southington community.

The program began this spring and currently has four students involved.

During this pilot program, the students participate on Monday of each week. The educators plan to make this two days (Tuesday and Thursday) in the next school year. While participating, the students learn about important aspects of daily life, such as laundry, using the post office, and managing bank accounts. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Main Street has offered their space as a central location,

See GRANTS, page 16