Wilbur Cross sophomores will learn about biotechnology, and Career students will study e‑commerce, as the school district rolls out new science offerings thanks to a federal grant.
Support for the new classes comes through a Litchfield-based not-for-profit called EDUCATION CONNECTION, which received a federal Investing In Innovation (i3) grant, the school district announced Thursday.
The school district applied directly for $35 million in i3 grants for teacher training and social services for kids; that application was denied two weeks ago, to the disappointment of the mayor and superintendent. Thursday’s news means the public schools will reap some benefit from the i3 program after all — though much less than it would have.
EDUCATION CONNECTION won a $4.5 million federal grant to support new science and technology classes at 12 high schools across the state—click here to read its federal grant application.
The not-for-profit will train New Haven classroom teachers to teach a new array of classes at three city high schools in September, according to schools spokeswoman Michelle Wade.
Hill Regional Career High School, which has worked with EDUCATION CONNECTION for the past seven years, will roll out four new courses this year, she said: Digital Media Movie Making, E‑Commerce Entrepreneurship, Foundations of Health Science and Technology, and Information Technology Research and Development.
At Cross, sophomores will be offered a non-traditional biology class called Bio21. Metropolitan Business Academy students be offered several EDUCATION CONNECTION classes as well.
Four times a year, kids taking these new classes will get together with other students from across the state who are studying the same subject. EDUCATION CONNECTION will also provide classroom materials, and support teachers throughout the year, Wade said.
Also Thursday, the school district announced four pilot “BOOST” schools where students will get access to so-called “wrap-around” social services.
The schools are:
1. Barnard Environmental Studies Magnet School
2. Clinton Avenue School
3. Troup Magnet Academy of Science
4. Wexler-Grant Community School
5. Metropolitan Business Academy
Click here to learn more about BOOST.