Invitation to Student Convocation, March 24, 2009

An Invitation to Students:

To a Convocation
Tuesday, March 24, 2009, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
East Haven High School,* East Haven, CT
 

From the 125th Anniversary Celebration Planning Committee, New England Association of Schools & Colleges, Inc. (NEASC)

NEASC’s 125th Anniversary Committee and East Haven High School (East Haven, CT) will host a student convocation on Tuesday, March 24th, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., for those participating in the 125th Anniversary's 'Listening to Students' project.

Students from some 50 member institutions, representing all commissions (k-12 and higher education) are initiating, developing or furthering peer-to-peer discussions on 'what education should and can be' through their eyes. This follows an invitation sent to all our member institutions, inviting a student-led component that will contribute to the activities surrounding NEASC's 125th anniversary in 2010.

The convocation will provide teams from institutions participating or considering participating in the 'Listening to Students' project an opportunity:

• to share their work and discussions about the purposes of education and what it should do for their generation and
   
• to begin to plan how their views and voices might be made more accessible to the public – trustees, school boards, administrators, teachers and parents – as a whole.

Proposed format:
Opportunities to work both with peer institutions and across sectors and age levels will be provided and are encouraged. The purpose of the convocation is to have students share ideas among themselves and to explore whether and how they might give voice to their ideas within their institutions and communities.

Students will lead the conversation, with the 125th Committee simply providing a structure that encourages students

• to propose topics in advance of the event that they would like examined and
• to identify topics they would like to take the lead in discussing.

Claudia Weill, an award winning director of film, theatre, television has been invited to join us and take us through exercises to help further this conversation about the purposes of education. Teams of whatever size an institution wishes to send are welcome although we hope that on average they will include 5-10 students so that conversations between different combinations of institutions can be organized.

Procedures and details:
Each institution will be responsible for covering the $5.00 per student box lunch fee and transportation for their team unless NEASC identifies and secures sponsorship in advance of the event.  East Haven High School has graciously agreed to provide all facilities and equipment support.

We are working on different ways to film and record the conversations that take place in order that they might be used to support actions students might decide to convey and their views about the purposes of education. The host's technology supports media use, for both real-time and subsequent broadcast.  Participating institutions may also wish to issue press releases in conjunction with this 125th Anniversary activity.
 
Students under the age of 18 will need to submit a signed parental/guardian release for any information, student-produced material and/or other media use of the Tuesday, March 24th events before they can participate.  This enables us to respond to interest in the development of a documentary film about the 'Listening to Students' project and also to archive some, if not all, conversations.  Any release is to benefit, promote and celebrate the proposed activity of March 24th and that of NEASC's 125th anniversary. 

While participating institutions vary considerably in the range of activities identified by their own students for their own campuses, we invite you to share some of these thoughts with other students, in whatever way you find appropriate.

Please let the 125th staff know if your students are interested and plan to participate in some form on Tuesday, March 24th or in activities specific to your campus. You or your contacts may also send inquiries to Dr. Eva Kampits, at kampits@neasc.org or via the committee email at 125@neasc.org.

* www.east-haven.k12.ct.us/ehsd/index.htm is located at 35 Wheelbarrow Lane, East Haven, CT 06513
 (office:  203 468-3353)

Directions to East Haven High School
35 Wheelbarrow Lane, East Haven, CT 065213, (office) 203. 468-3353

Take Interstate I-91 to Exit 8 (Rt. 80)
Turn north at end of exit
Travel up Rt. 80 to the 9th traffic light (approximately 3 miles)
Left at Porto Funeral Home onto Wheelbarrow Lane

> On-line Registration Form for Student Convocation, March 24, 2009
> Registration Form for Student Convocation, March 24, 2009 [pdf]