By State Senator, Norm Needleman.
I hope you and your family are staying safe, healthy, and enjoying the last few days of summer. Please take a couple of minutes to read an update regarding education and several developments in our region.
Connecticut’s Annual 9/11 Memorial Ceremony
Connecticut’s 19th annual 9/11 Memorial Ceremony is set to take place at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport tomorrow, Thursday, September 10, 2020. The ceremony will honor and celebrate the lives of those killed in the terrorist attacks that happened on September 11, 2001. Family members of those who were killed in the attacks will participate, and the names of the 162 victims with ties to Connecticut will be read aloud. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the need to socially distance, anyone who attends will be required to wear face coverings and keep at least a six-foot distance from others.
Every year, the State of Connecticut holds its memorial ceremony on a day prior to the actual anniversary in order to accommodate the schedules of the family members and friends of the victims, many of whom live in the state and would like to attend both Connecticut’s ceremony and the annual service that is held in New York City on September 11.
Education Update
Shoreline Adult Education Classes Open For Registration
Shoreline Adult Education is offering free academic programs for individuals seeking to earn their high school diploma/GED, improve their skills in English or prepare for a US Citizenship test. These programs are available to adults over the age of 17 who live in Branford, North Branford, Guilford or Clinton, with individuals outside those four towns eligible to register for a small non-refundable fee of $50 per semester or $75 per year. A small number of spots are also available for no charge in the National External Diploma Program there.
Shoreline Adult Education also offers enrichment classes including in computers, music and dance, cooking, career development, business and financial planning and more. All will be held virtually, except golf lessons, to be held at Lyman Orchards Golf Club, and East Coast Swing class, to be held at Ballroom Dancin Fools studio in Madison.
For more information, please visit www.shorelineadulted.org or call 203-488-5693.
Connecticut Schools Ranked Third-Best in Nation
A recent report by Education Week found Connecticut schools from grades K-12 are the third-best in the nation. In the report, Connecticut was graded a “B” on education, receiving 84 of 100 total points, while the nation on average and as a whole received a “C.” The report studied how well the United States and each individual state successfully assured prospects for success over the course of students’ lifetimes, how much each state spent on schooling, and outcomes including test scores and graduation rates. Connecticut earned a B+ in giving students opportunities to succeed and school financing, ranking third and fifth, respectively. In the K-12 achievement index, while Connecticut only received a C, it ranked fifth and met the national average.
New Developments in Our Region
Deep River’s Valley Regional High School Temporarily Closed
Valley Regional High School will be closed through Thursday to students and non-essential staff as the school district reported two students in the school community have tested positive for COVID-19. School officials are following protocols and collaborating with local health departments to ensure contact tracing can determine who may have been in close contact with the confirmed cases. Classes at other local schools including John Winthrop Middle School and Chester, Deep River and Essex Elementary Schools will continue as scheduled at this time. School officials recommend that patents immediately inform their school if their child tests positive for COVID-19 or their family is contacted by a contact tracer regarding potential exposure.
State Adjusts COVID-19 Travel Advisory, Adding Four States And Removing Two Territories
This week, Connecticut added four states to its COVID-19 travel advisory. Delaware, Maryland, Ohio and West Virginia are now included in that travel advisory, bringing its total to 34 states and Guam, while Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have been removed from the advisory. Travelers from listed states must fill out travel forms upon arriving in Connecticut, then quarantine for 14 days, or obtain a COVID-19 test. Ohio, Maryland and Delaware all returned to the travel advisory, while West Virginia was added for the first time. States also included in the advisory: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.
