Hamden/NUA Partnership Hamden, Connecticut Director: Veronica McDermott

Click here to read Superintendent Alida D. Begina's June 30, 2005 comments

Overview

The mission of the Hamden Public Schools is to "ensure all students learn to the best of their potential each and every day they are entrusted to our care." The focus of the Hamden Public Schools/NUA partnership is to support the district in its efforts to reach this goal. Working in collaboration with district personnel, NUA will conduct a comprehensive Instructional Assessment (IA), data from which will be used to design a targeted professional development plan.

The Instructional Assessment will include the following elements:

• identification of district, school and classroom practices that are affecting student performance;
• recommendations for research-based strategies and professional development activities that address identified practices to accelerate student learning; and
• suggestions for aligning district procedures and organizational arrangements that will also accelerate student learning.

Assessment strategies include administrative interviews, instructional policy reviews, teacher surveys and visits to classrooms in all participating schools. The information is then analyzed using current educational research. From this analysis, NUA will generate a recommendation for improving the professional practice of district staff for accelerating the achievement of all students to meet or exceed district, state and federal requirements.

Project Activities

Hamden/NUA partnership activities include the following: