February 11, 2011: Beginning Tuesday, February 22, 2011, the Halton District School Board and the Halton Catholic District School Board will be hosting 12 primary teachers from the Newham Local Authority in England. The four-day visit is sponsored by the League for the Exchange of Commonwealth Teachers in the United Kingdom.

The focus of the visit is for teachers to learn more about literacy for primary school-aged students. The U.K. visitors will learn about Halton’s literacy and numeracy initiatives, systemic approaches to school improvement, early intervention strategies for at-risk learners, integration of special needs students, strategies to support English as a Second Language learners and the learning environment in Halton classrooms.

On Wednesday, February 23, visitors will be participating in the Ontario Focused Intervention Partnership literacy session with Oakville teachers. In the afternoon, they will tour Hawthorne Village Public School in Milton and will speak with school administrators and teachers. 

On Friday, February 25, guests will visit classrooms at Pineland and Mohawk Gardens public schools in Burlington. They will have an opportunity to discuss literacy interventions and Halton's approach to its full-day early learning kindergarten program.

"While this is an opportunity for our UK guests to learn about the work in Halton, it gives our administrators and teachers and support personnel the opportunity to learn about the effective work being done in the U.K. system,” said Jeff Blackwell, Halton District School Board’s Superintendent of Education (Program). “We are excited about this learning opportunity for our U.K. guests as well as our Board staff.”



For additional information, contact:
      Jeff Blackwell, Superintendent of Education (Program)
      Halton District School Board 
      (905) 335-3663, Toll free: 1 877 618-3456