Educators traveled all the way from China to visit the students and staff from Public School 255, selected from a pool of hundreds of public schools in New York City as a model of excellence, to host the visitors from the Peoples’ Republic.
Principal Linda L. Singer and her team escorted the group on a tour, which included a welcoming breakfast; presentation of special mementos; a musical interlude, including a song about how “we all laugh in the same language”; fencing demonstration; an art-making experience, and an all-American lunch of hot dogs and pizza.
Through translators, the educators learned a great deal about how PS 255 — 1866 East 17th Street in the Homecrest section of Brooklyn — demonstrates academic excellence and consistently achieves “A” ratings. The visitors saw how Word Walls help English language learners remember their vocabulary words, and also saw the implementation of SMARTBoard technology and computers.
Dignitaries from PS 255’s learning support organization, including Judith Chin, CEO, Integrated Curriculum & Instruction (ICI); Julia Bove, instructional executive officer, ICI, and Sharon Rachelson, administrative assistant, ICI, were on hand for the visit, coordinated by Ellen Swihart.
The gracious guests from the East then exchanged souvenirs with their hosts, including a red silk banner and beautiful pieces of art created by Chinese students.
