CHS-UMPI hosts spring clusters

    The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s collaborative project with Caribou High School, “Transitions: A Partnership for College Success,” will host its four New England partners during a cluster meeting to be held April 14-16.     The Spring Cluster Meeting will involve over 30 educators and sponsoring foundation officials from all over New England who are participating in the Partnership for College Success, which is sponsored by the Nellie Mae Foundation with technical assistance provided by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.
    According to Mike McCormack, program coordinator, the long-term goal of the Partnership for Success project is to implement effective ways to support college access and provide opportunities for success for more underserved students. The Partnership for College Success grant is in its fourth year.
    “These cluster meetings, held three times yearly at the different sites throughout New England, afford participants an opportunity to view programs and learn from each other, as well as to engage in professional development training presented by top authorities in areas that span curriculum, instruction, assessment and data management,” McCormack said.
    On Monday, April 14, participants will gather for a reception at the President’s House before attending a dinner at the Campus Center. Dr. Don Zillman and Mr. Frank McElwain, Caribou superintendent of schools, will deliver remarks.
    On Tuesday, April 15, the partners will spend the morning at Caribou High School. Visitors will tour the school and attend three panels on: curriculum planning, academic support and college aspirations. The CHS International Foods class will prepare a luncheon. The afternoon session will be held at the Campus Center and feature a presentation by Dr. Bonnie Wood, professor of biology at UMPI, titled “Lecture-Free Teaching: A Learning Partnership of Educators and their Students.” Wood is the site coordinator for the Transitions project. There will also be a “Sharing Partners’ Best Practices” session.
    On Wednesday, April 16, each team will review its data profiles and begin preparation for the program review visits to be conducted this fall by The Center for Collaborative Education in Boston, Mass. Participants will also have an opportunity to observe University Day activities.
    For information, call 768-9746.