Greenwich Alliance for Education Supports Remote School Enrichment Programs

With the support of the Greenwich Alliance for Education, students in the K-5 Greenwich Remote Learning School (GRLS) will continue their robust enrichment program of virtual assemblies.

Since January 2021, the GRLS has offered monthly enrichment experiences through themed virtual assemblies featuring guest speakers and presentations. With the funding providing by the Greenwich Alliance for Education, the program has been able to be offered through the end of the school year.  

“We were excited to fund such an assortment of enrichment experiences for the Remote School students. The innovative programming gave access to interesting presentations, concepts and subject areas,” said Greenwich Alliance for Education Executive Director Julie Faryniarz in a release.

Schedule of Virtual Assemblies:

January

·      In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

Artist: Hip Hop Fundamentals, Young Audiences

In 45 minutes, students were inspired by this performance, which focused on youth involvement in the American Civil Rights Movement as seen through the eyes of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

February

In honor of Black History Month
Artist: Tahira, Young Audiences
In 45 minutes, TAHIRA shared stories of hope, triumph, and tragedy, drawn from a diverse repertoire of original works and those based on African oral tradition.

March

In honor of Women’s History Month

Artist: Anne Pasquale, Arts for Learning CT

In 30 minutes, Anna Pasquale brought to life important American women who impacted history. From immigrant women to women in the wild west, to America’s first woman reporter and Annie Sullivan who taught Helen Keller, Anne delves into the history and background of each character in dramatic detail.

April

In honor of Poetry Month
Artist: Red Sneaker Production, Young Audiences
In 45 minutes, Anthony Cascio combined acting, mime, vocal gymnastics, humor, audience participation, and a steamer trunk full of costumes, puppets, and props to allow students to encounter poetry as an engaging and relevant art form.

May

In alignment with the GPS Science Curriculum
Presenter: Dirtmeister
Dirtmeister’s® 60 minute Electric Show is designed to introduce students to the physics of electricity and trace its development from a simple scientific curiosity to its use as the most versatile energy source in the world today. Along the way students answer several important questions including the differences between current and static electricity and how batteries produce electrical current. Students and the presenter identify some typical insulators and conductors and explore how light bulbs work. They also spotlight some of the achievements of famous and not-so-famous scientists including Volta, Oersted, Faraday, Edison and Tesla. They conclude with a look at how electrical power has been produced in the past and what the future holds for “green” alternative energy sources including solar and wind power.

May

In alignment with the GPS Science Curriculum
Presenter: Seacoast Science Center
In a 45 minute, live program with a professional science educator, Seacoast Science Center will explore animal adaptations. Gulf of Maine is one of the most productive marine environments in the world, and home to a great biodiversity of animal and algal species. It is also one of the fastest warming bodies of water on the planet. Students will celebrate this special body of water by visiting our Gulf of Maine exhibit hall tanks and our touch tank, to encounter a variety of coastal shelf, deep water and intertidal species. Take a tour of the indoor tide pool to learn more about the adaptations of the invertebrates found along our rocky shore. They will dive deeper into some of the amazing adaptations these animals and algae employ and if time allows, learn about the star of one of the Gulf’s most successful fisheries.

June

•  In alignment with the GPS Social Studies Curriculum
Presenter: Journeys into American Indian Territories
Presentation recordings and live, virtual workshops on Native American life today.

The Greenwich Alliance for Education was launched in 2006 as the local education foundation supporting students in the Greenwich Public Schools. Since our founding we have dedicated $3.4 million to funding innovation, expanding opportunities, and inspiring educators. While progress has been made, our schools are still challenged by a diverse population, a persistent opportunity gap, and constraints on the ability to respond to a rapidly changing world. We believe it is our shared community responsibility to leverage resources and build partnerships to guarantee all students achieve academic success and a promising future.