Click here to be directed to the Stratford Portrait of a Graduate website.

For Immediate Release

Contact - Superintendent's Office
Phone - 203-385-4209
 

Stratford Public Schools Win Barr Foundation Grant

STRATFORD, CONNECTICUT, DECEMBER 2019: Stratford Public Schools has received an award from the Barr Foundation to support its Portrait of a Graduate project. A portrait of a graduate is a collective vision of what all high school students will know and be able to do by graduation. To create a portrait of a graduate, educators, parents, students, and community members work together to articulate a robust definition of student success in school and beyond. This process offers an opportunity to outline a community’s own values, align work that’s already in place, bridge existing gaps, and guide future decision-making. The Portrait of a Graduate project will ultimately impact all students who graduate from Bunnell and Stratford High Schools.

Stratford Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Janet M. Robinson said, “A Portrait of a Graduate is an essential tool to ensure that Stratford’s PK-12 education system is providing students with the 21st-century skills and knowledge they need to prepare them for career and post-secondary education opportunities and to compete in local and global markets. Preparing students for success is the purpose of all of the district’s strategic planning. We are greatly appreciative of the opportunity to advance this important work with the Barr Foundation’s support.”

Over a year-long period from January – December 2020, Stratford Public Schools will facilitate a local working team to engage in the following activities:

● Examine graduates’ readiness for college and career

● Review existing student outcomes frameworks

● Identify knowledge and skills all community graduates will attain

● Develop an action plan for using a portrait of a graduate to advance student outcomes

Bob David, a member of the local working team, said, “The Portrait of a Graduate process promises to expand communication between the Stratford community and our educators to the benefit of our future graduates. It is essential for our education system to reflect the evolving needs of the community.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Stratford Public Schools as they engage community members in creating a collective vision for student success,” said Alison Gross, Barr’s program officer for Education. “We believe that all students deserve a high-quality education where every learner is known, challenged, and supported. The portrait of a graduate process is a key first step to making that a reality for all New England students.”

The Barr Foundation’s mission is to invest in human, natural, and creative potential, serving as thoughtful stewards and catalysts. Based in Boston, Barr focuses regionally, and selectively engages nationally, working in partnership with nonprofits, foundations, the public sector, and civic and business leaders to elevate the arts, advance solutions for climate change, and connect all students to success in high school and beyond. Founded in 1997, Barr now has assets of $1.8 billion, and has contributed more than $1 billion to charitable causes.

For more information on the Barr Foundation, visit barrfoundation.org or follow @BarrFdn.

If you would like more information about the Stratford Public Schools, our contact information is listed at the top of this release.