Middletown Public Schools is proud to announce that after 5 years of dreams and hard work, The Lawrence School recently earned authorization to become an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. There are 22 IB World Schools in Connecticut, only 11 of which (including The Lawrence School) offer the Primary Years Programme.
This is an impressive accomplishment that the District celebrated with a dedication ceremony the morning of Thursday, February 2, 2023 at The Lawrence School. The event was invite only due to limited space, and was live streamed to the District's YouTube Channel. The recoding of the ceremony can be found via a link below.
At the event, we heard from:
- Connecticut’s Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz,
- Connecticut’s Commissioner of Education Charlene Russell-Tucker,
- Connecticut State Senator Matt Lesser,
- Middletown’s Mayor Benjamin Florsheim,
- Middletown’s Superintendent Dr. Alberto Vazquez Matos,
- Lawrence’s Principal Jim Gaudreau,
- Lawrence’s Primary Years Programme Coordinator Denise Kraft, and,
- most importantly, Lawrence teachers and students who were integral players in making this IB Authorization a reality.
While we were joined by a number of wonderful guest speakers, it was our students - our distinguished speakers - who stole the show. Video linked here: https://youtube.com/live/AHK82u2evtU
We sincerely appreciate the support from those who took the time to attend and/or watch the ceremony. A special thanks to Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, Commissioner of Education Charlene Russell-Tucker, State Senator Matt Lesser, and Mayor Benjamin Florsheim, all of whom made clear that they are firm supporters of the enormous benefits that public education adds to our community and the world.
As was stated a number of times (and appropriately so) during the ceremony, all of this would not have been possible without the incredible vision and dedication of Denise Kraft, the Primary Years Programme Coordinator for The Lawrence School. Additionally, this enormous endeavor would not have become a reality if not fully supported by Jim Gaudreau, the Principal of The Lawrence School. Well done, to you both.
Lastly, ensuring that our students’ brilliance is encouraged, our educators are supported, and our families are connected to the District is the work of many and, especially, of the Superintendent. Like every day, this celebration proved that Dr. Vázquez Matos is here for all -- all student, all teacher, all families. #MPS4ALL
This dedication ceremony is linked to and comes ahead of The Igniting Inquiry Conference which will offer educators from around the world to work with globally-recognized inquiry leaders Kath Murdoch (Australia) and Misty Paterson (Canada), April 26 to 29, 2023, in Middletown, CT, in-person or virtually. Registration is open now; more information can be found at: tinyurl.com/Inquiry2023
