Instead, they are spending their Saturdays learning about the Thames River and building their reading and math skills through The River Project, a joint effort between the Groton and New London school districts. On Monday, the Board of Education heard a report on The River Project from Carole van Erven, program director, and input from one of the participating students. The program, including bus transportation to William Seely School in Groton, where it meets, is provided free of charge to the students. They spend their time in hands-on activities related to the Thames River, and once a month go on field trips to learn more about navigation and coastal resources.
Teachers refer students to the program.
One second-grade teacher, Jamelah Q. of Winthrop School in New London, said that the students in her class who are enrolled in The River Project are benefiting from it. It's one of those hands-on experiences that will be most memorable for the children involved. After some discussion, the level for high school art classes was lowered from 25 to 20 students, and physical education class levels were raised from 25 to 30 students. Deputy Superintendent James E. Mitchell said all of the preferred maximum sizes are below the maximum sizes allowed by the teachers' contract, and that 80 percent of the classes this year are smaller than the parameters allow.