Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon addresses teachers during this morning’s Back to School Breakfast. School starts Sept. 5 across Westport. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
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The Westport School District welcomed back its teachers and staff today with the annual Back to School Breakfast.
New teachers were introduced in the crowded auditorium at Bedford Middle School and Jody Gross, a Coleytown Middle special education teacher, was honored for 25 years of service.
Additionally, the faculty met Fan Yan and Zhu Mei, two teachers visiting from China.
Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon remarked on how well teachers work together to move the district forward and how their work makes them role models for their students.
Teachers meet on various committees and in groups—sometimes on their own fruition—to help the district move forward.
He cited math teachers examining the curriculum and a committee reviewing the professional develop plan.
“It’s a collaborative discussion,” he said.
Landon said he has noticed recently how all the news is bad with stories of soldiers dying, genocide, terrorism, political corruption and athletes using performance enhancement drugs.
“Where have all our heroes gone?” he asked. “Where can our children find heroes, role models they can trust?”
He attended a meeting where teachers were collaborating on work to make the district better.
“I knew I was in a better place within our school system,” he said. “I found that I am among representatives of the heroes I had of yesteryear.”
The teachers can make a real difference and set an example for students, he said.
“You can help them believe in themselves and show them the goodness of humankind,” he said. “You can take the place of heroes that rarely exist.”
