Exploring Education: HSE principals study education, schools in China

Six Hamilton Southeastern Schools principals have the opportunity to take a little bit of Fishers to China this week.

Geist Elementary principal Christi Thomas and Hoosier Road Elementary principal Will Hurst left Oct. 11.

Lantern Road Elementary Principal Danielle Thompson, Fishers Elementary Principal Brian Sloan, Brooks School Elementary Principal Dana Kaminski and Sand Creek Intermediate Principal Brent Farrell left Oct. 13.

The six will study at each of their elementary school’s sister schools in Ningbo, China. The partnership initiated when 23 students from Tianchang Primary School in China and four teachers came to visit Sand Creek Intermediate for one week in August.

“I could tell just by having those kids with us for five days, you can’t substitute that relationship,” Farrell said. “As we look at different projects and capabilities to use technology to interact, I think we have a lot to offer each other.”

Each sister school in China has a specialty study, and typically schools hold more students in China. Each principal is accompanied by a translator.

“The Ningbo district is our sister district, and this is the first time this Chinese connection has established a district-to-district relationship, so I think that’s a pretty neat opportunity for the HSE school district,” Thomas said.

Thomas said the partnership originated due to Supt. Allen Bourff and his past experience at another school district. The trip also aligns with HSE21, which highlights the best practices of teaching and learning for teachers, principals and school staff. One of those practices is having a global perspective.

“When we are able to be educated ourselves, we can bring that back to the students and staff,” Thomas said. “Dr. Bourff has been fostering global perspective with us.”

Kaminski said his goal would be to return to China with a larger group.

“My goal is to get a return trip with students, parents and teachers in 2019 back to this partner school. That is my premier target for success,” he said.

To nurture the partnership, the principals are bringing gifts over to each of the schools they visit, as gifts are an important way of showing appreciation in the Chinese culture. When the students and teachers from Tianchang Primary School visited, they brought multiple gifts, including a scroll.

Each principal will bring something from their school, as well as a crystal gift engraved with the district’s seal.

“Gifts are very important, so we are giving a gift to the district, giving a gift to each school and giving a gift to the principal of each school,” Thomas said. “A lot of time and thought went into these gifts, because it means a lot in their culture, it’s just an exchange of appreciation and respect to each other.”

To view a video from the time students from Tianchang Primary School were in Fishers, visit bit.ly/2y8eKDS.

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