Partnership will benefit state students

It is finally happening, and the opportunity could not be more exciting for students and families across Connecticut.

Having worked handinhand with Barbara Dalio and the Dalio Philanthropies, through the RISE Network, specifically with Barbara Dalio, I can attest that Barbara and this organization support students and advocate for their success. Barbara truly cares about our students, and she is committed to helping them have opportunities for a better life. Thanks to the work of the state, Dalio, and other supporters, more Connecticut children will be able to realize their dreams.

I have the honor of serving more than 8,000 students in the Meriden Public Schools. They challenge me, our faculty, and staff every day to deliver the education that they deserve. This is what makes working in education, and in particular, urban districts, so rewarding. Many of our students have to deal with challenges and hardships that students in other districts never have to experience. About threequarters of our student population are eligible for free or reduced priced meals. Our students in Meriden deserve the worldclass education that others receive. They have been able to obtain such an education with the partnerships and supports we have received.

Barbara Dalio, through her work with Dalio Philanthropies, through the RISE Network, has gotten to know our students and embraced them. I know that she will do the same throughout Connecticut once the Partnership for Connecticut is off the ground and running. Barbara and her team at Dalio Philanthropies and the RISE Network collaborate with local administrators and teachers to craft the best possible programs for our students. These are not meant to be onesizefitsall programs. Barbara understands that every community, every school, and every child is different. She also recognizes that the sharing of information and providing tools that have worked in some school districts may be helpful elsewhere. She is a continuous leader and that allows all of us to continue to improve.

Dalio Philanthropies’ RISE Network places a premium on ensuring that students have instructors with the skills needed for success, by providing professional development that would never be possible without the organization’s support. We have been afforded the ability to send teachers and members of our central office staff to the University of Chicago to meet with experts and thought leaders.

There is nothing secretive; nothing behind a curtain. There are no strings being pulled when it comes to Dalio Philanthropies’ relationship with the schools it supports. I know the Partnership for Connecticut will work with local school districts. I know the organization understands what goes into a solid education because I have seen it happen in Meriden, and the results speak for themselves. Our students are succeeding in every sense and Dalio Philanthropies has helped make that happen.

This is the opportunity of a lifetime for potentially thousands across Connecticut, and I know that this new, innovative relationship the state has forged with Dalio Philanthropies will pay dividends statewide, as it already is paying off in Meriden.

I am excited for what is ahead, and students, parents, and educators around our state should be too.