Press Release The Connecticut Forum presents “Our Great Education Challenge” to the Avon Community

The Connecticut Forum has generously agreed to partner with the Avon High School PTO to provide a special viewing of Our Great Education Challenge that took place at The Bushnell on Nov. 10 to a sold out crowd. This ground breaking community-wide event comes to Avon High School, 510 West Avon Road, on Wednesday, May 18  from 7 to 9 p.m. 

After seeing this Forum, Randy Leaning, Marketing Consultant, approached Avon High PTO President Wendy Howard with the idea for this program. Leaning, an avid Connecticut Forum Subscriber and longtime Avon Public School Volunteer, thought the content of this Forum would complement the two recent educational programs sponsored by the high school: Race to Nowhere and CT School Reform.   

The Connecticut Forum, founded in 1992, is an award winning non-profit organization that brings nationally known panelists to Hartford four times a year to discuss timely and important topics. Richard Sugarman, Founder and President of The Connecticut Forum, will facilitate our discussion following the viewing.

Norah O’Donnell, Chief Washington Correspondent for MSNBC, served as Moderator of this Forum and asked the difficult questions regarding the inequities in education, teacher unions, teaching to the test, credentials vs. performance, and tenure - controversial issues facing educators today.  Panelists included Lily Eskelson (Vice President of the National Education Association), Davis Guggenheim (Director of the film Waiting for Superman), Joel Klein (Former Chancellor of New York City Schools), John Schnur (CEO of New Leaders for New Schools), and Deborah Gist (Rhode Island Commissioner of Education).

Visit our website at www.avon.k12.ct.us for more details or go to ctforum.org for a closer look at The Connecticut Forum’s Our Great Education Challenge.

Submitted by Randy Leaning.