Superintendent of Schools Scott Schoonmaker said the school district will be energized by some exciting new initiatives and more, all of which will have a positive impact on the 2019-’20 school year.

As students head back to school on Wednesday, Aug. 28, Schoonmaker discussed four highlights topping the list, beginning with a new professional development initiative that took place over the summer.

“This summer, we had our largest professional development activity, where 53 teachers participated in a one-week Reader Writer workshop through Columbia Teachers College,” said Schoonmaker.

The New York-based teachers college’s Reading and Writing Project supported the town’s grades K to 8 educators during the week-long workshop, giving them the tools to establish reading and writing workshops in their classrooms, where teachers act as mentors and coaches to students.

In his annual letter sent with this year’s school calendar to parents, Schoonmaker also noted that professional development and collaboration will continue “across the K-12 spectrum,” as areas of focus for the school district during the school year.

In another highlight, Schoonmaker noted that the 2019-’20 school year will start with 15 new certified teachers. The new hires arrive on the heels of seven teacher retirements in June 2019.

This school year also brings the opportunity for the district to offer additional technology educational opportunities, said Schoonmaker.

“We are looking at expanding our technology offerings at the middle school and high school by integrating manufacturing skill sets into our curriculum,” he told Zip06/The Sound.

At the youngest end of the district’s student spectrum, some welcome changes will be greeting the town’s pre-K students in the new school year, he added.

“We’re in the third year of our pre-K program, and we’ve made some modifications to our playground and some construction improvements to the building,” said Schoonmaker.

Renovations to the pre-K building and its playground, both located at Jerome Harrison Elementary School, are complete and will be in use beginning with the first day of the school year.

In his note issued to district families this week, Schoonmaker said all members of the North Branford Public Schools community will be working to support the success and safety of students.

“Our administrators, educators, and support staff will continue to provide your child with a safe, supportive, and challenging learning environment,” he wrote.

Schoonmaker also thanked the Board of Education for its “continued support in our endeavor to educate the whole child in preparing them for the 21st century.”