Members of the greater Hartford community visited Watkinson yesterday for the school’s first-ever SPHERE Community Day. SPHERE is Watkinson’s nearly 50-year-old summer enrichment program for Hartford elementary students. SPHERE helps students to make academic gains and avoid summer learning loss, focusing on reading, writing, math, and technology skills. In addition, over the course of the five-week program, the students participate in art, physical education classes, and field trips.

Community Day included breakfast, a welcome from Head of School Teri Schrader, a program overview with SPHERE Director Downey Knapp, classroom observations, participation in the book buddy program, and a panel discussion with students, counselors, and parents. Some of the lucky attendees even got to read aloud to the students! A current SPHERE parent on the panel said, “SPHERE provides a safe environment filled with learning; the program is ‘above and beyond in every way!”