HCPSSClosing Ceremony Celebrates Korean Cultural Exchange Program
July 31st, 2017
Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) Interim Superintendent Dr. Michael J. Martirano and Board of Education Chairman Cynthia Vaillancourt joined representatives from South Korea’s Iksan school district to celebrate the tenth annual Korean summer cultural exchange program during a closing ceremony this morning at Patapsco Middle School.
The ceremony culminated the three-week program hosting 20 middle school students and two teachers from Iksan, the HCPSS partner school district in South Korea. The students attend English language classes each morning with HCPSS ESOL teachers, and take part in local cultural and educational excursions during the afternoons.
The event included performances by the visiting Korean students and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize the ongoing partnership between HCPSS and the Jeollabukdo Iksan Office of Education of South Korea.
“This exchange program and rich cultural event bring great value to our community in terms of sharing diversity and fresh perspectives,” said Martirano. “The partnership we have with Iksan is greatly rewarding for both of our organizations.”
Click the photo below for a Flickr album of event pictures.
The MOU renews the ongoing partnership between HCPSS and the Jeollabukdo Iksan Office of Education, which share a common vision for students of both nations to learn about and experience their respective history and cultures. The partnership provides for the exchange of instructional resources and professional learning among students and teachers from both school districts.