Students, Teachers Excited About New Space at Foran

With Phase 3 of a renovation complete, Foran High School students and teachers are already beginning to enjoy the benefits of new, enhanced learning spaces.

"We are very excited and proud over the new space and look forward to the benefits it will provide students and guests. I am also extremely appreciative towards the community," said Foran High School Principal John Barile.

Though the school construction, which is being completed by Mountford Construction, has been a work in progress for several years, Phase 3 has been a year-long effort of adding new additions to the second and third floors. The added space includes a new front entrance with a main office; security station; guidance offices; conference rooms; a nurses station with its own office, restroom and four exam rooms; a nursing assistant classroom; and family and consumer science classrooms.

Michael Cummings, former acting superintendent of Milford schools and Foran High School, said, "It is great to see it completed and many, many people were involved; though some have retired or passed away. The most powerful part of this is the fact this was designed by students and educators throughout the years."

The Foran Child Learning Center is part of the school that will be moving to the new addition during the summer. Students choose to take this class as an elective and work with 3- and 5-year-olds once they become advanced in their studies. The new facility includes two classrooms complete with two-way windows so the high schoolers can observe the pre-schoolers. 

"Our program is unique for high schools in the state and was originally funded by a grant but is now self sustaining," said Susan Tummins, director of the program for the past 11 years. "Enrollment of the pre-schoolers are first open to faculty and then to the community. Our students observe and work with the children and this sets the foundation before they go on to be teachers, speech pathologists and pediatricians."

Assistant Principal Dan Young's children were once enrolled in the program. "I loved it. I was a teacher in the building and I was able to see my kids during lunch everyday," he said.

Another significant addition of the Family Consumers and Science Department is the Food and Nutrition Center.

"Our present classroom is about 40 years old and outdated. This upgrade is insane. It's spacious and all the technology updated - it even has a Smartboard for nutrition analysis," said senior Andrew Toon.

Toon is looking forward to a career as a restauranteur and will be attending Norwalk Community College and then Johnson and Wales University.

"Our program update is crucial, not only for students interested in food/nutrition careers, but for everyone because of the current epidemic of obesity and diabetes. Our students are learning to make healthy choices," said instructor Bernadette Sobel.

She added, "A study was done which concluded that kids who learn to cook and are comfortable in the kitchen are more likely to make healthy food choices."

The ongoing construction at Foran was split into phases from the start and is now moving onto Phase 3-A, which will include renovating  classrooms and the office on the first floor. There will be new art rooms and a fitness center. Staff who do not currently have their own space will now have use of classrooms on this floor.