Yale Bulletin and Calendar

November 1-8, 1999

Volume 28, Number 11

Bridgeport school is now a showcase for Yale ideas

The Six-to-Six Interdistrict Magnet School in Bridgeport, Conn., was recently cited for its work adopting two model programs developed by Yale faculty members.

Yale held a ceremony on Oct. 28 officially recognizing the Six-to-Six School as a National Demonstration Site for the School of the 21st Century (21C), an initiative founded by Edward Zigler, Sterling Professor of Psychology.

In addition, Six-to-Six has adopted the School Development Program (SDP) model for school management developed by Dr. James Comer, the Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry and associate dean of the Yale Child Study Center.

The combined 21C/SDP initiative is known as CoZi -- signifying the first two letters of the founders' names.

Six-to-Six is one of 10 schools selected as a 21C demonstration site from a field of more than 600 schools nationwide. The designation is based on the school's commitment to early childhood care and education, parent involvement, before- and after-school programs, health education and services, and other family support programs. As a demonstration site, Six-to-Six serves as an example for educators, policymakers and others interested in seeing high-quality 21C programs in action.

"Six-to-Six and all the 21C demonstration sites deserve praise, not only from their communities for their efforts to meet the needs of children and families, but also from the nation, as they serve as examples of what truly comprehensive and family-friendly schools should be," said Zigler, who is also a principal architect of the federal Head Start program.

Six-to-Six is one of a dozen schools nationwide implementing the CoZi model. Edward Joyner, executive director of SDP, said, "From the moment the doors opened six years ago, Six-to-Six has committed itself to combining these two school reform models to create a school that truly works for children, staff and families."

Over 600 schools in 20 states have implemented 21C, which transforms schools into year-round, multi-service centers operating from early morning to early evening, offering services such as:

* all-day, year-round preschool;

* before-, after-school and vacation care for school-age children;

* information and referral services for families;

* guidance and support for new parents;

* networks and training for community child care providers; and

* health education and services.

Research on 21C shows that the initiative has benefits for children, families and schools, improving academic outcomes, decreasing parental stress, and improving school and community relationships.

"The School of the 21C model has helped us provide a program that truly meets the needs of our diverse student body and their families," said Six-to-Six Principal Leslie Alexander. "We especially value Yale's emphasis on quality."

As an interdistrict magnet school aimed at reducing racial isolation, Six-to Six draws its 311-member student body from Monroe, Trumbull, Fairfield, Stratford and Bridgeport through a lottery system. Six-to-Six is expanding to serve middle school students starting in the fall of 2000.

-- By Karen Peart

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Bridgeport school is now a showcase for Yale ideas

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