Throughout this school year, two classes from different parts of the district have made a special connection. Stephanie Zelinski's third grade class at Idle Hour Elementary School has been corresponding as pen pals with Valerie O'Connell and Susan Meade's third grade class at Cherokee Street Elementary School. This program has been beneficial to the students both in terms of improving their writing skills and fostering their social-emotional development.

Recently, the two classes finally met “face to face” through a video conference so the students could introduce themselves in real time and discuss their writing. To celebrate, the classes also enjoyed playing a few rounds of multiplication bingo together.