Update: An earlier version of this story stated that the visit was going to be earlier in the week, however, due to a flight delay, the delegation will arrive on Tuesday. The story below has been updated to reflect the correct dates.

WINDSOR, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – The Windsor Central School District will host an educational delegation from the nation of Belize on Tuesday, May 16^th, and Wednesday, May 17^th, including the highest-ranking education officials from the Central American country.

The contingent will include Louis Zabaneh, Ph.D., Ed.D., Belizean Minister of State, Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology, and Dian Castillo-Maheia, Chief Executive Officer, Belizean Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology, and Ms. Miriam Paz, Head of the Teacher Support Team. The original flight of the delegation was delayed, causing the visit to be on Tuesday rather than arriving on Monday.

The group is visiting Windsor to learn about the district’s programming, with a focus on its career pathways for students, collaborative teacher teams, and professional learning opportunities.

“We’re pleased these education leaders from Belize are interested in the outstanding work done by our students and teachers. We hope this visit will provide assistance to them as they try to improve the educational outcomes for the children of Belize,” said Dr. Jason Andrews, Superintendent of the Windsor Central School District.

The Belize Education Ministry has instituted a nationwide effort to improve student outcomes called the BESPlan. The plan is organized along four domains: reforming the education system, transforming teaching and learning, prioritizing underserved sectors, and maximizing human capital.

Former Windsor CSD Board of Education member Barbara Mirch made connections with educational leaders in Belize. This led to Mrs. Mirch and Dr. Andrews visiting the Belizean embassy in Washington, D.C. in September 2022 to meet with the Belizean Prime Minister and Minister of Education.

While in the Windsor CSD, the delegation from Belize will visit classrooms and meet with teachers at Windsor Central High School, Windsor Central Middle School, and Floyd L. Bell Elementary School.

There will be a walking path dedication at Windsor Central High School today at 1 PM. This dedication is unrelated to the Belizean visit. The Windsor Central High School Community Walking Path was made possible through grant support provided by the Broome County Health Department’s Creating Healthy Schools and Communities Grant. There are beginner, intermediate, and advanced paths for the community utilizing the WCHS campus.