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‘A Remarkable Resource’: ‘The Dome’ at NCHS Provides Students With Unique Learning Opportunity

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“The Dome,” New Canaan High School’s new immersive learning theater—a space formerly known as “the planetarium”—saw a surge in usage last year as it became a center of the district’s learning, officials say. The Board of Education received an update on The Dome’s growth and future plans at its Monday meeting. “The Dome has become a remarkable resource for our faculty and staff, transforming the way that we explore, learn, and connect,” NCHS Director of Innovation Melinda Meyer told board members at their regular meeting, held in the Wagner Room at NCHS and via YouTube. “In its first full year, The Dome hosted experiences that inspired curiosity across disciplines, sparked collaboration among teachers, and immersed students in learning that felt both personal and shared,” Meyer said as she began her presentation. The Dome officially opened in the spring of 2024.

Dr. Bryan Luizzi

‘I Can’t Wait To See What the Students Do’: Officials Cut Ribbon on ‘The Dome’ at NCHS

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District officials started talking about renovating “The Dome”—the planetarium at New Canaan High School—back in 2016, according to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi. They had a couple of false starts, including a key retirement and then COVID-19, but once they were clear of the pandemic, “we really committed to doing this, because we really feel strongly that we have this opportunity to create something special for our kids and for the community.”

“We’ve been looking forward to this day for years,” Luizzi told NewCanaanite.com as a crowd gathered outside The Dome for a formal ribbon-cutting on Tuesday afternoon. 

The ceremonial ribbon-cutting came as Luizzi led sessions inside the new space, introducing town and district officials, as well as donors and members of the diligent and hugely successful Dome Committee through demonstrations. Sitting in comfortable new seats that recline for a better view, those in attendance were led by Luizzi through not just interactive space exploration software but also videos showcasing The Dome’s immersive high-definition capabilities. 

“To be able to welcome in so many of the people that helped make this happen, that stuck with us through the years as we were building momentum and building the vision—it was all about getting it right, and having a vision that went beyond what a planetarium could do, to really the ‘immersive theater’ idea, and doing it in a way that asks people to think bigger than the small screen,” he said. “To do it together and collectively. So bringing everybody together to celebrate the opening is another way that we show what we believe, which is community.

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Board of Ed, Longtime New Canaan Public Schools Figure Recognized for Excellence in Science Education

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A fixture in the New Canaan Public Schools’ Science Department and recent award recipient honored the Board of Education at its most recent meeting for the group’s vision, support and encouragement. Melinda Meyer, the district’s K-8 science coordinator and winner of the Connecticut Science Supervisors Association’s Fred J. Simone Award for distinguished leadership and service in science education, told members of the Board of Ed that educators in the NCPS science program “really do have the best job in the world,” thanks in large part to the school board. “We get to engage students every day in learning, making connections and providing them with the fuel to grow into the next leaders, scientists and engineers,” Meyer said during the Board of Ed’s May 15 meeting, held in the Wagner Room at New Canaan High School. “Our students’ excitement and energy is our caffeine in the morning. It is what keeps us going.