Mayberry Elementary highlights student performances and staff during Board Appreciation Month

Mayberry Elementary welcomed the East Hartford Board of Education for a Board Appreciation Month visit, with students, staff and family members sharing performances and testimonials about the school’s climate and supports.

Principal Angie Hughes introduced the program and thanked the board and community. Art teacher Rob Monti, who identified himself as the school’s art teacher of 22 years, praised Hughes’s leadership and said staff ‘‘go above and beyond every single day’’ for students. Several students described activities they enjoy; one first grader, Naya, noted participation in running club and violin. A parent, Jose, said the school’s staff helped his child access and manage medication, improving classroom focus.

The board and superintendent emphasized that visits like Mayberry’s keep decision-making tied to classroom impact. The superintendent said the district’s Read Across America volunteer efforts and student testimony at the Legislative Office Building show community engagement in support of public education.

The visit also included announcements of school fundraising events — a March 13 “night of 1,000 dinners” and a March 18 multicultural night — with proceeds earmarked for student activities and an upcoming 2026 climate trip. Admission to the March event was described as about $3–$5 per person.