The mission of the North Canaan Elementary School community is to ensure that learning occurs in every student, challenging all members to become lifelong, active learners in an environment of mutual respect, cooperation, and understanding.

North Canaan is a rural community with a population of about 3,110 located in the Northwest Corner of Connecticut. Three major companies have plants located in the town: Becton-Dickinson, Specialty Minerals, and Bicron Electronics. Many of our residents are employed either at one of these companies or on the local farms. Small businesses employ much of the remaining population. Because many of the parents and townspeople are employed in industry or small service businesses, the economic character is very different from the other towns in the region.
North Canaan Elementary has a student population of 389 students in pre-kindergarten through grade 8. The staff of 63 includes 40 certified teachers. Each class, pre-kindergarten through grade 5 is taught in a self contained classroom setting where one teacher is responsible for the basic subjects. In grades 6 through 8, teachers are responsible for the individual subjects of language arts, science, mathematics, social studies, and Spanish. Other subjects such as art, computer, library skills, music, and physical education are taught by specialists. There are programs for pupils with special learning needs as well as a program for gifted children. (North Canaan Public Facilities Report, 1990) After completing grade 8, students attend Housatonic Valley Regional High School in Falls Village.

The North Canaan School District, comprised of one school, is part of the six town Region One school system. It functions as an independent entity with its own Board of Education. At the same time, it operates in cooperation with the six other districts (Canaan, Cornwall, Kent, Salisbury, Sharon and Housatonic Valley Regional High School) with shared services, curriculum development, inservice training, and technological support.

Unlike many school districts across the state, at North Canaan Elementary School there are no self-contained special education classrooms. Students with special needs receive most of their services including instruction in computer and library skills and other specials with their regular education peers. Because of the emphasis on inclusion, pull out programs are minimized.

Reading instruction is a high priority and in addition to regular reading instruction we have two reading specialists who provide intervention and support to students who experience reading difficulties.