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Families new to the Talawanda School District and the Oxford community will be welcomed to the district with an information night, sponsored by the Talawanda-Miami Partnership through a program called the Developing Networks Initiative.

Those new to the district are invited to an "Introducing Talawanda" night at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, at the Talawanda Middle School.

"This is a great opportunity for our new families to become aware of what this district has to offer," said Jean Eagle, co-chair of the Talawanda-Miami Partnership Task Force. "We have a top-notch school district in terms of academic support for children of all learning needs and lots of opportunities for students of all ages."

The information night will include a community meal and a State of the District Address from Phil Cagwin, superintendent of the Talawanda School District.

New members of the community will also be able to participate in breakout sessions to meet other community members and ask questions in a smaller group setting.

Eagle said representation from various community services such as the Talawanda Family Resource Center, the Oxford Chamber of Commerce, Oxford Parks and Recreation and the Lane Public Library will be available to answer questions and provide literature, as well.

Tom Poetter, director of the Miami University Partnership Office, said Miami was one of only 10 universities nationwide chosen to receive a grant to begin the Developing Networks Initiative program, though there are many school-university partnership programs throughout the country.

He added that the program is designed to build opportunity and good will within the community and between Miami and the Talawanda School District.

"We have a better institution when people work together," he said. "My job at Miami is to build partnerships and leadership ... it's something Miami is excited about."

The Initiation Team for the program, comprised of various community members, met last fall to discuss ways to encourage community engagement.

Eagle said that the idea for the new family welcome was first discussed in early 2006 as a way to welcome new families into the community.

The welcome night and another event, a community Thanksgiving dinner that will take place in November, were the results of these discussions.

"We wanted to target anyone new to the community," Poetter said. "All families are welcome."