Education The Natural Bridge

Joplin Schools – Beyond Resiliency in Education

2012-05-21T21:52:00.000-04:00

Ashley Micklethwaite,

President

Board of Education

Joplin, Missouri

It is difficult to believe our community changed forever just six months ago. In some regards, it seems like a lifetime has passed. As a Board of Education, how do you recover when half of your student body is directly impacted by an EF-5 tornado? How do you recover when ten of your district’s buildings are damaged or totally destroyed? You move! You move fast and keep your focus! We have had sorrows, challenges, victories and we always keep our focus on the children and the future.

In the frenetic early days after the May 22^nd storm, our first priority was to locate our children and staff. Staff members, Board members and volunteers poured into our makeshift command center and began calling, e-mailing and using social network sites to find our school families. Within five days, we found all 7,547 students and 1,100 staff members. With joy also came sorrow; we lost six students and one staff member in the storm. To honor their lives and the lives of all of the people who died that evening, we vowed to start school on time. We believe schools are the heart of the community. The most important thing we could do was to reestablish some sense of normalcy to help our community rebuild. Many people have asked, “What did the Board of Education think when Dr. Huff announced school would start on time?” Our collective thought was “Yes, we must.” The Board of Education didn't ask how or how much money. We just knew it had to be done.

Starting school on time was a challenge for which this team was positioned. The Board gave Dr. Huff and his top-notch team the authority to use emergency powers to work hand-in-hand with the Board of Education to make quick but well-researched decisions. Having school open on time was essential to the long-term recovery of our community. The Board of Education set five priorities on which every decision would be based: (1) Children, (2) School employees, (3) Community, (4) Education and (5) Facilities. Children are and will be our number one priority. Their health, safety, basic needs and educational needs now and in the future are at the forefront of our decisions. Of course education is always a top priority but it isn’t the number one priority. Our belief is this; if our children’s, employees’ and community’s basic needs are not met, meaningful education cannot occur.

We believe meaningful education can happen most anywhere where there are great educators. We knew we had great educators. We had tremendous help from volunteers all over the country. Now all we needed was space to replace two elementary schools, a middle school, a high school, a technical school and repair five other school buildings. Challenging, yes, but we met the challenge head-on. High school in a mall? Yes. Middle school in an empty warehouse? Yes. Oh, and by the way, we need to have summer school too! The Board of Education believed in the vision of the team. We also believed that the best place for our kids throughout the summer was not in a debris field or in a hotel room. We decided to not only start summer school but to expand summer school and offer transportation. This was a challenge for us, but it was the right thing to do for the community and for our children. School is what they needed.

But not just school in a mall or warehouse or summer school activities. Our challenge was to offer not just good education and a normal environment but go above and beyond what was expected. Our philosophy was that we wanted to keep children with the friends and teachers they knew to the best of our ability given our challenge of finding suitable locations for 54% of our student enrollment. This created a tremendous challenge of busing students from all over the area, including out-of-district displaced students. We had the opportunity to focus on implementing 21^st century learning environments. We had long dreamed of implementing a one-to-one initiative. What better time to implement the plan than after most of the high school textbooks were destroyed? We also had the challenge, opportunity and duty to help our students and faculty heal from the trauma of May and the continued stress of everyday life in a post-disaster community. Staff received specialized training in trauma response and counselors are on hand to help those who need extra help in dealing with their grief and stress. We are very concerned about the long-term stress of families and, for the first time, will be offering a Winter Break school opportunity for families. For some of our children, the safest place they can be is in school.

We are now planning for our future. Challenges also offer great opportunities. We can build state-of-the-art schools to meet the needs of an ever-changing global economy. We can share our story so other communities can learn from us, build safer schools and, most importantly, build relationships.

How do you prepare as a Board of Education or a school district for a disaster of this magnitude? Start now! I’m sure you have your disaster plans, where to take children for safety, your safety committee, etc… But are you really prepared? Does your Board of Education work well as a team? Do you trust one another and respect one another? Do you trust your Superintendent and his/her team? Do your Superintendent and all the staff, teachers, bus drivers, cooks, nurses, custodians believe that every child deserves the best education every day? Do you as a Board govern, or do you try to administrate? Do you have a dynamic, flexible, strategic, long-range plan that the entire community helped develop? Do you personally know your City Manager and your City Council Members? Does every school have businesses, human service organizations and faith-based partners that meet regularly to discuss what the children need, what the school needs and how the children and the school can give back to the community? Our greatest victory wasn't starting school on time. Our greatest victory was that we were prepared. We had all of these things in place prior to May 22, 2011. Our greatest challenge now, as we look to the future, is maintaining what we have, building upon those strengths and keeping our focus on top priorities.

We are humbled by the outpouring of support from educators and communities. We thank you. We could not have done what we've done these past six months without your support. We have an obligation to all of those who have supported us during our time of need and to our children to be resilient. But resiliency is defined as “returning to an original form after being bent.” Our children, all children, deserve better. The May tornado was transformative. Our challenge now is to transform education. It is our hope that as we rebuild and recover, our educational system and community will be better than before. This we believe and this we will work toward.

Why College Has To Remain Affordable?

2012-05-17T02:15:00.000-04:00

Dr. Michael A. Robinson

"The flattening of the world is moving ahead apace, and nothing is going to stop it. What can happen is a decline in our standard of living if more Americans are not empowered and educated to participate in a world where all the knowledge centers are being connected. We have within our society all the ingredients for American individuals to thrive in such a world, but if we squander these ingredients, we will stagnate” (Thomas Friedman, 2005).

The 21^st century has brought with it challenging and exciting opportunities, a new world of discoveries and possibilities and at the thrust of this amazing time is technology. In this century, the economy of developed and developing countries have come to rely on knowledge power and intellectual capabilities and less on brute strength and intimidation. This new world order with its changing domains will have the capabilities of turning giants into mortals and mortals into kings. A potential future for America and its economy unless considerable efforts are made to ensure Americans have access to post secondary education. The once clear lead highly developed countries such as the United States had in the educational arena is quickly evaporating as developing countries are rapidly increasing their number and quality of college graduates, while equalizing the access rates to education for those attending secondary and primary schools.

Trouble Brewing Abroad

“Globalization is upon us and universities need to prepare their students accordingly. Colleges and universities must be focused on improving our students’ global competency, providing our next generation of leaders with the ability to think critically – to think globally – in all situations and competing with people from various cultures” (Todd, 2005).

China

and India both have about five times as many engineering undergraduates and the

United States

now graduate only about 7 percent of engineers worldwide.

Access Denied Equals Dreams Altered

Deficits in basic skills cost businesses, colleges and under prepared high school graduates up to $16 billion annually in lost productivity and remedial costs (Capriccioso, 2005). Without authentic open access to an education that is ensured through affordable tuition, adequate financial aid and flexible course scheduling and delivery, the dream of millions of Americans will never be realized and the competitiveness of

United States

in the global marketplace will erode.

The ongoing battle to ensure student success from K-16 with the goal of increasing the number of college graduates while improving the quality of the workforce is a major theme of President Obama. By 2020 President Obama believes

America

can regain its place as the world’s greatest producers of college graduates. Through his desire to return

America

back to it’s a place of world prominence in post secondary education, President Obama’s goal will require nearly doubling the number of students currently enrolled in post secondary institutions. A tall order when the rising cost of a college education threatens to shut down this dream for millions of students across

America

There are two primary factors standing in the way of achieving the goal of increased post secondary graduation rates by the year 2020. For this discussion I will only focus on one factor. The first factor is the issue of access and affordability which is predicated on the cost of post-secondary education; the second factor is the increasing percentage of high school students who are not college ready upon graduation. There are other factors, but these two directly represent the pathway by which success of post-secondary attainment by 2020 will travel. However, before exploring those factors, it would be wise to ground this issue in what is at stake for America and Americans. In 2000, author John McCabe stated by year 2010 more than 80 percent of jobs will require some form of post-secondary education. McCabe went on to say that over 60% of the jobs that will be needed by 2010 did not currently exist at the time of the writing of his book. What Mr. McCabe was attempting to say was that the job marketing was changing and as a result the need for a changing workforce was required.

Some 12 years after McCabe’s research similar numbers are being discussed. According to a report conducted by Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, titled “Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements Through 2018” there will be an estimated 47 million jobs available. More than 63 percent will require some form of post-secondary education. This figure as outlined in the report is an increase of 4 percent from a rate of 59 percent in 2011 regarding those jobs requiring some form of post-secondary education.

Obtaining a college diploma is perhaps more crucial today than anytime in

America

’s history. As the challenges from abroad continue to expand while simultaneously the power monetary currency is being combined with the power of knowledge, the need for an educated workforce becomes pertinent to the ability of any country to strive. The desire of all Americans to have a post-secondary education is being hampered by the increasing burden of the average American family to pay for college.

Recently released data from the U. S. Department of Education reveals for the first time in

America

’s history the debt associated with obtaining a college education has surpassed American’s credit card debt. So what does this means for America, America’s future and the future of all young Americans who aspire to obtain a college degree? There are several ramifications, meanings or it means that students are starting out of as newly minted college graduates on average with more than $26,000 in debt and a less than robust job market than the one their parents and perhaps grandparents entered upon completion of their college degree.

Funding The Dream

Factor One (Access and affordability)

Institutions of higher education with an open access policy are driving community Access and affordability depend more on the price students actually pay for college than on the published tuition levels. Considerable effort must be made to guarantee that whatever levels of tuition prevail, all low-income students who can benefit from higher education have access to sufficient grant funds to enroll and succeed in college (Baum, 2005). The impact of less state and federal support can be felt among three classes of students. The three fastest-growing and overlapping segments of the population most likely to be at risk for losing access to a college education are: (1) adults, particularly those with lower education levels; (2) low-income populations; and (3) members of certain ethnic groups, particularly those who identify themselves on census forms as black or African American or of Hispanic or Latino. The challenge will be to increase participation and attainment levels of these populations (Ruppert, 2003).

Save The Date

2012-05-07T16:33:00.000-04:00

National Men Make A Difference Day For Academic Success

10.8.12

My name is Dr. Mike Robinson. I am the creator of the National Men MakeA Difference Dayfor Academic Success. I began this initiative in 2009 while working in one of America's largest public school systems. The result of the day was remarkable, more than 10,000 fathers and significant male role models participated in the event.

Over the past two years since leaving the public school system, I have made this event a national movement and as a result the response has been tremendous. The marketing of the event was done solely by my organization with the use of social media aimed primarily at school districts and a few educational organizations. The numbers are still remarkable as more than 100,000 fathers are estimated to have participated in last year's event.

The overall goal of MenMake A DifferenceDay for Academic Success is to increase male parent involvement in their child’s education, but we also would like to see an increase in the number of men who join PTAs/PTOs or become teachers. There is a role for fathers in the process of their children's education and that role has the ability to improve student achievement.

Is It Time For A National Educational Agenda For The African American Community?

2012-04-17T17:36:00.003-04:00

By:
Dr. Mike Robinson

What is the future of education for African Americans relative to the academic achievement of African American children? If you or anyone working as a civil rights advocate, community organizer or civic leader knows, please share it with the rest of us. Because from where most of the African American community sits the vision and pathway is not really clear.

The ongoing failure of school systems to educate an increasingly high percentage of African American young men is frightening. In some urban school districts the dropout rate is as high as 70%. What become of those who leave the thousands of school systems? Where do they go? What do they do? Those are just a few of the many questions that confront the African American community.

Is it time for a massive nationwide protest for our rights for a quality education. Should we march and rally on our State capitals demanding justice in education? Maybe we need to galvanize on Twitter and Facebook and any other forms of social media to get the word out; that we want quality education for our communities and we want it now!

It is likely that an approach using those methods above will generate some public responses from civic leaders and community advocates. There is even a likelihood that some forms of legislation requiring access, increase funding may come out of the outcry for educational justice. However, herein lies the issue, “been there, done that and have the T-shirt.” So at the end of the day, we eventually find ourselves right back where we started. A community with high dropout rates among African American young men; African American female students graduating at a lower rate than white and Asian females; fewer African Americans entering college; a disproportionate number of African American students entering college unprepared and needing remedial educational courses; the steady decline in the number of African American men matriculating through institutions of higher education. I could go on and on, but we get the picture and in many cases, we have lived or we are living it. With an unemployment rate hovering near 15% (probably higher) our only solid hope to turn this tide for future African American generations is to emphasis the need for an educational system that is filled with academic rigor, demanding and competitive classes and state of the art equipment which ensures our children can compete nationally and internationally.

It is time for a National Educational Agenda for the African American community? This would be agenda should outline the expectations of the academic achievement for African American students from a nationwide perspective. What would such an agenda look like? Well let me offer the first few components:

Increase in the number of African American male teachers in the classroom
A national meeting between all HBCUs, the United States Department of Education and the 50 Secretaries of Education representing each state in the Union create MOUs to hire over 100,000 male teachers by 2025
Every African American church should adopt at least one school in their community to provide educational support not religious doctrine
Entrepreneurial based curriculum should be included in the academic courses starting as early as 4^th grade
Extend the learning day
Increase multicultural training for teachers and staff as a means to reduce the disproportionate number of African American students suspended or placed in special education
Parental involvement that is supported by schools, churches and employers

These are just a few of the components that should make up the National Educational Agenda for African Americans. We have to demand more academic rigors and once we have it, demand performance from our children and their friends. Respect and celebrate the academic achiever, make them the rule, not the exception.

Just Because They Are Unemployed Does Not Mean They Are Unskilled

2012-04-15T14:04:00.002-04:00

By:

Dr. Mike Robinson

For the past two years the national conversation regarding unemployment in America has focused on the need for those without a job or under-employed to obtain more skills and more training. This has become a rallying cry for justifying why the unemployment numbers remain high, especially among populations of color.

The purpose of this article is to dispel or to an extent change the direction of the conversation about the traits of the unemployed. I am especially targeting those who use an uninformed description of the unemployed and under-employed to frame discussions on the rate of joblessness in America. First, I want to make it extremely clear that I agree education and training has a place in reducing under-employment and yes it can impact unemployment. However, it is the broad brush by which the concept of training and skill attainment is discussed that gives me pause for alarm. I have seen the over-reliance of the belief that those unemployed or under employed simply lack the skills of those that have employment. Typically this is used as a means to justify why we see double digit unemployment rates in segments of the population like African Americans and Hispanics.

In an effort to address this issue of untrained Americans, President Obama has set-a-side in his budget plan of nearly eight billion dollars for community colleges to serve as America’s Re-Training Academies, while continuing to serve as the primary gateway to post secondary access and higher education attainment. President Obama’s funding of the new, but well established traditional mission of community colleges is both daring and noble. The president’s support of America’s community colleges continues in a long line of POTUS who understood the value community colleges bring to our nation, one community at a time. However, new money for the expansion of post secondary opportunities will mean little if at the end of the re-train/educate pipeline there are no jobs.

My concern and that of many I have spoken to over the years is a straightforward one. It is grounded in the fact that each and every unemployed person is some how locked in this universal description of being untrained, unskilled and to a large measurement lacking a strong foundation in today’s technology. This is especially placed at the feet of those unemployed who happen to be people of color. These assertions are frequently uttered from the political pundits, talking heads, and political contributors for this network or that network.

My retort to those political pundits, talking heads, political contributors and political leaders on each side of the isle, “you really have no clue as to the skills of the unemployed.” I apologize for being so direct, but it seems in this season of non reason, to steal a line from an upcoming book by the same name, written by M. Shelly Robinson, political leaders and the media really have not wanted or dared to examine the depth of the issue of the unemployed and their inability to secure employment.

I met a woman several years ago, who was laid off from a mid-level university in 2005. She held a prominent management position at the university and at the time had years of experience in personnel, project management, IT and a host of others. She possesses a master’s degree in Human Resources, from a top university in the state of Maryland. She has been unemployed for seven years. That is right seven years. She was able to secure one part-time job, a seasonal position with a large retailer where she was responsible for cleaning restrooms after store hours on the 11pm-8am shift. Now given the definition often used by those in the media to justify why a person like the one described above cannot secure employment, hinges on the fact she lacks skills that suggest she can compete in today’s job market.

The fact is their contention that she is without skills would be completely and utterly wrong. Since the time of her unemployment, this mid 40, highly educated minority woman has gained the following skills through her attempts to start her own business and volunteering at local organizations.

Since the time of her unemployment in January 2005, she has gained the following skills:

Entered doctoral studies (Higher Education)

TV production

TV editing

Filming

Radio Producer “Talk and Music”

Script writing

Event planning

Guest development

Social Media

Story board writing

Publishing

Publication layout

Interviewing of program guest

Writer

Blogger

Prior to being laid off in 2005, this unemployed educated mother of three and the wife of an educator had skills in the following area:

Management
Labor Relations
Custom Services
Staff Development
Finance Management
Personnel
Computer operations
IT
Project Management
Student Advisement
Inventory Management
Call Center Management
Policy and Procedure Development

I could go on listing her many qualifications, but I am sure you get the point. This woman who is a minority possessed skills that do not become obsolete, but are typically needed by most organizations seeking to maintain a strong and viable infrastructure. So, why has this person been unable to secure employment beyond a part-time seasonal position cleaning toilets?

It is my declaration that there are other factors behind the high rate of unemployed and under-employed minorities. There is little empirical evidence to show that the unemployment rate for educated and skill minorities is less for uneducated and be unskilled majority populations. Populations of color have found the job market to unfriendly to them especially to those who are educated and skilled.

Prior to completing this article, I contacted the woman who had been unemployed for seven years to see if her employment status had changed. She indicated it had not. She also stated she had spoken with a state unemployment counselor who suggested she enroll in a Medical Billing/Coding program at the local community college. The counselor believed it was her best and only chance to ever work again.

Dr. Mike Robinson is the creator of the National Men Make A Difference Day for Student Success and the host of Parent Talk Live. Dr. Robinson is a leading voice/expert on parental engagement and community outreach in education. He is also the CO- CEO of Forest Of The Rain Productions, an Internet communication company, whose mission is to expand the voices in and about education.

Five Myths About Community Outreach Educational Institutions Need To Know

2012-04-08T16:23:00.002-04:00

By:
Dr. Mike Robinson

Many organizations, to include public K-12 schools and institutions of higher education believe a connection with their local communities is imperative to their ability to respond to their mission while offering solutions to many of the systemic needs facing those within their communities. However, there is a belief among organizational leaders that community outreach is simply a matter of knocking on doors or passing out fliers at local community events. Albeit those are several of the methods one can use to reach their constituents, the fact is community outreach is much more than that!

Community outreach requires a strategic approach, a methodology that ensures your efforts garner the optimal results and that those reached are best able at the time of your outreach to benefit from your services, desire your services and understand your services.

Here are five myths regarding community outreach every organizational leader needs to know, as they will assist in creating a more effective community outreach program with a solid community outreach strategy.

Myth # 1 It Is Community Outreach, It Cannot Be That Hard:

Community outreach can be done over the phone or simply from behind a desk. This is perhaps the most damaging of all the myths, as it the one typically accepted by those leaders with the least understanding of the mission of the organization and what is community outreach.

Truth is effective community outreach has a strong base of research that does have a need for a level of office work. But the more effective outreach research is conducted on the ground within the communities one seeks to serve.

Myth # 2 They Have To Want Our Help:

Communities are always amenable to organizations entering their neighborhoods promoting programs, services and opportunities. Organizations that assume, because we are a high profile institution or because we are addressing a need that impacts the majority of the residents of this community, therefore they will accept us with open arms is to discount the unique, distinct and diversity of each neighborhood that makes up a community.

Myth # 3 Community Outreach Cannot Contribute To The Bottom Line:

Community outreach is not a major avenue to create a revenue stream or provide fiscal opportunities for an organization. While many organizations, especially community colleges have come to understand that an effective community outreach program, grounded in research and an understanding of community norms can create increased enrollment, expand the communities’ educated workforce and serve as the economic engine of the community have come to understand the revenue generating potential of the an effective community outreach program.

Myth # 4 Strategy Not Needed:

Community outreach does not require a strategic assessment and implementation and can be effectively conducted via a less than proven approach. In these times of fiscal challenges, tight budgets and competing initiatives, failure to take a strategic perspective on how best to reach those who can and will access your programs or services can result in a waste of revenue, manpower, and other organizational resources.

Myth # 5 Staff Departure:

Community outreach staff are not really performing outreach, but they are out looking for a job. This is one of the most ridiculous myths in the industry of community outreach. Effective community outreach staff will meet and network with countless community and business leaders and on a few occasions they will be offered opportunities to work with other organizations. While staff turnover is not good for any organization or a department it does negatively impact a community outreach division. However, the possibility of staff finding employment elsewhere does not justify unprofessional scrutiny and mistrust by leadership. When this occurs the effectiveness of an organization’s community outreach is doomed for failure.

To contact Dr. Mike Robinson, visit www.forestoftherain.net or email at forestoftherain@gmail.com

Maryland Mom Tells Why She Home Schools

2012-04-06T23:10:00.006-04:00

Mrs. Erin Miller

Why I home school

Mrs. Erin Miller is one of the millions of parents across the United States and Abroad who have chosen to home school their children. Currently, Erin who lives in Prince George’s County, Maryland is home schooling a 2nd grader and a kindergartener.

It’s All About the Child

2012-04-02T09:25:00.000-04:00

By:

Dr. Yolanda Abel

Children are one of our most precious gifts. As parents it is our responsibility to rear them well and prepare them to go out into the world and fulfill their destiny. Kahlil Gibran said it well, “Your children are not children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not for you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.” With this in mind, all parents should be mindful of how they treat one another and how the parental relationship impacts the child.

So often when we think or discuss parenting of Black children in general it seems as if the focus of the conversation often becomes the plight of the single mother and bemoaning the absence of fathers. While the Black community is varied in its composition, the issue of female headed households and noncustodial dads is a real one.

The percentage of children residing in a single parent household in the U.S. was 34% in 2009. In the state of Maryland it was 34% as well. However, when you disaggregated by race, there are 67% of Black children, in the U.S., residing in single family homes. In the state of Maryland 59% of Black children are living in a single family home (Kids Count, 2011). National data informs us that almost 50% of Black children living in single family households reside with their mother, while less than 4% of Black children reside with their fathers. There are a variety of variables that impact who a child lives with and how the parents and other adults help to support the child’s overall development.

This article is focusing on mothers and fathers who are no longer in a relationship with each other, but share a child. How do people continue to work together in the best interest of the child they created? How do you navigate blended families? How do you set aside personal disappointments and keep the child at the focus of the relationship? These may not be easy questions to answer based on our personal circumstances. However, our vision must be what is best for the child we created together. How can we put our son or daughter first and provide the best possible upbringing?

It is not easy and I am not suggesting otherwise, but it is something we have to do. It is important that we promote father involve with schools and in children’s school-based lives. Children are less likely to repeat a grade, be suspended, or expelled if their nonresident fathers are involved in schools. Children are also more likely to earn A’s, enjoy school, and participate in extracurricular

activities. Father involvement with schools can make a difference for the better (Nord, 1998).

How do we do that? The mother’s relationship with the father influences his involvement with the child’s school based life. Fathers who are romantically involved with the mother of their child are more likely to be involved in their child’s school-based lives. So, what happens when parents are no longer together? The noncustodial fathers’ involvement in school-related activities is influenced by the child’s grade level, the household income, mother’s level of education, and the child support payment history (Nord, Brimhall, & West, 1997). In this instance, school-based involvement is defined as attending (a) a general school meeting, (b) attending a parent-teacher conference, (c) attending a school or class event, or (d) serving as a volunteer. So, if mom is the primary caregiver, how does dad find out about these events so he can attend, if possible?

Communication geared toward the child’s welfare needs to be a focus. Schools tend to communicate with the parent who registers the child for school and to send information to the contact address or phone number that is provided. So, if there are no legal reasons to prevent it, the contact information of the noncustodial parent should be provided as well. As the custodial parent we should also communicate ourselves with the noncustodial parent around issues that support the child we have together. Remember, children tend to have better outcomes when their noncustodial fathers are involved.

Be realistic as each of you works to support your child. While money is important in being able to provide for a child it is not everything.

A child needs parents who are physically present and active in his or her life. Encourage the noncustodial parent to attend school functions, spend quality time reading, go to community events, or any other activity that expands a child’s horizon’s and opportunities for learning.

Be together apart. Remember that each of you is responsible for the upbringing of a well adjusted and healthy child who feels capable and confident to step out into the world and give his or her best. Ideally, we need two loving parents for this to happen. Each parent contributes something unique to the child’s

life and developing perspective.

Be cautiously honestabout what you say about the other parent and why the two of you are no longer

together. Remember that the child is a blend of both of you. It is hurtful to attack the other person or to tell a child that she or he is just like their “no good father”. Words have power. When talking with your friends and /or family members make sure the child cannot hear you and whatever your comments are, especially if you are angry at something the father did or did not do.

Be optimistic; parenting is one of the most challenging things a person can do. There are moments of doubt, confusion, worry, etc. throughout the parenting process whether we are single parents or cohabiting parents. By keeping our focus on the long-term goal of rearing a child who is well-adjusted and able to become a productive member of society we can make it through the hard times. How can we focus on the good as it relates to our child and his or her father? “What is the impact on

the child?” should always be the guiding question as we consider what to do or not to do.

Be consistent in your actions. Most children do well when there are consistent routines in their life. Mean what you say and say what you mean as you talk with your child and his or her father. If something happens and the routine needs to be changed, share that information with the child. Do not allow a child to wonder what she or he did wrong or why daddy doesn’t love me. Something seemingly inconsequential can have long-term negative consequences for a child.

Strive for accountability. Things do happen in life, but for the most part we need to commit to being involved in our child’s life and show up when we say we are and be on time and engage with our child. Reflect back on your own childhood, what are the fondest memories you have of your own father? If he was not a part of your life, how did that make you feel? How does it still make you feel? Did you promise yourself that you would always be there for your child? Are you keeping that promise?

Remember, it is all about the child. Fathers and mothers each have a critical role to play in the lives of their children. This is a reminder to do your part. We need to facilitate all fathers’ being a connected and integral part of their children’s lives.

Forest Of The Rain Productions Discusses The Value of Education with an Educator and a Civic Leader

2011-04-21T04:11:00.001-04:00

Hello Engaged Parents and Dedicated Educators,

Below you will find two very interesting interviews. Our first interview opens our discussion with five superintendents from across America in what we are calling “The Educational Landscape" with Dr. Joe A. Hairston, Superintendent for Baltimore County Public Schools since 2000.

The second interview is with Mr. Jim Rosapepe, Maryland State Senator for District 21. Mr. Rosapepe discusses his vision for education and the factors impacting education in the state of Maryland.

Dr. Joe A. Hairston
Superintendent
Baltimore County Public Schools
Topic: The Value of Education and The Success of Baltimore County Public School Students
Time: 10:00am
Date: April 21, 2011
Where: The Journey Begins, Internet Radio for the Engaged Parent and Dedicated Educator

A visionary and progressive leader, Dr. Joe A. Hairston has served since 2000 as Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools, the nation's 26th largest school system. Dr. Hairston’s administration is now among the longest in the modern day history of the school system. Dr. Hairston’s results-based leadership has yielded a growing list of achievements including greater student participation and success in Advanced Placement and national renown for the quality of high schools and arts education, use of technology, greater accountability, and resource conservation.

A career rooted in the classroom

A career educator, Dr. Hairston's ascent in education administration began and is rooted in the classroom. Over the years, he has developed and refined strategies that have proven successful in raising student achievement. Dr. Hairston began his career in 1969 as a teacher in Prince George's County. Within two years of entering the classroom, he was appointed department chairperson and five years after that he became administrative assistant to a principal. He was appointed vice principal in 1977 and was named a principal in 1981. While serving as the principal of Crossland High School, from 1982 to 1986, Dr. Hairston developed an organizational, instructional, and marketing model for high school reform that he next employed at Suitland High School. At Suitland, a low-performing school with almost 2,300 students, Dr. Hairston implemented a nationally recognized visionary magnet program, which increased achievement for all students in the school – not just those in the magnet program. His achievements in turning Suitland around were recognized by President Ronald Reagan, Vice President George Bush, and Secretary of Education William J. Bennett and led the school to receive a National Award of Excellence. Many of the elements of Dr. Hairston's formula for student success – developed throughout the 1980s – are echoed in the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

In 1989, Dr. Hairston was named assistant superintendent of Prince George's County Public Schools. Then in 1995, he became the first appointed (rather than elected) superintendent of Clayton County Public Schools in Jonesboro, Georgia. During his tenure in Clayton County, he earned praise for infusing technology into the administration and schools, increasing business partnerships, and developing community advocacy and fiscal support for the school system.A native of Virginia, Dr. Hairston earned a doctorate in education administration from Virginia Tech (1993), a master's degree in administration and physical education from American University (1976), and bachelor's degree in biology and physical science from Maryland State University (now the University of Maryland Eastern Shore) (1969).

James Carew RosapepeMaryland State Senator
District 21
Topic: A Vision for Education and Trends Impacting the Education
Time: 10:00am
Date: April 21, 2011
Where: The Journey Begins, Internet Radio for the Engaged Parent and Dedicated Educator

Member of Senate since January 10, 2007. Assistant Deputy Majority Whip, 2007-. Member, Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee, 2007-; Joint Committee on Base Realignment and Closure, 2007-. Senate Chair, Joint Information Technology and Biotechnology Committee, 2009-; Joint Audit Committee, 2011-. Chair, Joint Technology Oversight Committee, 2007-09. Member, National Conference of State Legislatures (communications, financial services & interstate commerce committee, 2007- ).

Board of Regents, University System of Maryland, 2001-06. Member, Task Force to Improve Child Support Compliance in Prince George's County, 2007-08; Task Force on the Preservation of Heritage Language Skills in Maryland, 2008-09. Chair, Task Force on Solar Hot Water Systems in Prince George's County, 2010. Member of House of Delegates, 1987-97. Vice-Chair, Ways and Means Committee, 1995-97. Resigned from House of Delegates, effective December 31, 1997, to become U.S. Ambassador to Romania. U.S. Ambassador to Romania, January 20, 1998 to February 2001.

Living Education Magazine: Discusses Bullying

2011-04-18T03:24:00.003-04:00

Rochelle Wilson of Washington, DC Public Schools, Colleen Eisenbeiser of Anne Arundel Community College, and Dr. Marilyn Irving of Howard University talks to Living Education Magazine host Carmen Johnson about bullying and the affects it has on the victims, families and learning environment. The panel will also discuss ways how parents can help their child when they are bullied. Brenda High of Bully Police USA discuss her son's Jared and her family's experience with bullying and how parents can help their child when she/he is bullied.

Parent Talk Discusses Universal Pre-K With Community and Youth Advocate Nakia Troi Ngwala

2011-03-06T22:09:00.003-05:00

Nakia Troi Ngwala's advocacy began more than a decade ago while she held various corporate positions throughout the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. In 2004, out of inspiration from the birth of her first son, Mrs. Ngwala became a full-time parent, full-time community advocate and organizer, and youth advocate and has been actively engaged in promoting unity, social justice and equality in her community of Springdale and in Prince George’s County, Maryland ever since. In September 2008, when Mrs. Ngwala learned that her 4 year-old son was not eligible to participate in the public preschool program in Prince George’s County because of the county’s income requirements, she immediately became a Universal Pre-K/Preschool for All advocate. Since then, as a constituent in Prince George’s County, she has written letters, and has called and continues to call on elected officials to inform and encourage involvement from the county on the importance of early childhood education for all young children in Prince George’s County. In November 2008, she was a contributor in the Universal Pre-K Fact Finding Meeting with the Prince George’s County Public School’s Board of Education to examine national, state, and local data regarding Universal Pre-K and to determine if there was a need to establish a Prince George’s County Universal Pre-K Task Force

iCollege Tour Series Talks To Dr. Troy Paino, President Of Truman State University

2011-03-06T21:46:00.007-05:00

Dr. Troy D. Paino began his duties as the sixteenth President of Truman State University on May 10, 2010, and serves as the chief executive officer and principal spokesperson for the University.

Prior to becoming President, Dr. Paino served since 2008 as Truman's Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. In this leadership position he served as a senior member of the president's cabinet and as chief academic officer for the University.

Dr. Paino served as the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Winona State University (Minnesota) from 2004 to 2008. He began his career at Winona State University in 1997 as an Assistant Professor of History. He was promoted to the rank of Professor in 2007.

Dr. Paino received his Juris Doctorate from Indiana University School of Law. Prior to arriving at Winona, he worked as a lawyer in Indianapolis.

Dr. Paino also has a Ph.D. and a Master of Arts degree in American Studies from Michigan State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and philosophy from Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri. His teaching and scholarly interests include 20th-century cultural and social history and American legal history. He has written extensively on the history of American sport, and in 2008 published his book, "The Social History of the United States: 1960s."

Dr. Paino is a member of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Committee on Professional Development and the AASCU New Presidents' Academy Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the Rotary Club of Kirksville and the First United Methodist Church. He and his wife Kelly have two daughters, Sophia and Chloe.

Rosalie Greenberg, M.D. Discusses Educating Children With Mental Disabilities

2011-01-24T15:32:00.009-05:00

Rosalie Greenberg, M.D. is a board certified child and adolescent psychiatrist in private practice in New Jersey. She specializes in the psychopharmacology of pediatric mood disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders. Dr. Greenberg is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. She was a founding board member and past president of the Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation. She has also served as chairperson of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Blue Harbor Foundation [an organization that funds research into Bipolar Disorders throughout a person’s lifecycle]. She is a consultant in Psychiatry at Overlook Hospital in Summit, New Jersey. She is recognized as one of the top doctors in child psychiatry in the Castle Connelly, NY metropolitan area guide {1999- 2010}. Dr. Greenberg has also been highlighted in New York Magazine {2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 }, New Jersey Monthly Magazine {2005}, New Jersey Life Magazine {2006} and Inside Jersey –A Star-Ledger Magazine {2009, 2010}. Author of “Bipolar Kids: Helping your Child Find Calm in the Mood Storm - DaCapo Press March 2007. Co-Producer of the film: Rescuing Childhood- Understanding Bipolar Disorders in Children and Adolescents (2009). She lectures nationally on various topics in that field. Details for this can be found her website: www.RosalieGreenbergMD.com

Bob Wise Talks About His Work As Co Chair On The Digital Learning Council to Forest Of The Rain Productions--The Journey Begins Internet Radio

2011-01-20T10:28:00.009-05:00

Bob Wise is president of the Alliance for Excellent Education and former governor of West Virginia. He currently co-chairs the Digital Learning Council with Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida. Governor Wise also chairs the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Under Governor Wise’s leadership, the Alliance continues to build its reputation as a respected authority on high school policy by advocating for reform in America’s secondary education system and working to ensure that all students graduate from high school prepared for college, careers, and to be contributing members of society.

Since joining the Alliance in February 2005, Governor Wise has become a sought-after speaker and advisor on education issues. He has delivered keynote addresses at high-level functions to core groups of the education community, state and federal government entities, as well as business, philanthropic, civil rights, and community organizations—all with a stake in education reform. Governor Wise has also advised the U.S. Department of Education, White House Transition Team, and frequently testifies before the U.S. Congress.

Governor Wise has appeared on national television and radio programs such as Lou Dobbs Tonight (CNN), the Charlie Rose Show (PBS), PBS NewsHour, the Diane Rehm Show (NPR), and Washington Journal (C-SPAN). He has also been featured in publications such as Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Charlotte Observer, among others. He is author of the book Raising the Grade: How High School Reform Can Save Our Youth And Our Nation.

As governor of West Virginia from 2001 to 2005, he fought for and signed legislation to fund the PROMISE Scholarship program, which has helped thousands of West Virginia high school graduates continue their education in the Mountain State. Governor Wise also established a character education curriculum in all state schools and created the Governor’s Helpline for Safer Schools. During his administration, West Virginia saw a significant increase in the number of students completing high school and entering college.

In 2001, Governor Wise proposed salary bonuses for teachers who achieve National Board certification. The proposal was passed and, as a result, helped triple the rate of certified teachers in the state. Additionally, Education Week’s “Quality Counts 2004” report gave West Virginia the highest cumulative grade out of all fifty states. As governor, he was also the first West Virginian to chair the Southern Governors’ Association.

From 1983 to 2001, Governor Wise served in the U.S. House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of West Virginia. During his tenure, he worked aggressively to preserve federal financial aid for students to attend college and served as a member on the House Education and Labor Committee. For several terms, he was a member of the Democratic Party Leadership team as a regional whip and as a whip-at-large. Committee assignments during these eighteen years included Transportation and Infrastructure, Government Reform and Organization, and Budget. Governor Wise’s notable congressional accomplishments include the Chemical Right to Know legislation, the Wise Amendment to the Clean Air Act, and the first-ever federal Mental Health Parity legislation.

Governor Wise serves on several boards, committees, and commissions including the Public Education Network’s board of directors, the Springboard Project Commission, the board of trustees of America’s Promise, and the steering committee for the Coalition for Student Achievement. He is an advisory committee member for a number of organizations, including the Campaign for Educational Equity, Editorial Projects in Education, the Bay Area Coalition for Equitable Schools, and the National High School Center, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education and Office of Special Education Programs and housed at the American Institutes for Research. He also serves on the board of advisers for the Moffitt Cancer Center and the board of directors of C-Change, which works to eliminate cancer as a major public health risk at the earliest possible time.

Governor Wise earned a bachelor’s degree from Duke University and a JD from Tulane University School of Law. He has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He and his wife Sandy live in Washington, DC with their two children

Irene Clements President National Foster Parent Asso. Talks With Foster Of The Rain Productions On the Challenges Foster Children Have In Education

2011-01-19T23:02:00.006-05:00

Join Educational Gateway on January 10th for a conversation with Mrs. Irene Clements, President, National Foster Parent Association.

Mrs. Clements will outline the challenges facing foster care parents in their efforts to ensure a quality education for foster care children living in their home.

BIO

Irene and her husband, Billy, fostered for 27 years and adopted four children. Irene has 34 years experience working within the child protection system, both as a foster parent and as an advocate for foster families and the children they serve. Irene is also the President of the Texas Foster Family Association and is Vice President for Advocacy for Lutheran Social Service of the South, Inc.

iCollege Talks To Dr. Charlene Dukes, President of Prince George's Community College

2010-11-20T12:48:00.005-05:00

Forest Of The Rain Productions has an exclusive interview with Dr. Charlene Dukes, President of Prince George's Community College can be heard on The Journey Begins Internet Radio for the engaged parent and dedicated educator.

BIO

Dr. Charlene M. Dukes is the eighth and first female president of Prince George’s Community College and has twenty-eight years of progressive leadership experience and administrative responsibility in higher education. With more than 40,000 students, Prince George’s Community College offers more than 200 credit and workforce development programs. She holds membership in a variety of professional organizations, including serving as a founder and lead faculty member for the Community College Student Development Leadership Institute under the auspices of the National Council on Student Development, an affiliate of the American Association of Community Colleges; the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators through which she served on the National Academy Board; the Council of Law in Higher Education; and the Maryland Network, an affiliate of the Office of Women in Higher Education/American Council on Education. Additionally she serves on the Diversity and Inclusion Council of the American Association of Community Colleges, the Lifelong Learning Commission of the American Council on Education, and the Presidents’ Round Table, an affiliate of the National Council on Black American Affairs.

From 2002 through 2006, she served on the Appointed Board of Education of Prince George’s County and chaired the Student Support, Student Appeals, and Personnel Committees. In May 2007, she accepted an appointment from Governor Martin O’Malley to serve a three-year term on the Maryland State Board of Education and was elected in July 2009 as vice-president of the Board. In October 2007, the African-American Alumni Council of the University of Pittsburgh recognized Dr. Dukes as an Outstanding Alumnus, and in 2008, she received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. In 2009, she received the “1St Ladies Award” given by Radio One and My Sister’s Keeper Organization and the “Luminary Award” from the Prince George’s County Black Chamber of Commerce.

She has participated in the Executive Leadership Institute sponsored by the League for Innovation, Women in Leadership sponsored by the Office of Women in Higher Education/American Council on Education, and the National Leadership Academy sponsored the Association of Community College Trustees. She has also served as adjunct faculty at the Community College of Allegheny County in the English Department, at Prince George's Community College in Developmental Studies, and at Morgan State University in the Community College Leadership Doctoral Program.

She is a member of the board of directors of the Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce, the Business Round Table, the Harlem Renaissance Foundation, College Summit, and a lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Dr. Dukes has a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with an English concentration from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Master’s and Doctorate in Administrative and Policy Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. She resides in Glenn Dale, Maryland with her son, Maurice Dukes, a student at Howard University.

An exclusive interview with Dr. Nancy Grasmick, Maryland's State Superintendent of Schools

2010-09-14T13:23:00.002-04:00

An exclusive interview with Dr. Nancy Grasmick, Maryland's State Superintendent of Schools can be heard on The Journey Begins Internet Radio for the engaged parent and dedicated educator.

For the second straight year, Maryland’s public education system received number one rankings in 2010 from Education Week; the College Board for Advanced Placement performance; and, once again, Newsweek for the highest percentage of rigorous high schools in America. We should all be truly proud for these consistent and remarkable accomplishments.

BIO

First Lady of Education A woman of courage who dared to make a difference. A tireless advocate for education These are just a few of the phrases Maryland’s media and civic leaders have used to describe Dr. Nancy S. Grasmick, Maryland’s first female state superintendent and the U.S.’s longest serving appointed schools chief. Dr. Grasmick is known for her strong focus on student achievement, teacher quality, parent involvement, public school funding, and early childhood education.

Under Dr. Grasmick’s leadership, Maryland is nationally recognized for its many achievements. In January 2008, Education Week—the U.S.’s leading education newspaper—ranked Maryland’s public school system 3rd–best in the nation and said that Maryland is the country’s most consistently high–performing state.

The ranking is based on more than 150 indicators, including scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP); high school graduation rates; Advanced Placement performance (an indicator on which Maryland ranks #2 nationwide); and the alignment of preK–12 education with early learning, college, and work place expectations. Many of the pioneering policies enacted over Dr. Grasmick’s 17–year tenure—instituting an explicit preK–12 curriculum; developing statewide assessments and holding schools and school systems accountable for their results; desegregating performance data by race, poverty, disability, and English fluency—have become commonplace in American classrooms.

Dr. Grasmick’s career in education began as a teacher of deaf children at the William S. Baer School in Baltimore City. She subsequently served as a classroom and resource teacher, principal, supervisor, assistant superintendent, and associate superintendent in the Baltimore County Public Schools. In 1989, Governor William Donald Schaeffer appointed her Special Secretary for Children, Youth, and Families and, in 1991, the Maryland State Board of Education appointed her State Superintendent of Schools.

Dr. Grasmick received her doctorate from the Johns Hopkins University, her master’s degree from Gallaudet University, and her bachelor’s degree from Towson University. Her numerous board and commission appointments include the President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education, the U.S. Army War College Board of Visitors, the Towson University Board of Visitors, and the Maryland Business Round Table for Education. In 2005, she was appointed to the National Academy of Sciences committee responsible for Rising Above the Gathering Storm, the landmark report on U.S. economic competitiveness.

Dr. Grasmick has received many awards for her visionary leadership, including the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education. In 2007, Loyola College in Maryland awarded Dr. Grasmick its President’s Medal in honor of her professional accomplishments and service to the community. She was also named a 2007 Influential Marylander by The Daily Record.

Dr. Grasmick is the 2006 recipient of the prestigious Education Commission of the States’ James Bryant Conant Award for her outstanding contributions to American education. In 2005, Maryland’s education head quarters was renamed the Nancy S. Grasmick State Education Building. In 2004, Dr. Grasmick was inducted into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame. She also received the Johns Hopkins Woodrow Wilson Award for Government Service. In 2003, the Education Commission of the States gave Maryland its State Innovation Award for excellence in education policy development.

That same year, Dr. Grasmick was inducted into The Daily Record’s Circle of Excellence, an honor bestowed only on those named to the newspaper’s Top 100 Women list more than three times. In 2001, Dr. Grasmick was presented the Ronald McDonald Foundation’s Spirit of Children Award for her advocacy and support of young children. Dr. Grasmick is a frequent guest columnist in such journals as Education Week, Educational Leadership, and School Administrator. Her innovative ideas and proven successes have been featured in such media outlets as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and the BBC.

Creating Diversity In Our Parental Engagement Strategies

2010-08-03T02:44:00.002-04:00

Furrer & Skinner (2002) acknowledged parental engagement has an important role in the motivation of student academic performance and relationship with their teachers. According to researchers parental involvement “is a common vehicle for bringing teachers and parents together in schools” (Pushor, 2007, p.2). To that end, Forest Of The Rain Productions is hosting a one day parental engagement conference The purpose of the 2010 “Creating Diversity In Our Parental Engagement Strategies” is to support the efforts of parents, communities and schools to create partnerships to impact children learning and academic achievement.

During this remarkable one day conference, seminal researchers and experts in community outreach, public education, and family involvement will present best practices, strategies and evidence based method for developing and improving parental engagement programs. Conference topics are: (a) Effective Strategies to Engage Hispanic Families; (b) National Parental Engagement Policies and Best Practices; (c) How to Effectively Engage Military Families; (d) Parental Engagement: A Superintendent’s Perspective; (e) The Importance of Parent, Community and School Partnerships; (f) Parental Engagement at The High School Level; and (g) The Benefits of Parental Engagement.

Please make plans to attend!

Name: “Creating Diversity In Our Parental Engagement Strategies”

Date: October 8, 2010

Time: 8am-4:30pm

Location: Comfort Suites Hotel, Laurel, Maryland

Registration Deadline: September 27, 2010

Cost: $65.00 per person

Who Should Attend: School Administrators, Parents, Teachers, Community Stakeholders, PTA members and all who support the partnership between homes and schools.

Register online at "Creating Diversity In Our Parental Engagement Strategies"

Contact Information: Forest Of The Rain Productions
P.O. Box 326
Savage, Maryland 20763
240.593.3813
www.forestoftherain.net
forestoftherain@gmail.com

An exclusive interview with Mr. Michael Jackson candidate for County Executive in Prince George's County, Maryland

2010-07-31T01:00:00.003-04:00

An exclusive interview with Mr. Michael Jackson is a candidate for County Executive in Prince George's County, Maryland can heard at on Parents and PGCPS: An EduSocial Network for the engaged parent and dedicated educator. Mr. Michael Jackson will appear on the eCommunity Affairs. The show will air on August 2, 2010. To join the conversation visit Parents and PGCPS

Michael Jackson is currently serving his second consecutive four-year term as Sheriff of Prince George’s County.A former marine reservist, grounded in his religious faith as a life-long member of Mount Calvary Catholic Church, a leader who is determined to use his skills and executive leadership in service to the people, Michael Jackson, 45, is the man to take Prince George’s County from potential to abundant prosperity for all.

Michael Jackson started life on a farm in Upper Marlboro, moved to Maryland Gardens as a youngster, went to Marlboro Elementary School, and then top-tested into rigorous, academically-recognized Crossland High School.

At each stage of his career and motivated by purpose before self, he added to his educational credentials, graduating from The Johns Hopkins University with a Masters Degree in Management Science. Michael Jackson both possesses and demonstrates the management and leadership skills needed to serve Prince George’s County.

Michael knows that great work is not a solo activity. And, change begins with the “Man in the Mirror.”With your vote, Michael Jackson will make a change in Prince George’s County so that it can be all that it can be.

Michael resides in Brandywine, Maryland with his wife Kim, and they have one adult son, Aaron, and two grandchildren.

Ms. Patricia J. Fletcher of the Prince George's County Board of Education Talks About The Importance Of Parental Engagement

2010-07-14T10:44:00.004-04:00

An exclusive interview with Ms. Patricia J. Fletcher of the Prince George's County Board Education can heard on The Journey Begins Internet Radio for the engaged parent and dedicated educator. Ms. Fletcher will appear on the Educational Gateway, a weekly broadcast hosted by Michael Robinson. The show will air on July 21, 2o1o. To join the conversation, follow the link below.

The Journey Begins, Internet Radio for the Engage Parent and Dedicated Educator!

BIO

A 30-year resident of Prince George's County, Patricia J. Fletcher was elected on November 7, 2006, to a four-year term on the Prince George's County Board of Education to represent the residents of School Board District 3. She has two adult children who were educated in the Prince George's County Public Schools; one is a teacher in the public school system, and the other is a Cosmetology Instructor at a private school. Ms. Fletcher also has four grandchildren who are enrolled in the Prince George's County Public Schools.

A community activist for many years, Ms. Fletcher is President of the Kentland/Columbia Park Boy's and Girl's Club; Vice President of the G. James Gholson Middle School PTA; Past President of the Forestville High School and John Carroll Elementary School PTAs; Past-President of AFSCME Local 2095 and Village Green Mutual Homes, Inc.; Member of the Prince George's Multicultural Alliance; and serves on Youth and Political Committees.

Ms. Fletcher has worked for 26 years as a District of Columbia Mental Health Counselor and Forensic Psych Technician. She worked for 5 years as Staff Representative and Chief Negotiator for Arbitration, Mediation, and Grievances with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees - Council 67.

Ms. Fletcher currently serves as the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Coordinator with the Prince George's County Department of Family Services (LTGF).

Prince George's County Administrators Focus on Student Achievement

2010-06-26T01:09:00.000-04:00

Administrators from Prince George’s County Public Schools will gather together June 28-30, 2010 at Northwestern High School for the annual Summer Leadership Conference. Focusing on the message of this year’s conference – Framing the Future: Committing to Results – principals and assistant principals will attend workshops on instructional strategies, interventions, and system initiatives.

The three-day conference will open on June 28 with greetings from the Board of Education Chair Verjeana M. Jacobs, Esq., and remarks from School Superintendent Dr. William R. Hite, Jr. who will unveil the school district’s five new goals for the upcoming school year. Charlotte Danielson will serve as this year’s guest speaker.

Danielson is the creator of the Framework for Teaching model which PGCPS currently uses for its work with teacher effectiveness.

An Interview with Dr. Ernest McNealy, President of Stillman College

2010-06-14T15:54:00.004-04:00

The Journey Begins, Internet Radio for the engaged parent and dedicated educator will air an exclusive interview with Dr. Ernest McNealy, President of Stillman College. Dr. McNealy sat down with Ms. Michel S. Davis-Robinson on the set of the iCollege Tour Series to discuss the role of small colleges and how they are remaining vital in the competitive world of postsecondary education.

Dr. Ernest McNealey, Stillman College’s fifth president, is an educational leader, artist, and advocate for the common good. Dr. McNealey’s academic appointments have been marked by increasing levels of responsibility. He began as an instructor of art at a four-year college and, prior to assuming the Stillman presidency, had advanced to a Deanship at a Carnegie I research institution.

Dr. McNealey has been at the forefront of educational initiatives, serving in key leadership roles. Among his professional activities has been the following: Member, APCURM Board of Directors (Presently); Member, NCAA D-II Presidents Council (Presently); Member, Board for the HBCU Capital Financing Program (2006 - 2009); Member, Southern Education Foundation HBCU Advisory Board (Presently); President, Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities (2003-2004); Treasurer, Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities (2004- 2005); Member, Educational Testing Service – HBCUs Advisory Board (2002 – Present); Chairman (Presently), Member of the Board, National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (2002-2008); Member, Honda Campus All-Star Challenge Program Advisory Committee (Presently); Member, Paul R. Jones Collection Advisory Board (Presently); Member of the Board, United Negro College Fund (2002-2004); Commissioner, Southern Association for Colleges and Schools (2001-2006); Executive Council, SACS/COC (2005 - 2006); Director, National Bank of Commerce, Tuscaloosa, Al. (1997-2005); Member, Board of Directors, Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra (1998-2003); Member, Governor’s Office of Employee Relations, SUNY Management Negotiating Team with the United University Professions Union (1995-97); and Executive Editor, The Journal of Undergraduate Research, The State University of New York at Stony Brook (1994-97). Presently, he is active in the areas of planning, assessment, and accreditation.

Dr. McNealey was also an award-winning artist, having garnered honors in juried exhibitions, including an award from Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. He has completed commissions from major corporations, including Anheuser-Busch and R.J. Reynolds, and rendered numerous designs for a variety of civic and social associations.

Dr. McNealey holds a Ph.D. from Ohio State University, a master’s from Indiana University, a Bachelor’s from Alabama State University, and a certificate on the Academic Presidency from Harvard University. He is a member and elder at Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, and a founding member of 100 Black Men of West Alabama.

An Exclusive Interview With Dr. Terrance E. Suarez, president of Mountain Empire Community College

2010-06-02T00:09:00.003-04:00

Dr. Terrance E. Suarez will appear on The Journey Begins Internet Radio for the engaged parent and dedicated educator to discuss the issue of Remedial Education and some of the innovative approaches Mountain Empire Community College has taken to support the academic achievement of students enrolled in remedial education courses.

Dr. Terrance E. Suarez became president of Mountain Empire Community College on January 2, 2002.

Dr. Suarez has 37 years of experience in the Virginia Community College System, beginning as a founding faculty member at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College where he taught chemistry. In 1979, Dr. Suarez moved to Wytheville Community College and served as Division Chair of Allied Health and Science Programs. Later he served as Dean of Instruction and Student Services. He also served as Acting President during the fall term of 1999.

Dr. Suarez holds a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Kansas and a bachelor’s degree from Florida Presbyterian College (now Eckerd College) in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Since moving to Big Stone Gap, Virginia and Mountain Empire Community College, he has been active in economic development efforts and civic groups in the region. In addition to serving on the Board of the Virginia Economic Bridge, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Wise County Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Workforce Network, the Cove Ridge Center Foundation, Pro-Art, Lonesome Pine Arts & Crafts, the Southwest Virginia MTC, Wellmont Lonesome Pine Hospital, Southwest Virginia Workforce Investment Board and the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science.

He is also active in the Kiwanis Club of Big Stone Gap, the Lee County Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Coalfield Coalition, and many other local and regional organizations. Dr. Suarez was also presented the Distinguished Service Award from the Wytheville Kiwanis Club.

As president of Mountain Empire Community College, one of Dr. Suarez’s priorities has been to work with area school systems to improve existing partnerships and develop joint projects that address the changing needs of students in the region.

He plans to retire on June 30, 2010.

Budget Woes Impact Higher Education

2010-05-22T12:16:00.001-04:00

America’s financial climate has resulted in many community colleges exploring new ways to perform the business of education. The fiscal challenges confronting 2-year colleges have required them to examine their financial structure. As a result of their assessment, community colleges have discovered revenue challenges exist. These challenges are significant areas of concern for community college leadership. For many these fiscal challenges’ represent a threat to the quality of services to students. To prevent major service reductions and changes, institutions have considered implementing cost saving strategies aimed at sustaining high level programs designed to continue student engagement while offering affordable services.

Many of the actions and recommendations suggested by community colleges to reduce expenditures have met with support from State legislature, primarily because states are expecting a serve budget shortfall (Gregg 2009). For example, according to Dulper (2009) the Washington State policymakers will cut the education budget by $500 million, a $158 million over the first proposal released in December. The revised budget has caused community colleges to scramble in an effort to find ways to make reductions and ensuring access.

An Educational Info Byte: The Underprepared Workforce

2010-05-22T12:01:00.001-04:00

Deficits in basic skills cost businesses, colleges and underprepared high school graduates up to $16 billion annually in lost productivity and remedial costs (Capriccioso, 2005). Without authentic open access to an education that is ensured through affordable tuitions, adequate financial aid and flexible course scheduling and delivery, the dream of millions of Americans will never be realized and the competitiveness of America in the market place will continue to erode.