Bringing together some of the most dynamic leaders in American education today, professionals in dealing with this country`s at-risk youth will be gathering for…
Bringing together some of the most dynamic leaders in American education today, professionals in dealing with this country`s at-risk youth will be gathering for the national I Have a Dream Professional Development Institute at the Harrison Conference Center in Glen Cove, NY, from February 22-27. The nationally-acclaimed organization which helps inner city, suburban and rural at-risk youth develop and fulfill their education and career goals, has assembled an impressive list of speakers and presenters for this annual conference, which will review: No Child Left Behind, literacy strategies; improving graduation rates, the achievement gap, and other topics relating to youth development and society today.
Highlighted speakers and presenters include:
- Dr. Edmund Gordon, Director of the Institute for Urban and Minority Education at Columbia University, a Yale and Columbia professor emeritus in psychology, and a leading black scholar on the achievement gap;
- William Casey, Director of Education for The After-School Corporation (TASC) and a former superintendent of community district 15 in New York City;
- Dr. Carlos Azcoitia, Deputy Chief Education Officer for the Chicago public schools, who oversees after-school programs and the community schools initiative;
- Brian Morrow, Superintendent at the New York City Department of Education, who directs implementation of the No Child Left Behind legislation in New York City;
- Alan Baratz, Principal of Satellite Academy in New York City, an alternative school with a track record for successfully educating high-risk youth; and
- Adele Schroeter, Co-director of Research and Development at the New York City Department of Education, and expert teacher, who consults on literacy instruction and curriculum.
Dr. Azcoitia and William Casey will take part in a panel discussion entitled The Big Picture – Perspective on Youth Development Today, while Brian Morrow will lead a discussion on Advocating for Services for Dreamers in the Context of `No Child Left Behind. His discussion will include a review of the national legislation, particularly as it relates to supplemental educational services, as well as how to advocate for federally funded tutoring services and the implications of parents transferring children out of failing schools.
New to the Institute this year will be site visits on Tuesday, February 25, 2003, to top New York City schools and after-school programs working with at-risk youth populations. These schools were selected by newly appointed I Have a Dream national Director of Programs, Lai-Wan Wong, formerly of the New York City Department of Education. In consultation with leaders from The After School Corporation (TASC) and the New York City Department of Education, I chose school sites where attendees will observe quality instruction for highly at-risk student populations and observe expert literacy instruction, said Wong.
Immediately following the site visits, Institute attendees will have tea with Dr. Gordon to learn more about overcoming the achievement gap.
Two of the four days will be facilitated by three leaders of the National School Reform Faculty (NSRF) in New York: Nancy Mohr, founding principal of University Heights High School; Elizabeth McDonald, faculty member of New York University and co-author of the upcoming book, The Power of Protocols; and Anthony Conelli, director of leadership development at Lehman College`s Institute of Literacy Studies.
In addition to the outstanding panel of speakers and presenters, the Professional Development Institute is a gathering of I Have a Dream professionals, called Project Coordinators, who work daily with a same-age group of at-risk youth, called Dreamers, for a period of up to 15 years. Out of this gathering, I Have a Dream hopes to share and assemble nation-wide best practices from the Project Coordinators` vast, collective experience.
We are excited to provide our Project Coordinators with the best training and development opportunities possible during the Professional Development Institute, said Marina Winton, I Have a Dream national President and Chief Executive Officer. Working daily with the Program`s Dreamers, our Project Coordinators have experienced all aspects of helping at-risk youth. The Institute will also be an opportunity for these professionals to share `best practices` with one another so that we can continue to achieve our mission of providing the best programming and opportunities possible for the Dreamers.
The I Have a Dream( Foundation is dedicated to helping children from low-income areas achieve their education and career goals through a comprehensive, long-term program of mentoring, tutoring and enrichment. Local Project Sponsors adopt an entire class of students from elementary schools, or a same-age group of children from a housing project, and work with these children and their families through high school. This long term, sustained commitment by the Sponsors is the critical element to the success of Projects. The I Have a Dream(r) Model was created in 1981 by New York City businessman Eugene Lang, who sponsored the first I Have a Dream(r) Project. In 1986, the national I Have a Dream(r) Foundation was established. Since then, 180 Projects nationwide have helped more than 13,500 students, called Dreamers. Currently, 78 Projects operate in 20 states and one in New Zealand.
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