District Leader’s Podcast

Interview with Author, Don Tapscott Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World

 

 Ep 41 Don Tapscott- Author Interview [16:10m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (36)

In this episode, noted author on technology trends and issues, Don Tapscott, is interviewed by Arthur Griffin. Tapscott discusses the world of ‘digital natives’ and how the explosion of the Internet into mainstream society has necessarily and completely changed the process of k-12 education. Don Tapscott shows keen insight as he discusses how even people’s brains have changed and the research he’s conducted. He also describes some of his experiences in the field of education to draw connections with these phenomena and findings. Don’t miss this episode with one of the innovative leaders of our time.

Biographical Background

Don Tapscott one of the world’s leading authorities on business strategy, how information technology changes business, government and society and innovation in education. He is Chairman of nGenera Insight. He served as founder and chairman of the international think tank New Paradigm before its acquisition by nGenera. He is an internationally sought writer, consultant and speaker and his clients include top executives of many of the world’s largest corporations and government leaders from many countries. The Washington Technology Report called him one of the most influential media authorities since Marshall McLuhan. He is also Adjunct Professor of Management, Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

Tapscott has authored thirteen widely read books about information technology in business and society, most recently GROWN UP DIGITAL: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World, (McGraw-Hill, NY, October 2008). The book is the sequel to his 1997 book GROWING UP DIGITAL, where he defined the Net Generation. His penultimate book, written with Anthony Williams, is WIKINOMICS: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything, (New York, Portfolio, January 2007). Management guru Tom Peters calls it “ … a breathtaking piece of work” and the book was the best selling management book on amazon.com in 2007.

His earlier books include, THE DIGITAL ECONOMY: Promise and Peril in the Age of Networked Intelligence (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1996), one of the best selling books about technology in business ever, appearing on a number of bestsellers lists including the New York Times business book list. It had a run of seven months on the Business Week bestsellers list. It has been translated into 20 languages. GROWING UP DIGITAL: The Rise of the Net Generation (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1998) won the first Amazon.com Bestseller Award in the summer of 1998. It has been “recommended for all libraries” by the Library Journal. Time Magazine Senior Editor Joshua Cooper Ramo, described Growing Up Digital as a “compellingly written look at the generation that will make it happen.” It has been translated into 14 languages and was released in paperback in May,1999.

Tapscott is also widely know as the co-author of the international bestseller PARADIGM SHIFT: The New Promise of Information Technology (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1992) which was the first book to describe the fundamental change in computing from host-based systems for controlling costs to networks for transforming business models and strategy.

Don Tapscott holds a B.Sc. in Psychology and Statistics, an M.Ed. specializing in Research Methodology, and two Doctor of Laws (Hon) granted from the University of Alberta in 2001 and from Trent University in 2006.

Related Web Links:

• Book Information: Grown Up Digital

• Link in with the net generation: grownupdigital.com

District Leader’s Podcast is produced and copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2007. All rights reserved.

For more information email us at podcast@districtleaderspodcast.org or phone us at 1-866-435-5337 (toll free) and leave a voice message for our co-hosts.

 

 Ep 41 Don Tapscott- Author Interview [16:10m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (36)

Interview with Dr. Arlene Ackerman, Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia Putting Children First in Every School Decision

 

 Ep 40 Dr. Arlene C. Ackerman [18:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (40)

Categories: Parents and Community · Change Process · Stimulus Funding · Economic Recovery Act · Leadership · Making the Tough Decisions · Improving Student Performance · Trends in Education · Urban Education · ARCHIVE

Join us for an intriguing interview with Dr. Arlene C. Ackerman as she discusses her experiences as a lifelong urban educator in schools in and around Philadelphia. Dr. Ackerman discusses the importance of putting the children first in every decision that comes up in a school system with host Arthur Griffin of District Leaders Podcast. The engaging interview discusses diverse topics, from the opportunity gap to the high birth rates of 2007, from universal health care to the impact of President Obama’s Stimulus package. Join us and listen in as this distinguished district leader shares some of her hard-earned wisdom and insight.

Biographical Background
School District of Philadelphia Superintendent, Dr. Arlene C. Ackerman, has more than 30 years of experience in leading large, diverse urban public school systems.

Dr. Ackerman, who assumed her duties in Philadelphia in June 2008, came to the School District from the Teachers College of Columbia University, where she served as Director of the Urban Education Leaders Program and Chairperson of the Superintendents and Scholars Symposium. The Urban Leaders Education Program is the College’s largest doctoral program for public-school leaders. She joined Teachers College’s Education Leadership faculty as the Christian A. Johnson Professor of Outstanding Educational Practice in 2006.

Dr. Ackerman also is Superintendent in Residence of Los Angeles-based Broad Center, where she facilitates and directs the Broad Superintendents Academy. The Academy is a ten-month executive management program designed to prepare CEOs and senior executives from business, government, and education backgrounds to lead urban public school systems.

Prior to 2006, Dr. Ackerman was Superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District and the District of Columbia Public Schools. During her tenure in San Francisco, the city’s public schools–with, 62,000 students and 117 schools–attained five consecutive years of improved achievement for all groups of students while also holding the distinction as the highest-performing large urban school district in the state of California during the last two years of her superintendency.

Related Web Links:

• Messages from Dr. Alene C. Ackerman 

• The School District of Philadelphia

• School District of Philadelphia’s Leadership Team Web Page
  

District Leader’s Podcast is produced and copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2007. All rights reserved.

For more information email us at podcast@districtleaderspodcast.org or phone us at 1-866-435-5337 (toll free) and leave a voice message for our co-hosts.

 

 Ep 40 Dr. Arlene C. Ackerman [18:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (40)

 

 Ep 39 Part 2 - Stimulus Funding & RTI Expert Discussion: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (33)

Description

The District Leaders Podcast is proud to present a two part series on - The Stimulus Funding and Economic Recovery Act, RTI and the New Administration. This valuable podcast is brought to you by a distinguished panel of educational leaders:

• Michael Casserly, Executive Director of the Council of the Great City Schools,
• Daniel A. Domenech, Executive Director of the American Association of School Administrators and
• Arthur Griffin, District Leader’s Podcast host and Senior Vice President of The Urban Advisory Resource for McGraw-Hill Education.

These experts bring district level application to recent announcements from the White House and Department of Education. Listen as these key leaders who have participated in press conferences with the US President and Secretary of Education share insights about what is happening from teacher incentives to IDEA funding, Title I opportunities and restrictions, NCLB shifts, new assessment indications and governmental not only in word, but backed by resources and funding…..

Topics for Part 2 (District Leaders Podcast Episode 39)

• Insider’s discussion of RTI (Response to Intervention)
• Opportunities for building current RTI programs- short term and long term
• Undeserved communities- filling the gap; teacher incentives; new assessment emphases? professional development?
• How do the different sources connect: IDEA, Title I and Stimulus Funding?
• Demographic changes, population growth and impact on education and funding?
• Possible shift in attention from early childhood (NCLB) to higher education (Obama)?
• Dollars, resources and expectations for teacher professional development
• Trends in school district plans for use of the Stimulus Funds
• Where is there $5 million discretionary funds…listen in to find out….

The panel presentation was recorded at the 2009 Response to Intervention (RTI) Solutions Virtual Conference . You may still visit the conference and hear other sessions online, at your convenience at the RTI Solutions Virtual Conference website.

Biographical Backgrounds of Panelists

See Episode 38 descriptions

District Leader’s Podcast is produced and copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2007. All rights reserved.

For more information email us at podcast@districtleaderspodcast.org or phone us at 1-866-435-5337 (toll free) and leave a voice message for our co-hosts.

 

 Ep 38 Part 1 - Stimulus Funding & RTI Expert Discussion [24:32m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (16)

Description

The District Leaders Podcast is proud to present a two part series on - The Stimulus Funding and Economic Recovery Act, RTI and the New Administration. This valuable podcast is brought to you by a distinguished panel of educational leaders:

• Michael Casserly, Executive Director of the Council of the Great City Schools,
• Daniel A. Domenech, Executive Director of the American Association of School Administrators and
• Arthur Griffin, District Leader’s Podcast host and Senior Vice President of The Urban Advisory Resource for McGraw-Hill Education.

These experts bring district level application to recent announcements from the White House and Department of Education. Listen as these key leaders who have participated in press conferences with the US President and Secretary of Education share insights about what is happening from teacher incentives to IDEA funding, Title I opportunities and restrictions, NCLB shifts, new assessment indications and governmental not only in word, but backed by resources and funding…..

Topics for Part 1 (District Leaders Podcast Episode 38)

• Introduction of expert panelists
• Why is the Economic Recovery Act important for our schools?
• How significant could this be for our nation?
• What are possible challenges for implementing the Stimulus Package?
• Why is creativity suggested as being needed at this time of potential additional funding?
• How do the different sources connect: IDEA, Title I and Stimulus Funding?
• Evidence of new administration challenging assumptions of NCLB!
• and more…

The panel presentation was recorded at the 2009 Response to Intervention (RTI) Solutions Virtual Conference . You may still visit the conference and hear other sessions online, at your convenience at the RTI Solutions Virtual Conference website.

Biographical Backgrounds of Panelists

Michael Casserly, Executive Director of the Council of the Great City Schools. Dr. Casserly has served as Executive Director of the Council of the Great City Schools (Chicago, IL) since January 1992. Casserly also served as the organization’s Director of Legislation and Research for 15 years before assuming his current position. As head of the urban school group, Casserly unified big city schools nationwide around a vision of reform and improvement; launched an aggressive research program on trends in urban education; convened the first Education Summit of Big City Mayors and Superintendents; led the nation’s largest urban school districts to volunteer for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP); led the first national study of common practices among the nation’s fastest improving urban school districts, and launched national task forces on achievement gaps, leadership and governance, finance, professional development, and bilingual education. He is currently spearheading efforts to boost academic performance in the nation’s big city schools; strengthening management and operations; challenging inequitable state financing systems; and improving the public’s image of urban education. He is a U.S. Army veteran, and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland and B.A. from Villanova University.

Dan Domenech, Executive Director of the American Association of School Administrators. Dr. Domenech has served as executive director of the American Association of School Administrators since July 2008. A native of Cuba who moved to the United States at the age of nine, Domenech has more than 36 years of experience in public education. Prior to joining AASA, Domenech served as senior vice president of the Urban Advisory Resource for McGraw-Hill Education. In this role, he was responsible for building strong relationships with large school districts nationwide and increasing awareness of McGraw-Hill’s educational programs and services. Prior to his position at McGraw-Hill, Domenech served for six years as superintendent of the Fairfax County, Va., Public Schools, the 12th largest school system in the nation with 168,000 students. Domenech began his teaching career in New York City, where he taught sixth grade in a predominantly black and Hispanic community in South Jamaica, Queens. He then became program director for the Nassau Board of Cooperative Educational Services, which is the largest intermediate school district in the State of New York. Following this, he was first named superintendent of schools for Long Island’s Deer Park Schools and then became superintendent of schools for the ethnically diverse South Huntington School District, also on Long Island — a position he held for 13 years. From 1994 to 1997, he was district superintendent of the Second Supervisory District of Suffolk County and chief executive officer of the Western Suffolk BOCES. Domenech, an AASA member since 1979, served as president of AASA from July 1998 to June 1999. He is also a past president of the New York State Council of School Superintendents, the Suffolk County Superintendents Association, and the Suffolk County Organization for Promotion of Education. He was the first president and co-founder of the New York State Association for Bilingual Education. In addition, Domenech has served on the U.S. Department of Education National Assessment Governing Board, on the advisory board for the Department of Defense schools, and on the board of directors of the Association for the Advancement of International Education. He currently serves on the boards of the Institute for Educational Leadership and the Education Policy Institute. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Hunter College in New York City and a Ph.D. from Hofstra University in Uniondale, N.Y.

Arthur Griffin, Jr., Senior Vice President for Urban Advisory Resource, McGraw-Hill Education Mr. Griffin is senior vice president of Urban Advisory Resource for McGraw-Hill Education, the premier provider of teaching and learning materials for the pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, higher education and professional markets. In his role, Arthur works closely with sales teams, school administrators and school board members in identifying solutions and strategies to achieve their number one priority – student achievement. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors of the National DropOut Prevention Center, the Board of Trustees of the National School Board Foundation and the Executive Council of the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education- New York University. Arthur has over 21 years experience in public education. Prior to joining McGraw-Hill Education, he served 17 years on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg (North Carolina) Board of Education. Arthur distinguished himself as chair of the school board from 1997 to 2002. He received the Richard R. Green Award, as National Educator of the Year, sponsored by the Council of the Great City Schools. Mr. Griffin has been a guest lecturer at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, the Broad Superintendents Academy, University of Virginia’s Partnership for Leaders in Education, member of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Advisory Committee and a resident faculty member of the Broad and Texas Institute for School Board Members. Mr. Griffin is registered with the Texas Education Agency as a school board trainer. He is a nationally recognized resource in the area of public school governance. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Council of the Great City Schools and Steering Committee of the Council of Urban Boards of Education. He earned a Bachelor of Science - Liberal Studies, from the University of the State of New York at Albany. Mr. Griffin served as an infantry platoon leader in Vietnam and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army.

Related Web Links:

• 2009 Response to Intervention (RTI) Solutions Virtual Conference
  • Presentations and conference experience available on- demand until May 2010
    
• Council of the Great City Schools (Chicago, IL)
• American Association of School Administrators
• Urban Advisory Resource

District Leader’s Podcast is produced and copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2007. All rights reserved.

For more information email us at podcast@districtleaderspodcast.org or phone us at 1-866-435-5337 (toll free) and leave a voice message for our co-hosts.

 

 Ep 38 Part 1 - Stimulus Funding & RTI Expert Discussion [24:32m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (16)

Interview with Dr. William R. Hite, Jr., Supt of Prince George’s County Public Schools, MD First Interim Superintendent, then Superintendent!

Categories: Communication · Parents and Community · Financial Issues- Coping · Partnerships · Change Process · High Stakes Testing · Leadership · Making the Tough Decisions · Improving Student Performance · Trends in Education · Urban Education ·ARCHIVE ·

Biographical Background
Dr. William R. Hite, Jr. was named Interim Superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) effective December 1, 2008 by the Prince George’s County Board of Education. Dr. Hite was hired as Deputy Superintendent of PGCPS in June 2006. Ensuring that all students graduate college- and career-ready, his work in Prince George’s County has been focused on school leadership development and improving the conditions for teaching and learning. This work continues at a rapid pace and without interruption, while the Board of Education implements a search for a new superintendent.

As Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Hite provided direct support to schools and was responsible for the departments of academics and accountability in addition to all six zone offices. He has led the work to reform high schools and restructure central support to enable need-based service to schools. Additionally, he developed systems used to measure central leadership effectiveness against student and school performance.

Previously, Dr. Hite was an Assistant Superintendent in the 106,000-student Cobb County School District in Georgia. While there, he supervised elementary, middle and high school principals and was responsible for the instructional programs for schools within his area.

Previously, he served as Director of Middle School Instruction in the Henrico County School System located outside of Richmond, VA. He also worked as a high school teacher and principal, and a middle school principal. Dr. Hite taught at the University of Richmond as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Continuous Learning.

Dr. Hite is a member of numerous local, state, and national boards including the Doctors Community Hospital Foundation. In 2005, he completed the Broad Superintendents Academy. Dr. Hite holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Virginia, and a Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Virginia Tech.

Related Web Links:

• Prince George’s County Public Schools
• PGCPS Office of the Superintendent Web Page

District Leader’s Podcast is produced and copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2007-2009. All rights reserved.

For more information email us at podcast@districtleaderspodcast.org or phone us at 1-866-435-5337 (toll free) and leave a voice message for our co-hosts.

 

 Ep 37 Dr. William R. Hite, Jr.: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (24)

Interview with Author, Clayton Christensen Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns

 

 Ep 36 Clayton Christensen, Disrupting Class Author: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (85)

In this compelling and intriguing episode, Clayton M. Christensen describes the recent changes in the educational system- both in how it is changing and how it should be changed further. This special interview with our host Arthur Griffin reveals the importance of gaming to the modern student, both for leisure and the benefits that the student gleans from it, as well as discussing many other trends in the modern college student and going into detail about his book Disrupting Class. Join us to learn more about this fascinating author and the ideas he has developed over years of study and experience.

Biographical Background
Clayton M. Christensen, a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School since 1992, is the bestselling author of five books, a renowned management consultant, and a seasoned entrepreneur. His research and teaching interests center on managing innovation, creating new growth markets, and making practical the theory of disruption by focusing on problems of strategy, innovation and growth. Through Innosight (www.innosight.com), the Watertown, MA-based consulting firm he co-founded in 2000, Professor Christensen has used his theory of disruptive innovation to shape the management strategies of well-known industry giants, such as Procter & Gamble, General Motors and Credit Suisse.

Of Professor Christensen’s five published books, his seminal work is The Innovator’s Dilemma (1997), which received the Global Business Book Award for the best business book of the year. In 2008, Professor Christensen released Disrupting Class and the Innovator’s Prescription (forthcoming), groundbreaking examinations of two of America’s most important public sectors through the lens of disruption.

Related Web Links:

• Book Information: Disrupting Class

• Book Web site: Disrupting Class

District Leader’s Podcast is produced and copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2007. All rights reserved.

For more information email us at podcast@districtleaderspodcast.org or phone us at 1-866-435-5337 (toll free) and leave a voice message for our co-hosts.

 

 Ep 36 Clayton Christensen, Disrupting Class Author: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (85)

We hope you have a wonderful Spring Break

District Leader’s Podcast will be back next week to continue our programming and  providing you with inspiration and support from your colleagues. 

In addition, we have an exciting feature for our next episode!
Upcoming Episode 36: Best-selling author of Disrupting Class, Clay Christensen will be interviewed by our host Arthur Griffin. Be sure to join us for this first-hand discussion about the meaning of his work for schools and district leaders.

 Enjoy your much deserved Spring Break!  However, if you are looking for some great continuing professional development and encouragement, catch up on our previous episodes!

From your District Leader’s Podcast Team
Arthur Griffin Jr., Carolyn Pearson, Ed Milliken, Stan Paz, Jason Marshall, and Sheryl Neal

Interview with Ms. Sandra Dungee Glenn, Chairwoman, School Reform Commission, School District of Philadelphia Being Part of the Change Process in  Our Urban Schools

 

 Ep 35 Ms. Sandra Dungee Glenn: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (43)

Categories: Parents and Community · Change Process · Coaching School Leaders · Communication · Partnerships · High Stakes Testing · Leadership · Making the Tough Decisions · Improving Student Performance · Trends in Education  · Urban Education · ARCHIVE

Description

In this insightful and engaging interview, Ms. Sandra Dungee Glenn discusses her experiences through her life as first a community organizer and then a member of the Philadelphia school board, highlighting the differences between seeking change from the administration and then becoming part of the administration itself. In her interview she discusses the importance of public accountability, the necessity to letting parents know what’s going on in their schools, and the general state of public education throughout both her own state and the nation as a whole.

Sandra Dungee Glenn has been actively involved in public education for nearly a decade. In September 2007, Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell appointed Ms. Dungee Glenn to the position of Chairwoman of the School Reform Commission (SRC), the governing body of the School District of Philadelphia. As the nation’s eighth largest public school system, the District commands a $2 billion dollar operating budget, manages 20,000 employees, and currently has 167,600 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

The SRC was formed in December 2001 through an unprecedented partnership involving the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania which sought to address what was at that time a school system in financial and academic distress. Since then, under the SRC’s leadership, the District has experienced five straight years of test score gains and continues to be engaged in America’s most sweeping and innovative public school reform initiative.

Thanks to initiatives that flowed from the task force’s recommendations, the District has seen a significant decrease in the number of teacher vacancies; there were 38 vacant positions at the start of the 2007-2008 school year, compared to 51 at the start of 2006-2007 and 112 at the beginning of 2005-2006.

Biographical Background
Ms. Dungee Glenn graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Since then, she has had a career spanning more than 20 years in public policy, electoral politics and community organizing. She served as Associate Director with the Philadelphia Area Project on Occupational Safety and Health and Regional Director of Pennsylvania Citizen Action, receiving an outstanding service award from both organizations. From 1991 to 1994 she served as Chief of Staff to State Senator Chaka Fattah.

Ms. Dungee Glenn’s electoral and political experience is extensive. In 1983, she developed and implemented a voter registration drive for farm workers in South Jersey. Ms. Dungee Glenn served as: Field Director for the Hughes for State Representative campaign in 1986; Voter Registration Director for Goode for Mayor campaign in 1987; Campaign Manager for Fattah for State Senate in 1988; Philadelphia Voter Registration/GOTV Coordinator for Dukakis for President in 1988; Campaign Manager for Fattah for Congress in 1994 and 1996; and was Campaign Manager for Blondell Reynolds Brown’s campaign for Philadelphia City Council in 1999.

In 1988, Ms. Dungee Glenn was elected Delegate to the Democratic Convention from the Second Congressional District in Pennsylvania, and served as Director of the Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee from 1996 to 1997. She was appointed to the Platform Committee of the Democratic National Convention in 1996 and to the Credentials Committee in 2000. Ms. Dungee Glenn also served as Pennsylvania State Director with the NAACP National Voter Fund from August 2000 until June 2001 and led a successful non-partisan statewide voter mobilization campaign.

Ms. Dungee Glenn currently serves as President of the American Cities Foundation, an organization committed to the development and implementation of a national urban policy and to defining a new relationship between cities and the federal government. She is the recipient of various awards including: the 2003 Leon J. Obermayer Distinguished Graduate Award; the Arts & Entertainment Network 2002 Biography Community Heroes Award; Women Making a Difference Award, 2001; and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Pennsylvania Chapter Women of the Year Award. In 2002, Ms. Dungee Glenn was selected as a Robert Wood Johnson Urban Health Initiative Fellow and by the Philadelphia Tribune as one of 2007 Most Influential African-Americans.

An alumna of the Philadelphia public schools, Ms. Dungee Glenn graduated from the School District’s Philadelphia High School for Girls. This native of West Philadelphia now plays an active role in the SRC’s initiatives to build schools and renovate others, including plans for a new West Philadelphia High School.

Related Web Links:

• School Reform Commission, School District of  Philadelphia

• The School District of Philadelphia

District Leader’s Podcast is produced and copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. All rights reserved.

For more information email us at podcast@districtleaderspodcast.org or phone us at 1-866-435-5337 (toll free) and leave a voice message for our co-hosts.

 

 Ep 35 Ms. Sandra Dungee Glenn: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (43)

Interview with Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools, Dr. Joe Hairston Community Partnerships and Student Achievement: “Blueprint for Progress” in Baltimore

 

 Ep 34 Dr. Joe Hairston [25:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (120)

Topics: Parents and Community · Coaching School Leaders · Communication · Partnerships · High Stakes Testing · Leadership · Making the Tough Decisions · Improving Student Performance · Trends in Education  · Urban Education · ARCHIVE

In this podcast episode, Dr. Hairston discusses what the presidency of Barack Obama means to him and to education. Dr. Hairston shares how he has been able to maintain a superintendency position in the same school district for nine years and the great successes he has led.

A visionary and progressive leader, Dr. Joe A. Hairston has served since 2000 as Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools, one of the nation’s 25 largest school systems. In February 2008, the Baltimore County Board of Education approved a third four-year term for Dr. Hairston. His 12-year tenure will make him the county’s second-longest-serving superintendent.

Dr. Hairston’s results-based leadership has yielded a growing list of achievements including greater student participation in and success on Advanced Placement and SAT exams and greater accountability and resource conservation.

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.

Our podcast host Carolyn Pearson says, “I loved this interview with Dr. Hairston. He was thoughtful in answering the questions, comfortable and clearly proud of the efforts of his district including the community whose trust he has won. When we finished the interview Dr. Hairston felt there was so much he did not cover and so many partnerships he has spearheaded so we agreed the meet again at the end of the school year.”

Enjoy this inspiring and visionary interview with one of the nation’s foremost educational leaders.

Biographical Background

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.

Dr. Hairston’s success in high school reform raised his profile within the education community and in the media. In 1987, Dr. Hairston was selected as one of 30 U.S. principals to participate in the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Urban Principal Project, which was designed to establish a profile of the skills necessary for effective school management, and one of 10 U.S. principals to participate in an Urban Principal Conference at Harvard University. In 1988, he was cited in Time magazine and featured in Maryland Magazine and Baltimore Sun Magazine.

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.

After an intensive search, the Baltimore County Board of Education selected Dr. Hairston to serve as superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools. In his first year, Dr. Hairston charted a direction for the school system through the Blueprint for Progress, which presents key strategies and concrete performance indicators. The Blueprint also provides structure for the BCPS Master Plan.

In addition to his demanding role as Superintendent, Dr. Hairston has numerous professional and civic affiliations. He serves on the College Board’s Superintendent Advisory Panel, Governor’s Task Force to Study Raising the Compulsory School Attendance Age to 18, Johns Hopkins University School of Education Advisory Board, Blackboard’s K-12 Advisory Board, Maryland Partnership for Teaching and Learning K-16 Leadership Council, and many other educational and community organizations.

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).

Related Web Links:

• Baltimore County Public Schools

• Office of the Superintendent, Baltimore County Public Schools

• The Education Channel: Baltimore County Public Schools

District Leader’s Podcast is produced and copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. All rights reserved.

For more information email us at podcast@districtleaderspodcast.org or phone us at 1-866-435-5337 (toll free) and leave a voice message for our co-hosts.

 

 Ep 34 Dr. Joe Hairston [25:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (120)

2009 National Superintendent of the Year and Superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools, Atlanta, GA: Dr. Beverly Hall Transformation of Schools to a New History of Success

 

 Ep 33 - Dr. Beverly Hall: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (120)

Categories: High Stakes Testing · Teacher Training · Retention and Graduation · Parents and Community · Leadership · Urban Education · Making the Tough Decisions · Improving Student Performance · Trends in Education · Professional Development · ARCHIVE

Join District Leaders Podcast for an inspiring interview with  2009 National Superintendent of the Year Dr. Beverly Hall as she sits down with Arthur Griffin. Dr. Hall reveals her insights on the large task which faced her as she and her team transformed the Atlanta Public Schools into their new found standard of success.

Dr. Beverly Hall was named the 2009 National Superintendent of the Year on Feb 20th at the AASA’s National conference in San Francisco. She is the 22nd recipient of the award.

Dr. Hall candidly discusses how, after starting as a teacher in difficult neighborhoods, she found herself entering into school administration.  She quickly moves into discussing the importance of national standards, essential strategies necessary for a school district’s success, and her experiences in her award-winning tenure as superintendent of the Atlanta Public School system Dr. Hall provides several insightful examples from her years of experience as leader and change agent in urban public schools.

Tune in to listen to an inspiring story and

explanation of transformational leadership.

 Articles about Dr. Hall and her  2009 national recognition

•  AASA The Conference Daily
• AASA Press Release

Biographical Background
When Dr. Beverly L. Hall became the 15th appointed superintendent of the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) on July 1, 1999, she promised to transform the district into a world-class school system, using nationally proven reform models, facility upgrades and business operations redesign. Under her leadership, standardized test scores have risen, aging facilities have been renovated and a new blueprint for business operations is being implemented. The district’s vision is that APS will be one of the nation’s highest performing urban school systems, where 90 percent of its ninth-graders graduate from high school in four years ready for success in college or career.

In addition to setting an aggressive reform agenda to accelerate student achievement, Dr. Hall has worked actively with the community to gain support for public education in the city of Atlanta. She has developed relationships with the business community, civic organizations, nonprofits and government leaders. As a result, APS has an extensive network of partners who donate time, resources and volunteers to help individual schools.

Prior to her post in Atlanta, Dr. Hall was state district superintendent of the Newark Public Schools, the largest school district in the state of New Jersey. Before then, she served as deputy chancellor for instruction of the New York City Public Schools; superintendent, Community School District 27, Queens, New York; and principal, Junior High School 113 and Public School 282, Brooklyn, New York.

Dr. Hall is the recipient of several local and national honors. Most recently, she was named the 2009 Superintendent of the Year by the Georgia School Superintendents Association, becoming the first superintendent in Atlanta to receive the honor in the 22-year history of the award. She has also been recognized with the Council of the Great City Schools National Urban School Superintendent of the Year Award (Richard R. Green Award); the Institute for Student Achievement Distinguished Leadership Award; the National Alliance of Black School Educators Superintendent of the Year Award; the Concerned Black Clergy Education Award; the Southern Christian Leadership Conference Ground Crew Service Award for Education; and the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta Legacy Award. Furthermore, she was saluted by the Carnegie Corporation for being an immigrant who represents the “pride of America.”

Born in Jamaica, West Indies, Dr. Hall immigrated to the United States upon completion of her high school education. She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Oglethorpe University and Doctor of Education from Fordham University. Dr. Hall is married and has an adult son.

Related Web Links: 

• Atlanta Public Schools (APS)
  

• Photo Gallery from APS

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