Strengthening Equity and Access for At-Risk Students Nationwide

 

Washington, DC – The National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP) is honored to announce its graduates of the 2019 District Leadership Institute (DLI). These 30 senior education leaders from across the United States who are all leaders in the national GEAR UP movement are recognized for their commitment to increasing access to higher education for low-income students through the more targeted use of advocacy, training and research.

 

The participants engaged in an intensive 10-month professional learning experience that empowered them to create, sustain and strengthen the college-going culture of their school districts. “I am tremendously proud of our 2019 Class for their completion of the NCCEP District Leadership Institute’s rigorous, ambitious and demanding program. As district leaders, they are in a unique role to drive change, but what we affirmed with this class of participants is that by sharing their varying local perspectives but planning their transformative solutions together, both their local communities and the greater whole will be the better for it” said NCCEP President Ranjit Sidhu. “The futures of thousands of students across America hold even greater promise because of the resources, collaborations, best practices and professional learning experiences these leaders will integrate into their school districts.”

 

Under the DLI, participants joined in five days of in-person professional learning and contributed to a variety of problem-solving discussions in person and on-line. The Class explored case studies, current research, advocacy strategies and leadership applications created to enhance their role as agents of systemic change on behalf of students.

 

A program developed for district leaders participating in the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) community, a federal grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Education, NCCEP’s DLI enhances the talent and leadership skills of district leaders and helps them to better leverage their GEAR UP resources and the broader national GEAR UP ecosystem. A large portion of the 10-month curriculum engaged district leaders in collaborative activities with their local GEAR UP leaders.

 

Program graduate Bruce Gillham, Superintendent of Shady Point (OK) School District, said of the experience, “The District Leadership Institute has given me access to information from a number of different learning environments from across the United States, providing me even more resources for my students.”

GEAR UP Project Director for the Lafayette (LA) Parish School System Traci Aucoin said, “DLI has been a valuable experience to explore issues and solutions, share programming successes and discover how others are addressing the needs of their community.”

 

As the 30-member Class of 2019 exits the DLI program, a new cohort of approximately 50 district leaders is preparing to enter the Class of 2019-20.

 

To learn more about the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships, the District Leadership Institute and GEAR UP please visit http://www.edpartnerships.org/

 

 

District Leadership Institute Class of 2019

 

Georgia

Dawn Cooper, Assistant Vice Chancellor of College Access Initiatives & GUGA Project Director GEAR UP Georgia Administration

Tammy Donalson, Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction Grady County

Alicia Dunn, Coordinator of School Counseling Clayton County Public Schools

Melissa Gattuso, Director of Implementation GEAR UP Georgia Administration

Dr. Sonji Leach, Director of School Improvement of Secondary Governance Savannah Chatham County School System

Brecca Pope, Director of Administrative Services Thomas County Schools

 

Louisiana

Traci Aucoin, LPSS GEAR UP Project Director Lafayette Parish School System

Tireka Cobb, Director of LA GEAR UP, Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance/LA GEAR UP

Royann Lane, District Grants Coordinator East Feliciana Parish

Brittany LeBlanc LA GEAR UP, Pointe Coupee Parish School Board

David LeJeune Principal, Acadiana High School Lafayette Parish SchoolSystem

Jacqueline Matthews Supervisor, Monroe City Schools

Dr. Candace Robertson, Chief School Improvement Officer St. Helena Parish School District

Donald Thornton, Jr. Principal, Lafayette High School Lafayette Parish School System

Maria Theresa G. Yabut, 21st CCLC Project Director Morehouse Parish Schools

 

Ohio

Kate Schwab, Director of Program Operation Cleveland Heights University Heights

Michelle Scott-Taylor Chief Program Officer, Cleveland Heights University Heights

Robert Swaggard, Director of Curriculum and Instruction,Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District

 

Oklahoma

Bryan Frazier Superintendent, Claremore Public Schools

Rick Garrison Superintendent, Elk City Public Schools