College of Education Partners with Meridian School District
Tuesday, June 3 2008
June 3, 2008 Photos are available at www.today.uidaho.edu/PhotoList.aspx MOSCOW, Idaho – It’s been said that focusing on people is the most effective way to change an organization. Meridian School District, in partnership with the University of Idaho College of Education, is doing just that with its new Aspiring Administrators Academy poised to begin this fall. The academy will provide a select cohort of Meridian teachers the opportunity to pursue a master’s or education specialist degree in educational leadership. “I am very excited to start this new adventure with the University of Idaho and the Meridian School District,” said teacher Debbie Dawson of Eagle Hills Elementary School, who has been selected as a member of the first academy. “I‘m looking forward to using this opportunity to make my four children proud of their mother. I want to teach them that education is an important life-long process.” Meridian School District is the largest district in the state of Idaho with 46 schools and more than 32,000 students. As a high-achieving and forward-thinking district, it’s not surprising that it chose the University of Idaho as a partner. Superintendent Linda Clark sees the academy as an opportunity for Meridian School District to advance its mission of helping employees continue to improve their skills and knowledge. Jan Horning, an administrator of federal programs for Meridian School District and a University of Idaho doctoral graduate, came up with the idea of the Aspiring Administrators Academy. After retiring and returning to the district on a part-time basis, she was tasked with developing a training program that would address various levels of administrators. Her program will involve four levels of training that include: Level 1, students in the cohort group; Level 2, training for building assistant principals; Level 3, training for principals in their first or second year on the job; and Level 4, training for veteran administrators. “We have more than 90 building-level administrators in our district, which is feeling the national trend of folks retiring,” said Horning. “Every year we replace several of them. The Aspiring Administrators Academy has been developed to begin the process of ‘growing our own’ to ensure a strong candidate pool.” Although Horning is a University of Idaho alumni and a “Vandal through and through,” her reasons for choosing to partner with the University of Idaho had more to do with the University of Idaho Boise’s eagerness to partner with Meridian School District. “Our district decided to partner with the University of Idaho because of a previous proposal the institution had presented to us almost two years ago,” said Horning. “Because of that, and because of the cooperation and eagerness of the Boise Center staff, Meridian School District chose the University of Idaho to provide classes for our first cohort group.” University faculty and affiliate faculty from the school district will teach classes at the new academy, which will be delivered to the District Service Center at a convenient time for teachers. “The program really will be designed by the teachers,” said Horning, stating that the number of classes teachers decide to take each semester will be up to them. On May 21, the first Administrators Academy cohort of 15 teachers met to register. Russell Joki, chair of the University of Idaho's Department of Counseling, School Psychology and Educational Leadership at the Boise Center, met with the group and provided registration materials. He also encouraged the cohort members to apply for the new College of Education Educational Leadership Distinguished Fellows Program. “This is a great opportunity for each of you to become a Fellow,” Joki said at the time. “This new scholarship has 25 slots for teachers who want to pursue a degree in educational leadership.” The Distinguished Fellows Program was created by the University of Idaho in response to the growing need for scholar-practitioners in leadership roles at the school and district level throughout Idaho. It advances the university’s commitment to serve Idaho by assisting promising leadership with financial support. The scholarship provides $2,000 per year to part-time educational leadership students. Several of the Meridian Academy cohort members already have applied. Teachers who have been chosen for the first academy are looking forward to starting the program and are grateful for the chance to advance their skills and credentials. “The Aspiring Administrators Academy will give me the opportunity to earn a degree with the influence of the Meridian District,” said Katie Rutan, a teacher at Heritage Middle School, who also grew up in the district. “I have great respect for the leaders of this district. I love the idea of getting to know my peers and coming away from this cohort group with a better understanding of the district as well as the rigor of a position in educational leadership.” Rutan’s father also was a graduate of the University of Idaho Educational Leadership doctorate program. Even though Meridian School District always has provided training for building- and district-level administrators, consistent training has been difficult to accomplish. In the past, training was done periodically throughout the year, but there was not a systematic training plan in place. The academy now will provide a preplanned year-long training model for administrators, regardless of their position or longevity. “With this opportunity, I can become a leader in my profession while problem solving in a field I love and for which I have a great passion,” said Sharon Borton, who teaches at Meridian Middle School. “The timing for the Administrative Cohort was perfect and I’m looking forward to the challenge.” As Meridian School District aspires to grow new administrative leaders, the University of Idaho looks forward to providing the means and financial assistance necessary to deliver a strong program to a vital segment of society – those who influence the destiny of our youth. “I would like to acknowledge the willingness of the University of Idaho Boise Center in developing this new program,” said Horning. “Dr. Joki has been very helpful as we develop our class schedules and other details. Hopefully, we will be able to implement a program that continues the legacy of having strong, highly qualified administrators in our buildings.” The new Meridian Academy cohort includes:
About the University of Idaho
The University of Idaho helps students to succeed and become leaders. Its land-grant mission furthers innovative scholarly and creative research to grow Idaho's economy and serve a statewide community. From its main campus in Moscow, Idaho, to 70 research and academic locations statewide, U-Idaho emphasizes real-world application as part of its student experience. U-Idaho combines the strength of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. It is home to the Vandals. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu.