October 2008 Update

Oct. 3, 2008

The Council welcomed Keith Ward to the Board at its September meeting. Mr. Ward has been active in the Council’s Executive PASS© program. More information about his work follows in this UPDATE in the Council Partners Who Make a Difference series.

Council President and Executive Director Dr. Elaine Liftin participated in the first meeting of the Florida Commissioner of Education’s new education policy advisory group on Sept. 22. Dr. Liftin is a member of Commissioner Eric Smith’s advisory, which will give him input on education issues facing Florida. The first topic was Revising Florida’s High School Accountability System.

On Sept. 22, City of Miami Gardens Mayor Shirley Gibson met with Dr. Elaine Liftin to explore the Council’s Executive Business Leader Mentorship models. Mayor Gibson invited key city and business leaders to discuss potential partnership opportunities with the Council’s Executive PASS model. Also attending was Region Superintendent Dr. Marcus Moran from Miami-Dade Schools. Executive PASS in Miami-Dade is partnered by the district.  Mayor Gibson chairs the League of Cities and has an Education Compact with Miami-Dade schools. She has targeted education as an administrative priority. Council consultant Dr. Gail Quigley will help coordinate the Miami Gardens Executive PASS. There are now 40 Executive PASS models in three counties. Boots Richards coordinates the Miami-Dade partnership and Ralph Hewitt coordinates the Orange and Hillsborough County effort.

Executive PASS and Council leaders will participate in the Miami-Dade Schools Principal for a Day on Oct. 21. Business leaders “walk in the shoes” of Principals in the morning and then share insights with Principals and district leadership at a luncheon at the University of Miami’s Bank United Center at 1:00 p.m. This is the 3rd year that the Council has participated in this event.

It was a total school community event when Rutherford High School held their PASS© kick-off celebration September 15th and 16th as part of the school’s open house event for parents. PASS model information and future plans were shared by PASS CEO partner and sponsor, Gulf Power executive Brian Heinfeld and Rutherford Principal Mike Kennedy. To focus on student achievement, the school held an FCAT assembly for students.  Also joining the celebration were PASS Coordinator Sherry Clarke and PASS Coach Joanne Cox. The Rutherford PASS partnership is generously sponsored by the Gulf Power Foundation, Inc.

Ongoing and independent evaluation is a Council priority for all of its programs and activities. On Sept. 25, Council leadership including Board Member and Evaluation Committee Chair Lynne Wines (South Florida CEO of CNL Bank),  Chair Steve Saiontz, Co-Chair Jeffrey Miller and Dr. Elaine Liftin met with the University of Miami Evaluation Team to plan evaluation efforts and instruments for ongoing programs.  The UM team evaluates PASS, Executive PASS and other Council activities.

Dr. Elaine Liftin and South Florida area PASS Coordinator Dr. Pat Dixon will host a Webinar on Oct. 29 at 2:00 p.m., featuring the Council’s PASS and Executive PASS models and best practices. The Webinar is part of a series for a national audience of education, business, and philanthropic leaders, produced by DeHavilland and Associates. Should you wish to participate in this Webinar and/or the series on business-education partnerships, please go to http://www.dehavillandassociates.com/webinars.html.

You could be a WINNER of this year’s Leonard Miller Principal Leadership Award—Get your application in today!!!!
If you are a Principal who has, or is, participating in a Council program/activity and you have raised student achievement, empowered your staff and developed meaningful partnerships, you are eligible. Last year’s Grand Winner won $10,000 and the Gold Medallion Winners won $5,000 each—all for personal use. Access the Award application on the website. It takes only an hour to complete. The Award is sponsored by Baptist Health South Florida, Carnival Cruise Lines, Cobb Family Foundation, Edward W. Easton, Lennar Foundation, Richard and Susan Finkelstein, and Akerman Senterfitt.

Council Co-Chair Jeffrey Miller and Council Board Member Karen Fryd were recently honored by the Miami Police Department. Both have provided outstanding support to Holmes Elementary in Miami and the surrounding community.

A complete, printable version of the Update is available for download below.