December 2008 Update

Dec. 5, 2008

Congratulations to Principal Douglas Rodriquez of Ronald Reagan/Doral Senior High School in Miami-Dade.  He is the winner of the 6th Annual $10,000 Leonard Miller Principal Leadership Award, bestowed by the Council for Educational Change at a special event on Nov. 19th.  The Gold Medallion Winners were Principals Dr. Rosann Sidener of Miami Beach Senior High in Miami-Dade and Terry Strong of Winston Elementary in Polk County. The Council extends our deepest appreciation and thanks to our fantastic guest speaker, Gloria Estefan.   Read more about the Award and event following. 

Miami Gardens Mayor Shirley Gibson is partnering with the Council to bring its Executive PASS© model to every school in the Mayor’s municipality.  On Nov. 13th, she hosted a meeting to match Principals and business leaders and initiate the Executive PASS model.  Some 35 business leaders, Principals, and Council leadership attended, including President and Executive Director, Dr. Elaine Liftin. Partnership development is now underway. There are currently 41 Executive PASS models in Miami-Dade, Orange and Hillsborough.  In Miami-Dade, they are sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the South Florida Youth Foundation and the Florida Legislature.

On Nov. 15th, Executive PASS business leader Roger Slade arranged a special learning experience for students in the business law class at South Miami High.  Mr. Slade is an active Executive PASS partner, working with Principal Gilberto Bonce at the school. The students observed the proceedings in the courtroom of Judge Alan Gold from the US District Court. They also met with Judge Gold and learned about court processes and procedures for becoming a Federal Judge.  Later, the students observed an evidentiary hearing.  Mr. Slade is a Council Board Member and attorney with the firm Pathman Lewis, LLP. 

PASS^© CEO Lew Friedland and PASS Coach Max Ramos shared some of their background and enriching travel adventures with students from Gulfside Elementary in Pasco where they are part of a PASS team with Principal Christopher Clayton.  The occasion was the Great American Teach-In on Nov. 19 which brings community members into classrooms to share personal and workforce experiences.The Gulfside PASS model is sponsored by  the Durward and Janet Siville Fund through the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay.

At the Nov. 19th Council Board Meeting, the Evaluation Committee, led by Board Member Lynne Wines, presented information showing that Council programs help raise student achievement and develop the leadership skills of educators.

Happy Holidays and the very best in the upcoming New Year to all of our educational stakeholders and partners.   We are very proud to have impacted the education of more than one million students and 5,000 school leaders.  We are also very thankful for the generous donors and partners who make our work possible.  The next UPDATE will honor and list all of our 2008 donors.

A complete, printable version of the Update is available for download below.
“Developing school-based leaders--the Council focus--is the most efficient and effective use of philanthropy dollars. It reaches every child in a school, offers them opportunities to succeed and raises the performance of schools.” -Gene Marshall, Council Vice Chair