February 2009 Update

Feb. 6, 2009

There’s a lot happening with the Council’s Executive PASS© model, which now has 31 active partnerships in Miami-Dade, eight in Hillsborough and five in Orange schools, with interest from other schools, districts and partners growing everyday…
…On Feb. 7, Executive PASS business leader Art Noriega will participate in a panel at the Leadership Miami’s Education Fair at the NSU South Campus, presenting information to some 100 participants with an interest in business-education partnership and involvement.  Mr. Noriega is an Executive PASS partner with Miami Northwestern Senior High.  He is also the Executive Director of the Miami Parking Authority.  Executive PASS Coordinator Boots Richards will also attend and share information.
…on January 22, Boots Richards presented Executive PASS information to government, education and civic leaders at the City of Homestead Education Committee meeting. The Council was invited by Homestead Council person, Nazy Sierra. The Committee is exploring a possible connection to, and participation in the model, for their area schools.
…Miami-Dade Executive PASS partners—business leaders and CEO’s—will participate in a special networking meeting on April 1^st.  The meeting at Mellon Bank is sponsored by its Managing Director Charles Porter, a Council Board Member and a founding Executive PASS business leader.  The meeting will be a working session with exchanges of ideas and best practices.

The Council welcomes Victor Fernandez, who is the new Principal of Leto High, Tampa, to the PASS© network.  Leto is a PASS^© model school, sponsored by the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay.  Dick Lobo, who is the President and CEO of WEDU, is the PASS CEO who worked with the former Principal.  Mr. Lobo, Mr. Fernandez, and PASS Coordinator Sherry Clarke held a transition and planning meeting on Feb. 4.  Mr. Fernandez was the Principal of W. G. Pierce Middle School, which feeds into Leto High and knows many of the students and parents. There are now 80 active and alum PASS models in schools throughout Florida.
 
The Central Florida PASS CEO Networking Meeting was held in Tampa, Jan. 29. Among the PASS CEO’s attending were: Council Board Vice Chair Gene Marshall, Council Board Member Bob Graham, Dick Lobo, Chuck Blumenkamp, Tony Coleman, Hunt Berryman, and Lew Friedland.  Attending from the Council were President &  Executive Director Dr. Elaine Liftin, VP of Educational Advancement Dawn Wilson, and PASS Coordinator Sherry Clarke.  The Central Florida PASS Coaches met on Jan. 7, in Tampa.  Attending were PASS coaches Dr. Joyce Haines, Susan Turner, Lori Matway, Irene Betancourt, and Sherry Clarke.  At both meetings PASS updates, best practices, success strategies and recent activities were shared and explored.

Lew Friedland is providing extra opportunities for the students of Gulfside Elementary in Pasco County where he is the PASS CEO.  He is sponsoring a field trip for the school’s 5th grade class to Enterprise Village, to bring a recent economics lesson to life. He also provided refreshments for an All Pro Dad (fatherhood skills group) event.  He works closely with Principal Christopher Clayton to increase student achievement. Gulfside’s PASS is generously funded by the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay.

On Jan. 15, Dr. Elaine Liftin, attended the first meeting of a national group of educational experts which is developing a national standard for the Professional Certification and Recognition of high-performing Principals and other educational leaders.
 
Please go to or follow this link  to the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper to read an editorial on the importance of mentoring.  It cites Council Board Member Steve Uhlfelder, the Chair of the Florida Mentoring Partnership.  Dr. Elaine Liftin is also a member of the Mentoring Partnership.

The Council wants to acknowledge all the hard work that its program schools, staff and students have undertaken to prepare for the upcoming FCAT tests.  We also want to appreciate the support of the partners of our program schools, including the PASS and Executive PASS CEO’s and business leaders who work hands-on with the schools to raise student achievement.  Good luck!

Mark your calendar.  The Annual PASS Meeting is slated for April 15 in Tampa. The Council thanks WEDU President and CEO and Council PASS CEO Dick Lobo for generously sponsoring the event at his station’s studio. Raymond James Financial is the statewide PASS sponsor and the Wachovia Foundation also supports PASS.  Please continue reading for a story that highlights the long and wide range impact of PASS. The next Council Board Meeting will be telephonic and held on January 21, at 10:00 a.m.

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