DEBORAH JEWELL SHERMAN

Transcription

1 Deborah Jewell-Sherman Education Schools Attended Degrees Dates Harvard University Doctor of Education 1995 Harvard University Master of Arts 1991 State University of New Jersey Master of Arts 1981 Kean College New York University Master of Science 1976 Administrative Experience Positions Held Locations Dates Superintendent Richmond City Public Schools Richmond, Va Present Associate Superintendent/Instruction Richmond City Public Schools Richmond, Va Interim Superintendent Richmond City Public Schools Richmond, Va Associate Superintendent/Public Engagement Richmond City Public Schools Richmond, Va Principal, Elementary Hampton Public Schools Hampton, Va Assistant Principal/Counselor/Teacher Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax, Va DEBORAH JEWELL SHERMAN ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2002 Present

2 LEADERSHIP Over the past five years, Richmond Public Schools has moved from being considered the second lowest performing school district in the Commonwealth of Virginia to being considered one of the fastest improving school districts in the nation. The Virginia State Board of Education released Richmond Public Schools from its Memorandum of Understanding for Division-level review under NCLB, which was voluntarily agreed to by the School Board and Superintendent. At the Feb. 28 State Board of Education meeting, Dr. Billy Cannaday, State Superintendent of Instruction, and Dr. Mark Emblidge, State School Board President, both praised Richmond Public Schools for its "significant accomplishments" and "spectacular improvements" in student achievement. Launched the 21 st Century Schools of Excellence: Learning Without Limits Initiative in February 2007 to promote a dialogue within the City about the needs of 21 st century learners and to garner consensus about the learning opportunities to be provided by Secured immediately upon assuming superintendency instructional and operational audits from the Council of the Great City Schools, which were then used as part of the roadmap for improving Richmond Public Schools. Participated in former Governor Warner s PASS Initiative, which focused on the 34 lowest performing schools in the Commonwealth. Seventeen of these schools were in Richmond Public Schools. As of 2006, 13 or 76% of these schools had achieved full state accreditation and had met AYP under NCLB. Received numerous positive commendations and a series of recommendations for improvement on all RPS fiscal management from the Department of Planning and Budget, the Best Management Practices Division, after volunteering to participate in the PROJECT SERVE Program, which is a facet of the Governor s Education for a Life Time Initiative. Instituted the Richmond Public Schools Balanced Scorecard in as a management accountability tool for the implementation of the district s strategic plan. Secured corporate funding for School Board, Superintendent and Leadership Team ongoing training at the University of Virginia through their Darden School of Business and Curry School of Education Partnership Initiative. This training helped focus the attention of the district on its core mission of student achievement, which is the first of RPS s six goals. Collaborated with the Richmond Education Association on the implementation of district employee priorities such as health insurance and safety & security initiatives. Consolidated schools in the East End of the City, merging two high schools and two middle schools. Collaborated with corporate partners to aggressively pursue the best and the brightest to work for RPS. In 2006, 99% of RPS teachers were deemed highly qualified in accordance with RPS policy, State and Federal guidelines and RPS retention of teachers within a five-year window exceeded 95.5% excluding retirements. Taught Master s and Post-Master s students enrolled at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education as an adjunct professor.

3 EXTERNAL LEADERSHIP & OTHER AFFILIATIONS Commission Member and Superintendent Representative, National Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative Commission of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges Advisory Board Member, Urban Superintendent Programs (USP) of the Harvard Graduate School of Education Executive Board Member, Council of the Great City Schools Chair, Achievement Gap Task Force for the Council of the Great City Schools Adjunct Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Education Executive Board Member, Richmond SPCA INSTRUCTION & ACCOUNTABILITY Increased the number of schools fully accredited by the Virginia Board of Education from the 10 or 18% fully accredited in 2002 to 43% in % in 2004; 90% in 2005; and 86% in 2006 and in The improvement over these years significantly exceeded all other rates of improvement in the Commonwealth. Attained a graduation rate of 94% for the Class of 2004, which was the first class in Virginia required to meet the higher standard of earning a minimum of 6 verified units in key high school courses in order to graduate. The graduation rate for the seniors in the class of 2006 was 95%. Increased the number of schools meeting the standards for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under NCLB from 20% in 2002 to 80% in Increased literacy in primary grades pre-k to 3 rd as measure on the state PALS Test and increased the percentage of third grade students reading at or above grade level as indicated by district and state assessments to 79% Continued extensive summer school, before/after school, evening school, and weekend remediation and acceleration activities to promote student achievement and success. Consolidated four schools in the East End of Richmond City in 2005 providing for more rigorous coursework and AP options in the middle and high school. Partnered with the Richmond Police Department and the Richmond Sheriff s Department to enhance safety and security within schools and departments. These efforts included the implementation of metal detectors at most secondary schools. Piloted the RPS Discovery Academy in three middle schools, thus converting large middle schools into four houses and helping students discover the joy of dreaming, learning and living. Enhanced the work of the district professional development engine, RPS University, by focusing on teaching and learning in collaboration with University partners, NCLB teacher standards, National Board Certifications, information technologies and customer service.

4 Partnered with local housing authority to increase parental outreach, which included outfitting a Mobile Parent Resource Center to reach out to parents in their neighborhoods and strengthen the home-school connection. Secured, established and maintained grant revenues totaling over $19,670,000 to enhance the overall quality of education provided to RPS students. Chosen as the first superintendent to be a monthly guest columnist for the Richmond Times Dispatch for 2004 and in this role provided a positive commentary on public education and the work of the Richmond Public Schools. Secured $4.1 million National Science Foundation Grant entitled Gateway to the 21 st Century in Developed district instructional model, entitled Closing the Achievement Gap: A Framework for Excellence, which is implemented throughout RPS. Developed and implemented Gifted Academic Core Programs at each middle school Designed and launched STARS, an alternative secondary program within each middle and high school for students exhibiting chronic behavior problems Lead a department with 208 employees and a yearly budget of $45 million Secured academically focused partnerships, some of which are The Jamestown- Yorktown Foundation Family Education Project that involves every 3 rd grade student; Wireless Communication System with GTE-Mobilnet; Distance Learning Project with Bell Atlantic; Homework Centers Expansion with the Richmond Public Library System; After-School Tutorial Program with Capital One; One Mentor/One Child Program with Virginia Commonwealth University & One-to-One; Linkages Across the Ocean Scholarship with Cape Fruit of South Africa; Power of Nine Scholarship with Capital One; and Partnership for the Future Summer Jobs Program with 33 corporations and not-for-profit agencies, including Virginia Housing Development Agency and Crestar Bank. Developed a partnership with City of Richmond Department of Recreation and Parks to secure extended day tutorial programs for 10 elementary schools. SAFETY & SECURITY Reduced the yearly percentage of students dropping out of school from 15% in 2004 to 4.71% in 2005 and 2.5% in Implemented a continuum of alternative educational options for academically and behaviorally challenged students that include the Student Court Program, the RPS intervention model, entitled Students Transforming Attitudes and Reaching Success (STARS). Secured and implemented an alternative program for highly disruptive and/or low achieving students in partnership with Community Education Partners, which has increased the number of students satisfactorily transitioning back to their comprehensive high and middle schools to over 70% in Partnered with the Mayor and Police Chief, in concert with Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, the City of Richmond, and the Department of Juvenile Justice, to address truancy among students. Additionally, established

5 Truancy Assessment Centers in an effort to increase student attendance and secure community services for needy students. ARTS & HUMANITIES Formulated partnership aimed at building students resilience through the humanities. Examples of such partnerships are Early Learning Institute Through the Arts with the Wolf Trap Institute, The Latin Ballet, the Elegba Folklore Society and the Minds-In- Motion Project with the Richmond Ballet. Instituted the yearly Kaleidoscope of the Arts as a showcase for the artistic and musical talent of RPS students. Established formal partnerships with all museums aligning exhibits and offerings with appropriate grade level standards of learning, K-12. COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS Increased by over 25% the number of partnerships with corporations, civic associations, universities, not-for-profit entities, and communities of faith in an overall effort to enhance student achievement. Served on the Chamber of Commerce Initiative to secure the Health and Family Initiative Grant from Robert Wood Johnson. Collaborated with the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority to secure a $27 million Hope VI Neighborhood and School Revitalization Grant. Developed Parent Resource Centers in each quadrant in the City of Richmond. Secured and enhanced the active involvement of volunteers and mentors from corporate, civic, religious, not-for-profit, municipal, and higher-education sectors such that every school in the district has multiple active participatory partnerships. MOST RECENT PRESENTATIONS Brookings Institution. Panel Presentation on Teacher Quality and NCLB March 2007 U. S. Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations. Testimony on Federal Funding of the NCLB Act March 2007 U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce. Testimony on Closing the Achievement Gap in America s Schools: NCLB September 2005 AWARDS YWCA Woman of the Year in Education, 2005 ET3 TEC Champion Award, Leaders Inventing Equitable Futures, Education Technology Think Tank, 2005 Oliver Hill Leadership Award, Alpha Beta Boule, 2004

6 Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. Outstanding Educator Citation, 1999 Leadership and Vision Award, Leadership Metro Richmond, 1998 Doctoral Fellowship, Harvard University, 1995 Richard L. Green Fellowship, Harvard University, 1992 School Bell Award, VAESP, 1991 Profiles in Excellence Principal s Award, Executive Leadership, 1991