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ALBANY, N.Y. (April 13, 2007)
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Four administrators from the City School District of
Albany have taken a proactive lead in the area of
school leadership by recently receiving national
certification as a principal mentor from the
National Association of Elementary School
Principals.
At the same time, seven Albany
principals are among 18 educational leaders that are
participating in the fledgling Albany/Capital Region
Chapter of the National School Leaders Network.
The administrators who
earned national certification as a principal mentor are Thomas O’Brien
Academy of Science and Technology (TOAST) Principal Rachelle Salerno,
Ed.D., Montessori Magnet School Principal Kathy Mrozak, Ed.D.,
Instructional Supervisor for Art, Foreign Language and Music Gloria
Savino, and Director of Pupil Personnel Services Silvia Ferlazzo.
The goal of the National
Association of Elementary School Principals’ principal mentor
certification is to help administrators at all levels develop the skills
and training to support and mentor new building leaders. The
certification involved three days of intense training in Philadelphia,
as well as a year of follow-up involving online coaching, mentoring a
protégé, developing a portfolio, reflections, contact logs, action plans
and presentations.
The group from Albany worked
collaboratively to satisfy the requirements of this year of rigorous
work to complete the certification.
“Albany principals and
administrators are leading the way in the area of school leadership,”
Dr. Salerno said. “This is important because new principals need
support, and we now have the skills and training in the district to
serve as mentors as we work together toward our common goal of improving
all of the district’s schools.”
Dr. Salerno is a current
board member of the National School Leadership Network and currently is
facilitating the Albany/Capital Region chapter’s efforts to develop a
collective mentoring system in the region for school administrators.
The National School Leaders
Network is based at Wellesley College in Massachusetts and is funded by
the Texas Rainwater Foundation. Its focus is to provide a forum for
principals and school leaders to develop leadership skills, access to a
sounding board to address challenges and reach goals, and expose a
diverse group of educators to fresh ideas, problem-solving strategies
and professional and pedagogical dialogue.
City School District of
Albany administrators taking part in the Albany/Capital Region chapter
of the national network are: Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School
Principal Kimberly Wilkins, Dr. Mrozak, Eagle Point Elementary School
Principal Kathleen Brown, Philip Schuyler Achievement Academy Principal
Dorinda Davis, Harriet Gibbons High School Principal Anthony Clement and
Giffen Elementary School Principal Wilberlee Range.
Other districts represented
at the chapter’s first meeting in January were Schenectady, Troy,
Cohoes, Ravena, East Greenbush, Guilderland, Fonda-Fultonville, Ballston
Spa, Ichabod Crane, Chatham, Bethlehem and Schuylerville.
Dr. Salerno said she was
excited about the opportunity to lead the local chapter as it provides a
true professional forum for a diverse group of K-12 school leaders from
urban, suburban and rural districts to grow and learn from one another
about strategies to address challenges and ultimately ensure quality
experiences for all students. She received her facilitator training at
Wellesley.
“In the field of education,
this is truly a groundbreaking network – principals and school leaders
have not had an opportunity like this before to engage in this
important, ongoing dialogue as a cohesive unit,” Dr. Salerno said. “I’m
excited to welcome our principals from Albany and the greater region to
the national network, and proud that we are beginning this effort.
"This is one of the newest
professional development experiences in the nation for principals that
was designed by principals! Our ultimate goal is to raise student
achievement and enhance the instructional leadership skills of the
participants.”
The
local chapter of the National School Leaders Network meets for monthly
dinner meetings.
The City School
District of Albany serves almost 9,400 students in 19
elementary, middle and high schools. The district includes several
magnet schools and programs, as well as other innovative academic
opportunities for students in addition to neighborhood schools. The
district is more than halfway through its comprehensive facilities
project to newly build and/or renovate nearly all of its elementary
and middle schools. The ultimate goal of the facilities project is
to provide schools with the resources necessary to help students
succeed in the 21st century.
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