The new director of Metro Nashville Public Schools, Shawn Joseph, faces many challenges as he takes office July 1, including developing and retaining strong school leaders, improving student outcomes, turning around failing schools and closing achievement gaps for vulnerable populations. 菠萝视频ers at 菠萝视频鈥檚 of education and human development have considerable expertise on these subjects and are available for comment.
BUILDING STRONG SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
Hiring and retention
studies mobility and retention and can address the impact of teacher and principal turnover, in light of 18 principal openings currently in MNPS.听
Evaluations and incentives
can discuss the effectiveness of retention bonuses in Tennessee鈥檚 low-performing schools, and the effective use of teacher evaluation 听data.
Professional development
designed and implemented a principal leadership academy in Metro Schools. She can speak on the importance of training, nurturing and retaining quality teachers and principals.
Administrative leadership
, is a past school administrator and author of Leading School Improvement: A Framework for Action.
TURNING AROUND LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS
Achievement School District
has studied Tennessee鈥檚 Achievement School District and iZone schools. He can discuss what tactics are working in school turnaround in Tennessee and across the nation.
School reform
听can discuss scaling up low-performing schools through effective administrative leadership, quality teachers and a supportive professional community. She is the director of the .
School choice
is an expert on school choice, including charters, vouchers and magnet schools. She was an expert witness two recent high-profile desegregation cases.
BOOSTING STUDENT OUTCOMES
Teacher collaboration
created and implemented the highly successful 听model in six Tennessee counties. TPEGs improve teacher and student outcomes by employing teacher听observation, feedback听and collaboration.
Curriculum and听testing
听can comment on the aftermath of Common Core and TNReady. She heads up a team-teaching program implemented at Bailey Middle School, iis director of secondary education at Peabody and leads the Teaching and Learning in Urban Schools program.
College readiness
is an education policy expert who can discuss how MNPS can best prepare students for college. She also can comment on Tennessee Promise, Tennessee Hope and remedial education.
Teaching with technology
is an expert on math- and technology-based learning environments. He can discuss spatial learning and the relationships between personal mobility and learning.
Gaming to learn
is part of a team that developed , an interactive multi-user video game that promotes math and science learning.
iPads and autism
conducts research on how children with autism can use iPads to facilitate speech and learning.
FOSTERING SAFE SCHOOLS
Bullying
has helped Metro implement tangible solutions for curbing bullying and creating positive learning environments.
Depression
听works with area families and can discuss the legacy depressed parents听pass on to their children. The interventions he is implementing have shown to听break the depression cycle in families.
Youth violence
and are experts on juvenile delinquency, and can comment on what services work best to reduce recidivism.
Addiction
was honored by the White House for his work with recovery high schools. He听co-founded the and helped carry out the first and only accreditation program for such schools.
MEETING THE NEEDS OF VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
Gifted minorities
is an expert on gifted minorities. She was instrumental in Metro鈥檚 recent implementation of the Naglieri Non-Verbal Ability Test for screening gifted children.
Gifted听selection and placement
can discuss gifted program referral and testing protocols, and how these have contributed to the underrepresentation of black and Hispanic students.
ELL achievement gap
is a bilingual professor of teaching and learning who can address the achievement gap for young ELL students.
Teacher training for ESL
assists MNPS teachers in earning their English as a Second Language endorsement.
ELL literacy
has expertise in how young ELL students draw on their first language when learning to write and speak English, and how they interact with teachers in an English-dominant environment.
Learning disabilities
听 work with MNPS teachers to implement math and reading interventions for children with,听or at-risk for, learning disabilities.
Reading interventions for Down syndrome
has been recognized by the White House for his research on reading interventions for children with Down syndrome and autism.
Behavior challenges
works with students with learning differences combined with severe behavior challenges. He can discuss how Peabody is training a new generation of teachers to meet these students鈥� needs.
Aggressive behavior
Joseph Wehby studies aggressive behavior in students with intellectual disabilities and interventions to facilitate learning and socializing.
BUILDING A FOUNDATION THROUGH EARLY EDUCATION
Pre-K听programs
and pre-K research helped inform听lawmakers who crafted听the Tennessee Pre-Kindergarten Quality Act. They also advise MNPS on best practices for its pre-K program.
Pre-K curriculum
is one of the creators of an interdisciplinary early childhood curriculum that incorporates mathematics and science into pre-K learning.
Learning through Play
can discuss an intervention he created to help preschool teachers teach vocabulary through teacher-supported play.
Toddlers and screen time
studies the impact of videos, television, tablets and smart phones on preschoolers鈥� earliest learning experiences.