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CAAASA 2012
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
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CAAASA 2012
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
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CAAASA 2012
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
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CAAASA 2012
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference
State Conference
President’s Message: Dr. Pamela Short-Powell
Planning Committee
President, CAAASA
Dr. Carole Cobb
State Conference Chair/CEO Sankofa Education Alliance
Dr. Ramona Bishop
Dwight Bonds
Superintendent
Executive Director CAAASA
Dr. Duneen DeBruhl
Superintendent
Dr. George King
School Board Member
School Board Member
Principal Consultant Speaker’s Office for the California State Assembly
Dr. Charlie Mae Knight
Marguerite LaMotte
Adonai Mack
Consultant
Harriett Morgan Teacher
Winfrey Roberson Superintendent
Michael Watkins Superintendent
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Linda Jones
Dr. Dennis Byas
School Board Member
Gabriel McCurtis Superintendent
Dr. Sylvia Rousseau USC Professor
Dr. LaTyna Young
Educational Consultant
Legislative Advocate, ACSA
Our theme for this year’s conference is, “Sounding the Alarm: Education is a Civil Right!” The Scales of Justice on the cover symbolizes the urgency for all stakeholders to address the inequities of African American students in public schools throughout California and our nation. This year begins with our pre-conference Educational Policy Institute and a town hall Meeting on Wednesday. Conference highlights include a variety of strands: Parent and Community Engagement in Education Reform, a Mayor’s Forum on Education; a Research Forum addressing academic success for African-American males; new ESEA legislation; Standard English Language; and valuable workshops from our business partners on culturally and linguistically responsive educational strategies; innovative products and services; and current research for helping African-American males succeed academically.
2012 Conference Goals 1.
Become knowledgeable of strategies, programs and services to improve high school graduation rates for African-American students.
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Provide successful “best practices” and models with proven results in educating African-American males.
3.
Provide training and support for parents and families of underachieving African- American males.
4.
Review proposed changes to the Elementary and Secondary Education Acts with California congressional representatives.
Dr. George McKenna Superintendent
Alice Spearman
School Board Member
Rory Kaufman
Senior Consultant Speaker’s Office for the California State Assembly
CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 State Conference
Knight
Honoring CAAASA Founders
February 23, 2012
Dr. Charlie Mae
Luncheon
The Dr. Charlie Mae Knight Luncheon is moderated by Debbra Lindo, Superintendent of Emery Unified School District. CAAASA proudly presents its Mayor’s Forum on Education with mayors from some of California’s leading cities. This esteemed panel will discuss the urgency for addressing educational excellence for all California students, with an emphasis on African Americans.
Fortune
February 24, 2012
Dr. Rex
Breakfast
Addressing the Achievement Gap in and Public Schools A Panel of Researchers, educational practitioners and parents discuss proven strategies to transform low performing schools. • Gap in API Scores • Gap in CST scores in mathematics • Lessons from five Gap Closing Schools with significant African American students. • Replicating Schools that are effective with African American Students
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference
Mission Statement The California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA), a group of educational leaders, is committed to identifying and addressing the critical issues in education through public policy relative to the status and performance of African-American students in California.
About CAAASA
CAAASA was reorganized and renamed in 2007. When it was originally founded in 1993, it was called the California Association of African American Superintendents. The new leadership petitioned the organization to change its focus to include both superintendents and administrators allowing emerging leaders in administration the opportunity to better prepare for the superintendency or other high level administrative assignments. Today, its membership consists of African-American school superintendents, assistant superintendents, directors, and administrators. CAAASA has a history of hosting Institutes, state meetings, state conferences, and many special events since its inception. Serving as an informative link to California Department of Education (CDE), CAAASA makes recommendations on topics to include curriculum and instruction, staff development, parent involvement, funding and gender specific issues. CAAASA has submitted testimony to the speaker of the Assembly which would improve the status of African-American males relative to their disproportionate representation in the penal system and in the Nation’s colleges and universities. CAAASA has worked in partnership with the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) by sponsoring events and programs that support increased student achievement and that proved to be successful in addressing the needs of African-American students. Under CAAASA’s leadership, the organization is working closely with new and proposed initiatives that impact the academic achievement of African American students including a most successful and recently sponsored statewide conference in Sacramento, “Education is a Civil Right.” Additionally, we have met with Executive Search Firms and other stakeholders to address the under representation of African-American Superintendents in California school districts. CAAASA will continue to collaborate with California Department of Education (CDE) and other prominent organizations on projects and programs.
CAAASA Officers
President: Pamela Short-Powell, Ed.D. Vice President: Edna E. Davis-Herring Treasurer: Joseph Jones Secretary: Ramona Robinson-Bishop, Ed.D. Consultant: Charlie Mae Knight, Ed.D. Membership Chair: George J. McKenna III, Ed.D. Executive Director: Dwight Bonds
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 State Conference
Welcome Letters
Contents
Conference Planning Committee
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About CAAASA
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Conference Schedule
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Education is a Civil Right Awards Gala
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Presenter Biographies
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“Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James Weldon Johnson
Originally written by Johnson for a presentation in celebration of the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, this was initially performed in Jacksonville, Florida, by children. The popular title for this work is: ‘THE NEGRO NATIONAL ANTHEM’ Out from the gloomy past, Till now we stand at last Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
Lift every voice and sing Till earth and heaven ring, Ring with the harmonies of Liberty; Let our rejoicing rise High as the listening skies, Let it resound loud as the rolling sea. Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us, Facing the rising sun of our new day begun Let us march on till victory is won.
Stony the road we trod, Bitter the chastening rod, Felt in the days when hope unborn had died; Yet with a steady beat, Have not our weary feet Come to the place for which our fathers sighed? We have come over a way that with tears have been watered, We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, Thou who has brought us thus far on the way; Thou who has by Thy might Led us into the light, Keep us forever in the path, we pray. Lest our feet stray from the places, Our God, where we met Thee; Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee; Shadowed beneath Thy hand, May we forever stand. True to our GOD, True to our native land
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
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CAAASA 2012
Pre-Conference Program
Wednesday February 22, 2012 7:00am – 6:00pm Registration Atrium - Hilton Arden West 7:00am 8:00am
8:30am – 10:00am 10:00am – 11:45am 11:45am – 12:45pm 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Continental Breakfast – Atrium
Opening and Welcome – Berryessa-Tahoe-Shasta Ballroom Dr. Pamela Short- Powell, CAAASA President Dr. Carole A. Cobb, State Conference Chair, Executive Director/Sankofa Education Alliance Dr. George King, Principal Consultant to the Speaker’s Office for the California State Assembly Mr. Rory Kaufman, Senior Consultant to the Speaker’s Office for the California State Assembly Resources Materials: 1. Standard English Position Papers 2. Over-representation of African American Students in Special Education 3. Breaking Barriers 2 – From Juvenile Detention to Academic Success for African American Males 4. Education is a Civil Right Agenda Logistics and Instructions Dwight Bonds, CAAASA Executive Director Orientation using CAAASA Position Papers concerning initiatives to address educational success for African American students Option A: Visit State Capitol Option B: Parent Workshop on How to Increase Parental Participation in School for African American Parents (board bus to State Capitol at 11:30 a.m.) Lunch On Your Own
Town Hall Meeting with Senator Curren Price - Legislative Office Bldg. / Rm 100 Moderator: Dr. Shirley Thorton, Sausalito Marin City School Board Member School District Representatives and Vendors meet with the Honorable State Senator Curren Price to discuss SB 509 which allows school districts to purchase the most recently adopted materials. Other initiatives that impact African-American students will also be discussed.
Conference Program
Thursday February 23, 2012 7:00am – 6:00pm Registration Atrium - Hilton Arden West 7:30am 8:00am - 8:30am
8:30am - 10:00am
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Continental Breakfast/ Vender Exhibition Opens – Atrium Welcome and Opening Ceremony – Berryessa-Tahoe-Shasta Ballroom • Buffalo Soldiers’: Flag Salute • ROTC Color Guard: Luther Burbank High School • Pledge of Allegiance • Star Spangled Banner: Silva Montoya • Negro National Anthem: “Lift Every Voice and Sing” - James Weldon Johnson • Greetings/Purpose: Dr. Pamela Short-Powell, CAAASA President • Remarks: Dr. Carole Cobb, State Conference Chair • Greetings: Dr. Bernard Hamilton, NABSE President-Elect • Musical Selection Pianist: Ras-Nicos Clark Plenary I: Research on Plotting the Path from Juvenile Detention to Academic Success for African American Males Moderator: Dr. George McKenna, Local District 7 Superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District Panelists: Dr. Ivory Toldson, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation; Chenai Okammor, Pearson,/Vice President of National Accounts; and Janine Cuaresma, President/Juvenile Court, Community, and Alternative School Administrators of California (JCCASAC) CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 10:00am - 10:30am 10:30am - 12:00pm 12:00pm - 12:30pm 12:30pm – 2:00pm
2:00pm – 2:30pm 2:30pm – 4:00pm 4:45pm
5:00pm – 6:30pm 7:00pm – 9:00pm 9:00pm – 9:30pm
Transitional Break/Vendor Exhibits Concurrent Workshops Transitional Break/Vendor Exhibits DR. CHARLIE MAE KNIGHT LUNCHEON Plenary II: Education Forum – A Mayor’s Perspective Moderator: Dr. Debbra Lindo Panelists: Mayor Eric Perrodin, Compton; Mayor Osby Davis, Vallejo; and Deputy Director/Sacramento, Dr. Aisha Lowe Respondents: Superintendent of Vallejo, Dr. Ramona Bishop and Oakland School Board Member, Alice Spearman. Justine Serrano, President/Kaplan K12 – Scholarship Presentation to Ms. Keiona Williamson and Mr. Antwon Calhoun. Diane Marshall-Freeman – “Education for All Scholarship” sponsored by Fagen, Friedman, & Fulfrost, LLP Transitional Break/Vendors Plenary III: Teacher Effectiveness and Common Core Standards Keynote Address: Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, Stanford University Professor Common Core Standards: Kathy Hurley, Executive VP Education Alliance, Pearson Foundation Bus Transportation to Awards Gala Reception/Banquet – Doubletree Inn
EVENING EVENT - Double Tree Ballroom AWARDS GALA Reception Sponsored by the Law Firm of Atchison, Andelson, Loya, Ruud, and Romo “SALUTE TO EXCELLENCE” AWARDS GALA Mistress of Ceremony: Dr. Pamela Short-Powell, CAAASA President Keynote Speaker: Dr. Melba Beals, Little Rock Nine. Return to Hilton Hotel Lobby
Conference Program
Friday February 24, 2012 7:00am – 1:00pm Registration Atrium - Hilton Arden West 7:30am- 9:00am
9:15am – 10:45am
11:00am – 12:15pm 12:30pm - 2:30pm
2:30pm
DR. REX FORTUNE BREAKFAST – Berryessa-Tahoe-Shasta Ballroom Welcome/Introductions: Edna E. Davis-Herring, CAAASA Vice-President Plenary IV: Bridging The Achievement Gap – What Successful Educators and Parents Do Moderator: Winfred Roberson, Superintendent of Davis Unified School District Panelists: Dr. Rex Fortune, former Superintendent of Inglewood; Marguerite Fortune, President/CEO of Fortune School of Education and Erherinder Pegany, Vice President of Academic Affairs Plenary V: New ESEA Legislation and Its Impact on African American Students in California Moderator: Michael Watkins, Superintendent/Santa Cruz County Office of Education Panelists: Congressman George Miller, 7th District California; Dr. LaRuth Grey, NYU Professor; and Carrie Jasper, Director/Outreach to Parents and Families, US Department of Education; and Charles Love, Region 9 Office of Civil Rights (OCR) Representative Concurrent Workshops LUNCH Plenary VI: Standard English Learners (SELs) Moderator: Marguerite LaMotte, District 1 Board Member/Los Angeles Unified School District Presenters: Dr. Carole A. Cobb, Executive Director/Sankofa Education Alliance; Dr. Sylvia Rousseau, Professor/University of Southern California; Mark Higgins, Office of Assemblyman Mike Davis; and Linda Jones, Palmdale Board Member Conference Adjournment California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
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CAAASA 2012
CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
10:00am – 11:45pm
Folsom Room
How to Increase Parental Participation in School for African American Parents How to organize a Black Parent Union in your District. This session will include: Developing needs surveys and vision/mission statements | Identifying issues around parent concerns | Recruitment techniques and strategies for greater parent involvement and participation | Building capacity: Encouraging parents in leadership roles Tony Hicks, Parent Coordinator
Thursday, February 23, 2012 10:30am – 11:45pm Zinfandel Room
Hope and Opportunity for Long-Term Academic Deficient Students – How They Can Achieve Stronger Academic Outcomes Cost Effectively There are a growing number of high school students across America who are 1.5 years, or more, behind academically. Due to current budget pressures this situation is likely to get worse. School Districts operate programs aimed at serving these students but they tend to become credit recovery programs (suitable for students who are 6 months or less behind). Most Districts do not adequately address the underpinning issues which result in longterm academic failure (socio-emotional, behavior, disengagement, etc.) and seem unable to cost-effectively implement appropriate strategies including resiliency building, positive behavior reinforcement, catering to different learning styles, flexible schedules, etc. AdvancePath Academics has developed a Blended Learning model which utilizes Multiple Learning Pathways and Positive Behavior Reinforcement among other strategies to help students achieve superior academic outcomes in a cost-efficient manner. John Murray, Chairman & CEO; Ed Jackson, Former Lead Teacher
Cabernet Room
Parent Rights & Responsibilities Related to Public School Students in the State of CA
Parents, “Do you truly know your roles and responsibilities relative to your child during their tenure as a public K-12 student?” This interactive workshop will describe the do’s and don’ts of your role as the student’s parent in a public education setting. Specific descriptions of pertinent California Education code sections that will enhance your ability to understand your role and rights in the school setting will be distributed and discussed. Additionally, strategies will be presented that will empower you to fully participate in your child’s education setting. Sherman R. Garnett, Coordinator San Bernardino County
Brandywine Room
What Really Works For Our Students? In this session, Pearson Digital Learning Partners with BEYOND THE BRICKS…a documentary. Walk in the shoes of four young men trying to beat the odds and overcome obstacles in navigating academic and social growth in their high school years…SuccessMaker™ by Pearson - Join the 1000s of educators who are turning around schools by using SuccessMaker to accelerate basic skills in reading and mathematics for elementary, middle, and high schools. One-to-One personalized instruction, real engagement, use of powerful data, and improved performance create confidence leading to graduation and beyond. NovaNet Courseware™ - Individualized learning - any time, and anywhere in the 21st century has proven to be the most effective way of graduating students with strong academic skills leading to college and career preparation. NovaNET is your online partner for: Credit Accrual, Drop-out Recovery, Basic Skills, Summer School, GED and SAT/ACT Prep and Practice, State Test Preparation, Correctional Education, and Extended Day. There is a reason why tens of thousands of students are on NovaNet at midnight…they see their own success and it is what works for them. Chenai Okammor, Pearson,/Vice President of National Accounts
Chardonnay Room
“Fostering Success for All Students, Particularly Young Black & Brown Boys”: A 4-Point Plan Young Black and Brown boys are at the head of the class in every negative indicator of failure (dropout, drug, imprisonment and unemployment). In this interactive presentation you will be introduce to a proven research based cutting edge program (STARS-STudents Achieving & Reaching Success). The STARS program consists of four distinct elements: 1) Character Development; 2) Critical Thinking; 3) Rites of Passage; and 4) Reading, Writing, & Work. The goal of this program is to provide teachers, administrators, and parents with the necessary resources to ensure that all students (particularly young Black and Brown boys) are successful in school as well as in life. Michael Dennis, CEO/Teacher Power, Inc.
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 Sonoma Room
Finally…Culturally Relevant Professional Development for Educators In response to inquiries and comments from CAAASA and other organizations to provide cultural competency courses for administrators, teachers, staff, and parents; KDS has taken the lead to provide Grad & CEU Credit, and Salary Advancement online professional development for districts in a number of subject areas. These courses are cost-effective and will provide an immediate and measureable impact to your district. Greg Spencer will moderate this session providing an overview of services and highlighting KDS’ newest online and blended model courses that will directly impact African American, Latino, and all students. Newly featured speakers include: Dr. Kawanza Kunjufu, Dr. Bob Marzano, Dr. Venita Kelley, Dr. James Comer, Gary Howard, Dr. Carlos McCray, Dr. A. Wade Boykin, Dr. Eleanor R. Rodriguez, Dr. Anthony Muhammad, Elizabeth Jiménez, Dr. Robyn Jackson, Dr. Ruby Payne, Dr. Glenn Singleton, Dr. Margarita Calderón, Dr. Doug Reeves, Dr. Rick DuFour, and more. Greg Spencer, Director/Strategic Partners, Knowledge Delivery Systems
Napa Room
Academic English Language Learners: Their Culture and Language Language is culture bound. Mathematics and science have a language and are often bound and inaccessible by the barriers of the unique culture of the descendants of enslaved Africans in diaspora. Parent must advocate for systemic changes in education at all levels, state, district, and the classroom in order for our children to be able to compete globally. Learn about the features of Ebonics, the language of enslaved descendants of Africans in diaspora. Nabeehah will share a bit of the historical 1996 Oakland Unified School District School Board decision that led to a worldwide discussion that “freed” the language. The information in this workshop will eradicate some of the myths about Ebonics. Nabeehah Sabree Shakir, Culture and Language Intervention Specialist
Friday, February 24, 2012
11:00am – 12:15pm
Zinfandel Room
Eliminating The Achievement Gap with Differentiated Instruction and Cultural Proficiency In this session, Dr. Witherspoon will review the research on cultural proficiency and differentiated instruction. He will make the case for eliminating the achievement gap by managing and adapting to diversity by shifting the culture and effective differentiated instruction. Attendees will come out of this dynamic and interactive session empowered to increase student achievement by removing barriers of access, engagement, and student learning styles, and provide concrete steps to move forward with a blended learning approach to differentiated instruction. Erick E. Witherspoon, Ed.D., Kaplan K-12 Learning
Sonoma Room
African Americans Students’ Mastery to Success: Preparing our Students for the Common Core and Beyond In 2012, African American students are still falling behind as the achievement gap between African Americans and Whites has not significantly narrowed in the areas of ELA and Math. We can no longer allow this trend to continue and must make consorted efforts to prepare our students for academic success, especially with the onset of Common Core Standards. Participants will learn tips that will help your students gain proficiency and prepare for the new Common Core Standards while walking away with strategies on how to increase API scores within their schools. Strategies include tips to prepare and train teachers on how to navigate through instruction that will easily transition into test-taking success on both the CST and Common Core Assessments. Katrina Hamilton, Consultant/Triumph Learning
Cabernet Room
Writes of Passage: Unmasking Your Authentic Voice Participants will join in an interactive creative writing workshop to unmask their authentic voice and get in touch with the power and nobility of their life’s journey. Discover your hero’s journey and the beauty within… “Writes of Passage” is currently being implemented in Southern California middle and high schools and with “at-risk” and detained youth in the juvenile justice system. Akuyoe Graham – Actor, Author, and Educator
Brandywine Room
New / Aspiring Superintendents This session will provide information to administrators on preparing to become a California Superintendent. This session will include: Different types of available superintendent positions | Qualities and characteristics school boards are seeking Presenter: Michael Watkins Enhancing Superintendents Compensation Package and Retirement: Things that School Executives Need to Know Presenter: Steve Niederman, Total Compensation Group, Consulting
Chardonnay Room
Images In Film and Life Participants will view the screening of “They Are Not All Lost”. This highly acclaimed film highlights numerous optimistic youths working to overcome adverse circumstances, which include gangs, drugs, and peer pressure. The filmmakers will lead them in discussing the many miracles and obstacles that occurred surrounding the making of this film. David Massey – Producer/Director, Black Docs and Dawn Kirk-Alexander – Writer/Producer, Not All Lost Productions California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
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CAAASA 2012 Gala Honorees
nd
Annual Gala
Sounding the Alarm:
Education is a Civil Right
Little Rock Nine (1957)
Keynote Speaker
Melba Pattillo Beals
The world watched when Melba Pattillo and her schoolmates made history in 1957 as members of the Little Rock Nine. For the remainder of the school year, they braved constant intimidation and threats from those who opposed desegregation of the all white, Central High School. She later recounted this harrowing year in her book entitled, Warriors Don’t Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Desegregate Little Rock’s Central High School. While attending the all-Black Horace Mann High School in Little Rock, Pattillo volunteered to transfer to Central High School with eight other Black students from Mann and Dunbar Junior High Schools. She later recounted that the armed soldier assigned to protect her, said, “In order to get through t his year, you will have to become a soldier. Never let your enemy know what you are feeling.” She took his advice and, while the rest of the school year remained turbulent, all but one student was able to finish the year. Barred from entering Central High the next year, when the city’s schools were closed by the Governor, Pattillo moved to Santa Rosa, California, to live with a sponsoring family.
Gala Sponsored by:
AdvancePath │ Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo (AALRR) Kaplan │ McGraw-Hill │ Olivarez, Gallagher & Padillo, P.C. │ PARS Pearson │ Presence Learning │ Quackenworth 16
CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 Gala Honorees
2012 AdvancePath Academics, Inc. Corporate Excellence
Corporate Excellence Award presented to a company/corporation who have made significant philanthropic contributions to public education over a sustained period of time.
Hardy L. Brown
2012
Humanitarian Award
As Chairman of Brown Publishing Company and co-publisher of The Black Voice News, Brown is responsible for providing leadership and strategic development for the current and future growth of the company. He provides research on the growth, location and economic impact of the Black community in the Inland Empire to the area’s business and customers. The founding president of the California Black Media Association, encompassing radio, magazines and newspapers, he is a member of the California Newspapers Publishers Association and the New California Media organization. His weekly editorials, published in The Black Voice News are widely read because of his eloquence, wit, candor, and “down-home” southern style expressions. He is a frequent panelist at media conventions and forums through California and the nation. Brown’s love for politics has led to the recent formation of the Black Political Action Committee (Black PAC) of which he serve as Treasurer. An active civic and education leader, he served as an elected member of the San Bernardino City Unified School District Board of Trustees for 12 years and is immediate past president of the San Bernardino Branch of the NAACP.
Dr. Linda Darling HAMMOND
2012
Founders Award
Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond is the Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education at Stanford University, where she has launched the Stanford Educational Leadership Institute and the School Redesign Network. She has also served as faculty sponsor for the Stanford Teacher Education Program. She is a former president of the American Educational Research Association and member of the National Academy of Education. Her research, teaching, and policy work focus on issues of school restructuring, teacher quality and educational equity. From 1994 to 2001, she served as Executive Director of the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, a blue-ribbon panel, whose 1996 report, “What Matters Most: Teaching for America’s Future,” led to sweeping policy changes affecting teaching and teacher education. In 2006, this report was named one of the most influential affecting U.S. education and she was named one of the nation’s ten most influential people affecting educational policy over the last decade. Another of Dr. Darling-Hammond’s more than 300 publications is “Preparing Teachers for a Changing World: What Teachers Should Learn and be Able to Do” (with John Bransford, for the National Academy of Education, winner of the Pomeroy Award from AACTE).
Assemblyman Mike Davis
2012
Legislative Award
In 2006, Assemblyman Davis was elected to serve the 48th Assembly District in Los Angeles County. The District is home to a myriad of diverse communities including: Arlington Park, Athens, Chesterfield Square, King Estates, Koreatown, Lafayette Park, Magnolia Square, North University Park, University Park, Vermont Knolls, West Adams, West Park Terrace and Wilshire Center. Prior to assuming office, he made an impact in the community after a notable career as a public servant at three levels of government. As a Senior Deputy to Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, he helped to establish the Denzel Washington Pediatric Pavilion at Martin Luther King, Jr. Hospital and fought for diversity among the construction staff at the King Hospital Trauma Center Construction site during the 1994 construction project. He also served as District Director for Assemblywoman Maxine Waters during her tenure in the California State Assembly and continued to serve in this role when she was elected to Congress. A community activist, Assemblyman Davis created The Images of Blacks in America Symposium at UCLA; helped coordinate the opening of the Maxine Waters Employment Preparation Center and fought to make sure that South Los Angeles residents received relocation benefits during the expansion of the Harbor Freeway.
Henry “Hank” Hendrix
2012
Trailblazer Award
Henry “Hank” Hendrix wears many hats. A resident of Fresno, he is a community activist and advocate for civil and human rights. Additionally, he has served as a Master Teacher in Social Science and an acting assistant high school principal. Hendrix’s experience is varied. He has served as Deputy City Manager; Community Development Director; Deputy Sheriff; Consultant in Urban Planning; Program Evaluation and Planning Director, US Post Office; and a US Army Surveyor. He is presently a Trustee for the Washington Union School District in Fresno, CA and President of the California Coalition of Black School Board Members.
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
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CAAASA 2012 Gala Honorees
Jack O’Connell
2012
Supreme Leadership Award
Considered a leader amongst state school chiefs nationwide, Jack O’Connell, Chief Education Officer, School Innovations & Advocacy, brings years of public service and expertise to his team. During his two terms as State Superintendent of Public Instruction and twenty years as both a state Senator and Assembly member, Mr. O’Connell focused on closing the achievement gap and preparing students for a rapidly changing global economy, by holding high standards for all students. He remains a strong supporter and facilitator of partnerships between schools, businesses, communities, and philanthropies in order to engage students with challenging, realworld education experiences. As a former high school teacher and author of the legislation creating the California High School Exit Exam, he led a comprehensive effort to increase rigor and improve student achievement in California high schools.
2012
L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas President’s Award Since he was overwhelmingly elected in November 2008 to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Mark Ridley-Thomas has distinguished himself as an aggressive advocate for the Second District’s nearly 2.3 million residents. He has promoted the district’s interest on a variety of fronts, including transportation, job creation and retention and local hiring. In the area of health policy, Supervisor Ridley-Thomas has worked to jump start the opening of the new Martin Luther King, Jr. hospital; he has facilitated the use of technology and encouraged an integrated approach to wellness that includes mental health care and a prominent role for school-based clinics. His advocacy has helped secure an equitable share of funding for public-private partnership health clinics in underserved areas. Prior to his election to the Board, Supervisor Ridley-Thomas served the 26th District in the California State Senate where he chaired several committees. He served as Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus in 2008 and led the Caucus in unprecedented levels of cooperation and collaboration with counterparts in the Latino, and Asian-Pacific Islander Legislative Caucuses. First elected to public office in 1991, he served with distinction on the Los Angeles City Council for nearly a dozen years and departed as Council President pro Tempore. He later served two terms in the California State Assembly, where he chaired the Assembly Democratic Caucus.
Dr. Anthony Smith
2012
Founders Award
An Oakland resident and parent of students in Oakland public schools, Dr. Anthony Smith was appointed Superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District in 2009. A veteran of the Bay Area education reform movement and a champion for equity in schools, he is the District’s first permanent, locally appointed Superintendent since 2003. Prior to joining OUSD, Smith served as Deputy Superintendent for the 56,000-student San Francisco Unified School District from November 2007 through June 2009. His tenure in San Francisco followed a position as Superintendent of the Emery Unified School District (EUSD) in Emeryville, California. Prior to leading Emery Unified, Smith served as Director of the Emeryville Citywide Initiative, with particular responsibility for the Math, Science, Technology Initiative (MSTI), a joint project of EUSD, the City of Emeryville, the Emery Ed Fund and the Bay Area Coalition for Equitable Schools (BayCES).
Michael Watkins
2012
Sounding The Bell Award
Michael Watkins was elected Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools in November 2006. Watkins had served in the Santa Cruz County Office of Education since 1980 as Director Special Education, then Director, Alternative Education. Additionally, he served as Past State President of the Juvenile Court, Community and Alternative School Administrators of California. A native of Oakland, California, he received a B.A. in Psychology, teaching credentials in both History and Special Education and a Masters degree in School Administration from Cal State University Hayward. His teaching experience includes one year as a teacher in Oakland, followed by seven years with the Alameda County Office of Education.
Dr. Judy White
2012
Superintendent Award
With more than 33 years of experience in education, Dr. Judy D. White is the Superintendent of the 35,000-student Moreno Valley Unified School District. She embraces a united effort of “Excellence on Purpose.” Since her appointment as Superintendent in February of 2011, Dr. White has instituted a formal “Adopt a School” program for local businesses and organizations and Gift of Time (GOT) Volunteer program to increase volunteers on campus. She has also established an “Excellence on Purpose” Educational Foundation; implemented a “Help Me Graduate” hotline and webpage to assist credit-deficient students, established Game Nights to support district athletic teams; opened a Parent Resource Center; and secured several donations including a $5,000 grant from San Manuel Band of Mission Indians to provide books to students and pay for volunteer fingerprinting. Prior to her current appointment, she served as Deputy Superintendent for San Bernardino City Unified School District.
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
Dr. Ramona E. Bishop
Dr. Ramona E. Bishop serves as the Superintendent of the Vallejo Unified School District. Prior to her position in Vallejo she served as Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Academic Achievement with the Twin Rivers Unified School District. She holds a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Pacific, Stockton; a Master of Science Degree in Educational Leadership from California State University, Hayward, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of California at Berkeley. Dr. Bishop served as Superintendent of the Del Paso Heights School District, Sacramento, Director III Multilingual/Multicultural Equity, Access and Achievements in Sacramento City Unified School District, Principal and in a dual role as Associate Superintendent of Curriculum/Instruction and Principal of Anna Yates Elementary School, Emery Unified School District.
Dr. Dennis Byas
Dr. Dennis Byas has served as Superintendent of the San Lorenzo Unified School District since 2007. Prior to his current assignment, he served for nearly eight years as Superintendent of the Colton Joint Unified School District, which enjoyed seven consecutive years of improved test scores and increased college attendance rates under his leadership. Dr. Byas has taught at various colleges and universities for more than 17 years. He received a B.A. in Economics from California State University at San Bernardino and both Master of Arts and Master of Business Administration Degrees at Claremont Graduate School-Peter F. Drucker Management Center. He is also a 2005 graduate of the Eli Broad Center’s Superintendent Academy and is one of fewer than 100 Broad Fellows in the Nation.
Ras-Nicos Clark
Ras-Nico is a 12 year old 7th grader, that attends PS7 Middle School. He enjoys reading, science and math. He has studied piano since he was 5 years old and classically trained since 2006. He also enjoys performing poetry along with his piano performances. When he grows to be an adult he aspires to study science at Harvard University and to be specific, Bio-Chemistry so that he can find a cure for different diseases including a cure for malaria and aids in African countries.
Dr. Carole A. Cobb
Dr. Carole A. Cobb is the Executive Director for Sankofa Education Alliance (SEA), one of the premier nonprofit training and consulting firms whose mission is to help school districts, and community & faith-based organizations “operate from their strengths” as they shape and reshape their educational practices to build capacity for eliminating disparities in educational outcomes for African-American students, and move them to proficiency plus. She is also an accomplished curriculum designer, program developer, and coalition builder with over twenty years of successful experiences in public education as an administrator, a teacher, and instructional coordinator; eight as an undergraduate and a graduate professor of teacher education programs; and eighteen as a trained facilitator in culturally and linguistically responsive educational practices and Response to Instruction & Intervention (RtI2). Previously, Dr. Cobb served as a collaborative facilitator with the California Department of Education and Equity Alliance on the development and piloting of an online statewide Culturally Responsive Professional Development Module, and four years as the PreK-12 District Coordinator of the Academic English Mastery Program for Standard English Learners in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Education from Kentucky State University, and both her Masters of Education in Administrative Leadership and Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, with a minor in Business Management, from Wayne State University.
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
21
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond
Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond is the Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education at Stanford University, where she has launched the Stanford Educational Leadership Institute and the School Redesign Network. She has also served as faculty sponsor for the Stanford Teacher Education Program. She is a former president of the American Educational Research Association and member of the National Academy of Education. Her research, teaching, and policy work focus on issues of school restructuring, teacher quality and educational equity. From 1994 to 2001, she served as Executive Director of the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, a blue-ribbon panel, whose 1996 report, “What Matters Most: Teaching for America’s Future,” led to sweeping policy changes affecting teaching and teacher education. In 2006, this report was named one of the most influential affecting U.S. education and she was named one of the nation’s ten most influential people affecting educational policy over the last decade. Another of Dr. DarlingHammond’s more than 300 publications is “Preparing Teachers for a Changing World: What Teachers Should Learn and be Able to Do” (with John Bransford, for the National Academy of Education, winner of the Pomeroy Award from AACTE).
Mayor Osby Davis
In April of 1979, Mr. Davis was appointed by then Governor, Jerry Brown to fill the vacancy on the Solano County Board of Supervisors for District 1, Vallejo, California, becoming the first African American to serve on the Solano County Board of Supervisors. Later he was elected Chairman of the Board, thus becoming the first African American in the history of California to serve as a Chairman of a Board of Supervisors. Mr. Davis retired from the Board of Supervisors on in 1993, ending a distinguished fourteen (14) year career. Mr. Davis has been a member of several Public and Governmental Boards and Commissions, i.e., President of the Board of Directors of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, President and Trustee of the Vallejo Sanitation and Flood Control District, member of the Yolo/Solano County Air Pollution Control District, member of Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), the Bay Conservation Development Commission (BCDC), California Council on Criminal Justice, and many more. Other accomplishments include: the establishment of the “I CAN BE” program for elementary school students; the initiation of monthly breakfast meetings with Black Business, which led to the formation of the Black Chamber of Commerce for Vallejo; and serving as a Director of the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce where he chaired the Educational Roundtable for the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce. In 2007 he was elected Mayor of the City of Vallejo becoming the first African-American Mayor of the City. In 2011 he was re-elected and currently serves in that capacity today.
Assemblyman Mike Davis
Assemblyman Mike Davis was elected to serve the 48th District of the California Assembly in November of 2006. Assemblyman Davis has authored legislation on topics such as: public utilities procurement for minority owned businesses, career technical education, elder and dependent adult abuse, notaries public, gasoline dispensing: weight and measures, vandalism penalties: community service, Political Reform Act of 1974: electronic filing, and military service job protection among others. Prior to being elected, Mr. Davis served as Senior Deputy Director for Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke. He also served as District Director for Maxine Waters during her tenure in the California State Assembly and later, when she was elected to Congress. Davis earned a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte; an M.A. in Public Administration from California State University at Northridge; and an M.A. in Behavioral Science with a concentration in Negotiations and Conflict Management from California State University at Dominguez Hills. Additionally, he completed the Innovations in Governance Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
Dr. Duneen DeBruhl
Dr. Duneen DeBruhl is a Trustee/Vice President of the Board of Victor Valley Union High School District.Her career in education spans over 40 years. She served as the 2011 ACSA Region 12 Professor of the Year; Acting Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and Educational Services (20062010) and Director-At-Large San Bernardino County School Board Association Organizational Committee (elected position). She was named in the Cambridge Who’s Who Among Professional Woman Recognition Program (2008-2011). She received the NAACP Pioneer in Education Award San Bernardino County, Victorville African American Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award, California State County Award “Youth the Heart of the Community” Award, and Adjunct Professor Chapman/Brandman University. She served as the California Coalition of Black School Board Members Secretary/Treasurer (2010-2012).
Michael Dennis
Michael Dennis is the author/CEO of Teach Power, Inc. He has been a public school educator in Los Angeles, for more than twenty years, both as a teacher and adminstrator. As an educator, he has always placed great emphasis on respecting other cultures and points of view. He has written several books for teens and pre-teens emphasizing self-respect, self–determination, and personal responsibility. He has developed a research-based, culturally relevant and responsive curriculum that enhances student academically, socially and develops their character, and reconnects them positively to their community through a rite of passage process. He has presented at state, local, and national conferences on promoting positive advancement for all students including those most underserved (African American & Latino students).
Dr. Rex Fortune
Dr. Rex Fortune is the Founder and Executive Director of Project Pipeline, a Teacher Alternative Certification and Hiring program headquartered in Sacramento, California. He retired in July 2003 from Center Unified School District, where he served as Superintendent for fifteen years. Among his proudest accomplishments while there is a local general obligation bond for the Central District for $59 million for the construction of new facilities, where teachers and students use state-of-the-art technology to enhance learning. Prior to Center, Dr. Fortune was Superintendent of the Inglewood Unified School District, as well as the Associate Superintendent of Public Instruction for the California State Department of Education where his program responsibilities ranged from State Director of Compensatory Education to Manager of Gifted and Talented Education. He also served as the State Superintendent’s representative to State Board Committees responsible for Vocational Education and Equity Education Opportunities. Dr. Fortune co-authored a book based on research conducted in four California school districts called “Leadership on Purpose: Promising Practices for African-American and Hispanic Students”. He also produced the DVD “Leadership on Purpose”.
Sherman Garnett
Sherman Garnett is the Coordinator for Child Welfare/Attendance in the office of the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. Mr. Garnett is a thirty-five year veteran educator who has been a teacher, coach, dean, assistant principal, and principal at both the comprehensive and alternative school level. He is currently an adjunct faculty member in the area of school law and teacher assessment training at Chapman University, Brandman University, and Cal State San Bernardino for the past thirteen years. Mr. Garnett is the current past President of the California Association of Supervisors of Child Welfare and Attendance Southern Section (CASCWA).
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
25
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
Akuyoe Graham
Award-winning actor/author/educator Akuyoe Graham possesses an extraordinary gift – the ability to sit with society’s outcasts and rapidly guide them to a life-changing experience of their own Beauty of Being. Akuyoe’s personal encounter with her transcendent inner beauty was the culmination of a long journey, which she re-enacts in her highly acclaimed one-woman show, Spirit Awakening. The journey to wholeness, which informed and enlightened Akuyoe to her true and enduring nature, also empowered her to help alienated and incarcerated youth to reconnect with their unique, authentic identities – beyond the circumstances of their birth and the stories of their lives. Akuyoe has become an icon, a way-shower, and a mentor to hundreds of youth who long to find their way back to themselves.
Dr. LaRuth Gray
Dr. LaRuth Gray began her career in education as a teacher in the New Rochelle City School District where she later became Chairman of the Language Arts Department, Principal, Director of Instruction and finally, Assistant Superintendent. After leaving New Rochelle School District in 1982 she joined the Abbott Union Free District in Irvington, New York as a Superintendent where she retired in 1989. Dr. Gray has been recognized by the Dean of the School of Education at New York University with a Faculty Award for Outstanding Service, the Executive Educator of the National School Boards Association as one of the “100 Outstanding Educators in Small School Districts in North America”; and the Congressional Black Caucus Education Braintrust for her Excellence and Equity in Education. Now retired, Dr. Gray serves as Scholar in Residence at Metro Center. Professionally and currently, she serves as a representative for New York University’s Metro Center to the Organization of Institute Affiliates of the American Educational Research Association, Governmental Relations Liaison to the National Alliance of Black School Educators Board of Directors, and many other organizations.
Katrina Hamilton
Katrina Hamilton is an Educational Consultant for Triumph Learning. She currently works with schools to develop partnerships, and provides services and professional development in the areas of curriculum and instruction, including Buckle Down, Options Publishing, Coach, and iCore products. Her experience includes serving as a consultant in multicultural studies and research methodology. Ms. Hamilton has designed culturally relevant pedagogical curriculum lessons, which arm new teachers with tools to transfer theory into practice. She is the author of The Golden Keys (an adaptation chronicling President Barack Obama’s journey to the White House) and a contributor to Black Greek Letter Organizations in the 21st Century: Our Fight has Just Begun, edited by Dr. Gregory Sparks. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Dominguez Hills and an M.A. in Education from Pepperdine University.
Bob Harris
Bob Harris has been an educator for the past thirty eight years. After a successful teaching career in Long Beach, he transitioned into the educational publishing industry to provide support in curriculum and instruction to teachers and students. During his publishing career, Bob has served in a variety of roles. Bob recently joined ETA/Cuisenaire, well known for hands-on learning materials in Pre K -12 Math, Literacy, Science and the Humanities as the Western Regional Vice President. He joins the company at a time that the it is utilizing its expertise around hands on solutions by providing high quality professional development for the Common Core State Standards, and innovative solutions in technology. Many of the solutions will benefit schools and districts that are also focusing up STEMS initiatives, afterschool and summer school programs, and parent involvement, as well as programs for special needs students. In the past he served at Pearson both as the Pacific Regional Vice President of Sales and as an Executive for Strategic Partnerships in key urban districts. He has helped to develop successful programs in reading, math, science and social studies that have been innovative in their design, easy for teachers to use, while they support student achievement for English learners, in part by providing a high degree of relevancy for students. Bob also served as chairperson for the California chapter for the California American Association of Publishers.
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
Tony Hicks
Tony Hicks is an educational consultant, specializing in parent and community involvement and provides services to schools, agencies, and organizations. Tony has worked in the public school system for more than twenty-five years, serving as a district level parent coordinator and community liaison with Compton Unified School District. Tony currently teaches parent education classes at schools throughout Los Angeles County for The Parent Institute, and serves as Chairperson for The Black Parent Union, a county-wide parent advocacy group. Tony is the father of three children, and a graduate of California State University Long Beach. His experience includes; working in the classroom, serving on councils/committees, coordinating the activities of parent liaisons, conducting workshops, mentoring students, training staff, hosting a cable TV show, and leading instructional audits.
Kathy Hurley
Kathy Hurley, Executive Vice President, Education Alliances, for the Pearson Foundation, is a 40+ year veteran of the education industry, and has been with the Foundation for four years as a member of the Executive team. Kathy’s wealth of knowledge both in publishing and technology has aided the Foundation with its work in promoting literacy and global recognition. Throughout her career in the education industry Hurley has also served in top executive positions in both publishing and technology companies. She currently serves on several key industry and education advisory boards and has been at the forefront in leading the charge for 21st century skills as Past Chairman of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21). She most recently was invited to join the Advisory Board for the SREB/iNACOL National Online Teacher of the Year award program and the inaugural Building a Grad Nation Summit Steering Committee. Her work with the philanthropic arm of Pearson, the Foundation, has taken Hurley around the world and into various countries where Pearson has a strong presence renewing her commitment to the need for new and innovative ways to help children learn. In addition, Hurley has received various awards for her service in the industry.
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Carrie Jasper
Carrie Jasper is the Director of Outreach to Parents and Families in the Office of Communications and Outreach at the U. S. Department of Education (ED). She is also the writer and editor of two quarterly newsletters for families, Engaging Families and Touching Base, specifically for military families. Ms. Jasper previously worked in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education for the Title I and Impact Aid Programs. She has written several publications for the Department among them Parent Power, Empowering Parents School Box, Tips for Reading Tutors, the Activity Book (for students) and Preparing for College. She is a former teacher of the D.C. Public Schools and the Archdiocese of Washington. Ms. Jasper holds a Masters in Math Education from Howard University and Bachelors from the District of Columbia Teachers College. She is the president of The Lucinda L. Jasper Scholarship Fund, Inc. and a member of the Board for Our Black Authors Foundation in Largo, Maryland.
Joseph Jones
Joseph Jones serves as Assistant Executive Director of Member Services and Professional Standards with the Association of California School Administrators (ASCA), with whom he has worked for the past 16 years. In this role, he assists California superintendents and administrators with due process, contract development, legal problems, conflict resolution, interest-based bargaining, site-based decision making, and sexual harassment workshops. He also serves as ACSA’s liaison to numerous state and national associations and boards. His educational experience includes thirty-five years in public schools, precollege and the university levels as classroom teacher, middle school counselor, middle and high school assistant principal, and high school principal. Jones has also served as a part-time instructor of graduate students in teacher education and school administration, and as a nationally distinguished lecturer.
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
29
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
Linda Jones
Linda Jones currently serves as President of the Westside Union School Board, a K-8 district located in northern Los Angeles county serving approximately 8,600 students. As a tireless advocate for our schools, she has used her seat on the Board to fight for higher standards, greater accountability and a renewed dedication to improving our children's future through a quality education. A former licensed vocational nurse, Linda has worked as a special education teacher for the last 16 years. She is a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership and an active member of several civic organizations including CAAASA, Antelope Valley School Boards Association, founder and past President of the High Desert Alliance of Black School Educators, and former vice president of the CA Coalition of Black School Board members.
Dr. George King
Dr. George King is the principal consultant to the Speaker’s Office for the California State Assembly. With extensive experience in management and consulting, he has also served as President and CEO of KAM Management and Consulting Services; “Connections Project” Consultant for the California Department of Education; Special Assistant to the Speaker for the California State Legislature; Senior Program Associate in the Curriculum Resources Group for the Institute for Services to Education in Washington, D.C.; and several positions as professor and assistant professor at prestigious universities across the country. A published author, Dr. King has served as director for in-service training institutes to support education agencies and community groups. He has also served as a guest speaker for the National Education Association (NEA), and numerous school districts, colleges, universities, and professional associations throughout the United States.
Dawn Kirk-Alexander
Dawn Kirk-Alexander, writer-producer, is a Winner of the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame Award for her Screenplay entitled “Madness.” With a MFA from Columbia University Dawn was a finalist in the Carl Sautter Memorial Scriptwriting Competition, and the Nichols Fellowship. As a freelance writer she has written “Came & Left” - for “ER,” along with a spec scripts for “Gilmore Girls” and “Third Watch.” In addition to being an award-winning writer, Dawn has produced several award winning commercials and PSA’s for TBWA/Chiat/Day, Grey Advertising, etc. Dawn previously performed as a freelance line producer Dawn previously performed as a freelance line producer for the television show “American Gladiator;” along with several music video’s directed by F. Gary Grey (The Italian Job & Be Cool) and director Paul Hunter (Bulletproof Monk).
Dr. Charlie Mae Knight
Dr. Knight has dedicated her career to ensuring the educational success of generations of children. Dr. Knight is known for her commitment to students and their families. She is also known for her tremendous energy and her inspirational leadership. She has said, “You have to create a climate that suggests success is imminent.” In her years in California, Dr. Knight has served as Associate Superintendent, California State Department of Education, Trustee of Compton Community College, and Superintendent of Lynwood Unified School District and served 17 years as Superintendent of Ravenswood City School District. In Ravenswood, Dr. Knight transformed the education offered to students by bringing the district back from the brink of bankruptcy, initiating innovative programs, generating private and public support for programs and restoring public confidence in the district’s ability to educate its children. Dr. Charlie Mae Knight has championed the cause of African American leadership convening the Annual Multicultural Education Conference in Monterey, California, the California Education Summits in Sacramento, California, and the Urban Institutes in Santa Clara, California. She was also a Charter Member of the California Association of Compensatory Education (CACE), President of Region III 1975-77, and President of CACE 1978, She directed college summer training Institutes for teachers of the disadvantaged and administered tutorial programs for minorities for the University of California. Dr Knight is the proud founder of CAAASA and her legacy to increase African American leadership lives on today.
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
Judge Adrienne Konigar-Macklin
Adrienne Konigar-Macklin began her legal career as an attorney specializing in the representation of public school districts and other educational and public entities. She has served as special counsel in several districts, general counsel for both the Pomona Unified School District and the Inglewood Unified School District, and legal division chief for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Mrs. Konigar-Macklin has provided legal and administrative advice on an array of education related issues facing school districts and public agencies, including conflicts of interest, Special Education, inter-agency agreements, territory transfers, employee evaluation and discipline, charter schools, internal policies, agency organization, legislation, and merit system operation and has represented her clients before various legal bodies. She was the lead attorney on the largest special education lawsuit in the State of California and negotiated a landmark $118 million dollar settlement for the abatement of airport pollution in schools. Mrs. KonigarMacklin was recently appointed as an Judge in the Administrative Courts of the State of California.
Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte
Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte has served the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) as the elected Board Member for Board District 1 since 2003. A tireless advocate for children, she is vocal on a number of education-related issues, including “equal access for all children” and “education as a civil right.” An experienced educator, she served as a teacher, counselor, principal and administrator with LAUSD for more than 25 years, prior to her election. LaMotte earned a B.A. from Southern University and an M.Ed. in from Louisiana State University, where she was also the first African American woman to serve as visiting professor in the undergraduate school of education. LaMotte has served as President of the Los Angeles Council of Black Administrators (COBA); Los Angeles Chapter; President of the Assault on Illiteracy Program and as a volunteer and member of numerous community and civic organizations.
Charles Love
Charles Love has worked for the federal government for more than forty years, and currently employs a number of Specialists and Attorneys who administer and implement various civil rights laws. These laws prohibit local school districts, colleges, universities, and programs receiving Department funds from discriminating against students, parents, and others on the bases of race, color, sex, and handicap. He is the Program Manager for the San Francisco office which covers the state of California. He has also worked for EEOC and the National Labor Relations Board. Apart from his federal interest in education, he currently serves as the Vice-President of the Board of Regents for a local parochial high school. Prior to joining the civil service, he was a political and community activist. He participated in activities that led to increased opportunities for minorities in the bay area. He also worked with SNCC and Dr. Martin Luther King. He participated in the Selma, Alabama march, and was a community organizer in Chicago.
Dr. Aisha Lowe
Dr. Aisha Lowe serves as the Deputy Director of STAND UP, leading Mayor Kevin Johnson’s local advocacy initiative to ensure every child has the opportunity to attend an excellent public school. Prior to joining STAND UP, Aisha was the Director of Research for the California Charter Schools Association where she authored the Similar Students Measure for charter school accountability and a report about the performance of African American students in California, Chartering and Choice as an Achievement-gap Closing Reform. She is a former teacher and professor and previously served as the Executive Director of the East Palo Alto Stanford Academy, the Tutorial Director of the East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring Program, a site coordinator for the Educational Program for Gifted Youth (Korea), and the Coordinator for Partners for Academic Excellence at Stanford. She served as the Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of Fellowship Academy and currently serves on the Board of Trustees and as President of the Alumni Association at The Urban School of San Francisco, her alma mater.
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
33
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
Adonai Mack
Adonai Mack is a legislative advocate for the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA). Mack advocates on behalf of members of ACSA in areas including the State budget, Special Education, transportation, pupil services and pre-school. Prior to joining ACSA, Mack served as legislative advocate at the California School Boards Association, where he focused on charter schools, facilities, retirement and professional development. He has also worked as an advocate for State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell and in the Office of the Secretary for Education for former Governor Gray Davis. A native of Davis, California and the son of former longtime Sacramento-area Superintendent Carl Mack, he is a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta.
Diane Marshall-Freeman
Diane Marshall-Freeman is a managing partner with Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost, LLP, Sacramento office. A highly skilled practitioner with an extensive background in all areas of General and Special Education Law, she serves as general counsel to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF). An experienced litigator, Ms. Marshall-Freeman has successfully argued cases at the federal and state levels. As general counsel to CIF, she has appeared in state courts on matters involving student athletic eligibility, qualifications for Section and State championships, and CIF jurisdiction. She holds B.A. and J.D. Degrees from the University of California at Los Angeles.
David Massey
Producer-Director: David Massey is a producer-director whose 1992 AFI thesis film, Last Breeze of Summer, was nominated for an Academy Award in the Live-Action Short Film category. Massey has produced several documentary films, commercials, and television shows such as Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win, a documentary on the woman’s movement in Ghana. Presently, Massey is the co-chair of the Black Association of Documentary Filmmakers, West (BAD-West) in Los Angeles. He has been the recipient of several prestigious awards including 2010 PBS Innovated Teacher Award, The Martin Ritt Scholarship, Eastman Kodak Second Century Honoree, The National Education Association for the “Advancement of Learning through Broadcasting,” the National Black Programming Consortium “Prized Pieces,” and is a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Vincent C. Matthews
Dr. Vincent C. Matthews is the Superintendent of the San Jose Unified School District. Prior to his current position, he served as State Trustee for the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), Chief of Staff with OUSD and Area Superintendent with the San Diego Unified School District. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, a Masters in Educational Leadership and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, all from San Francisco State University. He is a 2006 graduate of the Broad Superintendent’s Academy.
Gabriel McCurtis
Gabriel E. McCurtis is the Superintendent of Schools for the McFarland Unified School District. He earned both the bachelor and master degree at the University of California, Riverside. He is currently working on a doctorate in the field of Christian Education through the Calvary Chapel Teachers College in San Diego. He has served as a teacher, principal and school administrator in various districts, including Rialto Unified School District, Pittsburgh Unified School District, Berkeley Unified School District, Santa Paula Union High School District. He has also served as an adjunct professor for Azusa Pacific University. In addition to his educational interests, he is also an ordained minister and the pastor of the Unity Christian Fellowship Church of God in Christ, a ministry he founded in 1991.
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
Dr. George McKenna
Dr. George McKenna currently serves as Superintendent, Local District 7, with the Los Angeles Unified School District. A lifelong educator, McKenna held several positions within the district before joining Washington Preparatory High School in Los Angeles as its Principal. While at Washington Prep, he developed and implemented the Preparatory School Model, stressing academic excellence at all levels. In four years, he successfully changed an inner-city high school that had been torn by violence, low achievement and lack of community confidence into a school with an attendance waiting list, and nearly 80% of the graduates enrolled in college. Because of his success, Dr. McKenna’s programs have been widely modeled throughout the country. Additionally, a motion picture about his success was released in 1986. In addition to serving as a teacher and principal, he served as General Deputy in a Local District, Superintendent in Inglewood, and Assistant Superintendents in Compton, Los Angeles, and Pasadena School Unified Districts before coming out of retirement to work with LAUSD again.
U.S. Congressman George Miller
George Miller first ran for office because he had a sense of urgency to serve people and his country. And today he continues to believe that the test for elected officials is whether they get up every day with that sense of urgency and drive to get things done. He recognizes the solemn responsibility and enormous opportunity he has to help strengthen and grow America’s middle class families by improving the economy and creating good jobs, ensuring access to affordable health care, making college more affordable, improving public schools, protecting our children, and keeping our environment and water supplies clean and secure. George believes America must honor its commitment to our service men and women and veterans, that seniors deserve affordable services and that we must protect Medicare and Social Security. He works hard at his job because there is so much at stake. His goal is to give voice to the people in his community over the powerful interests that have dominated our political system and to help the people in his community, across the state and across the country reach their full potential.
Harriett Morgan
For more than twenty years Harriet Morgan has served in urban areas as a teacher, counselor, site administrator and program coordinator for children with special needs. She is a Special Education Consultant who has coordinated the implementation of educational services for students of special needs. As Program Director of the pre natal exposed drug infancy program Harriet recognizes the importance of differentiated instruction and the relevance it has on student achievement. In recent years, Harriet Morgan has been especially committed to programs and policies that focus on developing and supporting appropriate decisions about teaching culturally diverse students and the preparedness of the teacher who interacts with those students.
John Murray
As Chairman & CEO of AdvancePath, John maintains overall responsibility for AdvancePath’s strategic and financial objectives. Prior to founding AdvancePath John was Chairman, President and CEO of PLATO Learning, Inc. (NASDAQ: TUTR) where he had a successful 18 year career. Under John’s direction PLATO became the largest, publicly traded, educational software provider in the world and served the needs of both mainstream and alternative education. Under John’s leadership PLATO became recognized by educators, policy makers, and politicians as an industry leader and change agent. Prior to his career in business, John spent 16 years in the British Army’s Signal Corp after leaving high school at age 15, and was recognized in the Queens 1985 Birthday Honors list for his outstanding contribution to Army training.
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
37
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
Steven Niederman
Steven Niederman was most recently Executive Vice President, myLanguage360, a TCG company. As part of TCG Advisors, he is involved in helping superintendents and administrators with contract and compensation issues, as well as school district with retirement planning. He has been involved in educational technology for over 30 years, focusing on disengaged students, drop-outs, and programs to benefit children in need. He is a long time sponsor of CAAASA and NABSE, and created multiple initiatives to help educational programs for schools in need, as well as worked closely with the Education is a Civil Rights Committee. He created the International Leadership Symposiums, highly recognized professional development programs designed to broaden the business, political, cultural and educational perspectives of high-ranking African American and Latino education leaders.
Chenai Okammor
Chenai Okammor is the Vice President of National Accounts with the Pearson Curriculum Group. As V.P., she leads a team of consultants who are responsible for creating and executing practical educational partnerships in large school districts across the Nation. She has the responsibility of supporting product offerings, for grades K through 12, with the end result of positively affecting student performance in all types of environments. Chenai has been with Pearson for 11 years and has served in various capacities. As a former teacher, central office administrator, Professional Development Facilitator and Mathematics Director in New York City District Twelve, Chenai continuously employs the practical lessons learned from the urban educators who work to overcome varying challenges by partnering with external organizations.
Assemblyman John A. Pérez
Assemblyman John A. Pérez serves as Speaker of the Assembly. He represents California’s 46th District, comprising Maywood, Vernon, Huntington Park, as well as the communities of Boyle Heights, downtown Los Angeles, unincorporated East Los Angeles and parts of South Los Angeles. After attending the University of California at Berkeley, he became active in the labor movement on the grassroots level and later served as political director for the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 324, and a similar position with the California Labor Federation. His commitment to the labor movement was matched by an equal commitment to civic involvement. He has served on the board of directors of the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency, where he led the effort to mandate a local hire agreement, requiring 30% of all major construction jobs to be dedicated to local residents. As the first openly gay person of color to be elected to state office in California, John has been a longtime advocate on behalf of the Lesbian/Gay/ Bisexual/Transgender community. John’s lifetime of fighting for better wages, healthcare and benefits for working families reflects the values with which he was raised, giving him a deep understanding of the daily struggles that so many working families endure.
Mayor Eric J. Perrodin
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Mayor Eric J. Perrodin has committed his life to public service. Perrodin grew up in Compton and later attended California State University Dominguez Hills, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 1982. Following undergraduate school, he joined the Compton Police Department. Always dedicated to excellence, Perrodin distinguished himself for high performance while working as an officer in several divisions, including community affairs, gangs, narcotics and as a detective. During his tenure, he built a reputation as a seasoned officer and champion of those considered underdogs in the City. Perrodin was one of the youngest officers ever promoted to the position of Sergeant for the Compton Police Department. He served as the President of the Compton Police Officers Association and showed his community spirit, along with his fellow officers, by participating in several Christmas variety shows, which raised funds to purchase food and gifts for needy families. An advocate for education, after serving 12 years, he left the force to become a Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County. Because of his strong belief in and advocacy for the City of Compton, Perrodin decided to run for Mayor. The citizens of Compton elected Eric J. Perrodin to the office of Mayor on June 5, 2001. He won re-election in April 2005. Mayor Perrodin continues to strive for excellence. CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
Dr. Pamela Short Powell
Dr. Pamela Short Powell, is the interim CEO of the Greater Crenshaw Educational Partnership. This is a partnership between the Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles Urban League, Tom and Ethel Bradley Foundation, and the USC Rossier School of Education. She has spent the last thirty-five years serving as an educator in the public school system. She served as the Superintendent of the Inglewood Unified School District, the Interim Superintendent as well as Chief Academic Officer for the Oklahoma City Public Schools, and the Assistant Superintendent for Schools, Director of Elementary Instruction, Principal, Curriculum Resource Specialist and teacher for the Pasadena Unified School District. Dr. Powell actively and successfully pursued various community outreach ventures for the benefit of children, such as implementing the Adopt-A-School Program; establishing a partnership with the Association of Inglewood Ministerial Alliance and initiated a district-wide fatherhood outreach effort. She has been a visiting professor for the University of San Diego and Azusa Pacific University. She has her own educational consultant business in which she consults with varioius school districts throughout the State.
Senator Curren Price
Senator Curren Price began his career with the California Legislature as an Assemblyman, elected in 2006. He was re-elected to represent the 51st District by an overwhelming margin in 2008. After serving one full term in the California State Assembly, he was elected in May 2009 to represent the 26th District in the State Senate. Senator Price is a strong advocate for investing in our public schools, empowering parents and challenging all students to meet higher academic standards and seeks to give all Californians, regardless of income or socioeconomic status, the chance to go to college and develop the skills needed to succeed in today’s highly competitive workplace. As a champion for working families, Senator Price has fought to protect the rights of California workers. He has led efforts to support homecare workers, hotel workers, security guards and other workers that are vital to California’s economy, in order to organize for better wages and benefits. Senator Price serves on a range of important committees including the Legislative Joint Committee on the Arts, which he chairs, as well as the several Senate Select Committees. Additionally, he serves on Appropriations, Banking Finance and Insurance, Education, Governmental Organization and Local Government committees. Prior to serving in the California Legislature, Senator Price was a 2-term member of the Inglewood City Council. He has also been a business owner and consultant. Senator Price holds a B.A from Stanford University and Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University.. Senator Price is also Chair of the Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee.
Winfrey Roberson
Winfred B. Roberson, Jr. is a 1989 UC Berkeley Graduate. He began teaching 8th grade US History in the Compton Unified School District in 1992. From 1992 through 2000 Winfred served on curriculum writing teams for three school districts. During his teaching tenure, Winfred served as the social studies department chair and the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) coordinator. Winfred has also served as a student mentor, football and track coach, and the Gang Risk Intervention Program Director. In 2000, Winfred stepped into K-12 administration first as a Jr. High School Dean, then High School Assistant Principal, and High School Principal. In July 2010 Winfred was appointed Superintendent of the Davis Joint Unified School District. He is married and has three teenaged children living with him here in Davis, California.
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
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CAAASA 2012 Presenters
Dr. Sylvia Rousseau
Dr. Sylvia Rousseau is a Professor of Education with the University of Southern California and a member of the African American Advisory Committee to the California State Board of Education. Her research interests include reforming systems and structures to organize urban schools for learning; the relationship between culture and cognition in promoting learning for all students; deepening understandings of literacy acquisition in urban schools; secondary literacy; and exploring and developing university and K-12 partnerships. She is often called upon to speak at educational conferences on creating change in urban schools. She is former Interim Executive Director of the Greater Crenshaw Educational Partnership - a partnership between the Los Angeles Urban League, Tom and Ethel Bradley Foundation and USC Rossier School of Education to provide oversight of Crenshaw High School. Her career includes teaching positions at a number of schools in Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, Santa Monica and Los Angeles. Within the LAUSD, she served as Superintendent of Local District 7 and Assistant Superintendent of Instructional School Services. She has also held positions at Loyola Marymount and UCLA She is the past recipient of the USC Rossier School of Education’s R.O.S.E. Award.
Justin Serrano
Justin Serrano is the President of Kaplan K12 and College Prep Programs at Kaplan Test Prep, a division of Kaplan, Inc., where he is responsible for having driven a new SAT/ACT strategy that propelled Kaplan to the leading market position in 2010. He has worked for Kaplan Test Prep for over 15 years, during which time he has held a range of management positions. He also spearheaded the development of Kaplan’s Smart Track™, an adaptive software platform which analyzes individual student performance and prescribes custom learning plans. Previously, he oversaw Kaplan Test Prep’s graduate business. During his tenure, he led the integration of official test maker content into Kaplan’s courses. Justin’s prior roles at Kaplan also include serving as a Regional Director for the North Atlantic region as well as serving as the company’s Director of Teacher Recruitment and Development. Justin began his career at Kaplan as a teacher and Student Advisor in Manhattan in 1995. As an instructor, he taught a diverse array of test prep courses including MCAT, DAT, GMAT, SAT, SCI HI, GRE and LSAT.
Nabeehah Shakir
Nabeehah Sabree Shakir has over four decades of experience in the field of education and yet maintains a passion for teaching and learning. She served as a classroom teacher; professional development coordinator; principal and curriculum coordinator at a charter school. She represented OUSD as the Practitioner Scholar on African American Culture and Literacy Research Project and at numerous conferences and as a part of the Superintendents team, presented before the United State Senate Hearings on Ebonics, 1997. Currently she conducts professional development institutes on culturally relevant and linguistically appropriate curriculum and instruction.
Alice Spearman
Alice Spearman is a me`mber of the School Board with the Oakland Unified School District representing District 7. She is an advocate for education for children and adults. Her priority is to assist parents in helping their children learn how to navigate within the educational institutions in order to ensure that they receive the best education. Ms. Spearman has volunteered at many schools, and formerly served as Chair of the District Advisory Council; the National Coalition of Title I Parents, Region 9; and Board Member of the Family Action Network, California State Department of Education; and past Board Member of the Community Action Agency.
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
Gregory Spencer
Gregory A. Spencer serves as the Director of Strategic Partnerships for Knowledge Delivery Systems, (KDS). KDS is the nation’s leading provider of strategic online professional development for K-12 teachers, administrators, staff, and parents. Greg is a former school board member, principal, and teacher. Prior to joining KDS, Greg worked with SchoolNet, providing data management services to districts. Greg has authored 3 books and volunteers his time as a Board Member with a financial literacy educational nonprofit that works with At-Risk communities.
Dr. Shirley Thorton
Shirley Thornton, Ed.D., is a scholar, educator, administrator, author, and member of the Sausalito Marin City School Board. She also serves as Adjunct Professor in the Educational Administration and Policy Studies Department with the California State University, Sacramento’s School Of Education. Dr. Thornton specializes in assisting school districts and individual schools in providing quality education for all students who are most at-risk of academic failure. Dr. Thornton’s textbook, “Transforming Schools, Finding Success For Students At Risk Through Systemic Change,” is a practical guide that gives a clear process for improving troubled schools. She holds a B.A. in Biological Sciences from San Francisco State University an M.A. in Counseling and credentials in teaching, counseling, and administration. She holds a Doctorate of Education from the University of San Francisco in Curriculum and Instruction. She also graduated from the Command and General Staff College, US Army Reserves, and retired a full Colonel.
Dr. Ivory Toldson
Dr. Ivory A. Toldson is an associate professor at Howard University, senior research analyst for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and current editor-in-chief of “The Journal of Negro Education.” Dubbed a rising “2028 presidential candidate” by the Washington Post, “a modern day Harlem Renaissance writer,” by the New African Journal, and “Young Researcher of the Year” by Southern University, Dr. Toldson, according to Howard University’s Quest Magazine, is “a much sought-after lecturer and researcher on a number of serious sociological and psychological issues that have implications for African Americans.” He has more than 40 publications and research presentations in 29 US states, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Scotland, South Africa, and Paris. Toldson has been featured on C-SPAN2 Books, NPR News, The Al Sharpton Show on XM Satellite Radio, and WKYS 93.9. His research has been featured on The Root, Essence.com, BET.com and The Griot, and he also gave expert commentary in three documentaries on Black male achievement: Beyond the Bricks, Hoodwinked, and the Promise Tracker. Known as a “myth buster,” Dr. Toldson has publish reports challenging the merits of popular research reports and news sources that present negative statistics about Black people, which have been widely discussed in academic and popular media.
Superintendent Tom Torlakson
Superintendent Tom Torlakson is a native of San Francisco. He is a former Assemblymember and served as a Merchant Marine during the Vietnam War. He earned the Bachelor of Arts in History in 1971, a Life Secondary Teaching Credential, and the Master in Education from UC-Berkeley. Former Assemblymember Torlakson represented California’s 11th Assembly District. He was elected on November 4, 2008 to a final term as a member of the California State Assembly. His career in public service began as a science teacher in 1972. He was elected to the Antioch City Council in 1978, and then served on the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors for 16 years. Previously, he served in the California State Senate from 2000-2008 and the State Assembly from 1996-2000. While a member of the State Senate, he ended his term as the Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Also, he chaired the Senate Majority Caucus, Senate Transportation and Housing Committee, and Senate Local Government Committee. Additionally, he served as a member of the Education Committee and chaired the Senate Select Committee on Schools and Community. He is the Chair and Founder of the California Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness, a group seeking to raise the profile of health and fitness in the public schools and in the workplace. Superintendent Torlakson has two adult daughters, Tiffany Margulici and Tamara Torlakson. California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
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CAAASA 2012 Presenters
Michael Watkins
Michael Watkins was elected Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools in November 2006. Watkins had served in the Santa Cruz County Office of Education since 1980 as Director Special Education, then Director, Alternative Education. Additionally, he served as Past State President of the Juvenile Court, Community and Alternative School Administrators of California. A native of Oakland, California, he received a B.A. in Psychology, teaching credentials in both History and Special Education and a Masters degree in School Administration from Cal State University Hayward. His teaching experience includes one year as a teacher in Oakland, followed by seven years with the Alameda County Office of Education.
Jabari Willis
Jabari Willis is a senior associate in the Cerritos office of Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo. Mr. Willis represents public entities in all aspects labor and employment law, including employment litigation defense. Mr. Willis also represents school districts in all aspects of education law, including special education and student discipline. He has represented employers in matters before the Public Employment Relations Board, Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Office of Administrative Hearings. In addition, Mr. Willis has assisted public employers with litigation matters in state and federal courts including successfully obtaining temporary restraining orders and permanent injunctions. He also conducts investigations into allegations of harassment and discrimination.
Dr. Erick E. Witherspoon
Dr. Erick Witherspoon is a dedicated professional with sixteen years of educational experience within the Wichita Public Schools and Rialto Unified School District. His areas of expertise include administration, curriculum, instruction, and staff development. In addition to serving as an elementary school principal, Dr. Witherspoon currently serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Redlands, School of Education, in Redlands, CA. Recent awards and recognitions include the San Bernardino County Education Medal of Honor nominee, San Bernardino County Making a Difference Award Recipient, California School Board Association’s Golden Bell Award, ACSA – San Bernardino County Elementary Principal of the Year, and the California Association of African-American Superintendents Emerging Superintendent award among many others.
Dr. LaTyna Young
Dr. LaTyna Young has spent 40 years in educational leadership in the Vallejo City Unified School District. She has served as the Director of Student Support Services and Alternative Education, Principal of Community Based School and Independent Study Program, Principal of People’s Continuation School, Principal of Hogan School, and as a Dean of Bethel School. She has also been a classroom teacher in Vallejo City Unified School District. She is an Adjunct Professor of Chatman College specializing in the Teacher Credential Program. Dr. Young is the CEO of ABC Educational Consulting.
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CAAASA 2012 State Conference - Hilton Arden West Sacramento
February 22 - 24, 2012
CAAASA 2012 Presenters
California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators
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