Partnership to target teacher recruitment, training

Winston Salem State University met with five local school districts Thursday morning to discuss a partnership for professional development of teachers and administrators.

The goal is to develop a program that falls in line with the Enhanced Training for School Administrators bill, which outlines standards for collaboration between universities and public school districts.

“It was inspirational to see the actual superintendents come over. All of them talked about the importance of this in helping provide support programs and enhancing teaching skills,” said Aaron Singleton, WSSU director of news and media relations.

Dean for the School of Education and Human Performance Cynthia Jackson-Hammond said the collaboration with the school district is necessary to design and implement teacher support programs at the university level.

The law asks that schools of education work with public school districts to plan education programs for prospective teachers and school principals, she said.

According to the agreement reached, WSSU is the counties’ first choice for teacher and administrator professional development.

“It’s for the school people meeting with university people who will help and provide them in designing a 21st century curriculum,” said Toni Bigham, assistant superintendent for elementary school administration in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.

The university will design programs to fit the needs of the nearby school districts, Jackson-Hammond said.

She said one way WSSU can help is by recruiting local high school students with the potential to become math and science teachers, which will help alleviate a teaching shortage in those academic areas.

They hope the WSSU graduates will be more likely come back to work in the school districts.

Jackson-Hammond said the goal is for every UNC-system school of education to have a similar agreement with its local school district.

“I think the idea of collaboration is essential with the economic issues that we’re having here in North Carolina and the United States.”

Jackson-Hammond cited that the state teacher shortage is one of the economic issues that spurred the partnership.

N.C. Department of Public Instruction Communications Director Lynda Fuller said the WSSU memorandum could serve as a model for future partnerships.

“It’s all about learning,” Bigham said.



Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.