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MAY/JUN 2012 ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ spotlight on schoolsCommissioner John KingVisits with NYS RegentChristine Cea in Staten IslandPresident Susan Fuhrman PresentsAwards to Distinguished Alumsat Teachers College7By Dr. Pola RosenA strong group of about 40 leaders in specialeducation in Staten Island gathered for an intimatetalk with NYS Commissioner John Kingand Kevin Smith, Deputy Commissioner, NYSEducation Department about building strongerpathways to continuing education and vocationaleducation early in a student’s life.King stated that the focus should be onpartnerships. Several principals and superintendentsexpressed the need to begin transitions assoon as possible, for example, in independentliving centers.King asked the group what was working welland what resources they needed. A principal inDistrict 79 suggested that career technical educationbe expanded. Another suggestion fromPort Richmond High School was for programsto co-exist. Some said that programs have to beconnected to jobs. King agreed: programs haveto lead to careers.Some of the programs cited as examples forinclusion were culinary, financial literacy, letterwriting and how to get a job. The HungerfordSchool has been helping special needs studentsfor over 40 years and according to principal, Dr.Mary McInerney “our population is aging andDr. Christine Cea & Dr. John Kingwe have to find ways to support them in theirolder age.”King summarized, “We must set meaningfulstandards and apply them across grade levelsand ability levels.”Kudos to Dr. Christine Cea for bringing educatorstogether with the Commissioners for aninformed conversation about special needs students.Conversation and collaboration can onlylead to crystallizing goals and implementingchange together. All agreed this conversationshould take place 3-4 times per year. #(L-R) Professor Jeffrey Sachs & Dr.Matthew PittinskyAcademic Festival at Teachers College,Columbia University provided a great opportunityto learn, interact and discover what othersare doing in education around the nation.The keynote speaker was Professor JeffreySachs, head of the Earth Institute at ColumbiaUniversity; Dr. Matthew Pittinsky, founder ofBlackboard received the President’s Medalof Excellence and Dr. Pola Rosen, founderof Education Update received the President’s(L-R) TC President Susan Fuhrman &Dr. Pola RosenAward of High Distinction. Pittinsky and Rosenare graduates of Teachers College. The day wasfilled with seminars and panels on topics suchas financial literacy and technology in the 21 stcentury, technology in the classroom, connectingcommunities online.Among the alumni honored was CommissionerJohn King. Trustee Dawn Duques held a sumptuousfeast in her 35th-floor penthouse precedingthe awards and attended by trustee Joyce Cowin. #