On Monday, November 1, the Chicago Public Schools Office of Early Childhood Education (OECE) will host its annual Universal Preschool Administrator Training workshop for school leaders with new or relatively new Pre-K programs in their schools. The event is organized by CPS Director of Early Childhood Programs Stephanie Cohen (UICs Ed.D. program) and her team, including Jamie Bright, Manager of Professional Learning and Walter Noble, Manager of C & I. Interim Chief Education Officer Maurice Swinney will introduce the Center for Urban Education Leadership (CUEL) UIC Steve Tozer (Professor Emeritus), Advisory Board Member for the National P-3 Center, for the keynote address. The presentation will be followed by a panel of four early childhood leaders, all UIC Ed.D. graduates or current candidates. The theory of action being enacted in each year’s panel discussion is that when an improving system has exemplars who can share their own learning, it accelerates the learning of others. Each year, a different geographical region of CPS is targeted for this administrator training, and this year its North Side schools’ turn. The panelists will be:
- Dr. Sade Adekunle, Principal, Sayre Elementary School
- Carrie Cole, Assistant Principal, Jamieson Elementary School
- Dr. Seth Lavin, Principal, Brentano Elementary School
- Dr. Christine Zelenka, Principal, Murphy Elementary School
All of these schools have been recognized for the strength of their Pre-K programs, which doesn’t happen without strong school leadership.