Vol. 20 No. 1 The Fall 2011 Teachers College Leadership Trip to Regents name Dr. Michael Shonrock as 16th president Eastern Europe Dr. Michael Shonrock celebrating the success of ESU.” is the 16th president of Shonrock served as a senior vice president and A dozen people Emporia State University. an associate professor of educational psychology from ESU set off The Kansas Board of and leadership at Texas Tech University. He began to Eastern Europe Regents voted Dec. 9 to ap- his higher education administration career at Texas in late spring to prove the appointment then Tech in 1990. He has held various leadership posi- learn about the officially introduced Shon- tions with increasing levels of responsibility and world and them- rock and his wife, Karen, oversight in the area of enrollment management, selves. read the story during a special meeting at student affairs, and auxiliary services. He earned a on page 8 Albert Taylor Hall on the BS and MS from Western Illinois University, his ESU campus. EdS from Pittsburg State University, and his PhD Teachers Shonrock plans to begin his presidency Jan. 3, from the University of Kansas. College 2012. “Accepting the Presidency of ESU represents a Featured “The Board is proud to announce that Dr. coming home,” said Shonrock. “Karen and I are During Michael Shonrock will be the next Emporia State excited and honored to become part of the ESU Homecoming University president,” said Regent Ed McKech- and Emporia communities, and citizens of the 2011 see photos nie of Arcadia, Chair of the Board of Regents. great state of Kansas. ESU has a proud past and on page 6 “He rose to the top of an exceptional field of I look forward to helping shape the future of this candidates, and we’re extremely impressed by his institution with the help of the outstanding mem- experience, enthusiasm and passion he will bring bers of the ESU family.” Videos Promote Cross to ESU and the Emporia community. The Board Following the Board’s announcement, Shon- Cultural Understanding looks forward to working with Dr. Shonrock and rock was introduced to members of the ESU and story continues on page 11 Videos addressing different cultures living in Kansas are USDE Highlights ESU's Teacher Prep Progam available online to ESU's teacher- assist educators working with mi- preparation grant and English language learners. program, modeled read the story on page 4 after how doc- tors are trained in Newsletter Available hospital residencies, is being presented Online editions of The Teachers as a model for the College Newsletter are available 21st century by the online www.emporia.edu/teach/ US Department of newsletter/. Education. The Teachers What's inside: College launched NCATE Update .............................2 the Professional Save These Dates ............................2 Development School program Literacy Summit Held ....................3 The program includes close collaboration among in 1993 on a trial basis. In the program, educa- Personnel Updates ..........................4 ESU faculty, administrators at the PDS sites and tion majors in the final year of their programs are TTC Featured for Homecoming ....6 the supervising classroom teachers who act as men- placed as interns in Professional Development Alumni Notes .................................9 tors to the students. Collaboration continues after Final Notes ...................................11 Schools for the entire school year. story continues on page 2 COLLEGE NOTES KSDE/NCATE Accreditation Update The Fall 2010 issue of The Teachers Emporia Middle, and Emporia High Schools College Newsletter provided an overview Accreditation Timeline in Emporia; the principals of USDs 251 of the processes for reaccrediting educator (North Lyon County), 252 (South Lyon preparation programs by the Kansas State Fall 2010 - The Teachers College sent all County), and 253 (Emporia); current initial Department of Education (KSDE) and necessary materials to KSDE; KSDE and advanced candidates; graduates of our the National Council for the Accreditation begins reviewing the documents initial and advanced programs; and univer- of Teacher Education (NCATE) with an sity faculty and central administration. update in last spring’s issue. There have been March 15, 2011 - Institutional Report & At the exit meeting, the team Co-Chairs several developments since last spring. electronic documents room deadline presented their preliminary report. All At its June meeting, the Kansas State March-April - offsite team reviewed six standards were met with one Area for Board of Education approved all of the uni- report and evidence Improvement (AFI) for one of the elements versity’s educator preparation programs. The under the Diversity standard. That element end of July, The Teachers College received May - offsite team issued findings is “Candidates in conventional…programs the preliminary report with the KSDE/ interact with professional education faculty, August - onsite team chair met with Dean NCATE team’s analysis of how the college faculty from other units, and/or school fac- & Associate Dean, KSDE staff member is meeting the six NCATE standards based ulty, both male and female, from at least two on the Institutional Report (IR) and the November 6-9 - onsite visit; team's find- ethnic/racial groups.” The AFI means that supporting evidence. In early October, the ings presented at the end of the visit the elementary and secondary teacher educa- college submitted an addendum to the IR tion majors do not regularly interact with to assist the team’s ongoing analysis. From Fall 2012 - NCATE's Unite Accreditation faculty from at last two ethnic/racial groups. November 6-9, the 10 members of the will announce its decision These preliminary results could change as KSDE/NCATE team were on campus for constituencies for participating and ap- the team report is finalized, and KSDE and the accreditation visit. preciation for their many efforts on behalf NCATE make their final decisions. We now The focus of the onsite visit was validating of quality educator preparation: mentor await the team’s report. Look for the next the content of the IR and the IR Adden- and cooperating teachers; the leadership of update in the Spring 2012 newsletter. dum and the supporting evidence through USD253 (Emporia) and USD233 (Olathe); interviews with the many constituencies that the administration, faculty, and staff of Sincerely, contribute so ably to preparing educators. Central Elementary School in Olathe and Dr. Ken Weaver The College expresses gratitude to following Riverside Elementary, Village Elementary, Associate Dean USDE, continued from page 1 was produced by the education students graduate. If administrators department. The video is on the Save These Dates who hire beginning teachers believe home page of The Teachers College the new teachers need more training, Newsletter at www.emporia.edu/ the teachers may return to ESU at 2012 Kansas Master Teacher Awards teach/newsletter/ and the university’s February 3, 2012: Deadline for 2012 nominations is 5 p.m. no cost for additional work. In the YouTube channel at www.youtube. 18 years of the PDS program, only Feb/March 2012: Kansas Master Teacher Announcement com/emporiastateuniv. April 4, 2012: Kansas Master Teacher Day five teachers have been referred back The video, shot on the ESU cam- to ESU. Visit www.emporia.edu/teach/dean/master/ for more pus and in classroom settings at PDS information. The PDS program is helpful for sites around the state of Kansas, in- ESU education students who can see cludes interviews with ESU officials just what teaching in the classroom March 5, 2012 - Kansas Reading Recovery® and including former President Michael Early Literacy Conference is like. Of teachers trained at ESU, R. Lane and Provost and Vice Visit www.emporia.edu/readingrecovery for more 92% remain in the classroom more President for Academic Affairs Tes information. than five years, which is almost twice Mehring, who was associate dean of the national average. The Teachers College when the PDS March 9, 2012 - Education Career Fair “Graduates of the Teachers College program was launched. are highly sought-after by school Visit www.emporia.edu/careerservices/; to find out more The new video is not the first contact Career Services at 620-341-5407. districts because of their depth of time The Teachers College at ESU knowledge and thoroughness of has drawn attention at the federal May 4, 2011 - Teachers College Honors Banquet training and experience they bring level. In a 2009 speech at Columbia to the classroom,” wrote Todd May Contact the The Teachers College Dean’s office at 620-341- University about teacher prepara- 5367 for more information. in a blog on the USDE website in tion, U.S. Secretary of Education June. Arne Duncan referred to The Teach- June 10-14, 2012 - KS Future Teacher Academy In the blog, May introduced a ers College as the “crown jewel” of Visit www.emporia.edu/jones for more information. video about the PDS program that ESU. page 2 COLLEGE NOTES Governor's Literacy Summit held at ESU ESU Retains Status in National Rankings A full room of education leaders and stakeholders met with KS Gov ESU remains a Tier 1 Regional University in the 2012 edition of Sam Brownback for the Governor’s Literacy Summit Dec. 7 at ESU. “Best Colleges,” which was released in September by U.S. News & In his Road Map for Kansas, Governor Brownback emphasized the World Report. importance of improving literacy skills in Kansas children. The 2012 edition of “Best Colleges” includes 626 Regional Universi- “The Road Map sets a clear ties. These schools are compared only against others in their region and measurable goal to increase “because, in general, they tend to draw students most heavily from the percentage of 4th graders surrounding states,” the report said. reading at grade level,” Governor The Midwest rankings included 159 public, private and propri- Brownback said. “According etary schools in 12 states — Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North to 2011 NAEP results, 29% of Dakota, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas 4th graders read below Michigan and Ohio.