Head of the Class by Mark Berry Photo by Leslie McKellar, College of Charleston Lucy Garre Beckham ’70 knows formulas. A former mathemacs teacher, Beckham can discuss the finer points of the quadrac equaon, Boolean addion, remainder theorem, Ohm’s law or infinite nested square roots. But perhaps the greatest formula she has come across is the one she is wring and perfecng now: what makes a school great. Her formula is startling in its simplicity. “It’s about opportunies,” says Beckham. But from an execuon standpoint, the “opportunity” formula has more sides and angles than a hecatohedron. And leave it to a mathemacian like Beckham to be undaunted by such a challenge. In 1998, when she became principal of Wando High School in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., Beckham walked into a building and a school in disarray. The facility and grounds certainly looked and felt instuonal – think prison, not school. So the first thing she did was begin the Herculean task of cleaning it all up and transforming it into something special. “A school has to be inving … clean,” Beckham says. “Then, students are going to react more posively to the place. They’re going to be proud of their school. And that’s a prey good starng point for geng them to buy into their educaon.” Next, Beckham began assembling a leadership team and faculty of gied teachers. “The strength of a school is in the classroom,” she emphasizes. “As a principal, you must hire the right people. Then, you need to create programs and acvies, such as clubs, athlecs and performing arts organizaons, that serve as hooks for geng the students to believe in their school and their personal educaonal development.” on, Health, and Human Performance on, Health, and Human Performance College of Charleston Her success at creang a wide array of educaonal opportunies has not gone unnoced. The recipient of many honors over the years, from teacher of the year to state administrator of the year, Beckham was most recently named the 2010 MetLife/NASSP Naonal High School Principal of the Year. The judging panel in Washington, DC marveled at her ability to make SC’s largest high school a naonal model for educaonal excellence. They applauded her pragmac approach to leadership, her belief in incorporang new technology into the classroom and her passion for School of Educa educaon. “The classroom is such a special place. It took a lot for me to jump into the administraon side of things. But whether you are running a classroom or running a school, the power of educaon is evident. Here, you have the ability to posively impact not just one student, but enre families – in fact, you may even affect generaons of people through your teaching and example.” “Every child can learn,” she adds. “You just need the right support, high quality of instrucon and, of course, opportunity.” And that’s a formula every educator should know by heart. Fall 2010 Issue 17 Fall DEAN’S MESSAGE We are excited to feature Lucy Garre Beckham ’70 on the cover of our Connecons newsleer. Principal Beckham was named the 2010 MetLife/NASSP Naonal High School Principal of the Year for her commitment to Wando High School. This exceponal award is an excing recognion of her dedicaon to public educaon and provides a great example for our future teachers and administrators. A glimpse into the experiences of Assistant Professor Brian Lanahan, Ph.D. in Bosnia provides insight to a different culture of democrac educaon. We also highlight the crical contribuons that the Office of Professional Development in Educaon (OPDE) makes to educators. In addion to serving as the Director of the OPDE, Dr. Andrew Lewis has also been appointed the Interim Associate Dean of the School of Educaon, Health, and Human Performance. Excing addions have been made to both our faculty and staff this year. Our School will benefit from these newest leaders who hail from Harvard to Notre Dame. I think you will enjoy a glimpse into the important research taking place in the Department of Health and Human Performance. Many of our undergraduate students are presenng regionally and naonally. Frances C. Welch, Ph.D. We are also excited to profile the new Masters of Educaon in Teaching, Learning, and Advocacy program. We look forward to watching this degree improve the caliber of educators in our state. In this issue, we recognize our friend, George Spaulding. His commitment to the success of our students beyond the classroom is a great asset to our program. We sincerely thank all of our supporters for enabling our School to succeed in its various iniaves, and we look forward to advancing the goals outlined in our 10‐year strategic plan. For more informaon about the plan, visit cofc.edu/strategicplan. As always, the support of our alumni, friends, and parents makes our success possible. Please see the upcoming events listed on the back page of the newsleer. I invite you to join us for these events and stay involved. Also, connect with us online to keep up with current happenings at the College. Margaret C. Hagood’s Bring It to Class: Unpacking Pop Culture in Literacy Learning (Teachers College Press) not only asserts that using pop culture in the classroom is beneficial for teachers and students, but also serves as a how‐to guide for educators interested in integrang the material into their classroom. The book speaks both to instructors who favor tradional canonical literature and to those who are technology enthusiasts. Each chapter includes teacher, administrator, media specialist, librarian, and student voices, as well as classroom acvies, adaptable lessons, and professional study‐group quesons. Published in May 2010, the book features a researched raonale for using pop culture in middle school and secondary classrooms. “Realizing the importance of pop culture in all of our lives helps to bring what is oen received as stac content alive in English and Language Arts classrooms,” Hagood says. “Connecng literacy content to students’ and teachers’ interests in pop culture helps everyone to explore various perspecves that come with those interests.” Connued on next page Alumni Notes Deborah Means (B.S. ’78) teaches at J.B. Edwards Elementary School and Professional Achievements and Personal Milestones was named a 2010 Charleston County School District Gold TOP Teacher. 1970s Betsy White Warlick Parker (B.S. ’78) lives in Tennessee. Her daughter Cecelia Gordon Rogers (B.S. ’75) was named Charter School Administra‐ Chelsea is at the College and her twin daughters plan to aend in 2011. tor of the Year at the South Carolina Annual Charter School Conference. Michele Shamlin (B.S. ’78) is an Assistant Professor of Educaon at Francis Cecelia is the principal of Charleston Development Academy. Marion University in Florence, S.C. Laura Knos (B.S.’76) was named Fort Dorchester High School Teacher Suzanne Shuler (B.S. ’78) teaches at Whitesides Elementary School and of the Year 2009‐2010. was named a 2010 Charleston County School District Gold TOP Teacher. Sally Rogers (B.S. ’76) teaches at Springfield Elementary School and was Judy Fann (M.Ed. ’79) teaches at Drayton Hall Elementary School and was named a 2010 Charleston County School District Gold TOP Teacher. named a 2010 Charleston County School District Gold TOP Teacher. Scooter DeLorme Barnee (B.S. ’78) was inducted into the College of 1980s Charleston volleyball Wall of Fame during Alumni Weekend. Kelly Schleppegrell (B.S. ’80) teaches at Drayton Hall Elementary School and Rebecca Mahaffrey‐Drannon (B.S. ’78) teaches at Oakland Elementary was named a 2010 Charleston County School District Gold TOP Teacher. School and was named a 2010 Charleston County School District Gold Julie Tindal (B.S. ‘81) teaches at St. Andrews Elementary School and was TOP Teacher. named a 2010 Charleston County School District Gold TOP Teacher. 2 Welcome New School of Educaon, Health, and Human Performance Faculty and Staff Reid Adams joins the Department of Teacher Johan Granath joins the School as the budget Educaon as an assistant professor. Adams and finance coordinator. Originally from has lived in Charleston on and off for the past Sweden, Granath and his family have lived in 11 years, earning both his undergraduate and Charleston for one year. Prior to his move to masters degrees at the College. He taught 1st Charleston, Granath worked as an accounng and 2nd grade in Costa Rica, and also has coordinator at the University of Florida in experience teaching kindergarten. He received Gainesville, Fla., and as a financial analyst at his Ph.D. in Educaon from the University of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. North Carolina. Laura Brock joins the Department of Teacher Pay O’Donnell joins the School as a grant Educaon as an assistant professor. Originally writer and quantave researcher. O’Donnell from Canada, Brock taught special educaon at will be assisng faculty, centers, and staff of Burke High School. She received her Ph.D. in the School with grant applicaons, stascal educaonal psychology and applied analysis, and quantave research design. development Science from the University of O’Donnell has lived in Charleston for four Virginia. Brock’s professional interests include years, working as an adjunct professor at the relaon between execuve funcon, fine Trident Technical College and Charleston motor skills, and math achievement, as well as Southern University, as well as serving as the contribuon of teachers’ emoonal consistency to children’s grants coordinator for the Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s healthful adjustment. Center. She received her Ph.D. in sociology from Notre Dame. Peggy Dubeck joins the Department of Teach‐ Kathy Schwalbe joins the School as the interim er Educaon to teach undergraduate and director for the Office of Student Services and graduate courses in literacy and assessment.