TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama Parent Teacher Leadership Academy will host its graduation ceremony from 6 until 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at the Hotel Capstone ballroom.
The Parent Teacher Leadership Academy is a joint initiative of the Tuscaloosa city and county school systems, UA’s Center for Community-Based Partnerships and UA faculty in the colleges of Education and Human Environmental Sciences. The organization provides professional development to parent and teacher leaders who use their knowledge to support student achievement through strong family-school partnerships.
Parent Leadership Academy graduate speakers at the event will be Flatwoods Elementary School parents Cassie Davis and Jeff Wyatt. Teacher Leadership Academy graduate speakers will be Laura Bechtel, a Tuscaloosa Magnet Elementary School parent, and Madeleine Pearce, a Myrtlewood Elementary School parent.
The UA Division of Community Affairs launched the Parent Leadership Academy in 2007 as an initiative to strengthen relationships among family, schools and community. Community Affairs has now built upon PLA’s award-winning success by creating a new program – the Parent Teacher Leadership Academy – that incorporates teachers. The PTLA expansion also includes the addition of parents from Alabaster, Lamar County and the Bessemer city school districts.
“Our teacher academy was hugely successful,” said Dr. Joyce B.Stallworth, associate provost, professor of education and executive director of PTLA at UA . “The participating teachers worked diligently to design research-based family engagement practices specifically for their schools, and we are excited to celebrate their successes at the graduation ceremony.”
Parent Leadership Academy graduates are as follows:
Tuscaloosa City Schools: Alaca Averette, Anthony Bolden, Nancy Boyd, Amy Duncan, Bridgette Eatman, Matthew Eatman, Corletta Hamlett, Angela Hunter, Erika Jones, Holly McCullum, Blair Plott, LaToya Shannon, Jennifer Underwood and Dianna William-Shaw.
Tuscaloosa County Schools: Evonda Collins, Krista Collins, Cassie Davis, Donna Davis, Tesney Davis, Angela Dickey, Mandy Dockery, Kim Easterwood, Rachel Fairchild, Kristi Garcia, Tamara Gibson, Jamee Houston, Jill Hunt, Shana Milligan, Janice Smith, Larry Williams Jr. and Jeff Wyatt.
Alabaster County Schools: Stephanie Caldarello and Karen South.
Bessemer City Schools: Demeria Evans and Tenika Reaser.
Lamar County Schools: Jason Burks and Kurt Hankins.
Teacher Leadership Academy graduates: Jennifer Ayers, Laura Bechtel, Mike Bissell, Amber Boozer, Janice Calvert, Joy Collins, Lauren Craddock, Natresa Crawford, Cindy Fisk, Ginger Goodwin, Celeste Hankins, Irene Harrell, Beth Hester, Lisa Hill, Kim Lark, Tracie Latham, Janie Missouri, Madeleine Pearce, Laurie Presley, Beth Ramey, Shalonda Reed, Jean Rykaczewski, Katie Todd and Mary Williams.
“It’s been an honor to work with each one of these teachers,” said Dr. Polly Moore, Teacher Leadership Academy facilitator. “This ceremony is a really important way to acknowledge and celebrate all that teachers and parents continue to do to build strong family-school partnerships in their communities.”
For more information, contact the Office of Community Affairs at community.affairs@ua.ed or 205/348-8376.
Contact
Kristi Payne or Richard LeComte, UA Media Relations, 205/348-3782, rllecomte@advance.ua.edu
Source
Dr. Samory T. Pruitt, vice president for community affairs, 205/348-8376, samory.pruitt@ua.edu