| Pittsburgh Schools Create High School Reform Task | | | | Reform Task Force will be funded mainly through a |
| Force | | | | grant of $255,000 from the |
| This summer Pittsburgh Schools Superintendent Mark | | | | Fund in Excellence in the Pittsburgh Schools. The Fund |
| Roosevelt announced the creation of the Pittsburgh | | | | in Excellence in the Pittsburgh Schools is a recently |
| Schools High School Reform Task Force. The | | | | created by a local foundation. The inaugural event for |
| Pittsburgh Schools High School Reform Task Force | | | | the Pittsburgh Schools High School Reform Task |
| will be comprised of education professionals, private | | | | Force will be a meeting with renowned educator Dr. |
| foundations, business professionals, parents, and | | | | Willard R. Daggett, President of the International |
| community members. The Task Force will investigate | | | | Center for Leadership in Education. |
| the current practices in the Pittsburgh Schools and | | | | The current members of the Task Force are: Dara |
| determine what the best approach to high school | | | | Ware Allen - Executive Director, YouthWorks, Inc.; |
| reform should be. Pittsburgh Schools High School | | | | Seppy Basili - Senior Vice President, Kaplan |
| Reform Task Force will be responsible for evaluating | | | | K12 Learning Services; Dr. Charles Blocksidge - Vice |
| and ultimately redesigning Pittsburgh Schools' high | | | | President of Organizational Development/Frieda G. |
| schools as part of Pittsburgh Schools' "Excellence for | | | | Shapira Center for Learning, Community College of |
| All" reform plan. The "Excellence for All" plan aims to | | | | Allegheny County; Susan Brownlee - Executive |
| improve the academic performance and increase | | | | Director, The Grable Foundation; Honorable Kevin E. |
| graduation rates in all Pittsburgh Schools. | | | | Cooper - Pittsburgh District Judge; Joseph Dominic - |
| The most important goal of the "Excellence for All" | | | | Director, Education Program, The Heinz Endowments; |
| reform plan is to increase the graduation rate by 10 | | | | George Gensure - Executive Board Member and |
| percent by the end of the 2008-2009 school year. | | | | Staff Member, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers; Dr. |
| Pittsburgh Schools High School Reform Task Force | | | | Cecilia Griffin Golden - Chief Executive Officer, YWCA |
| will spearhead reform so that high school students will | | | | of Greater Pittsburgh; Ruth Howze - PPS Parent |
| have the opportunities to succeed after high school. | | | | Representative; Rufus Jordan - Executive |
| The main tenet of the "Excellence for All" reform | | | | Board Member and Staff Member, Pittsburgh |
| plan is that all students no matter what their age, | | | | Federation of Teachers; Jeffrey Laurenson - PPS |
| experience or background can achieve quality | | | | High School Teacher, Brashear High School; Dr. Alan |
| education. The Pittsburgh Schools High School Reform | | | | Lesgold - Dean, School of Education, University of |
| Task Force will evaluate education in high schools | | | | Pittsburgh; David J. Malone - President and |
| based on six main principles. These principles will be | | | | CEO, Gateway Financial; Chairman of PA Workforce |
| used to guide the changes in the high schools: | | | | Investment Board; Dr. Indira Nair - Vice |
| personalized learning environment; academic | | | | Provost for Education, Carnegie Mellon University; |
| engagement of all students; empowered educators; | | | | Ronald D. Painter - Chief Executive Officer, |
| accountable leaders; engaged communities and youth | | | | Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board; |
| and an integrated system of curriculum, instruction, | | | | Jeanne Pearlman - Senior Program Officer |
| and assessment supports. | | | | for Education and the Arts, The Pittsburgh |
| Pittsburgh Schools High School Reform Task Force | | | | Foundation; Gregory K. Peaslee - Senior Vice |
| Members and Funding | | | | President, Human Resources, Construction and |
| The Pittsburgh Schools High School Reform Task | | | | Property Management, UPMC; Douglas Silinski - PPS |
| Force will be led jointly by Jan Ripper, Principal on | | | | Parent Representative; Linda Serody - PPS Parent |
| Special Assignment for high school reform and Dr. | | | | Representative; Gregory R. Spencer - President and |
| Lynn Spampinato, Deputy Superintendent of | | | | CEO, Randall Enterprises, LLC; Former Senior Vice |
| Instruction, Assessment, and Accountability. | | | | President and Chief Administrative Officer, Equitable |
| Pittsburgh Schools High School Reform Task Force | | | | Resources, Inc. ; Michael T. Thorson - |
| will visit and observe techniques used in nationally | | | | Former Principal of Creative And Performing Arts |
| recognized high schools in urban centers around the | | | | (CAPA) High School; Doris Carson Williams - |
| US to determine which techniques would be beneficial | | | | President, African American Chamber of Commerce |
| to Pittsburgh Schools. Pittsburgh Schools High School | | | | of Western Pennsylvania; and Yolanda C. |