U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will travel to Philadelphia on Monday, Oct. 25. In the morning, Duncan will discuss the Education Department’s TEACH campaign during a panel discussion at Temple University. In the afternoon, he will join Gov. Edward G. Rendell for a public discussion on education progress in Pennsylvania at the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.
The TEACH Town Hall will be hosted by the U.S. Department of Education, A&E Network and Temple University. The event will feature a question and answer session about education in America and the importance of great teachers as well as highlight the Department’s nationwide TEACH campaign, aimed at recruiting the next generation of teachers. Temple University President Ann Weaver Hart will open the town hall at 11 a.m. and welcome guest speakers Mayor Michael Nutter and AETN CEO Abbe Raven. After a series of brief remarks, a panel discussion will begin about the importance of education to our nation’s future, the rewards and challenges of teaching and opportunities and pathways into the teaching profession. Joining Secretary Duncan for the panel discussion are Philadelphia School District Superintendent Arlene Ackerman, Northeast High School Principal Linda Carroll, fifth-year mathematics teacher Muhammad Al-Ahmar, seventh-year fourth grade teacher Diane Honor and Tony Danza whose first year teaching was profiled as part of the A&E series “Teach: Tony Danza,” launched on Friday, Oct. 1 at 10 PM ET/PT. Invited audience members include teachers, college freshman, high school students and potential teaching profession candidates.
The Temple University Town Hall marks the first official TEACH event since the campaign launched in late September. TEACH is the U.S. Department of Education’s national teacher recruitment campaign, which provides information and resources for students and prospective teachers. A&E has committed to supporting TEACH by producing and airing public service announcements on the network in the next few months.
In the afternoon, Secretary Duncan will join Gov. Edward G. Rendell at the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce for a public discussion on the state of education in Pennsylvania. Duncan and Rendell will each give brief opening remarks followed by a question and answer session with dozens of audience members, including federal, state and local elected officials, school superintendents, teachers, college and university officials, education association leaders, non-profit organization staff and business leaders. The discussion will center on the education progress Pennsylvania has made in recent years, including qualifying as a finalist in the Department’s Race to the Top competitive grant program and how to sustain the momentum for improving Pennsylvania’s education system. Following the event, Duncan and Rendell will hold a media avail from 3:25-3:40 p.m. EDT.
*** Media wishing to attend must RSVP by 4 p.m. EDT today, Friday, Oct. 22 to Emily Spitale via phone (212) 210-1327 or email, Emily.Spitale@aetn.com.
To learn more about the TEACH campaign or to learn more about how you can become a teacher, visitwww.TEACH.gov.
