CORE Districts are "Fronts" for Gates, Waltons, Broad et al
Virginia Adams Simon (Ginger), Director of Professional Capital
As Director of Professional Capital for CORE, Ginger will lead the work to implement required systems related to the ESEA Waiver’s School Quality Improvement System, Principle 3, as well as support meaningful learning opportunities to engage participants in collaborative cultures around the most critical issues of professional capital facing our schools. Ginger’s early career was as a teacher and school administrator in schools in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. In the last 10 years, her work turned to education policy where she worked at education policy centers at two universities, conducted educational research, developed policy, managed implementation efforts and led numerous large projects involving educators and education stakeholders. She most recently served as senior associate with Cross & Joftus, LLC, a national education consulting firm. In this capacity, she led numerous projects with clients such as the California Department of Education, LA Charter Schools, and Smithsonian Education Museum Studies. Ginger has considerable expertise in the area of value-added assessment and is the co-author of several articles and sole author of a chapter on using student growth measures and value-added as part of teacher evaluation. While Associate Director at the Center for Greater Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania, she worked with a consortium of districts to engage in shared learning around new evaluation models and provided hands-on technical assistance and training to districts implementing value-added assessment. Ginger received both her master’s and doctorate in Education Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania.
Contact Ginger at Ginger@Caedpartners.org
Cross & Joftus, LLC, a national education consulting firm
FOUNDATIONS
Cross & Joftus provided operational support to the District of Columbia’s State Superintendent as she implemented her strategic initiatives. Building on work done for the Joyce Foundation, we also developed an in-depth understanding of the policy and advocacy environment in Illinois for advancing education reform. This project included interviews with key stakeholders and leaders involved in state-level education issues in Illinois. The objective was to determine where and how the philanthropic community could invest effectively in strengthening education reform in the state. In addition, we authored a guide for district leaders on the development of a high-performing system of schools. Cross & Joftus also wrote a guide for district leaders on developing a high-performing system of schools and a policy paper describing the foundation’s vision for high school reform. www.gatesfoundation.org
Our firm advised superintendents trained by the Broad Center for Superintendents on how to use the No Child Left Behind Act to leverage educational improvement. www.broadfoundation.org
Cross & Joftus helped the foundation develop resources to support school districts and other organizations seeking to expand learning time. This work involved identifying financing models for expanded learning time, documenting successful financing strategies that could be replicated in other places, and providing technical assistance to states and localities seeking to sustain expanded learning programs and policies. We also provided technical assistance to five states that were working to better align their after school and early care activities. Finally, we wrote Dollars and Sense: A First Look at Financing a New Day for Learning, a paper on financing strategies for expanded learning. www.mott.org
Ellis Center for Educational Excellence (Ellis Center)
Our firm advised a new foundation on a strategy to have the maximum and sustainable effect on a limited number of school districts in the Phoenix area. We also advised the Ellis Center on staffing, strategic implementation, evaluation, and management. We also conducted an evaluation of the Center’s district improvement initiative. This included funding WestED to work closely with Creighton (AZ) School District in implementing comprehensive, systemic reform that will result in increased student achievement and a narrowing of achievement gaps. In addition, we helped the Center develop and facilitate a national advisory board that will inform their work. www.educatingarizona.org
Cross & Joftus developed, implemented, and evaluated an education policy and advocacy campaign intended to improve education policy making in the states of Kansas and Missouri. On behalf of chairperson Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, our firm also conducted a strategic planning effort for the Education Commission of the States. Cross & Joftus helped the foundation plan strategically for its multimillion-dollar, 10-year initiative to improve math and science education in the United States. Finally, we drafted a policy paper based on Missouri Governor Matt Blunt’s science, technology, engineering, and math statewide summit. www.kauffman.org
Ford Foundation
With the Ford Foundation, we are working with the Superintendent and her team in Elizabeth, New Jersey to analyze district expenditures with the ultimate goal of better aligning resources to priorities including expanded learning.
Foundation for the Carolinas
Cross & Joftus analyzed governance and management systems of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg (NC) School System and provided recommendations for improvement, including a blueprint for a citizen’s committee to monitor and support the CMS school system. www.fftc.org
Frontline Healthcare Workers Safety Foundation
Our firm designed and conducted evaluations of the foundation’s biosafety and biocontainment courses for emergency first responders and frontline healthcare workers. www.frontlinefoundation.org
Haan Foundation for Children
Our firm provided strategic communication support to the Power4Kids Initiative, a $10 million research study of interventions for struggling elementary school readers. www.haan4kids.org
Hall Family Foundation
We conducted a review of the foundation’s education grants and that assisted with the development of a strategy for future education grantmaking. www.hallfamilyfoundation.org
Our firm developed and implemented a comprehensive, multistage policy development, communications, and advocacy strategy to help translate research on the California education system for whole system improvement. www.hewlett.org,www.gatesfoundation.org, www.irvine.org, and www.stuartfoundation.org
We studied the creation of state education advocacy organizations across the country to determine lessons learned and the potential impact of new organizations in certain states. We also assisted the foundation and the New Teacher Center in the development of a regional conference consisting of leaders from three states to develop policies for advancing high-quality teacher induction programs in those states, with particular emphasis on the establishment of programs in the major cities.www.joycefdn.org
Cross & Joftus provided support to the Foundation’s leadership team as they implement their District Level Systems Change initiative that creates opportunities to expand student centered learning approaches. This included supporting the foundation in selecting grantees and then working with the foundation and grantees to develop sustainability strategies and areas where resources can be reallocate to support promising strategies. We are continuing to support the foundation as they roll out their next round of grant-making to 5 districts that are implementing student-centered learning initiatives and to work with grantees on developing long-term budgets and sustainability plans.www.nmefdn.org
Rogers Development Foundation
Cross & Joftus conducted a comprehensive needs analysis and developed a strategic plan for Rogers (Arkansas) School District, a rapidly growing and increasingly diverse school district serving 13,000 students. The needs analysis engaged district administrators and community leaders in a process of inquiry that modeled a process of continuous improvement and resulted in the identification of strengths and weaknesses related to the district’s management and governance systems. The strategic planning process used the results of the needs analysis to develop short- and long-term goals, measurable objectives, and actionable strategies that should result in systemic improvement. Cross & Joftus will be working with the school system and Foundation to help implement the strategic plan over the next few years. www.rogerslowell.com
In support of the work of Say Yes to Education, C&J produced a video that demonstrates the power of the SYTE model in substantially increasing post-secondary completion by all graduates of Syracuse public schools. In addition, Gene Maeroff, former national education correspondent for the New York Times, has been commissioned to write a book documenting SYTE work in Syracuse. That book, Reforming a School System, Reviving a City: The Promise of Say Yes to Education in Syracuse is scheduled to be published November 19, 2013 by Palgrave Macmillan.
In addition, C&J Chairman Christopher Cross serves as a key adviser to SYTE on matters of strategy.www.sayyestoeducation.org
In addition, C&J Chairman Christopher Cross serves as a key adviser to SYTE on matters of strategy.www.sayyestoeducation.org
Cross & Joftus is supporting a three-year project to provide technical assistance on finance and sustainability to the Wallace Foundation’s Next Generation After School Systems Building Initiative. The TA team for this project includes C&J, The National League of Cities, the National Institute of Out-of-School Learning, and the Gardner Center at Stanford University. We are supporting nine cities as they strengthen their afterschool infrastructure, implement quality enhancements and expand OST programming.
In addition, the Wallace Foundation engaged C&J to develop an assessment framework and process for identifying and strengthening alignment with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for members of the Expanded Learning Opportunities Professional Learning Community (ELO-PLC). Building on our approaches being used to support schools and districts that are readying themselves for the CCSS, the ELO CCSS Alignment Project will identify opportunities to build bridges between what programs are currently doing and the Common Core based on the mission and activities of the programs.www.wallacefoundation.org
In addition, the Wallace Foundation engaged C&J to develop an assessment framework and process for identifying and strengthening alignment with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for members of the Expanded Learning Opportunities Professional Learning Community (ELO-PLC). Building on our approaches being used to support schools and districts that are readying themselves for the CCSS, the ELO CCSS Alignment Project will identify opportunities to build bridges between what programs are currently doing and the Common Core based on the mission and activities of the programs.www.wallacefoundation.org
Cross & Joftus conducted a statewide needs analysis and a strategic plan for a new nonprofit that provides technical assistance to and advocates on the behalf of public charter schools and small, rural, traditional public schools. In partnership with Triand, Inc., Cross & Joftus worked with the Arkansas Department of Education and a consortium of six Arkansas districts to improve the use of data and technology in fostering whole-system improvement. Cross & Joftus conducted an evaluation of district and state implementation of and satisfaction with the statewide data system and provided recommendations to all stakeholders for improvements, including how to use data more effectively to inform the teaching and learning process.www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org
Rick Miller, Executive Director
Rick Miller serves as the Executive Director of the CORE districts. Prior to joining CORE, Miller was the Deputy State Superintendent for P-16 Policy and Information Branch of the California Department of Education. In this position, Miller developed policy recommendations on promising ways to improve student achievement throughout California specifically focused on closing the state’s achievement gaps from PreK to Higher Education. Prior to his time at the California Department of Education, Miller worked at Microsoft Corporation developing communications strategies on privacy, security, and overall corporate image. Miller also served as a strategic communications advisor to the Chancellor of the California State University System (CSU). Prior to working at CSU, Miller served the U.S. Department of Education in Washington D.C. as Press Secretary to Richard W. Riley, Secretary of Education in the Clinton Administration. Miller also spent time during those years periodically detailed to the White House Office of Advance where he traveled domestically and internationally on behalf of President Clinton. Miller also serves on the Education Advisory Board for the Region IX Equity Assistance Center as well as on the Board of Directors for Rocklin Academy Family of Schools. He lives in Rocklin, California with his wife, Julie, an elementary school speech therapist and their two sons, Casey and Ryan.
Contact Rick at: rick@capimpactllc.com
Noah Bookman, Chief Accountability Officer
Noah Bookman is the Chief Accountability Officer for CORE Districts, supporting the districts in implementing a first of its kind whole child approach to school accountability. Before CORE, Noah served as the Director of Performance Management for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). His responsibilities involved developing and implementing a coherent system to articulate, monitor and deliver outcomes for schools, for the regional and central office units that support and manage schools, and for the operational divisions of the District’s central office. Noah also played a leadership role in the District’s educator effectiveness initiative. Prior to re-joining LAUSD, Noah served as a Managing Director at the After-School-All-Stars (ASAS), a national after-school program for at-risk youth. Before ASAS he was an English teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District and served as Enrollment Director at the Oakland Unified School District. He is a graduate of University of California, Los Angeles and has a Masters in Public Policy from the University of California’s Goldman School of Public Policy.
Contact Noah at: Noah@caedpartners.org
Michelle Steagall, Chief Academic Officer
As the CORE Chief Academic Officer, Michelle Steagall is responsible for bridging the work to support the implementation of Common Core Standards and promoting teacher and principal effectiveness across the eight CORE partner districts. Michelle brings 23 years of school district experience to her work at CORE. She began her educational career as a multi-graded classroom teacher amidst thousands of acres of wheat fields in rural North Eastern Oregon. In 1990 she moved to California to join the Clovis Unified School District family where she served as a teacher, assistant principal in intermediate and elementary schools, an elementary principal and the associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction. Additionally, Michelle served for six years as the superintendent of the Clay Joint Elementary School District and the Chowchilla School District both located in the diverse heart of California, the San Joaquin Valley. Michelle earned a Masters in Educational Administration from Fresno State, a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of La Verne in Southern California and is a licensed curriculum auditor. As a superintendent she was selected and served on various state wide committees with the California School Boards Association.
Contact Michelle at: michelle@caedpartners.org
Shannah Estep, Manager of Curriculum Integration
As Manager of Curriculum Integration, Shannah’s work focuses on promoting deeper learning by integrating curriculum in the core subject areas as well as the arts, specifically implementing the new Common Core standards. Shannah brings 20 years of experience in education, most recently writing Common Core curriculum and assessments for an educational foundation through Fresno Pacific University. Shannah began her career as a math and science teacher for a local junior high and through her years in the classroom, she taught many grades K-6. In 2005, she left the classroom and joined the Fresno County Office of Education as a math consultant. At the county office, Shannah served as a professional development specialist, and during that time, completed her Master’s in Education at Fresno State University with a math education emphasis.
Contact Shannah at: shannah@caedpartners.org
Virginia Adams Simon (Ginger), Director of Professional Capital
As Director of Professional Capital for CORE, Ginger will lead the work to implement required systems related to the ESEA Waiver’s School Quality Improvement System, Principle 3, as well as support meaningful learning opportunities to engage participants in collaborative cultures around the most critical issues of professional capital facing our schools. Ginger’s early career was as a teacher and school administrator in schools in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. In the last 10 years, her work turned to education policy where she worked at education policy centers at two universities, conducted educational research, developed policy, managed implementation efforts and led numerous large projects involving educators and education stakeholders. She most recently served as senior associate with Cross & Joftus, LLC, a national education consulting firm. In this capacity, she led numerous projects with clients such as the California Department of Education, LA Charter Schools, and Smithsonian Education Museum Studies. Ginger has considerable expertise in the area of value-added assessment and is the co-author of several articles and sole author of a chapter on using student growth measures and value-added as part of teacher evaluation. While Associate Director at the Center for Greater Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania, she worked with a consortium of districts to engage in shared learning around new evaluation models and provided hands-on technical assistance and training to districts implementing value-added assessment. Ginger received both her master’s and doctorate in Education Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania.
Contact Ginger at Ginger@Caedpartners.org
Hilary McLean, Director of Communications
Hilary McLean is a communications expert with two decades of experience in public affairs. Her background includes serving as the Communications Director for the California Department of Education, where she led the department’s messaging focus on closing the achievement gap, and as Chief Deputy Press Secretary for Governor Gray Davis, where she developed and managed communications strategy on a wide variety of political and public policy issues. Hilary previously led the earned media efforts on a number of successful political campaigns, including the 1998 election of Bill Lockyer as Attorney General and the defeat of Propositions 200, 201, and 202 in 1996. In 1994, Hilary was selected as a California State Senate Fellow. As a Senate Fellow, Ms. McLean served on the staff of then-Senator Mike Thompson as a Legislative Aide. Prior to her Senate Fellowship, Hilary spent several years as a television news reporter and assignment editor.
Contact Hilary at: hilary@capimpactllc.com
RoLesia Holman, Program Manager
RoLesia holds a BS in Education from the University of Maryland and an MA in Educational Policy and Leadership from The Ohio State University. She will be joining us following her recent completion of teaching and administrative positions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). RoLesia is well grounded in public education gained from a decade of classroom teaching positions in Ohio and Maryland. Prior to that, she held career related positions at The Ohio State University. Early in her career, she served as a Resident Director with the Institute for Shipboard Education/Semester at Sea program. In this role, she traveled to nine countries on the three continents of South America, Africa, and Asia. This experience fueled her interest and curiosity regarding international education. Her passion for educational excellence for all children has led to positions and affiliations focused on equity and school reform. She served as a School Change Coach with the Center for Collaborative Education and as Director of Small Schools Project with the Black Alliance for Educational Options. She is a National Facilitator with the National School Reform Faculty and also served as a Board Member. Since 2005, she has had varied experiences as the Proprietor of Sojourner Educational Services, designing and facilitating seminars on professional learning communities, providing coaching for small school start-ups and conversions, and providing professional development for school leaders, teachers, and parents.
Contact RoLesia at RoLesia@caedpartners.org
Jina Kim-Qvale, Program Manager
Jina began working in the field of education 16 years ago. She worked as a teacher in both public and private settings, and then as a Teacher Specialist. She served five years as an assistant principal and four as a principal. In 2010, she designed and opened an elementary pilot school, Ambassador School of Global Education, in Los Angeles Unified School District located on the historic RFK Community Schools complex. As part of an internal reform movement, Ambassador School of Global Education is a hub of innovation located in the center of Pico Union and Koreatown. Jina received her bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She continued at UCLA to receive her master’s degree in Education and Pepperdine University for her master’s in Administration. In 2012, Jina received an Ed.D. through the UCLA Educational Leadership Program. Jina resides happily in Los Angeles with her husband, son, daughter, and dog.
Contact Jina at jina@caedpartners.org
Nathalie Umaña , School Support Program Coordinator
Nathalie started her career in education working for LA’s BEST (Better Educated Students for Tomorrow) as an after-school tutor and sports coach. She also worked as a paraprofessional in an elementary school in Southern California. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, she was a Corps Member for AmeriCorps’ Jumpstart program, where she implemented an early literacy program with preschool children. After graduating from San Francisco State University, she moved across the country to serve as a Teach For America Corps Member in Camden, New Jersey, where Nathalie worked as a first grade teacher. During her time as a Corps Member, she also attended graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania. For her master’s thesis, she researched teacher attrition rates and satisfaction rates in Camden’s charter schools. After finishing her two year commitment and receiving her Master of Science in Education from UPENN, Nathalie moved back to California and began working as a teacher in the San Francisco Unified School District. In addition to teaching, she served as a member of the professional development team at her school, planning, scheduling, and designing staff professional development. Nathalie also served as teacher leader for the Math Common Core State Standards implementation study team for the San Francisco Unified School District.
Contact Nathalie at nathalie@caedpartners.org
Sara Almaraz, Event Coordinator/Program Assistant
As Event Coordinator/Program Assistant at CORE, Sara Almaraz is responsible for managing the details of statewide CORE collaborative convenings and events. Sara brings several years of experience in the nonprofit and meetings arenas to CORE. Most recently, she worked in fund development, handling grant proposals, reports and other communication media for a large hunger relief organization in the Central Valley. She has also held positions with the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau and the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, where she was responsible for communications, collateral and marketing efforts. Sara lives in Clovis, California, with her husband Kino, a mechanical engineer, and their daughter Malina.
Big Education Ape: CORE Waivers: The Movement to Privatize California's Public Schools http://bit.ly/1ynynWg
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