We are very delighted to have the opportunity to work with school leaders through PROMiSE.
Below, you will find some unsolicited feedback from participants regarding the project:
"I certainly cannot speak for other districts; but of course, ours is very interested in PROMiSE and its impact – I am hearing wonderful feedback on the sessions – principals do not give wonderful feedback unless it is earned – so good for you. We are also very interested in the connection PROMiSE is making with professional learning communities." 8/27/08
"I wanted to thank you forencouraging me to attend the Florida [Principal] PROMiSE. [We] went this week and thought it was great. It may have been among the best inservices that Ihave ever attended. …The bottom line is, I am so thankful that I attended this because I did not appreciate the depth of the difference in the math standards. I now realize that next year needs to be focused on the new math standards and how to teach children to problem solve. I am concerned about how my colleagues who did not attend are going to learn this information. Thanks for letting me share. I would love to catch up with you to talk about math because now I know that "I am a Math" Person too!" 1/30/09
"Thank you so much for a great two days of training…! I taught fourth grade math yesterday and used some of the strategies we discussed (not my model lesson). The class was made up of mostly [learning disabled] students and the lowest quartile in this grade. We worked on one problem from each of the five [proficiency] strands. The problems were of varying complexity and we had a ball! Every student participated during the hour we worked together. Next week, my faculty and I are beginning to develop a plan of work for staff development for the remainder of the year and next year. I am excited to use information from PROMiSE to make our plans rich and relevant!" 2/6/09
" I attended the February session and it was very worthwhile and well done. All Principals need this training!" 3/9/09
"This was the best, most up-to-date training I have ever had the pleasure of attending. I thank everyone involved in making this opportunity available to me. The training I received in the two days I was able to attend will help me be better at what I do. " 2/09/18
Excerpts from the public news forum: An example is below and more can be found in the downloadable Word document.
Yearlong Florida Program Aids Principals in Building Standards-based Curriculum (from Before the Bell, a daily news briefing from the National Association of Elementary and Middle School Principals)
The Northwest Florida DailyNews (10/10/08, Hernandez) reports, "Principals across Okaloosa County are joining600 school administrators from throughout Florida in a yearlong professionaldevelopment course aimed at building standard-based curriculums and improvingstudents' academic achievement in math and science." The Partnership toRejuvenate and Optimize Mathematics and Science Education (PROMiSE) is a"three-year initiative [that] is supported with federal funding from theMath and Science Partnership program at the U.S. Department of Education."The program focuses primarily "on math and science and instructionalchanges required by the new state standards. Sessions also focus on the use ofcollaborative groups to implement change." According to Debbie Davis, mathcurriculum specialist for Okaloosa schools, "Every school system in the[Florida] has the opportunity to participate in the PROMiSE program," and"every principal who has applied for the training has been accepted."
Other news coverage:
Teachers Prepare for Different Subject Standards Next Year (from Highlands Today, Dec. 16, 2008)
FSU offers principals insights: Program focuses on new state math, science standards (from Tallahassee Democrat, Dec. 3, 2008)
Florida State University trains principals to support math, science learning (from FSU.com, Dec. 2008)
Principals pledge to teaching of STEM (from fsunews.com, Dec. 8, 2008))
FSU's Principal Principles (from FSU Headlines Radio, Dec. 9, 2008)