A collaboration involving Harvard University, the Meridian Public School District and the Phil Hardin Foundation is destined to become a model not only for the state of Mississippi, but also the nation.
MPSD principals, assistant principals and new superintendent Dr. Charles Kent will be heading to Harvard University July 5-12 to participate in a pilot program at Harvard’s Institute for School Leadership. The program is under the auspices of the Ward Fellows Program.
“This collaboration between Harvard University, the Meridian School District and the Phil Hardin Foundation has been established to help these individuals and teams of school leaders develop leadership skills and strategies necessary to build capacity and significantly improve instruction for our students at the k-12 level,” said Rebecca Combs, executive director of the Phil Hardin Foundation.
“Harvard has worked with many administrators and understands this environment of standards-based reform, pressing state and federal mandates, and high stakes accountability, which make it essential for school leaders to manage and leverage proven strategies that promote excellence in both teaching and learning,” Combs said. Outgoing MPSD Superintendent Sylvia Autry worked with Combs for several months to facilitate the program.
"This is probably one of the best professional development opportunities for school leaders," Autry said. "We have extremely high expectations for our principals. They've got to insure that quality instruction is being delivered in the classroom, that students are making progress and that they are making wise decisions as leaders."
Although Harvard has sponsored a program for principals for several years, this program was developed specifically for Meridian.
"Harvard has worked closely with us to develop this program for the needs of our leaders, our schools and our community," Autry said. "We are the only school district in the United States to have this specialized program."
According to Dr. Robert Peterkin of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, this is the first time in the history of Harvard that an entire school district will receive this type of intensive, multi-year training. The program is a three-year commitment and, if successful, will be replicated throughout the country.
But before the administrators head for Harvard in Cambridge, Mass, a team from Harvard has arrived to provide facilitation to prepare Kent and his administrators for their training at Harvard in July. Peterkin with associates Chantal Francois, Leslie Boozer and Connie Chung worked with the administrators on Tuesday to identify their district strengths and to establish the unique challenges facing the Meridian Public School District to incorporate them into their training in July and over the next three years. They will continue their training today at the MSU Riley Center.
Between the training at Harvard, the Harvard facilitators will return to Meridian during the school year to brainstorm with Kent and his administrators to evaluate their progress and address continuing issues. The school district will also require the administrators to meet with the superintendent during the school year to continue their dialogue, planning and implementation of strategies developed at Harvard.
“This multi-year collaboration could not have been possible without the leadership and vision of Dr. Sylvia Autry and the Meridian School District Board," Combs said. "Together, we have envisioned an opportunity to make the Meridian School District a premier school system within the State of Mississippi."
The Ward Fellows Program was established in 1992 to honor the first president of the Phil Hardin Foundation who throughout his life "perpetuated the tradition of competence, conscience, renewal and service," said Robert Ward, current president of the Hardin Board.
Local News
Related Photos
Discussion
Harvard begins pilot program with local school district
- Local News
-
- Voters face Saturday deadline
- Site of sub commissioning changed
- Dulaneys to reign over 2012 Meridian Mardi Gras Weekend
-
Local law enforcement officials honored
State Rep. Greg Snowden said he remembered as a child looking up to those "men in blue."
He said police officers in uniform were larger than life, riding in their patrol cars and carrying guns to protect and serve the population. Today, he said he is still in great admiration of the men and women who put their lives on the line every day so that citizens can feel safe. -
MPD probes vehicle crash
Evidence of a mother's desperate attempt to save her children from harm were spread all over a car lot — and could be seen on her as well in the form of bruises, cuts and scrapes.
Tuesday night, a vehicle with three children inside crashed through a plate glass showroom floor window damaging four new cars and totaling the vehicle the children were in. -
Skeleton found in residence
Members of the forensics team of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) were called to a dilapidated home in Chunky to probe the discovery of a skeleton.
-
Police search for robbery suspects
Two men who reportedly robbed a woman at gunpoint in the parking lot of a local bank are still being sought.
Mike Vick, public information officer with the Meridian Police Department, said the two men approached a woman about 8 p.m. Tuesday at the ATM of Regions Bank on North Hills Street. Vick said one of the suspects was armed with a handgun and after taking an undetermined amount of cash and the victim's car keys, the two suspects fled on foot. -
City cuts payment to Watkins
The Meridian City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to cut their monthly payment to David Watkins, project developer of Meridian's new police station, by $9,999 until work resumes on the project.
The order, made during the Meridian City Council meeting Tuesday morning, included a mutual agreement between the councilmen and Watkins to reduce the project developer's monthly consultant fee of $10,000 to $1, effective Tuesday. -
Crews work on gasoline pipeline
If you hear a loud, booming sound early today, between 4 a.m.-10 a.m., there is no cause for alarm.
Workers with Plantation Pipeline will be performing maintenance work on their 30-foot gasoline pipeline in the Meridian area to accommodate the widening of Highway 493. The location of the work activity will be at Highway 493 North and Oak Hill Baptist Church, just inside the city limits. -
Team Spirit
- More Local News Headlines
Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Expert: Removing LA School's Staff 'Appropriate'
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal
$25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
