The CEO Champions, a Chamber committee focused on the successful implementation of the academy model in Metro’s 12 zoned high schools, held their fall meeting at Glencliff High School on September 7. Co-Chair Steve Turner welcomed two new members to the group: Bill Lee, CEO of the Lee Company (partnered with Cane Ridge High School), and Dawn Rudolph, president & CEO of St. Thomas Hospital (partnered with Maplewood High School).

The CEO Champions received a report from the PENCIL Foundation on the status of academy partnerships between schools and businesses. In a remarkable affirmation of the academy partnerships, 95 percent of the 140 partners chose to renew their partnership agreement for the 2011-2012 school year. Most of the handful of non-renewals were due to academy or pathway changes in the schools. In addition, academy partners contributed more than $1.3 million in community investment -- volunteer time, in-kind donations and cash -- during the 2010-2011 school year. As part of their "dashboard" report, the committee also learned that 27 academy teams participated in teacher externships during the summer of 2011, making rapid progress toward the goal of all 43 academy teams participating in an externship by the year 2015.

The highlight of the meeting involved the CEO Champions working with Glencliff students on an interdisciplinary curriculum unit in the Ford Academy of Business. The group broke into five “loan committee” teams and were given the scenarios of several applicants who were seeking a loan. The teams had to evaluate the creditworthiness of each applicant and explain the rationale for their loan decision. Teacher Deborah Crosby led the exercise and showed how the curriculum unit cut across academic disciplines and helped develop 21st-century skills.


David Klements, CEO of Qualifacts Systems, leads a conversation at the most recent CEO Champions meeting.


Shoney’s CEO David Davoudpour congratulates a student, with fellow CEO Champions Steve Turner and Peggy Cooning.

Click here for more photos from the meeting.

Metro students may be finishing up their summer break this week, but it’s been a busy few months for the folks at the PENCIL Foundation. Here’s a list of 17 new Academy Partnerships formed this summer between Nashville-area businesses and Metro’s high schools. There are now a total of 142 individual academy partnerships ready to start the 2011-2012 school year.

• Nissan North America and Antioch Academy of Technology and Communications
• Metro Nashville/Davidson County District Attorney’s Office and Cane Ridge Academy of Law
• Metro Nashville/Davidson County Juvenile Court and Cane Ridge Academy of Law
• HealthTeacher and Cane Ridge Academy of Health Management
• Tennessee State University College of Business and Glencliff Ford Academy of Business
• Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and Museum of Art and Hillsboro Academy of International Fine Arts
• Talula Art Gallery and Hillsboro Academy of International Fine Arts
• Nashville Shakespeare Festival and Hillsboro Academy of International Fine Arts
• Tennessee State University College of Business and Hillsboro Academy of International Business
• The Parthenon and Hillwood Academy of Art, Design and Communication
• Skyline Medical Center and Hunters Lane Academy of Health and Human Services
• Centresource Interactive Agency and McGavock Academy of Digital Design and Communication
• Rocketown of Middle Tennessee and McGavock Academy of Digital Design and Communication
• Summit Medical Center and McGavock Academy of Health Science and Law
• Tennessee State University College of Business and McGavock Academy of Hospitality and Finance
• Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and Overton Academy of Biotechnology Health Sciences
• Tennessee State University College of Public Service and Urban Affairs and Whites Creek Academy of Public Service

If your business is interested in considering an academy partnership with a Metro high school, contact Matt Seaton at the PENCIL Foundation at mseaton@pencilfd.org or 242-316,7 extension 228.

Yesterday, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for a Competitive Workforce recognized Nashville’s business community as a national leader in helping drive local education reform, in partnership with Metro Schools. The report, “Partnership Is a Two-Way Street: What It Takes for Business to Help Drive School Reform,” highlights the work of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Alignment Nashville and the PENCIL Foundation in supporting systemic change.

Specifically, the report cites Metro Schools' Academies of Nashville as an innovative approach to education and business partnerships. Nashville's academies are smaller learning communities in our 12 zoned high schools with a career or thematic focus that prepare students for college, career and life. The Chamber has convened the CEO Champions, a group of local business leaders who advocate for and publicly support the Academies of Nashville, and six Partnership Councils that also assist, advise and advocate for the related academies in their industry area.

The Chamber has long made improvement of public schools our number-one priority because the success of our schools literally impacts every other part of our community -- from intangibles, such as quality of life, to measurable indicators, such as job growth and public safety. We support the Academies of Nashville because we recognize that business engagement is essential to the success of Metro Schools. The program is now a national model because so many local business leaders stepped up to support it and help it grow. On March 1, 2011, the Ford Motor Company Fund named Nashville a “Next Generation Learning (NGL)” hub  -- one of seven locales certified to offer professional development and guidance to districts considering Ford’s NGL model.

Click here to view a graphic that provides more information about the structure of business engagement in Metro Schools.

Businesses and community organizations around our city are rallying behind the Academies of Nashville! To date, 127 academy partnerships have been formed through the PENCIL Foundation to work with teachers, bring real-world learning experiences to our schools, and help prepare all students for college and career. Word is getting out, and momentum is building—here’s a list of the partnerships that have been formalized in just the first three months of 2011:

• Averitt Express, Inc. and Hillsboro Academy of International Business
• International Bluegrass Music Association and Pearl-Cohn Academy of Entertainment Management
• Vanderbilt Sports Medicine and Whites Creek Academy of Community Health
• Western Express and Hillsboro Academy of International Business
• Country Music Hall of Fame and Cane Ridge Academy of Arts and Communication
• Stones River National Battlefield and McGavock Academy of Digital Design and Communications
• Tennessee Justice Center and McGavock Academy of Health Science and Law
• Nossi College of Art and Hunters Lane Academy of Design and Technology
• Belmont University School of Nursing and Hillwood Academy of Health
• Hilton Garden Inn - Nashville/Smyrna and Antioch Academy of Hospitality
• Brown and Caldwell Engineering and Whites Creek Academy of Public Service
• Nashville Education Community & Arts TV and Pearl-Cohn Academy of Entertainment Communications
• Nashville Opera and Hillsboro Academy of International Fine Arts
• Bongo Productions LLC and Hillsboro and Academy of International Fine Arts
• Nashville Technology Council and Stratford Academy of National Safety and Security Technologies
• Helistar and McGavock Academy of Aviation and Transportation
• Vanderbilt University Center for Science Outreach and Hillsboro Academy of Global Health and Science

Is your company or nonprofit interested in learning more about how to become an academy partner? Contact Matt Seaton at the PENCIL Foundation, mseaton@pencilfd.org or 242-3167, extension 228.

The first-ever Academies of Nashville Awards, sponsored by Altria and Deloitte, are intended to celebrate the success and excellence in Metro Schools’ reform efforts for each of its 12 zoned high schools. A nominating committee composed of leaders from the school district, Chamber and PENCIL Foundation developed the list of nominees after soliciting input from high school teachers, administrators and staff. In making their decisions, the nominating committee considered the extent to which nominees exhibited qualities consistent with the National Standards of Practice for academies. With over 1,000 educators working in MNPS high schools and 100 academy partnerships, there was strong competition for the limited number of available nominations. We expect the competition for these nominations to be even more difficult next year, as a number of schools who have only started academies this current school year are expected to deepen their implementation and academy partnerships in 2011-2012.

In April, all nominees will be listed on an online ballot with a description of their accomplishments. The more than 600 members of “The Academy” will each have one opportunity to vote in all the awards categories through a secret ballot managed by Deloitte. High school principals, academy coaches, and teacher team leaders will all have a vote, as will academy business partners and partnership council members. The winners in each of the awards categories will be announced at an invitation-only event on May 12. In addition, one student in each of the 12 high schools implementing academies will receive an “academy student of the year” award at the PENCIL Foundation’s Bravo luncheon on May 4.

At the Chamber CEO Champions meeting this morning, Paul Coakley from Altria and Fran Bedard with Deloitte announced the list of honored nominees for 2011:

Academy Teacher of the Year (CTE/Thematic Pathway)

• Deborah Crosby, Business, Glencliff’s Academy of Business with Ford PAS
• Jennifer Gatlin, Marketing, Hunters Lane’s Academy of Business and Marketing
• John Marshall, Engineering, Overton’s Academy of Engineering
• Jana Myrick, Health Science, Hillwood’s Academy of Health
• Barclay Randall, Electronic Media, McGavock’s Academy of Digital Design and Communication

Academy Teacher of the Year (General Education)

• Hank Cardwell, Science, Glencliff’s Academy of Medical Science and Research
• Dr. Clifford Cockerham, Science, Whites Creek’s Academy of Public Service
• Naomi Williams, Math, Antioch’s Freshman Academy
• Kalee Willingham, Science, Hillwood’s Academy of Business, Entertainment, Hospitality, and Tourism
• Launa Wood, English, Maplewood’s Freshman Academy

Academy Team Leader of the Year

• Tara Baker, English, Glencliff’s Freshman Academy
• Martha Mitchell, Math, McGavock’s Academy of Digital Design and Communication
• Jay Salato, French, Hillwood’s Freshman Academy

Academy Partnership of the Year, Arts, Media, and Communications Partnership Council

• CMT and McGavock’s Academy of Digital Design and Communication
• Nashville Education, Community, and Art Television and Hillwood’s Academy of Art, Design, and Communication
• SAE Institute and Pearl-Cohn’s Academy of Entertainment Communication

Academy Partnership of the Year, Business, Marketing, and IT Partnership Council

• Deloitte and Antioch’s The Tennessee Credit Union Academy of Business and Finance
• Permanent General Companies and McGavock’s Academy of Hospitality and Finance
• The Tennessee Credit Union and Antioch’s The Tennessee Credit Union Academy of Business and Finance

Academy Partnership of the Year, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Industrial Technology Partnership Council

• Earl Swensson Associates and Glencliff’s Academy of Environmental and Urban Planning
• LP Corporation and Overton’s Academy of Engineering
• Vanderbilt University Center for Science Outreach and Stratford’s Academy of Science and Engineering

Academy Partnership of the Year, Health Partnership Council

• Dialysis Clinic, Inc. and Glencliff’s Academy of Medical Science and Research
• HCA and Hillwood’s Academy of Health
• Healthways, Inc. and Cane Ridge’s Academy Wellness and Healthy Living

Academy Partnership of the Year, Hospitality and Tourism Partnership Council

• Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau and Hillwood’s Academy of Business, Entertainment, Hospitality, and Tourism
• Gaylord Entertainment and McGavock’s Academy of Hospitality and Finance
• Holiday Inn Vanderbilt and Hillwood’s Academy of Business, Entertainment, Hospitality, and Tourism

Academy Partnership of the Year, Human and Public Services Partnership Council

• Nashville State Community College and Antioch’s Academy of Health and Human Services
• Trevecca Nazarene University and Antioch’s Academy of Health and Human Services
• YMCA and Cane Ridge’s Academy of Wellness and Healthy Living

Academy Coach of the Year

• Pam Appleton, Antioch
• Paula Barkley, McGavock
• Alison McArthur, Glencliff

Externship Project of the Year

• CMT and McGavock’s Academy of Digital Design and Communication
• LP Corporation and Overton’s Academy of Engineering
• The Tennessee Credit Union and Antioch’s The Tennessee Credit Union Academy of Business and Finance

Academy Assistant Principal of the Year

• Dr. Adrienne Battle-Koger, Glencliff’s Academy of Medical Science and Research
• Jennifer Bell, McGavock’s Academy of Aviation and Transportation
• Debbie Booker, Antioch’s Freshman Academy

Executive Principal of the Year

• Tony Majors, Executive Principal, Glencliff
• Robbin Wall, Executive Principal, McGavock
• Aimee Wyatt, Executive Principal, Antioch

Counselor of the Year

• Tiffany Littlejohn, McGavock’s Freshman Academy
• Jennifer Marciano, Glencliff’s Academy of Hospitality and Marketing
• Houston Ragan, Maplewood’s Freshman Academy

Freshman Academy

• Antioch’s Freshman Academy
• Glencliff’s Freshman Academy
• McGavock’s Freshman Academy

Academy of the Year

• Antioch’s The Tennessee Credit Union Academy of Business and Finance
• Cane Ridge’s Academy of Architecture and Construction
• Glencliff’s Academy of Business with Ford PAS
• McGavock’s Academy of Health Science and Law
• Stratford’s Academy of Science and Engineering

This past week, I joined 108 other community members in becoming a “principal for a day” in one of our Metro Schools. Coordinated by the PENCIL Foundation each fall since 2002, this is a unique opportunity to spend a morning getting an inside look at our school system. You certainly gain a better understanding of just how demanding it is to be a school principal, and, if you are observant and ask the right questions, you also develop a better appreciation for the many successes happening in our schools each day, as well as the considerable challenges that make the job so difficult.

I spent the morning shadowing Jeanette Smith, principal of Glencliff Elementary, a pre-K through 4 school nestled in the middle of a neighborhood on Antioch Pike about a mile southeast off Nolensville Road. The school has a little more than 500 students, with the largest ethnic group being Latino. One of the school’s main challenges this year has been to fully integrate English Language Learner (ELL) instruction with general education. School staff support the move, but helping general education teachers work effectively with students who may have a very limited command of English has been difficult.

I started the day visiting with the school’s pre-K class, who were finishing up breakfast in the cafeteria. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about these 4-year olds -- besides the fact that they were all downing their nourishment so quietly you could hear a pin drop -- was that their outstanding teacher had recently been a district manager for Staples, but decided to make a career change into education through the Nashville Teaching Fellows program. Initiated two years ago by Mayor Karl Dean and Metro Schools through the national nonprofit New Teacher Project, this program helps career-changing professionals and recent college graduates from non-education backgrounds work their way into the teaching profession.

Other highlights of my day included reading The Cat in the Hat to a class of kindergarten ELL students, sitting in on a planning meeting for the second-grade teaching team, and talking to a third-grade class about the importance of writing effectively in the world of business. We also took a quick school bus ride with a first-grade class next door to Glencliff High School, where YMCA instructors provide swimming lessons to the children as part of physical education. The pool, inside Glencliff High School, but managed by the YMCA and open to the community, is a great example of public/private partnership and how a community school model can benefit a neighborhood.

The day concluded with a luncheon at the Martin Professional Development Center for all Principal for a Day participants. Director of Schools Dr. Jesse Register talked about the difficulties principals face, particularly as their job descriptions entail responsibilities ranging from building managers to leaders of instruction. The principal I shadowed was promoted from being an assistant principal five years ago and was provided a minimal amount of training and support in those crucial early years. She complimented the district’s move to create instructional rounds, whereby all principals will learn how to observe classroom instruction. In addition, over the course of this school year all principals will receive leadership training from the Rutherford Learning Group. Perhaps even more importantly, assistant principals will also participate in these leadership opportunities, giving Metro Schools the opportunity to create a strong and reliable pipeline of prepared school leaders.

If you are interested in being a Principal for a Day in 2011, contact Nikki Baker at the PENCIL Foundation, 615-242-3167.


Chamber Chief Education Officer Marc Hill shadows Glencliff Elementary principal Jeanette Smith.

Friday marked a new beginning for Nashville’s public high schools. On the 22nd Floor of the new Pinnacle Building in downtown Nashville, more than 300 business leaders, educators and elected officials participated in the unveiling of the Academies of Nashville – an initiative to redesign the traditional high school into smaller learning communities, or academies, with a career or thematic focus.

Metro high school students unveiled banners with the new Academies of Nashville logo for all 12 high schools, featuring the tagline “My Future. My Way.” In a show of unprecedented business support for Metro Schools, 82 Nashville businesses signed partnership agreements with individual high schools for the coming school year through the PENCIL Foundation. The event was capped with a special award from the Ford Motor Company Fund, designating Nashville as a “Next Generation Learning Community” at the leadership level, joining only six other communities in the country. The designation recognizes Nashville as a national leader in implementing high school academies, and as an example of excellence to other cities and school districts working on similar reforms.

The day began with a meeting and press conference from the CEO Champions, a group of local executives convened by the Nashville Chamber to be advocates for high school reform and the academy initiative. Co-chaired by Mayor Karl Dean and businessman Steve Turner, the CEO Champions issued a challenge to the Nashville business community:

Today, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and its leaders call on all businesses, small and large, to join the Academies of Nashville effort in order to reach the goal of business partnerships for every high school academy. This is more than a call for business philanthropy; it is a call for a smart business investment of your time, expertise, and assistance. Get involved now and help shape the future of Nashville.

Steve Turner speaks at the Academies of Nashville press conference on Friday, June 18.

For more information on how to engage with the Academies of Nashville, you can call the Nashville Chamber at 743-3150 or visit online at http://mnps.org/Page68146.aspx.

 

For the past couple of years, Metro Schools has been reorganizing its comprehensive high schools into smaller learning communities by creating career and themed academies. The Chamber and PENCIL Foundation have been key partners in this effort from the very beginning, participating in site visits to research best practices, helping design structure, and pulling together key business and community leaders to get behind the initiative. Although several Nashville high schools have made substantial progress toward implementing academies, in many ways, much of the work has taken place quietly behind the scenes.

That’s about to change.

The June 18 Academies of Nashville event, at the new Pinnacle at Symphony Place building in downtown Nashville, will represent a new beginning for our high school academies. Metro Schools, Alignment Nashville, the Chamber and PENCIL have organized this event to celebrate our progress and chart our immediate future. We’ll be announcing the number of Nashville businesses who have committed to partner with an individual academy. We’ll also be launching a brand identity for the Academies of Nashville, with a new logo and tagline. And those potential partners who want to learn more about Nashville’s academies will come away with some great ideas of how they can engage and be a part of the excitement.

Are you a business or community leader who wants to learn more about the Academies of Nashville on Friday, June 18? Contact Chelsea Parker at the Chamber by email or at (615) 743-3000.

 

The Chamber’s Public Education Advocacy Committee focuses on two primary activities: communicating the importance of K-12 public education to the broader community and serving as advocates for important education issues, such as school funding, with our local and state elected officials.

Chaired by Robert Lipman, CEO of Lipman Brothers Inc., the committee met on April 15 at the Boy Scouts of America to hear an update from Hal Cato, executive director of Oasis Center, on Nashville’s Youth Master Planning process. Mayor Karl Dean has formed a task force to develop a coordinated approach to addressing the many life factors that affect a young person’s success: including education, health, home stability and out-of-school activities. The plan is scheduled to be completed by July 2010.

Committee members discussed the need for every child in Nashville to have an engaged and supportive parent. If a child’s parent is not present or capable, that role needs to be filled by another adult relative, mentor or advocate. Knowing that many children in our city do not have this critical support, the committee brainstormed about possible next steps toward making this a reality for every child and encouraged the Youth Master Plan to make this a priority.

The committee also spent time considering ways in which Nashvillians can be involved in Metro Schools by volunteering. One such way is for adults to share their interest or hobby by sponsoring an afterschool club. Stephanie Brakefield, the afterschool club coordinator at J.T. Moore Middle School, told the committee that her school offers more than 25 student clubs throughout the school year, from the “hula hooping club” to the “rock & roll history” club. The PENCIL Foundation performs background checks on the volunteers leading the clubs and 2/3 of the student body at the school is involved in clubs or sports, giving these middle school students a safe and engaging way to spend their out-of-school time at minimal cost.

If you are a Chamber member and are interested in attending a future meeting of the Public Education Advocacy Committee, contact Marc Hill at 743-3155 or mhill@nashvillechamber.com.