Friday, December 06, 2002

TO: Southeastern North Carolina Media

FROM: Mimi Cunningham

RE: Education Issues Forum, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 10

UNCW Executive Development Center at Landfall

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington Watson School of

Education Professional Development System University-School

Partnership is sponsoring an issues forum from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday,

Dec. 10, at UNCW’s Executive Development Center at the Northeast New

Hanover County Library at Landfall Shopping Center. Media are cordially

invited to cover this event.

The purpose of this forum is to discuss many common issues

surrounding the No Child Left Behind initiative of the Bush

administration and the impact on school systems in southeastern North

Carolina. The need for the forum arose from discussions Chancellor Jim

Leutze has been having with PDS Partnership superintendents in the

region. UNCW and 10 school systems representing more than 100

schools participate in the Watson School’s PDS Partnership.

It is anticipated that the forum will yield position papers representing

southeastern North Carolina educators’ views that can be distributed to

the NC State Board of Education, General Assembly, and other policy

organizations. Approximately 75 people are expected to attend including

superintendents and principals, UNCW education faculty, and other key

contacts.

Topics to be covered include:

• Implications of the No Child Left Behind initiative

• Bridging the Reality of Policy and Practice

• Quality Assurance for All Students

• Supervision…Never Enough When it is Good!

• How to Maintain Progress in a Budget Crisis

• Networking for Collective Thinking

Speakers include Pender County Superintendent Marc Sosne, and from

UNCW’s Watson School of Education: Dean Cathy Barlow, Dr. John

Fischetti, chair of the Department of Specialty Studies, Dr. MaryAnn

Davies, chair of the Department of Curricular Studies, and Dr. Karen

Wetherill, associate dean for extension organizational development. For

information, contact Dean Barlow at 910/962-3354.