April 24, 2006	Volume 5, Number 13

On the Road

On April 10, State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster convened her Professional Standards Council in Madison. Council members received an update on high school reform efforts. The agenda also included discussion of DPI’s PI 34 cross-agency team and professional development; application process for mentor grants; and an update regarding a federal monitoring visit for Title II Highly Qualified Teachers.

The Professional Standards Council for Teachers is comprised of nineteen members representing a broad spectrum of interests in the education community. Members include teachers, pupil services professionals, administrators, school board members, a parent, a student enrolled in a teacher preparation program, and faculty members of institutions of higher education.

On April 13, the state superintendent spoke at the National Strategy for Financial Literacy Luncheon, along with credit union officials and members of the Wisconsin Jump$tart Coalition, to learn first-hand about a new national financial literacy strategy. The meeting also included John Collins, Deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. The Wisconsin Credit Union League and the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) hosted the program at CUNA's Madison campus. The program, adopted by the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, seeks to improve financial education on topics such as home ownership, credit management, and retirement savings.

Later that day, the state superintendent participated in an awards presentation for the Governor's School Health Award-winning schools at the State Capitol. In recognizing the winners’ achievements, she emphasized the importance of healthy schools and healthy students. State Superintendent Burmaster and First Lady Jessica Doyle made the award presentations.

Later that day, Burmaster hosted a meeting of her Collaborative Council. The meeting focused on testimony regarding re-authorization of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), with presentations from Francine Tompkins of the UW System; Miles Turner of the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators; Bob Burke of WEAC; Tom Beattie of the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators; John Ashley of the Wisconsin Association of School Boards; and Jerry Fiene and Jeff Hinds representing the Cooperative Educational Service Agencies.

On April 18-19, the state superintendent hosted events celebrating the International Education partnership between Wisconsin and France. On April 18, she welcomed French education recteurs William Marois from L’Académie de Bordeaux, and Jean Paul de Gaudemar from L’Académie d’ Aix-Marseille. The French title Recteur is the leader of all public education, from pre-school through graduate school, in a region of France.

On April 19, Burmaster attended a luncheon hosted by Gilles Bousquet, UW Dean of International Studies and Director of the International Institute, and participated in briefings with the Recteurs. That evening, the state superintendent and UW System President Kevin Reilly co-hosted the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding outlining ways to increase and expand cooperative programs that promote relationships between France and Wisconsin; fostering knowledge and appreciation of the culture shared by the two entities; providing students with a quality world language program; and providing professional growth opportunities for teachers in Wisconsin and France. The signing of the MOU was attended by members of the PK-16 Leadership Council, Statewide International Education Council, representatives of Wisconsin companies with ties to France, and others who have a strong connection to France or the teaching of French.

On April 21, the state superintendent delivered the keynote address on the importance of education to life success at a graduation ceremony at Oakhill Correctional Institution in Oregon. About 150 graduates received either their High School Equivalency Diploma, or a vocational diploma.

“I am very happy to be here with you and to celebrate your personal victory through education,” Burmaster told the audience of inmates, staff, and family members. “You have done well by seeing this through. You have made it. But, today does not mark an endpoint. This ceremony is often called a commencement for a very important reason. You begin anew. We must begin by forgiving ourselves for the wrong decisions we’ve made in our lives. We must seize every opportunity to see the positive. Just as you found the discipline and strength to complete your education, you must reach deep into your soul at every new opportunity to continue to read, learn, forgive, and heal your spirit.”

Last updated on 4/24/2006