Changing Suburbs, Changing Students: Helping School Leaders Face the Challenges

Embrace the changing suburbs by changing your school!

As your students evolve, has your school evolved with them? This unique book offers an explanation of the increasing diversity in student makeup and ideas for acting as an agent of positive change for your school. The authors offer tools and recommend ways you can improve student achievement by:

• Developing an action plan for more focused, culturally responsive student instruction
• Creating a culture that celebrates diversity
• Building partnerships with parents, universities, and the community
• Providing programs for English learners such as tutoring, the arts, and summer support

Shelley B. Wepner, Dean and Professor of Education in the School of Education at Manhattanville College, is qualified to serve as the primary author of this book because she has been an administrator in K-12 or higher education for 26 years, and has a vested interest in helping K-12 administrators succeed in leading their schools. She was instrumental in helping to get the first doctoral program ever at Manhattanville College in educational leadership to focus on the changing suburbs. She has co-edited/co-authored 10 books, and has experience working with authors and publishers to provide a coherent message in a book. She collaboratively established the Changing Suburbs Institute® (CSI) for a college surrounded by changing suburban school districts to address with K-12 teachers and administrators curriculum, instructional, and assessment challenges for increasingly diverse student populations. Responsibilities for CSI, especially as it relates to developing professional development schools, has helped her to have firsthand experiences with school personnel, community leaders, teacher educators, and college faculty in developing and assessing new initiatives for working successfully with diverse student populations.

JoAnne Ferrara is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the School of Education at Manhattanville College and Professional Development School (PDS) coordinator. She has served as an elementary school teacher in both general and special education settings. In addition to her classroom experience, she spent several years as a school administrator in the New York City Department of Education. In 2002 she founded the School of Education′s first Professional Development School in a changing suburban school in Westchester County, New York. She strongly believes in the power of school/university partnerships to bridge the gap between theory and practice by providing teacher education candidates with authentic experiences in classrooms. Dr. Ferrara presents regularly at state and national conferences. Her research interests include professional development schools, "whole child education," community schools, and new teacher induction.

Kristin Rainville is Assistant Professor and Chair of the Literacy Department in the School of Education at Manhattanville College. Kristin works as a Professional Development School liaison at an elementary school in a changing suburb. As the liaison, Kristin works collaboratively with administration and staff to examine and strengthen teaching practices, empower students and families, and prepare new teachers. Kristin is a former elementary classroom teacher, literacy coach, and state level program coordinator. Kristin received her doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University where she was an instructor. Kristin continually presents at local, national, and international conferences.

Diane W. Gómez is Assistant Professor for Second Languages and Special Education in the School of Education at Manhattanville College. With a doctorate in language, literacy and learning from Fordham University, she offers teacher candidates pragmatic skills with theoretical foundations. As a Professional Development School Liaison for a Changing Suburbs Institute® (CSI) partnership school and member of CSI, she is a strong proponent of bilingual education. Her research interests include multicultural education in field-based settings, literacy in the context of dual language, and second language programs. She has published articles and book chapters on topics related to the CSI mission and second language learners.

Diane Lang is Assistant Professor for Early Childhood and Childhood in the School of Education at Manhattanville College. She serves as a Professional Development School Liaison at a Changing Suburbs Institute® (CSI) partnership school, and has taught field-based methodology courses in science, social studies, and mathematics. With a research focus on immigrant children and schooling, she has published and presented on home-based literacy strategies with parents to help Hispanic students be better prepared for school. She also has published and presented on cross-cultural perspectives on play in the United States and Denmark.

Laura Bigaouette is the Assistant Dean for Outreach for the School of Education at Manhattanville College and the Director of the Changing Suburbs Institute® (CSI). In this capacity, she directs the Hispanic Parents Leadership Institute and chairs a planning committee comprised of school district coordinators. Laura organizes CSI′s annual conferences and workshops for parents, and facilitates the CSI membership consortium. Laura is an adjunct instructor for the Graduate School of Professional Studies at Manhattanville College and Baruch College in New York City. She also is a volunteer English teacher with the Hispanic Resource Center in Mamaroneck. Laura has an MBA from Pace University and a BA in History/Russian language from the University of Rochester.