November 12, 2015
Dear SRI Community,
We called upon you to nominate candidates to the board to directors who you believe will help SRI live out our fierce commitment to educational equity and excellence and you clearly delivered on that request. It is an honor to present the slate of candidates for the 2015-2016 election to the SRI Board of Directors.
Since SRI’s formation in 2009, our founders knew it was important to have a board that was elected by members of our organizational community. We are committed to cultivating an organization that represents the diverse aspects of our communities and is reflective of the diversity of the children and adults we serve. Maintaining a board representative of our communities is critical to this goal. Thank you for nominating your colleagues, and special thanks to the fine candidates who have stepped up to serve in a leadership role in our organization.
This year the SRI Board is seeking three members who have (1) considerable experience with, (2) a strong commitment to, and (3) a positive record of working with schools and students around educational excellence and equity. We are looking for colleagues who have worked in transformative ways particularly with students of color as well as students with language diversity. We particularly encouraged minority candidates to apply. SRI hopes to increasingly focus on issues of school transformation especially around issues of educational equity, and, ideally, our new members will be able to help advance this important goal.
Special thanks go to the Nominating Committee that coordinated the nomination process – Co-Chairs, Jeffrey Galaise (New York) and Mark Otto (New York) and members Miranda Dozier (Georgia), Valerie Mendez-Farinas (Florida), Sharon Jones (Florida), and Jonett Miniel (Texas). They worked thoughtfully under a tight timeline to develop and coordinate a nominating process including gathering the names of these qualified and motivated candidates, sharing information about the role and responsibilities of SRI board members, and gathering the background materials about each candidate that are now posted on the SRI web site.
Now it is up to you. Read about the passion each of the candidates holds for the work and mission of SRI. Consider the rich and varied experiences and expertise that each brings to SRI and vote for all the candidates you believe will best serve in the capacity of board member for SRI. Voting is open today through midnight on December 11, 2015.
We have adopted ‘approval voting’ as our process after researching different voting methodologies. With approval voting, each affiliate can vote for as many candidates as they think are qualified for the role of board member. You are not limited by a number of votes, instead should review each candidate’s materials and then if you believe they meet the criteria outlined above and would serve well as a board member, you can endorse them by casting your vote for that candidate. Approval voting is used by many organizations that are similar to SRI’s affiliate structure and we believe this strengthens our electoral process.
The three candidates who receive the most votes will be named as members of the SRI board for a term of three years.
If you are already an SRI Affiliate, a ballot will be sent to the email address you used to register within the next hour. When you are ready, simply cast your votes for the candidates you approve. If you do not receive a ballot and you believe you are an affiliate, we updated our process to be an annual commitment last year, so please follow the link to the application below. If you have any problems, please contact Chris at chris@schoolreforminitiative.org.
If you are not yet an SRI Affiliate but would like to participate in this election, you may do so by completing the affiliate form found at schoolreforminitiative.org/sri-affiliate-application/. Once you’ve submitted an affiliation form, a ballot will be sent to you via email. It should arrive within 12 hours of your affiliation form submission. If you do not receive a ballot or have difficulty completing the form, please contact Chris at chris@schoolreforminitiative.org. Once you affiliate through the link above, you will receive an annual reminder to renew your affiliation with SRI.
2015 SRI Board Election Candidates
Brenda Artwell (Pennsylvania)
It is an honor to first, be thought about and second, to be recommended for the position as member of the Board of Directors for the School Reform Initiative (SRI). The opportunity to serve on the SRI Board would be in perfect alignment with the work I have devoted my professional life to, in that, SRI provides a critical service to educators to address issues of educational equity and excellence for all students through building and sustaining of transformational adult learning communities.
Over the time that I have worked with my SRI colleagues, it is evident to me that SRI’s success lies in the commitment of its facilitators to provide quality professional development and their knowledge in the use of processes and protocols; in the belief that learning together increases the chances of student success; and the personal and challenging ways in which educators are engaged.
Jennifer Berg (Massachusetts)
As I look to the future, I see SRI as an important resource in education (at all levels). Issues of equity and student learning have come to the forefront of national attention. While there are numerous attempts to measure and expose areas of inequity, the School Reform Initiative works toward addressing those issues and the learning of all students by developing and sustaining educators who are prepared to examine and intentionally alter their practice to improve student learning, all students’ learning. I am interested in serving on the SRI board to help expand the reach of SRI to help more students have access to deep learning that I feel is only possible when the educators that guide them have time, support, and resources available to hone their craft.
Kathy Bieser (Texas)
For virtually my entire educational career, since 1999, I have been involved in SRI work. Over that time, my students, colleagues, school and I have benefited enormously from the collective wisdom and expertise of the organization. The focus on educational equity, the collaborative culture, and the vast array of resources have and continue to shape the educator that I am and the impact that I have on student lives. While I have contributed to the growth of the organization through my work at my school and through participation in local activities with our SRI SA affiliate, I would like to make a larger contribution to the organization by serving on the board and give back for the significant contributions that SRI has made to my professional growth over the last sixteen years.
Carrie Brennan (Arizona)
I am interested in serving on the SRI board because I believe passionately in the mission and work of the School Reform Initiative. I want to contribute to the organization’s stability and growth.One of SRI’s successes is its very existence. The launch of the School Reform Initiative as a new nonprofit organization approximately five years ago was a bold move on the part of the founding board members, funders, and volunteers involved at the center of this challenging and strategic endeavor. An extension of this early start-up success was the persistence and measured approach that the early board took when hiring the first executive. The board did not rush the process and were able to bring on an experienced leader as the organizational director, whose background, skills, and mindset were in alignment with SRI.
Kim Carter (New Hampshire)
My interest in serving on the SRI Board arises from two complementary urges: to serve the organization that has served me so well, and to collaborate with a group of professionals who exhibit exceptional integrity, dedication, and commitment. I feel deeply privileged to have participated in the early conversations shaping the formation and formalization of SRI. Through my work on SRI’s Organizational Development Group I am proud to have been actively involved in the shaping, deliberation, and adoption of the SRI mission statement. I love the word fierce in our mission.
Rhonda Corr (Indiana)
I want to serve on the SRI Board to share my knowledge and vast experiences with other SRI Board members and to continue my professional growth opportunities as well. I firmly believe that the work of educating ALL children is not something we can do in isolation. I believe in the power of collaboration and hard work to continue to support our children and schools. My background and experience as a teacher of special education and Spanish, as well as administrative work as a building principal, Chief of Schools (Area Superintendent) and Academic Improvement Officer (Area Superintendent) have provided me with unique insights into both the challenges and opportunities we face in urban education. As the founding Principal of the International Newcomers Academy in Cleveland, I was able to work with dedicated professionals to create the school and make it a vibrant and thriving school for newcomers and refugees. The success continues today. Most recently, I went through racial equity training which also dug deeply into historical lessons and the challenges we face regarding race, society and schools today. I come from both Spanish and Irish heritages and have spent my career working with urban children and families.
Raquel Diaz (Florida)
I first heard the SRI mission statement during last year’s Winter Meeting in Tucson, AZ. The words that stood out for me were transformational and fiercely committed. I have experienced first hand the transformational power of working in communities through the use of reflective protocols to improve teacher practice and ultimately student achievement. My work has been transformed in the years I have worked as a facilitator and as a member of a community of practice. As a facilitator, one of the biggest joys I receive is in hearing how the work has impacted the members of my group.
Deirdre Sharkey (Texas)
My career objective and experience are directly in line with the mission of this organization. As a 21st century educational leader, I have made a commitment to collaborate with other education professionals inspiring, empowering, encouraging, and coaching teachers as well as leaders to provide an equitable education for all students in urban schools.
Through my education, teaching, and leadership experience in both K-12 and institutions of higher learning, I have gained a wealth of knowledge and tools related to conducting educational research, providing effective professional development for teachers, implementing instructional best practices, making data-driven decisions, and creating a positive culture for all students. I also have a solid foundation for developing, implementing, and evaluating programs that are designed to support learning for teachers that drives student achievement.
Gillian Smith (New York)
I am interested and committed to being a Board Member of SRI because I know the difference it has made in my journey. I cannot remember not being a part of what we fondly refer to as, “the work”, essentially the work of giving educators, students and families’ authentic voice in their journey. As a student at Satellite Academy HS I would take part in portfolio presentations. At that time I just thought it was other “people” coming to the school. Little did I know it was educators from all over coming to review the work of students and teachers, work we created.
Thanks to the Current Board
Outgoing Tributes
Thank you for your service and contributions to the work of advancing the School Reform Initiative to the next level:
- Beth Graham, Massachusetts
- Heather Palin, California
- Thomas Van Soelen, Georgia
Ongoing Board Members
Newly-elected board members will get to work closely with the following board members to further our mission:
- Pedro Bermudez, Florida
- Kevin Fahey, Massachusetts, Board Chair
- Jeffrey Galaise, New York
- Debra Laidley, California
- Patricia Norman, Texas
- Donna Reid, Texas
- Casey Roberts, Virginia
- Gene Thompson-Grove, Massachusetts
Thank you for being a part of this election and governance process, and for your ongoing commitment to creating transformational learning communities with a fierce commitment to educational equity and excellence.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Galaise on behalf of the board of the School Reform Initiative and Kari Thierer on behalf of the School Reform Initiative
