Announcements
November 2009
Dr. Sharon Jackson named Director for Community Outreach
Dr. Sharon Jackson has been named MCPER Director for Community Outreach. In this capacity, Dr. Jackson will continue to liaise with other groups on behalf of MCPER to ensure continued partnerships and forge new relationships with other stakeholders who are working toward preventing educational risk. Click here to learn more about Dr. Jackson and her role at MCPER.
Project GOAL (Dropout Prevention) Field Trips
MCPER’s Preventing School Dropout With Secondary Students project is exposing students at risk of dropping out to several potential career paths via a series of field trips throughout the school year. Students will be visiting six Austin venues from November 2009 through the end of the school year in 2010. Venues and dates are listed on the project’s page.
October 2009
MCPER conducts initial training for Texas Youth Commission reading teachers
MCPER recently hosted the initial round of reading intervention training for Texas Youth Commission (TYC) reading teachers. MCPER and TYC teachers who attended the training were privileged to have nationally known presenter and educational consultant Dr. Anita Archer provide the training for the REWARDS reading program. Cynthia Edwards of the Austin Independent School District provided the training for the REWARDS PLUS reading program. Michael Solis, Dr. Jade Wexler, and Shannon Hewgley of MCPER presented the remaining components of the intervention: Multicomponent Reading Comprehension Strategies, Vocabulary Instruction, and Progress Monitoring. According to its mission statement, the TYC “promotes public safety by operating juvenile correctional facilities and by partnering with youth, families, and communities to provide a safe and secure environment where youth in the agency’s care and custody receive individualized education, treatment, life skills, and employment training, and positive role models to facilitate successful community reintegration.”
Dr. Anna-Mari Fall wins Council for Exceptional Children award for dissertation
MCPER’s Dr. Anna-Mari Fall has won this year’s Council for Exceptional Children Teacher Education Division (TED) Dissertation Award for Doctoral Level Research for her dissertation Disparities in Teacher Quality Among Early Career Special Educators in High- and Low-Poverty Districts. Fall will receive the award at this year’s TED Kaleidoscope, where she will be a featured speaker. The purpose of the award is “to recognize doctoral students who have focused their research on the preparation of pre-service and in-service educators serving students with disabilities or who have conducted related research having clear implications for the preparation of educators serving students with disabilities,” according to the TED Web site.
Kevin Stark’s depression-treatment program adopted internationally
Dr. Kevin Stark’s treatment program for depressed children has been adopted by the health ministries of Belgium and the Netherlands as the only state-approved treatment for children in their countries. It seems likely that other Western European countries will follow suit. MCPER extends its heartiest congratulations to him and looks forward to the continued advancement of his work with children suffering from depression.