DEANS GROUP
The Metropolitan Milwaukee Area Deans of Education
Purpose and History
The Metropolitan Milwaukee Area Deans of Education (MMADE) organization is a vital and vibrant outgrowth of the Milwaukee Partnership Academy, an Urban PK-16 Council for Quality Teaching and Learning, which is designed to develop a comprehensive teaching and learning prototype for preparing K-12 teachers for Milwaukee schools and providing professional development for in-service teachers through a strong and unique partnership. The partnership is a unique collaboration of the public schools, public and private postsecondary institutions, and business, philanthropic and community organizations. MMADE is a critical part of the public/private postsecondary engagement of the MPA.
The primary goal of the Milwaukee Partnership Academy (MPA) is to have each child on grade level in reading, writing and mathematics. Other goals include the improvement of teacher quality, increasing student achievement at all educational levels and addressing systemic issues across educational institutions. These goals are inextricably linked and need to be achieved in conjunction with each other. Furthermore, the MPA acknowledges the role the Milwaukee community plays in shaping the learning environment, and its consequences on the living environment. Striving to improve one will ultimately impact the other.
The MPA is governed by the Executive Partners. The Executive Partners are the board of directors of the MPA and consists of the chief executive officers of education and civic organizations that influence education outcomes in Milwaukee. They include the superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools; the executive director and the president of the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association; the chancellor and the dean of the school of education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; the chief executive officer of the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board; and the presidents of the Milwaukee Board of School Directors, the Milwaukee Area Technical College and the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.
Beginning in the fall of 2002, MMADE had six breakfast meetings yearly and continues to meet regularly with a twofold purpose: 1) to create an ongoing forum for the deans to interact generally around local issues and 2) to provide a place for deans to interact specifically around MPA activities. MMADE meetings typically include a report from the MPA Executive Director and the Milwaukee Public Schools district leadership on major activities, discussion of the ways in which the colleges and universities can provide support, respond to issues, and raise concerns and questions regarding common concerns about all levels of education in Milwaukee.
The MMADE is currently co-chaired William Henk, Dean of the College of Education at Marquette University, and another member to be determined. The above, deans/representatives from five other private higher education institutions, a representative from the local public higher education institution, and a representative from the local two-year technical college comprise MMADE’s membership. MMADE has made it possible for the building of greater personal and professional relationships with the leadership of the MPA and MPS and, thusly, have become the point persons at their institutions for the MPA.
Membership Roster (click to download pdf file)
Contacts:
William Henk (Co-chair)
Dean, College of Education
Marquette University
