Organization
The work of the Milwaukee Partnership Academy (MPA) is carried out through an Executive Director, working under the direction of the Executive Partners, made up of members from the ten core organizations of the MPA. Details of MPA initiatives are worked on through the Implementation Team, which includes appointed representatives from participating organizations, and through Work Groups, which include volunteers from various partner organizations.
School-based Positions
Literacy Coaches and Specialists
The position of Literacy Coach was developed and implemented to provide the human resources for professional development for teachers in the area of literacy. Assigning a Literacy Coach to each building enables teachers to engage in job-embedded professional development, that is, professional development that can take place during the day within the context of teachers’ daily work. For this reason, one of the most important functions of a Literacy Coach is to demonstrate various literacy teaching strategies within classrooms, to observe teachers trying out new strategies, and to provide feedback to teachers as they work to improve their literacy teaching from a balanced, comprehensive literacy framework. Their primary function is to interact with classroom teachers to improve the quality of literacy teaching and learning. To continue providing the highest quality of literacy training, Literacy Coaches participate in required weekly training sessions as part of their regular job assignments.The MPS Literacy Specialists provide leadership for the Literacy Coaches. Each Literacy Specialist is responsible for a group of coaches and works directly with them to facilitate the implementation of this concept of professional development. In addition, the Literacy Specialists provide ongoing professional development for the Literacy Coaches at weekly training sessions. These sessions include a range of topics appropriate to the function of Literacy Coaches across all levels from K-12.
Literacy Coaches and Specialists are an important example of what it means to build a professional learning community in each school. Literacy Coaches are intended to be staff members whose work is dedicated to improving the quality of literacy teaching in every building; that is, they coach teachers to improve the quality of their literacy teaching practice. The concept of coaching as a fundamental professional development strategy across the district has been extended with the introduction of coaches for each principal in MPS.
Learning Teams
A Learning Team is composed of individuals from the school community who are selected and prepared to collect and interpret data to inform the school’s educational plan, provide support to teachers, enable professional development embedded at the school site for all personnel in the school, and help create positive conditions in the school context for teachers’ as well as students’ learning. The ultimate purpose of the Learning Team is to increase student learning, with an initial emphasis on literacy. The Learning Team is the key to continuing school improvement and is pivotal to creating and sustaining a dynamic professional learning community at each school site.At a minimum the Learning Team will be composed of the principal, the literacy coach, and one or more teachers centrally involved in developing and monitoring the school’s educational plan. Additional members might include other school leaders, individuals with expertise in literacy, and parents and members of the community. The intent is to keep the Learning Team small and efficient. The team is expected to meet on a weekly basis to engage in the tasks identified above and to ensure continuing progress towards having each child on grade level.
A well-functioning Learning Team is the vehicle to ensure that each building’s educational plan is data driven, that the curriculum is aligned with standards and assessments, that school-based decision making is a shared responsibility involving teacher leadership and principal leadership, and that schools demonstrate fiscal responsibility in acquiring resources that support a balanced approach to literacy. The Learning Team is also the vehicle for creating the conditions that support the development of a professional learning community in each school, a community where teachers regularly engage in discussions of student work and how best to promote student achievement.
Implementation Team
The Implementation Team is the “think tank” and problem-solving group of the MPA. It develops, reviews and modifies strategies for implementation of the MPA mission and goals, and it coordinates and aligns the efforts of the work groups. The Implementation Team is comprised of appointed members from MPS, UWM, MATC, MTEA, Private Colleges/Universities, community partners and parents.
Implementation Team Members
ChristineAnderson, MPA
Sue Apps, MPS
Amy Blazkovec-Johnson, MTEA
Arleen Dansby, MPS
Mary Diez, Alverno College
Dan Donder, MPS
Pat Ellis, Stritch University
Dan Folkman, UWM
Victoria Frazier, MPS
Bama Grice, Parent Rep.
DeAnn Huinker, UWM
Aquine Jackson, MPS
Bob Lehmann, MTEA
Deborah Lindsey, MPS
Kathy Munson, YMCA
Dennis Oulahan, MTEA
Gloria Pitchford-Trice, MATC
Linda Post, UWM
Marleen Pugach, UWM
Dawn St. George, Zoological Society
Louise Small-Hamilton, MATC
Roxanne Starks, PTA
Kathy Swope, MPS
Mark Warhus, Herzfeld FoundationAgendas & Minutes (click to download pdf or Word document)
• team meeting 2/14/05
• team meeting 1/24/05
• team meeting 2/14/05
• team meeting 2/28/05
• team meeting 3/14/05
• team meeting 4/4/05
• team meeting 4/18/05
• team meeting 5/2/05
• team meeting 5/16/05
• team meeting 6/6/05
• team meeting 6/20/05
• team meeting 7/11/05
• team meeting 7/25/05
• team meeting 8/8/05
Implementation Team Meeting Dates, 2005/2006
12:00 to 2:00 p.m. (Lunch 11:30-12:00)
• September 12, 2005:
MPS Technology Center, 6620 W. Capitol Dr., Room 220-222
• October 10, 2005:
MPS Technology Center, 6620 W. Capitol Dr., Room 203
• November 14, 2005:
MPS Technology Center, 6620 W. Capitol Dr., Room 220-222
• December 12, 2005:
PIC’s REACH Milwaukee Center, 2342 N. 27 Street, Room 116
• January 9, 2006:
MPS Technology Center, 6620 W. Capitol Dr., Room 203
• February 13, 2006:
MPS Technology Center, 6620 W. Capitol Dr., Room 220-222
• March 13, 2006:
MPS Technology Center, 6620 W. Capitol Dr., Room 203
• April 10, 2006:
MPS Technology Center, 6620 W. Capitol Dr., Room 220-222
• May 8, 2006:
MPS Technology Center, 6620 W. Capitol Dr., Room 203
• June 12, 2006:
MPS Technology Center, 6620 W. Capitol Dr., Room 203
• August Retreat:
(Date and Location TBD)
Work Groups
Milwaukee Metropolitan Area Deans of Higher Education (MMADE)
Roster
Dean Anthea (Tia) Bojar (Co-chair)
[email protected]
Dean, School of Education
Cardinal Stritch University
http://www.stritch.edu/
6801 N. Yates Road
Milwaukee, WI 53217
Co-chairProfessor Nancy Jelen
[email protected]
Dept of Education, Alverno College
http://www.alverno.edu
P.O. Box 343922
Milwaukee, WI 53234-3922Dr. Jane Baldridge
[email protected]
Chairperson, Dept of Education
Mount Mary College
http://www.mtmary.edu
2900 N. Menomonee River Pkwy.
Milwaukee, WI 53222-4597Dr. Cris Anderson
Executive Director, MPA
[email protected]Dr. Mary Ann Wisniewski
[email protected]
Director of the Graduate Program in Education
and Area Coordinator for Education
Carroll College Dept. of Education, Barstow 200C
http://www.cc.edu/
100 N East Avenue
Waukesha, WI 53186Dr. Lauren Leslie
[email protected]
Professor and Director, Hartman Literacy Center
Counseling and Educational Psychology (COEP)
Marquette University
http://www.marquette.edu
P.O. Box 1881
Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881Dean William A. Henk
[email protected]
Marquette University
School of Education
Schroeder Health Complex, 180
http://www.marquette.edu
P.O. Box 1881
Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881Dr. Dan Donder
Office of Superintendent MPS
www.milwaukee.k12.wi.us
[email protected]Dean Alfonzo Thurman- Co-chair
[email protected]Corliss D. Wood
[email protected]
Professor Marleen Pugach
[email protected]UWM School of Education
PO Box 413
http://www.soe.uwm.edu
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413Agenda
Milwaukee Metropolitan Area Deans of Higher Education (MMADE) Agenda
Thursday, February 17, 2005
University Club
8:00-9:30 a.m.Welcome/Call to Order Deans Thurman & Bojar
Milwaukee Partnership Academy (MPA) Update Dr. Anderson
Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Update Dr. Donder
Guests
Milwaukee Partnership Academy Priority Workgroup # 3
Teacher & Principal Quality
Highly Effective Classrooms & InductionOther/AnnouncementsAdjournmentFuture Meetings & Topics
March 17th MPA Priority Workgroup # 2
Tutoring & Family Literacy
April 21st Professional Development Teams & PI 34Minutes
December 16, 2004 (click to download pdf)
April 21, 2005 (click to download Word doc.)
MPA Partners
Agendas & Minutes
Partners Meeting Minutes 9/16/05 (click to download .doc file)Meeting Dates
7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Location: PIC’s REACH Milwaukee Center
2342 N. 27th Street (NE corner of 27th and North Avenue), Room 116
• September 16 2005
• December 16, 2005
• March 17, 2006
• June 16, 2006Membership:
For information on becoming a partner, contact Dr. Christine Anderson at
(414) 270-1701, or [email protected]