Nashville Educators’ Forum: “Improving Student Outcomes through Effective Partnerships”

NASHVILLE, TN - May 7, 2007- What does it take to develop a school where great teaching and learning can thrive? The National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future will convene educators, administrators and policymakers in a forum at Nashville Public Television (NPT)’s Studio A to address topics such as state and local partnerships that support teachers, successful school cultures and ongoing professional development to improve teaching quality and student learning.

Urban Education Specialist, Gwendolyn Watson, will moderate the panel discussion. Nashville’s Stratford High School will be highlighted in a video presentation that spotlights the school’s promising practices in collaborative teamwork.

The forum is sponsored by the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future and MetLife Foundation.

The forum will be held at Nashville Public Television (NPT), Studio A, 161 Rains Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203.

Gwendolyn Watson, Urban Education Specialist, Tennessee Department of Education, will moderate the discussion. Panelists include:
Brenda Elliott-Johnson, Executive Principal, Stratford High School;
Starr Herrman, Director of Small Learning Communities, Metro Nashville Public Schools;
Steven Moats, Senior Research & Development Specialist, Edvantia;
Vivian Morris, Assistant Dean for Faculty Development, University of Memphis;
Connie Smith, Executive Director of Accountability, Tennessee Department of Education; and
Janet Wallace, Small Learning Communities (SLC) Coach, Stratford High School.

About NCTAF
The National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF) is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. NCTAF is dedicated to providing every child with competent, caring, qualified teaching in schools organized for success. With a network of 23 partner states and links to professional educational organizations across the nation, NCTAF provides leadership on innovation and improvement in teaching and learning in America’s schools. For more information, visit NCTAF’s website: http://www.nctaf.org/

About MetLife Foundation
MetLife Foundation supports programs that increase opportunities for young people to succeed, give students and teachers a voice in improving education, create connections between schools and communities and develop leadership. The Foundation works with national nonprofit organizations to develop a variety of programs, many of which address issues raised each year in The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher. For more information about MetLife Foundation, please visit http://www.metlife.org/