Shaelynn Farnsworth

Posted by Admin on May 2, 2012 in Passionate Contributors | 0 comments

I am a high school English teacher at BCLUW located in Conrad, Iowa. I have been teaching for 12 years and have recently completed my Masters Degree in English from UNI. I believe in harnessing the ubiquitous technology surrounding our students to reach learning goals while providing relevance, rigor and depth. I believe that Iowa is at a prime place to make changes in Education that will benefit all students. I am learning more about Standard Based Assessment and see this as an area that will also transform education.

Deb Oliver

Posted by Admin on Feb 27, 2012 in Passionate Contributors | 0 comments

Where I’m coming from: I live in Dysart IA, a resident of the Union Community District which includes schools in La Porte City and Dysart. I recently served for the last 2 years and 9 years before that on the school board at Union. I am currently a member of Union’s District Leadership Team who include teachers, administration and community members.

Why I care: Our board read Jamie Vollmer's book - Schools Can't Do It All last year and I was lucky enough to hear Jamie when he spoke in the CR area recently (October 2011). I strongly identify with Jamie's view that reflects the need for community involvement. I believe the public as a whole do not understand the problems that today's schools face. One example is the misunderstanding of teacher development time (inservices). This time is viewed negatively by the majority of parents because they don't understand why this time is necessary.

What I am doing to help move education forward: I am curently serving as a member The Union District Leadership Team who is preparing to open the lines of communications using various methods (i.e. focus groups, surveys) with several of the district's stakeholders to gain feedback on their ideas for improvement within the district. The district is also preparing for an accreditation visit in March 2012.

My short bio: I was named the MBA Program Director for Mount Mercy University in April of 2008. Before this position,I worked previously in the Cedar Rapids community for Rockwell Collins for 8 years and the Iowa Quality Center for 3 years. My education includes: Bachelor Degree in Management - HR Emphasis - UNI 1994 Master in Organizatonal Behavior -Brigham Young University 1996 PhD in Organizations/Management - Capella University, 2009 Husband, Steve - 3 grown children, 6 grandchildren

Email: oliver@netins.net                  Twitter Handle: 

Website:                 Roles: , Community Leader, Professor

Chuck Peters

Posted by Admin on Feb 24, 2012 in Passionate Contributors | 0 comments

Where I am coming from: I was very successful in school. It took me years, maybe even decades, to get over it.

I believe that we can provide better educational experiences for our children, to enable them to have more fulfilling lives and more opportunities in the global networked society.

Why I care: I believe educating our children to unfold their potential is a moral imperative. I know that the skills and attitudes to succeed in the future will be very different than those of the past.

What I am doing to help move education forward: I am supporting the efforts of Trace Pickering, and am supporting the Compact. I am developing ways to have better conversations with more people on why the need for change, and how to achieve lasting change. I have been involved in educational consulting and software development activities for almost 20 years.

My short bio: Currently serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Gazette Company, a media company located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, now known as SourceMedia Group which operates The Gazette newspaper, KCRG – TV9, an ABC affiliate, local shoppers, numerous online sites and provides commercial printing and direct marketing services. A lawyer by training, I spent a decade in the appliance business, five years as President of Amana Refrigeration and until 1998 as Vice President – Administration of Maytag. Between appliance assignments, I was the CEO of Breakthrough, an Iowa City start-up software and consulting company engaged in developing effective early literacy programs for school systems. I am the Chair of the Board of Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust, a director of Swift Communications, Inc. and am active in many civic and charitable organizations, including United Way, the Hall-Perrine Foundation and Junior Achievement. I live with my wife Mary Ann in New Bo in Cedar Rapids and we have an acreage west of Iowa City. We have three sons - Nate, Scott and Nick.

Email: cpetersia@mac.com                  Twitter Handle: cpetersia

Website: http://chuckpeters.iowa.com                Roles: , Business Leader, Citizen

Trace Pickering

Posted by Trace Pickering on Feb 23, 2012 in Passionate Contributors | 0 comments

Where I’m coming from: I believe our current educational system, while perfectly suited to the Industrial Age and helped to make us the wealthiest and most powerful nation in the world, is completely incompatible with the new context and world we face.  Collectively, I believe we must forge a new vision for education – to explore the possibilities for education that exist for our state and country. We do this by exposing and challenging our assumptions, finding examples to help gain a picture of what it might look like, and celebrating those helping to lead the way.  Education is an absolutely critical element in economic prosperity and community improvement and renewal. Our collective desire to redesign our schools transcends petty politics and can and will bring Iowans together to lead this effort.

Why I care: I believe public education is the cornerstone of our democracy and its transformation is vital to America's future.

What I am doing to help move education forward: Connecting and engaging people in conversation, influencing decision makers.

My short bio: I'm a lifelong educator and entrepreneur passionate about community transformation, especially educational transformation. I regularly speak on education, system, and community topics. In my former lives I have been: -Coordinator for Innovation & Organizational Effectiveness, Grant Wood AEA -Instructor, Kirkwood Community College -Entrepreneur with 2 successful startups -Associate Principal, College Community Schools -HS/MS Teacher: Council Bluffs CSD, Center Point Urbana CSD, & Allison-Bristow CSD I have two teenage daughters and have been married to my lovely wife since 1989.

Email: trace.pickering@sourcemedia.net                  Twitter Handle: @tracepick

Website: http://www.tracepickering.com                Roles: , Community Leader, Parent