AUSTIN, Texas, March 25, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Recognizing that quality campus leadership is a key component to the success of public schools, Raise Your Hand Texas announced today the organization's plan for 100 principals, representing a diverse cross-section of school district demographics, to attend one of four leadership seminars this summer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
"This is an exciting, historic opportunity for public school principals and public charter school administrators from across the state of Texas," said Bill Ratliff, former Lt. Governor of Texas and Raise Your Hand Texas Chairman. "By investing in the leadership of our schools, we will realize the positive impact of the Harvard training in day-to-day school management, in campus morale, and, most importantly, in the classroom."
One of the largest initiatives of its kind in the state, the Raise Your Hand Texas Leadership Program will send principals to the Summer Institutes at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The Institutes will expose Texas public school leaders to the foremost national and international experts in the fields of education and leadership, as well as offer them a hands-on opportunity to work alongside renowned educators from across the country. Founded in 1981, The Principals' Center at the Harvard Graduate School of Education has dedicated itself to the support, development, and improvement of school principals.
Raise Your Hand Texas will cover the full cost of the Institute, hotel, air, and provide funds for incidentals. Total investment in the program is approximately $750,000. While participating at the Institutes, the principals will be asked to blog their professional experiences, views and news for hometown colleagues, community and family. Later this fall, the principals will convene at a statewide conference to share experiences and plan their professional and leadership growth for the future.
Institute offerings include Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership; Leadership: An Evolving Vision; National Institute for Urban School Leaders; and Redesigning High Schools for Improved Instruction.
Application is open to public and public charter school principals. Selections will be announced in May. "Our goal, in order to make the maximum impact, is to achieve a dynamic and diverse selection mix including such factors as geographic representation from urban and rural areas, racial and gender diversity, and school district size, " said Ratliff.
Since its inception just over a year ago, Raise Your Hand Texas has made important steps in advocating for priority education issues, including the accountability system, campus safety, enhanced teaching skills, and improved quality and access to prekindergarten. The Raise Your Hand Texas Leadership Program is Raise Your Hand Texas' first initiative directly serving the campus level.
"The Harvard Summer Institutes are widely recognized as the gold-standard of academic training," said Duncan Klussmann, Ed.D., Raise Your Hand Texas Leadership Program volunteer chair and Superintendent of Spring Branch ISD. "The leadership skills of our principals are imperative to the performance of our students and the success of our schools. If a school is doing well, has a reputation of excellent teaching, is engaging and motivating its students, the successful leadership of its principal is always a key component."
Raise Your Hand Texas is a grassroots, bipartisan group of business and community leaders, parents, and taxpayers dedicated to celebrating and improving public schools in Texas. The organization promotes high standards, rigor in the classroom, and accountability to the public, while making commonsense suggestions and seeking additional resources that will improve the education of our students. For more information, visit www.raiseyourhandtexas.org.
The Principals' Center at the Harvard Graduate School of Education is dedicated to the personal and professional development of school principals, assistant principals, headmasters, and other school leaders who influence the character and quality of a school. For more information, visit www.gse.harvard.edu/principals.
Raise Your Hand Texas Advisory Board:
Mr. Jim Adams, San Antonio, Former Chairman, Texas Instruments Mr. Peter Beck, Dallas, Managing Director, The Beck Group Mr. Albert C. Black, Jr., Dallas, President & CEO, On-Target Industrial Maintenance Mr. Jack Blanton, Houston, Former President, Eddy Refining Company Mr. Michael Boone, Dallas, Co-Founder and Name Partner, Haynes & Boone The Honorable Roy Butler, Austin, Former Mayor, City of Austin, Former President of the Austin ISD Board Mr. Charles Butt, San Antonio, Chairman & CEO, H-E-B Mr. Alan Crain, Houston, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Baker Hughes, Incorporated Mr. Charles Duncan, Houston, Chairman, Duncan Interests Mr. Richard W. Evans, Jr., San Antonio, Chairman & CEO, Frost National Bank Mr. T.C. Frost, San Antonio, Senior Chairman, Frost National Bank Dr. Juliet V. Garcia, Brownsville, President, University of Texas as Brownsville Mr. Kenny Jastrow, Austin, Chairman & CEO, Temple-Inland Dr. Ray Keck, Laredo, President, Texas A&M International University Mr. Gary Keep, Dallas, CEO, SHW Group LLP Mr. Larry Kellner, Houston, Chairman of the Board & CEO, Continental Airlines, Inc. Mrs. Susan Kellner, Houston, Board Member, Spring Branch ISD Mrs. Mollie Lasater, Ft. Worth, Former Board Member, Fort Worth ISD Mr. Jack Lowe, Jr., Dallas, Board Chair, TDIndustries The Honorable Lyndon Olson, Waco, Former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Ms. Beth Plummer, San Antonio, Board Member, North East ISD Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff, Mt. Pleasant, Former Lieutenant Governor, Ratliff Company Mr. Harry Reasoner, Houston, Partner, Vinson & Elkins Mr. Al Silva, San Antonio, COO, Labatt Foods Mr. Matthew Simmons, Houston, Chairman & CEO, Simmons & Company International Mrs. Josephine Smith, Houston, Houston Regional Board, Teach for America Mr. Ron Steinhart, Dallas, Former Chairman & CEO, Bank One, National Banking Group Mr. Bob Sulentic, Dallas, Group President, CB Richard Ellis Mr. Bobby Tudor, Houston, Former Managing Director, Goldman, Sachs and Co., CEO, Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. Mrs. Phoebe Tudor, Houston, Community Leader Mr. Edward Whitacre, Jr., San Antonio, Chairman Emeritus, AT&T, Inc. Mr. John G. Wilkerson, Lubbock, Chairman of the Board, Wilkerson Properties, Inc. Ms. Isabel Brown Wilson, Houston, Civic Leader.