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Meeting of the Board of Regents | July 2007

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 11:00pm

sed seal                                                                                                 

 

 

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:

FROM:

Johanna Duncan-Poitier

 

 

SUBJECT:

Appointments and Reappointments to the State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching

DATE:

July 11, 2007

STRATEGIC GOAL:

Goal 3

AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Decision (Consent Agenda)

 

Should the Regents approve the proposed appointments and reappointments to the State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching?

 

Reason(s) for Consideration

 

Required by State Regulation

 

Proposed Handling

 

This question will come before the Higher Education and Professional Practice Committee at its July 2007 meeting where it will be voted on and action taken.  It will then come before the full Board at its July 2007 meeting for final action.

 

Procedural History

 

Terms for members of the State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching are set forth in Regents Rule 3.14. The Board of Regents appoints members to four-year terms, with the exception of the teacher education student member, who is appointed to a two-year term.  Board co-chairs are appointed for two-year terms.

 

Currently, eight vacancies exist on the Standards Board. The individuals below are recommended for appointment to fill seven of these vacancies. Also, the terms of two members expired June 30, 2007 and they are recommended for reappointment to a second term. The term of one of the Board co-chairs has expired and he is being recommended for reappointment and a new co-chair is being recommended to fill the unexpired term of the other co-chair.

 

Background Information

 

The following persons are recommended for appointment as new members: Richard R. Ahola (public member), Sheila Appel (public member), Richard Feller (public member), Tira Randall (school administrator member), Pamela Sandoval (higher education member), and Gale Sookdeo (teacher member). Gerald M. Mager (higher education member) is recommended for a new appointment, having served on the Board previously, from 1998 through 2002.

 

The following members are recommended for reappointment: Joseph Perez (teacher member) and Susan Phillips (higher education member).

 

Debra Colley (higher education member) is recommended for appointment as co-chair and Eric Gidseg (teacher member) is recommended for reappointment as co-chair.

 

Brief biographical sketches of new members and a list of the current membership are attached.

 

Recommendation

 

It is recommended that the Board of Regents approve the following appointments and reappointments to the State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching - Sheila Appel (public), Richard Feller (public), Gerald M. Mager (higher education), Pamela Sandoval (higher education), and Gale Sookdeo (teacher) each be appointed to a four-year term beginning July 1, 2007 and ending June 30, 2011; that Richard R. Ahola (public) be appointed to an unexpired term beginning July 1, 2007 and ending June 30, 2010; that Tira J. Randall (school administrator) be appointed to an unexpired term beginning July 1, 2007 and ending June 30, 2008;  that Joseph Perez (teacher) and Susan Phillips (higher education) each be reappointed to a four-year term beginning July 1, 2007 and ending June 30, 2011; that Eric Gidseg (teacher) be reappointed to a two-year term as co-chair beginning July 1, 2007 and ending June 30, 2009; and that Debra Colley (higher education) be appointed to the unexpired term as co-chair beginning July 1, 2007 and ending June 30, 2008.

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

Members’ terms will begin immediately upon appointment.

 

Attachments


                                                                                                                                                               Attachment 1

 

 

The University of the State of New York

The State Education Department

 

State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching

 

 

 

Richard R. Ahola                                                                               Membership Category: Public

Senior Management Consultant

Dundee
, New York

 

Richard Ahola is an educational consultant and currently serves as a senior management consultant for the Pupil Transportation Safety Institute. Prior to 1995, he served for 25 years in a variety of positions in the State Education Department, including chief of the Bureau of Educational Management Services. Mr. Ahola began his career as a high school teacher of science and math.

 

Mr. Ahola is active in education organizations at the regional and state levels. He is an Honorary Lifetime Member of the New York State Association of Pupil Transportation and sits on the board of directors of Think First. Mr. Ahola is long-standing and active member of New York State PTA (since 1963) and in 1966 he received the PTA Teacher Fellowship Award.  In the 1990s, he served on the PTA Board of Managers and continues to serve as a consultant to the president and board of managers on an ongoing basis.

 

Mr. Ahola has a B.S. in Chemistry from the State University of New York at Albany, an M.S. T. in Physics from Union College, and an Ed.D. in Educational Administration from the State University of New York at Albany. He also completed graduate study in Chemical Education Materials from the University of California at Berkeley.

 

 

Sheila Appel                                                                                        Membership Category: Public

Manager, Corporate Citizenship &

         Corporate  Affairs

IBM

2455 South Road

Poughkeepsie
, New York
                                               

Syracuse
University

Syracuse
, New York

 

Sheila Appel is the manager of corporate citizenship and corporate affairs at IBM, where she began her career in 1977 as a programmer. In this capacity, she leads the company’s initiatives in the areas of public school reform, using technology to bring art to the community,  easing the digital divide, and workforce development, among others. Ms. Appel leads IBM’s Transition to Teaching Program in New York State. 

 

Ms. Appel is active in business, community, and educational organizations, including the Business Council of New York State, the Mid-Hudson Technology Council, and the Mid-Hudson Teachers Council. She sits on the board of directors of several organizations: Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce, Dutchess Community College Foundation, United Way of Dutchess County, Dutchess County Workforce Investment Board, Family First NY, and the Institute for Business Innovation. She is a member of the Education Task Force for the Business Council of New York State. Ms. Appel has received various awards for her work, including the Future Business Leaders of America’s “Business Person of the Year” award in 2000, the Mill Street Loft Friends of Art Award, the YWCA Salute to Women Award, and the Pillars of the Community Award from the Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Appel was honored by Senator Saland as one of the Women of Distinction in 2005 and was named one of the Top 100 IBM Women Leaders in the Mid-Hudson Valley.

 

Ms. Appel has an A.A.S. in Business Management from Dutchess Community College and a B.S. in Organizational Leadership and Communication from Marist College.

 

 

Gerald M. Mager                                                                               Membership Category: Educator

Professor, School of Education                                                

Syracuse
University

Syracuse
, New York

 

Gerald M. Mager is a professor of education at Syracuse University and coordinates the University’s programs in Teaching and Curriculum. During his twenty-nine year tenure at Syracuse, Dr. Mager has held a number of leadership roles, including director of sponsored research and development, director of the Urban Teacher Preparation Program, and chair of Teaching and Leadership Programs. He is also a long-time mentor of doctoral students who are becoming teacher educators through the University’s Future Professoriate Program. Dr. Mager served as coordinator of the Jamesville-DeWitt/Syracuse University Teaching Center from 1978-1988.  He began his career in education as a middle school teacher.

 

Dr. Mager is past co-director and now chairs a task force of the VESID-sponsored New York Higher Education Support Center (HESC) for Systems Change, whose aim is to enhance inclusive teacher preparation programs and establish partnerships with high-needs schools. He is active in professional organizations, including serving as past president of the New York State Association of Teacher Educators and co-chair of its Commission on the Education of Teacher Educators.  Dr. Mager is an active proponent of mentoring for new teachers and for three years was a consultant and statewide evaluator of the State Mentor Teacher-Internship Program. He has served on review committees for the New York State Certification Examination Program and has prior service on the State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching, from its inception in 1998 through 2002.

 

Dr. Mager has a B.A. and M.A. in English from John Carroll University and a Ph.D. in Education from Ohio State University.

 

 

Pamela Sandoval                                                                                 Membership Category: Educator

Professor,                                                 

State
University of New York

Albany
, New York

 

Pamela Sandoval is assistant provost for P-16 education, State University of New York System Administration. In this capacity, she serves as liaison to all teacher preparation programs within SUNY and is responsible for P-16 alignment issues, including assessment, accreditation, and teacher supply. She has over twenty years of experience in postsecondary education teaching, research, evaluation, and assessment in Wisconsin, Indiana, and now New York. Her experience includes college teaching, as well as work in teacher professional development, school improvement activities, and with high needs urban schools. She also has served as a mentor to new faculty. In her previous position, Dr. Sandoval participated in the Indiana Association of Colleges of Teacher Education’s task force to develop guidelines for performance-based assessment for new teacher licensing. Recently, she collaborated with the Education Department, CUNY, and independent colleges on efforts to enhance data collection and tracking of teacher education graduates in New York State.

 

Dr. Sandoval is active in several professional organizations, including the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and American Evaluation Association  Dr. Sandoval served on the Board of Examiners for the Indiana Board of Professional Standards (partner state with NCATE), and has served on numerous NCATE accreditation teams reviewing teacher preparation programs. She currently serves on the “Just for Kids New York” project. Dr. Sandoval received Indiana University’s Teacher Excellence Recognition Award” in 1997 and 1998.

 

Dr. Sandoval has a B.A. in Art from Mount Mary College, and an M.S. in Educational Psychology and a Ph.D. in Urban Social Institutions from the University of Wisconsin.

 

 

Richard G. Feller                                                                                      Membership Category: Public

1506 Cold Spring Road

Forestburgh
, New York
                                                  

 

Richard Feller has eighteen years experience in public service as a member of the Monticello Central School District Board of Education. He has served in leadership roles while on the board, both including president and vice president, and participated in Monticello’s recent school restructuring project to improve student achievement throughout the district. He is a member of the Sullivan County School Boards Association and currently serves as the Area 9 director on the board of directors of the New York State School Boards Association Mr. Feller is an active lobbyist at both the State and federal levels through NYSSBA’s State Legislative Network and the Federal Relations Network. He also is a member of the Mid-Hudson School Study Council and sits on its executive committee.

 

In 1994, Mr. Feller received the Mid-Hudson School Study Council Award for Excellence in School Board Service. He is also the recipient of the Master of Boardsmanship Award from the New York State School Boards Association, in recognition of his commitment to continual training for school board members.

 

Mr. Feller has an A.A.S. from SUNY Rockland County Community College and a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Rochester Institute of Technology, and has done graduate work in psychology at RIT and SUNY College at New Paltz.

 

 

Tira J. Randall                                                                                   Membership Category: Educator

Principal

Bushwick
Community High School

Brooklyn
, New York

 

Tira Randall serves as principal of the Bushwick Community High School, a New Visions/New Centuries High School. In 2004, she led the team in that was responsible for development and start up of the school, which serves “over age-under credit” youth who wish to earn their high school diplomas. Bushwick Community High School is an outgrowth of the Bushwick Outreach Center, an alternative high school where Ms. Randall had served as assistant principal. Her experience in education spans 30 years and included experience as assistant principal of the Eight Plus Learning Academy, a middle/high school transitional program in collaboration with Community School Districts 14, 16, 19, and 23; and director of programs for the Institute for Student Achievement in Lake Success, Long Island, a program for at risk youth. In addition, Ms. Randall has worked with adults, as a career educator, an elementary school teacher in New York City Schools, and a project planner for the National service Corporation. She began her career in education as a rehabilitation teacher at the Brooklyn Developmental Center.

 

Ms. Randall is active in professional organizations, including the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE), New York Alliance of Black School Educators (NYABSE), the College Access Consortium of New York (CACNY), and the American Counseling Association. Ms. Randall serves on the National Minority Careers in Education’s advisory board.

 

Ms. Randall has a B.S. in Liberal Arts/Education from State University of New York College at Oneonta, an M.S. in Education in Secondary Guidance and Counseling from Long Island University, and an M.S. in Education in Educational Administration and Supervision from Pace University.

 

 

Gale Sookdeo                                                                                   Membership Category: Educator

Teacher

Susan B. Anthony IS 238

Queens
, New York

 

Gale Sookdeo has been a social studies teacher at the Susan B. Anthony Academy IS 238 in Queens since 2001. She is an active provider of professional development in her school and Ms. Sookdeo previously taught social studies at MS 52 in the Bronx and began her teaching career as an elementary school teacher in the Bronx.

 

Ms. Sookdeo earned National Board certification in Social Studies (Early Adolescence) in 2005 and is active in professional activities promoting National Board certification and excellence in teaching. She serves as an independent consultant for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and is a mentor in the UFT National Board Mentoring Program. Ms. Sookdeo was included in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in 2004-2005 2nd 2005-2006, and was named a Title I Distinguished Educator by the New York State Education Department in 2006. She received an award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement upon award of the Professional Diploma from St. John’s University in 2004.

 

Ms. Sookdeo has a B.A. in History and Social Sciences from the University of the West Indies in Trinidad, an M.S. in Environmental Education from the City University of New York, and a Professional Diploma in Instructional Leadership from St. John’s University. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Instructional Leadership at St. John’s University.

 

 

 


                                                                                                                                       Attachment 2

 

State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching

                                           

As of July 1, 2007

Mr. Eric R. Gidseg, Co-chair
Arlington Central School District

696 Dutchess Turnpike

Poughkeepsie, New York 12603

Term Expires: June 30, 2008

Erik Bitterbaum

SUNY Cortland

P.O. Box 2000

Cortland, NY 13045

Term Expires: June 30, 2010

Dr. Debra A. Colley

Niagara University

College of Education, O’Shea Hall, B-9

Niagara University, New York 14109

Term Expires: June 30, 2010

Ms. Allison Cugini

New York City Department of Education

715 Ocean Terrace

Room 319, Building A

Staten Island, New York 10301

Term Expires: June 30, 2010

Ms. Desma DeGraw

School of Education

Union College

Schenectady, New York 12308

Term Expires: June 30, 2008

Ms. Catalina R. Fortino

UFT Teacher Center

52 Broadway, 18th Floor

New York, New York 10004

Term Expires: June 30, 2009

Mrs. Cheryl Lee Freedman

7 Cedar Drive

Tuxedo Park, New York 10987

Term Expires: June 30, 2008

Ms. Rosemary B. Harrigan

The Greater Capital Region Teacher Center

1580 Columbia Turnpike

Castleton, New York 12033

Term Expires: June 30, 2009

Dr. R. Lloyd Jaeger

Millbrook Central School District

P.O. Box AA

Millbrook, New York 12545

Term Expires: June 30, 2010

 

Dr. Nicholas Michelli

The City University of New York

The Graduate Center

365 5th Avenue

New York, New York 10016

Term Expires: June 30, 2009

Ms. Susan W. Mittler

Ithaca Teachers Association

Ithaca City School District

1375 North Cayuga Street

Ithaca, New York 14850

Term Expires: June 30, 2009

Ms. Eva M. Mroczka

Erie 1 BOCES

355 Harlem Road

West Seneca, New York 14224

Term Expires: June 30, 2008

Mr. Joseph F. Perez

Southern Westchester BOCES

Sprain Brook Academy

P.O. Box 10

Valhalla, New York 10595

Term Expires: June 30, 2007

Dr. Susan D. Phillips

University at Albany, SUNY

ED 212, 1400 Washington Avenue

Albany, New York 12222

Term Expires: June 30, 2007

Dr. Evelyn J. Rich

205 West End Avenue #4N

New York, New York 10023

Term Expires: June 30, 2009

Ms. Patricia E. Roberts

Stewart School

501 Stewart Avenue

Garden City, New York 11530

Term Expires: June 30, 2010

Mr. Frank S. Scelsa

Lewiston-Porter High School

4061 Creek Road

Youngstown, New York 14174

Term Expires: June 30, 2008

Ms. Kathleen M. Taylor

Ulster County BOCES

Career & Technical Center

P.O. Box 601, Rte. 9W

Port Ewen, New York 12466

Term Expires: June 30, 2010

Ms. Sally A. Thompson

Hempstead Union Free School District

Jackson Annex School

380 Jackson Street

Hempstead, New York 11550

Term Expires: June 30, 2009

Ms. Anne Marie Tryjankowski

Canisius College

CT806

2001 Main Street

Buffalo, New York 14208

Term Expires: June 30, 2009