SOE Alumni Engagement Initiative

February 2011 marked the launch of the Dean’s Alumni Planning Committee, a new alumni volunteer initiative that offers School of Education administrators and faculty access to the educational and professional experiences of select School of Education alumni. The committee is comprised of alumni, faculty and staff from the School of Education, along with the UM-Dearborn Director of Development, Director of Alumni Relations and Assistant Director of Alumni Relations. Over the next several months, this group will both serve as an exploratory committee for the formation of an Alumni Affiliate and initiate projects and activities that foster lifelong connections among alumni and between alumni and the School. Any alumni wishing to learn more or to participate should contact Amy Skehan, Director of Development, at 313-593-5639 or via email askehan@umd.umich.edu.

ECEC Honors Bob Behrens

At the annual Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) Grandparent Tea on Friday, February 11, 2011, Robert Behrens, Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs, was officially recognized as a “Friend of the Early Childhood Education Center” in recognition of his longstanding support and commitment to the center.

Special attention was drawn to Bob's pivotal role in the negotiations that led to the ECEC being in its current, high quality facility. He played a key role in negotiating the agreement among Oakwood Hospital, UM-Ann Arbor and UM-Dearborn and assisting in the acquisition of the building.

On the occasion of Bob Behrens’ retirement, the ECEC thanks him for his steadfast support of the center in providing excellent care and education to children, families, and university students. Please join us in wishing him well in retirement.

Arab American National Museum Open House for Teachers

The Arab American National Museum is hosting an open house for teachers on March 10th from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Educational materials will be given to visitors, and refreshments will be served at this event that is free and open to all educators. Further details may be found at the museum's website:.

SOE Presentations at National Association of Bilingual Education Conference

Martha Adler, Associate Professor in Literacy and Coordinator of the ESL Endorsement Program, in the School of Education is presenting two papers this week at the annual conference of the National Association of Bilingual Education (NABE) in New Orleans. Both papers are based on work undertaken in Adler’s grant from the U.S. Department of Education National Professional Development Initiative for secondary mainstream teachers working with English Language Learning (ELL) students, and both are co-authored by Youssef Mossalam and Maura Sedgeman from the Dearborn Public Schools. Youssef Mosallam is Principal of Fordson High School and an alumnus of the SOE; he has extensive elementary and high school experience working with ELL students and their families. Maura Sedgeman is Resource Teacher Leader for the ELL and Compensatory Education Department, and she currently provides professional development for K-12 teachers, paraprofessionals and administration.

Robert Bobb to Speak at UM-Dearborn

Detroit Public School’s Emergency Financial Manager, Robert Bobb, will speak at University of Michigan-Dearborn on Friday, Feb. 18. During the lecture titled, “What Comes Next? DPS in the Next Year and Beyond,” Bobb is expected to discuss Detroit’s educational transformation that has generated national interest and to update plans for long-term solutions to the financial and academic emergencies facing the district.
Bobb’s second, one-year appointment as emergency financial manager is scheduled to end in the coming months.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 18 in Fairlane Center North, Quad E, 19000 Hubbard Drive, Dearborn, 48126. Seating is available on a first-come first-served basis, for more information, visit www.umd.umich.edu/diversity.

The discussion is part of UM-Dearborn’s “Issues in Diversity and Social Change” lecture series a collaboration with the Michigan Chronicle. Bankole Thompson, senior editor of the Michigan Chronicle, will moderate the discussion. The event is sponsored by the University’s Office for Inclusion and brings local leaders to campus to share their views on matters of importance to southeastern Michigan.