"There is no other place like this for an education degree"

Rachel Smart,an early education major, shares her experience as student at the College of Education, Health and Human Services. The Saline native, who has taught in both the kindergarten and toddler rooms at the Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) and a third grade classroom, said her UM-Dearborn educators have given her the confidence to succeed in the classroom after graduation.

Rachel Smart

“I always knew I wanted to teach, and I came here for college because it was highly recommended by everyone I talked to,” she said. “With the one-on-one attention, smaller class sizes and the opportunity to work in the Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC), there is no other place like this for an education degree.”
Smart said every day is different, both as a student and as an educator, and she is excited to start her new journey.
“I feel prepared to go out and excel in my field. I’m going to give my students the best I can, just like many of my teachers did for me.”

Read the full story in The Reporter

CEHHS graduates honored during UM-Dearborn commencement ceremony

Freda Shatara was honored with
the Chancellor's Medallion Award
(Photo by Millard Berry)

DEARBORN, MI - On Saturday December 19th, the University of Michigan-Dearborn conferred more than 750 degrees during the two Fall 2015 commencement ceremonies and recognized five students as Chancellor’s Medallion recipients. During the day long events special honors were placed on two of the graduates from the College of Education, Health and Human Services.  Freda Shatara who received the Chancellor’s Medallion Award and Shéma Aman who was the speaker during the morning ceremony.

 Freda Shatara was honored with the Chancellor’s Medallion Award in recognition of her strong academic record, quality of character, intellect and integrity. She has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in education with a focus in early childhood and mathematics studies. She earned University Honors from 2012-2015 and UM-Dearborn Honors in 2015. She was named a James B. Angell Scholar in 2014 and 2015 and earned placement on the Dean’s List five times.

Shéma Aman, appointed as the speaker during the morning ceremony, graduated with a Master of Education degree with an endorsement in Reading Specialist K-12. In December 2010, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in language arts from UM-Dearborn’s College of Education, Health, and Human Services, graduating with Distinction and earning placement on the college’s Dean’s List twice. She returned to UM-Dearborn in Fall 2014 to earn her graduate degree while serving as a sixth and seventh grade language arts teacher.

Shéma Aman was the speaker
during the morning ceremony
(Photo by Millard Berry)

Saturday was also a day for celebrating a milestone as UM-Dearborn graduated its 50,000th graduate. “UM-Dearborn has prepared students who are making a difference and having an impact in the community, nation and world for 56 years. As we celebrate today’s milestone, we celebrate all of our outstanding graduates.”- Chancellor Daniel Little said.

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein addressed graduates during the ceremony and he told graduates that life experiences—good and bad—will come to define them.

"For it is through the struggle and the challenge and the difficulty that you will come to do what is hard, but achieve what is great,” Bernstein said. “We must celebrate the idea there will always be chapters—chapters of pain, struggle and difficulty. But it is only through those chapters that you can find the chapters of hope, the chapters of joy and the chapters of ultimate triumph. So today, let us celebrate.”

The College of Education, Health and Human Services celebrates indeed its graduates and feels proud of them. Congratulations to you and your families. Well done!

Dean Janosky congratulates CEHHS graduate Randa Abdallah
(Photo by Millard Berry)

Read the full stories at The Reporter

A healthy community grows at the College of Education, Health and Human Services

MHealthy, the University of Michigan's health and wellness program, provides resources designed to build healthy communities for employees and students.

To that end, Janine Janosky, Dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Services, is excited about the opportunity to provide CEHHS employees a Relaxation & Wellness Den, which includes a MHealthy grant-funded massage chair. Professors and staff will be able to enjoy it as it becomes available in the first quarter of 2016.

Please enjoy this brief video to learn more about this program as it is explained by the CEHHS MHealthy triad members: Dean Janine Janosky (supervisor); Professor Sharon Werner (MHealthy Champion) and Craig Kotajarvi (MHealthy Wellness Coordinator).




To learn about the programs implemented by other MHealthy triads, please watch the full MHealthy Triads video here.

CEHHS Professor participates on Bioretention Gardens project

Bioretention Gardens in Detroit's Cody Rouge neighborhood

UM-Dearborn’s Assistant Professor Natalie Sampson is part of the team working on the project Bioretention Gardens. This project contributes to efforts to use green infrastructure to manage storm water and reduce combined sewer overflows throughout Detroit. On the site of former vacant homes in Detroit’ Cody Rouge neighborhood, four new innovative gardens have arrived.

Professor Sampson brings her public health lens to the interdisciplinary team of scholars examining the benefits and limits of these gardens. With her colleague Noah Webster at U-M Ann Arbor’s Institute of Social Research, Sampson led a recent household survey to better understand the perceptions and preferences of residents living near the gardens.

Landscape architect professor in U-M Ann Arbor’s School of Natural Resources and Environment Joan Nassauer led the pilot project, which was funded by $285,000 from the U-M Water Center with support from the Erb Family Foundation. An additional $500,000 investment was made by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) to construct the gardens and instrumentation for them to gather data.

Natalie Sampson

Sampson and Webster are already beginning plans for the next round of surveys. Sampson knows that this is only the first phase, but she’s glad to see the gardens—once only a concept in their multi-year project.

"There is still a lot to be done to understand the potential impacts of these gardens for residents, for the environment, and for the city. And we need to keep gathering and sharing information to do that, and do it well, Sampson said. 

View the full article in The Report

Dean Janosky shares latest news and updates with CEHHS alumni

Janine Janosky, dean of the College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS) shared with CEHHS alumni news about two new significant initiatives within the college: The Center for Disparity Solutions and Equity and the grant awarded by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to start the Center of Autism.

Knowing the importance to be in contact with our alumni, Dean Janosky publishes a quarterly letter on the Alumni E-Newsletter to inform them about all the exciting news happening in CEHHS.

On this month's publication, Dean Janosky mentions that she is "encouraged by the great progress we are making in CEHHS to implement innovative initiatives to meet the critical needs of our students and community." She closes her message inviting all alumni to read this newsletter and wishing "a happy holiday season and all the best in 2016."




About Alumni E-Newsletters:
UM-Dearborn publishes an alumni electronic newsletter with information on upcoming activities, volunteer opportunities and campus news. To receive this monthly newsletter in your email inbox, update your contact information here. 

Dean Janine Janosky invited as Keynote Speaker to World Congress in Dubai

Dean Janosky during her presentation in Dubai

Dubai, UAE - Dr. Janine Janosky, Dean of the College of Education, Health, and Human Services at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, participated as keynote speaker at the World Congress on Nursing in Dubai, UAE on November 23, 2015.

Each day of the congress had its own theme and Dr. Janosky's session was held on Day 1 which was focused on Nursing Education and Research. Her conference concentrated on the development and implementation of innovative education and health community-centered academic programs.

Dr. Janosky recognizes the importance of fostering and developing social and physical environments that promote wellness and good health for all. In order to achieve this goal, she mentioned that "One important consideration is addressing the impact of social determinants, including economic stability, education, social and community context, health and health care, and the neighborhood and built environment."

Being an expert in achieving impactful health initiatives, along with implementing higher education programs and initiatives, Dr. Janosky's presentation was of great interest to those attending the event.

The World Congress on Nursing was held during November 23-25 in Dubai, UAE receiving participants from around the globe (70 countries and 6 continents) representing universities, governments, health and health care. The theme of the conference was "Creating the Future" addressing the shift in medicine and healthcare from management of disease towards promoting wellness and the importance of working together to ensure that all have equal opportunities to a healthy life.

Keynote speakers at the 2015 World Congress on Nursing in Dubai, UAE

Collaborative Project for Returning Veterans in the Detroit Metropolitan Airport

Dearborn, MI - (by Kate Malicke).

McNamara Terminal
(photo by Julie Taylor)

Detroit-area service members are receiving a warm welcome home this November thanks to students from Detroit’s Douglass Academy for Young Men.

The students, working with UM-Dearborn Associate Professor Julie Anne Taylor as well as their teachers, Quan Neloms, Laverne Rush, and Terry Strauss, created the artwork to express appreciation for service members and veterans. The students’ work is on display through Thanksgiving weekend in the Detroit Metropolitan Airport’s McNamara Terminal thanks to a partnership with the airport and Clear Channel.

The students had the chance to talk with three veterans before creating their artwork. 

UM-Dearborn graduate David Knezek.
(photo by Julie Taylor)

State Senator and UM-Dearborn graduate David Knezek; Douglass Academy Principal Berry Greer; and retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant Rob Stewart. 

Professors awarded grant to promote history and geography education in local schools

CEHHS faculty members Karen Thomas-Brown, associate professor of social studies, and LaShorage Shaffer, assistant professor of child education, created the Wayne County Global Geography Project, an 18-month program designed to give local 6th, 7th and 9th grade teachers professional development training.

Associate Professor Karen Thomas-Brown, center, talks with
participant teachers on ways to use technology.

The program focuses on global geography content, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and pedagogy on the Eastern and Western Hemisphere, Contemporary Global Issues and Era 7-Global Crisis and Achievement from 1900-1945. The professors were awarded a $220,000 Improving Teacher Quality grant from the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to implement it.

A group of 42 Wayne County educators form Detroit, Dearborn, Taylor, Garden City, Livonia, Allen Park, Riverview and more were recruited to participate through Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA).

Thomas-Brown, who is an urban geographer, and Shaffer saw a need for the program after looking at state test scores in social studies and geography and hearing from teachers about content areas they wanted to improve upon.

“We’ve designed a dynamic program,” Thomas-Brown said. “And by we, I mean all of us. It’s not me going out and finding experts. It’s learning what the teachers need. It’s a collaboration. It’s organic.”

Read full article in The Reporter

CEHHS creates Center for Disparity Solutions and Equity

More Info Click here

The College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS) has a plan to create a change in reducing inequalities. The Center for Disparity Solutions and Equity, which started in fall 2015, is a focused center for studying, researching, disseminating and implementing promising evidence-based solutions to reduce inequalities. The goal of the Center for Disparity Solutions and Equity is to bridge the gap in education, health and human services by making connections for those with a need and those looking to assist in the movement toward equity.

Terri Laws, assistant professor of health and human services and African and African American studies, said she’s seen firsthand the inequities in healthcare. Laws said she’s been looking forward to see the center open because it is “the right project for Detroit and its metro region right now.”
“No matter what we look like and where we’ve come from, we are all in need of healthcare and education. Having access to these is a human right,” said Laws.

View full article in The Reporter

New collaboration between CEHHS and Southwest Detroit schools

DEARBORN, MI - On November 6, 2015 the College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS)  hosted a reception to welcome alumni, current students and prospective students from Southwest Detroit to the University of Michigan Dearborn.

Janine Janosky and Ines De Jesus

Dr. Janine Janosky, Dean of CEHHS and Ines De Jesus, coordinator of Community Schools program at Southwest Solutions welcomed the participants for an announcement of the newly formed collaboration to build a network of resources and support between our university and Southwest Detroit.
During the event, staff from the Office of Student Success provided information to the visiting students. Associate dean Dr. Laura Reynolds as well as department chairs Dr. Susan Everett (Education) and Dr. Julie Roddy (Health and Human Services) also participated in the event, presenting the different degrees and certifications that the college offers.

Attendees enjoyed light refreshments and ice-breaking activities while networking in what marked the starting point of a promising relationship between CEHHS and its neighboring community in Southwest Detroit.

CEHHS staff provides information to prospective students

Center for Autism: CEHHS and Beaumont initiative awarded $750,000

The College of Education and Health and Human Services (CEHHS) was awarded $750,000 by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to assist in starting the Center for Autism, a University of Michigan-Dearborn and Beaumont Health System partnership.

CEHHS Dean Janine Janosky said that nearly 18,000 students were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 2011 and there is an estimated of 50,000 Michigan residents with ASD. Educators with experience on this special need are in demand.

“If you look at the prevalence and incidence for diagnosis of the autism spectrum disorder in Michigan, you see there is an increase in both. You also see there is a gap between the number of individuals prepared to work in that profession and the individuals being diagnosed,” she said. “So the college is here to work to fill that gap.”

The goal is to train at least 225 registered behavior technicians. In addition, the center will educate 25 board certified assistant behavior analysts (BCaBA) through a certificate program.

The center—which will be housed in the building shared by UM-Dearborn’s Early Childhood Education Center and Beaumont’s Center for Exceptional Families (CEF)—is expected to open in Fall 2016.

View full article in The Reporter.

Health Academy professional development opportunity

Are you or your staff interested in using or refining your use of "hotspotting" as a way of identifying participants or patients in high-use environments?

Join the College of Education, Health, and Human Services for new professional development "Health Academy" opportunity targeting specific high-impact skill development for individuals in health, non-profit, and social service fields.

Learn techniques for using a hotspotting approach to build data-driven interventions.

Contact Associate Dean Laura Reynolds for more information: 

lrkeefer@umich.edu
313.593.5098

 

CEHHS and Dearborn City Schools partner in English Language Arts project

DEARBORN, MI - CEHHS faculty member, Dr. Martha Adler was awarded a grant by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to lead the project Improving Teacher Quality: Academic Competence and Language Proficiency for ALL.

This project, in partnership with Dearborn City Schools, was designed to provide teachers with the knowledge and strategies to design and implement lessons that address language acquisition and reading comprehension.
MDE has identified Dearborn City Schools eligible for this grant due to its over 72% district-wide poverty rate and its 9,006 underrepresented English-language learner student population. The project will provide 90 hours of professional learning to 30 participating teachers (15 in grades K-5 and 15 in grades 7-12) through coursework that can be applied toward the MDE English as a Second Language endorsement.

During the 2015-2016 year, the project will provide two 3-credit hour courses in a workshop format: The first course, Aligning Reading Theory and Best Practice to Curriculum and Instruction started in August 2015 and the second one, Second Language Teaching: K12 starts in January 2016. Both courses address student diversity, differing skill sets, background knowledge, and English language proficiencies.
The UM-Dearborn team includes three faculty members: Dr. Martha Adler, expert in Language Arts and ESL; Dr. Jaime S. Lee, expert in Second Language Acquisition and Dr. Laura Reynolds, expert in Assessment and Evaluation.
This project is another example of UM-Dearborn College of Education, Health and Human Services' commitment to support stronger outreach programs in local communities.

For more information about this project, please contact Dr. Martha Adler

CEHHS participating partner with Crain's Business for 2015 Health Care Leadership Summit

DETROIT, MI - The University of Michigan Dearborn College of Education, Health and Human Services (CEHHS) was proud to participate as an event sponsor of the 2015 Health Care Leadership Summit presented by Crain's Detroit Business. The summit was held at the Marriott Renaissance Center in Detroit, MI on October 28, 2015.

The primary focus of this year's summit was the importance of providing consumers and employers the necessary data needed to make smart decisions in health care along with how Michigan's health insurers, hospitals and consulting firms are addressing this important issue.

CEHHS participated in this event by providing information to the attendees about the programs that the college offers centered on areas of health including best practices in preventive healthcare that is facing America's communities.

The University of Michigan Dearborn College of Education, Health and Human Services offers a variety of programs that address professional development to aid healthcare professionals in the successful delivery of their workplace tasks and services to the community.

For more information, contact Judy Garfield  (313)593 5285  jgarfie@umich.edu

Center for Disparity Solutions and Equity

The new Center for Disparity Solutions and Equity of the University of Michigan-Dearborn College of Education, Health, and Human Services works on the implementation of solutions to eliminate disparities and promote equity in education, health, and human services.

 Contact:
  Dean Janine Janosky
  (313)593-5435
  jjanosky@umich.edu
  umdearborn.edu/cehhs

CEHHS offers three new certificate programs

The University of Michigan-Dearborn College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS) has launched three new certificate programs for both current students and professionals looking to refine their skills.

I. Certificates in Addiction Studies,
II. Teaching English to Students of Other Languages (TESOL)
III. STEM2 now are available for enrollment. 

I. Addiction Studies Certificate
 Julie Roddy, chair of the Department of Health and Human Services, said the certificate courses will look at addiction from both the medical/health side and the criminal justice side.

The Addiction Studies Certificate program will provide instruction in the role of medicine in addiction, substance abuse identification methodologies, substance abuse treatment modalities and substance abuse prevention strategies. There is a specific emphasis on treatment availability within Detroit.

II. TESOL Certificate
The Teaching English to Students of Other Languages (TESOL) Certificate program is for those who want to teach the English language—both locally and internationally—to those outside of the Pre-Kindergarten to 12 public school system.

III. STEM2 Certificates
The STEM2 Certificate program is a collaborative program between the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services to provide opportunities for students to further their knowledge and skills in STEM2—science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine.

Susan Everett, chair of the Department of Education, said she noticed a need for a formalized program while conducting STEM-focused workshops and having educators ask her questions.

Three STEM2 certificate programs are available: 

1) A Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Certificate 
2) A certificate of K-8 Teaching of STEM2.
3) A Graduate Certificate of STEM2.

For more information about these certificates, contact Judy Garfield at jlgarfie@umich.edu.

View full full article in The Reporter

CEHHS working on the development of a new Autism center

FLINT, MI - The College of Education, Health and Human Services (CEHHS) in collaboration with Oakwood Center for Exceptional Families (CEF) is working on the development of a new Autism Center that will focus on comprehensive services along with family and trainee education.This was announced by UM-Dearborn's Chancellor Daniel Little Ph.D. on October 15, 2015.

Chancellor Little stated that a $750,000 grant was awarded to the College of Education, Health and Human Services from The State of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. These funds will be used to increase the number of registered behavior technicians and board certified assistant behavior analysts in Michigan. In addition, community-based seminars will be held at the Dearborn campus.

Additional information regarding the grant will follow soon.

CEHHS students help with public health needs in Detroit

Several College of Education, Health, and Human Services students spent their summer helping Detroit citizens lead healthier lives by doing internships at public health organizations—including Karly Koos at Healthy Detroit and Gadah Sharif at Authority Health, which was formerly known as Detroit Wayne County Health Authority.

Julie Roddy, chair of UM-Dearborn’s Department of Health and Human Services, said internships are important because they connect students to work experience—and, even more importantly, to the people.

Sharif, a junior majoring in health policy studies, got interested in the health field at a young age. Now works at a doctor's office and her desire to be by the side of those in need made her spent her summer as an intern at Authority Health.

“I love my job, but I felt a need to find out what’s going on in a patient’s life beyond the office setting", Sharif said.

During her internship, Sharif did a comparative community health needs assessment of Detroit-area hospitals and analyzed transportation and food needs of the people being served by Wayne County public health offices, local nonprofit organizations and more.

Koos, a senior majoring in public health, wants to improve health outcomes for Detroit residents too.

Through her internship with Healthy Detroit, she helped implement the Detroit Health Park initiative, did outreach to let residents know about Healthy Detroit Days and worked on the Healthy Detroit Passport app, which allows residents to track their participation in these events and gave them incentives to stay active.

“Interning with Healthy Detroit gave me a better idea of the big picture of public health than I would have gotten anywhere else in the country.", Koos said. 

View the full article in The Reporter

Dean Janosky as Keynote Speaker at the Doctors for America 2015 National Leadership Conference

WASHINGTON, DC - Dr. Janine Janosky participated as keynote speaker at the Doctors for America 2015 National Leadership Conference held at the Grand Hyatt in the nation's capital on October 10-11, 2015.

Dr. Janosky was part of the panel of experts during the opening plenary session in which the social impacts on health were discussed.

The panel held a dialogue about the challenges of providing basic resources to patients, enabling them to take care of their own health, particularly those in poverty.

Dr. Janosky, who implemented the Accountable Care Community in Akron, OH, said, "We must move from Accountable Organizations to Accountable Communities".



About Doctors for America:
Doctors for America is a group of 16,000 physicians and medical students in all 50 states.  They work in private practices, academic centers, community health centers, and government-run systems like the Veteran's Affairs and the Indian Health Service.  Their mission is to improve the health of the nation and to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, high quality health care.

Encouragement and guidance ensures positive results for health policy studies grad

After searching for a way to make a difference in the field of health outside of a clinical setting that would allow him to work with people who needed assistance, Ray Lynem found his educational home in UM-Dearborn's Health Policy Studies program through the guidance of  Lawrence Radine, then associate professor of sociology and Director of the Health Policy Studies. Radine retired after the Fall 2014 semester.

Lynem views his studies assisting him in moving toward his ultimate goal.  “The ability to have such a profound impact on the health of others would be an incredible experience and responsibility. My most important mission is to promote justice and equality within the healthcare system by increasing access to care for all people.”

Lynem is attending U-M Ann Arbor this fall to earn a Master of Health Services Administration degree.


View the full article in the Reporter

Undergrads support clinical research efforts at St. Mary Mercy Hospital

An inaugural group of seven UM-Dearborn students recently completed the yearlong Emergency Medicine Research Associate Program (EMRAP) through the College of Education, Health, and Human Services at UM-Dearborn.

“EMRAP is an opportunity for undergraduate students to work directly with physicians in order to support ongoing research activities and quality improvement projects in the clinical setting of the emergency department,” said Debalina Bandyopadhyay, former director of health professions advising within UM-Dearborn’s College of Education, Health, and Human Services. Bandyopadhyay worked with Dr. Daniel Keyes, an emergency medicine physician at St. Mary Mercy Hospital, to implement the program.

Click to view the full Reporter article

CEHHS Faculty and Students Highlighted in September 21 Issue of the Reporter

In the September 21 2015 issue of the Reporter highlights the work of CEHHS Department of Education faculty members Dara Hill, LaShorage Shaffer, and Karen Thomas-Brown this summer with residents of Detroit’s Osborne neighborhood.  They created and taught a Writers Club for youth at the Matrix Human Services Center and took part in the non-profit organization Life Remodeled’s community project, which focuses on a Detroit neighborhood each summer to renovate a school, restore select homes, and remove blight and overgrowth.  The faculty members worked with the teens on expressing their hopes and dreams for themselves and their neighborhood at the weekly Writers Club.

“At the Writers Club, we said you can sit there and watch, or you could be a part of the change that’s going to happen. It doesn’t end here. It was important for them to think about sustainability,” Hill said. “For the youth who participated, they shared how it was empowering to see brush cleared away or have nice green space in an area that once had grass taller than they are.”

Read the full article in the Reporter here

CEHHS Faculty Build Global Geography Knowledge

CEHHS Faculty members Dr. Karen Thomas-Brown and Dr. LaShorage Shaffer, and CASL Faculty Dr. Cameron Amin and Dr. Jamie Wraight, were awarded a grant by the Michigan Department of Education to work with 6th, 7th and 9th grade Social Studies educators in Wayne County on global geography through the Wayne School Global Geography Project.  

Partnering with the Michigan Geographic Alliance, and Wayne RESA, educators from local school districts, including Dearborn, Taylor, Livonia and Detroit Public Schools, are offered over 90 hours of professional development training in global geography content, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and pedagogy focusing on Eastern and Western Hemisphere, Contemporary Global Issues, and Era 7-Global Crisis and Achievement 1900-1945.  

In August, the first phase of the project was launched and to date, over 41 teachers are actively participating in the project.  

For more information on the Wayne Schools Global Geography Project, please contact Dr. Karen Thomas-Brown

CEHHS Special Education Online Master Program Receives Top Twenty Accolade

The College of Education, Health, and Human Services online masters degree program in Special Education was recently noted as one of the top twenty in the nation. Ranked at number three, the Early Childhood Education Zone said, "[The University of] Michigan-Dearborn special education program has three areas of study. It’s a great value, especially for in-state students who can take full advantage of the program’s diversity."

To read more about the details of UM-Dearborn's special education program, including more information regarding the whole list of top twenty schools, click here.

CEHHS Staff Celebrate Excellence Milestones

CEHHS Student Success staff members Judy Garfield and Elizabeth Morden celebrated their ten (Garfield) and fifteen year (Morden) milestone anniversary's this past week and were acknowledged with a Chancellor's Staff Recognition Award. 

Judy Garfield, Program Assistant in the Office of Student Success, worked at University of Detroit-Mercy in a support role for student activities for almost 30 years prior to coming to UM-Dearborn. In the early years , she was a full time employee at UD-Mercy, but the latter years she switched to part-time to raise her son through his school years.  In 2005, Garfield sought a full time job and landed at UM-Dearborn. Reflecting on her 10 years of work here at CEHHS, Judy says, "I really do enjoy working with students, and I want to be the staff member that they feel they can count on to assist them with their questions and problems.  One of the nice things about longevity on this job is that I have been able to build relationships with the students I serve from their first semester here until they graduate."

Liz Morden, also a Program Assistant in the CEHHS Office of Student Success,also reflected on her fifteen years of work here at CEHHS, "I love the interaction with students, faculty, & staff that I get to work with everyday!" 

CEHHS faculty and staff commend both on their commitment and hard work. Thank you Judy and Elizabeth!

CEHHS Science-Ed Research from Detroit Community Reaches National Conferences

CEHHS faculty member Dr. Chris Burke's partnership with Ms. Lazarowicz, an elementary science teacher at Neinas Elementary School, started in Fall 2012. Dr. Burke met Ms. Lazarowicz while she was presenting about her use of the outdoor classroom and school garden at the South East Michigan Stewardship (SEMIS) Community Forum. Following this visit Dr. Burke arranged for his EXPS 220 class to come to the school and work with her students to do experiments in the outdoor classroom.  

Neinas Elementary School is a community-centered school located in South West Detroit. The student body reflects the local community and is 78% Hispanic 10% White and 10% African American. The school has multiple strong community partnerships including E & L SuperMercado (the local supermarket) & Greening of Detroit. These partnerships helped support the development of the school’s outdoor classroom. Since this initial visit in Fall 2012, eight of Burke's EXPS classes (five sections of EXPS 220 and three sections of EDD 485) have collaborated with Ms. Lazarowicz’s students. Burke's students have studied native Michigan plants, and rain gardens culminating in the installation of a rain garden at Neinas in the outdoor classroom. They have also studied irrigation systems and structures culminating in the building of roof top garden planters. This past year Dr. Burke's EXPS 220 / EDD 485 students started studying structures that will help inform the planning and building of an Earthship.  

Dr. Burke's work at Neinas has been a productive and valuable part of his teaching at the College of Education, Health, and Human Services by providing a place for UM- Dearborn students to engage in Academic Service Learning and collaborate with elementary students on long term school projects. It has also been a valuable part of Dr. Burke's scholarship in that this community-based research helps him examine the process of developing students' sense of science agency and connection to the process of scientific investigation with the community. Dr. Burke's partnership with Ms. Lazarowicz has resulted in presentations at the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative Place-Based Education Conference, the National Association of Multicultural Education Annual Conference, The Ecojustice and Activism Conference and most recently the SEMIS Community Forum.  

 Dr. Chris Burke believes that this work is important as it provides CEHHS students with an opportunity to see and work with a highly effective teacher in Detroit who is actively working to cultivate community connections and implement place-based education. As Burke says, "This opportunity helps CEHHS students develop an understanding of the importance of cultivating relationships with K-12 students, their parents, and the community. It also provides them a chance to engage in community-based science where they learn how to balance the formal rigors of science with the complexity of authentic questions that emerge from students engaging with the community". 

Burke's three year collaboration with Neinas has also provided him with a space to conduct scholarship related to the facilitation of students’ science agency, developing and sustaining school community partnerships, and place-based education. For more information on Dr. Chris Burke and his research please visit his faculty profile page.

Dr. Karen Thomas-Brown's Research Highlighted in Relational Poverty Network

The Relational Poverty Network convenes a community of scholars, working within and beyond academia, to develop conceptual frameworks, research methodologies, and pedagogies for the study of relational poverty. Launched at a historical moment of dramatic income inequality and enforced austerity in the global North, the RPN thinks across geographical boundaries to foster a transnational and comparative approach to poverty research.  In doing so, it pays attention to new global geographies of development, new forms of regulating poverty, and analyses from those often marginalized by poverty debates.  Building on a long tradition of critical work on poverty, it shifts from thinking about ‘the poor and poor others’ to thinking about relationships of power and privilege. 

Narrating the lived experiences of migrant Jamaica teachers in the U.S.

"This research is a part of an active ongoing investigation into the notions of citizenships and the migration experiences of Jamaican teachers living in the United States. These teachers work mainly in inner city schools and are also participants in the historically globalized nature of the islands of the Caribbean. They are products of an education system in Jamaica that has historically adopted and readopted to societal needs as the political and economic fortunes of the island wax and wane. This research examines the impacts of and responses to the accelerated out migration of teachers in response to recruitment drives that originate in United States, Canada, and the UK as well as efforts by the Jamaican government to have Jamaican-trained teachers participate in international talent transfer." 


Read full article HERE.

CEHHS Education Student and Community Educator Allie Traylor Awarded Grant From Dearborn Education Foundation

Allie Traylor, a Reading Specialist candidate in the M.A. in Education program was awarded a 10 Chromebook Grant from the Dearborn Education Foundation. Allie Traylor is a 6th grade teacher at Bryant Middle School in Dearborn, MI. Her grant proposal was a course requirement for EDB 503, Reading Programs, Organization and Management, facilitated by CEHHS faculty, Dara Hill. The proposal aimed to enhance her teaching and support her students' reading development.

Dean Janosky Highlights the Convergence of Employer-Educator Partnerships in Crain's Detroit Business News

To read full article on Crain's Detroit Business website click here

Increasing competitiveness in Detroit and Michigan requires multifaceted approaches that include educating and training a labor force for the technically advanced jobs of the future. Created through the intersection or convergence of disciples, integrated education and training programs, as well as employer-educator partnerships, can meet labor force demands while tackling problems otherwise deemed intractable.

The convergence of not only resources, including those of educational institutions and employers, but also disciplines within educational institutions, has tremendous potential to prepare the local and state labor force for current high-skilled, high-paying jobs as well as ensure an adequate pipeline of skilled workers for future jobs.

This proactive approach is also taking the form of employer-educator partnerships, such as those facilitated by the Aspen Institute's Skills for America's Future program, which fosters connections between community colleges and employers. More often, employer-educator partnerships have been initiated by employers in their local communities; for example, partnerships between the Boeing Co. and educational institutions, which range from pre-kindergarten to college levels, have informed curricula to align with their current and future labor force needs. 

Educational institutions have started to evolve to meet labor market needs in the public health sector. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, health care and social assistance jobs in December 2014 accounted for 17 percent of the total job openings, up from 14 percent the previous year. 

In addition, employment of health educators and community workers is projected to grow 21 percent from 2012-22, faster than the average for all occupations. 

Further development in this area could be advantageous for Detroit and Michigan. As an example, integrative education and training programs focusing on community health have the potential to dramatically impact competitiveness and productivity, especially given that the economic vitality of a community is highly dependent on the health of the citizens. 

In addition to simply having adequate numbers of healthy individuals to contribute to the labor force, businesses increasingly consider the health of the population prior to moving to or expanding within a particular geographical location due in large part to the impact of preventable, chronic disease (e.g., obesity and Type 2 diabetes) in terms of health care costs and lost productivity through absenteeism and presenteeism. 

Preparing our workers for these technically advanced jobs of the future requires that educational institutions design new, innovative programs at the intersection of disciplines, as recommended by the U.S. Council on Competitiveness. Through the convergence of disciplines as well as partnerships between employers-educators, the available and ready labor force within Detroit and Michigan could be strengthened, resulting in increased competitiveness.

Early Childhood Center Program Accepting Applications

Developing STEAM Competencies through Investigation and Construction Children are natural explorers of their environment. They construct theories about the world that they live in. During this month-long summer camp, children will be introduced to many outdoor experiences to develop their Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematical (STEAM) reasoning through explorations of rich materials in their indoor and outdoor environment. Children will work collaboratively to brainstorm theories about how things work as well as create, design, represent and test structures and devices. Children will have the opportunity to work as part of a team, share ideas and solve problems. July 6-17, 2015 & July 20-31, 2015 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. $400 for each two-week camp session Ages 3-7 Register Online Now!

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Open Enrollment for the 2015-2016 School Year

The Early Childhood Education Center is now enrolling for the 2015-2016 school year (September 9, 2015 through June 21, 2016). Our center has openings in the following programs:

Toddlers Ages 2 years to 2 years 5 months 

> Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 1:30-5:00 p.m.

Preschoolers Ages 2 years 5 months to 4 years

> Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

> Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

> Monday through Friday, 1:30-5:00 p.m.

Preschoolers Ages 3 years 6 months to 4 years 5 months

> Monday through Friday, 1:30-5:00 p.m.

Pre-Kindergarten Ages 4 years 6 months to 5 years

> Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

> Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

> Monday through Friday, 1:30-5:00 p.m.

Kindergarten Ages 5 years to 6 years

> Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Please note: The above are minimum scheduling options. You may add time to this schedule if available. Openings will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Children must be 5 years old by September 1, 2015 to enroll in the kindergarten program.

To enroll, please call 313-593-5424 and ask for Lia or Brittany.

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Accepting Applications for 2015-2016 GSRP Program

The Early Childhood Education Center is accepting applications for the Great Start Readiness Program grant (GSRP) for the 2015-2016 school year. The State of Michigan, through the Department of Education, provides funding for children to attend a high-quality preschool program. The grant enables children to attend the center for 32 weeks from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. To be eligible to apply, children must: 

• be four years old on or before September 1, 2015 (birth dates between 09/02/10 and 09/01/11)
• exhibit two or more risk factors

Please download the GSRP packet to review the risk factors, grant application and income requirements. Families that do not meet the low-income risk factor must be charged tuition based on a sliding fee scale. If you have any questions regarding the grant, please contact Debbie Jones at ddjones@umich.edu

          Download GSRP Grant Packet For More Information

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