In the story of the Tower of Babel, the project fell apart as soon as the workers began speaking in different languages. However, the opposite is happening in New Jersey, where Long Branch Public Schools brings together students speaking more than 40 different dialects and boasts a 95 percent college acceptance rate. Superintendent Michael Salvatore says nearly 45 percent of the district’s students come from bilingual homes, but the district is determined to see language as a difference, not a barrier. He says the district continually works to overcome economic challenges that can prevent some students from reaching their full potential.
When Dr. Casey Wardynski joined Huntsville City Schools last August, he knew the district faced several major concerns, not the least of which was $20 million of debt. “The district needed a leader to improve their financial picture, but while doing that, we also found student achievement and other things were not where they should be,” says Wardynski, superintendent of the Huntsville, Ala.-based public district.
With an emphasis on high-quality teaching and learning, breadth of programs, industry connections, research opportunities and practical work experience, there aren’t many schools in Canada like Humber College. “Humber spans the territories between a traditional community college and a university experience,” President John Davies says.
Students at the College of Marin in Northern California are seeing a lot of new things pop up around them. The community college, founded in 1926 and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, hosts a few buildings that are nearly a half-century old. In 2004, Marin County voters strongly supported a $249.5 million bond to invest in modernizing the college’s facilities to current operational and safety standards.
When Robert Gillet stepped in as president of Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology 16 years ago, the Ontario government was reducing funding for higher education by 15 percent. However, that didn’t stop the newly inducted president and his staff from laying the groundwork for major initiatives that are still progressing. Now that the school faces similar economic challenges, it is still undeterred in its mission to develop a state-of-the-art infrastructure both physically and digitally.
One constant for the University of Saskatchewan has been change. This era is no different, as the university continues to enhance programming and secure funding to expand research, facilities, and native endeavors to continue its growth. “The university is stable financially and it has an excellent leadership team,” said Peter MacKinnon, president. “We continue to grow because of the strength of our students and faculty and their total commitment to the university and their work.”
The School District of South Orange & Maplewood is known for producing high-performing students that win awards in academics and extracurricular activities and go on to have successful post-secondary careers. Superintendent Dr. Brian Osborne said the school district’s reputation is what attracts many families to the New Jersey suburb. However, just as there are many high-performing students, there are many students on the other end of the spectrum, struggling to learn and succeed in school. Osborne said the district has a pernicious disparity in achievement that correlates to race and class.
Rochester Community Schools is well known in the community. In fact, the public school system is one of the reasons that families move to Rochester, Mich., which has been named one of the most livable communities multiple times. Superintendent David Pruneau believes that it is the strong relationship between the community and district that has led to a family friendly atmosphere and thriving school district.
