| This summer Pittsburgh Schools Superintendent | | | | $255,000 from the Fund in Excellence in the |
| Mark Roosevelt announced the creation of the | | | | Pittsburgh Schools. The Fund in Excellence in the |
| Pittsburgh Schools High School Reform Task | | | | Pittsburgh Schools is a recently created by a local |
| Force. The Pittsburgh Schools High School Reform | | | | foundation. The inaugural event for the Pittsburgh |
| Task Force will be comprised of education | | | | Schools High School Reform Task Force will be a |
| professionals, private foundations, business | | | | meeting with renowned educator Dr. Willard R. |
| professionals, parents, and community members. | | | | Daggett, President of the International Center for |
| The Task Force will investigate the current | | | | Leadership in Education. |
| practices in the Pittsburgh Schools and determine | | | | The current members of the Task Force are: |
| what the best approach to high school reform | | | | Dara Ware Allen - Executive Director, |
| should be. Pittsburgh Schools High School Reform | | | | YouthWorks, Inc.; Seppy Basili - Senior |
| Task Force will be responsible for evaluating and | | | | Vice President, Kaplan K12 Learning Services; Dr. |
| ultimately redesigning Pittsburgh Schools' high | | | | Charles Blocksidge - Vice President of |
| schools as part of Pittsburgh Schools' "Excellence | | | | Organizational Development/Frieda G. Shapira |
| for All" reform plan. The "Excellence for All" plan | | | | Center for Learning, Community College of |
| aims to improve the academic performance and | | | | Allegheny County; Susan Brownlee - Executive |
| increase graduation rates in all Pittsburgh Schools. | | | | Director, The Grable Foundation; Honorable Kevin |
| The most important goal of the "Excellence for | | | | E. Cooper - Pittsburgh District Judge; Joseph |
| All" reform plan is to increase the graduation rate | | | | Dominic - Director, Education Program, The Heinz |
| by 10 percent by the end of the 2008-2009 | | | | Endowments; George Gensure - Executive Board |
| school year. Pittsburgh Schools High School | | | | Member and Staff Member, Pittsburgh Federation |
| Reform Task Force will spearhead reform so that | | | | of Teachers; Dr. Cecilia Griffin Golden - Chief |
| high school students will have the opportunities to | | | | Executive Officer, YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh; |
| succeed after high school. The main tenet of the | | | | Ruth Howze - PPS Parent Representative; |
| "Excellence for All" reform plan is that all students | | | | Rufus Jordan - Executive Board Member |
| no matter what their age, experience or | | | | and Staff Member, Pittsburgh Federation of |
| background can achieve quality education. The | | | | Teachers; Jeffrey Laurenson - PPS High School |
| Pittsburgh Schools High School Reform Task | | | | Teacher, Brashear High School; Dr. Alan Lesgold - |
| Force will evaluate education in high schools based | | | | Dean, School of Education, University of |
| on six main principles. These principles will be used | | | | Pittsburgh; David J. Malone - President |
| to guide the changes in the high schools: | | | | and CEO, Gateway Financial; Chairman of PA |
| personalized learning environment; academic | | | | Workforce Investment Board; Dr. Indira |
| engagement of all students; empowered | | | | Nair - Vice Provost for Education, Carnegie Mellon |
| educators; accountable leaders; engaged | | | | University; Ronald D. Painter - Chief |
| communities and youth and an integrated system | | | | Executive Officer, Three Rivers Workforce |
| of curriculum, instruction, and assessment | | | | Investment Board; Jeanne Pearlman - |
| supports. | | | | Senior Program Officer for Education and the |
| Pittsburgh Schools High School Reform Task | | | | Arts, The Pittsburgh Foundation; Gregory K. |
| Force Members and Funding | | | | Peaslee - Senior Vice President, Human |
| The Pittsburgh Schools High School Reform Task | | | | Resources, Construction and Property |
| Force will be led jointly by Jan Ripper, Principal on | | | | Management, UPMC; Douglas Silinski - PPS Parent |
| Special Assignment for high school reform and Dr. | | | | Representative; Linda Serody - PPS Parent |
| Lynn Spampinato, Deputy Superintendent of | | | | Representative; Gregory R. Spencer - President |
| Instruction, Assessment, and Accountability. | | | | and CEO, Randall Enterprises, LLC; Former Senior |
| Pittsburgh Schools High School Reform Task | | | | Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, |
| Force will visit and observe techniques used in | | | | Equitable Resources, Inc. ; Michael T. |
| nationally recognized high schools in urban centers | | | | Thorson - Former Principal of Creative And |
| around the US to determine which techniques | | | | Performing Arts (CAPA) High School; |
| would be beneficial to Pittsburgh Schools. | | | | Doris Carson Williams - President, |
| Pittsburgh Schools High School Reform Task | | | | African American Chamber of Commerce of |
| Force will be funded mainly through a grant of | | | | Western Pennsylvania; and Yolanda C. |