Curriculum Leader Award
Joanne Harriman - 2008 MCLA Curriculum Leader of the Year
The Maine Curriculum Leaders’ Association announced today that Joanne Harriman of Sullivan, Maine, has been selected as the 2008 Maine Curriculum Leader of the Year. Joanne has been the Director of Curriculum and Staff Development for School Union 98 (Mount Desert) for four years, and was the Curriculum Coordinator for Union 96 for three years prior to that.
Joanne was selected from a pool of outstanding Maine curriculum leaders for her work at Union 98, her dedication to the support of teachers and administrators, her drive to make possible the best education for Union 98 students, and her active participation in statewide events and professional development conferences. She has organized or assisted in several statewide meetings for her colleagues and is a founding member of the Maine Curriculum Leaders’ Association. In fact, it is very possible that the Maine Curriculum Leaders’ Association would not exist without her active participation.
Joanne has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Southern Maine, a Master’s degree in Middle Level Education from the University of Maine and is completing requirements for her Doctorate in Educational Leadership there.
Ellen Schneider, Curriculum Coordinator for MSAD 1 (Presque Isle) said “Joanne is an amazing resource for all of us in Maine. At this time of extreme change in education, she helps us focus on what to do to help kids. I have worked with her on professional development for other curriculum leaders and her attention to detail has always resulted in fabulous learning opportunities.”
Union 98 Superintendent of Schools Rob Liebow, upon hearing the news, remarked ”Joanne is superb at her craft...she has moved Union 98 forward in terms of curriculum in so many ways in just a few short years with us! Joanne has set the tone for curriculum implementation in our schools and in so doing has improved the quality of instruction by our teachers and the learning environment for all of our students”.
The MCLA Curriculum Leader of the Year award was established to recognize the skills, talents, and abilities of the people in Maine school districts who maintain focus on education in the educational system. When curriculum, instruction, assessment, and staff development are coordinated within a school district, students have a greater chance of higher performance.
The Maine Curriculum Leaders’ Association is a mutual benefit organization comprised of educational leaders from across the state. Organizational goals are to advocate for effective policies and programs, establish a network for communicating information, and provide professional development for improving members’ knowledge and skills. Activities include biannual conferences, a listserv and website, and this award.Maine CLA Curriculum Leader Award
The Planning Committee of the Maine Curriculum Leaders Association is pleased to announce nominations for its annual Curriculum Leader of the Year Award. Curriculum leaders, be they teachers, administrators, or consultants, conduct vitally important work on what students should know and be able to do, how we know if students know and can do these things, and how to change classroom environments if students are not meeting these expectations.
The first Maine CLA Curriculum Leader of the Year was Karoldene Barnes of MSAD #64 (read story below). Joanne Harriman was selected as the 2008 Curriculum Leader of the Year (see story above).
Curriculum leaders must be skilled in the content of the work (curriculum, instruction, and assessment designed to improve instruction), in the process of the work (designing and conducting professional development, monitoring programs, creating effective work environments), and in engaging in the work (keeping track of federal, State, and local educational rules and regulations).
The goals of the statewide Maine Curriculum Leaders Association are threefold;
- To advocate for effective policies and programs
- To establish a network for communicating information, and
- To provide professional development for improving members’ knowledge and skills.
The Curriculum Leader of the Year will annually be the ‘face of the organization’. She or he will be recognized at meetings of the MCLA and will be feted with appropriate pomp and circumstance at other events. He or she may be asked to join in conversations with the MCLA Board of Directors and in campaigns advocating for improved educational opportunities for students and staff. Plus her or his registration fee for the annual meeting will be waived, thus contradicting the ‘no free lunch’ axiom.
We know what ‘curriculum work’ entails, in all its stages of preparation, implementation, and evaluation, but the general public and members of many other educational organizations do not fully comprehend the wide range of knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to be a curriculum leader. This award will help raise the visibility of our positions and our value added to education across the whole state.
Should you have any questions, please contact a member of the MCLA Planning Committee - Cathy Menard (M.S.A.D. 31), Sarah Simmonds (Cape Elizabeth), Karoldene Barnes (M.S.A.D. 64), Kathleen Kazmierczak (Glenburn), Joe Mattos (Waterville), Tom Keller (M.S.A.D. 40), Ellen Schneider (M.S.A.D. 1), Joanne Harriman (Union 98), Gloria Jenkins (M.S.A.D. 43), Bob Jenkins (Independent), Tad Johnston (D.O.E.), Diana Doiron (D.O.E.).
Karoldene Barnes - 2007 MCLA Curriculum Leader of the Year
The Maine Curriculum Leaders’ Association is extremely pleased to announce that Karoldene Barnes of MSAD 64 (East Corinth) has been selected as the 2007 MCLA Curriculum Leader of the Year. Karoldene is the K-12 Director of Student and Staff Services, a position she has held since 1987.
She holds a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Administration and a Masters in Education from the University of Maine, and a Bachelors of Science in Education from the University of Maine at Farmington. She also has seventy credits from other universities and recertification courses.
“This is one reason Karoldene was selected for this award”, said Joseph Mattos, superintendent of schools in MSAD 3. “She exemplifies how teachers and administrators are constantly seeking to expand their knowledge base to provide a better education for Maine students.”
As the Director of Student and Staff Services, Ms. Barnes works with over ninety professional staff, fifty paraprofessionals, an administrative team consisting of eleven administrators and over 1270 students. She coordinates alignment of the Learning Results with curriculum, instruction, and assessment efforts, Title IA services, and special education, chairs the gifted and talented committee, and oversees the teacher certification support system.
Outside of her district, Ms. Barnes participates as a member of the Rural Schools Partnership, the Eastern Maine Curriculum Coordinators, and the Maine Association of Directors of Services for Exceptional Children. She also is a founding member of the Maine Curriculum Leaders’ Association.
Jenifer Van Deusen, Curriculum Coordinator with the Kittery School Department said “Karoldene serves as a model for all of us for all she has done over the years. She works with all teachers, all curriculum areas including special education, and all administrators in a large district. In addition, she is well known as a ‘go to’ person when you need to know some piece of information or the history behind some initiative. She is a well-spring of knowledge.”
The MCLA Curriculum Leader of the Year award was established to recognize the skills, talents, and abilities of the people in Maine school district who maintain focus on education in the educational system. When curriculum, instruction, assessment, and staff development are coordinated within a school district, students have a greater chance of higher performance.
The Maine Curriculum Leaders’ Association is a mutual benefit organization comprised of educational leaders from across the state. Organizational goals are to advocate for effective policies and programs, establish a network for communicating information, and provide professional development for improving members’ knowledge and skills. Activities include biannual conferences, a listserv and website, and this award.