As we launch fall semester, I am excited to share updates on the College leadership for this year.
Cabinet
- Senior Associate Dean for Academic Programs: Stacey Neuharth-Pritchett
- Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship: Scott Ardoin
- Associate Dean for Outreach and Engagement: John Mativo
- Associate Dean for Personnel Development and Leadership: Allison Nealy
Department heads
- Counseling and Human Development Services: Edward Delgado-Romero
- Communication Sciences and Special Education: Jennifer Brown
- Educational Psychology: Amy Reschly
- Educational Theory and Practice: Cheryl Fields-Smith
- Kinesiology: Jamie Cooper
- Language and Literacy Education: Kevin Burke
- Lifelong Education, Administration, and Policy: Julie Kittleson
- Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Education: Jim Garrett
- Workforce Education and Instructional Technology: Roger Hill
Administrative offices
- Business: Andy Garber
- Information Technology: Ralph Knapp
- Marketing and Communications: Jen Williams
- Development and Alumni Relations: Molly Thomas
I look forward to working with these leaders to advance the College’s mission in the coming year and hope you will join me in thanking them for their leadership.
Denise Spangler
Dean
As part of the current construction project, work in Aderhold Hall will shift from common areas to more frequently occupied areas of the building over the coming weeks. While every effort will be made to minimize disruption, employees should anticipate periods of general construction noise and occasional requests for access to offices and workspaces. In some areas, contractors will require access above the ceiling, which may necessitate the temporary move of furniture and the clearing of desks, shelving, and other work surfaces. Office managers and department heads will receive advance notice to share with affected employees, including specific instructions and project timelines.
The anticipated impact within any given area is approximately 7-10 business days. During that time, employees may wish to identify an alternate workspace within their unit, such as an available office or conference room not immediately affected by construction activities. If an alternative space is not available within your area, please reach out to Zu Reuter or Andy Garber, and we will work to identify temporary accommodations elsewhere in the building, including access to a computer dock, monitor, and printer.
Recognizing that construction activities may make some workspaces temporarily unsuitable for normal operations, Dean Spangler has authorized temporary telework for employees whose immediate work area is impacted. Telework arrangements remain subject to approval by the employee’s department head and must be coordinated to ensure appropriate departmental coverage and continuity of operations. We appreciate your flexibility and cooperation as we complete these improvements and will continue to share updates as project schedules are finalized.
- Date: Thursday, Sept. 24
- Time: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Location: Virtual
This one-day workshop from the Center for Multilingual-Learner Education, Research, and Innovative Teaching offers preK-12 educators the opportunity to explore and practice research-based principles and techniques for collaborative, conversation-based instruction to:
- Better meet the needs of multilingual learners
- Integrate multilingual learners productively into content classrooms
- Actively develop multilingual learners’ academic language skills
- Date: Tuesday, Sept. 29
- Time: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Location: Virtual
This practical, hands-on, one-day workshop from the Center for Multilingual-Learner Education, Research, and Innovative Teaching introduces preK-12 educators to the language “functions” embedded in disciplinary content standards.
The interactive session moves beyond vocabulary lists and offers educators the opportunity to identify what key language uses (e.g. inform, narrate, explain, argue) are embedded in the content standards and what associated language functions and features the standards ask students master to demonstrate their conceptual understanding of content.
- Date: Wednesday, Aug. 19
- Time: 5:30 p.m. (game starts at 6:35 p.m.)
- Location: Coolray Field (2500 Buford Drive, Lawrenceville, GA 30043)
- Registration deadline: Wednesday, Aug. 12 (register today)
Join fellow Mary Frances Early College of Education alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends for an alumni night at the Gwinnett Stripers game!
- Ticket cost: $39 per person
- Venue location: The Cove is located behind seating section 117
- Seat location: Section 107
Tickets include a buffet-style dinner of the stadium’s ballpark menu and access to The Cove, where the event before the game will take place. The Cove is an elevated hospitality space located near the right-field foul pole, offering premium views of the action and an inviting atmosphere for fans and guests.
Abraham quoted in Psychology Today
Anna Abraham, E. Paul Torrance Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and director of the Torrance Center for Creativity, was quoted in a Psychology Today article about creativity.
The article, “Creativity and the Search of the Eureka Factor,” states that creativity emerges in people who have strong knowledge in an area and are looking to solve a problem, and that modern research in creativity points to this expertise as providing a foundation for innovation.
“Creative people have the kind of curiosity that draws them toward learning new things and experiencing the world in new ways,” she said.
Read the full story in Psychology Today.
Zhai interviewed in Georgia Recorder
Xiaoming Zhai, professor and director of the AI4STEM Education Center, was interviewed by Georgia Recorder for an article examining the growing use of artificial intelligence among Georgia teachers.
Drawing on a statewide survey of more than 13,000 educators, the article highlights both AI’s potential to support instruction and concerns about its effects on student learning. Zhai emphasized the importance of preparing teachers to use AI responsibly and ethically so they can help students navigate its opportunities, risks, and future workplace applications.
Read the full story in Georgia Recorder.