Jan. 29, 2013

Leaders, advisers, alumni and “students” in the New Leaders program addressed the Forum today about a program designed to give educators in challenging CMS schools the tools they need to help every child succeed.

There was much hope and celebration in the room Tuesday. But there was a poignant moment as well, when a retired longtime educator asked what “magic bullet” was in the hands of the enthusiastic young people in front of him that would allow them to succeed when educators of his generation had not managed to close the achievement gap.

Among the answers he received was: There is no one magic bullet. Bits of best practice have been working between teachers and students in classrooms every day, today and 30 years ago as well. The New Leaders project is an attempt to share all those success strategies nationwide, and perhaps even to change the schoolhouse environment enough that these young principals and teachers feel empowered to do what it takes to ensure that every child is learning.

The group passed out two handouts: a two-page set of bios for those speaking Tuesday, and a four-page info packet containing some data.

The website of the Charlotte outpost of the national New Leaders program is here. And a listing of the Charlotte outpost’s advisory board membership and list of mostly corporate funders is here.

The video record of the conversation Tuesday is in five pieces below.