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University of South Florida
Polytechnic
3433 Winter Lake Road
Lakeland, FL 33803
(863) 667-7077
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Contact:
Tom Hagerty
(863)
667-7077
LAKELAND,
FL (May 15, 2008) -
More than 110 school principals and district administrators from Polk County and other Central Florida school districts attended the 5th Annual Professional Development Conference May 13, 2008, at the Jim Miles Professional Development Center in Lakeland.
Keynote speaker was Dr. Kent Peterson, author and professor from the University of Wisconsin Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. A scholar known for his work on organizational culture, Peterson stressed the critical role school principals play in shaping the culture of their schools.
Dr. Kent Peterson, keynote speaker.
"At a deeper level, all organizations, especially schools, improve performance by fostering a shared system of norms, folkways, values and traditions," he said. "These elements infuse the enterprise with passion, purpose and a sense of spirit. Without a strong, positive culture, schools flounder and die."
The conference is part of the Quality School Leaders Symposia, a partnership among the University of South Florida Lakeland, Polk County Public Schools and Polk Businesses for WorldClass Education aimed at bringing nationally and internationally known scholars and practitioners to Polk County.
Dr. Cheryl Joe, senior coordinator of human resource support and evaluation, Polk County Public Schools; Dr. Sherrie Nickell, associate superintendent, Polk County Public Schools; and Dr. Judith Ponticell, senior associate vice president, USF Lakeland, agreed the event was well received by participants.
"The complexity of issues facing school leaders today is challenging," said Ponticell, "but research on the critical role of the principal's ability to understand and shape school culture is very clear as key to a school's success. The strength of the partnership among the school district, Polk County businesses and USF Lakeland is its commitment to bringing current research and best practices to the forefront and doorstep of Polk County."
Through the support of Polk Businesses for WorldClass Education and the Department of Professional Development of the Polk County School District, participants received copies of "Shaping School Culture" and the "Shaping School Culture Fieldbook" by Dr. Kent Peterson.
Sharon Neuman, principal, Lawton Chiles Middle Academy, Lakeland,
makes a point during a group discussion
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