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920 West State Street • Trenton, New Jersey 08618-5328
609.599.2900 / Fax: 609.599.9359 website: http://www.njasa.net
Press Release
Contact Anne H. Gallagher
NJASA Director of Communications
609-599-2900, ext. 126
agallagher@njasa.net
Editor’s Note:
Click here to listen to the archived proceeding of the April 9th meeting.
Click here to view the NJASA 4 Equity Presentation to the JCPS.
NJASA Brings "NJASA 4 Equity" into Focus with the JCPS
"Equity is not just a buzzword. It’s an integral part of our initiatives at NJASA - and it is valued throughout New Jersey public schools." NJASA Executive Director Dr. Richard Bozza
NJASA Executive Director Dr. Richard Bozza is available to comment on Education-Related Issues.
Second and third from left, Joint Committee on the Public Schools Co-Chairs Senator Ronald L. Rice and Assemblywoman Mila M. Jasey meet with NJASA representatives from left, Director of Government Relations Melanie Schulz; President Dr. G. Kennedy Greene; President-Elect Dr. Scott R. Rocco; Cape May County Affiliate President Kenyon Kummings; and Director of Special Projects Judith Rattner. Fifth from left, Assemblywoman Patricia Egan Jones also participated in the discussions.
Thanks to the New Jersey Association of School Administrators (NJASA) and the Joint Committee on the Public Schools (JCPS) future generations will remember April 9, 2019 as a historical occasion for the children of New Jersey. The NJASA 4 Equity plan was the topic of a morning committee hearing of the JCPS.
The NJASA leadership team - NJASA Executive Director Dr. Richard Bozza; NJASA President Dr. G. Kennedy Greene; NJASA Director of Special Projects Judith Rattner; and NJASA Director of NJSARP Dr. Mark Stanwood - took the bold steps in informing the JCPS of the NJASA 4 Equity initiative that amplifies the Association’s theme of "One Vision, Our Voice: Using our voice as school leaders to achieve a vision of equity for all New Jersey students."
NJASA Executive Director Dr. Richard Bozza stated, "NJASA 4 Equity comes at a time when the Association is looking to incorporate actionable items in our clear vision for education. Equity is the natural way to operationalize this vision. It’s concrete, measurable, and it impacts everyone from chief education officers to administrators, faculty, staff and students."
During his opening remarks, NJASA President Dr. G. Kennedy Greene, Chief Education Officer, Newton, provided an overview of NJASA 4 Equity. He defined educational equity as the "means that every student has access to the educational resources and rigor they need at the right moment in their education across race, gender, ethnicity, language, disability, sexual orientation, family background and/or family income." Leading for Equity: Opportunities for State Education Chiefs, Council of Chief State School Officers, 2017
NJASA Director of Administrative Residency Programs Dr. Mark Stanwood discussed the quest of eliminating the predictability of achievement and attainment disparities defined by race/ethnicity or economics; and building the districts’ capacities for continuous improvement. He also noted some of the key challenges facing school leaders include funding; disparities in learning opportunities; mandates; actions that detract from a collaborative effort; and a shrinking pool of highly qualified and certified leaders.
NJASA Director of Special Projects Judith Rattner stated, "Women have made great strides professionally in many roles. However, it’s not quite the same in New Jersey’s public schools. If you are looking at the position of the chief education officer, more likely than not you’ll find a man at the helm."
Director Rattner reiterated the Association’s long and proud tradition of advocating for children and preparing leaders to steer public school districts in the right direction for a positive future. She said, "NJASA created a Women in Leadership Committee to serve as resource to women already in leadership positions and those aspiring to become leaders."
After the NJASA presentation to the JCPS, NJASA Executive Director Dr. Richard Bozza said, "It is vital that we not only address the complex teaching and learning challenges of today, but NJASA will continue to be an integral part of on-going policy conversations and debates to ensure that every student has access to programs, services and resources."
NJASA’s next steps include continuing the process for how all involved stakeholders - the Legislature, the Commissioner of Education, the New Jersey State Board of Education, students, parents, staff and community representatives - can assist NJASA in achieving the goals of NJASA 4 Equity.
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About NJASA:
The New Jersey Association of School Administrators is an organization of chief education officers and school administrators who lead school districts in New Jersey’s 21 counties. The Association’s mission is to ensure a superior statewide system of education. Through ongoing professional training and education, the Association shares knowledge among its members about best practices from both educational and administrative perspectives. Its goal is to move education forward by ensuring the highest quality of instruction for all New Jersey children. The Association is located at 920 West State Street, Trenton, New Jersey 08618-5328. For more information -- PH: 609.599.2900 / Fax: 609.599.9359 / website: www.njasa.net.
Education Brief Videos
Due to the complexity of educational topics, NJASA has released a series of videos to help parents and taxpayers better understand the issues. Each video can be accessed on a special NJASA YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/TheNJASA or by clicking on the YouTube icon on the NJASA website, www.njasa.net.
