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- June 2006 / Two accreditation agencies to visit campus in September
BPC Education Division Advisory
Council Focuses on Accreditation Visit
Two accreditation agencies to visit campus in September
Taylor Hereford
BPC Director of Marketing
The Brewton-Parker College Education Division
Advisory Council held its spring meeting on the college’s main campus
in Mount Vernon last month focusing on continuing preparations for the official
on-campus visit from the Georgia
Professional Standards Commission (PSC) and the National Council on Accreditation
for Teacher Education (NCATE).
One of the many preparations concerned the
basic framework of the Division itself. Dr. Bowman Barr, chair of the Division,
explained to the Council that
positive revisions have been made that will maintain a Christian worldview
within the Division and keep the Division’s mission and philosophy connected
with that of the entire college. All of these revisions serve to enhance the
Division’s theme, which is “Reflective Pathways from Theory to
Practice.”
The Division has been working for several months on adding eight new assessment
tools which are required by the PSC. Dr. Norma Harper told the Council that
these new assessment tools, which are used in the proper certification of teacher
candidates, are now in place and are being implemented within the Division.
These tools, according to Dr. Harper, are now available on LiveText, an electronic
data collection system that had recently been purchased by the college.
Professor Skye Jordan updated the Council
on the Division’s process
of transitioning teacher candidates from the beginning of the program through
completion. A major addition to the process is that the Division is now requiring
students to demonstrate a stronger content knowledge as they progress through
the program. This is being accomplished, according to Jordan, through new in-house
assessments.
Dr. Melba Claxton, professor and Early Childhood Education Coordinator for
the Division, who also serves as the chair of the Advisory Council, said the
Division is receiving full support from the members of the Advisory Council
as preparations continue for the official agency visits in September.
“
We are pleased with the positive responses from our P-12 council members
who pledged their support as we prepare for the PSC/NCATE on-site visit in
the fall,” said Dr. Claxton.
The Education Division at Brewton-Parker College seeks input from public schools
in which its teacher candidates are placed for field and clinical experiences.
The Education Division Advisory Council is composed of superintendents, principals,
curriculum directors, and teachers from partnering school systems within a
60 mile radius of Brewton-Parker College and from external education sites
in Norman Park and Liberty County. Other members of the Council include full-time
members of the Education faculty, selected members of the on-campus Arts and
Sciences faculty, and a student representative that is currently enrolled at
the college.
The Council meets at the conclusion of fall and spring semester each academic
year.
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