References
Click here for a
PDF version of this page
Assistant to the Superintendent for Early Childhood Services, Tulsa
Public Schools
918-746-6511(W)
3027 South New Haven
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74114
918-633-0144(C)
mckenan@tulsaschools.org
Mr. McKenzie and I worked closely together during my
employment with Tulsa Public Schools. In the first few years, he was
one of two elementary principals’ Professional Development
representatives Committee that I led. Later, we worked together at
the District Office. Mr. McKenzie is one of seven siblings to
graduate from the University of Tulsa and his mother still lives in
the neighborhood where she raised her children.
Asst. Superintendent to the Assoc. Superintendent for Elementary
Education, Tulsa Public Schools
3027 South New Haven
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74114
918-230-1590(C)
salzreub@aol.com
Ms. Reusser has been a valued friend and colleague in
Tulsa as well as a student of mine in the doctoral program at OU.
She served on the Alternative Education Task Force for me as well as
the discipline committee. She is well aware of my performance and
abilities.
Former
Superintendent of Jackson and Meridian, Mississippi School Districts 601-957-1048(H)
1606 Pear Orchard Place
Jackson, Mississippi 39211 601-519-6159(C)
jsargent@jackson.k12.ms.us
After retiring as Superintendent of
Mississippi’s largest school District (Jackson) for five years and
Meridian for two years, President of the Mississippi Association of
School Superintendent’s, and the Superintendent’s delegate to the
Mississippi Board of Education, Dr. Sargent became my supervisor at
GEAR UP Mississippi. When I accepted the position of Assistant
Superintendent in Arkansas’ second largest school district (Pulaski
County), the Director of Elementary Education retired at Christmas,
and Dr. Sargent came to serve in an Interim capacity. She has a
broad perspective of my abilities to serve as Superintendent.
Mr. James Sharpe
Former Superintendent, Pulaski
County Special School District 580-212-3394(C)
Mr. Sharpe had completed over five years as Assistant Superintendent of Personnel Services when I first arrived in Pulaski County. He was appointed Superintendent during my tenure.
Chief Financial Officer –
Mississippi High School Activities Association
601-924-6400(W)
Former Director of Curriculum - Madison County School
District 601-942-2571(C)
1201 Clinton/Raymond Rd / P.O. Box 127 Clinton, Mississippi 39060 jfranklin@misshsaa.com
Ms. Franklin supervised my work in Madison County as I led the development of the Magnet School Curriculum at Velma Jackson High School.
State Director – MS Association
for Supervision Curriculum Development 601-573-3899(H)
Former Assistant Commissioner for Research & Development
– MS IHL
601-591-2210(C)
120 Spring Tree Brandon, Mississippi 39042
mbaxter@mascd.com
Dr. Baxter has known me since before I entered the field of education. He has been familiar with my career in education from the beginning and worked closely with me during my time as Coordinator of GEAR UP MS as we were both employed at the Institutions of Higher Learning at that time.
Retired Superintendent of Madison County School District
601-879-8847(H)
First Avenue
Flora, Mississippi 39071
lilysue@att.net
Ms. Jones was the first superintendent for whom I worked in an administrative capacity. She hired me into Madison County and charged me with the responsibilities and expectations for the development of the Magnet Program at Velma Jackson. We have continued to maintain communication over my career in educational leadership.
Fmr Lead Principal, Behavioral
Alternatives – TPS School Innovations 918-698-2422(C)
thelandofgar@gmail.com
Mr. Garland and I partnered in 2006-2007 to develop the magnet program at Webster High School – he as the principal and I as the Director of Staff Development & Leadership Training for Tulsa Public Schools. He was one of the students I taught in the OU-Tulsa doctoral program in 2007. When I became Superintendent of School Innovations, I hired him in 2009 to be one of my Lead Principals. Due to the changing roles, Mr. Garland has become familiar with my abilities in diverse capacities.
Principal, Brassfield 5th & 6th
Grade Center, Bixby, OK 918-366-2249(W)
Fmr Principal, Anderson Elementary School, Tulsa, OK
501 South Riverview
Bixby, OK 74008
banderson@bixbyps.org
Ms Anderson was principal at Anderson Elementary School where she supervised one of the elementary alternative programs for Tulsa Public Schools. She was in this position when I was appointed Assistant Superintendent, and we partnered together while I was in that position to fully implement the program successfully.
Ms. Oma Jean Copeland
Fmr Board Member, Tulsa Public
School District
918-425-3963(H)
2519 North Xanthus Avenue
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74110-2059
I worked closely with Ms. Copeland throughout my service with Tulsa Public Schools beginning in 2006. She served as a member of the Task Force I assembled in 2008 to redesign the district alternative system.
Professor of Educational Leadership, University of Oklahoma
918-660-3986(W)
4502 E. 41st Street/Schusterman Center
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74135-2512
bedwards@ou.edu
Dr. Edwards and I have worked together beginning in 2006 to develop the new doctoral program in educational leadership at the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa. The program was developed to have a strong practitioner strand in issues relative to urban leadership.
Executive Director, Pulaski Association of Certified Teachers (PACT) 501-374-4955(W)
1500 West 4th
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 501-565-2469(H)
501-837-5433(C)
Ms. Roy had first-hand knowledge of my interactions between building administrators and teachers because I served as hearing officer for employees grievances in the Division of Learning Services. She witnessed my collaboration skills as well as my transformational leadership skills as I facilitated solutions to some of the District’s most challenging situations.
Former Superintendent, Pulaski
County Special School District 501-993-0045(C)
128 Grenoble Circle Maumelle, Arkansas 72113 501-851-0029(H)
Dr. Don Henderson was the superintendent in Pulaski County who hired me into the District as his Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services. He positioned me to facilitate numerous community meetings to work on identifying constituent interests and beliefs for improving their schools. Dr. Henderson also charged me with hearing certified staff grievances and developing appropriate solutions. He also supported our efforts to redesign the Division of Learning Services to provide a focus on students, their needs, and the desired outcomes.
Academic Dean, Hinds Community
College – Rankin & ATC Campuses 601-936-5553(W)
3805 Highway 80 East
Pearl, Mississippi 39208
gmfox@hindscc.edu
Mr. Fox was a teacher at one of my high schools, then hired me as an adjunct instructor at Hinds Community College. He supervised my instruction as Department Chair, then Academic Dean during the nine years I served as a psychology adjunct faculty member teaching 3-12 hours per semester.
Ms. Sammye Jean Webb
Past President - Forest
Municipal School District Board
1600 Highway 35 North
Forest, Mississippi 39074 601-469-4056(H)
Ms. Webb was the President of the School Board during my time as High School Principal in Forest. She has continued to be a source of inspiration and encouragement to me in my career.
Executive Director, Oklahoma
Quality Award Foundation
mike.strong@oklahomaquality.com
900 North Stiles
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104 405-815-5295(W)
I have served for two years in Tulsa on the District Strategic Planning Committee and have served as an examiner for the Oklahoma Quality Award Foundation for four years under the leadership of Mr. Strong. As Director of Staff Development and Leadership Training, I led in the development of training that aligned our site improvement plans to the District Strategic Plan in accordance with the Baldrige model for continuous improvement.
Former Director of Alternative Schools
– Tulsa Public School District 918-746-6303(W)
3027 South New Haven Road/P.O. Box 470208 Tulsa,
Oklahoma 74147-208
rodreke@tulsaschools.org
Mr. Rodrequez is one of the rising stars in administration in Tulsa Public Schools. I have worked with him since 2006 as mentor, two-year evaluator for Oklahoma Quality Award, co-presenter of numerous professional development and supervisor in his service as Lead Principal for Academic Alternatives.
Dr. Michael E. Zolkoski
Former Superintendent, Tulsa
Public School District 956-466-6625(C)
Superintendent, Ysleta Independent School District 915-434-0032(W)
9600 Sims Drive
El Paso, Texas 79925
mzolkoski@yisd.net
Dr. Zolkoski was my superintendent in Tulsa Public Schools during the 2008-2009 school year. We worked closely on a number of community projects, professional development ventures, and the development of the Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant application that subsequently won $12 million – the largest award from the federal MSAP in that grant cycle. The program redesigned four of the district’s high schools as magnets for fine arts, culinary arts, digital broadcast media, and aviation/wave mechanics technology.
Mr. Don Rigsby
Retired Principal, Velma Jackson
Magnet High School
127 Bridgewater Drive Madison,
Mississippi 39110 601-859-8482(H)
Mr. Rigsby was my principal for the first full year of deployment at Velma Jackson Magnet High School. He supervised my leadership in curriculum and instruction as well as in evaluation, non-renewal, and reassignment of many staff members to create an effective academic program.
Fmr Director of Public
Information, Tulsa Public School District
c/o 3027 South New Haven Road
P.O. Box 470208
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74147-208
Ms. Marler and I have worked closely on a significant number of District initiatives to design marketing materials, engage internal and external stakeholders, and promote the services of Tulsa Public Schools.
Mr. Bill Barnes
Former Director of Secondary Education,
Pulaski County Special School District 501-562-6403(H)
501-952-4496(C)
Mr. Barnes was the Principal at Mills University Studies High School for approximately twenty years before being promoted to the Director of Secondary Education position. During the first decade of his leadership, he led the school from being a gang-infested low-performing school to being on the list of America’s top 100 high schools every year for the last decade; one year they were in the top twenty and this year, based on Mr. Barnes last year as principal, they are number 35. Mr. Barnes was elected leader of the principals’ association during the time that I was Assistant Superintendent.
Ms. Jo Prather
Consultant
972-542-4633(W)
Fmr Director of Elementary Curriculum – Madison County
School District
2719 Parkside Lane
McKinney, TX 75070-4752
Ms. Prather worked with me in the vertical alignment of curriculum during my time in Madison County. She also included me on a regular basis as a professional developer both during and after my employment in Madison County Schools. Ms. Prather nominated me to the Board of the Mississippi Reading Association in 2003, and we served together in that capacity until 2005.
Ms. Marty Nix
President, Pulaski Association
of Certified Teachers (PACT) 870-534-0531(H)
1500 West 4th
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 870-413-6769(C)
501-374-4955(W)
Ms. Nix was the president of the Pulaski County Certified Teachers during my second year I served in the district as Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services. She and I worked closely and effectively together both years I was in the district in response to teacher concerns as well as in the redesign of Jacksonville Middle School as a pair of gender-specific schools on adjoining campuses.
Ms. Deen Minton
Past President, Pulaski
Association of Certified Teachers (PACT) 501-225-2775 (H)
1500 West 4th
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
Ms. Minton was the president of the Pulaski Association of Certified Teachers during the first year I served in the district as Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services. She and I worked closely and effectively to satisfy teacher concerns with a goal of reaching solutions before grievances were officially filed.
Dr. Donna Lander
PhD Committee Chairman - JSU
Department of Education Administration
P.O. Box 17175
Jackson, Mississippi 39217
dlander@aol.com
Dr. Lander was one of my graduate professors at Jackson State University and served as the Chairman of my dissertation committee.
Dr. Darlene Thurston
Retired Associate Professor – JSU Department of Education Administration 601-957-9989(H)
Dr. Lander was one of my graduate professors at Jackson State University, a member of my dissertation committee, and instrumental in hiring/supervising me as an adjunct in the department to teach the doctoral level program evaluation course.
Dr. John Koeppel
Professor – USM Department of Psychology 601-956-3984(H)
I worked for Dr. Koeppel as his graduate assistant during master of school psychology program at the University of Southern Mississippi. He was very familiar with me, my academics, and my interests/abilities.
Ms. Gwen Williams
Past President, Pulaski County
Special School District Board of Education
c/o P.O. Box 8601
925 East Dixon Road
Little Rock, Arkansas 7221
Ms. Carol Burgett
Retired School Administrator,
Former PCSSD Board Member
501-835-1311(H)
35 Fairfield Drive North
Little Rock, Arkansas 721120 501-920-6311(C)