A Helping Hand
Thirty-one students from four ASCD student chapters will work on a New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity construction project in the Musician's Village in the Upper 9th Ward. The area will eventually consist of 72 Habitat-constructed homes for displaced New Orleans musicians and other families. Conceived by musicians Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis, the Village is a cornerstone of the local Habitat for Humanity's post-Katrina rebuilding efforts and is designed to become a vibrant community that will preserve and nurture the city's rich cultural legacy. The Village's centerpiece will be the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, which will include a community center and performing arts theater where New Orleans residents can teach, learn, and share musical traditions.
The one-day service project will take place on Friday, March 14, 2008. The four participating ASCD student chapters are from Aquinas College in Nashville, Tennessee; the Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina; Plymouth State University in Plymouth, New Hampshire; and the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada.
65 Years of Making a Difference
As ASCD celebrates its 65th year, it is appropriate to remember the past as we look toward the future. That's why the next four issues of Educational Leadershipwill include a series of columns exploring how ASCD has responded to the changing needs of schools and society throughout the years in four key areas.
The April column will look at schools' efforts to educate the whole child; the May column will examine high school reform; the September column will discuss efforts to promote effective assessment practices; and, finally the October column will deal with improving teacher quality. ASCD's 175,000 members can take pride in the Association's ongoing information and advocacy efforts in these and other areas. Read the upcoming series to find out what has changed and what has remained the same during ASCD's first 65 years.
At the Head of the Pack
Educators across the United States have named ASCD the industry leader in professional development programs and services. According to Education Market Research's National Survey of Professional Development Trends 2008, ASCD was ranked first (at 87 percent) in the category of Most Recognized Providers of Professional Development Programs/Services. When asked which program or service providers they consider to be industry leaders, more educators named ASCD than any other professional development provider. More than 700 school district superintendents, staff development supervisors, curriculum supervisors, and principals responded to the survey.
