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Farewell Message to Colleagues and Friends, Effective June 30, 2009 as a result of action by (no funding) from the North Carolina General Assembly, the Principals’ Executive Program (PEP) will end its 25 years of service developing school leaders across North Carolina. PEP remains proud of its work and your participation in activities designed to improve your performance and the academic growth of students in your school. Despite the end of PEP, the needs in North Carolina in the area of supporting school leaders could not be greater. We lack an institutionalized, coordinated state-wide effort that addresses recruitment and preparation of future school leaders, mentoring and coaching once in positions, ongoing professional improvement, and alternative routes to the principalship. This topic has recently been and is currently a topic of conversation. An Ad Hoc Committee representing the State Board of Education and the University of North Carolina General Administration issued a School Leadership Report in December 2007 calling for a new delivery system, revised content, a connection between license renewal and professional development, accountability based on state standards, and specific resources and coordination. In 2008, the leadership in Z. Smith Reynolds convened a number of education leaders around the same topic. In March 2009, The Public School Forum of North Carolina issued a position paper “Better Identification and Preparation of School Leaders” offering short-term and long-term recommendations as well as asking school leadership to be a high priority of Governor Perdue and the Education Cabinet. Presently Dr. William Harrison, Chair of the State Board of Education, CEO of Department of Public Instruction, and member of the Education Cabinet, has convened a working group to move the state from discussion to action with regard to supporting school leadership. Members represent the Center for School Leadership Development, The University of North Carolina General Administration, key professional associations, advocacy groups, foundations, and many other important organizations. It is a difficult financial time in our state, but we cannot postpone having a state-level plan to develop school leaders who can improve student learning. PEP’s history and experience can bring much to the table in this endeavor. Thank you for letting us be a part of your professional growth and lives over the past quarter of a century. It has been our honor.
Sincerely,
IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION Effective June 30, 2009, the Principals’ Executive Program (PEP) terminated operations as a result of the failure of the General Assembly to appropriate funds for PEP’s continued service to the public school of North Carolina. Consequently, there are no PEP staff members to handle inquiries regarding PEP operations. If you have a question or need for information or service regarding PEP, please call 919-966-4173 and leave a message. The voice mail for this number will be monitored and we will respond to your message as soon as possible. If you need a quicker response, email me at mwilliams@northcarolina.edu, 919-962-4595. If your inquiry is with regard to an account payable, contact Dave Walser at walser@northcarolina.edu, 919-843-4311.
Michael F. Williams, Executive Director
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