(posted on Saturday, August 04, 2007)

Indiana University School of Education Dean Gerardo Gonzalez joins the state school superintendent as part of a televised town hall meeting focused on the impact of small-learning communities, airing Thursday, July 12 at 8 p.m. and repeating Friday, July 13 at 10 p.m. on WTIU-TV, Channel 30, in Bloomington. The previously-recorded panel discussion is a special episode of the WTIU news magazine program “The Weekly Special.” Ann Shea, co-host and producer of “The Weekly Special,” moderates the program.

The forum is part of a national program sponsored by the National Commission on Teaching America’s Future, and the Metlife Foundation. Other forums are taking place in Boston, Albuquerque, and Nashville, Tennessee.

The program includes a story concerning Columbus East High School’s successful small-learning community program. It will explore how teachers flourish in this environment, as well as students. The town hall meeting portion of the show includes Gonzalez, as well as Autumne Streeval, teacher/team leader at Columbus East High School; Daniel Baron, Senior Fellow, National School Reform Faculty; Dr. Suellen Reed, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction; and Ty Mungle, Principal at Binford Elementary School in Bloomington. Along with scripted questions, the panel answers audience questions concerning the future of schools and the value of small learning communities.

You can see the segment about Columbus East online at http://www.nctaf.org/resources/demonstration_projects/NCTAFIndianaForum-video.htm.

More about the National Commission on Teaching America’s Future is available at http://www.nctaf.org.

For More Information, Contact:

Chuck Carney
Director of Communications and Media Relations
Office:  (812) 856-8027
ccarney@indiana.edu