The emphasis on bringing in outside perspectives is among the things that impacted ULD graduate Benjamin Feinstein most. Officials say they believe the program is one of only two in Nevada specifically dedicated to the preparation of K-12 principals, and is the only one catering to Southern Nevada. Concurrently, the College of Education will continue the CCSD leadership-focused track under a new name, Educational Policy and Leadership, and expand it to 40 to 50 new students a year plus bring in nationally recognized course instructors. The ULD program will broaden this fall under the College of Urban Affairs to include graduate education for community and business professionals in a variety of fields. The program also works closely with Teach for America, which has six graduates among the first cohort, and is supported by Nevada Succeeds. “It’s real work that benefits a site where the teacher is working.” “Field experiences are core to our program - putting theory into practice,” said planning director Patti Chance. Students are embedded in Las Vegas schools, where they work with mentor principals to research data/issues and available school resources specific to that particular urban environment - such as poor attendance, test scores, or behavioral problems - then implement programs to spur improvements. Started in January 2015, the graduate program’s bread and butter is the real-world experiential learning element. Gomez is among 27 members of the inaugural ULD cohort who graduated May 14. “The next thing was that community members and even businesses that are employing CCSD students know this is a great need, and this program listens to them and gives them a voice. That was the first thing that got me,” said Gomez, an Edwards Elementary Title I learning strategist who has her eyes set on nabbing an assistant principal position next year. “The need is nationwide to really train teachers as instructional leaders. Officials say CCSD will need 100 to 150 new principals a year. The four-semester master’s degree program is a partnership with the Clark County School District (CCSD) aimed at preparing a new crop of principals and top administrators to fill a leadership gap created by retirements and local population and school growth. But one fateful day, a mentor, whose “growing our own” mantra had encouraged Gomez to spend the last several years moving up the ranks, urged her to attend an informational meeting about the University of Nevada Las Vegas Urban Leadership Development (ULD) program. Gomez returned to school to obtain her teaching credential, moved to Las Vegas because of vast job openings, and might have been content to teach first grade forever. (Josh Hawkins/UNLV Photo Services)ĭiana Gomez always felt a pull toward a teaching career.Įven as a child, her heart was happiest when she was supervising her sisters’ and cousins’ cursive writing and math lessons, recess sessions, and lunch duty during games of “school.” She spent 5 years post-college exploring an accounting career, but the passion for her first love - education - remained. Urban Leadership Development graduates Diana Gomez, left, Dawn King and Benjamin Feinstein.
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