AFSA leaders recently convened in New Orleans for its first General Executive Board meeting of the year. There were no policy actions or resolution adoptions, but they approved and reaffirmed the 16-17 audit. The use of action alerts to contact their members of congress in support of Title II funding was strongly emphasized among the board.
The convention schedule was reviewed and a general outline of the session topics was developed. The resolutions committee met, and they will be accepting resolutions from all members untilApril 30.
The GEB also had the opportunity to tour the Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School of Literature and Technology. Leaders met with the school principal, Mary C. Haynes-Smith. The school was closed following Katrina and reopened in a different location.
AFSA leaders also heard from two panels of guest speakers on Friday and Saturday. Both panels discussed the state of New Orleans Schools pre and post Katrina. TheFridaypanel overwhelmingly thought the schools were better off following Katrina, while theSaturdaypanel thought the complete opposite. Panelists listed below:
Fridaypanelists:
Ms. Jawan Brown-Alexander, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Lake Forest Charter Elementary School
Mr. Jay Altman, CEO, FirstLine Schools
Mr. John a. Brown, Sr., President, New Orleans Public School Board
Mr. Jonathan Wilson, President, 100 Black Men of Metro New Orleans
Ms. Wanda Dunn Brooks (moderator), Retired school leader from New Orleans
SaturdayPanelists:
Dr. Raynard Sanders, retired school leader, educational consultant
Dr. Nia Haydel, Director, Academic Center for Excellence & Honors Program, Dillard University
The next GEB meeting will be held on April 13-14 in Washington, D.C.
