Grant Appointed Co-Chairman of Technology Panel

Staff reports07:46PM / Friday, September 14, 2007Print Story | Email Story

MCLA President Mary K. Grant

BOSTON â€” Mary K. Grant, president of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams has been named to lead an education panel for Gov. Deval Patrick's Readiness Project. The project, announced in June, will create a 10-year strategic plan to improve education in the state from preschool to college and beyond. Grant will serve as co-chairman of the Education and Technology Subcommittee with Robert Richardson, East Coast education manager of Intel Massachusetts Inc. in Concord. She and Richardson were among the 150 citizens named Friday by the governor to advise the project's Leadership Council, which was established last month. "The educators, business representatives and practitioners who have agreed to serve on these subcommittees will help bring to life the vision for a world-class, comprehensive public education system that educates and nurtures every child to the highest levels of achievement," said Patrick in press release. "I applaud their commitment to the commonwealth and am delighted to have them on the team." The volunteers will address the following issues from a systemic perspective, offering specific recommendations for state action: assessment amd accountability, curriculum alignment, early education and care, education and technology, expanded teaching and learning time, high school plus, innovative schools, long-term funding, MCAS and assessments, public and private education, recruiting and retaining educators, whole child and UMass and public higher education. The subcommittee members have been tasked with putting their practical experience implementing education programs and services to work. They will identify specific state actions and offer cost projections and benchmarks to help carry the state forward in education over the next decade. The Leadership Council will synthesize the work of the subcommittees and offer a draft comprehensive 10-year strategic plan that will be submitted to the governor. "The governor has challenged all of us to think long-term and he has effectively given the commonwealth permission to collectively evaluate the fundamental assumptions upon which our education system is built," said Dana Mohler-Faria, the governorâ€™s special adviser on education and president of Bridgewater State College. "This is a bold move by a bold leader who recognizes that continuous improvement in education â€“ even from a position of relative strength - is fundamental." The subcommittee members reside in more than 75 communities, from Rockport and North Adams to Brewster and Ayer. In addition to the work required for the project to succeed, subcommittee members have agreed to join the governor at a series of town hall-style meetings between now and the conclusion of the project in late spring. Grant has been a proponent for implementing technological advances in the classroom. She has served on the Commonwealth Information Technology Initiative Fund Advisory Board and the Robert H. Goddard Council on science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. Under her leadership, the college received funding through the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Pipeline fund for STEM initiatives in Berkshire County, among other grants for technology. The college also offers training for teachers involved in the Berkshire Wirelesss Learning Initiative and is hoping for funding for a new science and technology building. The Commonwealth Readiness Project Chairs: Jackie Jenkins-Scott, president of Wheelock College Tom Payzant, former superintendent of the Boston and Oklahoma City Public Schools. Joe Tucci, president, CEO and chairman of the board of EMC Corp. Leadership Council Senator Robert Antonioni, Senate chair, Joint Committee on Education Dan Asquino, president of Mount Wachusett Community College Eduardo Carballo, superintendent Holyoke Public Schools Patricia H. Crosby, executive director, Franklin Hampshire Regional Employment Board Ed Dugger, UNC Partners Inc. Grace Fey, executive VP and director of Frontier Capital Management Co. Michael B. Flynn, teacher, South Hampton Public Schools and recipient of the 2008 Massachusetts Teacher Award Chris Gabrieli, Founder Mass2020 Rep. Patricia Haddad, House chair, Joint Committee on Education Clare Higgins, mayor, Northampton Kathy Kelly, past president American Federation of Teachers, Massachusetts Ioannis Miaoulis, president and director, Museum of Science Boston Dana Mohler-Faria, governorâ€™s special adviser for education, president, Bridgewater Janet Palmer-Owens, acting assistant superintendent, Triad A, Boston Public Schools Paul Sagan, CEO Akamai Technologies Andrea Silbert, CEO, EOS Foundation Harry Spence Henry Thomas, president, Urban League of Springfield Subcommittees ACCOUNTABILITY & ASSISTANCE Co-Chairman Paul S. Grogan, president and CEO, The Boston Foundation (Jamaica Plain) Co-Chairwoman Karla Baehr, superintendent, Lowell Public Schools (Newton) Bill Bourbeau, eighth-grade reading teacher, Fitchburg Public Schools (Fitchburg) James Caradonio, superintendent, Worcester Public Schools (Worcester) Dan French, Executive Director, Center for Collaborative Education (Boston) Sue Gee, auperintendent, Quabbin Regional School District (Rockport) Jose Irizarry, principal, Margaret Cells School (West Springfield) Ed Moscovitch, chairman, Bay State Reading Institute (Gloucester) Linda Noonan, executive director, Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education (Westwood) David Roach, principal, Nativity School (Sutton) Megan Tupa, consultant, SchoolWorks (Boston) CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT Co-Chairwoman Carole Cowan, President, Middlesex Community College (Manchester-by-the-Sea) Co-Chair, Neil Sullivan, executive director, Boston Private Industry Council (Dorchester) Gail Carberry, president, Quinsigamond Community College (Auburn) Charles Fadel, Global Lead for Education, Cisco Systems Inc. (Chelmsford) Bill Guenther, president, Mass Insight (Beverly) Bill Kendall, director of mathematics and technology, Braintree Public Schools (South Weymouth) Janice Lisi, second-grade teacher, Lynn Public Schools (Lynnfield) Elisa Lopez-Dobski, interim executive director, Latino Education Institute at Worcester State College (Worcester) Marinel McGrath, superintendent, Hamilton-Wenham (Newburyport) Kia Martin, doctoral student, Harvard School of Education (Newton) Fernando Reimers, director global education, Harvard (Belmont) Matthew Sloane, AVID site coordinator and grant director, Hyde Park Middle School (Newton) Steve Winter, senior project director, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Cambridge EARLY EDUCATION & CARE Co-Chairwoman Yvette Rodriguez, chief operations office, Innquilinos Boricua En Accion (Quincy) Co-Chairwoman Margaret Blood, president/campaign director, Strategies for Children, Inc. and Early Education for All Campaign (Jamaica Plain) Margaret Angell, special assistant to the COO, Boston Public Schools (Boston) Roy Belson, superintendent, Medford Public Schools (Medford) JD Chesloff, policy director, MA Business Roundtable (Arlington) Marie Enochty, coordinator, Cape and Islands Early Childhood Resource Center (Brewster) Karen Fredrick, president, Massachusetts Association for Early Education and Care (Dracut) Sally Fuller, project director, Cherish Every Child, Irene E. & George A. David Foundation (Wilbraham) Sister Kathleen, Harrington, director, John E. Boyd Child Care & Development, New Bedford John Lippit, early childhood policy analyst, Lippitt Consulting (Reading) Wendy Luk, child trainer (Chestnut Hill) Marta Rosa, director, government affairs/ interim director, Center for Interdisciplinary Learning, Wheelock College (Revere) Ada Rosmarin, director, Milton Early Childhood Alliance (Milton) Peg Sprague, VP, United Way, Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley (Boston) Valora Washington, executive director, The Schott Fellowship in Early Care and Education Ardith Wieworka, executive VP, Child Development & Education (Roxbury) Wayne Ysaguirre, acting president and CEO, Associated Early Care & Education (Roxbury) EDUCATION & TECHNOLOGY Co-Chairwoman Mary Grant, president, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (North Adams) Co-Chairman Robert Richardson, East Coast education manager, Intel Massachusetts Inc. (Concord) Robert Cornacchioli, director of instructional technology and media services, Shrewsbury Public Schools (Worcester) Sandra Faioes, teacher, The Engineering School (Dorchester) Gladys Franco, history teacher, High School of Science and Tech (Springfield) Ann Marie, Levins, associate general counsel, Microsoft Corp. (Newton) Anne Manning, information systems manager, Student Life Division, Wellesley College (Natick) Chris Moore, COO, HCEC (Chelmsford) Adam Newman, VP , Industry Solutions, Eduventures (Boston) Kim Rice, CIO, Boston Public Schools (Manchester) Mary Skipper, headmaster, TechBoston Academy (Dorchester) Donna Stewartson, associate director, Women in Politics and Public Policy (Dorchester) Isa Zimmerman, senior fellow, The PK-16 Stem Initiative, UMass Donahue Institute (Boston) EXPANDED TEACHING & LEARNING TIME Chairman Earl Martin Phalen, founder & CEO, BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life), Dorchester Sheri Adlin, executive director, South Shore Day Care Services (Roslindale) Michael P. Cahill, public policy director, YMCA (Beverly) Joan Connolly, academic director of professional programs, Harvard Graduate School of Education (Rowley) Tom Gosnell, president, American Federation of Teacher Massachusetts (Winchester) Gwynn Hughes, executive director, Mass After School Partnership (West Newton) Lucia Mayerson-David, director for Institute of Learning and Teaching, UMass Boston (Newton) James McManus, principal, Slowey/McManus Communications (West Roxbury) Celina Miranda, charitable giving manager, Bank of New York Mellon (East Boston) John Werner, executive director, Citizen Schools (Brookline) HIGH SCHOOL PLUS Co-Chairman Buzz Nembirkow, superintendent, Brockton Public Schools (Brockton) Co-Chairwoman Melissa Colon, associate director, The Mauricio Gaston Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy (Cambridge) Edward Bouquillon, superintendent/director, Minuteman Regional Technical High School District, Lexington (Holyoke) Dolores Calaf, director, Lawrence Regional Center, Cambridge College (Lawrence) Harneen Chernow, director, Mass Branch of SEIU, State Board of Education (Jamaica Plain) Gerald Chertavian, founder & CEO, Year Up (Cambridge) Charles Desmond, executive VP, Trefler Foundation (Danvers) Richard Kazis, senior VP, Jobs for the Future (Brookline) Mary Lassen, consultant, (Dorchester) Jim Marini, superintendent, North Andover Public Schools (Walpole) Libby Porter, social studies curriculum coordinator, Grades 6-12, Westford Public Schools (Winchester) Joan Quinlan, director, MGH Community Benefit Program (Brookline) INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS Chairman Lyle Kirtman, president, Future Management Systems (Wenham) Ethan d'Ablemont Burnes, policy director, Boston Plan for Excellence (Boston) Ed Doherty, Assistant to President, AFT Massachusetts (Jamaica Plain) Michael Goldstein, Director, The Match School (Watertown) Jewel James, VP and director of public affairs, Citizens Bank (Medford) Dr. Marc, Kenen, executive director, Massachusetts Charter Public School Association (Haydenville) Chris Martes, superintendent, Foxborough Public Schools (Easton) Crista Martinez, executive director, Families First Parenting Program (Watertown) Irma Medina, Pathways Program coordinator, Holyoke Community College (Springfield) Tom Scott, executive director, Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (Lexington) Caprice Taylor Mendez, director, Boston Parent Organizing Network (Roxbury) LONG-TERM FUNDING Co-Chairman Jim McIntyre, COO, Boston Public Schools (Boston) Co-Chairman Thomas Downes, associate professor, Tufts University (Brookline) Noah Berger, executive director, Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (Cambridge) Paul Dakin, superintendent, Revere Public Schools (Revere) Peter Enrich, professor, Northeastern University School of Law (Lexington) Dorothy Galo, superintendent, Hingham Public Schools (Hingham) Peter Haley, member, Winchester Board of Selectmen Paul Harrington, associate director of the Center of Labor Market Studies, Northeastern University Michael Hogan, Center for Labor and Market Studies, Northeastern University Cam Huff, consultant (Billerica) Greg Jobin-Leeds, co-founder, chairman of the board Schott Foundation (Cambridge) John Musante, finance director/treasurer, Amherst (Amherst) Debra Rahmin Silberstein, member, Andover School Committee William Rodriguez, strategic consultant (Norwood) George Thorn, senior program officer, Bank of America (Dorchester) Michael Weisman, attorney, Weisman & McIntyre PC (Newton) MCAS & ASSESSMENTS Co-Chairman Nick Donohue, CEO and president, Nellie Mae Education Foundation (Hanson) Co-Chairman Paul Reville, chairman of the Board of Education/president of the Rennie Center/Lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education (Worcester) Marcony Almeida, analyst, MIRA Coalition (Everett) Sacha Garcia-Mailloux, assistant principal, Forest Park Middle School (West Springfield) Lisa Guisbond, K-12 assessment reform analyst, FairTest (Brookline) Curtis Jones, director, Partnership for Whole School Change (Jamaica Plain) Trudy Knowles, professor, Westfield State College (Westfield) David Krane, second-grade teacher, Vinson-Owen Elementary School (Somerville) Kevin Lyons, superintendent, Newburyport Public Schools (Hampton, NH) Philomena Mantella, senior VP for enrollment management and student life, Northeastern University (Boston) Jim Nehring, assistant professor, Graduate School of Education, UMass Lowell (Ayer) Shirley Owens-Hicks, retired state representative (Mattapan) Ruth Rodriguez Fay, family and community outreach coordinator, Boston Day and Evening Academy (Chelsea) Jibril Salaam, higher education outreach director, TechBoston/Boston Public Schools (West Roxbury) John Sbrega, president, Bristol Community College (Fall River) Elaine Webb, advocacy liaison, Reading School Committee (Reading) PUBLIC & PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION Co-Chairwoman Jean McCormack, chancellor, UMass Dartmouth (Dartmouth) Co-Chairwoman Joseph Aoun, president, Northeastern University (Boston) Janelle Ashley, president, Worcester State College (Paxton) Phil Clay, chancellor, MIT (Cambridge) Francis Couvares, E. Dwight Salmon Professor of History and American Studies, Amherst College (Amherst) Richard Doherty, president, Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts (Milton) Edelina M. Burciaga, attorney, Mass Law Reform Institute (Cambridge) Sylvia Simmons, lecturer, Boston University (Roxbury) Peter Stokes, executive VP, Eduventures, Inc. (Arlington) RECRUITING & RETAINING EDUCATORS Co-Chairman Don McCallion, executive director, Massachusetts Association School Personnel Administrators (Southborough) Co-Chairwoman Cheryl Stanley, professor of education, Westfield State College (Springfield) Michelle Boyers, assistant superintendent for Human Resources, Boston Public Schools (Boston) Anna Bradfield, dean, School of Education and Allied Studies, Bridgewater State College (East Taunton) Thelma Burnes, Consultant to Belmont Public Schools (Dorchester) Susan Freedman, president, Teachers 21 (Needham) Bob Knittle, senior project manager, Jobs for the Future (Worcester) Ophelia Navarro, research and policy analyst, Strategies for Children, Inc./Early Education for All Campaign (Cambridge) Isabellina Rodriguez Babcock, superintendent, Northampton Public Schools (Springfield) Paul Schlichtman, past president, Massachusetts Association of School Committees (Arlington) Paul Toner, VP, Massachusetts Teachers Association (Cambridge) Ron Walker, associate director, Atlas Communities (Lynn) WHOLE CHILD Co-Chairman Mark Culliton, CEO, Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses, Inc. (Dorchester) Co-Chairwoman Carla Jentz, executive director, Massachusetts Administrators for Special Education (Newton) Joe Burke, superintendent, Springfield Public Schools (Springfield) Dennie Butler-McKay, president amd CEO, Leaders of Tomorrow, Inc. (Jamaica Plain) Charles Conroy, executive director, Doctor Franklin Perkins School (Lancaster) Frankie Cruz, executive director, Boston Scholars Program (Watertown) Kathy Hassey, president, Mass Nurses Association (Carlisle) Edward Madaus, executive director, Guild of St. Agnes Child Care (Boylston) Isolda Ortega-Bustamante, director, Engaging Latino Communities for Education/Holyoke Community College (Granby) Caroline Ross, senior director of community impact, United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley (Newton) Roosevelt Smith, executive director, Urban Dreams (Lansdowne, PA) Mary Ann Stewart, parent and board member, Massachusetts Parent Teacher Association (Lexington) Judy Thompson, guidance director, Worcester Public Schools (Worcester) Nancy Tyler Schoen, 2005 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year/Director of Music, Franklin Public Schools (Franklin) UMASS & PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION Chairman Robert Antonucci, president, Fitchburg State College (Fitchburg) Fred Clark, chairman of the Board of Higher Education (Easton) Patricia Crosson, professor emeriti, Umass Amherst (Amherst) Richard Freeland, president emeritus, Northeastern University (Boston) Deborah Hirsch, associate VP for academic affairs, Mount Ida College (Newton) Jim Karam, president and CEO, First Bristol Corp. (Tiverton, RI) Arthur Pippo, director, MTA Division of Higher Education (Ipswich) John Portz, professor, Northeastern University (Watertown) Alan Solomont, chairman, Solomont Bailis Ventures (Weston) Sid Topol, president, Topol Group, LLC/Topol Family Fund (Boston)

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NAPL: Understanding Artificial Intelligence Presentation

04:00PM / Monday, April 22, 2024

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — On Wednesday, April 24, at 6:00 PM, the North Adams Public Library will host a presentation titled "Understanding Artificial Intelligence."

The event aims to explore various facets of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, catering to those fascinated, anxious, or simply curious about these technologies.

Williams College professors Mark Hopkins and Rohit Bhattacharya will lead the seminar, delving into topics such as the differences in reasoning between humans and AI, the evolving human-computer relationship as AI advances, language acquisition by computers, and potential challenges as AI becomes more prevalent.

The seminar will take place in the 3rd-floor community room of the library. No registration is required.

The North Adams Public Library is located at 74 Church Street, North Adams, MA, 01247.

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