Raise Your Hand Texas Selects Aldine ISD Principal to Attend Summer Institute at Harvard Graduate School of Education

The program inspires, challenges and empowers education leaders at the helm of different types of schools.

LaTonia Amerson (in forefront, far right) shares a moment with colleagues at the 2018 Summer Institute at HGSE where the focus is on strategies to close achievement gaps.

Eisenhower Ninth Grade School Principal LaTonia Amerson has been selected to participate in a professional development program designed for school leaders at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). This is the second time that Raise Your Hand Texas selects Amerson to take part in the program.

The Raise Your Hand Texas Foundation, a non-profit organization working to strengthen public education, is sponsoring more than 100 educators from across Texas to attend weeklong summer institutes at the Principals’ Center at the HGSE.

With this new cohort, Raise Your Hand Texas will have paid for more than 1,200 educators to attend training at Harvard though the Raising School Leaders program, an initiative designed to develop stronger school leaders who will enhance the quality of education across Texas. Raise Your Hand covers all expenses for the attendees including tuition, travel, hotel and other discretionary costs – investing on average about $9,200 per attendee, for a total of about $1 million in sponsorships for 2018, and more than $9 million since the program’s inception.

Attendees, including individual teachers and principals, as well as campus teams, will participate in one of four weeklong workshops on leadership development, coaching, or school turnaround led by Harvard faculty and other national and international experts. Each program is designed to inspire, challenge, and empower school leaders to bring lasting impact to their campuses and communities, the entire state of Texas, and beyond.

Cody Huie

“Great teachers, along with strong school and district leaders, represent the most significant influencers of academic achievement and supportive culture,” said Cody Huie, Vice President of Programs at Raise Your Hand Texas. “Our alumni often report that their Harvard experience is the best professional development they have ever undergone, and that they return to their campuses energized, inspired, and empowered to make meaningful change that benefits all students.”

Each institute lasts five to seven days, between June 11 and July 14, 2018. After Harvard, participants will be sponsored to attend the organization’s annual leadership symposium and receive continuous support and professional development as part of the program’s statewide network of school leaders.

The Raise Your Hand Texas “supports programmatic initiatives structured to identify, pilot, and scale systemic improvements in public education,” according to its website. It’s work focuses on blended learning, family partnerships, teacher professional development and school leadership.

A big “thank you” to Raise Your Hand Texas for giving school leaders this opportunity!