Letter From The Editor
Late summer and fall has been an especially busy
time at organization headquarters this year. We are
excited to welcome long-time member Karen Stroud
as the newest addition to our staff in teh new role
of Member Services Coordinator. Karen has been
working diligently to build connections and strengthen
our local leadership network. You may have met her
over morning coffee and doughnuts in the past few
months. Get to know more about Karen on page 7,
and contact her if you would like to arrange for her to
visit your school or a local event.
Another big change in the works has been our move
to a new building in Nashville. This will put our state
office in a more appropriately central location within
the state, and bring us closer to the state capitol
where we spend much of our time meeting with other
stakeholders, especially during legislative session. You
are welcome to stop by and see us any time at 5100
Linbar Drive, Nashville, TN 37211.
Along with Karen, this issue features retiring teacher
and aviator Bill Powley, parent advocate Anna Thorsen,
and an interview with our Superintendent of the Year
Donna Wright of Wilson County. On page 22, Natalie
Carlise tells her family’s story of overcoming survival
and triumph in Miracles and Butterflies.
If you missed Leader U 2016: Transforming Education
in June, see page 32 for information on how your can
still earn credits online from the amazing sessions via
the Leader U Learning Portal.
While we continue to learning gaps decrease in our
state, equity remains a central issue in addressing
those that remain. Equity in Education encompasses
many issues confronting teachers, students and
parents, including mental health, poverty, racism and
the relationship between literacy and incarcernation.
I hope you enjoy this issue and can excuse the delay.
Winter will be here before we know it, and we’ll be
bringing you a preview of what is to come in the 2017
session of the TN General Assembly.
We wish you a holiday season filled with peace and love.,
Editor & COO
TREND
The Official Publication of Professional Educators of Tennessee
JC Bowman, Executive Editor
Audrey Shores, Editor
ProEd BOARD
State Officers
Cathy Kolb, President
Karen Stroud, Vice President
Karolyn Marino, Secretary
Tim Childers, Treasurer
Kim Blevins
NATALIE BEACH
Dewey Esquinance
Penny Sutton
ProEd STAFF
JC Bowman, Executive Director
AUDREY SHORES, COO
Mike Sheppard
Director of Benefits
Bethany Bowman
Director of Professional Learning
KAREN STROUD
MEMBER SERVICES COORDINATOR
Trend (ISSN #10) is electronically published quarterly in
fall, winter, spring and summer with a focus on the Issues,
Ideas and People shaping education in Tennessee. We
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