April 8, 2005

Education leaders to brainstorm about Purdue engagement center

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Educators, legislators and community leaders will gather in West Lafayette to discuss Indiana's most pressing preschool through high school educational needs and how a proposed engagement center at Purdue can meet them.

Suellen Reed, Indiana superintendent of public instruction; Stephen Heck, executive director of the Indiana Association of School Principals; and Victor L. Lechtenberg, Purdue vice provost for engagement, will present keynote addresses at the P-12 Engagement Forum, which will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 22 at the University Inn.

"The goal of this forum is to gather educators, lawmakers and business leaders to assess how Purdue can be an even more effective partner in enhancing education throughout Indiana," Lechtenberg said. "Purdue already has several programs in place that engage younger students in educational enrichment activities and provide professional development for teachers. This forum will enable us to get a comprehensive idea not only of what we already do, but also where the greatest educational opportunities lie."

Participants in two morning sessions will be asked to identify three to five ways Purdue can contribute in several areas, including:

The afternoon will be devoted to developing recommendations for how the proposed center can meet the needs identified during the morning sessions. These could include partnerships and alliances, curriculum projects, professional development projects, and the expansion of technological infrastructure, to name a few possibilities.

Forum organizer Sidney Moon, associate dean for learning and engagement in the College of Education, said approximately 150 people are expected to attend the session.

"This is a great opportunity for Purdue to discover even more innovative ways to enhance education from preschool through 12th grade," Moon said. "We are eager to begin the dialogue and even more eager to make a difference for the youngest residents of Indiana who are our future."

Writer: Marydell Forbes, (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu

Sources: Victor L. Lechtenberg, (765) 494-9095, vll@purdue.edu

Sidney M. Moon, (765) 494-7301, Sidney@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: The media are welcome to cover the keynote speeches, which will take place from 9-10:15 a.m. and the general session, which begins at 2:45 p.m.

Related Web sites:
Purdue University Office of Engagement

Gifted Education Resource Institute

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