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Dear colleagues,

Yesterday we announced an unprecedented milestone for the College of Education: a collaborative strategic planning process rooted in your priorities and aspirations, and focused on innovation and expansion of the College. 

I already have great confidence in this plan. I know that it will be shaped and fueled by your vision, and I am consistently inspired by your dedication to the future educational landscape of Utah. 

Education is Utah. Education is IMPACT and PROGRESS. It is COMMUNITY. Education is YOU. 

Thank you for all you do. I look forward to our collaboration on this historic strategic plan.

Warmly,

Frankie Santos Laanan
Dean

The January Faculty and Undergraduate Research Panel was a success! Students and faculty gathered to share research projects ranging from soccer in youth literature to teachers' responses during COVID-19. 

The College of Education is committed to growing undergraduate research opportunities and telling stories of CoE student researchers' success. 

Pictured, L-R: Professor José F. Gutiérrez and undergraduate researcher Mary Smith, who worked together on the project "Mathematical Reservations," and Associate Dean Burbank. 

Visit the Strategic Planning page to read Dean Laanan's letter, see a snapshot of the CoE strategic planning timeline, learn about the steering committee, and submit anonymous feedback. 

(All feedback is anonymous and goes directly to our collaborators at Emergent Method.)

Our final College of Education food drive donations totaled 108.1 pounds!

Thanks to all who contributed. If you missed the food drive, you can still make a donation at the Union Building. 

Visit Feed U pantry for more information on how to utilize this wonderful student, staff, and faculty resource. 

Associate Dean Mary D. Burbank's new co-authored book, Meeting the Learning Needs of All Children: A Model for Montessori Practitioners and Stakeholders Committed to Inclusive Education , examines the relationship between special education and Montessori principles within the context of private and public schools in Salt Lake City. 

The text offers insights for educators, support professionals, and those devoted to children with disabilities where practitioners share their experiences of transdisciplinary teaming.

Professor Burbank recently shared her book at the Utah Association of Montessori Education. Read more.

Erin Castro of Educational Leadership & Policy published "Harassment, Discouragement, and Intimidation of College Students in Prison: A Qualitative Study on the Prevalence of Disciplinary Power in Prison Higher Education" in the Harvard Educational Review. 

Breda O'Keefe of Special Education presented "Why paraeducators seek, start, and stay in their jobs: Paraeducator recruitment and retention in an urban school district" at the 36th National Virtual National Resource Center for Paraeducators Conference.

Tuba Yilmaz of Education, Culture, & Society published "Reimagining raciolinguistic ideologies through analyzing localized language-in-education policies in Turkey and Korea" in Current Issues in Language Planning. 

Professor Yilmaz also published "A multilingualism-as-resource approach in a graduate-level English-medium instruction (EMI) program at a Korean university" in the Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development.

What Will it Take to Attract, Retain Utah Educators? Is a $20,000 Supplement the Answer? 

CoE elementary teacher candidate Jackie Rigby was featured in this KSL article.

Utah Elementary Students Create Hundreds of Valentines for Seniors 

Kerry Herman's teacher candidate Kaya Heideman spearheaded a heartwarming Valentine's Day collaboration between the Ridge Senior Living and South Kearns Elementary School.

The CoE has four other candidates at South Kearns Elementary: Elida Ubico, Jackeline Eroza, Saraiah Huft, and Diane Roberts, whose classes also participated. The project was featured on Fox News. 

Several new laws have been adopted during the 2024 General Legislative Session. University leaders developed FAQs with guidance for campus regarding these impacts. Please review the current FAQs; they will be updated as soon as new information as it becomes available. 

Dr. Robyn Stiles of Emergent Method kicked off the College of Education strategic planning process at a college-wide meeting on Feb. 20. Visit the CoE strategic planning page to get involved and see the plan timeline.  

Dean Laanan and CoE faculty (pictured, L-R: Kerry Herman, Udita Gupta, Shamby Polychronis, and Sandy Smith) traveled to Denver for the annual AACTE meeting in support of David Stroupe's AACTE book award. Dean Laanan met with other college of education deans Kendra Maria Hall-Kenyon of BYU, Brenda Sabey of Utah Tech University, and Vessela Ilieva of Utah Valley University.

Kerry Herman, Dean Laanan, and Associate Dean Burbank visited with administration at Lincoln Elementary -- Principal Milton Collins,  and Woodrow Wilson Elementary -- Principal Christine Christensen. 

Wednesday, March 20

Invite your students to submit their research -- at any stage of the process -- before February 28. 

Students may submit here. 

The event will feature networking and light refreshments. 

We hope to see you there. 

1721 CAMPUS CENTER DRIVE, SAEC 3202
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84112
801-581-8221