Nystrand Center Showcase Event

The Nystrand Center of Excellence in Education (NCEE) 2011 Celebration of Collaboration will be held on December 2 this year and will featured all programs and initiatives that are part of the center. Each program and their community collaborators have contributed greatly towards improving and supporting community partnerships, educational policy and professional development for teachers both locally and nationally.

At the November Nystrand Center Advisory Board meeting, the 2012 Nystrand Center Offutt Scholar was announced--Dr. Shelley Thomas, an assistant professor in the Department of Middle and Secondary Education.

Dr. Thomas Shelley’s study, "From the Institute to the Classroom: Is Culturally Responsive Teaching becoming Part of Teacher Practice?" will be conducted in collaboration with Jefferson County Public Schools. Next fall, the Nystrand Center of Excellence in Education will host an event where she will present about the study, its findings, and further research.

The Offutt Scholar Fund was established by Nancy and George Stablein through the Offutt funds named for Nancy’s parents. The Nystrand/Offutt Scholar is an early career faculty member engaged in research related to the Nystrand Center's work. The funds provide time for the Scholar to conduct research during the spring semester, analyze data and write during the summer, and travel to present about the work at a national conference during the following year.

Spirit of Collaboration Award

The Spirit of Collaboration award is given annually by the Nystrand Center of Excellence in Education to recognize an individual who exemplifies the commitment to collaboration originally demonstrated by Dean Ray Nystrand and evidenced in the work of the Center from its beginning, as it continues today, and in its plans for the future.

The 2012 winners of the Spirit of Collaboration Award are George and Nancy Stablein. The Stableins have given so much of their time and support towards education and research that benefits our community and the state.

"We were completely shocked when our names were announced for this award. There are so many people who make such a difference in education and are much more deserving. We just do what we can by offering our support and help in making a difference in the community," stated Nancy.

The 2011 winner of the Spirit of Collaboration Award is Tina Tipton, Director of District Support for the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC). Tipton works with the District Support team in providing quality support and services to the 14 school districts in OVEC.

"I was completely surprised by the award. I thought I was attending the celebration to support our districts and the collaborative work with UofL, and didn't know about the Center's Spirit of Collaboration award. It was honor to accept on behalf of the OVEC team for the work we do with the excellent educators at UofL," stated Tipton.

History

In 1987 the Center for the Collaborative Advancement of the Teaching Profession was established by the Kentucky Council on Higher Education, with support from the Governor and the General Assembly, as a result of a joint application by the University of Louisville and Jefferson County Public Schools. With the approval of the current Council on Postsecondary Education and the UofL Board of Trustees, the Center was renamed the Raphael O. Nystrand Center of Excellence in Education on September 27, 1999, in honor of Dean Nystrand, who led the School of Education from 1978 until his death in May 1999.

The purpose of this Center, which is one of five Commonwealth Centers of Excellence and the only one in education, is to develop, implement and study collaborative efforts to improve teaching.

Contact Us

The director of the Nystrand center is Dr. Diane Kyle. The Center currently has a number of special initiatives under its umbrella that are led by faculty from across the CEHD.

For more information about the Center, or its projects, e-mail Dr. Kyle, or call Denise Dadisman at 502-852-6471.

Learn more about the Nystrand Center and its special programs. See footage from summer institutes and interviews with program directors.