Final selections made for Village Education Advisory Committee

Final selections made for Village Education Advisory Committee
Final selections made for Village Education Advisory Committee
Pictured at the meeting are members of the Southwood Middle School Thespians and the Certificates of Recognition they each received: (l-r) Marissa Coppola, Douglas Tellam and Conor Upshaw, with members of the village council and Education Advisory Committee.

The final two members to the Education Advisory Committee were appointed at the Jan. 6 Palmetto Bay Village Council meeting, bringing the total number to five. Diane Quick and Leanne Tellam joined Dr. Sue Buslinger- Clifford, Pam Tabor and Karyn Cunningham on the panel

The advisory committee serves the village by reviewing and supporting the terms of the Education Compact that was entered into between the village and Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Mayor Shelley Stanczyk said she is pleased with the group selected.

“I think the membership is going to be very exciting,” Mayor Stanczyk said.

“We’ve got several people who are returning to the committee. We have Pam Tabor, who served through the entire term the last time, who is a professor of education. She’s got a lot of experience in terms of having raised children and has helped educate teachers.
The mayor mentioned Leanne Tellam, who was the chair last time on the Education Compact Committee and comes as a parent, very active in PTA.

“She’s done a great job for the committee, and through her leadership we were able to get our compact done in the time allotted.We have Karen Cunningham, who was on the committee the last time. She works as a lobbyist for United Teachers of Dade, so she has a different take on some of the issues we discussed as a former teacher and someone who is still in the education game, so to speak.”
Stanczyk noted the two new members on the Education Committee.

“We have Diane Quick. She has a very broad range — she works with graduates of universities and career planning, so she has a different take. She sees what students need to have learned, what they need to bring with them to college and what they need to have to be successful adults. I think that’s the purpose of education— to be a successful adult,” Stanczyk added. “We have Sue Buslinger-Clifford. She works in counseling with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, so she brings another aspect on education to the table there. I think we have a really wellrounded committee.”

Karyn Cunningham is a Government and Community Engagement Specialist with the United Teachers of Dade and a teacher in the Miami-Dade County Public School system. She has a BA in Psychology, Elementary Education, from the University of South Florida.
“I truly believe that collaboration between the school district and municipalities is a vital component of success for our community’s students and schools.”

Leanne Tellam is president of the Junior League of Miami and served eight years on the board of directors at Coral Reef Elementary School. She has a Juris Doctorate from the University Of Miami School of Law with additional studies at FSU and in London. Her vision is “A collaborative and supportive relationship that leans upon and executes the tenets set out in the Education Compact.”

Dr. Sue Buslinger-Clifford is instructional supervisor Psychological Services and Audiology Services with Miami- Dade County Public Schools. She has educations degrees from FIU and the University of Florida. Her interest: “An opportunity to serve my community that best utilizes my professional background and experience.”

Diane Quick is director, Career Development Office, at the University of Miami School of Law. She has degrees from Wellesley College and Boston University School of Law. “Through the Compact, the village has a real opportunity to make the system more approachable to its residents and to put a uniquely ‘Palmetto Bay’ stamp on local schools,” she said.

Pam Tabor is an adjunct professor and advisor at Miami Dade College School of Education. She has a BS and MA from Nova Southeastern University.

“I want to work with other committee members to assure our village schools are getting the best,” she said.

Mayor Stanczyk said that it has been shown that municipalities with education compacts have higher property values, have better schools and show better results, so they are more desirable communities and people want to live there.

“Palmetto Bay has always had great schools, and I think it’s a great partnership for the village and the schools to work together to continue that philosophy of quality education,” Stanczyk said.


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