Student Profiles

		Matt Neal   Current role: Dean of instruction and English content specialist with YES Prep   Career goal: Found and lead a high performing charter school in an under-resourced community Matt came to REEP with a traditional certification from a liberal arts college as well as a Master's in education.  He spent four years working with Houston-based KIPP as well as YES Prep.  Matt's highlights from REEP have been working with a faculty he classifies as "the preeminent folks in their fields" as well as studying in Houston which for him is the "epicenter for education reform."
		Dario Villota   Current role: Math curriculum coordinator in the Aldine Independent School District Career goal: Become a principal and also shape the broader approach to curriculum as an entrepreneur by founding a curriculum consulting firm   Dario was drawn to REEP by the opportunity to work with and build a network of like-minded entrepreneurial leaders who want to make a difference in the educational landscape.  By working together with his cohort he has improved his own leadership abilities as well as contributed to the shaping of leadership qualities in others.
		Keith Desrosiers   Current role: Former School Director at YES Prep Public Schools, currently working to develop master teacher's program Career goal: To create a master teachers track within his school, establishing stuctures for promotions, salary growth and recognition.  Would like to see teacher salaries reach $100k and be linked to measurable value creation within the educational system.   Day long sessions on topics like marketing, strategy, educational psychology and finance attracted Keith to REEP.  "One of the most valuable things for me was getting a sense of the best practices in each of these areas in their context inside and outside of education."
		Michael Harrison   Current role: Vanguard Magnet Coordinator in Houston Independent School District Career goal: Lead a school as a principal and later to lead a district   "It was the only program of its kind in the country. It’s exciting to be a trailblazer. I wanted management expertise and I wanted the MBA degree. REEP has people from all over the educational spectrum: school districts, the private sector, and charter schools.  REEP has really helped me to get to establish a network of colleagues across those boundaries."
		Angelica Vega   Current role: 7th grade math teacher and Dean of Students in Houston Independent School District Career goal: Bring new insights and skills from REEP back to the classroom,  then become a principal.   "Teachers can change other teachers. Teachers are the actual change agents." says Angelica.  She came to REEP not only for the high caliber of instructors but also because she wanted an environment where she could challenge the existing system.  For Angelica, REEP provided a network of like-minded educators "who believe that schools can improve, that there is a solution to the achievement gap."

Student Quotes

I liked having the opportunity to have high quality instructors. I especially enjoyed working with my peers who were very intelligent and savvy educators.
 
I thought I would be able to gain a business background that would help me become a better educational leader.
 
REEP struck me as an innovative path to leadership growth. I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the instructors, especially over the summer.
 
The REEP program has provided us with access to professionals on the leading edge of education reform. Rather that just reading articles they have published, we have been able to engage in conversation and debate with the various instructors. For me, this has been the high point of the program.
 
I chose REEP as an opportunity to be on the cutting-edge of bringing about school reform in an inner-city public school system. The stimulating class discussions enable us to push the proverbial envelope of our long-held biases to really understand
 
The REEP program has exceeded my expectations. I was drawn in by "...the opportunity to learn from national thought leaders in education...", and REEP delivered. I feel that I have learned a great deal from the instructors, my classmates, and the REEP staff.
 
Tom Loveless challenged everyone's thinking with his data-saturated debunking of prevalent educational myths.
 
Measuring the value-added by a teacher or a program has been particularly challenging. For the most part, we just don't have good mechanisms in place to do this. I hope to see a lot more research around this critical issue.
 
One aha moment occurred when I discovered that a good leader must learn how to balance between top down vs. bottom up leadership. Being an A-type personality, I often gravitate towards the top down leadership style, but now I am starting to realize the importance of bottom up leadership as well.
 
I enjoyed the Critical Thought sessions--I believe these discussions should be included in every school leadership preparation program. I also gained a great deal of insight from the Tom Loveless sessions on Evidence in Education.