Meeting with the Deputy Commissioner of Education of New Jersey

On Thursday, December 18th, Dr. Petrosino met with Ms. Willa Spicer, Deputy Commissioner of Education of New Jersey, concerning progress to date on the Curriculum Audit of July 25, 2007 (the two met previously on January 4, 2008). At today's meeting, Dr. Petrosino briefed the Deputy Commissioner on efforts undertaken in the last year to address: curriculum mapping, the revised curriculum, development of assessments, QSAC progress, and implementation issues. The Deputy gave informative and helpful feedback, specifically centered around efforts at incorporating the "Understanding by Design" framework and "big ideas" specifically. Petrosino also briefed the Deputy Commissioner on Hoboken High School's recent recognition in New Jersey Monthly (2nd most improved High School in NJ) as well as by US News and World Report (Bronze Award designee). The two also discussed some recent districtwide program efforts and testing data. The meeting was productive and there were tentative plans made for an update later in the spring.


Biography: Willa Spicer is the Deputy Commissioner of Education of New Jersey. Prior to this post, Ms. Spicer led the New Jersey Performance Assessment Alliance as Project Director. In addition to her considerable policy experience, she served as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction at South Brunswick Township Public Schools. Ms. Spicer has coauthored several publications dealing with assessment and has served the United States Department of Education as a site visitor and a member of the review panel for the Blue Ribbon Schools Program. In New Jersey, she served on a variety of professional committees and is a board member of Young Audiences and the Princeton Center for Leadership Training. She has been recognized as an outstanding educator by the Rutgers Graduate School of Education and Rider College and given an Ernest Boyer Distinguished Educator Award by the New Jersey Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Overview of January 4, 2008 meeting: click here