CollegeNow conference highlights commitment to professional development

September 2012

CollegeNow continued to honor its commitment to professional development by hosting 116 high school concurrent enrollment teachers on campus this past August. The teachers, who came from 37 partner schools, spent the day participating in workshops led by TC3 faculty.

The yearly conference gives CollegeNow the opportunity to further strengthen partnerships with local high school teachers.

"We highly value our partnerships with area school districts, and we believe that these collaborations contribute significantly to the improvement of student academic outcomes and the transition from high school to college," said Karl Madeo, director of CollegeNow. "Connecting high school and college faculty is a key component of those efforts."

The workshops, which ranged from Women's Suffrage in Upstate New York to Biodiesel Lab Activity on Renewable Sustainable Energy to Field-Programmable Gates Arrays Used to Implement Digital Logic, were designed to give high school educators a look at creative college course content, while also encouraging an exchange of ideas on how best to present material to students. Also included were methodology workshops, such as Teaching Students to use Evidence in Writing, geared toward honing instructional techniques and helping high school students prepare for college-level work.

The day also included an awards luncheon with a keynote address by Dr. Bill Coplin, best selling author of 10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College and professor of Public Affairs at Syracuse University. Coplin discussed his work on college and career readiness and how making a more concerted effort to teach these skills is more important than ever for the success of our students.

CollegeNow provides opportunities for high school students to earn college credits through concurrent enrollment courses offered at 45 partner high schools, and by having access to TC3 online courses. For example, 63 percent of all 2012 high school graduates in Tompkins and Cortland Counties earned college credits during their high school careers through the CollegeNow program, with more than 30 percent of those students earning 15 or more college credits. The concurrent enrollment program is accredited by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP).

Educators Honored

TC3 CollegeNow also honored a number of local educators at its 2012 professional development conference.

Jason Banks of Candor — CollegeNow Recognition Award

Janet Bowman of Ithaca — Distinguished Concurrent Enrollment Teacher

Dianne Brown of Marathon — Distinguished Concurrent Enrollment Teacher

Danielle Bethoney of TC3 — Distinguished Faculty Liaison