HENDERSON, Tenn., Sept. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Bobbie
Solley Center for Excellence in Teaching at Freed-Hardeman University hosted a ribbon-cutting
Wednesday, Aug. 18, in the Gardner
Center. Family and friends of Dr. Bobbie
Solley joined her for the celebration.
Solley, a retired Middle Tennessee State
University educator and the former director of international
education development for Healing Hands International, initiated
plans for the center and made a major contribution to its creation.
The center launched in January 2021
to help develop teacher and school leaders committed to impacting
student learning and fostering high academic achievement.
FHU President David R. Shannon,
Vice President C.J. Vires and
Sarah Hibbett, center director, all
expressed their gratitude to the Bobbie Solley Foundation and for
the opportunity to partner in creating a hub for quality
professional development for teachers. Troy
Kilzer II, superintendent of Chester County schools, thanked Solley and FHU
for seeing the need to support and encourage teachers and providing
a service that fills that need. Dr. Sharen
Cypress, dean of the College of Education and Behavioral
Sciences, provided the history behind the Bobbie Solley Foundation
and its partnership with FHU.
Solley talked about her personal passion for education and her
vision for the center. "I am filled with humility that God has put
me in this place to do what He has called me to do," she said.
Free professional development activities for educators were
offered online April 13-July 26 with
approximately 351 unduplicated educators attending, according to
Hibbett. Some participants attended more than one session.
Attendees have joined from across all three grand divisions of
Tennessee as the center has served
17 public districts/private schools. The BSCET has hosted 20
presenters from across Tennessee
including educators from K-12 and public and private institutions
of higher education.
The BSCET hosted new Chester
County teachers for breakfast followed by a presentation
from Hibbett who provided professional development focused on
Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model (TEAM) July 14.
Hibbett, Dr. Amy Downey and Dr.
Rachel Askew will present
professional development sessions monthly during the fall semester
at Caywood Elementary School. Topics will include "Power of One,"
"Thinking Routines," "Differentiation" and "Questioning."
The fall schedule of free, online courses will be released
Sept. 1 on the BSCET website,
http://www.fhu.edu/bobbie-solley-center-of-excellence-in-teaching.
Registration information for the 12 planned courses is also
available at this site. Online sessions last approximately one
hour.
Media Contact
Dawn Bramblett, Freed-Hardeman University, 731-608-7650,
dawn@bramblettgrp.com
SOURCE Freed-Hardeman University