[Reading-hall-of-fame] Re: Seven Recommendations for IRA to Consider & "My Transgression"

[Leu, Donald]

Thank you, Jack, for your leadership.  I support almost all of these thoughtful recommendations.  The only one I might expand a bit is this one:


2. Hire an Executive Director with Background in Literacy Education


My own belief is that a background in professional development is just as important to IRA right now, and perhaps even more important.  That is a minor issue, and certainly a debatable one, where common conversation would show the best way forward.  I think a Board discussion about all of the items on your list would be most helpful to the organization.


Keep on, keeping on.


Cheers,

Don

--
Donald J. Leu, Ph.D.
John and Maria Neag Endowed Chair in Literacy and Technology
Director, The New Literacies Research Lab
http://www.newliteracies.uconn.edu/
University of Connecticut
249 Glenbrook Road
Storrs, CT  06269-2033
Office:  860.486.0202    Office Fax: 860-486.2994
Cell:  860.680.3752      Home: 860.447.8881

"Every  one of us is given the gift of life, and what a strange gift it is.
If it is preserved jealously and selfishly, it impoverishes and
saddens. But if it is spent for others, it enriches and beautifies."

-- Geraldine  Ferraro.
   Acceptance speech at the 1984 Democratic Party National  Convention.


From: Jack Cassidy <dr.jackcassidy at gmail.com<mailto:dr.jackcassidy at gmail.com>>
Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2011 16:02:46 -0400
To: HOF List <reading-hall-of-fame at nottingham.ac.uk<mailto:reading-hall-of-fame at nottingham.ac.uk>>
Subject: [Reading-hall-of-fame] Seven Recommendations for IRA to Consider & "My Transgression"

Hi Folks,

Attached are seven recommendations that I just sent to the IRA Board. If you agree with any of these, i urge you to contact some or all the Board members yourself. Their e-mail addresses are all listed on the e-mail below.

By the way, at the May Board meeting, the then-President announced publicly that my communication to you about the February Board meeting was inappropriate. Luckily, I was not mentioned by name. However, it was obvious that my "transgression" had been discussed. Soon afterward, a Board member said "I don't know if i should be seen talking to you." I believe that my update was clearly labeled as "Cassidy Observations." Thus, I obviously, I disagree with then-president's position. The February update is again attached. What do you think?

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jack Cassidy <dr.jackcassidy at gmail.com<mailto:dr.jackcassidy at gmail.com>>
Date: Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 2:35 PM
Subject: Seven Recommendations to Consider
To: "Risko, Victoria J" <victoria.j.risko at vanderbilt.edu<mailto:victoria.j.risko at vanderbilt.edu>>, vrisko at reading.org<mailto:vrisko at reading.org>, carrice at latech.edu<mailto:carrice at latech.edu>, ccummins at reading.org<mailto:ccummins at reading.org>, mmclaughlin at po-box.esu.edu<mailto:mmclaughlin at po-box.esu.edu>, slayne at reading.org<mailto:slayne at reading.org>, kbromley at reading.org<mailto:kbromley at reading.org>, Karen M Bromley <kbromley at binghamton.edu<mailto:kbromley at binghamton.edu>>, boverturf at reading.org<mailto:boverturf at reading.org>, tyoung at reading.org<mailto:tyoung at reading.org>, jblanchard at reading.org<mailto:jblanchard at reading.org>, kheadley at reading.org<mailto:kheadley at reading.org>, joyce_hinman at bismarckschools.org<mailto:joyce_hinman at bismarckschools.org>, Heather Bell <heather at rosebank.school.nz<mailto:heather at rosebank.school.nz>>, William Teale <wteale at uic.edu<mailto:wteale at uic.edu>>, wteale at reading.org<mailto:wteale at reading.org>, jhinman at reading.org<mailto:jhinman at reading.org>


Hi Folks,

My grapevine tells me that you will be having a meeting soon. I urge you to consider some if not all of these recommendations. Also, try to resist the urge to say "who the h... does he think he is?' I believe I have a somewhat unique perspective on IRA having been a state council president, a past IRA board member and president, an observer of IRA Board meetings for 15 years, a nearby resident, a special service award winner, etc. etc.

As always, I commend you for your hard work. You have an excellent board.



This message and any attachment are intended solely for the addressee and may contain confidential information. If you have received this message in error, please send it back to me, and immediately delete it. Please do not use, copy or disclose the information contained in this message or in any attachment. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nottingham.

This message has been checked for viruses but the contents of an attachmentmay still contain software viruses which could damage your computer system:you are advised to perform your own checks. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored as permitted by UK legislation.