Educational Excellence
Contact: Sara Jones, Ph.D., Director of Educational Excellence & Community Outreach
Board Members Assigned: Cheryl Dearing and Kathleen Wagner
Educational Excellence Task Force Members Selected
Each year dozens of policy changes affect Utah’s public schools, yet these changes do not always result in the best outcomes for students. Educators are uniquely positioned 
to identify critical academic priorities and propose important solutions to strengthen teaching effectiveness and improve student outcomes. Therefore, the UEA has organized the Educational Excellence Task Force to study and prioritize critical education issues and create a vision of teaching excellence that is designed and led by educators.
The Task Force will be chaired by Park City teacher and instructional coach Anna Williams. “I’m honored to serve with such an outstanding group of educators who excel in their field,” said Williams. “It’s important that we as educators take the lead in identifying changes that will promote educational excellence for our students and enhance our profession.”
The following Educational Excellence Task Force members were selected through a competitive application process:
-
 |
|
Task Force Chair
Anna Williams
|
Eve Bean, assistant principal, Ellison Park Elementary, Davis District
- Laurel Brown, speech-language teacher, Riverview Junior High, Murray City District
- Jennifer Graviet, English teacher, Sand Ridge Junior High, Weber District
- Debra Green, choral director, Sand Ridge Junior High, Weber District
- Judy Mahoskey, sixth-grade teacher, Liberty Elementary, Murray City District
- Suzy Merrill, third-grade teacher, Oakridge Elementary, Granite District
- Hilary Moore, math teacher, Murray High, Murray City District
- Jennifer Roberts, sixth-grade teacher, Lincoln Elementary, Davis District
- Dan Rozanas, social studies teacher, Alta High, Canyons District
- Mary Ellen Smith, BYU partnership facilitator, Eastlake Elementary, Jordan District
- Denise Ulrich, second-grade teacher, Foxboro Elementary, Davis District
- Leigh VandenAkker, social studies teacher, East High School, Salt Lake City District
- Anna Williams (chair), instructional coach, Park City High, Park City District
- Patti Zealley, kindergarten teacher, Silvercrest Elementary, Jordan District
“The educators participating on our Educational Excellence Task Force represent a breadth and depth of experience in many areas,” said UEA Director of Educational Excellence and Community Outreach Sara Jones. “The end goal of the Task Force will be to impact decision-making and priorities at UEA as well as broader state policy.”
The Task Force will meet regularly with the charge to analyze relevant research in order to identify priorities for the Utah Education Association and public education in Utah; develop a comprehensive set of policy recommendations regarding teaching quality and effectiveness; and engage the association, policymakers and the public in the important dialogue of change.
The Education Excellence Task Force provides a forum for teachers to review and comment on the education excellence program as the framework is developed. The committee also provides critical feedback on current issues in education and the processes of the external education excellence coalition regarding coalition building, research areas, messaging, legislative priorities, etc.