The ceremony Friday will formalize and extend the agreement. The agreement will be reevaluated in 2004. The Eastern Michigan program is the only doctorate of its type specifically tailored for working K-12 educators. The program already includes several well-known students, including superintendents and principals from west Michigan school districts. Hagerty said there is a significant demand for the program in west Michigan among practicing school administrators and community college administrators and teachers.
Many school districts require the doctorate for superintendents.
Kevin O'Neill, former acting superintendent of Grand Rapids Public Schools and current superintendent of Coopersville Schools, will speak at the signing ceremony. Catherine Ceglarek, superintendent of Allendale Public Schools, will also speak. Both are students in the GVSU-EMU Ed. Another important part is the cohort concept, being able to go through the program with my colleagues from Kent, Ottawa, Allegan, Kalamazoo and even Traverse City. The most valuable part is that they've geared the program to be able to immediately put into practice what you're learning in the classroom.