Four Amazing Years

The Graduate School of Education and its candidates and graduates owe an enormous thank you to Interim Dean, Dr. Rita Moore. The selection of her successor, Dr. Julie Gess-Newsome, was formally announced by President M. Lee Pelton on June 2nd.

Rita joined the Graduate School of Education (GSE) as Associate Dean in 2007.  Candidates will benefit from her expertise when she rejoins the faculty during spring semester 2012 to coordinate the ESOL program and teach M.Ed. courses. After her fall 2011 sabbatical, Dr. Moore will continue research in Kansas and in Salem on her many emergent language and literacy projects.

Rita is active nationally as a literacy education advocate and travels extensively serving on three editorial boards, including Reading Teacher, and has served on NCATE accreditation review teams. Her third book on teaching literacy, Classroom Reading Conversations, was published last year by Corwin Press.  

“The work as Interim Dean has been intense and challenging,” says Moore, “but each time I see a future teacher impacted positively by our efforts, I am repaid many times over. My role here has been incredibly demanding and exciting, and always the fulfilling work of a collaborative team.”

Under Dr. Moore’s leadership, the GSE gained national accreditation, meeting standards for The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) in April 2010.  During her four years as program administrator, GSE faculty also refined and expanded the M.Ed. degree and initiated an on-line version of the MAT program. With the newly independent status of the GSE, now separate from the College of Liberal Arts, faculty have developed their own governance model and strategic plan, as well as a BA/MAT track to help undergraduate students transition more easily into the MAT program.

As she looks ahead, Dr, Moore commented, “Sabbaticals present a rare opportunity for teachers and researchers to grow, think, and renew. That is what I anticipate ahead—that and getting to know my grandchildren better!”

Dr. Moore addresses candidates during hooding ceremony, May 15, 2011