District/School Administration Administration
The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

Advisory Council Membership: Proposed Reappointment and New Appointment

At the October 30, 2007 Board of Education meeting I presented recommendations for advisory council membership which you approved. Today I have two additional nominations for your consideration:

• Dr. Reza Namin, Superintendent of the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District, reappointment to the Mathematics and Science Education Advisory Council
• Professor Carlo Cipollone, Director of the Education Office at the Italian Consulate General of Italy in Boston, appointment to the Global Education Advisory Council

State law (G.L. Chapter 15, Section 1G) establishes a general framework for advisory councils to the Board of Education. There are currently 15 active advisory councils to the Board - Adult and Community Learning Services (Adult Basic Education); Arts Education; Community Service Learning; Educational Personnel; Educational Technology; English Language Learners/Bilingual Education; Gifted and Talented; Global Education; Interdisciplinary Health Education and Human Services; Life Management and Home Economics; Mathematics and Science; Parent and Community Education and Involvement; Racial Imbalance; Special Education; and Technology/Engineering. In addition, the State Student Advisory Council, whose members are elected by other students rather than appointed by the Board, is an active and important advisory council to the Board.

Recruitment efforts resulted in the receipt of applications and resumes from a number of well-qualified new applicants, as well as current members who have applied for renewed membership. Dr. Namin and Professor Cipollone submitted applications and were inadvertently not included in the October 30, 2007 recommendations. I recommend that the Board vote on these additional appointments this month, which would enable the new members to participate fully in the upcoming advisory council meetings.