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Lake Forest educator Gloria Harper joins Golden Apple

Lake Forest educator Gloria Harper joins Golden Apple

(Chicago - February 11, 2003) — Gloria West Harper, a dean and teacher at Lake Forest Academy, has joined Golden Apple Foundation as director of the Golden Apple Teacher Education program (GATE), it was announced today by President and CEO Elaine Schuster.

The GATE program is Illinois' first and largest alternative-certification pathway for mid-career adults wishing to begin teaching careers in Chicago Public Schools working with elementary school children or teaching mathematics or science in middle-school or high-school classrooms.

"We are delighted that Gloria is bringing her expertise and passion to GATE," Dr. Schuster said. "Her skills will help Golden Apple continue to enhance GATE, which directly addresses the teacher shortage in Chicago and Illinois by recruiting teacher candidates with excellent potential and preparing them using the combined talents of master practitioners from the Golden Apple Academy with master theoreticians from university faculty."

Ms. Harper, who taught for 23 years in Chicago public schools, will continue her work at Lake Forest Academy in Lake Forest, Ill., where she teaches Advanced Placement Biology and is dean of multicultural affairs. She previously served at Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass. as instructor for the Mathematics and Science Program for Minority Students.

As program director, Ms. Harper will oversee the day-to-day operations of GATE, including its selection process, the planning and presentation of its summer and school phases, the supervision of its mentor teachers, and the observation of the chosen interns. She will report directly to Dominic Belmonte, Golden Apple director of teacher preparation.

Golden Apple is a growing community of expert teachers and teachers-to-be who are working together to ensure that all Illinois schoolchildren have the excellent teachers they deserve. Drawing on shared experience and inspiration, Golden Apple recruits, prepares, and mentors new teachers; creates model programs and partnerships; and encourages all teachers to attain ever-higher levels of excellence and commitment to teaching as their life's work.