Transcript of presentation speech by Robert Brooke, NeWP Director
We recognize Dr. Rex Anderson, Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Gretna Public Schools, for his efforts over the past three years to find funding and build support for the Nebraska Writing Project Embedded Institutes at Gretna Middle and Elementary Schools. Dr. Anderson was nominated by Nebraska Writing Project Co-Director Danielle Helzer, who worked with Rex during the 2012-13 Gretna Embedded Institute.
Ms. Helzer writes:
Curriculum Director at Gretna Public Schools, Dr. Rex Anderson, is an advocate for students and teachers, and has been an excellent supporter of the Nebraska Writing Project. I came on board to Gretna Public Schools for the 2012-2013 school year, and in my interview, Dr. Anderson made it clear that he wanted to create a long-lasting partnership with the Nebraska Writing Project and Gretna teachers to help students to see themselves as writers. Dr. Anderson rallied the support of the Gretna Schools Foundation to be able to secure funds to run two Embedded Institutes; one during the 2012-2013 school year for Gretna Middle School teachers and one during the 2013-2014 school year for many of Gretna’s K-5 teachers. Dr. Anderson values the work of Gretna teachers. He was present and active during the 2012-2013 Embedded Institute and worked hard to endorse this program and support teachers. His passion for providing students with a quality education is evident and contagious. For these reasons, Dr. Anderson is a worthy candidate for the Nebraska Writing Project’s Administrator Support Award.
As Danielle’s letter makes clear, Dr. Anderson has provided administrative support for NeWP both behind the scenes and on the front lines. Behind the scenes, Dr. Anderson has cleared the way for the Embedded Institute programs by tireless advocacy for writing education with administrators in Gretna Schools and the Gretna Community Foundation. But Dr. Anderson has also been a front line participant. To show his commitment to the development of quality writing instruction, he participated himself in most of the meetings of the Gretna Middle School Embedded Institute. It shows a real commitment when an administrator is willing to write alongside 6th grade teachers, sharing his own initial drafts of poetry and personal narrative.
Please join me in honoring Dr. Rex Anderson with the Nebraska Writing Project 2014 Administrator Certificate of Recognition.
Robert Brooke, Director, Nebraska Writing Project
2 May 2014
