After the success of last year’s Cabrini day, the committee for this year has decided to extend the day to a whole week. Cabrini day this year will focus on the importance of equitable access for education. It will be held on Nov. 13. ?
Events range from group activities, a brunch served by the faculty and staff and a guest speaker, Dr. Lorraine Monroe, author of “Nothing’s Impossible: Leadership Lessons from Inside and Outside the Classroom.” ?
She has extensive experience with trying to equalize opportunities for all students to have a quality education. The rest of the week has an assortment of events that will provide food and entertainment for all.
Every year the theme of Cabrini day rotates, and so do the professors in charge of creating the events. Dr. Marry Harris, associate professor of business administration headed the committee last year. Cabrini day is organized by Professor Beverly Bryde, the associate professor of education and Professor Colleen Lelli, professor of education.
This year’s events will stress the need for the awareness that not everyone has access to a quality education. Fortunately for students at Cabrini College they have access to the education they should have. But it’s despairing that a little more than ten minutes down the road, with traffic, the same education is not given to our neighbors in Norristown.
The Wolfington Center works closely with organizations in Norristown to try to better their school experience.
Dr. Beverly Bryde, associate professor of education said about the morning activity, “We hope that everyone will recognize that not everyone has access to a quality education, we hope that people will grow to support legislation and create awareness of the inequality in the education system.”
The reason behind poor educational experiences is the low school funding that is provided by their community. School funding is derived from property taxes. ?
When there are lower property taxes, there tend to be lower standards in the school to educate their students. The morning activity in the Dixon center on Cabrini day will allow students to experience the learning conditions that students who come from a low property taxed area experiences.
Dr. Beverly Bryde spoke of a book by Jonathon Kozol called “Savage Inequalities.” “It is a drastic way to look at the issue. But in the book there are examples that show some schools that are beautiful and others who are completely run-down,” Bryde said.
Throughout the rest of the day there will be a brunch served by members of the faculty and staff.
There will be other learning sessions sponsored by Cabrini professors. Property taxes, School Resources and Per Pupil Spending, Psychological Effects and Social Injustice and Special Privilege will also be highlighted throughout the day.
That afternoon at 2 p.m. there will be a guest speaker, Dr. Lorrain Monroe who wrote “Nothing’s Impossible: Leadership Lessons from Inside and Outside the Classroom.”
The book is about her experiences as a teacher, dean, assistant principal, principal and deputy Chancellor for Curriculum and Instruction in New York City public schools. She is the founding principal of Frederick Douglass Academy in Central Harlem. Right now she is on extended leave from Bank Street College of Education.
The speech aids the idea behind the Cabrini day. With Monroe’s experience on schools that are not top-notch and her strives to create a better learning community, it will make students aware of the importance of their involvement with the issue.
In regards to the idea behind Cabrini day each year, Dr. Beverly Bryde, associate professor of education said, “The importance of Cabrini day each year is to celebrate the college’s mission and focus on social justice and service.”
