SUNY Plattsburgh Chosen as Base for Gov. Cuomo's New Teaching Initiative

May 20, 2013

SUNY Plattsburgh has been selected as one of four host sites for a new master teaching initiative.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced the NYS Master Teacher Program today as a new effort to build the quality of science, math and technology education statewide. The program will form a network of master teachers, developing and harnessing their skills to mentor others.

“By supporting our best and brightest teachers — giving them access to high-quality professional development both pedagogical and in their subject area, as well as a network of fellow master teachers — we will encourage their growth, recognize their service and connect them with the next generation of service,” said State University of New York Chancellor Nancy Zimpher in a note informing SUNY Plattsburgh President John Ettling of the selection.

Beginning fall 2013, the program will recruit 250 teachers in four of the Economic Regional Development zones: North Country, Mid-Hudson, Central New York, and Western New York. SUNY Plattsburgh will host the efforts in the North Country, with Clarkson University serving as a research partner. Meanwhile, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Cortland and Buffalo State will host the other efforts, and, in the spring of 2014, efforts will launch in the remaining six regions.

Recruited teachers will receive extensive professional development through the State University of New York and a $15,000 stipend each year for four years. The master teachers will then provide mentoring to pre-service and early career teachers.

“Your campus, with its model education department, was a clear choice to become a ‘base camp’ for this program in your region,” Zimpher wrote, adding that “our campuses are the perfect hosting grounds to enrich the teaching profession” and that the initiative will serve as “a great pathway for our students to interact with in-service teachers, gain exposure to educational programming, and network.”

“The college looks forward to working with Clarkson and serving as a regional hub for the project,” Ettling said. “It will allow for the sharing of experiences, the identification of best practices and the creation of high-quality professional development on the Plattsburgh campus and throughout the region.”

Dr. Michael Morgan, dean of SUNY Plattsburgh’s Division of Education, Health and Human Services, said that he was excited to be part of this new initiative.

According to Morgan, the college’s Teacher Education Unit and the North Country Teacher Resource Center, located at SUNY Plattsburgh, will also work together in support of these efforts.

“The close collaboration between our college and the NCTRC provides a strong foundation on which to build professional development for master teachers and student-teacher candidates,” Morgan said.

“At SUNY Plattsburgh, we are dedicated to helping all teachers become master teachers, and we believe the governor’s initiative can only add to our efforts,” Ettling said. “We look forward to assisting with this program and helping our teacher-education candidates learn the best practices from the best teachers out there.”