This year, the Nellie Mae Education Foundation awarded a $50,000 grant to the CAYL Institute to bring 22 elementary school Principals from school districts across Massachusetts to participate in our National Conference for Elementary School Principals.

"We’re excited to support CAYL’s important work with these education leaders,” said Nicholas C. Donohue, President and CEO of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. “We look forward to the conference and to building off of it to continue to grow the type of high quality educational opportunities that enable our youngest citizens – especially those from underserved populations – to reach their full potential as successful learners."

The 22 CAYL Nellie Mae Education Foundation Principal Scholars will be participating in CAYL’s innovative July 2009 National Conference, entitled “Young Learners in America’s Schools: What’s in Your Toolkit?” This Conference is a result of three years of CAYL’s intense work with elementary school Principals in Massachusetts who have pre-kindergarten programs in their schools, and the demand from other states for this type of training. For more information on the National Conference, please visit: http://cayl.org/PrincipalConference2009

Principal Scholars thus far:

• Ronda Brenner, Assistant Principal of the Columbus Elementary School and former Kindergarten Specialist for the Medford Public Schools
• Lisa Buchinski, Principal of the John C. Crosby Elementary School in Pittsfield, MA
• Joseph Curtis, Principal of Morningside Community School in Pittsfield, MA
• Jillayne Flanders, Principal of Plains Elementary School in Southampton, MA
• Shelley Gross, Director of Early Childhood Education, Medford Public Schools
• Pamela Holmes, Early Childhood Supervisor/Title I Director for Somerville Public Schools and the Principal at Capuano Early Childhood Center in Somerville, MA
• Jose H. Irizarry, Principal of Margaret C. Ells: An Early Childhood School in Springfield, MA
• Donna Leep, Principal of the Silvio O. Conte Community School in Pittsfield, MA
• Norma Micheroni, Assistant Principal in Charge of the John Breen School in Lawrence,
  MA 
• Mike Sabin, Principal of the K-8 Arthur D. Healey School in Somerville, MA
• Michael S. Simon, Principal at Brooks Elementary School in Medford, MA
• Debbie White, Principal of the Central Berkshire Regional School District, MA
• Principal, Capeless School in Pittsfield, MA