RESUME

RICK GORDON P.O. Box 563 Saxtons River, Vermont 05154 rickwestboard@yahoo.com

Education

Ph.D., May 1995, University of Colorado Social and Multicultural Foundations of Education. Awarded a University Doctoral Fellowship.

M.A., June 1985, University of Minnesota Major in Political Science. Completed all course work for Ph.D. Focus in Organizational Theory and Public Policy.

B.A. with honors, June 1981, Stanford University Major in Political Science with a concentration in Environmental Policy.

Professional Experience

Director of Long Range Planning, Compass School. Responsible for strategic planning, program development, and public relations, as well as teaching high school humanities and coaching soccer. August 2006-Present.

Adjunct Faculty, Antioch New England Graduate School, Education Department. Taught “Leadership for Educational Transformation in the Principal Leadership Program. Summer 2007.

Director, Compass School. Founding board member and school director. Educational leader for idealistic middle and high school serving as a model for choice in the public education system. In addition to managing the budget, supervising teachers, organizing the educational program, facilitating the board, managing the physical plant, and setting the overall vision for the school, teach high school humanities and coach soccer. June 2001-July 2006.

Co-director, The Critical Skills-Education by Design Program. Responsibilities include program direction and leadership, oversight of $300,000 budget, fund raising, management of 50 person teacher leadership community, new program development, creation of marketing materials and website, consultation with school districts and state agencies, publications, and facilitation of workshops and institutes. Consultant for district-wide teams of administrators and teachers working on school transformation. Developer of Problem Based Service Learning model for higher education. July 1997-June 2001.

Board Co-chair, The Compass School. Responsible for school founding, overall school design, curricular development, teacher hiring and supervision, and community relations for community based middle and high school. September 1998-June 2001.

Core Faculty, Antioch New England Graduate School, Education Department. Teach curriculum and assessment, foundations, social context, and research courses. Advise practica and Master's projects in the Experienced Educators Masters Degree Program. October 1994-June 2001.

Facilitator, National Service Learning Assessment Network. Coordinate and facilitate national and local study groups investigating best practices in assessing learning through service. January 1997-December 1999.

Instructor, University of Colorado-Boulder, Foundations of American Education. Designed and taught experienced-based courses including service-learning component, portfolio assessment, and policy development program. June 1991-December 1993.

Ethnographer, Academy for Educational Development. Responsible for formative and summative ethnographic evaluation of The Rocky Mountain Expeditionary Learning/Outward Bound School funded by the New American Schools Development Corporation. October 1993-May 1994.

Teaching Associate, PROBE (Problem Based Education), an alternative teacher certification program for adults changing careers, University of Colorado-Boulder. Designed curriculum, facilitated seminar meetings, taught courses, and supervised student teaching placements in urban and suburban secondary school settings. August 1990-May 1991.

Head of Dorms and History Teacher, The Putney School. Developed and co-instructed the inter-disciplinary ninth grade global studies curriculum, taught 11th grade U.S. history, Head of Dorms, Faculty Trustee on the Board of Trustees, and cross-country ski and bike team coach. November 1986-June 1989.

Master's and Doctoral Theses

"A Symphony of Humanness: Teachers, Teams, and their Students." An ethnographic study of the thinking of middle school teachers involved in grade level teams and the contextual conditions which influence the development of professional community. Spring 1995.

"Organizations in Action." A study of educational organizations and goal structures in Minnesota. Spring 1985.

"Universalism and Public Spending." A theoretical explication of bureaucratic spending and legislative preference ordering. Spring 1984.

Publications

“Fathering Journey: Do Something Big!” Daughters Magazine (12:3), May/June 2007.

“Travel Together: Real Quality Time,” Mothering Magazine, In Press.

“Want Safe Schools, Put the Kids in Charge!” Classroom Leadership (7:2), October 2003.

Problem Based Service Learning Fieldguide: Making a Difference in Higher Education. Edited guidebook detailing practices and strategies for the implementation of service-learning by and for higher education faculty.

Service Learning and Assessment: A Field Guide for Teachers. Co-editor for National Service-Learning and Assessment Study Group's guide to best practices in the assessment of student learning through service.

Educator in the Workplace Training Manual. New Hampshire School to Career Partnership, Spring 1999.

"Balancing Real Problems with Real Results." Phi Delta Kappan, January 1998.

"At the Heart of Education: Portfolios as a Learning Tool." Chapter comparing the use of portfolios for elementary and college students and their relation to student outcomes and teacher development. Experience and the Curriculum, Bert Horwood, ed., 1995.

"The Irrational Science of Educational Reform." An ethnographic study of the shortcomings of "rational" approaches to educational reform. Presented at AERA Annual Meeting, April 1993.

Workshop Presentations and Facilitations

“Living Our Values.” Coalition of Essential Schools Fall Forum, Denver, Colorado, November 2007.

“Portfolio Assessment to Meet Learning Standards.” Lehman Alternative Community School, Ithaca, New York, January 2007.

“Graduation Portfolio Roundtables: Much More than Alternative Assessment.” Coalition of Essential Schools Fall Forum, Chicago, Illinois, November 2006.

“Service Learning for Higher Education.” Workshop and Presentation, University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, February 2005.

"Make a Difference-Problem Based Service Learning: An Innovative Approach for Higher Education." Three and Six day institutes for New Hampshire Campus Compact, November 1997, June 1998, June 1999, Maine Campus Compact, August 1998, June 1999, June 2000, June 2001, June 2002. Vermont Campus Compact, January 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004.

“Shared Leadership for Small Schools.” Coalition of Essential Schools Fall Forum, San Francisco, California, November 2004.

“Where is the Meaning for School Leaders?” Coalition of Essential Schools Fall Forum, Columbus, Ohio, November 2003.

“Starting Small Schools: Practical Advice Based On Experience.” Coalition of Essential Schools Fall Forum, Washington, D.C., November 2002.

“Starting a Small School: Leadership and Followership.” Coalition of Essential Schools Fall Forum, November 2001.

“Building Collaborative Learning Communities.” Microsoft Anytime Anywhere Learning Conference, Boston, Massachusetts. March 2002.

“Assessment for Service Learning.” Maine Campus Compact, Portland, Maine. March 2002.

“Building Competencies through Real World Problem Solving: Assuring the Learning in Problem Based Learning.” CES Fall Forum, Seattle, Washington. November 2001.

"Problem Based Service Learning: Practical Solutions for Meeting Course Learning Outcomes while Engaging Students in their Communities." American Association for Higher Education National Conference, Washington, D.C., March 2001.

"Balancing Real-World Problems with Real-World Results: Assuring the Learning in Problem Based Learning." ASCD National Conference. Boston, Massachusetts. March 2001.

"Educator in the Workplace: Connecting School and the Modern Workplace." Externship Training Courses. Manchester School to Career Partnership and Western Region Partnership. Summer 2000, New Hampshire School to Career Partnership, Summer 1998.

Best Schools Initiative Facilitator. SAU #34. Facilitator for Best Schools Leadership Team and co-author of $91,000 GOALS 2000 grant for the district. Led community profile core life skills committee and executive coordinating committee. August 1999- present.

"Coherence in Educational Change." The Fifth International Teaching for Intelligence Conference, San Francisco, April 1999.

"Authentic Learning, Authentic Teaching." Keynote speech for all-school faculty meetings. The Ellis School. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. August, 1998.

"Beyond Experiential Intelligence through Experiential Learning." The Fourth International Teaching for Intelligence Conference, New York City, April 1998

"Rubrics, Assessment, and State Standards." Keynote address for in-service workshop, Jaffrey-Rindge School District, January 1998.

Other Experience

President, Hard as a Rock Puzzles. Led small company that developed, marketed, and produced natural rock puzzles with educational and environmental focus. January 1993-April 1994.

Chief Executive Officer, Three Pin Productions. Designed, marketed, and produced polar fleece hats for children and adults. Eventually licensed rights to national company. September 1990-January 1992.

Group Leader, Global Reach. Co-led community service program for American high school students in Bali, Indonesia. June 1990-August 1990.

Course Instructor, Hurricane Island Outward Bound School. Led backpacking and canoeing courses for adults and high school students. Autumn, 1989.

Environmental Education Instructor, Interlocken Center for Experiential Education. Instructed week-long environmental education programs for sixth graders. Autumn 1986.

Trip Leader, Interlocken Crossroads Program. Planned and led summer cross-cultural bicycle trips for high school students in Europe, Scandinavia, and the United States. Summers 1984-1987.

Service

Head Soccer Coach, Saxtons River Youth Soccer Association, 2002-Present

Global Travel Slide Shows, Putney Library, Rockingham Library, Chester Unitarian Church, Brattleboro Jewish Community Center, 2006-2007.

Board of Directors, Greater Falls Chamber of Commerce, 2004-2006

Board Member, Saxtons River Recreation Area, 2003-present.

Founding Board Member, The Compass School, Westminster, Vermont, May 1998-2005.

Character Education Advisory Board member, State of New Hampshire Department of Education, 1999-2001.

Facilitator, Windham Northeast Supervisory Union Superintendent Search, June 1998.

Bellows Falls High School, School Improvement Team and Advisory Board, 1995-1998.

AEE Rocky Mountain Regional Conference Steering Committee, 1992 and 1993.

Other Activities

Nine month round the world trip with my family, August 2006-May 2007.

Three year letterman, Varsity Soccer and Ski Teams, Stanford University.

Peer academic advisor, Stanford University.

Extensive worldwide travel, bicycling, ski mountaineering, and backpacking.