Welcome to the website for the School of Education at Whitworth University. I hope that this site will provide you
with helpful information about our programs, faculty, staff
and students.

We welcome several new people to the School of Education this year. Dr. Kathryn Picanco, a visiting faculty member last year, was appointed to a tenure-track position as the result
of a national search. She is teaching in the Master In Teaching and Evening Teacher Certification programs. We have three new lecturers in the school: Suzie Henning (undergraduate program and evening program); Stacy Hill (undergraduate program and evening program); and Kyle Storm (school counseling program). We also have two knew staff members.  Kerry Templeton is the new program assistant for undergrad-uate and MIT programs, and Millayna Klingback is the new assistant director for the Master In Teaching Program.

The School of Education faculty and program directors continue to implement new state requirements for revised endorsements and standards. Our work will be enhanced by several new grants that include partnerships with the Mead and Deer Park School Districts.  We are also actively pursuing state approval for two new specialty endorsements, one in deaf education and the second in gifted and talented education. We also anticipate seeking approval for a specialty endorsement in environmental/sustainability education as soon as the state approves the competencies for that endorsement.

The Whitworth University School of Education is characterized by several distinctive qualities that are guided by our conceptual framework, and we will continue to emphasize those qualities this year.  First, our programs have high standards of excellence that build on a solid foundation in the liberal arts. Whitworth is known throughout the region for the exceptional teachers, counselors and administrators who graduate from the university’s undergraduate and graduate programs. Our graduates are well prepared and take seriously Whitworth's mission to provide "an education of mind and heart." They are known for their skill and for their compassion.

Second, we strive to provide exceptional service to our students. Faculty and staff are friendly, accessible and knowledgeable. Students are not just numbers here, but are valued as individuals with individual needs.

Third, all of our programs provide opportunities for students to be actively involved in the professions for which they are preparing. Whether they plan to be teachers, counselors or administrators, students get significant practical experience in those settings as part of their training.

Fourth, we provide in-class and off-campus experiences that prepare our students for the diverse world that they will encounter in their professional positions. Our Jan Term intercultural experiences are a highlight of our teacher education programs. We intentionally emphasize preparation in literacy, exceptionalities, character education, technology, and international/intercultural education to enable our graduates to work with children, young people and adults from all segments of our population.

Finally, our graduates are encouraged to be active participants in society, and to engage their local communities as well as the larger global community.

For more information about the Whitworth School of Education, please browse through our webpages at www.whitworth.edu/soe or contact us by e-mail at soe@whitworth.edu.

Dennis Sterner, Ed.D.
Dean of the Whitworth School of Education

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