Confirmed: Erwin was NOT a presenter at the 2006 Triple I Conference

Breaking News !

I just received confirmation from Judy Williams, Administrative Assistant, at the Illinois Association of School Boards that Barbara Erwin was NOT a presenter at the 2006 Triple I Conference.

Ms. Williams called this morning after reviewing IASB records and said, "We checked and she's not listed" as a presenter.

This information comes just minutes before the state board of education is set to meet in Bowling Green. The only item on their weekend retreat agenda - the confirmation of Barbara Erwin as Kentucky's new Education Commissioner.

Late yesterday, a confidential source close to district leadership in St Charles contacted me and sent me pages from the 2006 Triple I (ISAB * IASA * IASBO) Joint Annual Conference where Barbara Erwin claims to have made three presentations. As the IASB now confirms, contrary to assertions made in her application for Kentucky Commissioner of Education, Erwin was not a presenter at that conference.

According to the Triple I conference report, Erwin's name does not appear in the program as a presenter.

Erwin's application claims: "Triple I Conference - Presentations on School Improvement, AP, Superintendent Search Process, Chicago, Illinois, 2004 & 2006 Conferences." But on page 120: There is an alphabetical list of all presenters with last names starting with the letter E, but no Barbara Erwin.

On page 78: There is panel discussion where two prinicpals and one teacher from Dist 303 presented, but not Barbara Erwin.

On page 88: There is a panel titled "Getting Reform:...": where Dist 303 administrators and teachers presented, but no Barbara Erwin.

A reader of Kentucky School News and Commentary posted the following comment this morning, "Board minutes from IL District 303 (Nov 27, 2006) only note the following in the superintendendent's report:

District 303 made two presentations at the statewide education conference in Chicago this month. In the first presentation, St. Charles East Principal Bob Miller, Assistant Principal, Shawn Harms, and AP Physics teacher, John Connell discussed how East raised the bar to ensure that more students take Advanced Placement classes. In the second presentation, Dr. Melanie Raczkiewicz, Chief Academic Officer, Melissa Dockum, Wredling Middle School Principal, and Donna Dowd, instructional support coach, discussed our District’s “Smart Goals, Smart Schools” systematized approach to school improvement. Both presentations were very well attended."

How does Barbara Erwin explain this? Is this be another typo? Or, are we seeing a pattern of behavior here?