News Archives - 1999

Dr. Gail M. Nordmoe was recently named executive director of the Richard R. Green Institute, a partnership between Augsburg College and the Minneapolis and Saint Paul public schools.

Nordmoe, who began her duties in August, came to the institute after serving from 1995-1998 as the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the Cambridge Public Schools in Cambridge, Mass.

Nordmoe, who has more than 30 years of experience in the profession of teaching and learning, assumed the position previously held by Betty Jo Webb, who served as the institute's first executive director.

The Richard R. Green Institute for Teaching and Learning was formed in 1998 by the Minneapolis and Saint Paul public schools and Augsburg College. It was named for the late Richard R. Green, an Augsburg graduate and former Minneapolis schools superintendent who won national acclaim for education reform in Minneapolis and New York.

The institute aims to help students reach their full potential through research and systemic changes in K-12 education practices as well as in higher education teacher training programs.

Specifically, the institute aims to:

Increase the number and quality of teachers prepared for urban classrooms through preparation and ongoing professional growth and development.

Influence public policy as it relates to preparing teachers and establishing standards for urban education.

Conduct, collect, and disseminate research about the "best practices" in urban education.

Use technology to maximize teacher preparation, development, and communication.

Prepare teachers to apply technology in their technology and learning.

Establish development opportunities not only for teachers, but also for the nearly 4,000 educational assistants working in the Minneapolis and Saint Paul schools as well as for all who provide essential support for a student's success.

Convene partnerships with business, government, community and educational institutions around the improvement and enhancement of educational outcomes.

Carol Johnson, chair of the institute's board of directors and superintendent of the Minneapolis Public Schools, said: "We are truly fortunate and excited that Dr. Gail Nordmoe has joined us at the Richard Green Institute for Teaching and Learning. Her experience and expertise in urban schools throughout the country offer us an opportunity to fulfill the true legacy of Dr. Richard Green -- academic excellence for all students.

"Dr. Nordmoe's work in Detroit, Chicago, Cambridge (Massachusetts) and Danbury (Connecticut) has been focused on educational reform through teaching and curriculum improvement, particularly in the areas of mathematics education. We are pleased and confident that her knowledge and insights will enhance our efforts."

Nordmoe said she is committed to the philosophy that learning is a lifelong process and looks forward to imparting her experience in her work with the Green Institute.

"For over three decades, I have been committed to working with children of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, " Nordmoe said, "and I believe that the success of our country is dependent on how well educated all of our children are.

"It is my hope that with such a broad-based collaborative as the Richard Green Institute, we can come together to improve education for urban students."

Gail M. Nordmoe is a native of Chicago. She received her bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Illinois. She earned her master's degree in mathematics education from Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich., in 1970, and her doctorate of curriculum development from Wayne State in 1986.

Nordmoe began her teaching career in the Chicago Public Schools. She then moved to Detroit, where she assumed a variety of educational roles. She served as a mathematics demonstration teacher; as a department head; an assistant principal; and as assistant director of curriculum for over 23 high schools and four vocational technical centers.

In 1989, she moved to Connecticut and assumed the position of assistant superintendent of Danbury Public Schools in Danbury, Conn.

She currently serves as the national secretary for the American Association of University Women and is an active member of numerous civic and professional organizations.