Documentary series features College's partnership with school district

An upcoming segment on public television will highlight the unique partnership between the UGA College of Education and the Clarke County School District that helps train future teachers.

Hosted by legendary actor James Earl Jones, the series of mini-documentaries called "Behind the Scenes" highlights innovations and leaders in areas such as health, education, business, culture and the environment. This newest segment focuses on the Professional Development School District and the many ways it benefits children, preservice teachers and teachers in Clarke County.

Specifically, the piece focuses on college access for K-12 students, the diversity of today's student body, and the need for teachers who can respond to these needs—all of which is addressed by the partnership between the College and the school district.

"There is a great deal of research to support the notion that the more a teacher trainee spends time in a K-12 environment, the more effective and ready they will be to teach when they graduate from college," said Dean Craig H. Kennedy during an interview for the segment. "So one of the things we want to do is make sure that our students are as embedded and engaged in schools as early as they can be in their training."

Kennedy was one of several faculty and students interviewed, as well as former Clarke County Superintendent Philip Lanoue.

Each episode of "Behind the Scenes" is independently produced and is distributed to PBS stations in major cities across the country. The segments, typically 5 to 7 minutes long, will be aired for the next year and include a special introduction by Jones.