User:Ofeliamccollough
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Shawn Arévalo McColloughItalic text, Superintendent Greene County School District. McCollough was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in a small town called Columbia in South Carolina. While in school, Shawn played basketball and soccer, he also Break-dance and skateboard during his high schools years. McCollough attend University of South Carolina and Statesboro in Georgia, He is also working on finish his PhD at the University of Georgia. He is dedicated to education. McCollough started as a teacher, and then was name assistance principal, until 2004 when he was brought to Gainesville, Georgia to be the Principal of Gainesville Elementary School. A school with 90% Hispanic population, 70% poverty rates; but with “no excuses” he takes that school to the top. Shawn opened GES with the belief that all children will rise to your level of expectations. For example, while 93% of students live in poverty, 93% are minorities, and 70% are recent Hispanic immigrants facing the difficult challenge of learning English - 90% of students passed the English only annual CRCT state testing in both 2004 and 2005. Armed with the power of hope and undeniable test results, this 90-90-90 school stands defiantly against the dangerous stereotypes that often cripple our minority children. How did it happen? Shawn will tell you that it is a simple recipe of high expectations, hard work, and love.
In 2007 with a unanimous 5-0 decision, Shawn Arevalo McCollough was appointed to the post of Superintendent for the Greene County School District. Board Chair Janice Gallimore stated proudly “Shawn McCollough was brought here for one reason - to help transform this district in to a high performing organization that empowers our children to be great. We have some very difficult challenges in front of us and Shawn has the courage and strength to lead the change process. Our kids are depending on us and Shawn has our full support!”
Moving home to Georgia from Phoenix, AZ where he was the Superintendent of the Maricopa County Regional School District was an easy decision for Shawn, as he has committed his entire career to helping our most needy kids and families. Leading with a "No Excuses!" philosophy, Shawn has proven to be a perfect match for the NCLB era; balancing a passion for the social welfare of students with a rigorous focus on academic performance and accountability for results. In fact, during July of 2005, Shawn was recognized in Washington, DC by US Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings as she called him a "Warrior for our Kids".
Prior to taking his Superintendency in AZ, Shawn was the principal of the Gainesville Elementary School in Gainesville GA and was singled out by President George W. Bush during his acceptance speech at the 2004 Republican National Convention. The President proclaimed "The principal expresses the philosophy of his school this way: 'We don't focus on what we can't do at this school; we focus on what we can do; and we do whatever it takes to get kids across the finish line.' This principal is challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations, and that is the spirit of our education reform, and the commitment of our country: No dejaremos a ningún niño atrás. We will leave no child behind!"
In 2008, McCollough, with an unanimous vote of 5-0 The Greene County school system announced starting in August, schools will no longer be co-ed and the girls and boys will be separated.
“We decided to go to single gender for one reason and one reason only…to help kids get across the finish line," said Greene County Superintendent Shawn McCollough, on an interview with the American media.
"The facts are when you implement single gender classrooms, you have an increase in test scores and achievement and a decrease in teen pregnancy and discipline rates," he believed.
Nationally, Shawn's leadership has been featured by New York Times, Associated Press, ABC World News Tonight, CNN en Español, PBS, National Public Radio, American School Board Journal, Atlanta Journal Constitution, and Arizona Republic. In October 2005, Shawn was one of only five recipients in the US honored with the National HEROES Award from the DC based Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options. In September 2004, Shawn was recognized on CSPAN at the National Press Club by Former US Secretary of Education Rod Paige. A trailblazer, Shawn was the first ever Hispanic school principal in North GA and has received the Outstanding Georgia Citizen Award from GA Secretary of State Cathy Cox, the GA Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Annual Special Recognition Award, and the National Society of Hispanic MBA's Special Recognition Award for Education. Further, Shawn holds leadership appointments on a number of national and state boards including the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Advisory Committee for Family Support, the Coalition for Accountability in Education Advisory Board, the Governor's Latino Education Committee of GA, the Executive Board for the League of United Latin American Citizens of GA, and the University of Georgia Latino Advisory Council.
Powerful, passionate, and credible; Shawn is a highly sought keynote speaker who has inspired thousands of educators at national conferences across the country. Working as a consultant to school districts in a number of states, Shawn has helped leaders transform failing urban schools by focusing on accountability, standards based curriculum reform, and data disaggregation. Having made his way up through the ranks of seven school districts in both secondary and elementary at-risk schools as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and superintendent, Shawn's front line experience is extremely relevant and timely. And with less than 1 % of the nation's superintendents being Hispanic, he continues to break barriers. Dr. Maria Hernandez Ferrier, Former US Deputy-Under Secretary of Education describes Shawn as an "uncompromising leader who fights for every single child". Moreover, at only 37 Shawn is easily one of the youngest and most dynamic superintendents in the country.
Shawn married his wife Ofelia in 2007, they lived in Atlanta
