A delegation of 25 middle and high school principals and members of the Ministry of Education for the People's Republic of China will visit middle and high schools in Horry, Marion and Georgetown counties and interact in teacher education classrooms of Coastal Carolina University Oct. 16-20, 2017, as a part of the training program facilitated by Coastal Carolina University's Center for Global Engagement and Spadoni College of Education. Delegation members are seeking to learn more about how middle and high school administration, teacher education and student and school management practices.

"We are pleased that Coastal Carolina University, with its exceptional programs in teacher education and educational leadership, was approached about being one of only two U.S. regions selected to deliver this training program. This program also fits well with the University's strategic plan to enhance campus internationalization," said Darla Domke- Damonte, Ph.D., associate provost for global initiatives at CCU.

The delegation is organized through the partnership Coastal Carolina University has with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the Chinese Council for International Educational Exchange (CCIEE).

  Emma Savage-Davis, Ph.D., professor and coordinator of middle level education in the Spadoni College of Education at CCU, has worked with administrators in the three school districts to organize the training program.

  "We are delighted to have our students who will be future teachers and school administrators have the opportunity to meet and interact with these leaders from China. This project is also a great fit with the outreach activities of the Spadoni College of Education as a part of our cooperation with school districts in the region to exchange ideas about educational practice," said Savage-Davis.

  All three superintendents from Horry, Georgetown and Marion counties look forward to the opportunity to partner with CCU in hosting fellow educators from China.

"Georgetown County School District is honored to have the privilege of sharing information with our important visitors from the People's Republic of China," said Superintendent Randy Dozier, Ph.D. "We have many outstanding programs in our district and look forward to highlighting some of our middle and high school practices with our guests."   

  "Horry County Schools welcomes the opportunity to showcase our learning environments, allow interactions with our educators and students, and provide our guests with a first-hand look at teaching and learning in our classrooms," stated Rick Maxey, Ph.D., Horry County Schools superintendent. "We are excited about this visit and look forward to sharing our educational practices with the Chinese delegation."

"This unique opportunity will allow our district leaders and the educational team at Johnakin Middle School to share a glimpse of the learning environments within our public school classrooms and to hear about education in China," stated Kandace Bethea, Ph.D., superintendent of Marion County Schools.

For more information about the training program, please contact Savage-Davis. For more information about the Center for Global Engagement, visit www.coastal.edu/globalinitiatives, and for more information about Spadoni College of Education and its teacher training programs, visit www.coastal.edu/education.