The Spadoni College of Education at Coastal Carolina University has reorganized into two new schools - the School of Teacher Education and the School of Health, Kinesiology and Sport Studies - in an effort to address current and future enrollment trends.

The School of Teacher Education focuses intensively on school-based teacher education and licensure. It includes undergraduate licensure programs of early childhood, elementary, middle grades education and special education. The school also offers secondary education licensure programs at the graduate level, as well as graduate Master of Education programs for currently licensed teachers.

The new School of Health, Kinesiology and Sport Studies focuses on the study and promotion of health, physical activity and sport in a variety of settings. It includes the undergraduate majors of exercise and sport science, health promotion, physical education, and recreation and sport management.

Jeanne Cobb has been named director of the School of Teacher Education. Cobb is a professor of literacy and has served as chair of the Department of Elementary Education, Special Education and Reading at Coastal Carolina University since 2006. She was formerly chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Eastern New Mexico University and director of Reading Services of the Child and Family Resource Clinic at the University of North Texas.

Cobb has a combined total of 24 years in education in six different states. She has published widely and has presented research papers at international and national conferences in the area of emergent literacy and intervention strategies for improving the literacy achievement of struggling readers and writers. "Dr. Cobb is an exemplary blend of teacher, scholar and administrator, said Gibson Darden, interim dean of the Spadoni College of Education. "She has the skills and background to provide strong leadership for existing programs and to advance newer, forward-thinking initiatives and programs."

Darden has been named director for the School of Health, Kinesiology and Sport Studies. Darden has been professor and chair of the former Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation since 2002. During his tenure, the department expanded from two academic majors with an undergraduate enrollment of 350 students, to four academic majors with an enrollment of more than 800.

Prior to joining Coastal Carolina University, he was chair of the Department of Exercise, Sport, and Health Education at Radford University. He has published widely in the area of motor behavior and human performance/learning and has worked at the national level to develop and promote quality programs and standards in physical activity and sport education. He earned a doctorate in motor behavior from the University of Virginia and a master's degree in sport psychology from the University of Maryland.

"The reorganization is in recognition of current enrollments and in anticipation of continued growth and development of programs and services in the college," said Darden, who will also serve as interim dean of the college during the 2008-2009 year. The Spadoni College of Education will soon begin a national search for a new dean of the college.