Juanita Clay Chambers honored by Council of the Great City Schools

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Dr. Juanita Clay Chambers, chief academic officer of the Detroit Public Schools, recently received the Council of the Great City Schools’ coveted Curriculum Leadership Award.

The award recognizes distinguished leadership, commitment to excellence and dedication to students. The council, an organization made up of more than 60 of the nation’s largest urban school systems, praised Dr. Chambers for her commitment to Detroit students in nearly four decades as an educator.

Michael Casserly, the council’s executive director, noted in a prepared statement that under Chamber’s tenure as chief academic officer, the District’s students have shown significant gains in reading and mathematics in the course of the last several years.

“You truly are an asset, not only to the Detroit Public Schools, but to your colleagues in the Great City Schools,” Casserly wrote.

William F. Coleman, the District’s CEO, echoed similar thoughts about Dr. Chambers.

“Her singular commitment to increased student achievement and performance is a priceless gift to our tens of thousands of students,” Coleman said.

Dr. Chambers will be honored at luncheon for the council’s curriculum and research leaders in Boston on July 21. She will receive a ,000 prize. She will also receive another ,000 prize to give to a Detroit Public school of her choice.