THOMASTHOMAS    BREWSTER,BREWSTER,    EEDD..    D.D.        

   

VETERAN  EDUCATIONAL  LEADER    ! Student-­centered   leader  with  20+   years   of   experience  planning   and  directing   the   academic   activities   of   students   and  

school   staff   from   the   classroom   to   the   Superintendent’s   office,   currently   overseeing   a   district   serving  more   than   4300  students.    

! Articulate  communicator  skilled  in  delivering  insightful  presentations  and  strengthening  relationships  with  community  partners  and  peers  to  make  sure  all  available  resources  are  dedicated  to  providing  excellent  education  opportunities.  

! Creative  Innovator  and  forward  thinker  articulating  a  vision  that  constantly  pushes  staff  to  question  our  practices  and  rethink  how  we  are  meeting  the  needs  of  our  students.  

! Community  Advocate  serving  on  multiple  education  and  community-­‐related  Boards,  including  the  Virginia  State  Board  of  Education  as  one  of  Governor  Tim  Kaine’s  first  appointee  to  that  body;  successfully  drove  the  inclusion  of  student  support  and  school  safety  measures  into  the  Board’s  Comprehensive  Plan  for  2008-­‐13.  

! Servant  Leader  serving  on  the  Virginia  Community  College  Board  as  one  of  Governor  Terry  McAuliffe’s  first  appointees  to  the  Board,  founder  of  Communities  in  Schools  of  SWVA.    

 • District  Leadership   • Building  Partnerships   • STEM  Programming  • Education  Advocacy   • Industry  Networking   • Career  Education    • Technology  Integration     • Teacher  Development   • Marketing    • Board  Service     • Program  Development     • Innovation    

 “Improved  access  to  Workforce  Development  Opportunities  through  the  creation  of  a  Governor’s  STEM  Academy”  

“Presented  at  the  Governor’s  Conference  on  Education  ‘Using  the  iPad  to  Improve  Instruction’”    “Led  a  nationwide  study  on  dropout  prevention  for  the  National  Association  of  State  Boards  of  Education”    

“Delivered  a  Congressional  Breifing  for  NASBE  on  dropout  prevention”  “Participated  on  a  panal  for  a  Congressional    briefing  for  AASA  on  rural  poverty”  

"Adjunct  professor  for  Bluefield  College,  Radford  University,  and  VirginiaTech  in  the  areas  of  Curriculum  and  Educational  Leadership  and  Policy  Studies"  

"Served  on  the  Governor  McAuliffe’s  Transition  Team  for  K12  policy"  "Invited  to  interview  for  the  Commonwealth's  Secretary  of  Education"    

“Serving  on  the  Virtual  Learning  Advisory  Committee  established  by  the  General  Assembly  in  2014”  “Vice  Chairman  of  the  Bluefield  College  Board  of  Trustees”    

    PROFESSIONAL  EXPERIENCE    

 

PULASKI  COUNTY  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS,  Pulaski,  VA  !  2006-­‐Present  Served  in  progressively  evolving  roles  of  a  rural  school  district,  focusing  resources  on  improving  graduation  rates  and  compensation  for  teachers  and  school  support  staff.  Spearheaded  efforts  to  integrate  technology  into  the  classroom  to  improve  academic  performance  and  led  discussion  on  the  subject  before  venues  such  as  the  State  Board  of  Education.  Concurrently  sat  on  several  committees  serving  the  educational  and  commercial  interests  of  Pulaski  county.  SUPERINTENDENT  OF  SCHOOLS  (2012-­‐PRESENT)  • Responsible  for  leading  a  rural  school  district  with  approximately  4300  students    • Increased   salaries   and   benefits   for   teachers   and   support   staff   by   working   collaboratively   with   our   local   Board   of  

Supervisors  • Established  “market  ready”  programs  for  CTE  • Lowered  the  employee  cost  of  health  insurance  premiums  by  eighty-­‐nine  (89)  percent  • Strengthened  partnerships  with   the   local   community  college  by  expanding  dual  enrollment  opportunities  and  opening  

the  first  Governor’s  STEM  Academy  in  Pulaski  County.    • Honored  with  a  designated  National  Blue  Ribbon  School  by  the  United  States  Department  of  Education  • Honored  with  a  National  Distinguished  Title  I  School  two  (2)  years  in  a  row  by  the  United  States  Department  of  Education    • Recipient  of  the  Pulaski  County  Chamber  of  Commerce  Business  Executive  of  the  Year  award    • Served  on  three  (3)  Dissertation  Committees  for  Virginia  Tech,  including  two  (2)  successful  defense  candidates    • Facilitated  a  project  in  partnership  with  the  Virginia  Department  of  Education,  with  support  

from  the  Governor’s  Productivity  Investment  Fund,  to  implement  Beyond  Textbooks  for  the  purpose  of  exploring  

172  Angel  Lane  172  Angel  Lane      Falls  Mills ,  VA  Falls  Mills ,  VA  2461324613    

Twitter:  @edubrewTwitter:  @edubrew    LinkedIn:  LinkedIn:    http://www.linkedin.com/in/tbrewster  http://www.linkedin.com/in/tbrewster      

thomasbrewster.org  (blog)thomasbrewster.org  (blog)  

(276)  970(276)  970 -­‐-­‐18841884    tbrewster@me.comtbrewster@me.com    

THOMASTHOMAS    BREWSTERBREWSTER      

the  technical,  social,  and  policy  implication  of  textbook  alternatives.      DEPUTY  SUPERINTENDENT  OF  SCHOOLS  (2008-­‐2012)  • Responsible  for  overseeing  the  total  curriculum  and  instructional  program,  including  the  collection  and  dissemination  of  

background  research  and  related  information,  curriculum  design  and  management,  instructional  methodology  and  implementation,  student  assessment,  and  evaluation  of  staff  regarding  their  curriculum  and  instruction  performance  responsibilities  

• Designed  and  implemented  a  Professional  Development  Plan  aligned  with  the  Board’s  Five  Year  Comprehensive  Plan.  The  plan  focused  on  ensuring  high  levels  of  learning  for  all  students,  developing  result  oriented  classrooms,  and  creating  a  district-­‐wide  collaborative  culture.  

• SACS  and  School  Improvement    Cordinator  for  Pulaski  County  Public  Schools  • iLearn  -­‐  Facilitated  a  partnership  with  New  River  Community  College  and  Radford  University’s  Games  Lab  to  design  SOL-­‐

aligned  interactive  mobile  games  and  study  the  impact  of  these  products  on  student  engagement  and  learning.  The  project  was  funded  through  the  Governor’s  Productivity  Investment  Fund,  the  Enhancing  Education  Through  Technology  Grant,  and  the  Virginia  Department  of  Education.  The  iLearn  provided  for  the  implementation  of  SOL-­‐aligned  iPod  Touch  applications  within  the  four  (4)  core  content  areas  

• Dropout  Prevention  -­‐  Designed  a  dropout  prevention  program  that  saw  Pulaski  County  Public  Schools  increase  their  on-­‐time  graduation  rate  by  seven  (7)  percentage  points  in  one  year  

• Student  Assistance  Program  -­‐  Designed  and  implemented  a  districtwide  Student  Assistance  Program  (SAP)  for  the  purpose  of  providing  programs  and  services  that  address  and  meet  the  needs  of  all  students  by  delivering  PK-­‐12  prevention,  intervention,  and  support  services  designed  to  reduce  student  risk  factors,  promote  protective  factors,  and  increase  asset  development.  As  a  result,  the  nine  (9)  SAP  components  set  forth  by  the  National  Student  Assistance  Association  were  adopted  by  the  Pulaski  County  School  Board  as  the  minimum  requirements  needed  to  reduce  barriers  to  learning  and  ensure  student  success  in  safe,  disciplined  and  drug-­‐free  schools  and  communities    

COORDINATOR  OF  STUDENT  SERVICES  (2006-­‐2008)  • Coordinated  the  events  and  activities  of  the  division’s  school  guidance  and  counseling  programs,  including  the  

dissemination  of  information  to  students  and  parents  concerning  program  availability  and  components  and  program  reporting  

• Coordinated  the  events  and  activities  of  the  division’s  student  health  services  programs,  including  the  dissemination  of  information  to  students  and  parents  concerning  program  availability  and  components  and  program  reporting  

• Supervised  the  activities  of  the  school  resource  officers,  including  acting  as  the  division’s  liaison  with  the  various  participating  local  law  enforcement  agencies  in  the  SRO  operations  

• Served  as  the  Superintendent’s  designated  Hearing  Officer  during  1st-­‐level  appeals  hearings  in  cases  of  recommended  long-­‐term  suspensions  and  expulsions  and  in  school  assignment  cases  and  coordinate  discipline  appeals  

• Served  as  the  division’s  Safe  Schools  officer,  including  the  coordination  of  all  state  and  federal  programs  in  which  the  division  participates  and  relevant  program  reporting;  coordinate  all  school-­‐based  Safe  Schools  events  and  activities  and  serve  as  central  office  liaison    

 CONCORD  UNIVERSITY,  Concord,  WV  !  2001-­‐2006  Provided  service  in  the  areas  of  teaching  and  institutional  assessment  at  a  four  (4)  year  public  liberal  arts  university    ASSISTANT  PROFESSOR  OF  EDUCATION  (2001-­‐2006)  • Provided  instruction  in  over  ten  (10)  different  courses  over  five  years    • Co-­‐developed  an  educational  leadership  cognate  for  the  Masters  of  Education  program  • Represented  Division  on  Faculty  Senate  and  Graduate  Council    • Highest  student  ratings  in  the  Division

DIRECTOR  OF  ASSESSMENT    (2003-­‐2005)  • Provided  leadership  in  the  assessment  of  student  academic  achievement  for  the  purpose  of  making  informed  curricular  

and  instructional  decisions  to  improve  student  learning.  • Served  on  the  President’s  Strategic  Planning  Council    • Chaired  the  University’s  Assessment  Committee    • Developed  an  assessment  handbook  for  University  staff  • Implemented   the  Collegiate  Learning  Assessment,   a   value-­‐added,   constructed   response  approach   to   the  assessment  of  

higher-­‐order  skills,  such  as  critical  thinking  and  written  communication.    TAZEWELL  COUNTY  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS,  Tazewell,  VA  !  1991-­‐2001  PRINCIPAL  (1997-­‐2001)  • SACS  Accredidation    • Served  as  Chairman  of  the  Mountain  Empire  District  Principal’s  Association    • Evaluated  and  aligned  curriculum  to  meet  the  Virginia  Standards  of  Learning  

THOMASTHOMAS    BREWSTERBREWSTER        ASSISTANT  PRINCIPAL  (1996-­‐1997)  • Served  on  the  Superintendent’s  Advisory  Committee  • Responsible  for  student  discipline    • Fostered  an  environment  of  positive  school-­‐community  relations,  provided  information  to  the  community  regarding  

school  programs,  and  involved  the  community  and  resources  in  the  education  program    CLASSROOM  TEACHER  (1991-­‐1996)  • Provided  instruction  in  the  area  of  social  studies  education    • Teacher  of  the  Year  (1993-­‐94)  • Served  as  School  Gifted  Coordinator  • Served  as  Chair  of  the  School  Renewal  process    

    HONORS  AND  AWARDS    

 Pulaski  County  Career  and  Technical  School  Wall  of  Fame  Honoree  (2015)  

Pulaski  County  Chamber  of  Commerce:  Business  Executive  of  the  Year  (2013)  Bluefield  College:  Alumnus  of  the  Year  (2013)  

Bluefield  College:  Young  Alumnus  of  the  Year  (2005)  Graham  High  School:  Teacher  of  the  Year  (1994)  

    PROFESSIONAL/COMMUNITY  SERVICE      

 Commonwealth  of  Virginia  Virtual  School  Advisory  Committee  (Current)  

REL  Appalachia  Governing  Board,  2013-­‐1015  Bluefield  College  Board  of  Trustees,  Secretary    

Bluefield  College  Board  of  Trustees,  Vice  President  (Current)  Commonwealth  of  Virginia  Advisory  Committee  on  Adult  Education  and  Literacy,  Chair,  2011-­‐2014  

Commonwealth  of  Virginia,  State  Board  of  Education,  2006-­‐2010  Communities  in  Schools  SWVA  Advisory  Committee,  Chair,  2011-­‐2014  

Communities  in  Schools  Virginia  (Current)  National  Association  of  State  Boards  of  Education,  Board  of  Directors,  2006-­‐2008  

National  Association  of  State  Boards  of  Education,  Chair  -­‐  National  Study  Group,  “The  Power  of  Partnerships:  Supporting  Student  Learners  to  Improve  Graduation  Rates”,  2009  

Southwest  Community  College  Local  Board,  2005-­‐2010  Tazewell  County  Board  of  Supervisors,  2009,  2012  

Virginia  Career  Education  Foundation,  Board  of  Directors,  Chair,  2010-­‐2014       EDUCATION    

 DOCTOR  OF  EDUCATION,  EDUCATIONAL  LEADERSHIP  &  POLICY  STUDIES,  VIRGINIA  TECH  (2000)  

MASTER  OF  SCIENCE,  EDUCATIONAL  LEADERSHIP,  RADFORD  UNIVERSITY  (1995)  BACHELOR  OF  ARTS,  SOCIAL  STUDIES  EDUCATION,  BLUEFIELD  COLLEGE  (1991)  

    References    

 DR.  MARK  EMBLIDGE  

VIRGINIA  LITERACY  FOUNDATION    413  STUART  CIRCLE,  EXECUTIVE  SUITE  130  

RICHMOND  VA  23220  VLIME@EARTHLINK.NET  (804)  237-­‐8909  

 DR.  DON  STOWERS  

FORMER  SUPERINTENDENT,  PULASKI  COUNTY  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS  252  EDWARDS  HALL  P.O.  BOX  1127  

DUBLIN  VIRGINIA  24084  DONALDSTOWERS@COMCAST.NET  

(540)  577-­‐8041  

THOMASTHOMAS    BREWSTERBREWSTER      

     

GINA  PATTERSON  EXECUTIVE  DIRECTOR,  VIRGINIA  SCHOOL  BOARDS  ASSOCIATION  

200  HANSEN  ROAD,  CHARLOTTESVILLE,  VA  22911  GINA@VSBA.ORG  

TEL:  434-­‐295-­‐8722      

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