Superintendent Collier Selected to Participate in European Global Leadership Summit

Jeffrey Collier Earns EF Education First’s 2018 Professional Learning Scholarship to Finland and Germany

April 2, 2018

Au Gres, MI - Au Gres-Sims School District is pleased to announce that EF Education First, the world leader in international education, has awarded one of its 2018 Professional Learning Scholarships to Jeffrey Collier, Superintendent of the Au Gres-Sims School District.  He will join a delegation of US educational leaders participating in a professional learning study tour to Finland and EF’s Global Leadership Summit in Berlin, Germany. 

Program Description
Approximately 30 educational leaders are selected nationwide for this unique professional development opportunity.  EF selects the scholarship recipients based on their dedication to international education and global awareness within their school communities.

The scholarship recipients will travel on the EF Professional Learning Study Tour in July, 2018.  In Finland, the educators will explore how the country has created one of the strongest and most equitable school systems in the world.  The American educational leaders will meet with representatives from the Finnish Ministry of Education and the Finnish National Board of Education to learn about teacher training and curriculum development.  They will also participate in workshops with the University of Helsinki and other leading organizations who are involved in developing the next stage of Finland’s educational system.

At the EF Global Leadership Summit in Berlin on “The Influence of Technology on Society,” students and educators from across the United States and Europe will hear from keynote speakers Jason Latimer and Glen Keane and participate in discussions and workshops led by world-renowned speakers and topic experts.  They will have a unique opportunity to see how more than 1,000 students from across the US and Europe create solutions to some of the most important challenges facing the world with regard to technology’s influence on society.

Superintendent Collier stated, “This is a prestigious honor to be selected by EF Education First to attend the Global Leadership Summit this summer.  I am eager to represent the greater Au Gres area as an international education ambassador, and anticipate the possibility of collaborating and exploring deeper models of international success, while continuing to gain knowledge about instructional best practices and programs that can be adopted at Au Gres-Sims.”  In 2015, Collier was also selected to participate as a delegate in the Han Ban Confucius Institute and College Board’s “Bridge for American Schools Delegation to China” program as an engaged educational ambassador to tour schools and learn about student exchange programs in the cities of Beijing and Tianjin.  He added, “The Chinese Bridge Delegation experience was an initial key to our district’s continued research and exploration into the creation of a sustainable student culture/language exchange program in Au Gres, Michigan.”  Since then, the district has been diligently working to build both capacity and partnerships to create a viable international student cultural exchange program.

About EF Educational Tours
EF Educational Tours helps teachers in North America to incorporate international travel into their lessons.  EF’s escorted tours, known as the Global Classroom, allow student groups to visit historic sights, marvel at natural wonders and “learn it by living it.”  EF is the only fully accredited international tour company and a Strategic Council Member of the prestigious Partnership for 21st Century Skills.  EF Educational Tours is a division of EF Education First, the world leader in international education.  Since 1965, EF has helped more than 15 million students learn a language, discover the world, or earn an academic degree.

About Au Gres-Sims School District
Au Gres-Sims School District, a "Destination District," is located in Arenac County, Michigan.  The district is nestled on the sunrise side of Lake Huron and includes the Charity Islands.  There are roughly 27 miles of shoreline, which ranges from natural frontage and sugar sand beaches to residential property.  Au Gres is renowned for offering an incredible quality of life, abundant natural resources, and a rich cultural history.

Au Gres-Sims School District is proud to be known as a “public school with a private school feel” for its combined strength in academic achievement and entire preschool through twelfth grade school experiences.  Au Gres-Sims is a progressive district that is recognized statewide, as well as nationally, for consistently and proactively modeling best educational practices using data-driven research and advanced technology.  The district remains dedicated to creating a Culture of Learning that provides career and college resource opportunities for learners to gain advanced skill acquisition for an internationally competitive job market within a global economy.

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