Thank you for the wonderful celebration of school districts’ accomplishments…(amd( for all your hard work and effort to honor our greater school community’s educators who really look forward to this networking time…We are very fortunate because you make South Allegheny School District a special place.

Thank you so much for the amazing retreat experience. I’ve attended these for 10 years now, and this was a great one!....Our team is inspired. Thanks for helping us grow and move forward,”

Twelve Leadership Design Teams that work with the Consortium spent two days in April  “Seeking Common Ground” at the 15th annual Leadership Retreat at the Sheraton Four Points in Greensburg.

The theme for the meeting was designed to “deepen our understanding and ‘how-to’ regarding social capital, defined as the relationships and community connections we need to accomplish our goals,” said Consortium executive director, Dr. Linda L. Croushore.

 Keynote speaker at the opening dinner was Lewis M. Feldstein, president of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and co-author, with Robert Putnam, of BETTER TOGETHER: Restoring the American Community (Fall 2003)

In keeping with the theme, the Consortium encouraged teams to invite key community leaders from their districts to attend the Thursday dinner with them, and many did so. The audience include police and fire officials, mayors, council members, school directors and clergy who play a role in the life of the community.

As in past years,  Leadership Teams, which are composed of school district decision-makers, worked on their own on problems unique to their home districts and with other teams for sessions on issues that impact a broader community. Twelve teams attended, from Bentworth, Clairton City, East Allegheny, Frazier, McKeesport Area, Monessen City, Ringgold, South Allegheny, Steel Valley, Trinity Area, West Mifflin Area, and Yough school districts.

Teams shared with their colleagues the status of their district’s continuing early literacy efforts (referencing the grants given by the Consortium at the 2006 retreat) and report on how the team is using its $1,000 Challenge Grant from last year’s retreat

“The goal is to have Leadership Teams leave the retreat confident that they will be successful in the important work that they choose to do,” Dr. Croushore said. The annual meeting also lays the groundwork for activities in the coming year.

Consortium office manager Ginny Dunsavage chats with Samantha Maylack, left, of Tobacco Free Allegheny, and Joan Fogg, Yough School District administrator, at the check-in table.


Vicki Corwin, the Consortium’s assistant office manager, foreground, and staff member Patricia E. Hoke handle the crush at check-in Thursday night.

Shown above are members of the Nurse-Family Partnership, a program affiliated with the Consortium. Left to right are Betty Krenke, Fredda Hall, Jennifer Laugelli and Amy Movic.

Above, left to right, are Lisa Kuzma, program officer, R.K. Mellon Foundation; Dr. Linda L. Croushore, Consortium executive director; keynote speaker Lewis M. Feldstein; and R. Gerard Longo, former Quaker Valley School District superintendent who’s now  active in the Western Pennsylvania Forum for School Superintendents and the Educational Leadership Initiative (ELI).


Shown above with the speaker are, left to right, Gregg Behr, executive director of The Grable Foundation; Mary Kay Babyak, Director of Initiatives for the Consortium; and Dr. Thomas A. Knight, president of the Consortium’s Board of Directors, and superintendent of  Bethel Park School District.

Members of the McKeesport Area School District Design Team, above, joined a large delegation of school, community and government officials at the opening dinner.

Dravosburg Mayor Gerald A. McGrew, whose community is in the McKeesport Area district, was part of that  group.


Spreaker Lewis Feldstein signs a copy of his book, "BETTER TOGETHER: Restoring the American Community" at the reception before dinner.

Click here for more photos and information on Lewis Feldstein.