Montgomery, Alabama 36104 - ALSDE Applicants/DeLaune Packet Reda… · Dr. Kay Patterson . Title . Vice President . DeLaune, Margo Kickingbird References Page . 3. of . 3 Address

June 03, 2016 Alabama State Board of Education Ms. Juliana Teixeira Dean General Counsel Alabama State Department of Education 50 North Ripley Street P.O. Box 302101 Montgomery, Alabama 36104 Dear Ms. Dean,

I am writing to apply for the State Superintendent of Education opening at the Alabama State Department of Education. As my résumé attests, I have an extensive background with respect to working in government agency settings as well as in interpreting, applying, monitoring adherence to, and piloting initiatives under the wide umbrella of federal education law. I have devoted the majority of my career to promoting academic achievement among at-risk, socioeconomically disadvantaged, ethnically diverse, adult, and other demographics of specialized and non-traditional student populations. Over the course of four decades, I have developed singular fluency and expertise in the provisions and regulations of federal education statutes; programmatic and curricular management; supervising large teams of personnel; directing multidimensional, long-term, and deadline-oriented projects; overseeing complex budgets; the intricacies of federal regulatory codes; grant writing, fundraising, and monetary allocations; the implementation of comprehensive policy agendas; the imperative of effective ambassadorship in representing the interests of student and community stakeholders; and the demands specific to the custodianship and realization of an institutional mission.

As a native of a rural region that boasts one of the highest concentrations of the American Indians within the United States, my understanding of the imperative of successful and efficient public education is rooted in foundational experience – as is my passion for ensuring that students are equipped with the comprehensive faculties of critical thinking and intellectual independence necessary to excel in their respective disciplines of choice. It was exactly such training that made my own trajectory from family roots in rural poverty and cultural marginalization to a career in academia and educational policy possible.

After obtaining dual undergraduates degrees in sociology and philosophy at Franklin & Marshall

College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, I helped to administer the daily operations of the pioneering National Advisory Council on Indian Education in Washington, D. C. During the ensuing six years, I advocated with senior organization personnel for the inclusion of indigenous perspectives in legislation developed by Congress and educated tribal leadership across the country on new laws and changes to existing statutes that would impact the children of their respective sovereign nations. As a native of a region that boasts one of the highest concentrations of the American Indians within the United States, my understanding of the importance of investing in and fostering the academic preparation of at-risk and disadvantaged children is rooted in foundational experience – as is my passion for ensuring that these students are

DeLaune, Margo Kickingbird Cover Letter Page 2 of 2

Subsequently, I completed an Ed.M. at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and aided in

the development of the first Tribal Resource Institute in Business, Engineering, and Sciences summer program at The Colorado College, a private liberal arts lyceum where I additionally liaised between the administration and the school's population of Indian students. Later, I reunited with Stuart Tonemah, one of the directors during my stint at the NACIE, to manage and grow American Indian and Research Development, Inc., a venture in social entrepreneurship where I created and obtained financing for a variety of initiatives to sew opportunities for gifted and talented indigenous children in Oklahoma. My professional forays thereafter included piloting an Upward Bound chapter at Oklahoma City Community College and serving as the director of a satellite campus of Dyersburg State Community College in Trenton, Tennessee, experiences that further familiarized me with the demands specific to pupils facing specialized obstacles in their pursuit of post-secondary education.

For the past 11 years, I have managed over $400 million in federal grant monies as the Title

Programs Director at the Georgia Department of Education, where I oversee local educational agencies (LEAs) and monitor their compliance with the Title I, Part A component of ESEA, currently reauthorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act, and collaborate with other Department Divisions including School Improvement 1003(a) and 1003(g); Title II, Part A – Teacher Quality; Title I, Part D – Neglected and Delinquent; Title I, Part C – Migrant Education; McKinney-Vento Homeless Children and Youth; Curriculum and Instruction; and Technology and Communications to meet Department objectives in fostering improvement in student achievement. As part of my duties, I helm the Title I, Part A Compliance Unit, which investigates complaints pertaining to and suspected violations of established federal regulations involving programs that fall under the scope of Title I of the ESEA/ESSA.

I am eager to continue dedicate my energies toward a position that incorporates my diversified

portfolio of skills while also offering opportunities to articulate and cultivate to fruition a defining

organizational vision in partnership with fellow leaders in the field that has comprised the cornerstone

of my vocational trajectory. I am confident that I could contribute a singular perspective to and effective

guidance of the Alabama State Department of Education, and that working as the State Superintendent

with the State Board of Education would prove to be a mutually positive endeavor. I have enclosed a

copy of my résumé to provide you with further insight into my qualifications. I hope to hear from you

soon. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Very best regards,

Margo Kickingbird DeLaune

References for Margo Kickingbird DeLaune

Relationship

Former Supervisor

Name

Clara Keith

Title

Director, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

Address

Phone

E-mail

Relationship

Current Supervisee

Name

Dr. Jennifer Davenport

Title

Title I, Part A Program Manager at the Georgia Department of Education

Address

DeLaune, Margo Kickingbird References Page 2 of 3

Phone

E-mail

Relationship

Former Supervisee

Name

The Honorable Mary Candler

Title

Senior Administrative Law Judge at Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s Western Regional Service

Office

Address

Oklahoma Corporation Commission

2102 N Lincoln Blvd.

Oklahoma City, OK 73105

Phone

E-mail

Relationship

Former Supervisor

Name

Dr. Kay Patterson

Title

Vice President

DeLaune, Margo Kickingbird References Page 3 of 3

Address

Dyersburg State Community College

1510 Lake Road

Dyersburg, TN 38024

Phone

E-Mail

Relationship

Present Colleague

Name

Sandra Moore

Title

Federal Programs Coordinator, Henry County Schools

Address

Henry County Schools

33 N. Zack Hinton Parkway

McDonough, GA 30253

Phone

E-mail

May 31, 2016

Alabama State Department of Education

50 North Ripley Street

P.O. Box 30121

Montgomery, Alabama 30164

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing on behalf of Margo Kickingbird DeLaune, with whom I worked in close and

continuous partnership for the past ten years in the Title Programs Division at the Georgia

Department of Education. As the Director of the Division, Margo served as my immediate

supervisor, providing assiduous and effective guidance to evolving staffs numbering between 17

and 40. Together, we collaborated on a wide-ranging spectrum of responsibilities including

overseeing the distribution of over $500 million in federal grant monies every year; monitoring

the compliance of the state’s public schools to federal codes and regulations; and steering the

Division through an array of policy initiatives.

Margo is unquestionably devoted to her professional duties. She is extremely well versed

in the complexities of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) as well as

other federal educational statutes; adept at communicating the subtleties and nuances of such

legislation to fellow academic professionals and laity alike; building consensus among

stakeholders; and managing the development and execution of multidimensional,

comprehensive, and directional projects.

I have the utmost confidence that the next organization to which Margo transitions will

benefit greatly from her talents and passion. I offer my recommendation without qualms or

conditions, and I am eager to see what institution will avail itself of her vision, expertise,

creativity, and leadership. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at

.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Davenport

May 13, 2016 Alabama State Board of Education Alabama State Department of Education 50 North Ripley Street P.O. Box 302101 Montgomery, Alabama 36104 Dear Sirs and Mesdames,

I have known Margo DeLaune since I hired her as the Title I, Part A Program Manager at

the Georgia Department of Education in 2004. Over the course of the ensuing twelve years and for the duration of our continuing professional association, Ms. DeLaune has distinguished herself as a capable and conscientious employee of and leader at the Department. Now the Title Programs Director, Ms. DeLaune has proven herself adept at integrating a consistently increasing volume and expanding breadth of responsibilities to her portfolio.

Ms. DeLaune arrived at the Department boasting considerable experience in conceiving, developing, and implementing non-profit initiatives that promoted academic achievement and educational excellence among diverse demographics of disadvantaged youth. She was additionally well acquainted with federal education law and working with legislative bodies thanks to a six-year stint in Washington, D. C. This background has served her well over the past decade as she has refined her expertise in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, managed almost $500 million in federal grant monies per year, and provided guidance, monitoring, and technical direction to the state’s local educational agencies.

As Ms. DeLaune seeks new challenges around which to orient her career, I am happy to recommend her without reservation. She is extremely dedicated to her job; skilled at navigating the multifaceted demands of her position; effective at communicating statutory and regulatory complexities; adept at brand ambassadorship and liaising with stakeholders; nonpareil at planning and executing long-term projects; adroit at overseeing a large staff of approximately 40; and dynamic when collaborating with personnel from other Divisions at the Department.

I have the utmost confidence that Ms. DeLaune will excel at the Alabama State Superintendent position – and/or any in which she is required to conceptualize vision and strategy for an organization within the context of federal education. Should you need to contact me, I can be reached at .

Sincerely, Clara Keith

May 18, 2016

Alabama State Board of Education 50 North Ripley Street P.O. Box 302101 Montgomery, Alabama 36104 Dear Sir or Madame:

I have had the pleasure of counting Margo DeLaune among my professional network for

over two decades. During the course of our acquaintance, Margo has demonstrated unwavering dedication to building infrastructures that bolster academic achievement among at-risk, disadvantaged, and ethnically diverse youth. For the length of our direct collaboration at the Oklahoma City Community College office of Upward Bound, she maintained the highest standards of performance for both herself and the staff (which included a roster of full-time counselors as well as the faculty who taught in the program’s annual six-week summer enrichment college simulations) operating under her supervision as she guided nine classes of students – many of whom became the first members of their family to attend university – in their pursuit of post-secondary education.

Prior to her tenure at OKCCC, Margo established a lengthy and impressive record of

advocacy for indigenous children, who, of course, represent one of the most historically disenfranchised and marginalized demographics vis-à-vis educational opportunity. Such experience ensured that her directorship of the campus’s Federal TRiO Programs was defined by proficiency in programmatic development; expertise in federal statutes and regulations; and model leadership.

As Margo explores new outlets by which to continue her life’s work, I have no doubt that

she will distinguish herself in whatever role she chooses. I thus recommend her enthusiastically for any and all positions that require skilled executive and/or managerial stewardship as well as a transformational perspective with respect to the arena of education. I am confident that Alabama could find no stronger candidate for its State Superintendent vacancy. Should you need to contact me, I can be reached at

Sincerely, The Honorable Mary Candler Senior Administrative Law Judge Oklahoma Corporation Commission Western Regional Service Office 2101 North Lincoln Boulevard Oklahoma City, OK 73105