“The concept of going to school online was completely new to me;
I wasn’t sure what to expect,” admits Hope Baxter ’07M.S.Ed. who
now holds a Master of Science in Educational Administration –
School Building Leader track offered by St. John’s School of Education. “But
I was aware of the University’s reputation for providing excellent
academic programs in a convenient and flexible setting.”
St. John’s School Building Leader program is one of the first
master’s programs in education administration taught entirely online. Accredited
by the New York State Department of Education, the program
qualifies educators for permanent teaching and building-level
certification by providing comprehensive training in such issues as
school community relations, the politics of education and the No
Child Left Behind Act.
Featuring broad online courses, the ability to study and complete
coursework at your convenience and the unique opportunity to
interact with other students globally, Online Learning empowers
students like Hope – a middle school teacher, wife and mother of
two – to go back to school to attain a graduate degree.
“Earning my degree through Online Learning gave me a lot of
flexibility to continue working and taking care of my family. It
removed a lot of the pressure of having to find classes that fit
into an already demanding schedule and gave me the freedom to study
and learn at my own pace,” explains Hope.
Using, Blackboard, an interactive course management system,
students can email, video chat and post discussions with their
professors and fellow students. Small class sizes ensure students
receive individualized attention from School of Education faculty
who set online office hours so they can communicate with students
one-on-one, just as they would in a traditional on-campus
setting.
Blackboard’s screen share technology gives students the option of
showing what’s currently displayed on their monitors to students
and faculty in their online course – ideal for giving a
presentation or getting help from a professor.
Already holding a master’s degree in special education, Hope, with
the help of this unique Online Learning degree program, was able
to earn her second master’s at St. John’s while teaching at PS 43
in the Bronx, New York. After successfully completing the program
and benefitting from its in-depth focus on the responsibility of
academic administration, Hope is now positioned to become a key
decision maker at the middle school.
“In a career where post-graduate education is a necessity, it was
important for me to select a program that would provide me with the
qualifications I need and at the same time not take time away from
my work and family. St. John’s Online Learning helped me achieve
important goals and enabled me to set the bar even higher for the
future.”
For more information about the School Building Leader Program,
please visit the graduate School of Education web
site.