Congratulations to Dr. Wade: In a February 1, 2021 news release, Breaking Belize News (BBN) announced that the Belize Nаtіоnаl Аѕѕосіаtіоn fоr Рrоfеѕѕіоnаl Dеvеlорmеnt Ѕсhооlѕ (NАРDЅ) has disclosed іtѕ hоnоrееѕ fоr thе Ехеmрlаrу РDЅ Асhіеvеmеnt Аwаrd аnd thе Оutѕtаndіng Dіѕѕеrtаtіоn Аwаrd and has named Catherine Wade recipient of its outstanding dissertation award (https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2021/02/01/dr-catherine-wade-receives-outstanding-dissertation-award-from-the-national-association-for-professional-development-schools/).

Wade, Catherine E. (2020). Q methodology as a formative tool for facilitating professional development school partnership development. Doctoral dissertation (Educational Leadership), University of North Florida. (Access: https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/946)

Abstract: In the mid-1980s, through the work of the Holmes Group (now the Holmes Partnership) and the National Network for Educational Renewal (NNER), the term “Professional Development School” emerged as a part of the nation’s educational discourse (Brindley, Field & Lessen, 2008). The success of these PDS have been widely reported within the literature presented. However, missing from our PDS literature are studies which focus on the formative implementation and progression of the partnerships as seen through the collective perspectives of PDS stakeholders. The purpose of this study was to develop and explore a participatory process for collecting, organizing and examining educator perspectives regarding the aspect most focused on by their professional development school partnerships, at the current PDS implementation stage. In order to answer the question “What are the shared educator perspectives that emerge through the InQuiry [sic] process, regarding the aspect of PDS partnership most focused on, by their professional development school partnerships, at its current stage of implementation?”, this dissertation research brought to the PDS literature a new methodology by utilizing Q methodology in the form of the InQuiry process. From the data examined, a total of 3 significant factors were identified. These factors represented the shared perspectives of the participants who participated in the study. Also, the participants overwhelmingly expressed that participating in the InQuiry process was helpful and useful for the development and implementation of their PDS partnership.

Catherine E Wade <wadecatherine@yahoo.com> is currently Adjunct Professor of Education, Galen University, San Ignacio, Cayo, Belize.