With more families opting for online learning during COVID-19, conversations swirled among faculty and staff members from the 麻豆原创 College of Community Innovation and Education 鈥� many of them parents.

One theme kept coming up: Parents and students needed help.

So they came up with a partial solution: The Parents as Teachers Hotline, which is available free for parents who may need assistance in their child鈥檚 K-12 education this school year.

鈥淲e aren鈥檛 taking the place of teachers by any sense, but if we can support the parents as they鈥檙e working with the teachers during this time, we want to help and be part of the process.鈥� 鈥� Pamela “Sissi” Carroll, College of Community Innovation and Education dean

鈥淲e want to be a resource for our community鈥檚 school systems,鈥� says Pamela 鈥淪issi鈥� Carroll, the college鈥檚 dean, a professor and a former K-12 classroom teacher. 鈥淲e aren鈥檛 taking the place of teachers by any sense, but if we can support the parents as they鈥檙e working with the teachers during this time, we want to help and be part of the process.鈥�

A parent whose child is struggling to understand a concept or remain motivated or focused while learning online can contact the hotline by phone at 407-238-0687 or email at parentsteachccie@ucf.edu鈥� to be connected with one of 35 麻豆原创 faculty members. These faculty members have expertise across all K-12 subject matters, as well as in special education, student behavior and education for gifted students.

All questions received through the hotline Monday through Friday will be answered within 24 hours. Questions received after 5 p.m. Friday will be returned on Monday.

Stepping Up to Serve

Once the idea of the hotline was green-lighted, administrative coordinator Sandra McCall, who helped spearhead many of the logistics of the project along with executive assistant Kelli Morales, sent a survey to faculty and staff members to gauge interest and availability in volunteering for the project.

鈥淭he response was overwhelming,鈥� she says.

McCall says some faculty members offered their assistance every day, whenever needed.

One staff member offered to help translate for Haitian-Creole families and another said he could help advise in Navy Junior ROTC assignments. A communications professional offered to monitor the phone line. Everyone wanted to play a part in answering the call to serve.

鈥溌槎乖� is Orlando,鈥� McCall says. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want parents and students to feel like they are alone. We recognize that our schools and educators are on the front lines providing support to families, and our goal is to provide an added resource as everyone responds to the pandemic. Our college has always partnered with Central Florida schools. The hotline is continuing that work. We are here to help.鈥�

Advice to Parents

Associate lecturer Taylar Wenzel 鈥�11EdD, who specializes in elementary education, is one of the faculty members involved.

She says her friends and family members without education backgrounds often turn to her for advice on how to best help their children succeed, so she knew immediately she wanted to be part of an initiative that could have a larger reach.

鈥淭he idea of using our resources to help families during this time aligns with the goals of our college,鈥� she says of the hotline. 鈥淚 think there is real potential for support and impact.鈥�

In addition to the classes she will teach this semester at 麻豆原创, she is also the mother to two toddlers and a 13-year-old, so she can empathize with parents juggling multiple roles.

鈥淲e know as educators that teaching in general is a demanding profession; to teach in a pandemic is exceptionally demanding,鈥� Wenzel says. 鈥淭aking on that new role as a parent can really be a challenge, especially while also supporting the household and maintaining a job. There is certainly potential for parents to feel discouraged or overwhelmed, and we don鈥檛 want parents to feel that way.鈥�

Her advice to parents as they get started this school year: Focus on one goal at a time, create a calm work space, build a schedule that works for your family, embrace open dialogue with your child鈥檚 teacher, and remember to breathe.

鈥淎s teaching and learning at home becomes more routine and we see the success of the goals we set and meet, we鈥檙e all going to feel more confident,鈥� she says.

And if all else fails 鈥� have the hotline on speed dial.

鈥淭hese changes create a dynamic educational ecosystem that engages faculty, staff and students in the creation of integrative learning opportunities that go beyond the classroom,鈥� said Elizabeth A. Dooley, interim provost.

鈥淭hese changes create a dynamic educational ecosystem that engages faculty, staff and students in the creation of integrative learning opportunities that go beyond the classroom,鈥� said Elizabeth A. Dooley, interim provost. 鈥淭hank you to all whose work has made this realignment possible and helped to better position our university and students for the future.鈥�

College of Health Professions and Sciences

As part of the newly created Academic Health Sciences Center along with the College of Medicine and the College of Nursing, the College of Health Professions and Sciences will be focused on educating students for rewarding careers in prevention, diagnosis or therapy at hospitals, community-based and specialized-care facilities, schools, and nonprofit and social service agencies.

The college will be led by Jos茅 Fern谩ndez, who will serve as the interim dean until Aug. 8. Jeffery Stout, founding director of the School of Kinesiology and Physical Therapy, will take over then as interim dean until a founding dean is appointed.

The search for the founding dean has begun and will progress through the fall. Deborah German will continue to lead our new Academic Health Sciences Center as vice president for health affairs and dean of the College of Medicine.

College of Community Innovation and Education

The anchor of our 麻豆原创 Downtown campus, the College of Community Innovation and Education brings together community-facing programs engaged with the social and economic fabric of thriving, modern cities and grounded in transformative education.

Pamela 鈥淪issi鈥� Carroll, who served as dean of the former College of Education and Human Performance, has been selected as founding dean of the college. Several, but not all, of its academic programs will move downtown in Fall 2019 when 麻豆原创 Downtown opens.

Nicholson School of Communication and Media

An interdisciplinary, inter-college school, , includes communication, digital media and film programs and will redefine content creation, digital art and communication for the 21^st century.

Robert Littlefield, director of the former Nicholson School of Communication, was named founding director of the school. Several of its programs also will move downtown in Fall 2019.

Together, these changes mean that the College of Education and Human Performance and College of Health and Public Affairs will no longer exist, as programs, centers and institutes will be realigned in the new colleges.

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Repeating from last year, the Counselor Education program earned 麻豆原创鈥檚 highest ranking, moving up a notch to No. 9 nationally. The program prepares students for careers as counselors and practitioners in schools, community mental health agencies, hospitals, institutions and private practice.

鈥淭his ranking exemplifies the hard work of our Counselor Education faculty and staff and the progress we have achieved,鈥� said Pamela S. Carroll, dean of the College of Education and Human Performance. 鈥淲hat an honor to be listed in the top 10 in the nation in this field.鈥�

The next highest 麻豆原创 rankings were No. 14 for the atomic, molecular and optical sciences programs in the College of Optics & Photonics, and No. 17 for the Nonprofit Management program in the College of Health and Public Affairs, a jump of eight places.

Two more programs in the College of Health and Public Affairs were ranked in the top 50 鈥� Criminal Justice (26) and Healthcare Management (38) 鈥撀燼nd Industrial Engineering聽was ranked at No. 39.

Others in the top 100 were: Communication Sciences and Disorders (53), Public Administration (63), Computer Engineering (64), Materials Science and Engineering (65), Electrical Engineering (66), Civil Engineering (75), Environmental Engineering (75), Social Work (78), College of Engineering & Computer Science (82), Physics (85), Medical Research (88), Computer Science (90), College of Education & Human Performance (91), and Doctor of Nursing Practice (100).

The Best Graduate Schools 2017 edition will be available on newsstands April 5.

The U.S. News rankings were announced one day after The Princeton Review and PC Gamer magazine named 麻豆原创鈥檚 Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy the best video game graduate school in North America.

CEDHP associate lecturer and Read for the Record organizer Lee-Anne Spalding feels the event is beneficial for pre-kindergarten children and education majors.

鈥淩ead for the Record provides CEDHP students with an opportunity to interact with Pre-K children while teaching them the importance of serving the community. The event also creates a foundation for the children to become readers and successful citizens in our society.鈥�

More than 100 Pre-K children from the Creative School for Children, Grand Avenue School and Tuskawilla Presbyterian Church Preschool paired with 麻豆原创 education-student volunteers to read 鈥淣ot Norman: A Goldfish Story鈥� by Kelly Bennett, a book about a boy who realizes his goldfish Norman is a good pet.

The Creative School鈥檚 associate director Kim Campese says Read for the Record is 鈥渁 great learning tool and literacy experience for the children.鈥�

Education major Alexis Lambert had an energetic group of 4 year olds and appreciated the opportunity to 鈥渉elp the children with their reading skills and facilitate their learning.鈥�

The fun festivities included eight literacy activity stations associated with the book. Children counted goldfish crackers, wrote the number on a piece of paper and drew tally marks with an iPad app, scooped plastic goldfish out of a tub of water with a small net, learned the difference between service dogs and pets by Canine Companions for Independence and picked a perfect pet by writing their name on a cat, dog, bird, turtle or hamster picture.

Christy Vaughn鈥檚 4-year-old son Read attends Tuskawilla Presbyterian Church Preschool. She was impressed with Read for the Record.

鈥淭he event is exposing the children to different types of literature along with giving the 麻豆原创 students an experience with groups of children. The themed activities and hands-on activities also kept the kids engaged.鈥�

Her son Read had a great time and thought the 鈥渞elay with the goldfish was fun.鈥�

Read for the Record became a reality with the assistance of generous, local sponsors. PNC Bank bought the children鈥檚 books, donated goody bags and provided funding for the buses and other event essentials, and Publix manager Jay Farley donated a nutritious lunch with the assistance of employee and CEDHP student Amanda Harris.

Reading along with the interactive games educated children during a well-rounded, synergetic program.

鈥淚 love that children are not only reading a book, but connecting reading with physical movement, counting and social studies,鈥� says CEDHP Dean Pamela Carroll. 鈥淭he children were talking about what they were reading with their adult partners, which made it a full, literacy event for them to enjoy and remember.鈥�

NAK promotes the study and educational applications of the art and science of human movement and physical activity, and conducts a doctoral program review every five years.

Fifty-two academic programs participated in NAK鈥檚 2015 Doctoral Program Review. The organization used metrics to conduct an objective evaluation of the faculty鈥檚 productivity, funding and visibility and analyzed student admissions, graduate assistant support, doctoral publications and employment rates during a five-year span from Jan. 1, 2010 through Dec. 31, 2014.

CEDHP鈥檚 Department of Educational and Human Sciences chair and Sport and Exercise Science professor Jay Hoffman has been building the exercise physiology doctoral program for the past five years. He was ecstatic about the NAK doctoral program review ranking.

鈥淭here wasn鈥檛 a sport and exercise science program when I first came to 麻豆原创. I built the program from scratch. We went from zero to sixth in the nation by submitting four years of data to the National Academy of Kinesiology鈥檚 five-year doctoral program review. This is a big accomplishment for our faculty and students.鈥�

Hoffman recruited professor Jeffrey Stout from the University of Oklahoma three years ago. He had participated in the NAK doctoral program review during his employment at the University of Oklahoma. The university was number 26 when he first came onboard, and helped raise its NAK doctoral program review ranking to 17. He was blown away by the results of the recent CEDHP rankings.

鈥溌槎乖� has never been on this list, so to be ranked in the Top 10 in our field, and higher than Penn State, Florida State University and some of the other big-name schools in the country is quite an accomplishment for a university that is barely over 50 years old.鈥�

CEDHP Dean Pamela Carroll is proud of the sport and exercise science鈥檚 exercise physiology doctoral program鈥檚 ranking.

鈥淭he sport and exercise science faculty is exceptionally talented and hard working. They not only push the field forward, but ensure that their graduate students have meaningful and funded research experiences and publish and present their research. The program is an excellent example of a group who sets high standards and works together to achieve them.鈥�

The NAK doctoral program review also ranked CEDHP鈥檚 program number one in faculty publications and presentations. The program鈥檚 Institute of Exercise Physiology and Wellness, one of the most advanced exercise performance and lab facilities in the country, provides the faculty and students with a hub for research in its body composition, strength and conditioning, exercise biochemistry and human performance labs at CEDHP and another lab at the 麻豆原创 College of Medicine.

Doctoral candidate Jeremy Townsend obtains hands-on experience in the labs and is honored to be a part of this high ranking.

鈥淭he ranking is a real testament to the hard work my advisers and fellow lab teammates have accomplished over the years. The ranking also benefits future doctoral program graduates because it shows that they鈥檙e from one of the top-tier labs in the country.鈥�

During the past five years, the sport and exercise science program鈥檚 undergraduate program has grown from 400 to more than 1,300 students, and there are nearly an additional 100 students in the graduate program.

Doctoral students must have a high GRE score, strong work ethic, letters of recommendation and undergo an interview process with Hoffman and Stout.

The doctoral program, which Hoffman says 鈥渉as a 100 percent success and hiring rate with tenure-track positions鈥� is providing students with a chance to be principal investigators on grant studies, write and publish papers, teach and conduct presentations at national meetings and for prospective employers, and is giving them real-world experience.

The program鈥檚 doctoral alumni are making a mark in their careers. Georgia Southern University鈥檚 assistant professor of exercise science and alumnus Adam Wells 鈥�15 feels the exercise physiology doctoral program prepared him for his future and is proud of its NAK doctoral program review ranking.

鈥淭he program set me up for success from day one. The guidance and opportunities provided by Dr. Hoffman and the Institute of Exercise Physiology and Wellness鈥� faculty enabled me to develop expertise in a number of areas related to exercise physiology. I was able to enter the job market with a highly desirable skill set and a competitive publication record. I鈥檓 delighted that the program has been recognized at such a high level and am proud to be one of the first doctoral students to graduate from the program.鈥�

She discovered books and writing helped establish bonds with students, and took that process a step further by developing effective relationships beyond the university in her role as the dean.

What is your favorite part about being the dean?

I really enjoy the relationship aspect of being a dean. There are relationships to build, develop, nurture and sustain with students, faculty, staff and other administrators across the university and in the community. I have the opportunity to meet a lot of fascinating people and provide a helpful ear. I don鈥檛 solve their problems, but I have an opportunity to provide a different perspective and help people find their own answers.

What is your motivation for learning and education?

I had a sister Peggy who was born with intellectual disabilities who passed away about eight years ago. She didn鈥檛 have language or the traditional cognitive abilities, but taught our family so much about how to deal with difference. As a young adolescent, most of us went through a period where it mattered if your hair looked right and your clothes were stylish. For Peggy, none of those things mattered. What mattered was the people who loved her. My dad could walk into the room and she would start giggling and smiling and would duck her head, so my mom or dad could kiss her on the forehead. She just responded to love and that was the lesson. It has been a real blessing for me and my brothers to look for the good in people and try to honor that instead of the deficiencies that all of us have.

What is your vision for personal success?

If I can finish a day or year knowing that I have worked hard, honored my faith and values, and have contributed to improving people鈥檚 lives, then I have been successful. When you know that you have spent your time lifting lives, that鈥檚 personal success.

How did you get into literacy education? What sparked your interest?

I wasn鈥檛 a big reader in junior high and high school. I became an avid reader when I was studying English at Auburn University. I also truly enjoyed all kinds of writing. My professors encouraged me to pursue a career that would use writing and English. I decided that I wanted to make my contribution in English education. Literacy is the study of the students鈥� thinking, of how the students make sense, articulate, receive and send messages in print or non-print form. Working with them to make sense of how they do that, and how they can be more effective at that, is important to me, especially when so many tools for the public sharing of messages are available today.

What was your favorite part about working with adolescents?

I taught English Language Arts in the eighth, ninth and eleventh grade but primarily eighth grade. Adolescents are innately curious people. If you don鈥檛 come across as a person who is going to stifle their curiosity and instead encourage it, then they tend to reveal who they are to you. They want to know about the world. I found that they keep you on your toes every minute. I love to be challenged and they demand a lively presence. We were a good fit. If you鈥檙e going to work with young adolescents, then you have to be willing to be alive and in tune with them in order to do a good job.

What鈥檚 your top piece of advice for an aspiring educator?

Be confident about your content area and even more important, be open to the people with whom you work. My job as an educator is helping people learn. You won鈥檛 help people learn unless they believe you鈥檙e on their side. You have to set the stage for them to learn, then let them take chances. You have to support your students and not squelch them. Whether they鈥檙e 5 year olds or adults鈥攂e open to your students鈥� energy.

What鈥檚 something not many people know about you?

My husband and 麻豆原创 geology professor, Joe Donoghue, and I love to take vacations outdoors, where we鈥檙e hiking in natural parks, white-water rafting or cycling with groups of friends. Our first date was spent taking a run together and our honeymoon was a camping trip in the Cascade Mountains. I write extensive travelogues that I weave into fanciful stories during our adventures.

What do you like to read? What鈥檚 your favorite genre? Author?

My favorite genre is modern and Southern literature. The authors of the middle 20th Century are probably my favorite. I enjoy reading fiction by William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Flannery O鈥機onnor and F. Scott Fitzgerald. I guess that I love Miss Eudora Welty the most, and her book 鈥淭he Golden Apples鈥� is a favorite.

How do you like to unwind in your personal time?

I love to play in my flower garden. I like anything that blooms. I鈥檓 also learning about the tropical flowers that grow here. I鈥檓 having some success with hibiscus and bougainvillea. Getting to know the tropical flora is a lot of fun!

How did you spend your summer?

The week after we moved our belongings to Orlando, we headed out of the country! Joe and I are very lucky to have a group of friends whom we have known since our time in Tallahassee, whose idea of vacationing is always active. This year we got together for a little more than a week and went on a cycling trip to Ireland. We traveled about 250 miles across mountain passes and alongside the Irish Sea, and came face-to-face with herds of donkeys and sheep. We stayed at fabulous bed and breakfasts and had delicious dinners in between arduous bike rides between charming towns. Most of the time it was raining and cold, but it was always beautiful. I am a fortunate person, and a thankful one.

Carroll comes to 麻豆原创 from Oklahoma State University, where she has served as dean and director of professional education and the Stella V. Anderson Endowed Professor of Education for the past three years.

鈥淲e are excited to have Dr. Carroll join our 麻豆原创 family. I know she will do an extraordinary job in capitalizing on the great work we already do and advancing research, teaching and engagement in our College of Education and Human Performance,鈥� said A. Dale Whittaker, 麻豆原创 provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Carroll is looking forward to returning to Florida. She was associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Education at Florida State University and a faculty member there for 21 years, also serving in various administrative roles, including department chair and program coordinator.

Carroll also served as an assistant professor at Georgetown College in Kentucky and specializes in teacher education and adolescent and young-adult literature. Carroll is an at large executive board member for the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. She received her doctoral degree in education from Auburn University, the same institution her parents attended.

The Georgia native said she is eager to join 麻豆原创鈥檚 family.

鈥淢y imagination was captured by the sense of possibility and energy that 麻豆原创 exudes across the campus,鈥� Carroll said. 鈥淭hat energy is apparent in the faculty, students, administrators, and community stakeholders.聽 As I learned more about the university鈥檚 priorities I found that they align beautifully with the values that have been important to me throughout my career as an educator.鈥�

Carroll, or Sissi as she prefers to be called, was inspired to pursue teaching because of her family. She taught her twin brother and her older brother 鈥渁 thing or two鈥� from very early on. Carroll鈥檚 older sister Peggy was born with an extreme intellectual disability.

鈥淚 wondered, as a child, why I could talk, understand television shows, play with friends, and Peggy could not enjoy any of those things,鈥� Carroll said. 鈥淚 also noticed that she never got angry or sassy like I did, but that she smiled and giggled whenever one of the family gave her a hug. From Peggy, I learned that being able to think and to learn is a gift.鈥�

Carroll plans to move in July with her husband, Joe Donoghue, her dog, Sunny, and cat, Carl Sandburg, named after the late poet. Donoghue will become a professor of geosciences in the College of Sciences.

Carroll will be taking over from Grant Hayes, who served as interim dean since September. 聽He will be joining East Carolina University in July as the new dean and distinguished professor in its College of Education.