Mastic Beach, NY - September 19, 2013 - M. Jamal Colson, Ed.D., an Assistant Principal at William Paca Middle School in the William Floyd School District, has co-authored a new book “Raising Scholars from Infancy to Adulthood: Preparing Our Children for College and Demolishing Prison Walls,” which will encourage parents and educators to raise their expectations for children’s academic achievement. The authors will hold a book signing this Saturday, September 21 from 4-6 pm at the Dowling College Rudolph-Oakdale Campus Fortunoff Ballroom in Oakdale, NY.
“Our message is that no matter their background, level of education, income category or zip code, parents can still raise their children to become scholars,” said Dr. Colson. He and his co-authors assert that Raising Scholars provides valuable knowledge and inspiration through research-based practices which lead to high academic achievement. They also believe that this tool will help motivate parents to supervise their children’s homework and study habits more successfully through effective communication.
Raising Scholars has been published by South Shore Scholars Associates, Inc., (SSSA) an educational consulting company that provides services to higher education institutions, schools, school districts and non-profit organizations that are looking to increase the effectiveness of their parental engagement programs, their students’ academic achievement and retention.
In 2007, the four founding members of SSSA, Drs. Jamal Colson, James Brown, Lynne Elfe and Michelle Gantt, began a doctoral program that allowed them to explore possible solutions to the underachievement among different groups of students. Independently, they discovered the need to support parents in the raising of scholars and the need for schools, colleges, universities and higher education institutions to strategically develop scholars among their underperforming students.
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About Dr. Colson
Dr. Colson received an Associate Degree in Business Administration from Nassau Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Empire State College, a Master of Science in Child Education and a Doctorate of Education Administration from Dowling College. Throughout his career, he served as a kindergarten teacher, a fifth-grade teacher of math, science and technology, a Dean of Students and a tenured assistant principal.