Stoops Lecture Celebrates 60 Years of Centennial

Last week's John A. Stoops Lecture was a veritable old home week for members of the Centennial School community. Former and current Centennial faculty, students and staff joined supporters to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the school.

Introductory speakers included Professor Emeritus Raymond Bell and former Centennial Director Michael George, along with current Centennial Director Julie Fogt and Acting Dean Robin Hojnoski. 

Brandi Simonsen shared remarks focused on the contributions of Centennial, and the use of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to a full house in Wood Dining. Simonsen is a professor of Special Education in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. She is also a co-director of the National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS; www.pbis.org) and co-principal investigator of the National Integrated Multi-Tiered System of Support (I-MTSS) Research Network (mtss.org). Dr. Simonsen's scholarship focuses on supporting educators' implementation of PBIS/MTSS across a continuum of settings.

The John A. Stoops Lecture Series was established in tribute to Lehigh’s first dean of education and founder of Centennial School. Centennial is an approved private school, funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and governed by Lehigh’s College of Education (COE). The school is guided by two interrelated missions: providing a world-class educational experience for students with behavioral challenges, and training aspiring individuals pursuing careers in special education and related fields. Learn more at centennial.lehigh.edu.