At the Heart of Family Learning: Interview with outgoing NCFL Board Chair Dr. Susan Gourley
Dr. Susan Gourley, retired superintendent for Lincoln (NE) Public Schools, joined NCFL’s Board of Directors in 2015. Throughout my three years as President and CEO, I’ve come to rely on Susan for her thought-partnership, expertise as an education leader, and deep commitment to our mission and responsiveness to the evolving needs of children and families, today.
As Susan’s tenure on the board comes to a close, she agreed to join me in conversation this month to discuss her long association with NCFL, some of the stories she’s captured along the way, and the road ahead for the organization.
Felicia C. Smith: With so many opportunities open to you and so many organizations to which you could give your time and talent, why have you chosen to maintain such a long relationship with NCFL?
Susan Gourley: My relationship with NCFL goes back almost twenty years, beginning when, as the Superintendent of Lincoln Public Schools, we received an NCFL Toyota Family Literacy grant. As Superintendent, I saw firsthand the positive impacts family literacy and learning programs created for students, families, schools, and communities. It was and continues to be one of the most transformational programs I observed in my career as a professional educator. It changes a child’s life in a way that changes families for generations to come….as described by NCFL founder Sharon Darling, “ripples that start in one generation and continue to touch generations in the future.”
As an NCFL board member, I have valued the opportunity to be part of a bigger collective while helping create and support those ripples of literacy and learning. I believe my investment of time and talent will pay dividends well beyond my time on the board–for generations to come.
FCS: NCFL was founded with a focus on basic literacy needs for children and parenting adults. That focus has expanded over time to encompass the idea of multiple literacies (including digital literacy, health literacy, financial literacy, and more) as well as family leadership and family engagement. Why do you think that expansion was important or necessary?
SG: The expansion beyond basic literacy to encompass multiple literacies, family leadership, and family engagement is yet another reason for my confidence in and excitement for the future of NCFL. As a superintendent, I often used this quote from Kofi Annan, Nobel Peace Prize winner and the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations: “Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress in every society, in every family.” Multiple literacies–including digital literacy, health literacy and financial literacy–support and empower families. It is yet another example of NCFL’s mission in action.
FCS: As someone who’s worked as an educator, why do you think it’s important for educators and education leaders to understand the benefits of multigenerational learning?
SG: A number of years ago, I was invited to speak at an international conference on education for women and girls in Shanghai, China. The conference was built on the belief that “when you educate a woman, you educate a generation”. Every day in schools across this country, multigenerational learning programs provide parents the opportunity to make that belief their reality. Research has long shown that a parent’s educational attainment and a child’s educational success are related, an idea which aligns with my own experiences as a student and an educator. My mother was the only college graduate in both my extended family and my rural Oregon community. Her influence on mine and my brother’s educational success and quality of life was and continues to be undeniable.
As an educator I have seen first hand how multigenerational learning provides an opportunity for parents to do for their children what my mother did for my family. Some of the most powerful and inspirational moments I experienced as an educator involved hearing from parents how multigenerational family learning changed the trajectory of their family. Stories, shared in pride, of increased educational success for children, employability and higher wages for parents, better and more frequent health care, and stronger, more positive relationships with their children’s schools.
FCS: NCFL is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, and we’re spending time reflecting on the past while also preparing for the organization’s future. What do you think the next 35 years hold for NCFL?
SG: As I near the end of my board tenure I am optimistic and excited about NCFL’s future. I believe the organization will continue to grow, serving more children and families, while the needs of those we serve will continue to be more diverse. I am confident NCFL will rise to whatever condition and occasion presents itself.
Those who know me know that I’m a “the glass is always half full/there’s a silver lining in every cloud” kinda girl. In this case, however, it is not my natural optimism that makes me confident in the future of NCFL. It is NCFL”s unwavering commitment, it’s vision, it’s true north: “eradicating poverty through education solutions for families.” It is that vision combined with a legacy of intentionality that fuels my optimism and certainty in the next 35 years for NCFL.
FCS: As your tenure on the NCFL board comes to a close, what organizational accomplishment are you most proud of?
SG: As a superintendent, I always found the work and dedication of family learning classroom educators to be inspirational and awe-inspiring. Through teaching, the practice of their craft. and at times the giving of their heart and soul, these educators change lives for children and families. As an NCFL board member, I feel pride that my small part in the governance of NCFL contributes to the support of that life-changing learning experience for those we serve. Every year I look forward to NCFL’s Families Learning Conference, where I have the opportunity to meet and hear the stories of some of those amazing educators. I hope some of you reading this blog post will be joining me at this year’s conference in Louisville. If by chance we cross paths, please feel free to share your stories with me; I would love to hear them!
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I feel so blessed by the leadership and commitment of NCFL’s Board of Directors and Board Chair Dr. Susan Gourley. Our board members bring diverse expertise and perspectives that are invaluable to the decision-making process, and their willingness to serve as ambassadors to help expand our network and advocate for the organization’s mission is unmatched. I look forward to working alongside these dedicated professionals as we continue to build upon our legacy work and take the organization to the next level leadership in the field of family learning.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A lifelong educator and national thought leader for teaching and learning, Dr. Felicia C. Smith brings decades of valuable experience to advance NCFL’s mission of working to eradicate poverty through education solutions for families. Having served in a variety of leadership roles in P-12, higher education, nonprofit, and philanthropy, her career has allowed her to experience leading systems and develop a unique vantage point of a learner’s educational trajectory from preschool to adulthood. Smith holds an Ed.D. in education leadership and administration from the University of Kentucky, and an M.A. in elementary education with an emphasis on K-12 literacy development and B.S. in elementary education from the University of Louisville.