Jamie Vollmer
Jamie Vollmer is a friend of public education and an inspiring presenter. He is a former businessman and attorney. He was president of the Great Midwestern Ice Cream Company, proclaimed by People Magazine to make the "Best Ice Cream in America!"
In 1988, Jamie joined the nationally recognized Iowa Business and Education Roundtable, becoming its director in 1990. Once a harsh critic, he is now an articulate champion of America's public schools. He acknowledges the need for meaningful change, but insists that public education must be broadly and aggressively supported if America is to remain great. In over 3700 speeches, he has used statistics, logic and humor to deliver a positive message regarding the future of our schools. He is a powerful ally in the struggle to create schools that give all students the opportunity to unfold their full potential.
Jamie is the author of the videos, "Why Our Schools Need to Change," "Building Support for America's Schools," and "Praise for America's Teachers." He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Pennsylvania State University and a Juris Doctorate from Catholic University in Washington, DC.
MOST REQUESTED TOPICS:
You Cannot Do This Alone
Keynote (Conferences, Opening Day, and Inservice)
An inspiring and thoughtful call-to-arms. Jamie uplifts his audiences and praises their success, but he warns against complacency. He examines the threats arising from multiplying mandates, shifting demographics, media hype, and a changing economy. He applauds staff achievement, but challenges the syndrome of TTSP - "This Too Shall Pass". Jamie offers an encouraging vision of the future based on public education's many strengths. He energizes teachers, support staff, administrators, and board members to build a new conversation that restores public trust and increases community support for America's schools.
Why Our Schools Need to Change
Keynote (Staff and general public)
A powerful case for the need to change. Jamie substantiates the steady improvement in America's schools, but exposes a growing gap between what schools provide and what children need. He praises hard work and heroic acts, but identifies a faulty "selecting and sorting" premise that retards progress. He spotlights the increasing burdens heaped upon our schools, while connecting the quality of schools with America's ability to compete in the global economy. He employs logic, statistics, and humor to help people lower their defensive shields and believe that their schools must change, and he motivates them to participate in the change process.
Building Support, Gaining Permission
Breakout Session/Workshop (Administrators, staff and concerned community members)
Praised as both practical and energizing, this interactive session presents the "nuts and bolts" of increasing local support for schools, with an emphasis on the distinction between community involvement and community permission. Jamie assumes that public trust is public education's most precious resource and a prerequisite for substantive change. Participants identify the corrosive social, economic and political forces currently undermining this trust and discuss a strategy to reverse this trend. Teams begin to develop a "tactically sound" plan to connect with the community and reestablish support for schools. Participants work in small groups. Content can be expanded from one to five hours.
Schools and Business: Allies in Developing Human Capital
Keynote (School/business audiences)
A speech that strengthens partnerships, converts critics into allies, and rallies support for schools. Jamie examines the disintegration of the traditional fit between education and work. He acknowledges business' legitimate frustration with student performance and the slow pace of change. He tells, however, of school leaders who labor to increase student achievement only to be vigorously opposed by people who cling to obsolete models of the "perfect" school. Jamie calls on business leaders to help alter these mental models and work as constructive partners to realize the central objective -- to produce significant improvements in learning for all students.
A Community Conversation
A Full Day in Your District
Jamie's daylong visits energize staff and build "good will" between districts and their communities. A typical day begins with a breakfast presentation to business leaders, board members, and/or administrators, followed by a motivational keynote to district staff, and, if time permits, a workshop on building support. At lunch, Jamie delivers an address either to the Chamber or a prominent service club. In the afternoon, he talks to the press and spends an hour in Q&A with the Ministerial Alliance or a Parent Advisory group. If schedule permits, Jamie finishes with an evening public meeting on the challenges schools face and the need for community support.
Jamie Vollmer is a friend of public education and an inspiring presenter. He is a former businessman and attorney. He was president of the Great Midwestern Ice Cream Company, proclaimed by People Magazine to make the "Best Ice Cream in America!"
In 1988, Jamie joined the nationally recognized Iowa Business and Education Roundtable, becoming its director in 1990. Once a harsh critic, he is now an articulate champion of America's public schools. He acknowledges the need for meaningful change, but insists that public education must be broadly and aggressively supported if America is to remain great. In over 3700 speeches, he has used statistics, logic and humor to deliver a positive message regarding the future of our schools. He is a powerful ally in the struggle to create schools that give all students the opportunity to unfold their full potential.
Jamie is the author of the videos, "Why Our Schools Need to Change," "Building Support for America's Schools," and "Praise for America's Teachers." He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Pennsylvania State University and a Juris Doctorate from Catholic University in Washington, DC.
MOST REQUESTED TOPICS:
You Cannot Do This Alone
Keynote (Conferences, Opening Day, and Inservice)
An inspiring and thoughtful call-to-arms. Jamie uplifts his audiences and praises their success, but he warns against complacency. He examines the threats arising from multiplying mandates, shifting demographics, media hype, and a changing economy. He applauds staff achievement, but challenges the syndrome of TTSP - "This Too Shall Pass". Jamie offers an encouraging vision of the future based on public education's many strengths. He energizes teachers, support staff, administrators, and board members to build a new conversation that restores public trust and increases community support for America's schools.
Why Our Schools Need to Change
Keynote (Staff and general public)
A powerful case for the need to change. Jamie substantiates the steady improvement in America's schools, but exposes a growing gap between what schools provide and what children need. He praises hard work and heroic acts, but identifies a faulty "selecting and sorting" premise that retards progress. He spotlights the increasing burdens heaped upon our schools, while connecting the quality of schools with America's ability to compete in the global economy. He employs logic, statistics, and humor to help people lower their defensive shields and believe that their schools must change, and he motivates them to participate in the change process.
Building Support, Gaining Permission
Breakout Session/Workshop (Administrators, staff and concerned community members)
Praised as both practical and energizing, this interactive session presents the "nuts and bolts" of increasing local support for schools, with an emphasis on the distinction between community involvement and community permission. Jamie assumes that public trust is public education's most precious resource and a prerequisite for substantive change. Participants identify the corrosive social, economic and political forces currently undermining this trust and discuss a strategy to reverse this trend. Teams begin to develop a "tactically sound" plan to connect with the community and reestablish support for schools. Participants work in small groups. Content can be expanded from one to five hours.
Schools and Business: Allies in Developing Human Capital
Keynote (School/business audiences)
A speech that strengthens partnerships, converts critics into allies, and rallies support for schools. Jamie examines the disintegration of the traditional fit between education and work. He acknowledges business' legitimate frustration with student performance and the slow pace of change. He tells, however, of school leaders who labor to increase student achievement only to be vigorously opposed by people who cling to obsolete models of the "perfect" school. Jamie calls on business leaders to help alter these mental models and work as constructive partners to realize the central objective -- to produce significant improvements in learning for all students.
A Community Conversation
A Full Day in Your District
Jamie's daylong visits energize staff and build "good will" between districts and their communities. A typical day begins with a breakfast presentation to business leaders, board members, and/or administrators, followed by a motivational keynote to district staff, and, if time permits, a workshop on building support. At lunch, Jamie delivers an address either to the Chamber or a prominent service club. In the afternoon, he talks to the press and spends an hour in Q&A with the Ministerial Alliance or a Parent Advisory group. If schedule permits, Jamie finishes with an evening public meeting on the challenges schools face and the need for community support.
