Denise T. Airola
Director, Training and Development
National Office for Research on Measurement and Evaluation Systems (NORMES)
Curriculum and Instruction
302 West Avenue Annex
Phone: (479) 575-5593
FAX: (479) 575-5185
dairola@uark.edu
Professional Biography:
Denise Airola joined NORMES after serving as an educator in the Fayetteville Public Schools, Fayetteville, Ark., for nine years. Denise held positions as a teacher, math and science curriculum supervisor, and instructional services director at Fayetteville Public Schools, bridging the gap between teaching and administration. Prior to her work with Fayetteville schools, Denise spent three years working as an early childhood educator, owning and directing a child care program while raising her three daughters. Denise began her work in education in southern California, earning her K-12 teaching credentials from the University of California at Irvine. Denise taught at the elementary level for two years in Laguna Niguel, Calif. Prior to her move into the field of education, Denise worked as a biologist/naturalist in Whorton, Md., at the Echo Hill Outdoor School and as a resident associate at the Smithsonian Institute and National Zoo in Washington. Denise earned her B.S. degree in environmental biology from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in association with Syracuse University in 1982.
Denise is pursuing a master of science in education research and policy studies in the College of Education and Health Professions.
Job Duties:
As director of training and development for NORMES, Denise travels to education service cooperatives and school districts in the state to train administrators and technology specialists in the use of Enterprise Guide© for Educators for data analysis and school improvement planning. Denise brings an educator's perspective to the development and use of the Enterprise Guide© software for data analysis in school settings. Denise also presents at state, regional, and national conferences on the work of NORMES. In addition, Denise contributes to building the NORMES network beyond the Arkansas borders by writing proposals for research grants and networking with teachers, administrators, legislators, and state school officers.
Publications/Presentations:
Airola, D. (2004, November). Enterprise Guide, Get a Handle on School Improvement Data and Student Academic Improvement Plans, Annual Fall Conference of the Arkansas Association of Secondary School Principals, Little Rock, AR.
Airola, D., & Anderson, T. (2004, October). EGuide for Educators: Simplifying Data Driven Decision Making, T + L2: Leading Learning to a Higher Level Conference of the National School Boards Association, Denver, CO.
Airola, D. (2004, October). Enterprise Guide Update: Academic Improvement Plans. Fall conference of the Arkansas Association of Federal Coordinators, Little Rock, AR.
Jones, M., & Airola, D. (2002, Winter). Invited Paper: Closing the Achievement Gap in Math and Science. Arkansas Educational Research & Policy Studies Journal, 2(1), 85-93.