Biography for Carolyn Finch

Carolyn Finch is the Senior Director of Office of Magnet, Choice and charter Schools for the Polk County School District, a position she has held for seven years.  Her responsibilities include oversight of eight magnet schools, eight choice schools, and 24 charter schools, with one more scheduled to open in fall of 2008.  She also supervises the McKay Scholarship, Opportunity Scholarship, and Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship programs for Polk County. 

  Mrs. Finch consults with other school districts in developing charter school policies, developing innovative tools to address charter school monitoring and compliance issues, and assisting them in navigating the various charter processes.  She is a frequent speaker at local, state, and national conferences and seminars, and is a leader in the National Association of Charter School Authorizers.   Ms. Finch serves as the President for the Florida Association of Charter School Authorizers and facilitates monthly meetings.  She also provides training in facilitative leadership, charter schools, and innovative instructional practices. 

In a former life, Mrs. Finch taught middle school English, and served as a curriculum specialist as well as a highly successful grant writer.  Her involvement with school choice began with her assignment to McKeel Academy in 1994 as part of the transition team as the school shifted from the traditional school model into its new role as a choice school.  She was instrumental in developing McKeel's application to become the first secondary education conversion charter school in the State of Florida.

Mrs. Finch holds a Bachelor of Arts from Southeastern College, and received a Master of Education from the University of South Florida. 

Biography for Venches Papillon

Venches J. Papillon is the Project Coordinator for the Florida School Choice Resource Center, Parent Resource Centers at Nova Southeastern University's North Miami Beach and Kendall campuses funded by the Florida Department of Education. Prior to working at NSU, Venches worked in the Social services / Foster Care system for thirteen years in many different capacities. She holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology and is currently completing a Masters of Education in Management and Administration at Nova Southeastern University's Fischler School of Education and Human Services.

Since 2004, the Parent Resource Centers and the nation's fourth largest school system, Miami Dade County Public Schools, continue to provide free Voluntary Public school choice information and resources to parents throughout South Florida. Ms. Papillon has presented this unique partnership and model at several local and national workshops and conferences. She fluently speaks French and Haitian Creole. Venches and her staff are committed in expanding the mirrored vision of the university and grant by effectively promoting public school choice within South Florida's diverse community.

Biography for Constance Scotchel-Gross

Connie Scotchel-Gross has been with the School District of Palm Beach County since 1974.  She has been a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher, high school assistant principal, Manager in the Department of Choice Programs and School Choice Magnet Program and presently is the Manager of Career Education where she supervises the Career and Technical Education (CTE) staff; plans and supervises Career Education activities for over 500 teachers and 100 career academies, and is the immediate past President of the Florida Public School Choice Consortium.  Connie also spends her time outside of the office working with youth throughout Palm Beach County, dedicating her talents as a board member of Leadership Palm Beach County.

Biography for Katherine Ann Israelson

Katherine has worked in Public Education in the state of Florida for the past 25 years, 20 of those years as a classroom teacher.

Her love for children and her desire to be a positive influence, led her to work in the area of Exceptional Student Education. Throughout the next twenty years, Kathy would progress through elementary and middle school positions working with children of all ages, levels, and disabilities while aggressively meeting student needs provided with love, attention, and kindness.

In 1998, Katherine was one of ten teachers chosen in the district to participate in a "Teacher Aquanaut Program" in partnership with the United States Navy Diving Science Curriculum Project.  Upon the completion of 90 rigorous hours of classroom training and diving instruction, Katherine was instrumental in the creation of a science curriculum and teaching video while also obtaining an Open-water SCUBA Diving certification and advanced certification.

In 2002, she was granted the opportunity and position as the project director for the Voluntary Public School Choice Grant.  Katherine's dedication and leadership qualities, has afforded her the opportunity of having served as the North Region Representative and currently as the newly elected President of the Florida Public School Choice Consortium (FPSCC).

Katherine is married to Bill, an employee with the U.S. Department of Defense, and has three sons: Christopher, Jeffrey, and Steven.  Her spare time is spent teaching as a certified fitness instructor at the neighborhood gym.  She enjoys spending time with her family, long relaxing walks on the beach and capturing a beautiful sunset.

To date, her career spans twenty-five years of dedicated public service to the students and parents of the state of Florida. Her goal is to continue to facilitate the expansion of choice options in the state while helping to insure that parents will always have a "Voice" in school "Choice".