The UNCW Watson College of Education’s Professional Development System (PDS) School-University Partnership has received the 2024 Exemplary PDS Award from the National Association of School-University Partnerships. The award was presented during the NASUP National Conference in Anaheim, California, on March 25.

Carol McNulty, interim dean of UNCW’s Watson College of Education, stated in a news release, “The PDS partnerships we maintain with teachers, schools and school districts significantly enhance our academic programs. IBEC and SEA-Tech represent the innovation that can result from rich collaboration and the willingness to push the conventional boundaries of educational experiences."

Officials created UNCW’s PDS school-university partnership in 1993 to provide classroom learning opportunities for future teachers. PDS spans 11 school districts, a university laboratory school and two public charter schools in Southeastern North Carolina and includes a network of more than 2,000 teachers that work collaboratively to support teacher education students and the needs of teachers, schools and districts in the region, according to the release.

The NASUP award recognized UNCW’s PDS for creating and sustaining genuine collaborative partnerships with Pre-K-12 schools and for meeting nine essential PDS criteria. The award specifically recognized the strength of the university’s secondary education partnerships with two innovative New Hanover County high schools: Isaac Bear Early College High School and Southeast Area Technical High School (SEA-Tech), the release stated.

Over the past 10 years, Isaac Bear and SEA-Tech have supported 436 field placements and 29 internships for students enrolled in Watson’s secondary education program, according to the release.