Together for Tomorrow Supports School Improvement

Deborah Wahlstrom is an educational consultant and the founder of Successline, Inc., a company that supports school improvement. From 2012 to 2015, Deborah Wahlstrom served as the superindendent of Mount Clemens Community Schools. While she was superindendent, Mount Clemens was recognized in the Together for Tomorrow Challenge.

The Together for Tomorrow initiative is a collaboration between the US Department of Education, the Corporation for National and Community Service, and the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. It is intended to recognize and support community-led projects and programs that help support struggling schools.

Together for Tomorrow celebrates and encourages family and community engagement with students and schools in part by measuring the ABCs of student outcomes: Attendance, Behavior, and College access. Some of the initiatives the program has supported nationwide include after-school tutoring from community members, school improvement grants, and partnerships with local organizations like the Boys and Girls Clubs that can provide mentors to students in need.

The Urban Services Doctoral Degree from Old Dominion

School district superintendent Dr. Deborah Wahlstrom previously served as president of Successline Inc. in Suffolk, Virginia. Dr. Deborah Wahlstrom is an alumnus of Old Dominion University, from which she earned her bachelor’s degree in biology, her master’s degree in educational administration and academic leadership, and her PhD in urban services and academic leadership.

As a part of the School of Public Service, the PhD program in public administration and urban policy aims to equip graduates with the skills and experience necessary to manage and improve conditions in urban areas. This advanced degree program can serve as a base for positions in many careers, including city policy, counseling, or school administration positions, such as a principal or district superintendent.

The urban services doctoral degree program offers a variety of focus areas, including school administration and supervision, special education, curriculum and instruction, and early childhood education. As a part of this PhD program, students are required to complete a significant amount of coursework and dissertation hours while maintaining a 3.0 grade point average. These classes and independent research are aimed to prepare students to develop and improve the public schools of the future.