Engaging Your Community

The beating hearts of America are its communities and at their core are our schools. Our special guest for this episode, which is focused on building community effectiveness, is Rosemary Agneessens, an experienced and accomplished educator, community development leader, and a powerhouse when it comes to vitalizing and strengthening communities. Dan and Ed define what they see as a major weakness in America today as communities are too often disjointed and not effective in preserving the qualities necessary for America to continue its growth and to foster a strong core. Rosemary Agnessens has a diverse and wonderful background. Born and raised in Detroit, MI she entered a religious community of Franciscan sisters after high school, taught school in the Green Bay Diocese before working in Nicaragua with youth groups and then returned from Central America to do Pastoral Ministry in Texas which led her to community organizing. In 1990 her job as an organizer transferred her to Phoenix, Arizona where she left the convent and returned to education. Later she worked in the Creighton School District for 18 years — the majority as principal. More recently she relocated to Prescott, Arizona where served as Abia Judd Elementary School's principal for 3 years and for the last 3 years has focused on organizing parents on legislative issues.