Meet the Institute Staff

Dr. Donald Blumenfeld-Jones
Lincoln Associate Professor of Ethics and Education

Dr. Donald S. Blumenfeld-Jones is an Associate Professor of Ethics, Curriculum Studies and Education in the ASU Mary Lou Fulton College of Education. In addition, Dr. Blumenfeld-Jones served from 2003 to 2006 as the Vice-President of Division of Curriculum Studies (Division B) for the American Educational Research Association (AERA). AERA is the major national educational research organization which draws membership from around the world. He is also past President of the Fulton College of Education's College Council (the academic senate for the College).

Dr. Blumenfeld-Jones came to a full-time scholarly career later in life, having spent the first twenty years of adulthood as a professional modern dancer. He began dancing in 1969 and in 1970 began studying in NYC with Hanya Holm, Alwin Nikolais, Murray Louis, and Phyllis Lamhut. He danced with the Phyllis Lamhut Dance Company for seven years as well as Pilobilus and the Mimi Garrard Dance Company. From 1977-1982 he was dance faculty at Duke University and, then, Columbia College (Columbia, S.C.). In 1982 he returned to school to gain an MFA. in Dance and an EdD in Curriculum and Cultural Studies and continued to perform and choreograph professionally. For his doctoral work he studied with David Purpel whose research area is moral theory and spirituality in reference to thinking through curriculum. Dr. Blumenfeld-Jones came to Arizona State University in January 1991 as an Assistant Professor of Curriculum Studies.

Dr. Blumenfeld-Jones' scholarly interests cover a variety of arenas. Among them are philosophical work in dance education and democratic life, classroom discipline as a species of ethics education and the uses of teacher authority to foster ethics education. His ethical work is grounded in the continental tradition of Paul Ricoeur, Jurgen Habermas (with whom he had the pleasure of studying during Fall 1999), and Emmanuel Levinas as well as using the work of American philosophers Nel Noddings and Sharon Welch (a theologian). In 1996 he won the James B. Macdonald Prize in Curriculum theory.

Dr. Blumenfeld-Jones's areas of teaching include, at the graduate level, critical social theory and curriculum, curriculum development, social and historical foundations of American education, qualitative methods of inquiry, philosophical foundations of inquiry, and, at the undergraduate level, a course in engaged citizenship and another course in teaching and the arts, both for a teacher preparation program entitled "Teaching for a Diverse Future" for which he was coordinator from 1996-2002.

For more detailed information please contact Professor Blumenfeld-Jones at donaldbj@asu.edu.

 

Don Senneville
Director, Foothills Academy

Don received his Doctorate in Foundations of Education from the University of Arizona. He has his master's degree in philosophy from Ball State University and his bachelor's degree from Cal State, Northridge, also in philosophy. He has taught high school English and social studies for many years, including a stint at Hawaii's Punahou School. Before founding Foothills Academy and serving as its director, Don was dean of Prescott College's adult degree program. He has been administering schools and school programs for the last twelve years. In his spare time, Don is a semi-professional musician.

 

Mary Crawford
Assistant Principal, Foothills Academy

Mary has enjoyed a successful 30-year career in education, spanning teaching, counseling and administration. She earned her bachelor's degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she was granted a full "North Carolina Prospective Teacher's Scholarship." Her graduate work was done at UNC and Wake Forest University. There she earned additional hours in literature and education. At the University of Phoenix she earned her masters in education with an emphasis on supervision and administration, and her guidance counseling credential. Mary is certified in Arizona for teaching, counselingand administration, and has served in these roles in both public and private schools. She has also served on the adjunct faculty of Prescott College, Yavapai College and Scottsdale Community College. She has been a principal, assistant principal, curriculum director, program director, teacher, counselor, coach, mentor and tutor.

Beyond the walls of Foothills, Mary has also served on a number of NCA school evaluation teams as both member and chair. She was one of seven recipients from across the state to receive the North Central Association's 2003 Circle of Excellence Award for her leadership and service to schools in Arizona as they work toward school improvement and accreditation. She has formerly served as elected faculty representative to the Verde Valley School Board of Trustees, and was appointed to the Governor's Board on Accreditation and the North Central Commission on non-public schools. Mary is the mother of one son, Josh, who is currently with Intel in Portland, Oregon.