Best Wishes to a True Friend of Core Knowledge

By Patricia Scott

Patricia Scott, a teacher at Three Oaks Elementary in Ft. Meyers, Florida, submitted this article in honor of Dr. Vivian Posey, long-time educator, administrator, and Core Knowledge ally. Starting in 1990, Three Oaks was the first school in the country to use the Core Knowledge curriculum.

In 1995, Vivian Posey kept looking over her shoulder. She had a thought that, perhaps, she was only an academic and operational custodian of the nation’s first Core Knowledge school: Three Oaks Elementary in Fort Myers, Florida. She had been named principal when Dr. Connie Jones left the position to join the Core Knowledge Foundation in Charlottesville, VA. Dr. Posey was determined to keep the school and program intact, just in case Dr. Jones wanted to return. Yet, Dr. Jones did not return and the world kept spinning. There emerged a host of new challenges— brought on by the Sunshine State Standards, FCAT, School Choice in the local school district, new curriculum, added expectations, staff changes, and growing enrollment— but Dr. Posey was able to navigate through all of these immense changes. Through it all, she kept Core Knowledge intact as it was the grounding, unifying force for which the school was known and recognized time and time again. The result of her leadership has created a flagship elementary school in Lee County, Florida. 

During her thirteen-year tenure, first as assistant principal and then as principal, Vivian was able to earn an Ed.D. from Nova Southeastern University. She always kept a finger on the pulse of children’s needs and teachers’ professional development as well as school and family concerns. She has a phenomenal ability to know about and recognize the one thousand students in the school and to make them feel as if they are her only concern. Her donations of both time and talents have made her an outstanding administrator in the district. Furthermore, she has been devoted to Core Knowledge: she promoted the growth and fine tuning of the Core Knowledge curriculum; she traveled on behalf of the Foundation; and she attended and presented at National Conferences, all the while keeping an open door at her school to any and all visitors who wanted to know about this program called Core Knowledge.

On October 11th, 2006, Dr. Posey left the position of principal at Three Oaks Elementary School and the Lee County School District to do the thing she loves, misses, and can make a strong contribution to: she has become part of the full-time Barry University faculty. She will be teaching the teachers of tomorrow with her extraordinary talents and extensive experience, and she will be sharing her huge heart with her very own students. 

Now, instead of looking over her shoulder, she is looking ahead to a future with more family time and a sincere dedication to higher education. No doubt, the seeds of Core Knowledge will continue to be planted by a true friend of the Core Knowledge movement, Dr. Vivian Posey.

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