Who are we?
Why do we exist?
What do we do?
Who are we?
Urban School Specialists was founded by Dr. Roger F. Harris and Dr. Cheryl Watson-Harris, who represent over 60 years of combined successful leadership in the pre-k-12 and higher education space. We have extensive experience in both traditional public and charter public school systems, and community based organizations in Boston, New York, and metro-Atlanta. As a consortium, USS associates include current and retired award-winning equity driven urban change agents.
Why do we exist?
Urban School Specialists recognizes the complexities, challenges, and opportunities, of leading in high poverty, underrepresented communities. We believe that all children are worthy of educational opportunities that will allow them to reach their potential and their preferred future. USS associates have demonstrated success in transforming school districts and youth agencies, accelerating student achievement, with an emphasis on equity, innovation, and preparation for successful citizenship in an ever-shrinking global community.
What do we do?
Urban School Specialists provides strategic assistance to central office school administrators, school leaders, business and community organizations with meeting and surpassing their strategic plan goals.
Urban School Specialists membership provides a host of activities for national and international educators to conference, share academic experiences and successful strategies. We believe that the issues in urban communities are global, making it a necessity to partner with educators and youth advocates across the globe to share best practices.
Assess
Implement
Review
Dr. Roger F. Harris
Founder/President
Dr. Cheryl Watson-Harris
Co-Founder
Dr Roger Harris is an internationally acclaimed educator who has transformed traditional K-12 public schools, created successful charter public schools. For over four decades he has trained, mentored, and coached educational interns who have gone on to become some of the most successful educators in the United States of America. As a university professor, Dr Harris has inspired future generations of teachers and administrators to see themselves as visionary change agents. He is passionate and dedicated to ensuring that the public-school experience successfully prepares all students for 21st century global citizenship.
Distinguished Professor
University of Massachusetts Boston
Dr. Cheryl Watson- Harris is a true champion for children. As a veteran principal, I have witnessed first hand the incredible work she has done supporting schools across New York City. She mentored and provided professional development to school leaders, and has been instrumental in starting the equity work that has lead to many of the practices being used today.”
Dr. Cheryl Watson-Harris is a leader that has a clear vision for centering the needs of children by ensuring she is supporting and developing leaders towards a common vision. She leads with heart and her full authentic self that nurtures the leadership qualities in others to guide you toward realizing your full potential.
Dr. Cheryl Watson-Harris is a leader that has a clear vision for centering the needs of children by ensuring she is supporting and developing leaders towards a common vision. She leads with heart and her full authentic self that nurtures the leadership qualities in others to guide you toward realizing your full potential.
Cheryl is an obvious leader that develops other leaders. Her coaching takes the form of decisive and direct language but more often it was the subtle language of expectations and the knowledge that hard work and focus brings about success. She displays and expects high quality work every minute of every day. She never asks for more than she gave. Her outlook is always positive and no task is too big to accomplish (or sometimes conquer!) and she fully understand that mistakes will be made and how valuable those mistakes were in creating leadership among her colleagues. Among her many leadership strengths is her ability to actively listen and synthesize what she’s heard into positive energy and action. She listens to everyone and that is as strong a skill as exists. Her passion for her work - the work of respecting and taking care of children and their families - defines her as a leader and a coach. Cheryl's greatest gift is helping others to find ways to ignore the busyness of distractions that subtract from that passion and purpose of educators.
Dr. Cheryl Watson-Harris is one of the most remarkable leaders I know. She always centers on the needs of the most marginalized children in our education system and advocates for them in all she does. She is excellent at motivating adults to improve their practice in service of students, and she authentically values their contributions. She approaches problem-solving systemically, identifying and pulling the levers that will produce the most widespread and enduring change for children. She is resilient, determined, and effective at making change happen, always with an authentic smile and enthusiasm that makes you want to follow.
Since returning from Vietnam as a U.S. Marine, Roger Harris has devoted his entire professional career to mentoring and inspiring the successful development of youth, particularly in underserved communities. The acknowledgements and awards he’s received as an educator speak for themselves, and his leadership has inspired those who have gone on to distinguish themselves as outstanding thought leaders, school superintendents, university professors and policy makers, locally, nationally, and internationally.
Dr. Roger F. Harris & Dr. Cheryl Watson-Harris are the epitome of educational leadership. Dedicated visionaries best describe this team. Their combined professional and personal insight uniquely qualify them to make local urban schools and institutions serving youth and their families better. As advisors, superintendents, charter school leaders, and parents, they are committed to student and institutional success.”
Dr. Roger F. Harris has won many awards for his leadership as an educator. He has been vigilant in bringing to his community the talent and resources that provide his students with the best chances of reaching great success on the world stage regardless of their chosen path. Whether seminars for his students at Harvard University, chorus engagements at the White House or field trips to China Dr. Harris has been a powerful advocate and guiding light for the youth wherever he’s served.
Many heroes have emerged from Boston’s neighborhoods, but none that have made the type of positive impact on the youth like Dr. Roger Harris. If there is anyone deserving to have a statue made to honor their legacy, placed outside the Statehouse in Boston Massachusetts it would be my lifelong friend and source of inspiration Dr. Roger “Kevvy” Harris.
Many heroes have emerged from Boston’s neighborhoods, but none that have made the type of positive impact on the youth like Dr. Roger Harris. If there is anyone deserving to have a statue made to honor their legacy, placed outside the Statehouse in Boston Massachusetts it would be my lifelong friend and source of inspiration Dr. Roger “Kevvy” Harris.
Hung Tao Choy Mei Leadership Institute
There is no one more ready to build the hopes, dreams and aspirations for our student learners than Dr. Roger Harris. How do I know? I know because I have witnessed his decades of successful innovation and transformation in urban schools, districts and the communities in which they reside. I can’t think of anyone better to be the champion for students, families and educators than Roger Harris. Furthermore, while he has been recognized and honored for his stellar and results rooted leadership, Roger Harris is an authentic, creative, gamechanger. He is humble but bold in his service on behalf of educators and community members who educate our most vulnerable and underserved student learners. If you are serious about disrupting obstacles that stand in the way of student success, I urge you to contact, Dr. Roger Harris. He will be the difference that will make the difference.
Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color
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