Daniel Loughran (@danloughran55) | #BowTieTuesday

Published by Bow Tie Joe on March 6, 2018March 6, 2018

Introduction: After being overwhelmed and inundated with copious amounts of work for my doctoral program we are back for another #BowTieTuesday Educator Spotlight!  This week it goes to an educator that I have had the pleasure of getting to know during my experience in my doctoral program. A comedic genius, and lifelong learner, the Edu-Rock Star that I’ll be recognizing this week is none other than Mr. Daniel Loughran (@danloughran55), an Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for Franklin Township Public Schools.

Educational Pursuit: Dan is as seasoned as they get in the realm of education. Dan had ambitions of being a cross country coach (having participated in the sport at the college level) and figured since he was fairly adept at reading and writing, he would re-enter this classroom as a high school English teacher. To his delight, he realized that the principles that worked for coaching were the same in the classroom as well. Fast forward an undisclosed amount of time and Dan is currently in pursuit of his doctorate, with a concentration in Education, Culture, and Society from Rutgers University.

Most Memorable Moment: When questioned about the most memorable moment in his storied career, Dan spoke of the growth and development, both as a learner and as a person, that he has been able to witness among the students in school districts that he has had the pleasure of working alongside. Similarly, Dan has also enjoyed in the growth and development of the staff members that he collaborates with. Their success is critical to success for any organization and a priority for him as an organizational leader.

Personal Learning Interests: While I have learned much about Dan’s intense desire to understand the inequities among different socio-economic groups and how they contribute to pervasive gaps in student achievement, he also shared with me that he has agreed to write and present a paper at an international Bruce Springsteen Symposium at Monmouth University in April. In addition to being a world-class scholar, he is also an avid Bruce fan.

The Fun Stuff

Donny’s go-to Karaoke Song: Badlands, by Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen

Donny’s Inside Scoop: When he was 17 years old he once ran 100 miles in a single week that included a flat 5K race in Long Branch in 15:59 and a very hilly 10K race in Bernardsville in 32:21.

Thank you, Donny Loughran, for your heartfelt efforts to improve education each and every day you step foot inside a classroom. Who would have known that our dinner conversations offering humor and advice at the beginning of our doctoral program would translate into the friendship we have nowadays and the positive impact you have had on my PLN! I truly appreciate all that you do to keep moving education forward.