Eric Cooper, president of the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education, will kick off the new school year in the Liverpool Central School District with a presentation at Liverpool High School.

The community is invited to hear Cooper speak about “Home and School Collaboration: Connecting with All Students” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 7 in the LHS auditorium.

The evening will include a panel discussion with Cooper and several special guests.

In addition to being the president of the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education (NUA), Cooper also served in a similar position as executive director for the NUA at Columbia University’s Teachers College and as adjunct associate professor for seven years. Prior to this position, he was the vice president for in-service training and telecommunications for the Simon & Schuster Education Group.

Cooper has worked in the capacities of associate director of program development for the College Board, administrative assistant in the office of curriculum for the Boston Public Schools and director of a treatment center for emotionally disturbed students, in addition to working as a teacher, researcher, counselor and Washington Fellow.

He is the co-founder of the Urban Partnership for Literacy with the International Reading Association, is working with the National Council of Teachers of English to support improvements in urban education and collaborates with the Council of Great City Schools.

He serves on the boards of the National Council on Educating Black Children, SoundWaters (an environmental education agency dedicated to preserving the Long Island Sound) and Stamford Achieves, whose mission is to eliminate the achievement gaps in Stamford, Conn.

In addition to his evening presentation, Cooper will speak with LCSD teachers, staff members and administrators as part of the district’s opening day activities on Sept. 7.