| News for the Education Profession |  |
- Fla. school scraps regular science lessons amid prep for science FCAT
One Palm Beach high school has directed all 11th-grade science teachers there to throw out seven weeks of the curriculum and instead spend the time reviewing in preparation for the science portion of Florida's standardized test, after last year's class scored poorly. "We have to understand that the FCAT is a reality," said Jon Prince, the school's principal. "It's robbing Peter to pay Paul." The Palm Beach Post (Fla.)
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- Boston superintendent outlines agenda
In her first major policy address, new Boston Superintendent Carol Johnson unveiled plans to improve art and music education, add college opportunities for high school students and beef up programs for struggling students. "Unless [the school system] is perceived as offering a broader array of exemplary schools and programs of choice, parents have and will make choices outside of Boston public schools," she said. The Boston Globe
(1/31)
 | Spend 5 minutes a week this winter to become a better literacy leader. Subscribe to The Big Fresh, our FREE weekly e-newsletter of resources for K-12 literacy coaches and teachers. Tools, tips, & strategies featuring practical & friendly advice — study group guides, observation templates, booklists, and more. Click here for free samples and to sign up. |
- Educators risk jobs to protest low pay, crumbling buildings
Thousands of Puerto Rican teachers may strike as soon
as tomorrow -- calling for a pay increase, reduced class sizes and school building repairs -- even though it may cost them their jobs. "I can't take 30 years of this," said chemistry teacher Felicita Figueroa, 28, who earns $19,500 a year. "If I am going to quit in three or four years because I'm not able to save anything, it doesn't make a difference if they kick me out now," she added. Google/Associated Press
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 | In her short DVD Fluency Rubric Debbie Diller shows how students can record themselves reading and score their fluency on a four-step scale, giving them a fun new tool for monitoring pace and expression with a partner or by themselves. 12-min. DVD + Viewing Guide. Click here for details, including a sample clip! |
- Book: Teachers must acknowledge racial issues
Educators must shed ideals of color-blindness and instead freely discuss racial issues, says Mica Pollock in a new book of essays, "Everyday Antiracism: Getting Real About Race in School." "We talk about racial achievement gaps, but that's not the same thing," said Wendy Luttrell, a Harvard University associate professor of human development and education, who has an essay in the book. "The most important thing, I think, is for teachers to be talking with each other about how they work with students and confront any kind of inflammatory language among students." Education Week (premium article access compliments of EdWeek.org)
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 | The first book to guide administrators on how to verify the proper implementation of the SIOP model for ALL English learners! The SIOP Model for Administrators provides a clear overview of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol model and how it relates to administrators, giving you a better understanding of how to accurately assess your teachers' training and implementation of the SIOP Model. To learn more, click here. |
- Student teams search schools for energy savings
Armed with light meters and infrared temperature guns, student-staffed Green Teams are patrolling Maryland school buildings in a quest to find ways to conserve energy. "The youth of today can really help make a difference in their small grass-roots efforts," said senior Neeti Goel. The Washington Post
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- Report: Open-source course software wins educators' praise
The open-source course-management software Moodle offers educators the ability to develop tailored lessons, according to a new Consortium for School Networking report. "We kind of view it as a ... multipurpose tool," says networking and security manager Jeff Crawford, whose East Grand Rapids, Mich., district introduced Moodle a few years ago. "It has done a lot of cool and creative things and provided [new] solutions for teachers and students." eSchool News
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 | Prevent reading failure. Lexia Reading is designed to give your at-risk students a chance to practice their reading skills. Research proves Lexia increases reading proficiency. That's why Lexia is America's most praised reading skills software and has already been adopted by over 10,000 schools.
Free 60-day trial materials. |
| Policy Watch |  | |
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- School budgets tighten as real-estate markets slow
The cooling real-estate market is beginning to affect D.C.-area schools as dropping property values lead to unexpected budget shortfalls. That's forcing some systems to implement cost-cutting measures such as deferring teacher raises and limiting or delaying certain academic programs. The Washington Post
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Interested in learning more about advertising in ASCD SmartBrief? Contact Joe Riddle at (202) 737-5500 x228 or jriddle@smartbrief.com.
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| In the Field | | |
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- Virginia senators vote to ban trans fats from schools
Virginia senators have unanimously approved a bill to eliminate all trans fats from food items sold at public school cafeterias and vending machines. "So much of the food children eat is from the school system, so the system ought to be providing nutritious and trans fat-free food," said the bill's sponsor, Democratic state Sen. John S. Edwards. The Washington Post
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- Commentary: Endowments could offer tuition relief
With private colleges boasting record endowment gains, two U.S. senators are asking why tuition continues to rise so quickly. It's a good question, says this Christian Science Monitor commentary, and the senators' proposal to require higher-education institutions with ample funds to spend 5% of their endowments on tuition relief has merit, although most U.S. students attend public colleges whose budgets are contingent on the state of the economy at large, not endowments. The Christian Science Monitor
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| Association News | | |
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2008 Annual Conference: Courageous Leadership for Positive Change
Devastated by Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans citizens and Americans across the nation have worked hard to rebuild the Big Easy and provide an appropriate school environment for students who are returning. ASCD will contribute to that industrious spirit by holding the 2008 Annual Conference and Exhibit Show "Reinventing Schools: Courageous Leadership for Positive Change," in New Orleans on March 15 to 17. The ASCD Homepage highlights this event and offers information on sessions, becoming a conference volunteer, the DonorsChoose Challenge and more. View the ASCD Homepage
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EdBlog Watch: Britannica Off the Shelf
Nearly 250 years old, the venerable Encyclopaedia Britannica charges into the blogosphere. Long known for its factual authority and objectivity, Encyclopaedia Britannica might seem like an odd host for a blog. An ASCD blog post highlights the Britannica Blog and describes how it pulls together prominent voices from various fields, presents a multidisciplinary smorgasbord of intelligent and lively entries, and includes regular posts from sharp-sighted luminaries such as Joanne Jacobs and Karin Chenoweth. View the post
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 Principal - Glenwood Elementary School (Application Deadline: 2/29/08) | Danville Public Schools | Danville, Virginia |
| Principal - Galileo High School (Application Deadline: 2/29/08) | Danville Public Schools | Danville, Virginia |
| Associate Superintendent for Educational Services | Township High School District 214 | 2121 S. Goebbert Rd., Arlington Heights, IL 60005 |
| Founding Principal | Noble Street Charter School | Chicago, IL |
| K-12 Teaching Jobs | Carney, Sandoe & Associates | Nationwide |
| Associate Director of Education | DYS Programs | Hampshire Educational Collaborative | Northampton, MA and statewide |
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| Principal | National Heritage Academies | Cincinnati, Oh; Metro-Detroit, MI; Raleigh, NC; |
| Director for Curriculum & Instruction | Twin Valley School District | District Office |
| Middle School Principal | Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School | Summit, NJ |
| High School Principal | Garden City Public Schools | Garden City, New York |
| Director of Implementation and Planning | Taylor Associates | Long Island, NY |
| President, Nonprofit Corporation | Rocky Mountain Center for Health Promotion and Education | Lakewood, Colorado |
| Houseparents, Full-Time | Milton Hershey School | Hershey, PA |
| Lecturer, Asst, Assoc or Full Prof - Early Childhood Education | CUNY City College | New York, NY |
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