| News for the Education Profession |  |
- Seattle school looks to AP classes to enhance its academic reputation
By adding tough new AP courses, a Seattle-area high school hopes to draw more students, resulting in more district and state funding. "A lot of times when people are picking schools for their students, that's one of the things that they're looking for," said interim principal Wayne Floyd. "It just gives the perception to the school that it's a quality school." The Seattle Times
(12/7)       
- Ruling: Wisconsin online charter school violates state law
Wisconsin's online education programs may be in peril after a court ordered the state to stop funding a virtual charter school on the grounds the model requires parents to assume the role of state-licensed teachers. A parents group that advocates for online schooling warned that the appeals court ruling also could affect districts' distance learning programs. eSchool News (free registration)
(12/7)
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Minnesota district to open new online program: Beginning next fall, students throughout the state of Minnesota will be able to earn a high school diploma from the Brooklyn Center School District via a new online program, after the Brooklyn Center school board this week unanimously approved a contract with Insight Schools Inc., a network of online high schools throughout the U.S. There currently are about 21 certified online schools already offering K-12 education in Minnesota. Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.)
(12/5)
 | Join Choice Literacy for workshops at the beautiful Sand Key Resort in Clearwater, Florida on January 27th, 2008. Featuring "The Sisters" (Daily 5) and Jennifer Allen. Topics include literacy coaching, assessment and goal setting, and classroom design. Registration fee includes a DVD workshop kit and
dozens of print resources. Click here for details. |
- Will Congress seek to reward "highly qualified" principals?
The accountability spotlight may soon turn to school principals as two organizations recently offered up policy guidelines for assessing principals' effectiveness and suggesting compensation reforms, and House lawmakers have bandied about language for awarding bonuses to quality principals. "There's increased awareness on the part of policymakers that in this age of accountability, you have to have skilled principals who know a lot more about curriculum and instruction and how to work with faculty in creating the conditions for improved student achievement," said Gene Bottoms, the Southern Regional Education Board's SVP. Education Week (premium article access compliments of EdWeek.org)
(12/6)
- Geography teacher named 2008 Arkansas Teacher of the Year
Concerned about how few students of color were taking AP geography, Arkansas teacher Paul T. Gray Jr. recruited black students in an effort to reduce the racial achievement gap. "Since I love what I do so much, I try to give every student the best I have that day," Gray said. "Students need me to hustle in the classroom because our enemy is mediocrity." Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock) (free registration)
(12/6)
- New video game aims to teach ethical decision-making
An educational role-playing video game may soon help pre-teens learn ethical decision making and other skills difficult to teach via traditional textbooks. "We want them to really wrestle with doing things and ask, 'Is it good for me, or is it good for everyone else?'" said developer Doug Thomas, a University of Southern California associate professor. "It's not just a game but also the conversation that happens around it." The Globe and Mail (Toronto)/Reuters
(12/6)
 | Ready to level the playing field for your English learners? You can with Imagine Learning English, a delightful multimedia tutoring system for English learners. With individualized instruction, first-language support and instructive feedback, students progress quickly in a safe environment. Click here for a video demo of Imagine Learning English. |
| Policy Watch |  | |
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- Childhood obesity makes for uncertain future in U.S. health care
Growing rates of childhood obesity will likely affect health-care budgets and may influence U.S. health care reforms, some medical experts say. "If we do not arrest, and then reverse, the current rate of health-status deterioration, nearly all other initiatives to improve efficiency and effectiveness combined will not be sufficient to offset its effects," said health-care expert Paul Mango. Financial Times (free content)
(12/6)
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| The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
Sign up for a free subscription to Mentoring in the 21st Century™ and Just for the ASKing! These monthly e-newsletters provide advice, insights, and suggestions helpful to mentors as they strive to support new teachers and helpful tips for administrators as they strive to be instructional leaders in schools. Sign up for both by clicking HERE!
Interested in learning more about advertising in ASCD SmartBrief? Contact Joe Riddle at (202) 407-7857 or jriddle@smartbrief.com.
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| In the Field | | |
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- Many California students still fail fitness tests
California students are in slightly better shape than they were a year ago, but many are still failing to pass basic state fitness tests, according to the state's Department of Education. About 40% of the state's fifth, seventh and ninth graders failed an aerobic fitness test. Los Angeles Times
(12/7)
| Association News | | |
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Twenty-two Organizations Partner with ASCD to Help Educate the Whole Child
Twenty-two national organizations have joined with ASCD as partners in ASCD's whole child initiative. The partners, who represent leading education, health, arts and civic organizations, have committed to promoting the whole child cause by sharing information with their members and providing resources and expertise to ASCD, its network of advocates and the general public. Find out more.
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The Essentials of Science, Grades 7-12: Effective Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
Through examples of classroom practice, interviews with award-winning science teachers and science education experts, and a thorough review of the research, the author of "The Essentials of Science" shows how science classes are going beyond lectures, textbooks, rote memorization and lab demonstrations. This book, with its wide-ranging look at secondary-level science curriculum, instruction and assessment, provides a view of where science education in the U.S. is heading. See sample chapters
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| Lecturer, Assistant, Associate or Full Professor - Special Education | CUNY City College | New York, NY |
| Assistant, Associate or Full Professor (Childhood Edu) | CUNY Hunter College | New York, NY |
| Director Of Elementary Education | Fairfield Public Schools/Fairfield, Connecticut | Central Office/Fairfield Public Schools |
| System Administrator | Friendship Public Charter Schools | District Office |
| Technology Support Specialist | Friendship Public Charter School | District Office |
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| Principal | National Heritage Academies | Cincinnati, Oh; Metro-Detroit, MI; Denver, Co; Washington D.C.; Raleigh, NC; Cincinnati, OH |
| Exceptional Education Teacher | Lee County Schools | Sanford, North Carolina |
| Principal for Middle School | Lee County Schools | Sanford, North Carolina |
| Lecturer, Asst, Assoc or Full Professor - Educational Foundations | CUNY City College | New York, NY |
| Chief Academic Officer | St. Louis Public Schools | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Lecturer - Secondary Science Education | CUNY City College | New York, NY |
| Assistant Superintendent of Schools | School District of Clayton | Clayton, Missouri |
| High School Principal | Propel Charter School | Munhall PA |
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