Monthly Archives: August 2015

Making the Case for Social Media in Schools | Edutopia

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By Jim Asher

“Do you have a Twitter account? Do you use Instagram?” I ask those questions of all teacher applicants at Jackson P. Burley Middle School, and Im surprised by how many people answer, “No.” Or, “Well, I set up an account a while ago, but I dont really use it.”

I dont expect every person to be a tech expert with every type of social media. I doubt, for example, that most regular users of Microsoft Word know how many features that program actually has. However, social media is integrated throughout my school. I want all of the teachers at my school to know at least the basics of social media — ideally, theyre more than proficient.

When I started at Burley four years ago, the school had a Twitter account for informational purposes, and few teachers had accounts. I then opened an Instagram account for the school and went “paperless” for school and administrative communications. I started a Blackboard account for faculty and staff, and began using that for weekly communications, faculty meetings, staff professional development, and more.

via Making the Case for Social Media in Schools | Edutopia.

Early College High School program a bridge between high school and college – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Vacaville Unified classes resume Aug. 13, but, for nearly 50 incoming freshman the sound of a teacher’s or counselor’s voice rang in their ears Wednesday, when they became the third group of students in as many years to join the district’s Early College High School program.

Sitting in a lecture hall at the Solano Community College Vacaville Center, the teenagers listened as Elizabeth Urabe, a district counselor and head coordinator of the program, detailed how to write a formal e-mail to a college professor.

“Keep it short but be specific,” she said, adding that the students — all of them enrolled at Will C. Wood High School as part of the program — should avoid text message-style writing.

“Use proper capitalization, grammar and spelling,” said Urabe, formerly an English teacher at Wood.

via Early College High School program a bridge between high school and college.

St. Mark’s helps families get ready for school year – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

Summer is drawing to a close and school is about to begin, but many children will start the school year without some basic supplies.

That’s where the St. Mark’s Lutheran Church Resource Fair comes in.

The event Saturday gave parents a chance to get a free backpack with school supplies and learn about programs offered in Solano County to benefit low-income families.

St. Mark’s for the past eight years has hosted its back-to-school day event with more than 1,200 families coming to get a free backpack. This year the number will also include 350 empty backpacks that will be distributed later to children who are in need.

via St. Mark’s helps families get ready for school year.

Debate Heats Up Over Starting School Later In Day | Benicia, CA Patch

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By Marc Torrence

Cranky teenagers aren’t the only ones who think school should start later in the morning.

Many influential scientists agree with them.

Teenagers who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to use drugs and alcohol, be overweight and underperform academically, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. The center recommends at least 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep per night, and that schools should start at 8:30 a.m. at the earliest.

But that’s not exactly happening across America.

via Debate Heats Up Among Teachers, Administrators, Scientists Over Starting School Later In Day | Benicia, CA Patch.

Maintenance, budget revision on DUSD agenda – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

When Dixon Unified leaders meet tonight, they likely will approve a bid to repair the district office building on First Street, approve a $15,000 contract with a Sacramento lobbying firm, and hear a report on the 45-day budget revision for 2015-16.

John Calise, the district’s manager for maintenance and operations, is expected to reveal the lowest bid received to repair the damaged roof trusses at the district offices. At press time, he had not opened and reviewed all the bids. Calise will review the bid history in detail at the meeting.

Trustees also are expected to approve a 10-month contract with Blattner & Associates to lobby on legislative issues related to the district’s interests. A former journalist, Bob Blattner, formerly vice president of School Services of California, an advocacy service for school districts, is a registered lobbyist. The contract will pay for advice and assistance for legislative advocacy on behalf of Dixon Unified.

via Maintenance, budget revision on DUSD agenda.

Facilities fees, budget revision, sub teacher salary increases on VUSD agenda – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

A public hearing about proposed school facilities fees, a Measure A bond pricing update, a 45-day school district budget revision, and a report on substitute teacher and school-support employee salary increases are on the agenda when Vacaville Unified leaders meet tonight.

A Sacramento-based firm, School Facility Consultants, recommended to the district that it raise school facilities fees from $2.05 per square foot to $3.36 per square foot for residential development and to 54 cents per square foot, from 33 cents per square foot, for commercial/industrial development.

In its executive summary to the board, the consulting firm noted the fees were justified because the district’s projected enrollment “is larger than its pupil capacity for the K-6 grade group.” Eventually, a projected influx of new students “will require the District to acquire new school facilities,” the report’s authors wrote.

via Facilities fees, budget revision, sub teacher salary increases on VUSD agenda.

Supervisors honor Dixon school for academic achievement – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday honored C.A. Jacobs Intermediate School and the Mare Island Technology Academy with designations spelled out in resolutions.

The middle school on North Lincoln Street, C.A. Jacobs also was honored with a Title 1 Achievement Award. A Title 1 school is one, under federal guidelines, that has a majority of low-income students.

“C.A. Jacobs didn’t just show us a model program; they showed us a model school!” Jay Speck, the county superintendent of schools, said in the resolution.

The focus of the gold ribbon awards is to recognize California schools that have made “tremendous” gains in the carrying out of academic content and performance standards adopted by the state Board of Education for all students, including English learners.

via Supervisors honor Dixon school for academic achievement.

Solano College board hears 2 sides in proposed change to committee bylaws – Daily Republic

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By Kevin W. Green

There appears to be a difference of opinion about the role of the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee at Solano Community College that oversees the $348 million bond measure that voters passed in 2012, known as Measure Q.

Committee Chairman Lyman Dennis told the college’s governing board Wednesday that a change is proposed to the committee bylaws. Mark Kelley, with the San Francisco-based law firm of Dannis Woliver Kelley, spoke in opposition to that change.

“We are an independent committee and feel we should be able to change our bylaws,” Dennis said.

via Solano College board hears 2 sides in proposed change to committee bylaws.

Making the Most of Back-to-School Communications | Edutopia

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By Anne OBrien

We all know that the back-to-school season is exciting — not just for students and educators, but for parents, businesses, and the media as well. Its a time when the greater community is primed to pay attention to its schools. As Nora Carr, Chief of Staff for Guilford County (NC) Schools and former president of the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) has written, “In terms of PR heaven, it doesnt get any better than this.”

So its important that educators consider back-to-school communications a key part of their work, taking advantage of this once-a-year opportunity to spread the word about whats happening in their school (or district) and set the tone for the engagement of families and other stakeholders for the rest of the school year.

via Making the Most of Back-to-School Communications | Edutopia.

Vallejo school district passes on PR consultant – Times Herald

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By John Glidden

Months after the Vallejo school superintendent declared a need for the community to receive “positive” news about the district, an official confirmed Friday that the district has halted negotiations for a public relations position.

Vallejo City Unified School District spokeswoman Alana Shackelford stated by e-mail that “the district has decided to move in a different direction,” regarding a contract with Joe Wolfcale to become the district’s public relations consultant specialist.

During a March meeting, Superintendent Ramona Bishop stated that there is a “misrepresentation of the truth that continues to be in this community (about the district).”

“We are not interested in a spin doctor,” Bishop said at the time. “We are interested in transparent and accurate reporting around the positive things that are going on in our school district.”

via Vallejo school district passes on PR consultant.

Federal Government Shutdown on the Horizon? – Education Week

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By Lauren Camera

When Congress returns from its five-week summer break Sept. 8, lawmakers will scramble to avert a government shutdown before Oct. 1, when the curtain closes on the current fiscal year.

To do so, theyll have to broker a deal to either continue current spending levels for a certain period of time—something known as a continuing resolution, or CR—or hash out a broader, all-inclusive spending plan called an omnibus. They could also settle on a combination of the two, in which they agree on an all-inclusive spending plan for a limited period of time, a hybrid fiscal fix known inside the Beltway as a “cromnibus.”

Though collectively the House and Senate navigated farther this year through the appropriations process for the 12 federal agencies, including for the U.S. Department of Education, than they have in more than a decade, they are still slated to fall short of completing the spending bills in regular order.

via Federal Government Shutdown on the Horizon? – Politics K-12 – Education Week.

Ditching the Desk | Edutopia

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By Nicholas Provenzano

I decided to focus on learning spaces this year in the classroom and around my school. It led me to create a makerspace in my schools library, but it also led me to take a hard look at the classroom. Last summer, I visited my classroom and decided to change it around. The entire process started with one simple question: “Is this room designed for me or for my students?” It was on this question that I based every decision I made when it came to designing the room.

The Benefits of Desk-Free Teaching

The major change that I made in the classroom was deciding to get rid of my teacher desk. It wasnt an easy decision, but when I asked my one simple question, I realized that the entire room was designed around the desk, making it seem as if this was my classroom and the students were just visiting. I wanted to change that idea. I wanted the students to start feeling that it was their classroom and I was part of it. There were plenty of funny looks from teachers and students when they noticed the desk was gone, but I really learned some incredible things about myself and about my classroom by ditching the desk.

via Ditching the Desk | Edutopia.

States may soon have to report on progress of homeless, foster youth | EdSource

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By Susan Frey

The U.S. Congress may soon be following California’s lead in requiring states to provide data on the academic progress of all homeless and foster youth and provide additional resources to those students.

A bill amending the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to include homeless and foster youth as two new subgroups of students has passed the U.S. Senate, and two similar bills are being considered by the House of Representatives. Under the current version of the ESEA, known as No Child Left Behind, student subgroups are based on race and ethnicity, English learner status and disability.

“Too many students in our classrooms are worried about where they will sleep that night, where their next meal will come from, or who they can turn to if they need help,” said Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., who introduced a homeless and foster youth bill in the House with Rep. Tom Marino, R-Pa.

via States may soon have to report on progress of homeless, foster youth | EdSource.

Teachers summit draws thousands to sites across California | EdSource

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By John Fensterwald

About 15,000 California teachers and principals gave up one of their summer vacation days to talk among themselves Friday about a subject that, depending on how the school day is going, can excite, inspire, frustrate or irritate: the Common Core.

Better Together brought together educators at 33 locations statewide to simultaneously share strategies, classroom victories and mistakes about the new academic standards in math and English language arts. The free event was organized by California State University, the Santa Cruz-based New Teacher Center and an association of the state’s independent private colleges and was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

via Teachers summit draws thousands to sites across California | EdSource.