Ariana Fine

South Bend School Board names its new superintendent

Deputy Superintendent C. Todd Cummings has been promoted to be the Indiana district's new superintendent. He will replace Kenneth Spells when he leaves at the end of the school year.

Schaumburg educator hired as Illinois district’s next leader

Peter Hannigan, currently assistant superintendent for human resources at Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54, will be the next superintendent in Hawthorn Elementary District 73. The district in 2018-19 has been led by two interim superintendents after former Superintendent Nick Brown took a position in Indiana.

Montville names Laurie Pallin as superintendent of schools

Acting Superintendent of Schools Laurie Pallin has been permanently appointed to head up the Connecticut school district. She has served as acting superintendent since April 2018 when the school district placed former superintendent Brian Levesque on paid leave. Pallin has worked in the Montville school district since 1992.

The growing number of solar-powered schools

When it comes to solar schools, rural communities have one potential advantage over urban ones: They might have more land to set up a solar array big enough to put schools into a “net positive” energy situation. However, solar-powered schools are not a magic solution that will pay to replace every outdated school. It's unclear just how much those energy sales might produce, especially as the price of solar power goes down.

Board management platform adopted by Texas district

NXTBoard has announced a new partnership with Mesquite ISD in Texas, where the district will use NXTBoard's board management software to ensure effective roll-out of its Accreditation Evaluation System.

Why some boys can keep up with girls in school

A study shows the Asian-American gender academic gap starts later, giving educators insight into how to help boys of all races and pointing to the influence of social pressures. The study adds to a growing body of research suggesting that the gap is largely because of something external: their school environments and peer influences.

You Choose Books now offered on Amazon Alexa

Capstone is working with Amazon Alexa to offer its You Choose Books on Alexa-enabled devices. The project launches with a library of 50 You Choose Adventures titles for ages 8-12, from global discovery and space exploration to extreme sports and epic history.

Raz-Plus ELL Texas Edition gains approval

Learning A-Z's Raz-Plus ELL Texas Edition has been included in the Texas State Board of Education 2019 Proclamation Adoption list for English language arts and reading instruction for grades K5.

Georgia governor unveils school safety plan

Gov. Brian Kemp unveiled plans to devote $69 million in one-time funds for school security grants. The school safety plan will include $30,000 for each of the state's 2,294 public schools. Gov. Kemp also wants to put a mental health counselor in all 343 state public high schools.

School lunches shrink as districts feel heat from government shutdown

The federal government's budget stalemate is causing lunches to shrink at one North Carolina school district. Vance County Schools officials announced that lunch menus will be more minimal in order to conserve food and their current funding. Fresh produce, bottled juices and water, and ice cream are among the items being excluded.

Testing in N.C. schools could get less stressful

State Schools Superintendent Mark Johnson announced several changes that the state Department of Public Instruction will make for testing to reduce the amount of stress on students and teachers. Changes include state exams with fewer questions, allowing students to leave the exams sooner and easing rules requiring exam proctors.

How one S.C. school district is making a move toward year-round schooling

The Oconee County School District could become the first in South Carolina to move toward year-round education. It is considering adopting a modified calendar for the 2020-21 school year that would shorten summer vacation from 11 to seven weeks and create two-week holidays at the end of every nine-week grading period.

People Watch: California’s Esparato USD school superintendent leaving for Hollister

Esparto USD's superintendent of schools, Diego Ochoa, has given his resignation to accept a similar position in Hollister in California.

Teacher strike is a fight for the future of public education

Union leaders have framed the LAUSD educator strike as a fight for the future of public education. But for teachers on the ground, it's about getting day-to-day help so they might be able to pay more individual attention to their students.

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