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Steven Blackburn

Uncategorized

3 Key Strategies to Promote Positive Mental Health for School Staff video


Uncategorized

3 Key Strategies to Promote Positive Mental Health for School Staff

A District Administration Web Seminar The pandemic has created very difficult times for students and staff. Michele Gay, co-founder, Safe and Sound Schools and Dr. Scott Poland, international suicide prevention […]
Coronavirus

7 leadership strategies to help teachers improve online learning

A new study offers advice on how instruction leaders can make remote learning more impactful and effective.
Uncategorized

How Multiple Districts Nationwide Are Moving 1:1 Initiatives To Critical Remote Learning Infrastructures video
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A Nationwide Look at Career Readiness Trends in Middle & High Schools video


Curriculum & Instruction

3 resources to improve math teaching & learning during COVID-19

Here are three useful resources for education leaders, teachers and policy makers to strengthen the teaching and learning of mathematics during the era of COVID-19.
FULFILLING THE NEED—Educators in Wake County, N.C., identified about 10,000 students who lacked internet access. Activate Good, a local nonprofit, stepped up. A team of 140 community volunteers worked alongside 70 district staff volunteers to get more than 10,000 AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots prepped for distribution to students’ homes.
Briefings

4 best practices for more equitable internet access

Learn what school district leaders can do to find out which families and educators still need reliable internet access and then help those households to connect in the new school year.
The new racial school policy at Indianapolis Public Schools is the latest installment in the Indiana district's ongoing effort to eliminate racism and biases, including its push to make every building a racial equity school and to include more racially diverse books in the classroom.
Business, finance, policy, compliance, operations

What Indianapolis Public Schools’ racial equity policy accomplishes

Indianapolis Public Schools recently approved a systemwide racial school policy as part of an ongoing effort to curtail racism and biases in the Indiana district.
In addition to schools that are paying for AP tests and expanding school summer programs, Lansing School District 158's Equity in Facilities initiative is closing the achievement gap through school construction projects.
Assessment

3 districts closing achievement gaps with at-risk and minority students

These Districts of Distinction runners-up are paying for AP tests and dual-credit classes, expanding summer programs for all students and providing more opportunities for students through construction projects.
Before automating math interventions to help students struggling with math, 84% of Williamsville Central School District students in grade 5 passed the final exam. Since the district began using grade free tests at all four middle schools, the district’s passing rate has increased to 90%. The first pilot school now has a 95% passing rate.
Assessment and standards

How Williamsville Central School District is helping students struggling with math

Williamsville Central School District has developed software that automatically assigns students to attend labs where they math interventions if they get questions wrong on grade free tests, which all four of the New York district’s middle schools administer every morning.
In addition to exploring science outside and dissecting science in the news, students also did science experiments with household items such as creating and testing bridges made out of paper and tape.
Coronavirus

Creativity in Crisis: Exploring science using everyday items and in the great outdoors

During school closures, science instructors at a Massachusetts school system encouraged students to find examples of science in their backyards and neighborhoods, analyze science in the news and perform experiments using household items.
School salary cuts and lead to low school morale and teacher resignations, so district leaders need to focus on boosting teacher morale. 
Coronavirus

How to boost morale and prevent resignations during salary cuts

A vast majority of K-12 employees say they would most likely leave their job if their district made significant cuts to their salary and benefits.
When planning graduation, Kennett High School came up with creating a ski lift graduation at Cranmore Mountain resort.
Community engagement

“We graduated from on top of a mountain!”

Graduating seniors from a local school in New Hampshire did more to celebrate their completion of high school than just a drive-by graduation. Each student received their own private celebration with their loved ones from on top of a mountain.
School donations are on the rise as businesses continue to send used devices so every student can access online learning but district leaders need to determine whether or not to accept donated equipment such as laptop donations.
Data storage/content management

Should schools accept donated devices for online learning?

School leaders are under pressure to provide every student with a device for online learning in the fall as many districts plan to adopt some form of blended learning even if campuses reopen.
School temperature screening can be improved using thermal video technology that performs thermal detection. Some thermal camera platforms can perform mass fever screening of many students simultaneously to reduce the mitigation of COVID-19.
Coronavirus

How technology can streamline and improve temperature screening

District leaders can improve and streamline the process of screening student temperatures by using thermal camera technology. Here are five points district leaders should consider before implementation.