Prior to summer 2015, the process of putting board meeting agendas in the hands of the board members of Mohawk Local Schools in Sycamore, Ohio, was entirely manual. Administrative Secretary Jackie Messersmith would type up agendas and file them in large binders, which also held agendas and minutes from previous meetings. The binders were then […]
Reliable, affordable and advanced networking is essential to every educational institution. Demand for communication services that support WANs, Wi-Fi and high-bandwidth educational applications continues to rise as curriculum and instruction increasingly shifts to technology-rich environments. With a shift in E-rate funding related to upfront expenses, providers of Private Lit Fiber have taken an increased interest […]
What are the benefits of an effective family engagement program? Decades of research shows that family engagement is the number one driver of student success. Engaged families result in lower truancy rates, higher test scores, and higher graduation rates. Having positive relationships with families reduces teacher stress and increases their sense of community and belonging. […]
Cloud usage is on the rise. In 2014, schools delivered only 42 percent of their IT solutions fully or partially via cloud. In just two years, that number jumped to 67 percent and in three years, K-12 IT pros expect that number to reach 74 percent, according to CDW-G's K-12 Cloud Possibilities infographic. Those numbers […]
A focus on teaching social-emotional skills—persistence, resilience, communication and other non-cognitive abilities—has led to an obvious jump in reading and math scores in Nevada's Washoe County School District. Washoe's students are now "less likely to be suspended, more likely to attend school, and they graduate at a much higher rate than students who didn't have […]
Here are three approaches to social-emotional learning Washoe County Schools, Nevada District social-emotional learning standards address five crucial competencies—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and decision-making. The district has defined indicators for development in each area, such as "demonstrates knowledge of personal strengths, challenges and potential." Each school in the district has a social-emotional learning […]
Julie Lindsay believes that, in today's increasingly turbulent societies, it is vital that children experience other cultures and develop the skills that will help them in a connected world. These learners will be "better prepared to be productive and compassionate citizens in a global economy and they are able to improve their communication skills, collaborate […]
Using tablets, apps and YouTube videos, students at Greenwood Elementary School in the Wayzata Public Schools in Minnesota have added new virtual elements to paintings and other artwork, so their masterpieces include videos that not only get them engaged, but also help them better understand ideas behind the art itself. It's a technology called augmented […]
In less than a generation, schools have entered a complex new world of security concerns. They have gone from a focus on fire drills to “hardening” against intruders to deter the rising threat of shootings and copycat violence across the nation. With 74 school shootings since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, money is being […]
It's never too early to start thinking about college and careers. And that's why kindergarteners at Kankakee School District in Illinois are already on the right path. Superintendent Genevra Walters, and her two adult children, attended the suburban district 60 miles south of Chicago, while her young son is currently enrolled. In May 2014, when […]
