School district administrators hate it when they stumble across closets full of unused computing devices or visit classrooms where whiteboards are being used as very expensive chalkboards. Technology leaders at Dysart USD in the Phoenix suburbs had real-world experience with this phenomenon and were determined to make changes, says Diana Hawari, chief information officer. "Buying […]
Whether it results from misinformation, staff complaints or faculty disagreements about new policies, all districts face employee issues. Some have learned better than others how to address problems early, before they erupt. "In large districts, there's more opportunity for a communication breakdown" says Jeff Filloon, HR director at Chandler USD in Arizona. "Most problems can […]
Last fall, a national problem arrived in Superintendent Richard Scaletta's corner of rural northwestern Pennsylvania. Principals in the General McLane School District began reporting unprecedented levels of misbehavior: students in frequent and severe distress, sometimes kicking, biting or throwing things.
When hiring teachers, districts are more likely to select better candidates if they use screening tools designed to align closely with actual classroom experiences and expectations, according to a recent study of Los Angeles USD undertaken by CALDER, an education policy arm of the American Institutes for Research. A hiring process that reflects specific classroom […]
In Florida's Collier County Public Schools, educators' use of social media to connect with parents and the broader community started with "a coalition of the willing" says Greg Turchetta, executive director of communications and community development. "Resistance is at every turn. We started with school administrative teams and school accounts." Once the administrators became comfortable […]
School leaders everywhere have experienced parent, staff and student anxiety about school safety following the tragic attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. While these emotionally charged climates are understandable, making knee-jerk decisions with a "do something, do anything, do it now" mantra can lead to high-risk, high-liability actions that administrators and […]
Striving to ensure the implementation of best practices that support all learners is critical to academic achievement for diverse populations. Dearborn Schools is committed to ensuring that all students reach academic success. With a population of 20,907 of which 50 percent are English learners (several refugees and newcomer students), 8 percent special education and approximately […]
For the past two years, leaders at Muhlenberg South Middle School in Greenville, Kentucky, have been working to decrease the number of teacher absences as part of a wider effort to improve school culture. Although this has occurred during a financial crisis in which all Muhlenberg County School District staff took a 10 percent pay […]
After February's deadly school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, there was no shortage of suggestions for improving school security, ranging from adding more guards to arming teachers. One area not widely addressed, however, is how to prepare teachers and administrators psychologically for dealing with a crisis. For example, although teachers […]
If you've visited a classroom lately, you've likely noticed a remarkable difference in how teaching and learning happens. Computers and devices are staples in most classrooms, and you're far more likely to find students working in groups than a teacher at the front of the room lecturing. Though the teacher continues to play a crucial […]
