"If you're not utilizing social media to communicate to your parents or your audience, then you're missing the boat in 2023," says one superintendent, asserting that the rewards of doing so far outweigh the problems.
House Bill 538 would allow teachers in Kentucky to immediately remove disruptive students from the classroom with no possibility of returning without an agreement from the teacher and a school administrator.
One of the five girls exposed to the inflammatory agent had brought it to school and the situation appears to have stemmed from a collective curiosity, the superintendent says.
Educators believe the approach will have far-reaching benefits for every student. If the district can get the education system to work for Black male students, said Superintendent Brent Jones, it will work for everyone.
ESSER funds have contributed to 66% of job openings since the height of the pandemic in 2020, yet hires have only risen by 38%. Districts are creating jobs faster than they can fill them.
Committing to the whole student is how K12 schools can and will remain the key to democracy in America, Superintendent Trent North says. "When our students graduate, they must not only be academically sound, but we must ensure they are socially and emotionally ready to leave their impact on the world."
"Who was I to think that I could tell them what they needed or wanted in their own community?" says Dr. Margaret Crespo, superintendent of Laramie County School District-1 in Wyoming. Using this mindset, she now has a living, adaptable strategic plan.
Despite ongoing reports of teacher shortages, superintendents are having to make tough personnel decisions as COVID-era budget surpluses turn to post-pandemic shortfalls that have been compounded by enrollment declines.
Making SEL a priority and giving our staff the right resources helped our students beat the odds academically and improved student well-being. SEL didn't just benefit students, though—it really strengthened our entire school culture.
