State-of-the-art science labs, green buildings and internet upgrades are among major trends in school construction this year, as districts break ground on large projects that address aging facilities, increased enrollment and technology needs, according to the first annual DA School Construction Survey. State-of-the-art science labs, green buildings and internet upgrades are among major trends in […]
Like most districts, increasing the graduation rate is a top priority in the School District of Palm Beach County. And with 187 schools and 183,000 students, the Florida district has a large challenge. The key to tackling this issue is improving the quality of teaching, says Karen Whetsell, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning for […]
A few years ago, San Francisco USD had questions about the hundreds of community-based organizations teaching reading to students and growing school gardens, among a wide range of other activities. Administrators wanted to know the risks of outside groups using school facilities, says Dorothy Gjerdrum, the senior managing director of public sector practice at Arthur […]
Leslie T. Fenwick has been praised as “a fearless voice in education on behalf of communities of color.” As dean of the School of Education at Howard University in Washington, D.C., Fenwick has devoted her career to improving educational opportunity and outcomes for African-American and other underserved students from the elementary through graduate school levels. […]
To teach kids to appreciate diversity in the city's schools, Scottsdale USD created Unitown and Minitown, programs that create bonds between crosstown students. During the school year, two annual camps host 15 to 18 youngsters from each of the district's high schools and middle schools, respectively. Through teamwork and leadership exercises, the programs provide "opportunities […]
Educational neuroscience empowers teachers with new insights into how all students learn and holds promise for enhancing special ed, but myths and exaggerations sprouting up around the burgeoning field could lead to children being labeled, which could limit their abilities, experts say. Educational neuroscience empowers teachers with new insights into how all students learn and […]
STEM came alive in a rural Arizona district after a state grant led to a culture change. Congress Elementary School District has just 115 students and is located 80 miles northwest of Phoenix. Superintendent and Principal Stephanie Miller received a three-year grant of $42,500 from Science Foundation Arizona and the Arizona STEM Network in 2012 […]
Beth Mattey was named president of the National Association of School Nurses in June. Mattey is the school nurse at Mt. Pleasant High School, part of Brandywine School District in Delaware. In her remarks at the group's annual conference in June, Mattey said that school nursing is the foundation of healthy schools. "Every day brings […]
Principal selection has not significantly changed since the 1950’s and is often unsystematic. While the role of the principal has evolved greatly over the last 60 years, the methods used for selection have remained stagnant. In the 1950’s, principals’ duties centered primarily on staffing and facility management. Today, school principals may be responsible for tens […]
Bruce Hamilton, Program Director Á¢†" DestinyÁ‚® Resource Managerª Follett School Solutions Why is addressing resource management more important than ever for districts today? More and more superintendents are asked: Are we spending too much or too little? What did we spend it on? Did it do any good? It's important that students have textbooks, tablets […]