District Administration articles from December 2007

District Administration archives from December 2007

The new number one: online ratings can be valuable measures of success.(Editor's Letter)
December 1, 2007... THE MOST-VIEWED ARTICLE OF ALL TIME ON THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION Web site is The New Literacies," which rocketed to the top spot in a matter of weeks. Published in October 2007, the cover story by Zach Miners and Angela Pascopella explores...

New Literacies.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... The authors hit on a great point in regard to motivating and engaging students ("The New Literacies," October). This has to be a goal of every educator and moving into the 21st Century with technology is a must. My three- and four-year-old...

Telling Jewell-Sherman's story.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... I was delighted to see a profile on Superintendent Deborah Jewell-Sherman in DA (Administrator Profile, November). I really liked the piece and headline, "Richmond's Jewel of a Leader." Thanks for shedding light on an urban school district...

Bulletproof backpacks.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... I believe Zach Miners' story on our bulletproof backpack (News Update, October) was well done with the exception of his decision to interview a person in a for profit consulting company that profits from school systems. Kenneth Trump, president...

National exposure.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... Your magazine profiled me (Administrator Profile, August) and I just wanted to write a small note of appreciation. It is not often that people in small towns get national exposure and I want to commend you for doing the article. I take it as...

Surveys present contradictory findings.(BRIEFINGS: News Update)
December 1, 2007... MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF school districts have revamped their curricula to include higher math, science and technology standards and nearly 50 percent are now using new assessment measures for 21st century skills, such as problem solving,...

Henry Lee offers technology insights.(BRIEFINGS: News Update)
December 1, 2007... RENOWNED FORENSIC SCIENTIST Henry Lee recently addressed educators at the joint Connecticut Educators Computer Association (CECA) and Connecticut Educational Media Association (CEMA) Conference in Hartford, leading them through high-profile...

One-stop shopping for grants.(BRIEFINGS: News Update)
December 1, 2007... BRIDGE MULTIMEDIA AND THE National Center for Technology Innovation recently announced the launch of the fourth edition of www.EdTechOnline.org, a free, user-friendly Web site that offers "one-stop shopping" for the latest information on...

Pennsylvania's classrooms for the future.(BRIEFINGS: News Update)(Interview)
December 1, 2007... IN SEPTEMBER 2006 PENNSYLVANIA governor Edward G. Rendell announced the selection of more than 100 high schools to participate in the first year of the state's three-year Classrooms for the Future initiative. The state's secretary of education...

Dramatic enrollment growth and challenges in rural schools.(BRIEFINGS: News Update)
December 1, 2007... AS URBAN SCHOOLS STRUGGLE WITH LIMITED RESOURCES AND face crippling sanctions for failing to meet proficiency requirements under the federal No Child Left Behind law, a new nationwide report from the Rural School and Community Trust (Rural...

Special ed advocate extraordinaire.(BRIEFINGS: News Update)(Spectrum K12 School Solutions)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SPECTRUM K12 SCHOOL SOLUTIONS, the leading provider of comprehensive data management solutions for special education students, announced at the National School Boards Association Technology + Learning Conference in...

Preventative measures for school safety.(BRIEFINGS: Security Update)
December 1, 2007... AFTER A 14-YEAR-OLD STUDENT OPENED FIRE ON HIS peers and teachers at a downtown Cleveland high school in October--ending the rampage only by turning the gun on himself--gun rights activists immediately began calling for legislation to allow...

Face-recognition cameras.(BRIEFINGS: Security Update)
December 1, 2007... THREE SCHOOLS IN THE METROPOLITAN NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM--Harpeth Valley Elementary, Gramar Middle and Antioch High School--just became the first in the nation to use security cameras designed to spot criminals using controversial...

Security management tool.(BRIEFINGS: Security Update)
December 1, 2007... WITH THE NEW STUDENT-Watch Suite from PublicSchoolWORKS, a Web-based system for managing the tracking and reporting of student safety, accidents and behavior issues, administrators can more easily stay informed of current legislation regarding...

Mind, music and math.(BRIEFINGS: Curriculum Update)
December 1, 2007... SHAWN SMITH, PRINCIPAL of Huff Elementary School in Elgin, Ill., has students increasing their math problem solving skills by playing music. The school is using Mind Institute's Spatial Temporal (ST) Math+Music program, which uses music to...

Collaborations around the planet.(BRIEFINGS: Curriculum Update)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... SCHOOLS SEEKING PARTNERS FOR VIDEOCONFERENCING AND curriculum collaboration have a new, free way of finding them with Collaborations Around the Planet, sponsored by Polycom, a media solutions expert. This global social-networking directory is...

N-spiring math.(BRIEFINGS: Curriculum Update)(N-Spire pilot program)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... TEXAS INSTRUMENT'S NEWEST handheld, the N-Spire, and its pilot programs have kicked off in schools nationwide this year. Eric Butterbaugh, math educator at Bread & Roses Integrated Arts High School in New York City, is using the newest and...

State proficiency standards vary.(BRIEFINGS: Inside the Law)
December 1, 2007... ACCORDING TO THE AUTHORS of "The Proficiency Illusion," a new report from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), those who care about strengthening U.S. K12 education "should be furious." The study...

No car keys for truants in Maryland.(BRIEFINGS: Inside the Law)
December 1, 2007... A NEW STATEWIDE LAW PUNISHING truancy in Maryland schools recently went into effect that denies a learner's permit to students younger than 16 who have more than 10 unexcused absences during the prior school semester. All teenagers,...

Sounding off.(BRIEFINGS: Inside the Law)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Any effort to weaken NCLB will get a presidential veto." --President George Bush at a recent town hall meeting in Rogers, Ark.

Brave new world of school security.(District Profile: SCHOOL DISTRICT OF MANATEE COUNTY (FLA.))
December 1, 2007... IF YOU VISIT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT of Manatee County in Florida, be ready to hand over your driver's license to have it swiped and checked against a database of sex offenders. Welcome to 21st-century school security in a post-9/11 world....

7th Annual salary survey: a look at compensation for six key positions.(HUMAN RESOURCES)(Cover story)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT ISN'T EASY BEING AN ADMINISTRATOR IN A public school district these days. Under pressure to meet the federal No Child Left Behind standards and other public policy requirements while operating under tight budget...

The art of the web: online art galleries help districts foster visual arts programs.(CURRICULUM)
December 1, 2007... THE SAN DIEGO (CALIF.) Unified School District has one of the largest and most vibrant arts programs in the nation, with a dedicated visual and performing arts department and 230 arts personnel. But after a particularly successful art exhibit...

Executive power! How administrative unions impact the way colleagues work together.(ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TO SHRINK CLASS SIZES IN HAVERHILL (MASS.) PUBLIC Schools, members of the Haverhill Public School Committee, the equivalent of a board of education, have been pushing the district's four curriculum supervisors to...

Beaverton (Ore.) School District www.beaverton.k12.or.us.(How Well Does This Web Site Work: LEARN WHAT OUR WEB ANALYST SAYS IS RIGHT AND WRONG WITH THIS DISTRICT SITE)(Website overview)
December 1, 2007... THE BEAVERTON SCHOOL DIStrict is the third-largest district in Oregon, encompassing 57 square miles just outside Portland, with 38,000 students and 4,100 staff members in 44 schools. DESIGN The home page is not particularly inviting...

Arts should be for all! There should be nothing elective about "arts" education.(SPEAKING OUT)
December 1, 2007... MY HIGH SCHOOL BAND director used to say, "You can teach every subject through music." Like many "nonacademic" teachers, Mr. Patierno recognized the power of interdisciplinary learning. This was more than a defensive strategy against the...

Building networks in schools: creating your own social network is easier than you might think.(ONLINE EDGE)
December 1, 2007... THINK OF SOCIAL NETworks in schools and you probably think of trouble. MySpace, Facebook, Bebo and the rest seem more of a challenge than an opportunity to districts around the world despite the fact that students are participating in droves...

Keeping schools open after violence: having school canceled is a significant departure from the normal routine.(PROFESSIONAL OPINION)
December 1, 2007... THE RECENT TRAGEDY AT Success Tech in Cleveland on October 10, when a student injured two students and two teachers before turning a gun on himself, resulted in the closure the next day, a Thursday, of the entire Cleveland school system of...

Lenovo: ThinkCentre A61e.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... www.lenovo.com/us/en/ Hardware, $399 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The ThinkCentre desktop packs in full-size PC performance with the latest technologies such as ThinkVantage Rescue and Recovery, which lets educators bounce back quickly...

Read naturally: Software Edition Network Plus.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... www.readnaturally.com Software, $299 per level per school, plus $200 per school server or $1000 per district server This latest release incorporates research-based strategies of teacher modeling, repeated reading, and progress...

American Education Corporation: Psychology, Career Essentials, and Personal Finance Electives.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] www.amered.com Software, $1,000 each American Education Corporation has released three new high school elective courses: Psychology, Career Essentials, and Personal Finance. All three electives meet the...

Bosch security systems: AutoDome Modular Camera System.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... www.boschsecurity.us, Hardware, $2,800-$5,200 The AutoDome video surveillance camera comes in a vandal-resistant bubble and can be operated using a joystick or keyboard. School administrators and security personnel can pan across a school...

Novell: Teaming/Teaming + Conferencing.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... www.novell.com/teaming Software, $45-$55/Teaming, $75-$90/Teaming + Conferencing With the Teaming or Teaming + Conferencing solution, users can create online workspaces to collaborate, efficiently manage projects, streamline business...

International Learning Corporation: Rapid Resources.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... www.RapidResources.com, Internet, $109 per teacher, $1,499 per school Rapid Resources allows educators to individualize instruction and fill in missing skills. Over 500 tutorials with practice activities in math, reading, language arts and...

Maximus: Tienet.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... www.maximus.com/tienet, Internet, Contact the company for pricing Tienet's Web-based system provides three applications that can be used separately or as one coordinated system and can also be linked with almost any Student Information...

NEC: ImagineX IW77 Interactive Whiteboard.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... www.necdisplay.com Hardware, $1,799 Designed to increase student attention and retention, this new whiteboard can be used with any of the company's projectors. It has the ability to annotate over any application to teach everything...

Hitachi America: Starboard FX Duo.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... www.hitachi.us Hardware, $1,999 Hitachi has introduced a new whiteboard series--Starboard FX Duo--which offers control using multitouch hand gestures, the presenter's finger, an electronic pen or any other object. Two students can...

Corel: Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] www.corel.com Software, $59.99 Corel's latest Paint Shop release offers more than 10 new features. For example, Express Lab is a superfast photo-fixing mode, and Graphite Workspace offers a darker theme that...

Achieve3000: KidBiz/TeenBiz.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] www.achieve3000.com Software, $35 per student KidBiz and TeenBiz now feature updated interfaces, new administrative functions, and enhanced tools for tracking student performance and increasing parental...

Toshiba: TLP-EX20U projector.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] www.toshiba.com Hardware, $1,599 The TDP-EX20U projector features DLP Brilliant Colors technology, 2,300 ANSI lumens, Windows Vista networking capabilities, integrated wireless functionality for sequential...

Capterra: Capterra.(New Products: the latest offerings in hardware, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)(Website overview)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... www.capterra.com, Internet, Free Dedicated to connecting buyers and sellers of enterprise software, Capterra creates software databases or directories. Thousands are included. Each product listing is a detailed product description, not an...

Newsweek: Newsweek Education Program.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] www.newsweekeducation.com Materials, $637.20/30 copies for 36 weeks Newsweek's education version is the same one found on the newsstands, except that it doesn't contain any tobacco ads and is 88 percent...

Parallels: Parallels Desktop 3.0.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... www.parallels.com, Software, $79 Parallels Desktop enables you to run Windows and Linux on any Intel-powered Mac and do it without rebooting. The software allows dragging and dropping of files between desktops. The 3.0 version has more...

Xerox: Phaser 6180MFP.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... www.xerox.com/officeHardware, $999 With 600 x 600 x 4 dpi resolution, the Phaser 6180MFP color multifunction printer delivers 16 shades of color per pixel. It generates color output at up to 20 ppm, black-and-white prints at up to 31 ppm,...

Sally Ride Science: Sally Ride Science Classroom Sets.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] www.SallyRideScience.com, Materials, $279 Sally Ride Classroom Sets supplement existing teaching tools and lessons. Each set includes eight copies of four unique titles. In addition, each set includes access to...

Hosts learning: IntelliPath.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... www.hosts.com, Internet, $1,000-$25,000 Educators can create individual learning paths for students with this instructional management system, which combines assessment results, standards-aligned instruction, lesson planning, educational...

Electronic learning products: Tunein to Reading.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... www.elpcorp.com Software, $249/12-month license Tunein to Reading's intervention program, which is scientifically based and research-proven, was designed for students in grades 3-12. It uses music as the catalyst to help struggling...

Genevalogic: Print-Limit Pro 7.3.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... www.genevalogic.com Software, Starts at $1,495/unlimited site license Print-Limit Pro's 7.3 version includes a personal environmental impact statement designed to help users think before they print. It displays the number of trees...

School improvement network: Learning Framework.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] www.schoolimprovement.com Materials, $25,000-$175,000 Learning Framework is an on-site training and off-site support program that districts can customize according to their objectives and needs. It helps...

Nuance communications: Dragon Naturally Speaking 9.0.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] www.nuance.com Software, $99/Standard, $199/ Preferred, and $899/Professional Dragon Naturally Speaking 9.0 allows you to perform nearly every computing task by speaking. The software is for PC users and...

Adobe: Photoshop Elements 6 and Premiere Elements 4.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] www.adobe.com Software, $99 each or $149.99 for both Adobe's Photoshop bundled software offers complete photo- and video-editing solutions, such as creating cinematic slide shows or dramatic...

Weidenhammer: alio.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)(application software for financial management)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... www.hammer.net Software, Starts at $7,000 Alio is a fully integrated library of financial management, payroll, and human resources software applications for K12 schools. Using a single database powered by Oracle technology for...

VC3: Parent Portal.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)
December 1, 2007... www.vc3.com Software, Starts at $1 per student Parent Portal was designed to help parents connect to the classroom by keeping them tuned in to their children's activities and success. It integrates with a school district's existing...

Agilix labs: GoCourse Learning System.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE and THE INTERNET)(educational software)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... www.agilix.com Software, Starts at $5,000 Aglix's e-learning application, powered by its GoCourse platform, is now available though Epic Learning. It integrates rigorous core curriculum and comprehensive assessment tools with...

George's Secret Key to the Universe.(BOOKS FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES)
December 1, 2007... George's Secret Key to the Universe by Stephen Hawking and Lucy Hawking (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2007) Curious George's author, H.A. Rey, was an amateur astronomer and friend of Albert Einstein. Now Stephen (this...

Hooray for Diffendoofer Day!(BOOKS FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hooray for Diffendoofer Day! by Dr. Seuss (Picture Lions, 2001) This book was published posthumously and completed by Jack Prelutsky and Lane Smith. In addition to being a fabulous (and timely) fable about the...

The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure.(BOOKS FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES)
December 1, 2007... Imagine a whimsical novel, plus math, and you get the picture of this book, which can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. Gary S. Stager, gary@stager.org, is senior editor of DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION and editor of The Pulse: Education's Place...

Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms.(EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms by Will Richardson (Corwin Press, 2006) DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION columnist Richardson explains the emerging technologies of blogging, podcasting,...

The Children's Machine: Rethinking School in the Ago of the Computer.(EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2007... The Children's Machine: Rethinking School in the Ago of the Computer by Seymour Papert (Basic Books, 1994) The "father of educational computing" provokes us to think hard about the incredible potential to construct knowledge using...

Painting Chinese: A Lifelong Teacher Gains the Wisdom of Youth.(LEARNING)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Painting Chinese: A Lifelong Teacher Gains the Wisdom of Youth by Herbert Kohl (Bloomsbury, 2007) Herb Kohl's poetic meditation on life, art, teaching and learning is a gift that keeps on giving. Gary S....

The Book of Learning and Forgetting.(LEARNING)
December 1, 2007... The Book of Learning and Forgetting by Frank Smith (Teachers College Press, 1998) Smith may have written the most beautiful and thoughtful book about learning in the past decade. Gary S. Stager, gary@stager.org, is senior editor of...

Come on, People.(RAISING CHILDREN)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Come on, People by Bill Cosby and Alvin Poussaint (Thomas Nelson, 2007) Cosby and Poussaint explore the problems plaguing child rearing in our poorest communities and offer no-nonsense practical advice for adult...

Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason.(RAISING CHILDREN)
December 1, 2007... Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason by Alfie Kohn (Atria, 2005) Popular education author Alfie Kohn focuses on parenting in an informative book that might make Supernanny crazy. Gary S....

Reading FAQ.(READING INSTRUCTION)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Reading FAQ by Frank Smith (Teachers College Press, 2007) This book poses the countless questions educators and parents have about reading, and answers them succinctly and in plain English. Gary S. Stager,...

The Big Picture: Education Is Everyone's Business.(SCHOOL INNOVATION)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Big Picture: Education Is Everyone's Business by Dennis Littky and Samantha Grabelle (ASCD, 2004) Now on his fourth decade of successful school reform, Littky demonstrates how it is possible to create...

The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Approach Advanced Reflections, 2nd ed.(SCHOOL INNOVATION)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Approach Advanced Reflections, 2nd ed. by Carolyn Edwards, Lella Gandini, and George Forman (Ablex Publishing, 1998) American educators of all grades can learn from the municipal...

Letters to a Young Teacher.(TEACHING IN THESE TIMES)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... Letters to a Young Teacher by Jonathan Kozol (Crown, 2007) For more than 40 years, Kozol has given voice to the voiceless children in our cities. In his latest book, he uses the literary device of writing to a new teacher in Boston as a...

Stupidity and Tears: Teaching and Learning in Troubled Times.(TEACHING IN THESE TIMES)
December 1, 2007... Stupidity and Tears: Teaching and Learning in Troubled Times by Herbert Kohl (New Press, 2005) A terrific collection of essays by the legendary educator and author. Gary S. Stager, gary@stager.org, is senior editor of DISTRICT...

Tested: One American School Struggles to Make the Grade.(TEACHING IN THESE TIMES)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tested: One American School Struggles to Make the Grade by Linda Perlstein (Henry Holt, 2007) Perlstein, a celebrated journalist, chronicles f of a school that raised test scores dramatically by exploring the...

The Children in Room E4: American Education on Trial.(TEACHING IN THESE TIMES)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... The Children in Room E4: American Education on Trial by Susan Eaton (Algonquin Books, 2007) Eaton writes an in-depth analysis of the crises plaguing urban education through the story of one school in Hartford, Conn., over a period of 18...

The Game of School: Why We All Play It, How It Hurts Kids, and What It Will Take to Change It.(TEACHING IN THESE TIMES)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... The Game of School: Why We All Play It, How It Hurts Kids, and What It Will Take to Change It by Robert Fried (Jossey-Bass, 2005) Fried offers thoughtful critiques on the state of public education and what we might do to improve matters....

Letters to the Next President: What We Can Do about the Real Crisis in Public Education, 2008 Election.(VISION, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Letters to the Next President: What We Can Do about the Real Crisis in Public Education, 2008 Election by Carl Glickman (Teacher's College Press, 2007) This collection of essays by leading educators and citizens offers unsolicited advice...

Selling the Dream.(VISION, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT)
December 1, 2007... Selling the Dream by Guy Kawasaki (Collins, 1992) Kawasaki has inspired countless readers to gather and sustain support for their products and innovations. Gary S. Stager, gary@stager.org, is senior editor of DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION...

Slack: Getting Past Busywork, Myth of Total Efficiency.(VISION, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT)
December 1, 2007... Slack: Getting Past Busywork, Myth of Total Efficiency by Tom DeMarco (Broadway, 2002) A management expert, DeMarco makes a compelling case for employees some much needed time and space. Gary S. Stager, gary@stager.org, is senior...

The Inner Principal.(VISION, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT)
December 1, 2007... The Inner Principal by David Loader (Routledge, 1997) Loader, one of the world's boldest and most accomplished principals, lets readers inside his head and heart as he does his job. Gary S. Stager, gary@stager.org, is senior editor of...

Demystifying dyslexia.(Research Corner: ESSENTIALS ON EDUCATION DATA and RESEARCH ANALYSIS)
December 1, 2007... THE WORD DYSLEXIA IS rooted in the Greek language and means "difficulty with words." Although dyslexia is known as a problem related to reading, it can also interfere with a student's ability to write, spell and pronounce words correctly. It...

Well, they're gonna have sex anyway: twisted logic, screwy decisions, and mixed messages.(UNDERSTANDING THE TIMES)
December 1, 2007... IN OCTOBER, KING MIDDLE School in Portland, Maine, began distributing contraceptives to students, including birth control pills and patches. This is news because less than 1 percent of middle schools nationwide even make condoms available to...