District Administration articles from February 2003

District Administration archives from February 2003

There's something about Gary. (editor's Letter).(Gary Stager)(readers respond to column about teachers not using computers)(Editorial)
February 1, 2003... Never before, in my three-plus years at this magazine, has one piece inflamed so many readers and generated so much mail. For the few of you who didn't see the column and have yet to write a letter about it, I'm referring to Gary Stager's...

Partnership makes use of limited tech funds. (District plus: tips and ideas for successful district leadership).(Cook County School District)(school becomes design team project)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Like most small school systems, Cook County School District 154 in Thorton, Ill., constantly seeks ways to overcome the financial barriers of technology. Its goal: use old equipment and have current resources become more effective and...

10 signs of goodness. (District plus: tips and ideas for successful district leadership).(William Bennett's list of what makes a good school)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Schools need to be safe, stress character, give homework and hire fine teachers. In his speech to 20 top school superintendents this past fall, former U.S. Secretary of Education William Bennett spelled out "10 signs of a good school." Using...

Walk your talk. (District plus: tips and ideas for successful district leadership).(Florida principal's vision)(all children can learn, discipline and family involvement important)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Parents tutor, beautify the school grounds, or eat lunch with students. And every teacher must believe that every child can learn. These are a few examples of what helps Inwood Elementary School in Winter Haven, Fla., shine. While the Title...

Readers fire back at Stager's IT column. (letters).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... I HAVEN'T SEEN SO much arrogance and misinformation in one place (Why Teachers Don't Use Computers, By Gary Stager, December 2002, p. 47) since the last Al Gore interview. Because I am one of the "non-educators/information technology staff run...

Cheating in Chicago. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(test cheating investigation)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... A Chicago test cheating investigation revealed in November that 16 people at 10 schools could be involved in the elaborate scam. Investigators found many erasures on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills from wrong to right answers in one...

Edison schools' acid test. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(Philadelphia schools)(for-profit company)
February 1, 2003... For Edison Schools, running 20 schools in Philadelphia may be the test that determines the company's fate. If that is so, the experiment has gotten off to a rough start. Janice Solkov, former principal at the city's Morton McMichael...

Michigan gives grants for wireless technology. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... One district will use its $1.3 million state grant to provide all seventh-graders with wireless handhelds to concentrate on writing skills across the curriculum. Another project, funded at $1.1 million, will implement a student-centered...

"No-risk" hiring in the peach state. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(Georgia guarantees graduating teachers)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... It's time for the 1998 teacher preparation policy in Georgia to pass its true test. This policy now guarantees the teachers the state is educating--or else they go back to school. Capping off changes in teacher recruitment, such as raised...

Parents sent to court for children's goofs. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(Texas school holds parents responsible for child's unfinished schoolwork)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The parents of students at a Houston middle school will be going to court if their children fail to do homework and fail to attend an after-school program. At Houston's North Shore Middle School, the parents of students who habitually fail...

Raccoon head mailed to Ohio principal. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(charges against band director)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... High school band director Donald Sullivan was indicted in December on charges of intimidation and retaliation because he allegedly mailed a raccoon head to a principal during a teachers' strike. Sullivan allegedly admitted to mailing the...

A commuter elementary school. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(Miami-Dade County)(meets needs of working parents)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Parents who work downtown will be able to drop off their children at Miami-Dade County's first commuter elementary school. Ada Merritt Elementary is scheduled to open next fall. Youngsters eligible to attend can be from anywhere in...

Study: internet filters bring problems. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).
February 1, 2003... Educators and parents who think filters will protect "little Suzie" from accidentally accessing pornography when searching for information on kitties should think again. Internet filters allowed access to pornography more than one in three...

Mississippi students build their own PCs. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(personal computers)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Mississippi's Gov. Ronnie Musgrove championed a goal of placing an Internet-accessible computer in every public elementary and secondary classroom in Mississippi by the end of 2002. To help reach that goal, a techsavvy group of students who...

Young children bring pot to school. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(educating the young about dangers of drug use required)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... As usual, there's good news and bad news about drug use and children. Two third-graders in Port St. Lucie, Fla., were caught in December with 12 bags of marijuana. The same week, a four-year-old in Massachusetts presented her Head Start teacher...

Tests for tots. (Head Start).(standardized tests for four year olds)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Forget about testing under No Child Left Behind. Now the Bush administration wants to require 500,000 4-year-olds in the federal Head Start program to pass a standardized test. It would measure if they can recognize certain letters and numbers...

Te habla Espanol? (Head Start).(California proposal to support children learning two languages)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... In California, where minority students are the majority, a new master plan is in the works to change academic standards. It would have every child take extensive instruction in a foreign language so they can speak two languages fluently. The...

Oakland needs fiscal bailout. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(Oakland Unified School District)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... A California urban school district that had made major strides in test scores in recent years may soon become the fifth system to request a bail out and turn its management over to the state. Oakland Unified School District is running about...

Former state supt. slapped with million-dollar judgment. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(Superintendent of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin)(misappropriated federal funds)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... A Sacramento Superior Court judge slammed the California Department of Education and former state Superintendent of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin with a $4.5 million fine in a whistle-blower case. James Lindberg, an adult-education...

Governors set education goals. (Government spotlight: the latest news about education from the U.S. government).
February 1, 2003... Education reform isn't new to gubernatorial agendas. But the federally mandated No Child Left Behind Act is giving state leaders extra impetus to examine their education policies and legislation. As attendance at two recent conferences...

Paige reveals new international education agenda. (Government spotlight: the latest news about education from the U.S. government).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... To nurture relationships with foreign countries and improve international studies in schools, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige announced in November his agency's new priorities for international education. Paige outlines four...

Pledge of performance: sensing where the power lies, this superintendent has joined with politicians to help create workable education policies. (Administrator profile: Earl J. Lennard).
February 1, 2003... Hillsborough County Superintendent Earl Lennard always said he would put his money where his mouth is. This year, he had to pay up. When Florida implemented its "A+ Plan for Education" in 1999, which assigned letter grades to each school,...

Taking charge of time: why year-round schooling works for this Illinois district. (District profile: Rock Island-Millan (Ill.) School District #41).
February 1, 2003... There is a stark change in the emotional environment of a school when you take charge of the clock. Two years ago, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School in Rock Island-Milan (Ill.) School District #41 moved to a year-round calendar. On a recent...

Technology and the college admissions process: when it comes to using the Web for researching potential schools, students aren't as smart about it as they (and others) like to believe.(related article: Finding the funds to train school counselors)(related article: What counselors should do)
February 1, 2003... We all know the Internet has forever altered how high school students research and apply to colleges. After all, seniors can "visit" campuses and their surroundings via virtual tours, peruse online course catalogs at will, and explore...

No place like home: a tornado whips up a quick lesson in space a fact planning: like 'em, hate em (or just tolerate them), portable classrooms are of life for districts. Here's advice on planning for and using these modular units--and on thinking in new ways about their potential for learning. (Cover Story).
February 1, 2003... Population growth and shifts can sneak up on a district, causing administrators to seek portable classrooms, but nothing compares to a 250-plus mph wind destroying an entire district in seconds. When a tornado ripped through a small southern...

Moving target: keeping up with the Web gets harder every year. In the time it took to read that last sentence, another 75 pages were put online. (2003 Curriculum Web Site Awards).(related article: Hall of Fame)(related article: Award categories and the judging process)
February 1, 2003... So much energy has been devoted in recent years to connecting schools to the Internet, and keeping score of which are and the few that still aren't, that it is easy for districts to lose sight of the bigger picture. "For these connections to...

How about "national pencil standards?": ISTE's vague standards and a potential exclusionary "seal of alignment" make one wonder whose side the group is on. (speaking out).(national educational technology standards)
February 1, 2003... Some of you may be members of the International Society for Technology in Education. Many of you are not. And that may be where the problem lies. In a "Hail-Mary" attempt to enhance its visibility and importance, ISTE has embarked on the...

ISTE fires back. (speaking out).(International Society for Technology in Education)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Accurately, Mr. Stager identified increased ISTE membership among school leaders as key to the society better serving education. Fortunately, our most rapid membership growth is among school administrators who have established a new ISTE...

Choking on spam: hazardous and offensive e-mail threatens every district. (the online edge).
February 1, 2003... A K-12 teacher in Missouri recently posted the following note to MOREnet, the state-sponsored online network that links every school district: "I am getting a huge amount of spam, some from pornographic sites. I only use this e-mail for school...

History teachers: no time for term papers. (Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies).
February 1, 2003... Nearly all (95 percent) history teachers report that writing a research term paper is important or very important to learning the subject, and eight of 10 (79 percent) think district and school administrators agree. Yet, 81 percent of teachers...

Statisticians reach out to schools. (Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... In technical subjects like biology, where the "cutting edge" is often in the news, the opportunities for real-world classroom connections are obvious, says David C. Hoaglin, a, statistician who has been partnered with a high school math teacher...

Forensics on fire in schools. (Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies).
February 1, 2003... We hear a lot about forensic science these days, whether it's by watching the latest crime television hit or CNN. But teaching forensics is not just a fad, says Evan Shapiro, senior vice president at Court TV. It recently made its new...

Emerging trend: district-wide book clubs. (Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies).
February 1, 2003... What Oprah's book club did for adults, the Harry Potter phenomenon did for students--spark an interest in reading and discussing books. Some districts across the country are now organizing book clubs to bring students, teachers and the...

Now showing: your students' imaginations: if you're not making digital movies in your school system, you should be. (Mac advocate: musings about Apple from an enthusiast).
February 1, 2003... Digital video may be the killer app for teachers who have avoided using computers in their classrooms. Even to the most technically phobic, making a movie makes sense. The process of video editing mirrors and amplifies the writing process....

Latest palm handheld offers smooth data management. (new products).
February 1, 2003... Since the introduction of the handheld, teachers and administrators have discovered how much time they can save on tasks such as observations and student record management. The Tungsten T's voice recording capabilities, which can capture and...

Gateway: E-Series Frame. (new products).
February 1, 2003... www.gateway.com, Hardware, $40 (upgrade option) The new compact case for the E-2000 and E4000 Gateway PCs use industry-standard desktop components in 35 percent less physical space than a micro tower chassis. The new frame comes with four...

Wolfram research: Mathematica Teacher's Edition. (new products).
February 1, 2003... www.wolfram.com, Software, $1.95 This software works with Mathematica for the Classroom to expose students to the computing tools and methods they may use throughout their academic and professional careers. Available for Windows and Mac OS...

Scarecrow press: Data Connections: Using Assessment to Improve Teaching and Learning. (new products).
February 1, 2003... www.scarecrowpress.com, Software, $99 This CD-Rom instructs teachers to analyze, understand and apply standardized test data in their classrooms. The software demonstrates how curriculum can be modified and student achievement can be...

The peak group: Wireless Technologies in Education: Moving from Pilots to Mainstream, 2002. (new products).
February 1, 2003... www.peakgroUrP.net, Report, $79 This report examines the impact of wireless and mobile computing technologies in education. It was conductedin association with the nonprofit educational research organization AEL and reflects the result of...

Power on software: On Guard 5.0. (new products).
February 1, 2003... www.poweronsoftware.com, Software, Multi-user $24.30-$.39 per user, K-12 building site license $995.95 (site licenses over 250 users and district licenses available) The latest version of this anti-tampering software for shared-computer...

Ceupid certifications: CEUpid. (new products).
February 1, 2003... www.ceupid.com, Internet, $2 per teacher/month (plus installation, based on district size and other factors) This Web-based software allows administrators who handle teacher continuing education to manage and approve continuing education...

LanSchool: LanSchool Monitor. (new products).
February 1, 2003... www.lanschool.com. Softwarre, $395 In a classroom, library or lab environment, LanSchool Monitor software works like a security camera for computers. It displays a thumbnail view of student computer screens on one central monitor computer....

Knowvation: Teacher2Teacher Online Resource Library. (new products).
February 1, 2003... www.teacher2teacher.com, Internet, $29.95 per library, $54.95 for bundle of three libraries (server licenses available) This hands-on resource was designed to complement a district's current in-house technology professional development...

Skylight: Clustering Standards in Integrated Units. (new products).
February 1, 2003... www.skylightedu.com, book, $30.95 This book takes the power of curriculum integration one step further with integrated units. By clustering standards in integrated units, more can be covered without sacrificing content or learning. The...

Panasonic: PT-L780NTU. (new products).
February 1, 2003... www.panasonic.com, Hardware, $7,499 This portable, high-brightness XGA LCD projector weighs 12 pounds and incorporates three .99" TFT Active Matrix Polysilicon LCD panels for computer and video applications in classrooms and auditoriums....

Crosstec: NetOp Remote Control v7.5. (new products).
February 1, 2003... www.crossteccorp.com, Software, Single license $1.7 9. Additional host modules $38 to $120 This new version of remote control software supports a wide range of operating platforms and has enhanced security, inventory and asset management...

Heinemann: The New Science Literacy: Using Language Skills to Help Students Learn Science. (new products).(Helping students become independent learners)
February 1, 2003... www.heinemann.com, Book, $19 This book's authors assert that instructional synergy and power result from combining science and language literacy. Instructional techniques for elementary, middle and high school teachers are included. The...

Innovative interfaces: Via. (new products).
February 1, 2003... www.iii.com, Internet, $10,000 and up This centralized networked library automation system offers core ILS capabilities such as online public access, cataloging, circulation, graphical self-checkout and inventory control. It also features...

Teacherstreet: Custom Collection Service. (new products).
February 1, 2003... www.teacherstreet.com, Software, Pricing varies The publishers of pre-assembled Classroom Software Collection bundles have piloted a customized software collection service. Austin Independent School District, the first to work with Teacher...

Heinemann: Testing and Standards: A Brief Encyclopedia. (new products).
February 1, 2003... www.heinemann.com, Book, $11.70 At 110 pages and 7" x 5", this book is literally small enough to fit in a pocket. It aims to demystify standards lingo while covering the ethics and issues of testing and standards. The author provides...

Newbridge educational publishing: Go Facts Science. (new products).(A series of 12 booklets, grouped in three progressively challenging series, that provide a guided writing program for helping grade 2-4 students build skills in writing informational reports. )
February 1, 2003... www.newbrigeonline.com, Books, Single set $14.9.95, classroom set $499.95 Go Facts Science is a guided writing program for grades 2-4 that is designed to help build student skills in writing informational reports. The program features 12...

Calendar of events.(Calendar)
February 1, 2003... MARCH 2003 Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development ASCD www.ascd.org March 8-10 San Francisco, Calif. National Science Teachers Association Annual Conference NSTA www.nsta.org March 27-30 Philadelphia,...

Character education since 1992. (Bulletin board: free catalogs and literature).
February 1, 2003... Join more than 7,000 schools nationwide. In just one minute a day, you can enhance your school climate while building character, self-esteem and a more caring community of learners, it's a simple program that gets results. Call us at: 1...

K-6 software. (Bulletin board: free catalogs and literature).
February 1, 2003... Micrograms offers the best in educational software. See our latest award winners and the NEW Mathosaurus Millennium Edition! Explore the use of our new Teacher Modules, advanced record keeping, and improved password protection. Call for a FREE...

Helping young minds grow! (Bulletin board: free catalogs and literature).
February 1, 2003... Pearson Early Learning offers an array of researched based products for assessment, screening, curriculum and professional development. Call today for your free catalog. 800-552-2259 www.PearsonEarlyLearning.com Circle Number 704 ...

Teacher's interactive whiteboard. (Bulletin board: free catalogs and literature).
February 1, 2003... Interactive Presentation Manager (IPM) brings your multimedia classroom presentations to life with powerful and easy to use "Softkeys" that link to computer files for "on command launch." Using your PC and an LCD projector, the IPM provides...

How can listening lead to independent reading? (Bulletin board: free catalogs and literature).
February 1, 2003... Recorded Books[TM] increase reading skills dramatically, raise reading scores by multiple grade levels, and motivate struggling readers to keep on reading! With over 4,000 unabridged audio-books for the "listen and read" approach, Recorded...

Supplemental math software for grades 7-12. (Bulletin board: free catalogs and literature).
February 1, 2003... Improve student math skills with our award-winning, standards-based, integrated software programs. Students will enjoy interactive self-paced lessons, readings, and activities. Enrich classroom instruction with Math & Music or Math & the...

Fully automated windows software solution. (Bulletin board: free catalogs and literature).
February 1, 2003... Fully automated Windows software solution for integrated, easy-to-use, customizable test creation, scoring, analysis, and comprehensive reporting. Tests can be administered via scannable form, LAN or Internet. District Reporting feature allows...

Special education software 3 free CD-Demos! (Bulletin board: free catalogs and literature).
February 1, 2003... Laureate offers over 80 programs for Early Intervention, Autism/PDD, Developmental Disabilities, Language-Learning Disabilities, Title 1, ESL, and Reading Difficulties. We've created three CD Demos to help you choose software quickly and...

Get to know your United Nations. (Bulletin board: free catalogs and literature).
February 1, 2003... This catalogue lists a multitude of attractive and easy to read publications that will assist you in teaching children about the United Nations, human rights and environment. Call (800) 253-9646 or visit us at www.un.org/publications ...

Career planning starts here. (Bulletin board: free catalogs and literature).
February 1, 2003... The CareerScope Interest Inventory--the easy-to-use and affordable interest assessment. Measures and identifies career preferences that correspond to the U.S. Department of Labor's interest areas. Takes less than 20 minutes to administer and...

The starfish story: forget trying to fix all of school's problems, concentrate on one student at a time. (understanding the times).(Editorial)
February 1, 2003... It's a familiar story, but one worth repeating. A young girl was walking along the beach early one morning. The tide was receding, leaving numerous starfish stranded on the beach. The girl began picking them up and tossing them back into the...