District Administration articles from January 2002

District Administration archives from January 2002

Be bold. (Editor's letter).
January 1, 2002... There are two important themes that echo through most of the articles in this issue. The first is financial. The news in this year's second annual Spending Report on page 34 confirms what most of us already knew. The recession's noose has...

God Bless America. (letters to the editor).(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2002... We received numerous letters supporting Dan Kinnaman's opinion in his November column, "God Bless America." This letter is representative of that sentiment. Just a note to let you know how much I appreciated your November column. My family...

Behavior. (letters to the editor).
January 1, 2002... We received several letters about Gary Stager's November column, "Question Your Policies." Most of them were critical of the columnist's opinion that cell phones should be allowed in school. Here's an example: How long has it been since...

Getting Personal. (letters to the editor).
January 1, 2002... As a superintendent, principal, teacher and father, the decision to keep your child at home for another year is understandably difficult ("Getting Personal," November 2001, p. 9). However, I applaud the decision by you and your wife to give...

Cheatin' Hearts. (letters to the editor).(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2002... I enjoyed the article on cheating ("Their Cheatin' Hearts," October 2001, p, 32). It is, of course, one function of a library media teacher to monitor and teach about copyright laws, plus teach kids how to footnote and create bibliographies. We...

At-risk support. (letters to the editor).(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2002... I read your article "Beyond the Little Red School House," (October 2001, p. 50). I thought [Beth Kanter] was right on with all [she wrote] in the article. I am an administrator and teacher at ASPIRE High in Beresford, S.D. We have been in...

Essential skills for effective school leaders. (District plus: tips and ideas for successful district leadership).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... After three years of research, the New York State Education Department is releasing "Essential Knowledge and Skills for Effective School Leadership," a profile detailing these nine essential characteristics for school leaders. 1. Leaders...

Helping kids cope with military parents overseas. (District plus: tips and ideas for successful district leadership).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... At Calcium Primary School in Calcium, N.Y., 85 percent of the 450 students have at least one parent or guardian in the army. The school's close proximity to Fort Drum is what makes its proportion of military children so high, notes Principal...

How to deal with a PR nightmare. (District plus: tips and ideas for successful district leadership).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... There was the case of the district that mistakenly shredded ungraded state-mandated English assessments tests just taken by more than 200 eighth graders. Or the teacher in another district who asked students to calculate the volume of gas...

Recruiting road trip. (District plus: tips and ideas for successful district leadership).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Everyone knows that recruiting teachers is a hard job these days. But imagine being in a poor, rural district in one of the states that ranks near the bottom of teacher pay. This is the reality for Jack Crews, the assistant superintendent in...

What went right at New Bedford High. (News connection: up-to-date and usable education information from schools, government, business, research and professional organizations).
January 1, 2002... Educators and administrators learned much from the tragedy at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo. The importance of establishing good communication between students and adults tops the list. In the end, it was open and confidential...

Anthrax contamination stalls SAT results. (News connection: up-to-date and usable education information from schools, government, business, research and professional organizations).
January 1, 2002... Students of Edgewood High School in Ellettsville, Ind., have eagerly waited for the results of the SAT tests they took on Oct. 13. So have the students in Ottumwa, Iowa, and in dozens of other high schools across the country. About 7,800...

Georgia signs on with AOL@SCHOOL. (News connection: up-to-date and usable education information from schools, government, business, research and professional organizations).
January 1, 2002... Georgia has become the sixth state to sign on to use AOL@SCHOOL, a free service from AOL for administrators, teachers and students. AOL@SCHOOL, which was introduced in mid-2000, is a portal to a number of free educational materials. Turner...

The battle to control Philadelphia's schools. (News connection: up-to-date and usable education information from schools, government, business, research and professional organizations).(attempts to privatize Philadelphia schools)
January 1, 2002... Pennsylvania's Gov. Mark Schweiker was barely one month into his new job when he was engrossed in a battle with Mayor John Street over control of Philadelphia's public schools. The governor's sweeping reform of the district calls for private...

Is Microsoft's settlement plan good for schools? (News connection: up-to-date and usable education information from schools, government, business, research and professional organizations).
January 1, 2002... After coming under fire for its proposed settlement plan--released in November--that would give $1 billion in technology and cash to the nation's poorest schools, Microsoft sought to calm critics with a mid-December alternation. Under the...

Gates Foundation gives $18 million grant to California administrators. (News connection: up-to-date and usable education information from schools, government, business, research and professional organizations).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The Gates Foundation is giving California's school principals and superintendents $18 million in grant money for professional training and development. The money from the Gates Foundation is a matching grant to complement $45 million in funding...

Low science scores disappoint educators. (News connection: up-to-date and usable education information from schools, government, business, research and professional organizations).
January 1, 2002... The grades from The Nation's Report Card: Science 2000 were disheartening to science educators. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, issued in mid-November, show the average scores for fourth and eighth graders were flat since the...

Two districts win prestigious National Quality Award. (News connection: up-to-date and usable education information from schools, government, business, research and professional organizations).(Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Two of the winners of this year's Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award are school districts. This year's slate of winners is the first to include schools--a point of pride for Chugach School District in Anchorage, Ala., and Pearl River...

New York program gives kids computers to take home. (News connection: up-to-date and usable education information from schools, government, business, research and professional organizations).
January 1, 2002... When Elisabeth Stock started the non-profit organization Computers for Youth, based in New York City, she wanted to do a few things differently than other technology charities. For starters, her emphasis is on getting computers into kids'...

Author Terry Moe's view on the Supreme Court and the Cleveland voucher case. (Vouchers).(Interview)
January 1, 2002... Educators await the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on the Cleveland voucher case, which will be heard early this year. Arguments about vouchers often become heated. One side fears public education will crumble if the Supreme Court rules in favor...

High court rejects moment of silence case. (Legal Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Late last year the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a challenge to a Virginia state law that required children to observe a minute of silence in schools. Virginia has defended its minute of silence by stressing that children can use the time as they...

Alabama puts warning stickers on biology textbooks. (Legal Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... This fall, the Alabama Board of Education voted to put disclaimer stickers on the covers of 40,000 biology texts to be used in public school classes. The stickers will specifically say that evolution is "a controversial theory....

Supreme court to hear drug testing case. (Legal Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that debates whether public schools can require students to take drug tests if they want to participate in competitive extracurricular activities. The case will be heard later this year.

Teacher training: Q&A with Francis "skip" Fennell. (Mathematics).
January 1, 2002... Q: How has education for pre-service mathematics teachers changed in recent years? A: It has been in the acknowledgement that teachers need to have depth in the field in which they are teaching. However, the actual mathematical background...

States of our union online. (Social Studies).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Researching state history has traditionally meant finding the right local library with the right book. The National Endowment for the Humanities envisions a new reality: an online encyclopedia for each state and U.S. territory. This new breed...

Exploring informal science instruction. (Science).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Why do science museums, zoos and aquariums motivate kids? According to a new project funded by the National Science Foundation, the answer runs far deeper than field-trip fun. The Exploratorium, a museum of science, art and human perception...

Student writings hot off the press. (Language Arts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... At Clarkstown North High School in New City, N.Y., students know what it feels like to see their writing in print. "They publish like crazy," says Chris Potter, a writing program teacher at the 1,300-student school. Hundreds of students see...

Sink or swim: a district that nearly was taken over by the state is now succeeding with new direction and technology. (district profile).(Union City Board of Education)
January 1, 2002... Union City, N.J., has a picturesque view of Manhattan from across the Hudson River. But the picture of Union City wasn't so bright 12 years ago. By the looks of the district now, one would never know it was on the verge of being taken over...

Cooperative online projects: internet collaborations can build Web education expertise for your staff and students. (the online edge).(includes a list of useful websites)
January 1, 2002... My work in K-12 staff development has shown time and again that one of the most effective ways to develop Internet expertise is to involve teachers and students with online projects. Well-designed projects provide learners with in-depth...

Top ten tech upgrades for 2002: use these general ideas to jumpstart contemplations for your own district's list. (Technology Upgrades).(information technology in education)
January 1, 2002... Now that the holiday feasts and gatherings of friends and family have receded, it's time to plan for the new year. K-12 schools and districts of every size face fresh challenges in 2002--both inside classrooms and out. So this January,...

Public school pillars: successful strategies for engaging the public and gaining their support. (Leadership Themes).(Cover Story)
January 1, 2002... Despite the many demands on schools today, districts are finding they don't have to go it alone. Parents and other community members not only like to be informed and involved--they expect it. "Parents are seeking meaningful involvement,...

2nd Annual School Spending Report: prepare for tough times ahead. (school spending).
January 1, 2002... "Where's the best place to spend our money--Pre-K programs? Bonuses for teacher recruitment?" As of last spring, most state policy makers who consulted Mike Griffith, a policy analyst at the Education Commission of the States, had questions...

Today's media specialist: trading in their traditional stereotypes for computer know-how and research skills, media center specialists are working hard to steer students to success. (Library/Media Center).
January 1, 2002... Fighting an age-old stereotype is tough--just ask a media center specialist. "One of the great frustrations of all of us who work with libraries, and particularly school libraries, is the attitude we hear unbelievably often. Librarians are...

Steering a clear course to learning. (New products: tools for schools).
January 1, 2002... Clear Course, www.clearcourse.net, Software, $249 Imagine a system that creates multimedia-rich courses and lessons that help students learn the way the mind is designed to learn. The ClearCourse Construction Kit for Educators is a set of...

Smart boards sport new software, pricing. (New products: tools for schools).
January 1, 2002... Smart Board, www.smarttech.com, Hardware/Software, $999 to $,1,999 for hardware, software update free to users SMART Recorder is an update to SMART Board software, which is used in conjunction with SMART interactive whiteboards, so lessons...

Character building. (New products: tools for schools).
January 1, 2002... Prentice Hall Press, www. phdirect.com, Book, $24.95 A group of Chicago's Mundelein High School students, tired of watching their classmates spew obnoxious behavior around the school, banded together and created the first student-initiated...

Core curriculum software. (New products: tools for schools).
January 1, 2002... Encore Software Inc., www. encoresoftware.com, Software, $40 each Four new CD-ROMs are available for students in elementary through high school. Elementary Advantage 2002 covers grammar, spelling, reading, social studies, geography,...

Project 2061 resource. (New products: tools for schools).
January 1, 2002... Non-superficial science Oxford University Press, www. project2061.org, Book, $49.95 Some teachers know or suspect their students are learning little about science, but because of overloaded curricula, textbooks and tests, they don't know...

Math in our times. (New products: tools for schools).
January 1, 2002... Wolfram Research, www.wolfram. com/products/explorer, Software, $69.95 The Mathematical Explorer is an interactive journey through some of the most fascinating problems in the history of mathematics that have challenged mathematicians from...

Premio launches new computer systems. (New products: tools for schools).
January 1, 2002... Premio, www.premiopc.com, Hardware, $879 and up Scalability, cutting-edge technology and power are among the features of two new computer systems from Premio Computer. The Apollo 845S model features two IDE channels, two serial ports, one...

Choose DVD frames by barcode. (New products: tools for schools).
January 1, 2002... Pioneer Electronics, www. pioneerelectronics.com, Software, $99.95 With DVD Bar'N'Coder software, users can create and print custom DVD barcodes to access specific audio and video segments on most DVD-Video disks. This new version runs on...

Speed the assessment process. (New products: tools for schools).
January 1, 2002... Vantage Learning, www.vantage.com, Internet, $1 per student/week MyAccess! is assessment and instructional technology that allows students online writing practice with immediate scoring and feedback to help them improve their writing...

Tempting AppleWorks 6.2. (New products: tools for schools).
January 1, 2002... Apple Computers, www.apple.com/appleworks, Software, $79 This software package includes word processing, spreadsheet, page layout, painting, databases and presentation software--using text, images, sounds, movies, spreadsheets, charts and...

American history online. (New products: tools for schools).
January 1, 2002... ABC-CLIO Schools, www.abc-clio. com, Internet, $599 per year The American History subscription Web site features 11,000 entries organized by topic and category, with biographies, maps, documentaries, video clips, weekly features, real-time...

Introducing the latest leadership trend--talking: don't draft a committee to increase communication, just incorporate some simple changes into everyday routines. (speaking out).(teachers' professional development)
January 1, 2002... Numerous studies of effective teacher professional development ask teachers to identify the most rewarding aspects of P.D. The top answer is always something like: "Being able to talk with other educators." Talk? Do we need specific strategies...