District Administration articles from June 2006

District Administration archives from June 2006

High schools good ... and bad: when it comes to helping students graduate and succeed, there are no easy answers.(dropouts increase)(Editorial)
June 1, 2006... It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I'm referring not to Dr. Manette and Sydney Carton whom Dickens wrote about in A Tale of Two Cities, but instead the state of American high schools. This is the conclusion to be drawn...

Creating superior teachers.(Update: NEWS, STATS AND FAST FACTS)
June 1, 2006... The skills of 3.1 million teachers in elementary and secondary school classrooms across the nation can make or break school reform, according to a recent report from The Brookings Institution. "Without the right people standing in front of...

A first for gifted students.(Update: NEWS, STATS AND FAST FACTS)(online high school )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The nation's first online high school for gifted students will be launched from Stanford University's Education Program for Gifted Youth this fall. It will include a full standard curriculum for students in grades 10-12, leading to a...

Making the grade in New York.(Update: NEWS, STATS AND FAST FACTS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Like the students they educate, New York City public schools are expected to earn good grades on, their report cards. If they don t, they will face "serious consequences,' including possible principal changes, according to Schools Chancellor...

Digital divide closes with more Internet?(Update: NEWS, STATS AND FAST FACTS)(technology in public schools)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Recent reports claim that more affordable laptops, more computers in public schools and libraries and new cell phones and hand-held devices that connect to the Internet have contributed to closing the digital divide, according to The New York...

New high school touts math/science/tech.(Update: NEWS, STATS AND FAST FACTS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Not long after President Bush pushed for more math, science and technology in school, a new public high school emphasizing those very subjects will open this fall in Ohio. Batelle, which develops technology and manages labs for customers,...

What if schools were customized?(Update: NEWS, STATS AND FAST FACTS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The Emerging Technology Committee of the Consortium for School Networking shows in its Digital Learning Spaces 2010 report how school in four years may be customized, something a few cutting edge schools are already pursuing. "We wanted to...

3 outlooks.(for high schools)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... * Math and science learning Outdoor learning and integrated learning could be the norm for high school. Supporting such spaces for math and science requires a broadband Wide Area Network that can handle data, voice and video traffic; Local...

Boys get worse grades.(Update: NEWS, STATS AND FAST FACTS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... American boys are getting worse grades than girls in part because they have a different neurology and hard wiring than girls, two educational researchers note. They base their results on homework, which some have criticized as something...

Michigan gets tough.(Update: NEWS, STATS AND FAST FACTS)(new legislation for educational tests)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Michigan's students--starting with the high school graduating class of 2011--will get the toughest test outside of school. New legislation recently meant Michigan's high school graduation standards will be among the nation's most rigorous....

Maine's Apple.(Update: NEWS, STATS AND FAST FACTS)(schools using Apple iBook computers )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Maine seventh and eight graders and their teachers will use Apple iBook computers again for the next four years after the company recently submitted the winning bid. The bid is worth $289 per unit, compared to $300 per unit in the original...

Achievement gains offset by stress and reducing course time.(Inside the Law)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Scores on state tests are rising, but teachers are stressed as they are pushed to prove their high quality status and feel they must teach to the test. On top of this, about 71 percent of districts report that they must reduce instructional...

Growth models vary.(student proficiency to be increased)
June 1, 2006... Eight of an initial 20 growth model submissions by states have proceeded to the peer review process and were to be reviewed for recommendation in May. The U.S. Department of Education has claimed that growth models could not undermine the...

Wisconsin joins Connecticut.(Inside the Law)(federal government funding for education)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Claiming the federal government is only providing 5 percent to 8 percent of total educational funding under No Child Left Behind and is dictating teacher qualifications as well as student achievement, Wisconsin is joining Connecticut in...

India's trip creates push for collaboration.(Inside the Law)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Upon returning from her trip to India, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said the Asian country has fire that America lacks. "There is absolutely a hunger in their system and a strong and high degree of value for education and,...

Loopholes create big concerns.(marks scored by minority students not revealed)
June 1, 2006... A recent report showing nearly two million students' test scores--including many minority students' scores--are not being counted in NCLB provisions has some education advocates saying schools are exploiting a loophole to escape penalties. ...

33 states claim 90-99%.(Inside the Law)(qualified teachers survey)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... 33 states claim 90-99% of core classes have highly qualified teachers, meaning under NCLB, they hold a bachelor's degree, state license, and are competent in the subjects they teach.

Math class difficulty increases exponentially in Virginia.(Curriculum Update)
June 1, 2006... How do you teach students who have run out of math courses? That's what educators in Fairfax County (Va.) Public Schools have been pondering. The "issue" first surfaced in the mid-'80s when a handful of students started algebra a year...

Robotics: the 4th R?
June 1, 2006... "If we're going to keep our innovation engine cooking, we need to inspire more children to pursue science, engineering and technology," says Robin Shoop, a 30-year teaching veteran at Pittsburgh Public Schools and educational outreach advisor...

Using iPods to improve learning.(Curriculum Update)(interview with Andy Berning)(Interview)
June 1, 2006... In 2002, the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District in Dallas began the Beyond Hardware Initiative, where students use "leisure technology" (PlayStations, MP3 players) to learn math, vocabulary and English. Three years later,...

Budding scientists?(Curriculum Update)(survey)(Survey)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... In grade 9, enrolls in science track Men 14% Women 11% As college freshman, plans to major in science Men 7% Women 2% Achieves a Bachelors in science Men 2% Women 1% Source: National Research Council, 2001 B.S....

Bring marine life indoors.(Curriculum Update)(David Vaugnan's teaching)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... David Vaugnan teaches high-school science at the Waynflete School in Portland, Maine. Although he's had an aquarium in his class for the 20 years he's taught science, he just bought a Touch Tank this year. Already, he says it's made a world of...

Community is in the eye of the beholder.(Sharon Patterson of Bibb County Public Schools)(Biography)
June 1, 2006... When asked about her favorite out-of-school activity, Sharon Patterson quickly U-turns back to work talk: "My work and my life are intertwined, so when I'm not in the office or in school, I'm doing things in the community. I think I'm...

Grading tests.(Mobile County Public School System)
June 1, 2006... Harold Dodge has bragging rights when it comes to his Mobile County (Ala.) Public School System students' achievements. But these days, the superintendent is crowing simply because he can access those stats in the first place. It all began...

Graduation woes: high school rates may be rising, but not fast enough.(GRADUATION RATES)
June 1, 2006... Any which way you slice it, the graduation rate among American high school students is just not cutting it, even given the latest report that claims higher rates than what had been reported. Two separate reports recently released give...

The hidden downside of wireless networking: Wi-Fi can cause big trouble--and you may not even know it. Here's how to keep the hackers at bay.
June 1, 2006... Going wireless offers a panoply of attractive benefits to school districts. Because you don't have to run cables to every classroom, it's cheaper to deploy a wireless network than an old-fashioned wired network. Wireless makes it more...

Leader/pioneer/secret shopper: Montgomery County's Assistant Superintendent John Q. Porter is all of these things--and more. Learn how he's spearheading the creation of a state-of-the-art data management system and the importance of that mysterious middle initial.(ADMINISTRATOR Q&A)(Interview)
June 1, 2006... If he were a character, the audience would know the enigmatic "Q" in his name stands for Quirites, signifying his father s subtle hope that his son's future would make him rise above the rest. (Quirites is Latin, and it refers to a singular...

8th grade algebra: finding a formula for success: if your district is considering this trend, here's some advice on mathematics' good news/bad news situation.(MATHEMATICS)
June 1, 2006... More districts are offering algebra to 8th graders to spur enrollment in higher level math courses during high school. But accelerating the math curriculum represents a complex equation and success hinges on multiple variables. "Today's...

The education buyer's guide to audio-visual systems & solutions 2006.(Buyers guide)
June 1, 2006... Easy-reference guide to manufacturers and vendors of A/V solutions for educational institutions. Featuring categorized listings of companies providing the latest AV-related solutions including manufacturers, consultants and sellers of. ...

Building a strong community partnership: when it comes to creating effectives school-family-community partnerships, take some advice from veteran districts.
June 1, 2006... You'd be hard pressed to find a school district that leaves improving test scores, budgeting for new technology or developing the curriculum to chance. But too many schools do exactly that with parental and community involvement. arguably as...

Join the A/V club: presentation equipment is a "must have" for districts. Used right, it's a boon; but without smart implementation, you may have just bought a $100,000 dust collector.(PRESENTATION SYSTEMS, A/V)(Audiovisual equipment)
June 1, 2006... WHEN IT COMES TIME to divvy up the technology budget, districts have more choices than ever. So it may come as a surprise to hear how fiercely some tech experts defend something as seemingly basic as classroom audiovisual equipment. "If I had...

Big brother gets bolder: security software on laptops goes off school grounds and into students' and teachers' homes.(SAFETY & SECURITY)
June 1, 2006... Web sites like those described to the left are likely off limits for most students in districts that have one-to-one laptop initiatives allowing students to take the computers home. And while administrators and parents aim to protect students...

Preparing for a Pandemic.(school districts)
June 1, 2006... Unsure if or when the next flu pandemic might strike, public health officials are telling school districts to be prepared should the bird flu virus evolve to the point where it can spread easily from person to person. Worldwide, there have...

Bus drivers on alert.(SECURITY Trends)(school safety management)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A new line of defense is getting trained to combat potential terrorism: School bus drivers. The new School Bus Watch program has already trained 30,000 drivers out of a total of 600,000 school bus drivers nationwide, according to Robin...

N.J. School District has an eye on security.(SECURITY Trends)(Plumsted Township School District )
June 1, 2006... The small Plumsted Township School District in New Egypt, N.J., made national headlines three years ago when it implemented an iris recognition security system to scan the colored portions of visitors' eyes. Now another district--located...

Do-it-yourself online video: services such as PutFile and YouTube bring benefits and dangers to schools.
June 1, 2006... A student in a New Jersey high school recently filmed a shouting and visibly angry teacher forcing a student to stand for the National Anthem by yanking his chair from under him. The clip was posted on several Internet sites, and garnered...

Laptops in adolescence: growing pains and disappointing the elders.(Editorial)
June 1, 2006... Marketing guru Guy Kawasaki teaches us not to be concerned when others begin to pervert your innovation. That is evidence that your idea has taken root. It may even produce benefits you never imagined. When I look at the implementation of...

Self-serve report cards.
June 1, 2006... Problem: Parent-teacher conferences at Westside Community Schools in Omaha, Neb., used to offer flavors of vanilla. The parents arrived on the designated night, and teachers opened their grade books to recite the student's records. It was news...

Rethinking advanced placement.
June 1, 2006... Six in 10 U.S. high schools offer at least one Advanced Placement class, and a growing number of students are signing up. College Board president Gaston Caperton speaks of the AP program as "an anchor for increasing rigor in our schools and...

Technology on a Shoestring: A Survival Guide for Educators and Other Professionals: Teachers College Press.(Brief article)(Book review)
June 1, 2006... www.tcpress.com, $21.95 Dealing with technology within a school environment often poses problems surrounding donated equipment. This guide provides a practical roadmap for running a successful technology system in a low-budget and...

Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms: Corwin Press.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... www.corwinpress.com, $27.95 This guide demonstrates how Web tools can generate exciting new learning formats and explains how to apply these tools in the classroom to engage students in a world of synchronous information feeds and...

Basic Game Design and Creation for Fun & Learning: Charles River Media.(Charles River Media Inc.)
June 1, 2006... www.charlesriver.com, $39.95 This book teaches educators who lack programming skills how to create their own computer games, including The DNA Factory, Bug Invasion, ClickOnCash, Swat the Bugs, The Color Game and The Gravity Game. The...

An Automation Primer for School Library Media Centers: Linworth Books.(Book review)
June 1, 2006... www.linworth.com, $44.95 This step-by-step guide to library automation details the various stages of automation conversions and presents a project planning process guide to assist librarians in different library settings to plan and...

Publishing a Weblog with Blogger: Visual QuickProject Guide: Peachpit.(Peachpit Press)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... www.peachpit.com, $12.99 Using big, bold, full-color pictures and streamlined instructions, the guide covers the essentials of blogging. Author Elizabeth Castro takes readers through each step of the blogging process. Readers become...

Planning for Technology: Corwin Press.(Brief article)(Book review)
June 1, 2006... www.corwinpress.com, $34.95 The book demonstrates to educators how to establish a school plan that supports in-class technology use for students and teachers. Content includes the context and rationale for the technological shift to the...

BARRicade Visitor Management System: Barr Security.
June 1, 2006... www.barrsecurity.com, Basic System, $5,995; Additional Software Licenses, $205; Self-serving stand-alone kiosk $9,995 A kiosk used for visitor registration, background checking, recordkeeping, b reporting, and creating ID badges is the...

3D-Readers: The NeuronFarm.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN BOOKS, HARDWARE, INTERNET AND SOFTWARE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... www.neuronfarm.com Software, $600/starter pack Geared for grades 3-8, this Web-based application uses original narrative and non-fiction texts along with a blend of verbal and visual reading strategies that include interactive...

Copy Master II: Octave Systems.
June 1, 2006... www.octave.com Duplicators, $1,549 The 11-drive unit can provide 1-to-11, 1-to-9, 1-to-7, 1-to-5, 1-to-3 and one-to-one duplication and can burn up to 16X on DVD+R and DVD-R formats and CDs up to 48X. Besides duplicating standard 120mm CDs...

Two-minute Lessons: SMART Technologies.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN BOOKS, HARDWARE, INTERNET AND SOFTWARE)
June 1, 2006... www.smarttech.com/smartboard Tutorials, $750/600 users Atomic Learning, an online library offering QuickTime moves about different hardware and software applications, is offering 45, two-minute tutorials on the various features of the...

Profile 6: Gateway.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN BOOKS, HARDWARE, INTERNET AND SOFTWARE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... www.gateway.com, Hardware, $1,199 Gateway's tool-free PC was designed to minimize the need for lengthy support visits. It integrates all the components of a traditional desktop, including a detachable LCD monitor and stereo quality...

Learning Essentials Web site: Microsoft Education Products Group.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN BOOKS, HARDWARE, INTERNET AND SOFTWARE)(educational website)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... www.microsoft.com/learningessentials, Web site, Free access This new Web site was designed to help students and teachers complete high-quality work with a task-based interface and education-specific tools for Office applications. It offers...

Destiny Asset Manager: Follett Software Company.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN BOOKS, HARDWARE, INTERNET AND SOFTWARE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... www.fsc.follett.com Software, Starts at $20,000/district A district's fixed and portable assets will be easier to track with this software, which uses a browser-based interface and scanner technology. Site-based staff or administrators can...

Flashcard decks: StudyCell.
June 1, 2006... www.studycell.com, Online Tool, Free The Web site allows teachers and students to create electronic flashcard decks on any subject, download them to their phones and share them with students in their classes or study groups. The decks...

Biology ProScope Kit: Vernier:.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN BOOKS, HARDWARE, INTERNET AND SOFTWARE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... www.vernier.com/proscope, Hardware, $549 The Biology ProScope Kit includes a USB handheld digital microscope, lenses, adapters, and a mounting stand. It allows students to magnify and examine images of small objects on Macintosh or PC...

TT-02: Elmo.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN BOOKS, HARDWARE, INTERNET AND SOFTWARE)(educational software)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... www.elmousa.com, Hardware, $800 A new visual presenter, the TT-02 weighs less than six pounds, has built in auto focus, and one hand adjustment. Made to project documents and small 3-D objects, it has 5.3x optical zoom, 8x digital zoom, a...

Learn Big IN24: InFocus.(New Products: THE LATEST OFFERINGS IN BOOKS, HARDWARE, INTERNET AND SOFTWARE)(Digital Projector)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... www.infocus.com, Digital Projector, $699 This new projector, which offers 3,000 hours of lamp life, includes a sleeve-bearing color wheel for quieter performance, a 2000:1 contrast ratio, 1700 lumens, the latest digital light processing...

unitedstreaming updates: Discovery Education.
June 1, 2006... www.discoveryeducation.com Digital Video-Based Service. $1,495-$1,995/annual site license per building Over 1,000 video programs have been added to the service. Dozens of episodes from Magic School Bus, I Spy, Dear America and Royal Diaries...

Urban school climate.(By the Numbers)(educational surveys)(Survey)
June 1, 2006... By the Numbers Urban School Climate SAFETY 63% of students agree or or strongly agree that they feed safe in their school Responses to "Some children carry guns or knives in my school." Grades...

Palm rings up Treo 700p smartphone: blending broadbandlike speeds with world-class Palm OS usability.(operating systems)
June 1, 2006... School administrators and teachers now have a choice of smartphone operating systems from Palm, Inc. The new Palm Treo 700p smartphone includes hardware and software innovations centered around usability, connectivity, multimedia and...

It's the principal of the thing: administrators in North Kansas City Schools find Treo solutions to every need.(handheld computers)(Cover story)
June 1, 2006... Amy Casey didn't need convincing that her Treo handheld computer was an essential part of her first year as an Assistant Principal at Gracemore Elementary. "I love all things techie," she says, "and I was already a Palm [handheld] user." So...

Conquering cyberphobia, one staffer at a time: continuous learning and ongoing technical support have proven to be the cure for techno-phobes.
June 1, 2006... When Dr. Jim Phares joined Marion County Schools in 2003 as superintendent, he was a bit disappointed that most of the district's administrators, principals and teachers were hardly using any technology to streamline their daily tasks. The...

Spreading success using palm handhelds at Florida PreK-5: when these fourth graders use handheld technology, they're all equal and accomplished.(Sebastian Elementary School)
June 1, 2006... Fourth graders in Barbara Preziosi's class at Sebastian Elementary School are so taken with their Palm Tungsten handhelds that they won't let them go. They carry them in holders around their necks, taking them from task to task, and from...

Palm handhelds touch students with autism: a Texas district uses handhelds to motivate students with Asperger's syndrome.
June 1, 2006... Special education teacher Lynn Parsons had some encouragement for a mother that doubted that her high-school daughter would be interested in attending the teacher's after-school social-skills class for students with high-functioning autism or...

Reading, writing, and podcasting: elementary schools create engaging language arts activities with Palm handhelds.(Jamestown Elementary School, Arlington Public Schools)
June 1, 2006... If you're looking for top-notch entertainment on the Internet, check out the Apple iTunes store under "Podcasts" and then look under the unlikely link "Education." There you'll find an entry for Jamestown Elementary School in Arlington, VA,...

1:1 computing at the elementary level in Texas: handheld program for reading and math includes 3,200 third- through fifth-grade students in Amarillo.(Region 16 Education Service Center)
June 1, 2006... One-to-one computing may be a goal at many schools across the country, but it's a way of life at 22 elementary campuses in the Texas Panhandle, where students are using Palm handhelds for reading and math instruction every day. The...

FilePoint Classroom.
June 1, 2006... Bachmann Software www.bachmannsoftware.com FilePoint Classroom Edition lets students and teachers exchange files wirelessly in a classroom environment. With FilePoint Classroom, you can: * Create assignments, quizzes and other...

Innovative accessories.(ASSESSMENT)
June 1, 2006... BoxWave Corporation BoxWave. com Visit BoxWave.com to see the latest accessories for your Palm, Pocket PC, iPod and other electronic devices. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Charge stations.(CONNECTIVITY)
June 1, 2006... TriBeam Technologies, Inc tribeam.com From desktop, to fully mobile locking models, these multi-unit chargers will keep your Palm handhelds charged and organized. Get the IR50 Broadcast Station to broadcast documents and Palm files to...

Teacher-directed electronic learning.(ASSESSMENT)
June 1, 2006... Education Technology Labs www.edtech/abs.org Teachers transmit assignments, tests, and teaching materials to a student's Palm. Students review the materials or view videos, complete the assignment or test, transmitting their work back...

MathAmigo Your Helping Hand.
June 1, 2006... Valiant USA www.valiantusa.com MathAmigo -Your Helping Hand It is a BIG K-8 Math system for handhelds & PC computers bringing the benefits of technology into every math lesson. MathAmigo has thousands of activities from counting to...

Shape up: geometry.(MATH & SCIENCE)
June 1, 2006... Leading Step, Inc. www.leadingstep.com Trapezoids, rhombuses, equilateral triangles! Learning geometry is fun as students identify various shapes and shape properties such as parallel lines, acute angles, and similar or congruent...

Keyboard adapter & PrintEZ.(PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY)
June 1, 2006... TriBeam Technologies, Inc www.tribeam.com TriBeam's powerful keyboard adapter attaches to a standard PS/2 full-size computer keyboard to provide full-size productivity for handhelds in the classroom. It comes with flexible keyboard...

Size it up.
June 1, 2006... Leading Step Inc. www.leadingstep.com Size It Up is a fun, three-game package that helps students learn to work with various types of numbers including whole numbers, decimals, fractions, mixed numbers, and negative numbers. Also...

PrintBoy.(PRINTING)
June 1, 2006... Bachmann Software www.bachmannsoftware.com PrintBoy allows you to print directly from your Palm OS handheld or Windows Mobile Treo smartphone to virtually any type of printer, wirelessly! With PrintBoy, you can print your documents,...

Pennovate notes.(PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY)
June 1, 2006... Pennovate www.pennovate.com Cultivate creativity with the freedom of "pen and paper while harnessing the power and convenience of digital! Pennovate software and proven user interface provide a cost effective way for every student to...

Principalm.
June 1, 2006... Discovery Software Ltd. www.principalm.com Principalm provides secure access to the data that administrators need from their student information system on a Palm or Windows Mobile handheld. Schools and districts recognize that...