District Administration articles from March 2003

District Administration archives from March 2003

Inching along. (editor's Letter).(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2003... While at the recent FETC conference in Orlando, I kept looking for the next big thing. This technology conference used to feature showy promotions (iMind's Volkswagen give-away that never quite happened is unforgettable), but more importantly,...

Sticking up for filters. (letters).(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2003... NANCY WILLARD COULDN'T HAVE gotten it more wrong in "Keeping Safe, Staying Smart" (January 2003, p. 28). Her prescription for the problem of Internet safety will only lead to many more examples of the tragic crime that opened her article. ...

Right about research. (letters).(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2003... BRAVO TO YOU FOR YOUR ARTICLE on the Web researching capabilities of students ("Technology and the College Admissions Process," February 2003, p. 23)! Let's not confuse Web comfort with Web researching literacy. After six years of teaching...

Nebraska's showdown. (Inside the law: the latest news about No Child Left Behind).(concern over some of the act's requirements)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Nebraska is doing just fine without the federal government Nebraska Education Commissioner Doug Christensen says his state could meet most requirements of No Child Left Behind. He just doesn't know what could happen ff the state doesn't. ...

Dealing with the details: specific plans for NCLB. (Inside the law: the latest news about No Child Left Behind).(state accountability plans)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A year after No Child Left Behind became law, many educators are still calling it an unfunded federal mandate with impossible expectations. But all [states have started down the road of compliance. In January, Colorado, Indiana,...

Ohio faces failures. (Hamilton (Ohio) School District).(two schools require improvement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... It served as the model for the No Child Left Behind bill for its testing, early childhood programs, ongoing staff development and parental involvement. Now, the Hamilton (Ohio) School District continues to make sure it complies with the law....

A virtual alternative: public K-8 "school without walls" launches in Denver. (Building a New Foundation).(partnership with Connections Academy)
March 1, 2003... The Denver Public Schools (DPS) Board of Education broke a lot of virtual ground last year when it opened its newest K-8 facility. In partnership with the Connections Academy, a private operator of K-8 virtual public schools, the DPS system...

Maine technology program gets a boost. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(Electronic Data Systems Corp. donates software)
March 1, 2003... Thanks to a $400-plus million software donation to Maine schools, students there can graduate with four to eight years of experience in precision manufacturing software tools, helping them conquer the learning curve of some entry-level...

Bully hotline in Philadelphia. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(violent acts reported to police and school district)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Paul G. Vallas is ready to get tough on violence. The chief executive officer for the Philadelphia school district, he wants all violent acts reported to police and the district. It's part of a revised Code of Student Conduct, whereby even...

Charter success. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(National Heritage Academies)(for-profit schools)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Some financial woes of the for-profit charter school pioneer Edison Schools gave the industry a bad reputation, but rival National Heritage Academies is succeeding for both its shareholders and its customers--some 17,000 students in 32 schools....

F's and D's--for principals. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(based on school performance)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Failing grades are not just for students anymore. About 180 principals in New York City are getting D's and F's based in part on low student academic performance, attendance and test scores. And at least 50 principals will be fired if they fail...

Gen Y grows. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(Generation Y classes)(teaching students to use technology)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Prince George's County Public Schools in Maryland will use a three-year federal grant to start Generation Y technology classes in 10 more districts in a statewide partnership. Generation Y, which is already in Prince George's County,...

Autism ... and growing. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(becoming more prevalent)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Autism is roughly 10 times more prevalent today as it was in the 1980s, according to a study conducted by researchers from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 1996, the study in metropolitan Atlanta found that 3.4 in...

Ban on Bible club creates lawsuit. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(Louisville, Colorado school)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Two Colorado high school students are suing their school because it banned a Bible club, but not a Gay/Straight Alliance and other political and social groups. The American Center for Law and Justice, founded by televangelist Pat...

Seattle woes look scandalous on satirical Web $ite. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and professional organizations).(former school administrator pokes fun at Seattle School Board)
March 1, 2003... * "Seattle School Board declares I00 percent confidence in self" * "A message from Superintendent Joseph Olchefske about the budget debacle: From our beloved leader: `Don't believe the hype, folks. We just gotta make lemon juice outta...

Fit in body = fit in mind. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and).
March 1, 2003... Physical fitness advocates finally have something to hang their hats on: A large-scale analysis released by the California Department of Education confirms that physically fit kids perform better academically. The analysis, which included...

Sex survey sours some. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and).(Fairfax County survey on teen sex, suicide and weight loss)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Children as young as 11 are going to be asked if they drank alcohol and children as young as 15 are slated to be asked how old they were when they first had sex in a proposed survey for thousands of Fairfax County students this spring. The...

Ohio loses $ for sex ed. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and).(sex education grants lost)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Ohio schools have lost about $2 million in federal funds that most states use to help fund health education. Three years ago, Ohio lawmakers barred the state from taking the money. Lawmakers argued that teaching about condoms and...

Want to volunteer? Fingerprints, please. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and).(Massachusetts law requires criminal check of volunteers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A new law in Massachusetts requires criminal background checks on school volunteers. This comes months after Boston was exposed as the epicenter of the Catholic Church's sexual abuse scandal. The new law requires all volunteer--even parents on...

Report: diversity awareness will pay off. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and).(students need to connect with educators)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A strong relationship with a teacher, counselor or administrator in high school could help students get to college or postsecondary education, says a new report from ACT. But black students are less likely than whites to develop those strong...

Educator before her time. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and).(Inabeth Miller)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Inabeth Miller of Cambridge, Mass., a pioneer in expanding learning through technology, died in January of kidney failure. She was 67. Miller turned the Massachusetts Corporation for Educational Telecommunications from three employees into one...

Short on teachers or not? (Update: education news from schools, business, research and).(survey indicates shortage down slightly)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The slumping economy seems to be easing the teacher shortage. But experts say this blip in the stats may not be what it appears. The American Association for Employment in Education's annual survey put the teacher shortage at 3.45 (out of a...

Kids write for cash. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and).(Las Virgenes Unified School District)(request money for special education)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Hundreds of teenagers at the Las Virgenes Unified School District in California wrote letters to elected officials in their state and Washington, D.C.--urging for more money for special education. The federal government, under Individuals...

Certifying compliance. (Update: education news from schools, business, research and).(Schools Interoperability Framework)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Schools Interoperability Framework division of the Software and Information Industry Association recently hired The Open Group to help develop and deliver the SIF Compliance Program. The group is a vendor-neutral and technology-neutral...

Staying in touch by reaching out: this superintendent will be the first to admit that Friday is her favorite day of the week. (Administrator profile: Kathryn Baker).
March 1, 2003... Like many of the 37,000 students in her district, Kay Baker looks forward to week's end. In fact, she readily admits that Friday is her favorite day. It's a statement some might say stands as a commentary on her approach to her job--and they...

Tough on truants: students skipping school in Boston quickly find themselves back in class thanks to new technology. (District profile: Boston Public Schools).
March 1, 2003... Each week, Boston Public Schools' truancy officer John Fencer scouts out students playing hooky. Until recently, Fencer's companion on these missions was a five-pound, five-inch thick book filled with more than 60,000 names and addresses of...

Getting by with le$$: in these belt-tightening times, your peers share some of their more creative ideas for increasing revenue and cutting budgetary red tape. (Spending Report).
March 1, 2003... California Gov. Gray Davis is asking for a 1 percent budget increase for the state Department of Corrections. Meanwhile, he is mandating that the state cut $4.5 billion from its education budget, close to 11 percent of all its education K-12...

For the higher good: K-16 partnerships can take both ends of the educational system to a better place.(elementary to college)(educators working together at all levels)
March 1, 2003... The biting words came just short of name-calling, remembers Judy Seal, who witnessed this argument as the new facilitators of the Long Beach (Calif.) Education Partnership. "It was one of those moments I realized there are incoming missiles and...

Chicken and the egg: physics first, chemistry next and then biology? Does a science re-evolution make sense for your district?(high schools consider Physics First approach)
March 1, 2003... Forget about debating what came first, the chicken or the egg. A new trend in science is to first examine exactly how that chicken crossed the road. In other words, physics--the exploration of energy and force--is now the first science course...

Projecting the future: same dead frog. Less mess. Document cameras can do a lot more than you'd think. They can allow a class of students to see a live dissection of a frog while keeping their hands clean.
March 1, 2003... If science teachers at 10 newly created Bronx, N.Y., high schools want to demonstrate the inner workings of amphibians this spring, they won't be held back because their schools don't have fully furnished science labs. With the delivery of...

The union gap: how teachers' unions hinder school improvement efforts. (understanding the times).
March 1, 2003... No organization wields more influence over public school policy and practice than the National Education Association and its smaller cousin, the American Federation or Teachers. That's too bad, because these unions also represent the greatest...

Foreign exchange: how translation Web sites can help language learners in your district. (the online edge).(Directory)
March 1, 2003... When two students from Puerto Rico who spoke little English enrolled this year in the rural Chaplin (Conn.) Elementary School, district officials were forced to hastily devise an English as a Second Language program to support their teachers....

Reinventing the slate: what Silicon Valley giveth, schools taketh away. (speaking out).(Internet has reduced computers' educational potential)
March 1, 2003... In 1968, computer scientist Alan Kay visited Seymour Papert at MIT Papert, a protege of Jean Piaget and himself a mathematician and artificial intelligence pioneer, was combining his interests by designing computing environments in which...

The new literacies: Q&A with Donald J. Leu Jr. (Curriculum update: the latest developments in math, science, language arts and social studies).
March 1, 2003... Q: What are some of the new literacies brought on by technology? A: I view all of the new skills required by information and communication technologies (ICT) as reading, writing and communication skills. They include, but are not limited...

There's no business like honest business.(teaching ethics in business to youth)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... In this age of Enron and other corporate scandals, interest in ethics has surged at business schools nationwide. But is that too late to teach tomorrow's leaders about legal and appropriate behavior? Junior Achievement thinks so. With a $1...

Math awareness month: mathematics and art.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The connections date back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, whose sculptures and building design incorporated math concepts. By the 18th and 19th centuries, math was extensively used in designing cathedrals, Rose windows, mosaics and tilings....

Decorate walls and minds digitally. (Computer literature: books on the latest software programs for technology directors and IT staff).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... In the hallways and cafeteria of Central Junior High School in Lawrence, Kan., snapshots of students in action, reading or recycling, are taken and sometimes plastered on walls. The school is piloting fully integrated technology enriched...

Linworth Publishing. (Computer literature: books on the latest software programs for technology directors and IT staff).(Book Review)
March 1, 2003... Digital Cameras in the Classroom $44.95 In this new book, step-by-step guidelines show how digital images can be an active, experimental part of standards-based instruction. South Carolina educators Mary Ploski Seamon and Eric J. Levitt...

McGraw-Hill/Osborne. (Computer literature: books on the latest software programs for technology directors and IT staff).(Book Review)
March 1, 2003... How to do Everything with Your Digital Camera: Second Edition $24.99. Photographer and author Dave Johnson teaches the reader about composition, exposure, flash and lighting, as well as converting your camera into a document scanner, image...

Wiley Publishing. (Computer literature: books on the latest software programs for technology directors and IT staff).(Book Review)
March 1, 2003... Digital Photography for Dummies: Fourth Edition $24.99 Another easy guide from the Dummies collection. Complete with a CD-ROM that includes sample digital images to use when working through techniques, the book gives readers tips on how to...

Charles River Media. (Computer literature: books on the latest software programs for technology directors and IT staff).(Book Review)
March 1, 2003... Complete Digital Photography: Second Edition $39.95 Complete with a CD-ROM featuring new video tutorials on noise reduction, color correction and cloning, this book will explain the differences between traditional photography and digital...

Key in for greater productivity, creativity. (new products).
March 1, 2003... Getting hooked on Filemaker is easy. After all, the database software can be used by districts in any number of ways. And even a system crash doesn't mean re-keying any information, since it's automatically saved. Assistive Technologist...

Kurzweil 3000 Version 7: Kurzweil Educational Systems. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.kurzweiledu.com, Single unit $349-$1,095, 5-student Lab packs $1,895-$2,695 (volume discounts available) The latest version of this software for students with learning and visual disabilities allows teachers to selectively link...

web2school: wicked good software. (new products.
March 1, 2003... www.wickedgoodsoftware.com, Software, $1,500 per module (demographics module is free), plus recommended $400 per system/year service contract This school administrative application includes student demographics, attendance, health; grade...

ImagePro 8757: Dukane. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.dukane.com, Hardware, $7,995 This DLP projector is suitable for larger conference rooms or classrooms where the lights will be kept on. It is portable or can be mounted on the ceiling and has color-coded cables and connectors. Features...

Marcia Freeman's K-5 School-Wide Writing Program: Maupin House Publishing. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.maupinhouse.com Video series, $3,500 per school This program combines internationally known writing educator Marcia Freeman's Target-Skill-based writing curriculum and instructional methodology with ongoing staff development. The...

A More Perfect Union: University of Virginia Youth Leadership Initiative. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.virginia.edu, Software, Free Students take on the role of campaign managers in the fictitious state of Franklin with this software that teaches about American government. Throughout the campaign simulation, students will learn about...

Logitech io pen: Logitech. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.logitech.com, Hardware, Starter kit $199 Teachers and administrators can use this personal digital pen to share, store, organize and retrieve their handwritten notes. An optical sensor embedded in the pen captures handwritten images on...

The Second International Handbook of Mathematics Education: Kluwer Academic Publishers. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.wkap.com, Book, $400 The latest installment of the Handbook is a follow-up to the 1996 edition. The book features changes and developments that have occurred in the field since then, and it is segmented into four sections: Political...

iloli (iLearningOnline): Harcourt Interactive Technology. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.iloli.com, Internet, $3,900 per school This standards-based, online instructional reading assessment system provides instant feedback and immediate test results. It gives students in Grades 2-10 test practice, and teachers can measure...

Tough Fronts: The Impact of Street Culture on Schooling: Routledge. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.routledge-ny.com, Book, $22.95 Drawing on more than 70 interviews, the author offers street-savvy students' own perspectives on the social incongruity between school culture and their non-mainstream culture. The book provides a detailed...

Virtual PC for Mac 6.0: Connectix. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.connectix.com, Software, $129-$249 (depending on OS), $99 upgrade Designed to make running Windows programs, accessing PC networks, using Windows-only Internet applications and sharing files with PC users simple for those with Mac's,...

ReadWriteThink.org: International Reading Association. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.reading.org, Internet, Free This online resource for teachers and students offers standards-based lesson plans, peer-reviewed Web resources and classroom-tested activities for teaching reading and language arts in K-8. The lesson...

Intellimetric Version 8.0: Vantage learning. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.vantage.com, Software, $36/year The latest version of this automated electronic essay scoring engine incorporates new features for a 5 percent improvement in accuracy rates. The software offers line-by-line student writing feedback...

Gardening in the Minefield: Heinemann. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.heinemann.com, Book, $21 Veteran teacher, principal and consultant Laurel Schmidt's book offers school principals insight into tackling management issues. The book advises weeding out poor staff and hiring the best; nurturing...

The Robin Williams Mac OS X Book: Jaguar Edition: Peachpit press. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.peachpit.com, Book, $29.99 Those familiar with Robin Williams' Little Mac Book will want to have this guide, which is updated for Mac OS X Jaguar and written in the same informative, jargon-free style. Readers will learn how and...

Aspire 4.0: Aspire Learning Corp. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.aspire.com, Software, Building license $2,000-$3,600 The latest version of Aspire's teaching, reporting, grading and communications software for K-12 offers new group communications features and time-saving tools for teachers. The...

School Safety Essentials: LRP Publications. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.lrp.com, Books, $119.40 (plus $14.50 s/h), or $14.95 (plus $3.50 s/h) per book Concerned educators can look to this 12-booklet series for advice on creating safe school environments for students and staff. The booklets, which are...

Quantum Pad: Leapfrog Schoolhouse. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.leapfrogschoolhouse.com, Hardware, Single unit $59,6-platform set $330 This school-version of the Quantum Pad learning system is designed for students in Grades 3 and up. The system is an interactive, multi-sensory learning tool that...

Align 3.0: Schoolnet. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.schoolnet.com, Internet, $5 per student/year plus data integration fees This Web-based instructional management system provides a unifying instructional platform for districts. It allows teachers and administrators to track standards...

Staff Development Workshops: Meridian Creative Group. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.meridiancg.com, Workshops, $120-$135/teacher These day-long workshops designed to improve confidence and classroom instruction for teachers of Grades 5-8. "Empower Your Teaching with Data-Driven Instruction," taught by Larson software...

i-know Online Assessment System: CTB/McGraw-Hill. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.ctb.com, Internet, $3/student for unlimited use in one content area; $9.25/student for unlimited use in all content areas This Web-based assessment system helps teachers measure student skills by hosting the i-know family of online...

The Little Digital Video Book: Peachpit press. (new products).
March 1, 2003... www.peachpitpress.com, Book, $19.99 Digital video expert Michael Rubin wants to empower others to tell stories via video and demystify filmmaking so anyone can create short movies in just a few hours. This book will give steps on how to...

Calendar.
March 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,...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
March 1, 2003... A story in the Notebook section of the January issue ("Urban Woes," p. 10) mistakenly referred to Fort Bend (Texas) Superintendent Don Hooper as the president of the American Association of School Administrators. Hooper is a former president of...

Laptop adoption. (By the numbers: this month laptops: a data bank on laptops for those who recommend, purchase and support wireless technology).(Illustration)
March 1, 2003... LAPTOP USE IS HIGHEST among senior high schools-nearly half report owning them. Elementary Middle/Jr. High Senior High 2001 25% 31% 34% 2002 36% 46% 48% ...

Laptops for instructions. (By the numbers: this month laptops: a data bank on laptops for those who recommend, purchase and support wireless technology).(Illustration)
March 1, 2003... 2000-2001 Use Laptops 28% Don't Use Laptops 60% 2001-2002 Use Laptops 40% Don't Use Laptops 72% Note: Table made from pie graph. Source: MDR

The first Mac laptop. (By the numbers: this month laptops: a data bank on laptops for those who recommend, purchase and support wireless technology).(Powerbook 100)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Name: Powerbook 100 Introduced: Unveiled at Comdex, 10/21/1991 Discontinued: 8/3/1992 Price: $2,500 Processor: 68000 Battery Type: PB100, lead acid RAM Slots: 1, PB1xx Min-Max RAM: 2 MB-8 MB RAM Sizes: 2, 4,...

To date ... (By the numbers: this month laptops: a data bank on laptops for those who recommend, purchase and support wireless technology).(Maine Department of Education)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Maine Department of Education has purchased 20,547 iBooks for: seventh-grade teachers and students eighth graders. The program will cover all eight-grade students and teachers beginning this fall. The Maine DOE projects having 36,000 laptops.

Recently. (By the numbers: this month laptops: a data bank on laptops for those who recommend, purchase and support wireless technology).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Recently, the Houston school district purchased 15,000 Compaq laptops in a three-year deal. About $8.6 million of the $12 million cost is covered by a grant from the state's Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund, which is made up of taxes...

Laptop lending. (By the numbers: this month laptops: a data bank on laptops for those who recommend, purchase and support wireless technology).(Illustration)
March 1, 2003... School Year 22% 1 semester 9% 1 Month 6% 1 Week 11% < 1 Week 47% Other 5% Note: Table made from pie chart. Source: National Center for Education Statistics (nces.ed.gov) Percent of...

The average number of laptops owned. (By the numbers: this month laptops: a data bank on laptops for those who recommend, purchase and support wireless technology).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The average number of laptops owned by schools increased from 11 per school (2001) to 14 (2002). Source: MDR

Purchase plans. (By the numbers: this month laptops: a data bank on laptops for those who recommend, purchase and support wireless technology).(Illustration)
March 1, 2003... OF THE TOTAL COMPUTERS planned for purchase in the 2002-03 school year, 15 percent will be laptops. % of Market Desktop Laptop Macintosh 21% 15% 6% Windows PC 79% ...