District Administration articles from November 2008

District Administration archives from November 2008

Wanted: prudent leadership.(Editor's Letter)
November 1, 2008... By the time this magazine is in your hands we'll know who our new national leader will be. Whichever way the election goes, the new president will have the big job of managing the financial crisis that our country faces and will have an impact...

IEPs for all.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... Regarding Daniel E. Kinnaman's column about Individualized Education Plans for all students ("Change Every Child Needs," October 2008), it's something I have been talking about for years. I would like to take a closer look at your plan next...

The game of learning.(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... I'm responding to Products Editor Kurt Dyrli's blog entry on Product Posts, comparing today's games to early arcade games based on a New York Times article ("Using Video Games as Bait to Hook Readers," Oct. 7, 2008). One reader gives kudos to...

Fueling the budget.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I especially appreciated the News Update article on how districts are dealing with higher energy and fuel prices ("Schools Tighten Fuel Budget Belt," September 2008.) It seems like money is always a hot issue, and it...

More data needed for dropouts.(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... I've been in school business for almost 10 years and before that, 20-plus years in private industry. I began reading your publication about three years ago. I find most articles current and relevant. Daniel E. Kinnaman's Understanding the Times...

Gun-toting Texans.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... In a Sept. 3 blog entry on The Pulse: Education's Place for K12 Debate, Gary Stager writes, "Teachers can't be trusted to use Google or e-mail an attachment, but this is perfectly fine?"--prompting readers to click on a link to a news story...

Schools feel pain of financial meltdown: homeless students on the rise.(News Update)
November 1, 2008... TAXPAYERS, HOMEOWNERS AND investors are not the only ones nervously wiping their brows--the Wall Street crisis also has serious implications for education. A wave of foreclosures has uprooted children, creating disruptions that can impair their...

Lending on hold.(News Update)
November 1, 2008... THE ECONOMY IS ALSO MAKING it hard for districts to borrow from banks to pay for schools and projects. In North Carolina, for example, Wake County--whose school district of over 130,000 is the largest in the state--recently delayed plans to...

Top marks.(PEOPLE WATCH)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Eli Broad has announced the Brownsville (Texas) Independent School District as the winner of the Broad Prize for Urban Education, which will receive $1,000,000 in college scholarships. The four finalists will each...

Pressure's on.(PEOPLE WATCH)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Alberto Carvalho has been appointed to replace Rudy Crew as superintendent of Miami-Dade Public Schools. He will face such challenges as boosting morale among teachers, navigating a financial crisis, and working with...

Guilty as charged.(PEOPLE WATCH)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] William Coleman III, former Detroit schools superintendent, has been sentenced to a year of probation and fined $5,000 after pleading guilty to attempting to influence a grand jury during a federal Dallas schools...

Shaky negotiations.(PEOPLE WATCH)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Michelle Rhee, D.C. Public Schools chancellor, has proposed in a new labor contract, a series of measures allowing her to more easily fire ineffective teachers. Talks have been stalled over the negotiations, which...

Honored.(PEOPLE WATCH)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mark D. Wilson of Morgan County High School (Ga.) has been named the 2009 Principal of the Year. He has implemented a scheduling system that facilitates collaboration, builds teacher-student relationships, and allows...

College loans not immune.(News Update)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... STUDENTS GOING THROUGH the college application process, in addition to students already enrolled in college, are also running scared due to private lenders pulling out of college loan packages. "Spawned by the subprime mortgage crisis,...

Crisis aversion.(News Update)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NO ONE WOULD ARGUE THAT kids are to blame for the fallout in the financial markets, but that's who the U.S. Treasury Department is targeting with a just launched program to educate them about credit and other...

No more fuzzy math.(News Update)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS of the National Math Panel, commissioned by President Bush to find out why the math skills of U.S. students pale in comparison to those in other countries, were released last March, but resources related to the...

Fast fact.(News Update)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] One in 5 public school students is Hispanic, says a new study by the Washington-based research group Pew Hispanic Center. The number of Latino students--which has doubled since 1990 to reach 10 million in 2006--is...

Rising pressure.(News Update)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MANY OF TODAY'S HIGH SCHOOL students say that the pressure to get good grades is creating a problem for them and that there is too much pressure to act as adults, according to a recent study by the Horatio Alger...

Teacher's orders: "open your mouth and say "ah"?(News Update)
November 1, 2008... NOW MAY NOT BE A GOOD TIME to get sick if you're a kid. As districts across the country face nurse shortages--and spread thin the nurses they do have across multiple schools--many are turning to an unsettling line of defense to provide care for...

A sign we like.(News Update)(Katonah Elementary School )(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As part of a series of initiatives spearheaded by the Environmental Sustainability PTO committee at Katonah Elementary School in Katonah, N.Y., students and their parents are being encouraged to decline car rides to...

Looking hard at accreditation.(News Update)
November 1, 2008... FEW PEOPLE HAVE EVER HEARD the word "accreditation" paired with K12 schools, much less shown a familiarity with the accreditation process. Yet when Clayton County (Ga.) Public Schools became in September the first district in nearly 40 years to...

Big Apple school gets green makeover.(News Update)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... STUDENTS AT BEEKMAN HILL INTERNATIONAL School on Manhattan's Upper East Side might feel like they're floating in air when they exercise in the building's top floor gymnasium, and it's because they are. The gym's floor uses a system supported by...

Targeting schools.(News Update)
November 1, 2008... LOCAL SHOPPERS AT TARGET stores helped the store chain donate in September nearly $15 million in books, classroom supplies, field trips and new technology to 78,000 schools across the nation, according to Target spokeswoman Courtney Foster. ...

Taking on water.(News Update)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bottled water now comprises the largest slice of drinks offered in schools, the beverage industry recently announced. Sugary soft drinks accounted for less than a quarter of beverages sold in schools last...

Working toward Racial Equity.(Administrator Profile: SUPERINTENDENT STEPHEN PRICE)
November 1, 2008... WHEN STEVEN PRICE WAS HIRED as superintendent of Middletown City Schools in Ohio six years ago, he was charged with three tasks: raise academic achievement, fix dilapidated buildings, and address the district's diversity issues. ...

Deep is the heart of Texas.(District Profile: ROCKWALL (TEXAS) INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT)
November 1, 2008... SOME SUPERINTENDENTS MIGHT be content to boast about the new schools and great test scores in the fast-growing community of Rockwall County, Texas. Gene Burton, superintendent of the Rockwall Independent School District (RISD), has a less...

Getting in touch: touchscreen use in education technology will continue to grow.(TECHNOLOGY)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHEN APPLE INTRODUCED THE IPHONE on June 29, 2007, it was one of the largest and most anticipated consumer electronics releases ever. The device was revolutionary, not just because it combined a cellular phone, MP3...

School science labs: some districts bite the bullet to update their antiquated facilities.(FACILITIES & CONSTRUCTION)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LAST YEAR, WHEN THE NEW England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) put Rockland High School in Massachusetts on probation--largely because of its outdated science labs--it didn't surprise Principal Stephen...

Simplifying college admissions: create the college culture you need for today's competitive admissions environment.(ADMISSIONS)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THINK THE COLLEGE admissions picture couldn't get any more complicated? Guess again. Recent trends in college enrollment, applications and costs are likely to continue to baffle students, parents, and the schools and...

First of a two-part series: turning the tables on assessment: assessing and evaluating school boards and superintendents are vital to meeting district goals.(LEADERSHIP ASSESSMENT)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS ARE CRUCIAL FOR MANAGING ALL areas of a district--and not just for students but even for the leaders themselves. A school district leadership team is comprised of the school board, forming the...

Richland (S.C.) School District 2: www.richland2.org.(How Well Does This Web Site Work? LEARN WHAT OUR WEB ANALYST SAYS IS RIGHT AND WRONG WITH THIS DISTRICT SITE)
November 1, 2008... THE RICHLAND (S.C.) SCHOOL District 2 serves over 23,000 students and includes 35 schools and centers. The average pupil-teacher ratio is 19 to 1. The district offices are located in the state capital of Columbia. Design The pleasing,...

Timeliner XE, student presentation program: Tom Snyder Productions.(New Products: THE LATEST IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, BOOKS & MATERIALS, FACILITIES, AND THE INTERNET)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TOM SNYDER PRODUCTIONS Timeliner XE, Student Presentation Program Software, $99 for one computer, up to $2,600 for an unlimited site license Tom Snyder Productions' updated version of its Timeliner...

Evergreen 17, desktop PC: Tangent.(New Products: THE LATEST IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, BOOKS & MATERIALS, FACILITIES, AND THE INTERNET)
November 1, 2008... TANGENT Evergreen 17, Desktop PC, Hardware, $1,195 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tangent's Evergreen 17 is an ultraslim, all-in-one, touch-screen desktop PC with extremely low power and maintenance requirements, making it an...

MailArchiver, e-mail archiving program: GFI.(New Products: THE LATEST IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, BOOKS & MATERIALS, FACILITIES, AND THE INTERNET)
November 1, 2008... GFI MailArchiver, E-mail Archiving Program Software, Starting at $648 GFI's MailArchiver is a comprehensive e-mail archiving and management software package for Microsoft Exchange Server. To facilitate the task of e-mail...

D825MS, D825MX, projectors: Vivitek.(New Products: THE LATEST IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, BOOKS & MATERIALS, FACILITIES, AND THE INTERNET)
November 1, 2008... VIVITEK D825MS, D825MX, Projectors Hardware, $699 and $799 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Vivitek's latest value-priced projectors each use DLP chips with BrilliantColor, and have 2,200 lumens of brightness and a 2,000:1 contrast...

PLV-Z700, projector: Sanyo.(New Products: THE LATEST IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, BOOKS & MATERIALS, FACILITIES, AND THE INTERNET)
November 1, 2008... SANYO PLV-Z700, Projector, Hardware, $1,995 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The PLV-Z700 is Sanyo's entry-level HD projector. It achieves full 1080p resolution via a 3LCD chip, enabling the use of the most demanding high-definition...

ZinkoTek System, large-scale construction set: Zinkotek.(New Products: THE LATEST IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, BOOKS & MATERIALS, FACILITIES, AND THE INTERNET)
November 1, 2008... ZINKOTEK ZinkoTek System, Large-scale Construction Set Books and Materials, $350 The ZinkoTek System is a large-scale construction set made of 100 percent recyclable EVA foam that is able to be used indoors or outdoors. An...

ACUIX ES, Security Camera: Honeywell.(New Products: THE LATEST IN HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, BOOKS & MATERIALS, FACILITIES, AND THE INTERNET)
November 1, 2008... HONEYWELL ACUIX ES, Security Camera Facilities, Contact manufacturer for price [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The ACUIX ES is the latest addition to Honeywell's line of pan/ tilt/zoom security cameras. An indoor surveillance model, the...

Classroom Version 3, language program: Rosetta Stone.(New Products)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... ROSETTA STONE Classroom Version 3, Language Program Software, Pricing varies Rosetta Stone Classroom Version 3 includes innovative features to enhance language learning. Features include advanced speech recognition technology from...

LCN 4040 Snap On Cover, Door accessory: Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies.(New Products)
November 1, 2008... INGERSOLL RAND SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES LCN 4040 Snap On Cover, Door Accessory, Facilities, $15 In an effort to help the large number of institutions who use Ingersoll Rand's most popular door closer reduce the risk of vandalism or...

5.8 GHz IP Ready Wireless Power Boxes security camera accessory: Videolarm.(New Products)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] VIDEOLARM 5.8 GHz IP Ready Wireless Power Boxes Security Camera Accessory Facilities, $1,976 Videolarm's 5.8 GHz IP Ready Wireless Power Boxes simplify and speed the construction of complex wireless...

Early Reading Intervention Reading Intervention Program: Wright Group/McGraw-Hill.(New Products)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WRIGHT GROUP/MCGRAW-HILL Early Reading Intervention Reading Intervention Program Books and Materials Starting at $990 This systematic, intensive reading program is designed to quickly accelerate...

Teachscape XL, Professional Development Platform: Teachscape.(New Products)
November 1, 2008... TEACHSCAPE Teachscape XL, Professional Development Platform Internet, Starting at $1,500 Teachscape has merged two of its technologies: PDS2, the online case study content database and search engine, and Online Program Manager,...

Computrace LoJack for Laptops, Laptop Tracking Program: Absolute Software.(New Products)
November 1, 2008... ABSOLUTE SOFTWARE Computrace LoJack for Laptops, Laptop Tracking Program Software, Starting at $39.99 per year [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Absolute Software's Computrace is a computer recovery software program that is now available...

ePortfolio 2.1, Assessment Portfolio Program: ANGEL Learning.(New Products)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ANGEL Learning ePortfolio 2.1, Assessment Portfolio Program Software, Pricing varies ANGEL ePortfolio provides both students and administrators a digital destination to collect assessment results and...

AVerVision SPB350, Visual Presenter: Avermedia Technologies.(New Products)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AVERMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES AVerVision SPB350, Visual Presenter Hardware, $2,499 This visual presenter features a 5-megapixel camera, full HD 1080p output, and 20X optical zoom to provide exceptional image...

CarLine Manager, Dismissal Resource: Divide the Ride.(New Products)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... DIVIDE THE RIDE CarLine Manager, Dismissal Resource Internet, Free CarLine Manager is a new, free tool released by carpooling organization Divide the Ride that is intended to help schools and parents coordinate and efficiently...

ThinkPad: Lenovo.(New Products)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LENOVO ThinkPad X200s, Laptop Hardware, $2,242 Lenovo's latest notebook PC series combines a portable size with high performance features. Powered by an Intel Centring processor, options also...

VoiceLift, Microphone: EXTRON.(New Products)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... EXTRON VoiceLift, Microphone Hardware, Contact manufacturer for price Extron's VoiceLift is an infrared wireless microphone designed to integrate seamlessly into new or existing Extron PoleVault classroom technology installations....

TXTbook, Ultramobile PC: MPC.(New Products)
November 1, 2008... MPC TXTbook, Ultramobile PC, Hardware, $499 MPC Computers' TXTbook PC is an ultramobile, affordable, rugged PC designed primarily for K6 students. Based on the Intel Classmate, the TXTbook represents the latest development in MPC's...

Blackboard School Central Online Learning Platform: Blackboard.(New Products)
November 1, 2008... BLACKBOARD Blackboard School Central Online Learning Platform Internet, Starting at $10,000 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Blackboard's new platform is designed to introduce online learning to a school or district community quickly...

TLP-XE30U, Projector: Toshiba.(New Products)
November 1, 2008... TOSHIBA TLP-XE30U, Projector, Hardware, $1,119 Toshiba's new 3LCD projector model offers 3,000 lumens of brightness, XGA resolution, 600:1 contrast resolution, and innovative features in a lightweight and compact design. At just 6.2...

FreeReading.net Reading Program: Wireless Generation.(New Products)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WIRELESS GENERATION FreeReading.net Reading Program Internet, Free FreeReading.net is a free, open-source, supplemental reading program developed by teachers that includes vocabulary, comprehension,...

International Society for Technology in Education: Tablet PCs in K12 Education.(Technology Books: RESOURCES FOR DISTRICT LEADERS)
November 1, 2008... INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION Tablet PCs in K12 Education www.iste.org, $31.95 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Michael van Mantgem has edited this handbook, with contributions from six different educational IT...

International Society for Technology in Education: Transforming Classroom Practice: Professional Development Strategies in Educational Technology.(Technology Books: RESOURCES FOR DISTRICT LEADERS)
November 1, 2008... INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION Transforming Classroom Practice: Professional Development Strategies in Educational Technology www.iste.org, $44.95 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Edited by professors of education...

Corwin Press: Using WebQuests in the Social Studies Classroom.(Technology Books: RESOURCES FOR DISTRICT LEADERS)(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2008... CORWIN PRESS Using WebQuests in the Social Studies Classroom www.cotwinpress.com, $26.95 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Intended to help educators optimize content learning and promote greater intercultural understanding, this text...

Linworth Books: Library Blogging.(Technology Books: RESOURCES FOR DISTRICT LEADERS)
November 1, 2008... LINWORTH BOOKS Library Blogging www.lieworth.com, $39.95 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Library media experts Karen A. Coombs and Jason Griffey have authored this resource for K12 library media and technology specialists. It provides...

Corwin Press: Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying.(Technology Books: RESOURCES FOR DISTRICT LEADERS)
November 1, 2008... CORWJN PRESS Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying www.corwinpress.com, $31.95 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Expert authors Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin help educators understand the...

Now is the time to recruit future leaders: identify professionals with a passion for education and steer them in the right direction.(PROFESSIONAL OPINION)
November 1, 2008... SCHOOL DISTRICTS FACE A MULTITUDE of struggles. To make matters worse, a new challenge is on the horizon: finding enough qualified leaders to become superintendents. "The "2007 State of the Superintendency Survey" released by the...

Staff development for teachers of English Language Learners: project GLAD engages teachers in a comprehensive model.(SUPERVISOR'S OPINION)
November 1, 2008... MARIA CRISTINA WALKER is a Project GLAD Key Trainer. In this role, she provides systematic research-based staff development to teachers of English Language Learners. A key element of her mission is to actively engage teachers in the...

Threat assessments: this process evaluates the potential for school violence.(CRISIS RESPONSE)
November 1, 2008... AT ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL A student has threatened to kill a classmate. An assistant principal hurriedly checks the situation and concludes that he knows the student who has made the threat and that there is nothing to worry about. Threat...

Georgia district takes all the credit.(Problem Solution: SUCCESS STORIES FROM DISTRICTS ACROSS THE NATION)
November 1, 2008... PROBLEM ADMINISTRATORS AT FULTON County (Ga.) Public Schools, a district of 88,000 students surrounding the city of Atlanta, had difficulty finding a strategy to help students recover the credits lost when they failed a course and were in...

Better instruction, better writers.(Research Center: ESSENTIALS ON EDUCATION DATA AND RESEARCH ANALYSIS)
November 1, 2008... WRITING, WHETHER FICTION or nonfiction, is a creative process. Even a letter requires writers to arrange words and ideas to make meaning. According to the revised Bloom's Taxonomy, creative processes such as writing engage the mind at the...