BIG EDUCATION APE 2ND BANANA
RECAP OF LAST WEEK'S BEST POST
SIGN the Sandy Hook Elementary School National Sympathy Card | causes.com
SIGN the Sandy Hook Elementary School National Sympathy Card | causes.com: PETITION: SIGN the Sandy Hook Elementary School National Sympathy Card December 15 · Started by David Paine · Invite Friends · Reposts 41 To: Community of Newtown, Connecticut, including the families of the victims and the survivors and their families. Our Sincere Condolences. We wish to express our deepest sympathies to all of the families of those lost, to the survivors and their families, and to the others impacted by the senseless and unthinkable tragedy that unfolded at Sandy Hook Elementary School. We c... more »
“Teach for America” aimed at San Diego Page 1 of 2 | UTSanDiego.com
“Teach for America” aimed at San Diego Page 1 of 2 | UTSanDiego.com: “Teach for America” aimed at San DiegoPeace Corps approach targets needy schools, but some are wary SAN DIEGO — Teach for America, the nonprofit that trains and deploys college graduates to hard-to-staff schools, has set its sights on San Diego. The organization hopes to send up to 50 new teachers to high-need schools throughout San Diego County starting in the fall. The San Diego city school board approved the first local partnership with Teach for America last week. The arrangement allows the San Diego Unified S... more »
Newtown, CT Patch - Police: Misinformation About Sandy Hook Elementary Shootings on Social Media
Newtown, CT Patch - News, Sports, Events, Businesses & Deals: Police: Misinformation About Sandy Hook Elementary Shootings on Social Media Connecticut State Police Lt. Vance said there have been instances of people posing as the shooter on Facebook pages, with "threatening and inaccurate" information. - By Michael Dinan, Davis Dunavin, Gary Jeanfaivre, Chandra Johnson Greene, and William Demarest - Email the authors - 5:50 am Email Print 34 Comments PHOTOS (5) [image: Police at Sunday morning press conference.] [image: Jack Hornak, a Newtown resident for 35 years... more »
Leader’s Response to School Tragedy – A Sample Family Letter | Connected Principals
Leader’s Response to School Tragedy – A Sample Family Letter | Connected Principals: Leader’s Response to School Tragedy – A Sample Family Letter by Joe Mazza Without a doubt, students, staff & families are going to come in Monday morning talking about the events that occurred in Newtown, Connecticut. Feel free to use this letter with your own school and perspective in mind to identify what steps you might take in proactive school safety initiatives. Embedded within the letter are efforts of one of my favorite parenting experts Dr. @MicheleBorba, as she provided some great 140 ch... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Heros in Sandy Hook Elementary
Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Heros in Sandy Hook Elementary: The Heros in Sandy Hook Elementary by Melissa Westbrook There has been a lot of name-calling and demonizing of teachers over the last few years. The teachers and those who represent them in the workplace - the teachers' union. *The teachers (and staff) at Sandy Hook saved lives. * Gave their own lives - standing between the shooter and the children - and died for those children. Young teachers, new teachers - all of them, right down the custodian. The Stranger Slog has this devastating interview with a firs... more »
NEA, SEIU and AFSCME in Secret Negotiations « The Greenroom
NEA, SEIU and AFSCME in Secret Negotiations « The Greenroom: NEA, SEIU and AFSCME in Secret Negotiations POSTED AT 4:51 PM ON DECEMBER 10, 2012 BY MIKE ANTONUCCI The National Education Association is working more closely than ever before with its counterparts in organized labor. NEA, SEIU and AFSCME teamed up to fund a series of ads targeting key lawmakers in the fiscal cliff negotiations and they are the driving force behind today’s “day of action” rallies in a number of cities. While three of the largest public employee unions in the nation are cooperating on external communicatio... more »
Diane in the Evening 12-16-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: Districts: Send Teachers to the Funerals in Newtown by dianerav When a police officer or firefighter dies in the line of duty, colleagues turn out in the hundreds or thousands to attend their funeral or present an honor guard. Could every school district within 250 miles of Newtown do the same for the fallen teachers and principal and staff? Could teachers fly in from Chicago and Los Angeles and Boston and everywhere else? AOL has a story that the loathsome Westboro Church plans to send a delegation to the Sandy Hook Elementary School to “celebrate” the kil... more »
Quick, If you see Diane Ravitch tell her someone let the Right Wing Attack Dogs out!
*Right Wing Attack Dogs *
UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: What to Apply to Be On the Charter Commission?
Seattle Schools Community Forum: What to Apply to Be On the Charter Commission?: What to Apply to Be On the Charter Commission? by Melissa Westbrook Here's how via the three possibilities - Governor, Lt. Governor and Speaker of the House. Each office gets to pick three Charter Commission members. *Governor * Governor Gregoire's office is taking the applications via their regular commissions form. They are then going to pass them along to Governor-elect Inslee's office and he will make the decisions. I was told both offices have received calls of interest about applying. *Lt.... more »
Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) meeting Agenda January 9 and 10, 2013 - CA Dept of Education)
Agenda January 9 and 10, 2013 - Administration & Support (CA Dept of Education): Agenda January 9 and 10, 2013Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) meeting agenda. ------------------------------ Advisory Commission on Special Education Members Kristin Wright, Chair Diane Fazzi, Vice Chair Feda Almaliti Janice Brown Maureen Burness Kenneth Denman Morena de Grimaldi Betty Karnette Tomislav Peraic Gina Plate Naomi Rainey Mariano Sanz Barbara Schulman Jaclyn Vincent Student Members Matthew Stacy Timothy Higgins Legislative Members Carol Liu, Senate Joan Buchanan, Assembly Sta... more »
Los Angeles nonprofit receives $30 million from U.S. Department of Education - latimes.com
Los Angeles nonprofit receives $30 million from U.S. Department of Education - latimes.com: Los Angeles nonprofit receives $30 million from U.S. Department of Education A Los Angeles-area nonprofit that provides education services to low-income families and poverty-stricken communities received a $30-million grant from the U.S. Department of Education on Friday. The Youth Policy Institute is one of seven agencies in the nation to be awarded a Promise Neighborhood grant, implemented in 2010 by President Obama, and will receive $6 million every year for five years. The grant will b... more »
Common Core’s One Goal: To Create Common People | Truth in American Education
Common Core’s One Goal: To Create Common People | Truth in American Education: Common Core’s One Goal: To Create Common People by Shane Vander Hart This is from a teacher in Indiana, Kris Nielsen, who was an avid supporter of the Common Core State Standards, he did a presentation on the Common Core for parents to ease their concerns. Now he apologizes for that and says they should be concerned: First, I want to offer you my apologies. It wasn’t long after my presentation that I had a crushing realization that the entire thing (minus the hands-on stuff) was completely misguided... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Reformy Pearl Clutchers
Jersey Jazzman: Reformy Pearl Clutchers: Reformy Pearl Clutchers by Duke The Reformy Ladies Sewing Circle and Pearl Clutching Society has worked itself into froth of outrage over the defense of teachers by Diane Ravitch and Karen Lewis. What did these women say that has our delicate, reformy flowers running for the fainting couch? *Ravitch and Lewis made the impolite observation that the brave teachers who died in Newtown were union members and tenure-track career educators*. Poor RiShawn Biddle was overtaken by the vapors. Andy Rotherham finds the whole affair to be "obscene."P... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Campbell Brown: Queen of the Pearl Clutchers
Jersey Jazzman: Campbell Brown: Queen of the Pearl Clutchers: Campbell Brown: Queen of the Pearl Clutchers by Duke The Reformy Ladies Sewing Circle and Pearl Clutching Society is apparently auditioning new members. Who better to join than the queen of teachers union bashers, Campbell Brown? For example, the unions’ newest patron saint, education writer Diane Ravitch, wrote a post titled “The Hero Teachers of Newtown.” Just three days after the shooting, *Ravitch described the teachers’ bravery not in individual terms*, but by linking it to their union membership. *The implicatio... more »
Sam Cooke - Wonderful World (lyrics)
*How do you think ole Sammy will do on the Standardized Test?* *(the basis of your next ev(i)luation)*
School Tech Connect: Fun With Data.... And The New Data Guy
School Tech Connect: Fun With Data.... And The New Data Guy: Fun With Data.... And The New Data Guy by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) There is simply nobody doing more interesting data work than Jeanne Marie Olson of *Apple to Apples*, and her crew of intensely talented volunteers. In a nutshell, she's figured out the flaws in the CPS "utilization" formula, and created a more accurate list of schools that are "overcrowded," "efficient," and "underutilitized," all using crowd-sourced data and Google Fusion Tables. In a suburban district, run by elected people, she would be invit... more »
How To Get Your Blog Banned From Your School District [It Takes A Nation Of Millions] | The Jose Vilson
How To Get Your Blog Banned From Your School District [It Takes A Nation Of Millions] | The Jose Vilson: How To Get Your Blog Banned From Your School District [It Takes A Nation Of Millions] by Jose [image: public-enemy-it-takes-a-nation-cover] To whom it may concern: Kick butt. Take names. Write them somewhere in your mind. Write to them when you’re writing. See their reactions. Smirk. Repeat. At first, you’ll just write because it feels good to get your thoughts out. You’ll participate in a few blog roundups, showcase your work, and talk to some of the more influential parties in... more »
Blue Ribbon Nominees 2013 - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)
Blue Ribbon Nominees 2013 - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Nominates 35 California Schools for 2013 National Blue Ribbon Honor SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today the nomination of 35 California public schools for the coveted National Blue Ribbon Schools Program award. "I applaud the principals, teachers, staff, and families whose commitment to learning has led to success in the classroom," Torlakson said. "Schools nominated for this significant recognition are performing at very high levels or ar... more »
The ABCs of Hmong | Hyphen magazine - Asian American arts, culture, and politics
The ABCs of Hmong | Hyphen magazine - Asian American arts, culture, and politics: The ABCs of Hmong Submitted by Momo Chang on December 20, 2012 - 1:59pm - Education - Culture - Diaspora - History - Immigration - Parenthood - Social Issues - dual language immersion - Hmong immersion - Lee Yang - Sacramento - Susan B. Anthony Elementary 0 24[image: Email this page]Email this page *Ninety percent of instruction is in Hmong for kindergartners in the Hmong immersion program at Susan B. Anthony Elementary. Photo by Andria Lo.* *The ... more »
UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: WA State Supreme Court Ruling to Leg - Get Busy
Seattle Schools Community Forum: WA State Supreme Court Ruling to Leg - Get Busy: New Interim Principal at Lafayette Elementary by Melissa Westbrook From the West Seattle Blog: *Seattle Public Schools* just announced that another elementary principal from West Seattle is being promoted to management downtown – this time Lafayette’s newest principal *Shauna Heath*, after just a few months. From the district: *Today I’m announcing a leadership change at Lafayette. Your principal, Shauna Heath, has been appointed Executive Director for Curriculum and Instruction. In her new role, M... more »
A PAA welcome to new members of the Senate HELP Committee | Parents Across America
A PAA welcome to new members of the Senate HELP Committee | Parents Across America: A PAA welcome to new members of the Senate HELP Committee by pureparents We just sent the following letter to Senators-elect Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin(D-WI) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) who will be new members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee: December 20, 2012 Dear Senator-elect: Congratulations on your election! There are so many challenges ahead and we wish you the best as you begin your term. We are a grass-roots network of activist public school parents fr... more »
FEDS SHUT DOWN BOGUS PA CHARTER PERFORMANCE SYSTEM
Citizens Alliance for a Better Future [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] *FEDS SHUT DOWN BOGUS PA CHARTER PERFORMANCE SYSTEM* The federal government has intervened in the attempt by the Governor and Secretary of Education to establish a separate and unequal evaluation method to it easier for charter and for-profit schools to appear to score higher on the Average Yearly Progress (AYP) test than Pennsylvania’s Public Schools. "Pennsylvania is obligated to make AYP decisions for all schools and hold all schools to the same standards," the order, signed by Deb... more »
Erik Loomis’s Critics Like Violent Rhetoric Just Fine — As Long as the Targets Are Gay. « Student Activism
Erik Loomis’s Critics Like Violent Rhetoric Just Fine — As Long as the Targets Are Gay. « Student Activism: Erik Loomis’s Critics Like Violent Rhetoric Just Fine — As Long as the Targets Are Gay. by Angus Johnston University of Rhode Island labor historian Erik Loomis has garnered a lot of conservative attention in the last few days. After the Newtown shootings, Loomis tweeted that he wanted “Wayne LaPierre’s head on a stick.” (LaPierre is the head of the NRA.) Though this statement was obviously metaphorical, some high-profile conservatives pounced on it, and gave it a lot of at... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, December 20, 2012
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Thursday, December 20, 2012* Marine calls himself to duty as guard of California elementary schoolMarine Sgt. Craig Pusley was on duty Wednesday. Desert camo fatigues, knees slightly bent, the young father stood a self-imposed watch at Hughson Elementary School. One man. No rifle. No pay. No breaks. California teachers fund reviewing firearm holdingsThe nation's largest teachers' pension fund announced Tuesday that it was reviewing its firearms holdings after determining that its investment in a gun maker was... more »
How the brain’s development affects the boy/girl achievement gap | Education Blog
How the brain’s development affects the boy/girl achievement gap | Education Blog: How the brain’s development affects the boy/girl achievement gap by Bill McKenzie / Editorial Columnist *Why is it that boys are falling behind girls in critical academic ways, such as high school graduation rates? For example, 88.2 percent of high school females in Texas finished on time during the 2010-2011 school year. By contrast, 83.7 percent of Texas males completed high school in the traditional four years.* High school is not the only place where a graduation gap exists. The Dallas Morning Ne... more »
UPDATE: “I do not think I can be that technician.” « Fred Klonsky
“I do not think I can be that technician.” « Fred Klonsky: “I do not think I can be that technician.” by Fred Klonsky [image: 524222_4174740409888_288646699_n] Even though I have not seen Celia Oyler for nearly 30 years, I’ve kept up. We first met back when we were in the graduate progam at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Celia finished. I did not. She moved to New York and got a job at Columbia’s Teacher College, teaching teachers. How do I know how good she is? Well, as grad students we both taught classes in introduction to curriculum, Ten minute drawing. Person of the ye... more »
MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-20-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] John Thompson: Maybe The Goal of Reformers IS Privatization by dianerav A few days ago, John Thompson posted a blog wondering if I was too hasty in spotting a privatization movement on the near horizon. The emergence of a secret memo in Tulsa has caused him to rethink his views. Another Corporate Reform Group Sets Up Shop in Connecticut by dianerav Connecticut was the scene this year of a bitter battle over legislation that was intended to diminish teachers’ tenure and to impose a punitive evaluation plan... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends: Odds and Ends from Seattle Schools Community Forum by Melissa Westbrook *Olympic Hills Capacity Mtg on Monday night* Packed house, I was almost surprised they had it such a small school but it was cozy. Attendees - SPS staff, Directors Peaslee and Carr (but oddly, not Martin-Morris as one of the central issues was Eckstein that sits in his district) and FACMAC co-chairs and other members of the Committee. Rep. Gerry Pollet also was in attendance. The room was packed full. I liked the way this meeting went. There was just a brief ... more »
Ten Reasons Why Common Core Standards Require a Whole Teacher — Whole Child Education
Ten Reasons Why Common Core Standards Require a Whole Teacher — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Thom Markham]Ten Reasons Why Common Core Standards Require a Whole Teacher December 19, 2012 by Thom Markham When teachers and parents hear the term *Common Core standards* (CCS), a frequent tendency is to see the new standards as a simple upgrade. In fact, the CCS represent an entirely new operating system. This is good news for the whole child movement. CCS focuses on an inquiry approach to education. Inquiry can't be done through direct instruction alone; it requir... more »
A Race to the Top Winner. Really? | Seattle Education
A Race to the Top Winner. Really? | Seattle Education: A Race to the Top Winner. Really? Posted on December 19, 2012 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment There are more questions than answers as it pertains to how the Race to the Top money will be spent by the districts in our state that “won” Race to the Top funding. The Puget Sound Educational Service District, which is made up 35 school districts, received $40M after spending 3 years working with the Community Center for Education Results to pull together the data that apparently the Department of Education wanted anyway. ... more »
UPDATE: FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, December 19, 2012
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Wednesday, December 19, 2012* Schools reexamine safety plansThe tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut is spurring Mother Lode educators to refresh their memory on safety plans, but it has also left them wondering if they can do more to protect students. New superintendent named for El Monte City School DistrictAs a former Columbia Elementary School student, Maribel Garcia fondly remembered her principal Jeff Seymour, a man who would later become superintendent of the El Monte City School... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The view from Right Field
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The view from Right Field: The view from Right Field by Mike Klonsky *Rick Hess of the far-right American Enterprise Institute (AEI)* Rick Hess of the far-right American Enterprise Institute (AEI) claims to be "horrified by advocates and education pundits who seize upon Newtown as a "hook" to place an op-ed or push their favorite talking points and agenda items." He's not mentioning any names, but it's clear that he's talking about *Diane Ravitch* who posted a thoughtful and powerful tribute to the heroism of teachers (union members at that) on her ... more »
UPDATE: Life in Rahm’s Chicago. He had the school closing plans in his drawers all along. « Fred Klonsky
Life in Rahm’s Chicago. He had the school closing plans in his drawers all along. « Fred Klonsky: Life in Rahm’s Chicago. He had the school closing plans in his drawers all along. by Fred Klonsky [image: rahm_2011_boxer_shorts] “Unless my staff has a hidden drawer somewhere where they’ve got numbers in there, we don’t have a number,” schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett said in November. Apparently somebody took them out of Rahm’s drawers and leaked them to the Chicago Tribune. Rahm is such a liar. The internal document, prepared at a time when school leaders faced a December deadli... more »
January 15, 2013 Screening Committee Notice - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)
January 15, 2013 Screening Committee Notice - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education): CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION1430 N Street, Suite 5111 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-319-0827 Fax: 916-319-0175 SBE Screening Committee Members Ilene Straus, Chair Carl Cohn, Member Bruce Holaday, Member Aida Molina, Member December 17, 2012 Meeting Notice: Screening Committee of the State Board of Education *Tuesday, January 15, 2013, commencing at 1:00 p.m.* State Board of Education Conference Room California State Board of Education Office 1430 “N” Street, Room 5111 Sacramento, C... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Asperger's Syndrome
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Asperger's Syndrome: Asperger's Syndrome by Melissa Westbrook The Newtown shooter was said to have Asperger's Syndrome which is on the spectrum of autism. These people are considered the high-functioning end of that spectrum (even as they face very real and distinct challenges.) One thing to make clear - Asperger's is NOT mental illness. It is a neurobiological condition. While some mental illness, like schziophrenia, does have a biological basis, Asperger's is not defined in that category. After saying that, based on my own personal experience... more »
Schools Matter: With Common Core, "You start to see entire ecosystems of investment opportunity lining up…It could get really, really big."
Schools Matter: With Common Core, "You start to see entire ecosystems of investment opportunity lining up…It could get really, really big." With Common Core, "You start to see entire ecosystems of investment opportunity lining up…It could get really, really big." by Jim Horn *How does the growth of charter schools depend upon the Rotten Common Core? See below.* *Thanks to Stan Karp:* * * *Latest Newark ‘performance report:’ blueprint for more closures/charters?* *A new report & presentation from Newark State District Supt. Cami Anderson may lay the groundwork for more school closi... more »
Diane in the Afternoon 12-18-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: Breaking News: Governor Snyder Vetoes Bill to Allow Guns in Schools by dianerav Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan vetoed a bill that would have allowed guns in schools. His reason was that the bill did not have a provision allowing schools to opt out if they didn’t want guns in their buildings. Presumably the next legislature, if so inclined, could make that fix. Let’s hope not. Guns don’t belong in Katie Osgood Comments on the Twitter Debate by dianerav There has been a raging Twitter debate about whether my post “Hero Teachers of Newtown” disrespected Te... more »
Twisted Truths & Dubious Policies: Comments on the NJDOE/Cerf School Funding Report « School Finance 101
Twisted Truths & Dubious Policies: Comments on the NJDOE/Cerf School Funding Report « School Finance 101: Twisted Truths & Dubious Policies: Comments on the NJDOE/Cerf School Funding Report by schoolfinance101 [image: Slide1] Yesterday, we were blessed with the release of yet another manifesto (as reported here on NJ Spotlight) from what has become the New Jersey Department of Reformy Propaganda. To be fair, it has become increasingly clear of late, that this is simply the new model for State Education Agencies (see NYSED Propaganda Here), with the current US Dept of Education ... more »
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Walton's fueling of charter school operators -- the Mexico connection
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Walton's fueling of charter school operators -- the Mexico connection: Walton's fueling of charter school operators -- the Mexico connection by Mike Klonsky A view of Wal-Mart’s distribution center north of Mexico City, in the municipality of Cuautitlán Izcalli. With a combined fortune of more than $90 billion, the Waltons–the immediate heirs of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton–are the richest family in the world. Wal-Mart became the nation’s largest private employer and as the Nation's Lisa Featherstone calls them, "a flytrap for much-deserved critic... more »
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: 12 Days of Christmas: Teacher's Edition!
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: 12 Days of Christmas: Teacher's Edition!: 12 Days of Christmas: Teacher's Edition! This is sung to the tune of " The Twelve Days of Christmas." ** *O**n the** f**irst da**y of **Christmas* My principal gave to me A classroom and my very own key *On the second day of Christmas* My principal gave to me 2 lesson planners And a classroom with my very own key *On the third day of Christmas* My principal gave to me
Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. Mao Tse-Tung | Fox News
Victims in Connecticut school shooting | Fox News: Victims in Connecticut school shooting Authorities have released the names of the 26 victims killed when a gunman opened fire inside a Connecticut elementary school. Browse Slideshows Next SlidePreviousImage 1 of 24 Previous SlideNext Slide - - - - - - - - Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/slideshow/2012/12/15/victims-in-connecticut-school-shooting/?intcmp=related#slide=1#ixzz2FLxMDHcY
UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: What to Apply to Be On the Charter Commission?
Seattle Schools Community Forum: What to Apply to Be On the Charter Commission?: What to Apply to Be On the Charter Commission? by Melissa Westbrook Here's how via the three possibilities - Governor, Lt. Governor and Speaker of the House. Each office gets to pick three Charter Commission members. *Governor * Governor Gregoire's office is taking the applications via their regular commissions form. They are then going to pass them along to Governor-elect Inslee's office and he will make the decisions. I was told both offices have received calls of interest about applying. *Lt.... more »
How the Common Core State Standards Impacts Homeschoolers | Truth in American Education
How the Common Core State Standards Impacts Homeschoolers | Truth in American Education: How the Common Core State Standards Impacts Homeschoolers by Shane Vander Hart I’m am very pleased to see the Home School Legal Defense Association weigh in on the Common Core State Standards. Will Estrada, their federal relations point person writes on HSLDA’s website: The CCSS specifically do not apply to private or homeschools, unless they receive government dollars (online charter school programs have no such protection). However, HSLDA has serious concerns with the rush to adopt the CC... more »
Support, Optimism, and Hope — Whole Child Education
Support, Optimism, and Hope — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Klea Scharberg]Support, Optimism, and Hope December 17, 2012 by Klea Scharberg No community is immune to the effects of traumatic events. Our ASCD community includes the students, teachers, and residents of Newtown, Conn. This morning we shared posts from our archives that speak to providing safe and connected learning environments. We hope the following resources from ASCD and our Whole Child Partners connect to educators, families, and communities' resilient spirit so that they can tap the resilient... more »
How Walmart Helped Make Newtown Shooter's AR-15 the Most Popular Assault Weapon in America | The Nation
How Walmart Helped Make Newtown Shooter's AR-15 the Most Popular Assault Weapon in America | The Nation: How Walmart Helped Make Newtown Shooter's AR-15 the Most Popular Assault Weapon in America George Zornick December 17, 2012 - - | - - | - [image: StumbleUpon.com] - | - Recommended by 0 - | - Text Size A | A | A - Email - | - Print - | - Share - | - Single Page - | - Web Letter (0) - | - Write a Letter - | - Take Action - | - Subscribe Now When Adam Lanza entered Sandy Hook Elementary School on Fri... more »
Diane in the Afternoon 12-17-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: Most Absurd Comment on the Massacre by dianerav Mike Huckabee said that the murderous spree at Sandy Hook Elementary School happened because we have “systematically removed God” from the schools. So, let me get this right: If the children had been praying every day in school, the killer would never have entered the building? I don’t follow the logic. Public figures should get their facts right before they sound off. Michigan GOP Wants Concealed Guns in Schools and Churches by dianerav Eclectablog reports that the lame duck legislature in Michigan was set t... more »
A teacher talks to children about Sandy Hook tragedy | Parents Across America
A teacher talks to children about Sandy Hook tragedy | Parents Across America: A teacher talks to children about Sandy Hook tragedy by pureparents [image: SIGN the Sandy Hook Elementary School National Sympathy Card | causes.com] We share this San Francisco Chronicle story about how teacher Steve Rubenstein, the husband of PAA founding member Caroline Grannan, talked to his students about the Sandy Hook school tragedy: Back at Buena Vista Horace Mann in San Francisco’s Mission District, another teacher, Steve Rubenstein, learned of the tragedy by phone as he and his sixth-grade... more »
What's in Our Control: Safer, Connected Environments — Whole Child Education
What's in Our Control: Safer, Connected Environments — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Sean Slade]What’s in Our Control: Safer, Connected Environments December 17, 2012 by Sean Slade Almost no one has not been affected by the events in Newtown, Conn., last week—even more so if you are a teacher, parent, or have kids that go to elementary school as many of us do. It's hard to discuss and even harder to make any kind of sense out of what happened. Today we highlight posts from our archives, the ASCD community, and our partner organizations that speak to how we can ... more »
NEA, AFT Teachers To Build Common-Core Tools - Teacher Beat - Education Week
NEA, AFT Teachers To Build Common-Core Tools - Teacher Beat - Education Week: NEA, AFT Teachers To Build Common-Core Tools by Catherine Gewertz *Guest post by Catherine Gewertz* The two national teachers' unions have won $11 million to build an online warehouse of instructional tools for the Common Core State Standards. Student Achievement Partners, whose founders led the writing of the standards, is also a grantee. It will work with the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Associationand their teachers to build the tools and post them on Student Achievement... more »
UPDATE: FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, December 17, 2012
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: [image: SIGN the Sandy Hook Elementary School National Sympathy Card | causes.com]Schools prepare for shootings, other emergencies Education Headlines *Monday, December 17, 2012* El Monte Union auditoriums remain closedTwo local high school auditoriums remain closed as district officials work to figure out what went wrong with installation of roughly $2.6 million of heating, air and ventilation systems inside the facilities and how they can go about fixing the issue. Freedburg: National response needed to protect children from gun ... more »
TO LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-17-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] A Brief Conversation with John Thompson by dianerav John Thompson wonders if I overstate my concern about the current direction of the education reform movement. He is not convinced that the end game is privatization. Perhaps I sat through too many closed-door meetings of conservative think tanks to think otherwise. As I read and listen to the leading lights of the movement (Jeb Bush; Tony Bennett; ALEC; DFER; Stand for Children; Michelle Rhee), I hear no liking for the public schools. I hear promises of t... more »
LAUSD, Superintedent John Deasy, Conan Nolan, Philip Healy, KNBC - Perdaily.com
LAUSD, Superintedent John Deasy, Conan Nolan, Philip Healy, KNBC - Perdaily.com: LAUSD SUPERINTENDENT DEASY CONTINUES TO LIE WHILE KNBC LETS HIM GET AWAY WITH IT by Leonard Isenberg [image: Smiling John Deasy.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español)* * * *The following is a crystal clear example of how a mainstream local news media is able to document LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy in an outright lie then do nothing to confront Deasy or anybody else at LAUSD with the lie(s). The first video below is of an interview that KNBC Conan Nolan did with Superintendent John Deasy on February 1... more »
Tucson, Aurora, and Newtown Compared: Is President Obama Finally Ready to Act? « Student Activism
Tucson, Aurora, and Newtown Compared: Is President Obama Finally Ready to Act? « Student Activism: Obama’s Speeches in Tucson, Aurora, and Newtown by Angus Johnston Here’s the entirety of the only passage in President Obama’s speech in Tucson after the Gabrielle Giffords shooting in 2011 that even implied advocacy for governmental action against gun violence: “We cannot and will not be passive in the face of such violence. We should be willing to challenge old assumptions in order to lessen the prospects of such violence in the future.” Here’s the analogous passage from his speech... more »
The Educated Reporter: Update: Sandy Hook Tragedy, and Trying to Explain the Unimaginable
The Educated Reporter: Update: Sandy Hook Tragedy, and Trying to Explain the Unimaginable: Update: Sandy Hook Tragedy, and Trying to Explain the Unimaginable by Emily Richmond [image: SIGN the Sandy Hook Elementary School National Sympathy Card | causes.com] *Update: At a webinar for journalists on Tuesday, Dec. 18 at 1 p.m. Eastern time, EWA will share information from a forthcoming guide to interviewing children. Click here for more information and to register. I also spoke with Huffington Post senior media reporter Michael Calderone about the controversy over how the media h... more »
The Heroes at Sandy Hook | Seattle Education
The Heroes at Sandy Hook | Seattle Education: The Heroes at Sandy Hook by seattleducation2011 *I am reposting this article in full because it deserves it.* *Kudos to the author Dave Lindorff.* *America’s Teachers: Heroes or Greedy Moochers at the Public Trough?* I’ll be brief here. Let’s just note that the heroic teachers who died while courageously trying to protect their kids at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, and the others who survived but stayed to protect the kids, were all part of a school system where the employees are members of the American Federation of T... more »
President Obama speaks at interfaith vigil for Connecticut shooting victims
*Published on Dec 16, 2012* Connecticut School Shooting: Obama Offers Newtown 'Love and Prayers of a Nation' President Obama told the grieving community of Newtown, Conn., that the nation has wept with them for the loss of 20 children and six teachers and school staff members killed in a senseless massacre. WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama will attend a memorial service Sunday, December 16th in Newtown, Conn., the site of Friday's deadly elementary school shooting. Twenty-six people, including 20 children, were killed when a man opened fire inside the school. Hours after ... more »
Supporting Newtown/Sandy Hook Community | United Opt Out National
Supporting Newtown/Sandy Hook Community | United Opt Out National: Post navigation← Previous SUPPORTING NEWTOWN/SANDY HOOK COMMUNITY Posted on December 16, 2012 Many of us are trying to find a way to express our love and condolences to the families and the community affected by the events in Newtown/Sandy Hook, Connecticut. You may donate to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund as well as send a note to Sandy Hook Elementary School at the following address: Sandy Hook Elementary School 12 Dickenson Drive Sandy Hook, CT 06482 Also, please take a moment of silence and send love to the fam... more »
'I Am Adam Lanza's Mother': A Mom's Perspective On The Mental Illness Conversation In America
'I Am Adam Lanza's Mother': A Mom's Perspective On The Mental Illness Conversation In America: 'I Am Adam Lanza's Mother': A Mom's Perspective On The Mental Illness Conversation In America **Posted: 12/16/2012 9:15 am EST | Updated: 12/16/2012 2:34 pm EST [image: Share on Google+] [image: Lizalongnotforreuse] 67,086 6,298 - 4,889 3624 *GET PARENTS ALERTS:* SIGN UP REACT: AmazingInspiringFunnyScaryHotCrazyImportantWeird FOLLOW: Autism, Asperger's, Newtown Elementary School Shooting, Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting, Blue Review, Connecticut Shooting, Liza Long, Mental Illness, ... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools for the Week of Dec. 17-23
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools for the Week of Dec. 17-23: Seattle Schools for the Week of Dec. 17-23 by Melissa Westbrook *Monday, December 17th* Capacity Management meeting for the NE area from 6:30-8 p.m. at Olympic Hills cafeteria, 13018 20th Avenue *Tuesday, December 18th* Audit&Finance Quarterly Audit Meeting from 4-7 p.m. Agenda. Much of this is the higher-level work of this committee - internal audit, external audit, risk management. The last hour of this committee is just for committee members to discuss labor negotiations. Superintendent Meeting wi... more »
Diane in the Afternoon 12-16-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: Reflections from Readers, 40 by dianerav Aside from an overly permissive gun culture and underfunded mental healthcare system, I can’t help but wonder if this climate of teacher-bashing and public school bashing in which many of our political leaders partake regularly, is to some degree a variable in the aggression, hatred and violence that have been directed at our schools’ students and staff. Can we get a moratorium from our politicians to stop bashing public schools and teachers? (Amen to that! Diane) Reflections from Readers, 39 by dianerav Diane, I d... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Do We Remember Heroes For Their Test Scores?
Jersey Jazzman: Do We Remember Heroes For Their Test Scores?: Do We Remember Heroes For Their Test Scores? by Duke Vicki Leigh Soto was a true hero: First-grade teacher Vicki Leigh Soto, 27 years old, died trying to protect the children she loved, her cousin Jim Wiltsie said. When the gunfire started on Friday morning, she gathered her students and tried to hide them in a classroom closet, officials told her family. “In doing so, she put herself between the kids and the gunman’s bullets,” said Mr. Wiltsie, who is a police officer. “That is how she was found. Huddled with her ch... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-16-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] A Heroic Educator at Sandy Hook by dianerav According to the Facebook entry at the end of this post, 27-year-old teacher Victoria Soto hid her students in closets and cabinets; she told the killer the children were in the gym. Her first thought was to protect her children. He killed her. The Wall Street Journal said this about her on a blog: *First-grade teacher Vicki Leigh Soto, 27 years old, died trying to protect the children she loved, her cousin Jim Wiltsie said.* *When the gunfire started on Friday ... more »
Massive new surveillance program uncovered by Wall Street Journal - San Jose Mercury News
Massive new surveillance program uncovered by Wall Street Journal - San Jose Mercury News: Massive new surveillance program uncovered by Wall Street Journal By Ryan Gallagher, Slate Posted: 12/13/2012 02:53:25 PM PST Updated: 12/13/2012 04:18:31 PM PST When a former senior White House official describes a nationwide surveillance effort as “breathtaking,” you know civil liberties activists are preparing for a fight. The *Wall Street Journal* reported today that the little-known National Counterterrorism Center, based in an unmarked building in McLean, Va., has been granted sweepi... more »
Oh no, we don’t talk about that! now shhh…. « Cooperative Catalyst
Oh no, we don’t talk about that! now shhh…. « Cooperative Catalyst: Oh no, we don’t talk about that! now shhh…. by Jabreel Chisley Over the past few years, public discussion, and outrage over the blatant patterns of ethical and immoral misconduct in our nation’s schools have seemingly went untouched by some of the blogospheres most relevant education bloggers. From teenage girls being forced out of school because of unwed pregnancies, to Gay, Trans, and Lesbian students being openly humiliated, to schools (charter, public, and voucher) using evasive tactics to control populations... more »
Daily Kos: Because we are teachers
Daily Kos: Because we are teachers: Because we are teachers by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) we take seriously that the first charge we have is to keep our students safe. At Columbine a coach, William David Sanders, was shot when he went out into the dangerous area probably to try to warn more students. At Virginia Tech Prof. G. V. Loganathan was shot before his students were, and Professor Liviu Librescu, an Israeli Holocaust survivor, forcibly held the door to keep Cho out so his students could escape from the danger, himself dying for his troubles with shots through the door. A... more »
Leader’s Response to School Tragedy – A Sample Family Letter | Connected Principals
Leader’s Response to School Tragedy – A Sample Family Letter | Connected Principals: Leader’s Response to School Tragedy – A Sample Family Letter by Joe Mazza Without a doubt, students, staff & families are going to come in Monday morning talking about the events that occurred in Newtown, Connecticut. Feel free to use this letter with your own school and perspective in mind to identify what steps you might take in proactive school safety initiatives. Embedded within the letter are efforts of one of my favorite parenting experts Dr. @MicheleBorba, as she provided some great 140 ch... more »
“Teach for America” aimed at San Diego Page 1 of 2 | UTSanDiego.com
“Teach for America” aimed at San Diego Page 1 of 2 | UTSanDiego.com: “Teach for America” aimed at San DiegoPeace Corps approach targets needy schools, but some are wary SAN DIEGO — Teach for America, the nonprofit that trains and deploys college graduates to hard-to-staff schools, has set its sights on San Diego. The organization hopes to send up to 50 new teachers to high-need schools throughout San Diego County starting in the fall. The San Diego city school board approved the first local partnership with Teach for America last week. The arrangement allows the San Diego Unified S... more »
A Time to Reflect | Seattle Education
A Time to Reflect | Seattle Education: A Time to Reflect by seattleducation2011 “Violence is a disease, a disease that corrupts all who use it regardless of the cause.” Chris Hedges After going through the emotions that a parent goes through hearing about a child being hurt or killed, I began to think that the children in Newton, CT should not die in vain. It was ironic that after the first few reports about the shootings at the elementary school in this small, quiet town came out, the next news story would be about the Pentagon and their next warring tactics or how we were armi... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: Convicted Missouri Democrat Politician Jeff Smith Supports Supposedly Conservative Republican Jeb Bush...
Missouri Education Watchdog: Convicted Missouri Democrat Politician Jeff Smith Supports Supposedly Conservative Republican Jeb Bush...: Convicted Missouri Democrat Politician Jeff Smith Supports Supposedly Conservative Republican Jeb Bush... by stlgretchen Former state Sen. Jeff Smith (center), D-St. Louis, exits the Thomas Eagleton Federal Courthouse on Tuesday after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to obstruct justice. Smith faces up to 20 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine for each count. (Matt Mitgang | Student Life) ...so what's the problem? Stop labeling all ... more »
Heroic teacher recounts hellish school shooting | The Raw Story
Heroic teacher recounts hellish school shooting | The Raw Story: Heroic teacher recounts hellish school shooting by Agence France-Presse [image: A sign reads "God Bless the Families" near a home near the Sandy Hook School in Newtown on December 15, 2012 (AFP, Don Emmert)] Topics: Connecticut school shooting ♦ Kaitlin Roig ♦ Roig The 15 first graders cowered in a dark, barricaded bathroom as gunfire boomed outside, shot after shot after shot killing their classmates and teachers. Terrified as they were, their teacher played loving mother hen, even as she feared they — ages 6 and 7 ... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Updates from School Shooting
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Updates from School Shooting: Updates from School Shooting by Melissa Westbrook - There were 20 children killed and six adults including the principal who, just last month, had tweeted a photo of their safety drill. Apparently she was a beloved and effective principal. *Ms. Hochsprung believed that many students engaged better with electronic screens than with blackboards, and she made sure her teachers had iPads in the classroom. Then, she organized “Appy Hour” sessions to discuss the most useful teaching apps. * * **She was no distant authorit... more »
These Are Some of the Heroes from Newtown - National - The Atlantic Wire
These Are Some of the Heroes from Newtown - National - The Atlantic Wire: These Are Some of the Heroes from Newtown by Connor Simpson As details emerge about what happened inside Sandy Hook Elementary Friday morning, we're beginning to be able to piece together a narrative, and see who was responsible for preventing any further harm. If it wasn't for these people -- big and small -- who contributed in different ways, the shooting could have been even worse. Some of the survived and some of them didn't, but what matters is they helped yesterday, and they deserve to be recognized f... more »
Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky
Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky: Saturday coffee. by Fred Klonsky [image: A72YHFDCMAAjrYi] *Dawn Hochsprung. Principal at Sandy Hook. The Sandy Hook Book Fairy reads to first graders.* We woke to a gloomy Chicago morning. Ulysses and I took our morning walk in the dampness of a light drizzle that promises to turn to real rain and possible thunder later in the day. Uly doesn’t like thunder. What dog does? After the events of yesterday it would be a gloomy morning anyway Yet some sunshine would have helped. I tried to stay off the news yesterday. But in this world of social networkin... more »
Two Newtown Educators Went the Extra Mile for Students - NYTimes.com
Two Newtown Educators Went the Extra Mile for Students - NYTimes.com: Two Newtown Educators Went the Extra Mile for Students by By SAM DOLNICK and MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM One dressed up in goofy costumes to make her students smile. Enlarge This Image Eliza Hallabeck/Newtown Bee, via Associated Press Dawn Hochsprung, 47, Sandy Hook’s principal, was killed. Related - Nation Reels After Gunman Massacres 20 Children at School in Connecticut (December 15, 2012) - ‘Who Would Do This to Our Poor Little Babies’ (December 15, 2012) - A Gunman, Recalled as Intelligent and Shy, Who Lef... more »
This Week's Education Research Report 12-15-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Education Research Report: *THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT* * * School improvement strategy designed by teachers shows promise Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 2 days ago * Students in lowest-performing Boston schools are closing the achievement gap compared to their peers in the district and statewide * Data from the 2012 Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) shows that students in Boston’s T3 Initiative partner schools are making extraordinary gains in English language arts and math. Teach Plus’ T3: Turnaround Teacher Team Initiative partners... more »
Sarah Kirby-Gonzalez: Sacramento County Teachers of the Year 2011for School Board
*Sarah Kirby-Gonzalez for School Board* * Her Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-Kirby-Gonzalez-for-School-Board/140425392775087?fref=ts * An interview with the Folsom Cordova Unified School District Teacher of the Year 2011. The Sacramento County Teachers of the Year program recognizes excellence in teaching within the county's schools. Participating districts nominate individual teachers to receive this special recognition. At the Teachers of the Year awards recognition dinner, two teachers are identified as the Sacramento County Teachers of the Year and are t... more »