Big Education Ape: Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-15-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

James Baldwin said it best:

"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."

A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP

Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Heros in Sandy Hook Elementary

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 27 minutes ago

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 »

PAA-Washington letter on new charter school law | Parents Across America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago

PAA-Washington letter on new charter school law | Parents Across America: PAA-Washington letter on new charter school law by pureparents Dec. 5, 2012 To Superintendent Dorn: Parents Across America of Washington State, the local chapters of the national organization dedicated to the preservation of public education, has concluded that Initiative 1240 is in violation of the Washington State Constitution on multiple counts. We therefore urge the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to pursue a legal challenge to I-1240, based on the following grounds: 1. I-... more »

Community confronts Hite at first closings forum | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 37 minutes ago

Community confronts Hite at first closings forum | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Community confronts Hite at first closings forumby thenotebook on Dec 15 2012 ="" title="Facebook_like" href="http://thenotebook.org/blog/125441/community-confronts-hite-first-closings-forum#" style="text-decoration: initial; color: rgb(76, 153, 72); cursor: pointer; float: left; padding: 0px 2px;">Share on email COMMENTS (0)EMAILPRINT *By Connie Langland* * * * * As it surely had to, the issue of safety surfaced as a major topic today at the first community forum on the District’s plan to close... more »

Life in Rahm’s Chicago. Ban assault weapons? “STFU.” « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 40 minutes ago

Life in Rahm’s Chicago. Ban assault weapons? “STFU.” « Fred Klonsky: Life in Rahm’s Chicago. Ban assault weapons? “STFU.” by Fred Klonsky [image: gty_rahm_emanuel_cc_120712_wblog] Back in July, ABC’s Jake Tapper reported on the role the *Rahmbastic* one played in getting the Obama administration to back off of the the assault weapons ban. Rahm, as we know, later left the White House and his role as Chief of Staff to become our mayor and on his watch see the murder rate sky-rocket. “Now Emanuel had his sights set on Holder. The attorney general had gotten off to a rocky start with t...more »

Daily Kos: An important column from Gail Collins

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Daily Kos: An important column from Gail Collins: An important column from Gail Collins by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Earl Wilson/The New York Times *Gail Collins* in today's *New York Times*, with the title Looking for America. My wife called it to my attention because it begins with someone I consider a close friend, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy: “I’m sorry,” said Representative Carolyn McCarthy, her voice breaking. “I’m having a really tough time.”She’s the former nurse from Long Island who ran for Congress in 1996 as a crusader against gun violence after her husband and son were... more »

Schools Matter: Guns Don't Kill People--Crazy People with Guns Kill People

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Schools Matter: Guns Don't Kill People--Crazy People with Guns Kill People: Guns Don't Kill People--Crazy People with Guns Kill People by Jim Horn From Kristof at NYTimes: By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF IN the harrowing aftermath of the school shooting in Connecticut, one thought wells in my mind: Why can’t we regulate guns as seriously as we do cars? The fundamental reason kids are dying in massacres like this one is not that we have lunatics or criminals — all countries have them — but that we suffer from a political failure to regulate guns. Children ages 5 to 14 in America are 13 times... more »

Why Florida’s Teachers and Schools Are About to Face a Smashmouth Legal Fight Over SB 736 | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Why Florida’s Teachers and Schools Are About to Face a Smashmouth Legal Fight Over SB 736 | Scathing Purple Musings: Why Florida’s Teachers and Schools Are About to Face a Smashmouth Legal Fight Over SB 736 by Bob Sikes After alllllll that, alomost 97 perecnt of Florida teachers were rated effective or highly effective under SB 736. Word came yesterday in Jeff Solocheck’s *Gradebook *that the lawsuit filed by a group of teachers against SB 736 has hit a new roadblock: The latest twist on the case is that the state’s new lawyer is questioning whether the teachers who filed the ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Obama & Romney: Bad Schools Cause Gun Violence

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Obama & Romney: Bad Schools Cause Gun Violence: Obama & Romney: Bad Schools Cause Gun Violence by Duke *So, guys, what should we blame on teachers today?* Via digby (who else?), here is what the two major party candidates in the last presidential election said we should do about gun violence (all emphases mine): CROWLEY: Governor Romney, the question is about assault weapons, AK-47s. ROMNEY: Yeah, I'm not in favor of new pieces of legislation on — on guns and taking guns away or making certain guns illegal. We, of course, don't want to have automatic weapons, and ... more »

NEA - Student Death--The Empty Desk

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

NEA - Student Death--The Empty Desk: Lessons on Loss How a school community heals after a student dies. *By Cindy Long* Because it was Halloween, 16-year-old Melody Ross was dressed up in a Supergirl costume the night she was shot. She had just left the sold-out Woodrow Wilson High School homecoming football game in Long Beach, California, and was sitting shoulder to shoulder with friends on the school steps, chatting about their team’s loss. But before they could make their way inside for the big dance, gunfire erupted, sending hundreds running for cover. Witnesses say between fi... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Convicted Missouri Democrat Politician Jeff Smith Supports Supposedly Conservative Republican Jeb Bush...

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

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 »

NEA Reacts to School Shooting in Connecticut | NEA Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

NEA Reacts to School Shooting in Connecticut | NEA Today: NEA Reacts to School Shooting in Connecticut December 14, 2012 by twalker Filed under Featured News, Top Stories 2 Comments [image: Email][image: Share] *By Sara Robertson* On Friday, a gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut and opened fire on students and staff, killing at least 26. It is the second deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. The shooting at Virginia Tech in 2007 resulted in the deaths of 32. “We join the Newtown community and our entire nation in mourning the deaths of innocent chi... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-15-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Today We Mourn by dianerav I had half a dozen interesting posts ready to go out today, but I decided it was inappropriate to return to business as usual after the tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. I postponed them. So you won’t be getting another post today. This is a time to mourn, to reflect, to be still. It’s a time to think about the heroic staff at the school who reacted immediately to protect their students. It’s a time to think about the principal Dawn Hochsprung and the school psychologist... more »

Heroic teacher recounts hellish school shooting | The Raw Story

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

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 »

Daily Kos: A reflection on a sad Saturday morning

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Daily Kos: A reflection on a sad Saturday morning: A reflection on a sad Saturday morning by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) These reflections are a product of my being a classroom based teacher, now in a non-profit public charter school. I got the news when my spouse forwarded a news alert about the story. We had a professional development day, with no students. I shared the news alert with my principal, and later with the larger community. To say we were shocked is an understatement. We inspect the bags of our students coming in, and all adults not part of our community have t... more »

"Look for the Helpers" - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

"Look for the Helpers" - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: "Look for the Helpers" by Anthony Cody The atrocious details are coming through the fog of saturated news coverage. The teacher who ushered her students into closets before she was killed. The teacher who told her students that she loved them so that would be the last thing they were thinking about. The principal who ran towards the gun fire instead of to safety. On this day we are reminded that classroom teachers, staff and administrators are on the front lines with our children every day. They are witnesses t... more »

In California, Parents Trigger Change At Failing School | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

In California, Parents Trigger Change At Failing School | toteachornototeach: In California, Parents Trigger Change At Failing School by aristotlethewise *In California, Parents Trigger Change At Failing School* [image: wont-back-down] by Claudio Sanchez Parents in one small California community have used a “parent-trigger” law for the first time to shut down and take over an elementary school. It’s a revolt led by parents who say the school has failed their children, but others say it’s not the school’s fault. The school is in tiny Adelanto, Calif., home to several prisons connected... more »

Sandy Hook Elementary principal’s recent tweets

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Sandy Hook Elementary principal’s recent tweets: Sandy Hook Elementary principal’s recent tweets Posted by Valerie Strauss on December 15, 2012 at 3:59 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » Here are some of the recent tweets and retweets by Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, the principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School who was one of 28 people — including 20 children — killed in a rampage in Newtown, Conn., on Friday. (The total includes the shooter, who killed himself.) Charles Dumais@*charlesdumais* ... more »

Ed Notes Online: Reform UFT Dues, Hold UFT Leaders Accountable

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: Reform UFT Dues, Hold UFT Leaders Accountable: Reform UFT Dues, Hold UFT Leaders Accountable by ed notes online *There are 3500 agency fee UFT members, people who refuse to join the union but must pay dues since NY State is not a right to work state.* That's a surprising number of people willing to give up basic union rights.* *Imagine if NY were a right to work state. If you think the right wing won't be coming to NY State at some point pushing right to work laws after their victory in Michigan you are not living in the real world. I know that we will probably n... more »

Weekly Address: Nation Grieves for Those Killed in Tragic Shooting in Newtown, CT | The White House

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Weekly Address: Nation Grieves for Those Killed in Tragic Shooting in Newtown, CT | The White House: Weekly Address: Nation Grieves for Those Killed in Tragic Shooting in Newtown, CT by The White House On Friday, we learned that more than two dozen people were killed when a gunman opened fire in an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. Most of those who died were just young children with their whole lives ahead of them. And every parent in America has a heart heavy with hurt. Among the fallen were also teachers – men and women who devoted their lives to helping our children f... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Updates from School Shooting

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

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 »

Daily Kos: Mourn, Reflect, Act

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Daily Kos: Mourn, Reflect, Act: Mourn, Reflect, Act byplthomasEdDFollow1 Comments / 1 New I agree with Diane Ravitch who combines her intellect, her scholarship and her inspiring humanity in a blog today: "Today We Mourn." I have been a life-long teacher, and yesterday's killing of children and teachers was a burden I wasn't prepared for. Last night at dinner, the universe sent a very important gift my way. I was sitting at the bar with a friend eating and talking when a former student approached; we hugged, and then talked about those wonderful years she was in my class—among the... more »

Peg with Pen: Humanity

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Peg with Pen: Humanity: Humanity by Peggy Trying to move forward after yesterday. I've had many conversations with friends and family as we all try to figure out what to do, how to help when we feel helpless, how to grapple with fear, anger and absolute despair. I would be lying if I told you that I went to bed last night with any hope left in my soul. But then this morning I began to sift through my emails and my conversations with all the teachers I have spoken with and the word that continues to come forward is love. And then I think about our schools and the love, the heart, ... more »

One Teacher's Perspective: Rage and Guns

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

One Teacher's Perspective: Rage and Guns: Rage and Guns by Imagine Wisconsin *Today’s tragic school shooting in Connecticut reminds me of a time I wished I had a gun. When I was around 14 or 15, I stood by and watched a bully coldcock my younger brother in a random act of violence. I stood frozen about thirty yards away amongst some friends. The terrorist stood over my brother while I silently prayed, “Leave, leave, just leave.” He did. My mom arrived moments later to pick us up to find my brother nursing his head. I spilled the story with a rage I have rarely felt in my life. ... more »

These Are Some of the Heroes from Newtown - National - The Atlantic Wire

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

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

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

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

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

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 »

Daily Kos: Today we should remember the Bill of Rights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Daily Kos: Today we should remember the Bill of Rights: Today we should remember the Bill of Rights by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) which on this date in 1791 went into effect when Virginia became the 10th of the then 14 states to ratify 10 of the original 12 proposed by the first Congress. It is worth remembering that without a commitment by Madison to a Bill of Rights, Virginia almost certainly would NOT have ratified the Constitution. After all, George Mason, author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, had refused in Philadelphia to sign the Constitution precisely because i... more »

solidaridad: City Clerk Certifies Official List Of Candidates

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

solidaridad: City Clerk Certifies Official List Of Candidates: City Clerk Certifies Official List Of Candidates by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene [image: Robert D. Skeels, a Social Justice Schoolboard Candidate] [image: Ron Gochez: LA City Council District 9 Candidate, Robert D. Skeels: LAUSD District 2 Candidate]*2013 Primary Nominating Election* LOS ANGELES (December 14, 2012) — Los Angeles City Clerk June Lagmay released today the official list of 77 candidates who have qualified to appear on the ballot for the March 5, 2013 City of Los Angeles Primary Nominating Election. A rand... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Proud To Teach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Proud To Teach: Proud To Teach by Duke Like every public school teacher in America, I have trained and drilled on my school's response to the unthinkable. I'm guessing I'm like most teachers: I've rolled my eyes a bit when the fire drill sounds right in the middle of my carefully crafted lesson. I mean, I know this is stuff is important, and I know we need to prepare for the worst, but I've got a concert coming up in two weeks! Do we really have to run a "Code Black" drill *now*? Seriously, what are the odds? Columbine was a once in a lifetime event... And so no... more »

Schools Matter: • Heavy science, math, technology focus in education: A good idea?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Schools Matter: • Heavy science, math, technology focus in education: A good idea?: • Heavy science, math, technology focus in education: A good idea? by skrashen Posted in Dallas Morning News, Dec. 13, 2012: http://letterstotheeditorblog.dallasnews.com/index.php?s=Krashen&submit=Search Re: “Science, math are paving the way – Schools chief using model to set district on positive course” (Dec 10). The announcement that the “Lancaster superintendent is shaping his district to be a science, math model,” with a focus on science, technology, engineering and math from pre-K to grade 12... more »

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: I Cried for Connecticut

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: I Cried for Connecticut: I Cried for Connecticut by Lisa M I wanted to cry. When the teacher across the hall told me, I wanted to cry. I couldn't. I had 23 kids in my room, immersed in trying to build a container that would keep an ice cube frozen. They were working. Full of life, joy, and curiosity. Something a crazed gunman had just taken from 20 children. Something he had taken from 7 adults. When someone says, "How are your kids?" I tend to say, "Which ones?" Meaning my kids I gave birth to or my kids in my class. I am sure I am not the onl... more »

Best of the Ed Blogs 12-15-12 | National Education Policy Center

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center: Best of the Ed Blogs *Best of the Ed Blogs* features a frequently updated selection of interesting and insightful blog posts on education policy. The views expressed by the bloggers on our blog roll are thoughtful, original, and entirely their own. We hope you make *Best of the Ed Blogs* your first stop for concise takes on today's most important education topics. Exclusive! Pasi Sahlberg on TIMSS and PIRLS (Guest Post by Pasi Sahlberg) Best of the Ed Blogs Pasi Sahlberg,... more »

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 12-15-12

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

*4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:* *4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT* L.A. AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTS REACT TO CONNECTICUT SCHOOL SHOOTING smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 39 minutes ago Several school districts around the Greater Los Angeles area are releasing statements in the wake of a school shooting in Connecticut that left 27 dead. By Sara Fay, Eagle Rock, CA Patch http://bit.ly/UvyB3G Credit Hoa Nguyen December 14, 2012 :: Representatives from school districts in Greater Los Angeles are reacting to the news of a deadly elementary school ...more »

This Week's Education Research Report 12-15-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

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 »

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… 12-15-12 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EF

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL *LARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF THE DAY* [image: Helping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers To Classroom Problems.] More Resources On Dealing With Tragedies Larry Ferlazzo at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - 25 minutes ago Here are recent additions to The Best Resources On Talking With Children About Tragedies: Talking to Children About Violence:Tips for Parents and Teachers is from The National Association of School Psychologists. School Crisis Resources is from the NEA Health Information … C...more »

Sarah Kirby-Gonzalez: Sacramento County Teachers of the Year 2011for School Board

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

*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 »

For these are all our children - Winnie the Pooh - Wherever you are

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Come out moon Come out wishing star Come out Come out Wherever you are I’m out here in the dark All alone and wide awake Come and find me I’m empty and I’m cold And my heart's about to break Come and find me I need you to come here and find me Cause without you I’m totally lost I've hung a wish on every star It hasn’t done much good so far I can only dream of you Wherever you are I’ll hear you laugh I’ll see you smile I’ll be with you just for a while But when the morning comes And the sun begins to rise I will lose you Because it’s just a dream When I open up my eyes I will lose ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Reporting from Education Leadership Team Meeting

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Reporting from Education Leadership Team Meeting: Reporting from Education Leadership Team Meeting by Melissa Westbrook The Mayor had organized an Education Leadership Team awhile back and I finally got to attend a meeting today. The Team is made up of City staff, SPS staff, UW staff, community college reps, business reps and labor reps. It's quite a diverse group (well, in what they do - not so much diversity in what they look like). SPS staff there today included Pegi McEvoy, Duggan Harman and the Superintendent. Most of the meeting was about... more »

Responding to tragedy: Resources for parents - Sacramento City Unified School District

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Responding to tragedy: Resources for parents - Sacramento City Unified School District: Responding to tragedy: Resources for parents Tonight, our thoughts are with the families in Newton, Connecticut who endured a terrible a tragedy today. I want to reassure all of our parents that nothing is more important than the safety and security of our students and staff. Over the weekend, your child may have questions about this event, which is likely to dominate the news and the social media for many days to come. Resources to help parents and students at this difficult time can be found ... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Class sizes in early grades now largest in 14 years

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

NYC Public School Parents: Class sizes in early grades now largest in 14 years: Class sizes in early grades now largest in 14 years by Leonie Haimson This year’s class size report continues a tragic trend. Class sizes in grades K-3 and grades 4-8 have increased for the fifth year in a row. In high school, they have increased sharply as well, though the data that the DOE reports is not fully reliable. In Kindergarten, 1st grade and 2nd grade, class sizes are now the largest in 14 years, since 1998, when class size data first was reported by the Independent Budget Office. In 3rd g... more »

Dawn Hochsprung Principal, Sandy Hook School RIP

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

AFT Statement on Massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

AFT - A Union of Professionals - AFT Statement on Massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School: AFT Statement on Massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School *WASHINGTON, D.C.—* Statement of American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. "The entire AFT community is shaken to its core by this massacre of young children and the educators and school employees who care for and nurture them. Twenty children and six adults were shot and killed today in one of the worst school shootings in history. We grieve for the... more »

Trying to make sense of a senseless act. « My Island View

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Trying to make sense of a senseless act. « My Island View: Trying to make sense of a senseless act. by tomwhitby This is probably the wrong time to sit down and address what has just happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. All of the details are not yet out, but the news media has made many statements and assumptions that seem to hold up myths about schools that we continue to hear each time another of this growing number of horrendous incidents explodes on the TV screen. Reporters continue to ask the question, “Were all of the security and safety measure... more »

New Leadership Inside UTLA - LA School Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

New Leadership Inside UTLA - LA School Report: New Leadership Inside UTLA by LA School Report There could be small signs of change going on inside UTLA. This week’s internal elections for the 350-member House of Representatives were contested in 22 of 32 districts for the first time in recent years. Some of those seats were expected to have been won by a new caucus within UTLA, called NewTLA, which is working for broader representation within the tightly run organization. However, NewTLA has not responded to our requests for information about how they did in the election. To see t... more »

Every public employee with a state pension should read this report on cash balance programs. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Every public employee with a state pension should read this report on cash balance programs. « Fred Klonsky: Every public employee with a state pension should read this report on cash balance programs. by Fred Klonsky Ending the defined benefit pension system is one of the agenda items in Illinois. Monique Morrissey of the Economic Policy Institute reports on the specifics of Louisiana. But the dangers of the*Cash Balance Plan* apply to many states, including Illinois. With Congress mired in partisan gridlock, states are serving as laboratories for retirement policy as well as o... more »

Slideshow: Anger surges during rally at Phila. School District | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Slideshow: Anger surges during rally at Phila. School District | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Slideshow: Anger surges during rally at Phila. School District by thenotebook Rally-goers gathered outside the School District of Philadelphia headquarters at 440 N. Broad St. yesterday as the announcement was made that dozens of schools were recommended for closure or relocation. If the plan is approved, some 17,000 students might be moving to new schools. The rally was organized by the Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools. ="" title="Facebook_like" href="http:/... more »

Gun Violence In American Schools Is Nothing New « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Gun Violence In American Schools Is Nothing New « Student Activism: Gun Violence In American Schools Is Nothing New by Angus Johnston We’re seeing a lot of suggestions today from the right side of the political spectrum that events like today’s massacre at a Connecticut elementary school are something novel in American history — that they’re a reflection of the fact that we took prayer out of schools, or that our society has lost its sense of morality, or something. Well, a couple of years ago I did some casual research on the history of American school shootings. A conservative s... more »

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Saturday, December 15, 2012

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-15-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

James Baldwin said it best:

"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."

A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP