Monday, June 18, 2012

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Education Headlines

Monday, June 18, 2012

Schools tread carefully on social media

School officials acknowledge the power of using social media in educating today's students, who they call "digital natives." Social media can also be a tool to communicate more efficiently with parents and the community. But for the time being, school personnel are hesitant to use it on a wide scale.

Changes ahead for Atascadero school

The Atascadero Unified School District broke ground Friday on a renovation project that will bring widespread changes to Monterey Road Elementary School.

Newport-Mesa district close to naming new superintendent

Next week the Newport-Mesa Unified School District will announce its selection for the new superintendent. According to district spokeswoman Laura Boss, trustees have selected the top candidate and will announce their choice in a press release early next week. At their next board meeting on Tuesday, June 26, they will take action to hire the new superintendent, Boss said.

After spat with former construction management company, officials get projects back on track

Months after the El Monte Union High School District cut ties with its former construction management company, details are emerging about related issues that have come at a hefty expense to the district.

Union ratifies agreement with LAUSD, teachers to take up to 10 unpaid furlough days next year

Los Angeles Unified's teachers union has ratified an agreement to take up to 10 unpaid furlough days next year to save the jobs of 4,700 educators and restore some Adult Education, preschool and English-learner programs that had been threatened with elimination, officials said Saturday.

Kirst: California students’ improvement on AP exams deserves more attention

There is some good news in California student achievement trends. High performers, as measured by passage of the Advanced Placement exam, are increasing, and rank very high in interstate comparisons.

Bill would provide unemployment benefits while laid-off teachers retrain

Laid-off teachers could continue collecting unemployment benefits while enrolled in additional training programs under terms of a bill working its way through the Legislature.

Toliver packs up after more than three decades at Stockton USD

At 71, Toliver is heading into retirement after two years at the helm and 35 years with Stockton Unified.

Court order puts Aspire students and parents at peril

Sometime this month – perhaps even this week – a superior court judge is expected to order the disposition of six Aspire charter schools improperly authorized by the California State Board of Education in 2007.

Teacher evaluation plan a test for LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy

Armed with a court order mandating the use of student test scores in teacher evaluations, Los Angeles Unified Superintendent John Deasy now faces the tough job of selling his achievement-based review system to the district's teachers, union leaders and even its school board members.

Chino Valley Unified again denies charter

Chino Valley Unified school board members have again denied a charter petition from the Neighborhood Arts and Science Academy.
Friday, June 15, 2012

Stockton USD may OK early start for Lowder

The school board has scheduled a special meeting for 3 p.m. today that could result in moving up the starting day for incoming Superintendent Steve Lowder to Monday. The contract Lowder signed in April begins July 1.

San Gabriel's superintendent pick drops out

The school board announced Tuesday that the candidate it unanimously selected and announced last month to fill the vacant superintendent position has declined the board's offer.

Fortuna UHSD cuts full-time principal at Academy of the Redwoods

Wrangling with a deficit of about $680,000, the Fortuna Union High School District Board of Trustees passed a budget that eliminated a full-time principal position at Academy of the Redwoods, a high school with an accelerated curriculum where students can receive college credits.

California Department of Education releases new public school rankings