NEA - American Education Week

NEA - American Education Week:

American Education Week

Raise Your Hand for Student Success

344

Celebrate American Education Week with a Pledge to Support Our Schools

Do you want smaller class sizes for students, professional respect for educators, and the resources necessary to give all children access to a great public school? Then take our pledge to "Raise Your Hand" to support our nation's public schools--for American Education Week and beyond. Then, share the pledge with your social networks. 

Seeing Firsthand How Educators Are Making a Difference

Day two of American Education Week took NEA Vice President Lily Eskelsen-García to Kit Carson Elementary School in Las Vegas, where she shadowed educators in several classrooms, performed lunch duty, and toured the Russell Bus Yard. She was joined by Nevada State Sen. Moises Denis, Nevada State Rep. Marilyn Kirkpatrick, and members of the media, along with Nevada State Education Association President Ruben Murillo, Jr., Clark County Education Association President Vikki Courtney, and Education Support Employee Association President John Carr.

Kit Carson Elementary illustrates how a school once labeled as “failing” can make significant gains given the right resources, professional development, and community engagement. Moreover, school leadership encourages and empowers educators to make the best decisions for their students.

View photos of the visit below. 

Austin High School Gives a Lesson in Real Education Reform

Over the past 6 years, the Lanier High School’s graduation rate has soared from 50 percent to 90 percent – one of the reasons why NEA is spotlighting the school as part of its kickoff to the upcoming 2013 American Education Week.Read what's contributing to Lanier's success and how AEW's Educator for a Day program is getting the message out to community leaders.

Scenes from Lanier High School

What is American Education Week?

American Education Week—November 18-22, 2013—presents all Americans with a wonderful opportunity to celebrate public education and honor individuals who are making a difference in ensuring that every child receives a quality education. The weeklong celebration features a special observance each day of the week. They include:

Monday, November 18: Kickoff Day 

Nationwide Kickoff. Across the country, schools will celebrate excellence in education by hosting kickoff events and activities.

Tuesday, November 19: Parents Day

Schools will invite parents into the classroom for a firsthand look at what the school day is like for their children.

Wednesday, November 20: Education Support Professionals Day

Education Support Professionals keep schools running and students safe, healthy and ready to learn. Check out these charts to see how hard ESPs work to serve students in public schools and how committed ESPs are to both their jobs and their communities. Also watch the "It's More Than Just a Job" videos below to learn more about ESP careers. 

Raise Your Hand for Student Success: Education Support Professional Appreciation Radio Spot By 2013 ESP of the Year Donna Schulze

Thursday, November 21: Educator for a Day

Community leaders will be invited to experience the day as educators and experience the challenges of teaching and the needs of students. Learn more about this program through the Educator for a Day Promotional Kit.

Friday, November 22: Substitute Educators Day

Substitute educators play a vital role in the maintenance and continuity of daily education. Learn more about these professionals and take a look at resources and tips for substitute educators.

2013 Artwork and Materials

• Visuals to Help Promote Your Events

11-18-13 THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG Raise Your Hand, It's American Education Week

Raise Your Hand, It's American Education Week — Whole Child Education:

THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG

Raise Your Hand, It’s American Education Week

November 18, 2013 by Kristen Pekarek

This week—November 18–22—whole child partner National Education Association, along with partners National Parent Teacher Association, American Association of School Administrators, National School Boards Association,American School Counselor Association, National Association of State Boards of Education, National Association of Elementary School Principals, and theNational Association of Secondary School Principals, will observe American Education Week.

Always celebrated the week prior to Thanksgiving, the weeklong celebration provides an opportunity to celebrate public education and honor individuals who are making a difference to ensure that every child receives a quality education. Each day of the week will have a specific focus, including

Tuesday, November 19: Parents Day

For Parents Day, schools across the nation invite parents into the classroom to experience firsthand what a school day is like for their child. The initiative is designed to spotlight the importance of parental involvement. Ongoing research shows that parental involvement in schools improves student achievement, reduces absenteeism, and restores parents' confidence in their children's education.

Wednesday, November 20: Education Support Professionals Day

Education Support Professionals comprise more than 40 percent of the total K–12 education workforce. This day focuses on the importance of these school employees, who take care of students every day, making sure they have the tools they need to succeed in school.

Thursday, November 21: Educator for a Day

Educator for a Day allows individuals from the community to serve as an educator to get a glimpse of a day in the life of a school employee. The visiting educator performs the duties of the regular educator on a normal day—teaching class, performing lunch and corridor duty, recess supervision, among other responsibilities.

Friday, November 22: Substitute Educators Day

Substitute Educators Day focuses on the importance of substitute school employees. These professional educators perform a vital function in the maintenance and continuity of daily education. In our public school systems, substitutes are the educational bridges when regular classroom educators are absent.

This week join us and our partners in honoring educators and the important work they do. Learn more about the celebration, use the online toolkit, and share the 2013 artwork and materials.

 

11-15-13 The Whole Child Blog — Use the Common Core to Focus on Integrity

Use the Common Core to Focus on Integrity — Whole Child Education: Use the Common Core to Focus on IntegrityThe Common Core State Standards aren't an enemy. They're a smart way of saying to the public, "this is where education is going. This is what your child needs to know and be able to do as a future worker, citizen, and leader." To that end, the Common Core standards are helping to a

by mike simpson / 4h 

Saved by the Bell Curve | EduShyster

Saved by the Bell Curve | EduShyster:

Saved by the Bell Curve

Posted on November 18, 2013

Microsoft has abandoned the practice of ranking employees on a bell curve. But did Bill Gates get the memo?

By Sue Altman, EduShyster Academy

Silly me. I’ve been saying for ages now that we should stop treating our schools like businesses. But after much soul searching, I realize I’ve been wrong all along. I think we can learn a lot from a very American corporation: Microsoft. What caused my sudden realization that the same company that brought us the Zune is ideally suited to get our kids “college and career ready”? The answer can be found right here in a memo that Microsoft’s new executive VP of HR just issued to all employee’s regarding the company’s performance review program.

You see, Microsoft has decided to abandon its hated “stacked ranking” evaluation system that forced managers to grade employees along a curve and was infamous for pitting employees against one other. Instead, Microsoft has a new improved approach to employee evaluation, the key elements of which are:

• “More emphasis on teamwork and collaboration.”
• “Timely feedback and meaningful discussions to help employees learn”
• “more flexibility in how and 

Two Responses to Common Core Standards: Ten Colossal Errors - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Two Responses to Common Core Standards: Ten Colossal Errors - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:

Two Responses to Common Core Standards: Ten Colossal Errors

By Anthony Cody on November 17, 2013 12:44 PM

Yesterday I posted a commentary on what I believe to be major errors that make the Common Core standards project unworthy of our support. I invited anyone to provide evidence that would contradict my point of view. Thus far, nobody has done so. However, two comments came in that suggest a different approach, and since this reflects the views of many, I thought it worthwhile to share these, and invite more discussion. 

The first came from a reader named jpatten, who commented:

I think what would make this piece stronger is to have actually identified specific standards and identified the problems with them. From what I understand from the piece, the issue is mostly how the standards were developed and not the standards. Also, by saying that, "I do not believe the standards themselves are significantly better than those of most states, and thus they do not offer any real advantages." You lead the reader thinking they are also no worse than what states currently have now. This leads me to believe spending more money (time) on increasing the feedback and input may not have led to different results. From what I understand of the standards, they do not dictate curriculum or instruction. They do not specify what curriculum should be used for English learners, children from low socio-economic environments, "gate" students, or the many other factors that influence the needs of our 

Arne Duncan Makes Moms MAD | Truth in American Education

Arne Duncan Makes Moms MAD | Truth in American Education:

Arne Duncan Makes Moms MAD

Filed in Common Core State Standards by Shane Vander Hart on November 18, 2013 • 0 Comments

• 32
• 4

Over the weekend in between speaking events in Western Kansas a group of us were discussing how the Common Core advocates are often labeled as “fringe” and part of the “tea party” when the opposition is far broader than that.  The consensus was surely they won’t go after moms will they?

Arne Duncan went there.  Oh boy did he go there.  We were obviously unaware of his remarks to a group of state school chiefs on Friday.

It’s fascinating to me that some of the pushback is coming from, sort of, white suburban moms who — all of a sudden — their child isn’t as brilliant as they thought they were and their school isn’t quite as good as they thought they were, and that’s pretty scary.  You’ve bet your house and where you live and everything on, “My child’s going to be prepared.” That can be a punch in the gut.

I thought that Secretary Duncan was smarter than that, but evidently he is not.

As far as the pushback is just coming from white suburban moms, yes that is a segment of the opposition, but not the only segment.  I obviously don’t fit that demographic.

Also the statement that “their child isn’t as brilliant as they thought they were and their school isn’t quite as good as they thought they were…” assumes that bad test scores are really due to the 

Blue Jersey:: Should you work in the Newark schools if you think the children are potential criminals?

Blue Jersey:: Should you work in the Newark schools if you think the children are potential criminals?:

Should you work in the Newark schools if you think the children are potential criminals? by: Bob Braun Mon Nov 18, 2013 at 10:08:12 AM EST

promoted by RosiThe central administration of the Newark Public Schools sent out a letter last week to "families"-a letter over the signature of state-appointed superintendent Cami Anderson -that displayed unforgivable insensitivity by suggesting crime would go up because Newark's children  were not confined to their schools for the two days of the New Jersey Education Association convention. It posted the same letter on its website. Click to enlarge the letter. The e-mailed letter, sent to school principals Nov. 12 for distribution home through students, was withdrawn within two hours and then taken down from the website, according to multiple sources in the Newark schools. However, in at least one school-perhaps more-the original version was sent home to some 700 families. I originally posted the letter sent to me by a Newark teacher. I later took it down and deleted all references to it because of concerns I had about its authenticity. The letter contained grammatical mistakes. Its last sentence ended with a comma-as does the sanitized version. It was sloppily written., And, of course, it contained volatile language about the imagined criminal

11-18-13 Schools Matter

Schools Matter:

Other Sources Besides Amazon for TMoE

If you are looking for a copy of The Mismeasure of Education, try B&N or the publisher, IAP. All have the same price of $27.50.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

2 by Jim Horn / 39min 

The Grit-sters Have a New Guru without CIA Connections

With the spook-ish Dr. Seligman too scary to mention in contexts involving children, his longtime disciple, Angela Duckworth, does not even mention Seligman in her mini-TED talk that CorpEd is pumping this week on HuffPo's education page.  Seligman's work with the CIA as an expert on learned helplessness, and then his work with the Pentagon on how to teach the joys of positive psychology to Iraq v

2 by Jim Horn / 2min   

11-17-13 Schools Matter

Schools Matter: How's that RttT Working for You, Massachusetts?Massachusetts has been on the corporate education bandwagon since 1993 with the coming of MCAS, and in recent years the corporate PR machines have made the world aware of how much further ahead MA is in the international testing derbies and on NAEP.  Last week's appearance of new NAEP scores gave us a chance to have a fresh look at whe

by mike simpson / 23h 

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, November 18, 2013

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team:

Are desegregation funds helping?

Education Headlines

Monday, November 18, 2013

Long Beach Unified to open high school with hospitality and tourism focus

Just months after the opening of McBride High, Long Beach's first new public high school in 18 years, plans are moving forward on another new public high school in the city.

Coachella Valley High won't cast off Arab mascot

Coachella Valley High School will keep the “Arab” name, but the east valley school district will discuss revisions to the campus mascot with a national anti-discrimination group.

Capo OK's deal for $51 million school in Rancho Mission Viejo

Capistrano Unified School District trustees have approved a deal with Rancho Mission Viejo LLC for the company to provide land and pay for a majority of the building costs for a $51 million K-8 school in its newest housing development.

San Ysidro tries to limit testimony

Lawyers for the San Ysidro School District filed several motions last week in an $18 million lawsuit over solar installations, attempting to exclude any mention of cash handoffs, burning of district records or criminal charges against officials.

Vallejo district recommends changing school's Apache mascot

A Northern California school district is recommending that its main high school’s Apache mascot be changed. The Apache, adopted decades ago, has long been a sensitive issue for Vallejo High School, and altering it has been raised several times over the years, according to the Vallejo Times Herald. The matter will be decided at the board’s Wednesday meeting.

McRae: Education reform through the courts and why it’s necessary

In California – and in many other states – the Legislature has proven devastatingly ineffective at ensuring equal educational opportunity in our public schools and protecting the fundamental rights of students.

Sacramento school board members got full pay, even when they missed meetings

The Sacramento City Unified School District has doled out thousands of dollars to board members for meetings they did not attend for at least the last 16 months, in apparent violation of board policy and state law, a Bee review shows.

Plate: Everyone benefits when charter schools and districts partner on special education

As the charter school movement evolved, flexibility and autonomy did not follow in the area of special education. Instead, charter schools’ special education services have, in many cases, mirrored the services provided by the charter school’s authorizer (usually the local school district). In January 2011, the Los Angeles Unified School District made a bold move to try a new approach, which was unanimously approved by the LAUSD School Board.

Mongeau: Federal preschool bill highlights need to improve state program, advocates say

Legislation introduced in Congress last week that would expand public preschool could serve as a wake-up call in California to beef up early education programs, advocates here say.

Are desegregation funds helping?

The state annually sends nearly $1 billion in special desegregation funds to school districts throughout California, including $64 million to San Diego Unified. But those dollars are delivered with no strings attached, no master system to track where the money goes and there is no proof required that the programs actually work.

Friday, November 15, 2013

Moorpark school board approves more raises

The Moorpark Unified School District board unanimously approved a 2.5 percent increase for certain classified employees, including assistant principals, school counselors and psychologists, and classified directors.

Simi Valley graduations will take place a week before school ends

The Simi Valley Unified School District board agreed this week to eliminate seven furlough days and lengthen the current school year calendar.

Educators cheer bill to further fund preschools

Advocates for young children in Monterey County and across the United States are applauding Wednesday's introduction of a bill that would significantly expand access to early childhood education.

California sees growth in charter schools

Despite a statewide increase in charter school enrollment, Aspire Public Schools' Vincent Shalvey Academy in Lodi Unified School District remains steady with a waitlist of 700 students.

Twin Rivers Unified trustee arraigned, waits to enter plea

Twin Rivers Unified School District trustee Cortez Quinn walked into Sacramento Superior Court on Wednesday morning with his lawyer and a minister. Quinn, 46, was arraigned on felony charges after he allegedly falsified his paternity test and accepted illegal gifts from a district employee.

1st Annual California STEM Symposium 2013 | CDE

1st Annual California STEM Symposium 2013 | CDE:

Invest in California STEM Education: 

Innovate, Integrate, and Inspire!

November 18-19, 2013

Register Online Now- Online registration available until November 8th

Held at the Sacramento Convention Center

The Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation, in cooperation with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, is proud to bring you the 2013 California STEM Symposium on November 18 and 19, 2013, at the Sacramento Convention Center.

Advancing STEM education in California is critically necessary to ensure that current and future generations of California students are provided the engaging academic rigor that will enable them to compete in, and be a productive contributor to, a dynamic 21st century economy.  With the implementation of Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, now is the time to help schools develop robust and coordinated STEM programs that are relevant and engaging to all students.

This Symposium will bring together 2000 teachers, administrators, students, higher education representatives, program providers, philanthropic representatives and industry representatives to engage them in STEM education by providing strategies and resources for program implementation. The Symposium will have a special focus on increasing and supporting the participation of women and girls—as well as other underrepresented groups—in STEM fields. It will also highlight leaders in classroom innovation from across the state and attract student teams to showcase critical thinking, problem solving, and teamwork.

Key Note Speakers and Special Guests

• Geena Davis
• Sugata Mitra
• Jose Hernandez
• Thomas Suarez
• Kenneth Wesson

Highlights of the Symposium’s Presentations and Activities:

• Curriculum and Instruction:
  • Model Programs Share Their Stories and Strategies:
    • STEM Schools
    • STEM Programs
    • STEM Out-of-School Time Programs
    • STEM for all Grades
    • STEM Organizations
    • Students and Teachers demonstrate STEM projects and products
• Professional Learning:
  • Education Organizations share Professional Learning Strategies for Common Core State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards
  • STEM Curriculum and Professional Learning Providers inform us about their products and services
• Partnerships:
  • Business and Industry share STEM employment projections and STEM youth opportunities.
  • Postsecondary Institutions share information about STEM degree and certificate programs.
• Resources:
  • Schools and Organizations share Funding and Sustainability Strategies.
  • Business and Industry Representatives share ways they can partner with STEM programs

Due to the overwhelming response to our call for proposals, the window for submitting presentation proposals has been closed.
If you have any questions, please contact Karen Shores at kshores@cde.ca.gov.

Please see the links below:

• STEM Symposium Sponsors
• CDE Foundation W-9
• Hotels
• Event Parking Information 

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities contact Jordan Wente at Jordan@cdefoundation.org