Block Scheduling

Principal Introduces Block Scheduling

Alamogordo, NM – Joe Jaramillo, Principal of the Alamogordo High School introduced next year’s plan for block scheduling at the high school to the Board of Education. This year the school was on A-B modified block and the new system will be four instructional blocks each day of 90 minutes with eight minute passing periods except for the first one that will be 10 minutes. Full-year courses will be completed each semester. Each teacher will teach three classes. The additional period will make time for lesson preparation as well as personal growth time. The Principal says that the goal is building a learning system not a memorizing system.

Alamogordo News May 20, 2004

Budget Cuts

Principals Try To Avoid Staff Layoffs

Dighton, MA – The school district is facing a deficit of $852,000 and asked principals in the system to make recommendations for cuts. Many suggested cutting athletic and school supply budgets. One principal says that teacher aides will be cut along with a custodian, a music teacher or an enrichment teacher. One school will cut a librarian and another will cut a family and consumer science teacher, teacher aides and a custodian.

Providence Journal May 13, 2004

Charity

Books Sent to Soldiers in Iraq

Ft. Myers, FL – Evangelical Christian Elementary School Principal Jon Wilson organized a Books for Troops campaign. Grades K through fifth grade collected more than 1000 books and magazines in less than two weeks. 500 have already been sent to individuals or bases in Iraq.

New-Press May 14, 2004

Discipline

Principal Reacts to Marijuana in His School

Billerica, MA – A parent called Marshall Middle School Principal and informed him that an eight grader was dealing marijuana in the school. The Principal investigated and confirmed the story. He then called the police and at the prompting of the principal handcuffed an eight grader and took him off campus. He then either expelled or suspended seven other students. The principal believe that a problem was uncovered and started to inform the parents by meetings, sending letters and mentioning it in monthly mailings to parents. The school is comprised of students from two parent families and is typical of Middle America. Nationally 8 percent of eight graders reported using marijuana. The actions of the principal sent a message to the students that this behavior would not be allowed.

Boston, com  April 22. 2004

Teacher Obtains Injunction against Student Using Vulgar Language

Phoenix, AZ – Trevor Browne, a teacher at the Trevor G. Brown High School filed a request for an injunction against a student using vulgar language that sexually abused and harassed her. While waiting for the hearing the student was suspended for five days and was removed from the teacher’s class. The Judge issued the injunction and ordered the student to stay away from the teacher both in school and out of school. He also gave the teacher a cell phone to use to call 911 in case of trouble.

The Arizona Republic April 19, 2004 

Drugs

Principal Reacts to Marijuana in His School

Billerica, MA – A parent called Marshall Middle School Principal and informed him that an eight grader was dealing marijuana in the school. The Principal investigated and confirmed the story. He then called the police and at the prompting of the principal handcuffed an eight grader and took him off campus. He then either expelled or suspended seven other students. The principal believe that a problem was uncovered and started to inform the parents by meetings, sending letters and mentioning it in monthly mailings to parents. The school is comprised of students from two parent families and is typical of Middle America. Nationally 8 percent of eight graders reported using marijuana. The actions of the principal sent a message to the students that this behavior would not be allowed.

Boston, com  April 22. 2004

Emergency Drill

School has “Code Red” Lockdown Drill

Westford, MA – The administration at Westford Academy organized a “Code Red” lock down drill that tested teachers and students on their response to a dangerous situation. Prior to the drill parents received a letter and an email advising them of the drill. During the drill staff was outside the school behind construction horses that prevented anyone form entering the school during the drill and no one was allowed to leave the building during the drill. The drill was coordinated with the police department and lasted 35-40 minutes.

Westford Eagle May 20, 2004

Field Trips

Field Trips Help Improve Test Scores

Grand Rapids, MI – West Ottawa Elementary School Principal Bill Kangas believes that field trips help improve Michigan Educational Assessment Program test scores because it is best to hang your learning on some experience and field trips help children make more learning connections. Field trips need not be to distant attractions to be effective, according to the principal, especially for students from lower social economic schools since they have not had many opportunities to travel. In the West Ottawa school the PTO has agreed to underwrite school field trips.

Grand Rapids Press May 16, 2004

Fundraising

Walking to Raise Money

Jackson, MI – Next fall a new Catholic school will open in Jackson, the Scared Heart of Jesus High School. The initial class will be 20 students and they will be in a portable building on leased land. The school is $300,000 short of the funds needed and the principal Marlon De La Torre and several members of the advisory board have embarked on a three day walk to Memphis, Tennessee to raise money for the school.

The Jackson Sun May 28, 2004

Ideas

College Seeks Ideas from Its Community

Chestnut Hill, MA – Boston College is looking for new ideas from members of its community. The University’s Assessment & Planning Initiative is organizing a broad based effort to set an institutional direction for the University. The effort is aimed at bringing in ideas for what kind of a University it will be in 2013 its 150^th anniversary. The University wants ideas that are big ideas and that are workable and feasible or as Professor James O’Toole the director of the Initiative says, “At one time or another, most everyone connected with the University has had a brainstorm about BC, and that’s what we want to hear”.

Boston College Chronicle April 15, 2004

Injunction

Teacher Obtains Injunction against Student Using Vulgar Language

Phoenix, AZ – Trevor Browne, a teacher at the Trevor G. Brown High School filed a request for an injunction against a student using vulgar language that sexually abused and harassed her. While waiting for the hearing the student was suspended for five days and was removed from the teacher’s class. The Judge issued the injunction and ordered the student to stay away from the teacher both in school and out of school. He also gave the teacher a cell phone to use to call 911 in case of trouble.

The Arizona Republic April 19, 2004

Invention Convention

Invention Convention

Jackson, MI – Students at the Grass Lake Middle School staged a two hour Invention Convention at which 100 students displayed and explained their inventions. The students have been learning about inventions in science class. Some of the inventions were: a board game “How to become a pro basketball player”, an umbrella shield, a combination fork and spoon.

Jackson Citizen Patriot May 26, 2004

Kindergarten Schedule

Principal Recommends Full Day for Kindergarten

Washington, CT – Principal Sharon Beitel appearing before the Region 12 School Board recommended kindergarten go to a full day program. She was joined by three teachers in her recommendation. Kindergarten classes are now a half day and some have an extended four hour day when there is no afternoon session. The teachers said that they did not have enough time to deliver the programs they would like to and compared their classes to other full day classes and their classes are way behind in development. 60 percent of the kindergartens in the state are full day.

Voicesnews.com May 26, 2004

Latin

Latin Making a Comeback – Helps in SAT Scores

Buffalo, NY – Latin is becoming more popular in Western New York high schools after decades of decline. Parents and students are finding that the study of Latin helps boost standardize test scores including the SAT’s. Lockport High School had three students  who had perfect verbal SAT scores and they all came from the Latin program. There are problems with the resurgence and the primary one is a lack of teachers.  

Buffalo News April 26, 2004

Makeover of Staff Room

Parents Do Makeover of Staff Lounge

Fenton, MI – Volunteer parents did a makeover of the staff lounge converting it to a room that transported the staff to a beach resort. The walls are oceanic blue and sea-foam green. There is a new blue carpet. New furniture and appliances. It is estimated that there were 100 volunteer hours to complete the project.

The Flint Journal May 26, 2004

One Room School

Old Time Learning in One Room School

Portage, WI – A one room school, the Portage Prairie School, built in 1880 and attached to the Columbia County Historical Society building was host to a class of elementary school students. The students experienced learning in the same manner as the former students of the school learned. Some students were in the back reading while those in the front were being taught. The goal was to teach them what life was like for their great grandparents and how different it was from now.

Portage Daily Register May 28, 2004

Parents

Parents Do Makeover of Staff Lounge

Fenton, MI – Volunteer parents did a makeover of the staff lounge converting it to a room that transported the staff to a beach resort. The walls are oceanic blue and sea-foam green. There is a new blue carpet. New furniture and appliances. It is estimated that there were 100 volunteer hours to complete the project.

The Flint Journal May 26, 2004

Planning

College Seeks Ideas from Its Community

Chestnut Hill, MA – Boston College is looking for new ideas from members of its community. The University’s Assessment & Planning Initiative is organizing a broad based effort to set an institutional direction for the University. The effort is aimed at bringing in ideas for what kind of a University it will be in 2013 its 150^th anniversary. The University wants ideas that are big ideas and that are workable and feasible or as Professor James O’Toole the director of the Initiative says, “At one time or another, most everyone connected with the University has had a brainstorm about BC, and that’s what we want to hear”.

Boston College Chronicle April 15, 2004

Principal Joins Students in Percussion Group

Principal Joins Students in Percussion Group

Genoa, IL – Genoa Elementary School Principal Barb Gustafson says that after seeing “Stomp” a stage production that relies on performers using odd percussive instruments, she was inspired to learn to play the drums herself. Instead of private lesions she joined a fifth grade percussion group. Practicing on her own the Principal caught up with the students and during the band’s concert, the principal walked out on stage to perform with the group for the last song.

Daily Chronicle May 16, 2004

Reading

Principal Kisses Pig – Principal Promotes Reading

Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Deedra Hicks Principal of the Broward Estates Elementary School twice kissed a 40 pound pig. She had promised last summer to kiss a pig if her students read more than 50,000 books this school year. The 700 students read more than 72,000 books. The reading scores improved at the school as a result and that is in a school that is 97 percent black which has had a reading gap. The principal has other programs all designed to encourage reading and to help close the gap for the students many of whom come form disadvantaged homes.

Sen-Sentinel May 26, 2004

Recognition of Good Deeds

A Few Seconds of Glory – Good Deeds Recognized

Fergus Falls, MN – Perham School officials has a School of Champions program that recognizes achievements, good deeds and simple acts of kindness by students, teachers and staff. Twice a year at a school assembly those recognized are greeted with a burst of applause. According to Principal Dan Parent the program has been a very positive influence on the school. The Dean of Students points out that no deed is too small.

The Daily Journal May 20, 2004

SAT

Latin Making a Comeback – Helps in SAT Scores

Buffalo, NY – Latin is becoming more popular in Western New York high schools after decades of decline. Parents and students are finding that the study of Latin helps boost standardize test scores including the SAT’s. Lockport High School had three students  who had perfect verbal SAT scores and they all came from the Latin program. There are problems with the resurgence and the primary one is a lack of teachers.  

Buffalo News April 26, 2004

School Beautification

Beautification Day Honors Alumnus

Bay City, MI – Beautification Day at the T.L. Handy Middle School drew 40 volunteers half of whom were students. The volunteers spruced up the landscaping around the school and erected a memorial for a former student who recently died of a rare disease. The volunteers planted red and white flowers for the school colors. Some of the flowers were designed to attract bees and humming birds. Assistant Principal Dennis Poirier says that this began with the idea to plant a few red and white petunias. The Handy Middle School Beautification Team raised $4000 for the project and local businessmen donated $1500 worth of materials.

Bay City Times May 15, 2004

School Bus

Teaching Kids Good Bus Behavior

Urbana, IL – After a series of incidents involving fights, beatings and sexual assault the director of the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District has decided to be pro-active in changing the behavior of middle school students riding the buses. He is meeting with school officials to make a plan to resolve the issues. Principal Nancy Clinton is enthusiastic about the meeting and says that everyone knows we need some improvement. At the first meeting will be parents, students, transportation drivers and school resource officer. They want the students' perspective and plan to develop a learn to ride program.

The News Gazette May 13, 2004

Shared Hockey Team

The Prospect of a Shared Hockey Team

North Andover, MA – Facing a shortage of players the Masconomet Regional High School hockey team will seek players from other schools. The team would compete under the Masconomet name, Masconomet would control all aspects of the program and the students would have to qualify under Masconomet rules. The stumbling block is the amount of fees to be paid by the players from other schools. The Masconomet players pay $625 as a fee but that only covers 65% of the costs, the school’s budget pays the rest. Some school committee members want the outside players to pay 100% of the costs.

Tri-Town May 26, 2004

Transportation

Teaching Kids Good Bus Behavior

Urbana, IL – After a series of incidents involving fights, beatings and sexual assault the director of the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District has decided to be pro-active in changing the behavior of middle school students riding the buses. He is meeting with school officials to make a plan to resolve the issues. Principal Nancy Clinton is enthusiastic about the meeting and says that everyone knows we need some improvement. At the first meeting will be parents, students, transportation drivers and school resource officer. They want the students' perspective and plan to develop a learn to ride program.

The News Gazette May 13, 2004