Friday Notes from Guilford County Schools

April 13 , 2007

Our Vision, Mission/Thematic Goals and Core Values

Our vision – what we will become, Our mission/thematic goals- how we will get there -- Our
core values - what we believe -- solidify the underlying foundation for all Guilford County Schools’ decisions and actions.

Superintendent’s FY08 Budget Request Supports a Number of Critical Priorities

As we move into Fiscal Year 2007-08 (FY08), the Guilford County Schools (GCS) leadership and community is keenly aware of the continuing financial challenges we face, but optimistic about the potential to make another modest fiscal step forward.  These have continued to be challenging financial times, with the district sustaining a more than $6.5M reduction in state funding over the past three years while growing by approximately 1,700 students per year – FY08 projects a student growth of 1,833 students.  Yet, we have collectively focused our limited resources to most effectively support our instructional priorities.  My FY08 budget request totals $603,134,624. 

What this Budget Accomplishes
My proposed FY08 budget contains a request of $5,547,761 to cover the cost of state mandated salary increases and employee benefits, $1,414,950 to lease modular units during the construction of Eastern High School, $3,998,103 to cover cost associated with the addition of 1,833 students, and $3,507,681 in re-directed dollars and $4,697,393 in new funding request to support critical priorities that are aligned with the district’s four thematic goals.  These requests will allow us to:

• Implement a weighted student formula for equitable school allocations
• Fund a state mandated salary increase of 5% for teachers, assistant principals and principals and a 2.5% increase for classified staff
• Implement a district-wide K-5 literacy program as result of the McRel Literacy Audit
• Enhance execution of a district-wide K-5 math initiative
• Expand the district’s elementary foreign language program including a Mandarin Chinese Program at Northwood Elementary, Ferndale Middle, High Point Central HighandNorthwest High to provide students a competitive edge to compete in the global economy
• Implement a GCS Newcomer Center to create a supportive and comprehensive learning environment for newly arrived fifth – 12th grade immigrant students to enhance their academic and social outcomes
• Increase resources for the Home Field Advantage student mobility program to meet the increased needs of participating schools
• Implement a comprehensive program to improve school climate while decreasing student suspensions
• Improve certified and classified employee working conditions by implementing many of the strategies brought forth by diverse employee teams
• Increase maintenance and energy costs associated with new or renovated school facilities
• Fund the performance incentive portion of Mission Possible

In FY08 many of our training costs will be supported by federal, grant and private funding sources. Therefore, the proposed FY08 budget request also features areas of importance that have been funded by redirecting $3.5M from the district’s existing, locally funded, staff development budget.  These items include:

• Athletic shuttle service for Northern High School students who will move into the new facility January of 2008
• State mandated salary reclassifications for the district’s occupational and physical therapist
• Student academic competitions
• Improved funding for the district’s Advanced Learner, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs to provide resources for an increasing number of participating students
• Twenty additional middle school math and language arts teachers to better support the district’s goal to close achievement gaps at the middle school level
• Resources needed to reconstitute Washington and Wiley elementary schools and Ferndale Middle School should they not meet Adequate Yearly Progress measures for the fifth consecutive year as prescribed by the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation

Click here to download the complete budget request. Should you have any questions, please contact me at 370-8992 or send any comments to Fridaynotes@gcsnc.com.

Nominations Requested for Reedy Fork Area Elementary School

The project team for the new Reedy Fork area elementary school is accepting nominations for the naming of the school. Nominations will be accepted through May 4, 2007 at 5 p.m. Submissions can be made by sending in a nomination form via e-mail, gcscomments@gcsnc.com, or by U.S. mail. If mailing, please send to: Comments for Reedy Fork Area Elementary, Guilford County Schools, 712 N. Eugene St., Greensboro, NC  27401. Click here to download a nomination form. When submitting a nomination, please include background information that explains/supports the nomination.

In addition, the project team is inviting the public to a naming discussion meeting on May 10, 2007 at 8 a.m. in the PTA Room of the Administrative Offices, 712 N. Eugene St., Greensboro, NC 27401. Members of the public will have an opportunity to present and endorse their proposed name to the project team. For more information, please contact Sonya Conway, Chief District Relations Officer, at 370-8386.

Nominations Requested for Northern Area Elementary School

The project team for the new northern area elementary school is accepting nominations for the naming of the school. Nominations will be accepted through May 16, 2007 at 5 p.m. Submissions can be made by sending in a nomination form via E-mail, gcscomments@gcsnc.com, or by U.S. mail. If mailing, please send to: Comments for Northern Area Elementary, Guilford County Schools, 712 N. Eugene St., Greensboro, NC  27401. Click here to download a nomination form. When submitting a nomination, please include background information that explains/supports the nomination.

In addition, the project team is inviting the public to a naming discussion meeting on May 23, 2007 at 10 a.m. in the PTA Room of the Administrative Offices, 712 N. Eugene St., Greensboro, NC 27401. Members of the public will have an opportunity to present and endorse their proposed name to the project team. For more information, please contact Sonya Conway, Chief District Relations Officer, at 370-8386.

Northwest High Odyssey of the Mind Team Solves Their Way to Global Victory

A first place, global victory is something that the Northwest Odyssey of the Mind team is extremely proud of achieving. Their participation in the China tournament gave the students an opportunity to demonstrate their outstanding problem-solving skills, while visiting Chinese classrooms and cultural cities such as Xian, Shanghai and Beijing. The exhibition took place in Shanghai and included approximately 265 teams from across the globe. Northwest was the only foreign team formally recognized for their victory, with a plaque written in Chinese. The team members include: Northwest High students Mark King, Matt King and Daniel Taylor and Northwest Middle students Klarie Ake, John Davis, Matthew Taylor and Michael Taylor. Team coaches Kim Taylor and Rob Taylor accompanied the students to China for the exhibition. For more information, please contact Haley Henderson, Program Administrator – Communications, at 370-3200.

Teacher Receives Outstanding Young Educator Award

Congratulations to Latina Dixon, third-grade teacher at Monticello-Brown Summit Elementary, who was recently named the recipient of the Greensboro Jaycees’ “2007 Outstanding Young Educator Award.”  Ms. Dixon was selected from among numerous well qualified people from around Guilford County for her achievements and community spirit.  She will be recognized during the Greensboro Jaycees evening of Distinguished Service Award winners on April 18.  Her application will be forwarded to North Carolina Jaycees headquarters to compete with other Outstanding Young Educators from around the State. For more information, please contact Principal Benita Lawrence at 656-4010 or Dr. Doris Brown, Instructional Improvement Officer, at 370-8395.

The Middle College at NCA&T Students Participated in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC)

FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is a unique varsity sport of the mind designed to help high school-aged young people discover how interesting and rewarding the life of engineers and researchers can be.  The Middle College NCA&T students, under the guidance of the School of Education and GCS, participated in the local competition.
The FRCchallenges teams of young people and their mentors to build a robot in a six-week timeframe using a standard "kit of parts," a common set of rules. The team utilizes their collective engineering ingenuity, as well as teamwork and problem- solving skills, leadership experience, and creative marketing to design, build and showcase their robot for the competition. The students enjoyed building the robot and having the opportunity to interact with other teams, mentors, coaches and volunteers at the competitions. As a result, they will also become affiliated with the FIRST community, an extensive network of people from around the world who are always willing to lend a hand.

The students are participating in a celebration at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on April 11-15 with the energy of the FRC, the excitement of the FIRST Vex Challenge, and the spirit of the FIRST LEGO League. Please join us in saying congratulations to Alex Shaw, Michael Livingston, Christopher Echols, Randall Bristow, Kameron Eason, Isaiah Lane and TyQuan Easton for their participation in this program. It was an exciting, unique, and rewarding experience. It provided students, mentors and coaches with an incredible opportunity to develop skills that will be beneficial throughout their lives.  For more information, please contact Principal Jesse Pratt at 691-0941 or Barry Williams, Instructional Improvement Officer, at 378-8802.   

Smith High Student Advances to National Speech and Debate Competition

Using his exceptional speaking skills and a little wit, Patrick Wright, a junior at Smith, earned a spot in the National Championship Speech and Debate Tournament. Wright took first place in the Humorous Interpretation event. Two of his teammates, Rachel Nelson and Amina Simmons, also juniors, advanced to the championship round in their event, Duo Interpretation. Nelson and Simmons finished sixth overall and will be the fourth alternate team for the state. Patrick is the only GCS student to earn a spot in the National Championship Speech and Debate Tournament and will travel to Derby, Kansas in June for the competition. For more information, please contact Bill Franck, speech and debate team coach, at 294-7300. 

Mary Sharpe Announced as April Volunteer of the Month

Mary Sharpe became part of the Sumner Elementary family two years ago. Since then, she has dedicated herself to helping first graders with individual instruction in reading and spelling. Sharpe develops activities and strategies to support each student’s academic needs and took it upon herself to observe another teacher in order to gain additional insight and applications for the students she helps.

According to the teacher who nominated her, Sharpe encourages the students to become the very best they can be and accomplish anything they set their minds to. Because of the exceptional job she does and her continuous commitment to students at Sumner Elementary, Sharpe has been selected as the April GCS Volunteer of the Month.

As Volunteer of the Month, Sharpe was recognized by the Guilford County Board of Education at its April 10 meeting. Sharpe’s photo will hang at the district’s three main offices during the month of April. In addition, American Express presented Sharpe with a $25 gift card.  Click here to nominate someone for Volunteer of the Month. For more information, please contact Lynne Brandon, Program Administrator – Publications and Special Events, at 370-8353.

Rookie Teacher of the Year Finalists

Sixty-five rookie teachers submitted portfolios for Rookie Teacher of the Year.  We are pleased to announce the following finalists:

Leah Carper – Western High
Katherine Finch – Ferndale Middle
Molly Flynt – Colfax Elementary
Eric Lyons – Florence Elementary
Richard Sherman – Foust Elementary

The winner of the Rookie Teacher of the Year award will be announced at a breakfast on May 1, co-sponsored by the Guilford Education Alliance and VF Corporation.  For more information, please contact Martha Snavely, Executive Director for Induction and Success, at 335-3290.

GCS to Create Literacy Framework                                                                      

On April 18 and 19, some of the district’s best elementary literacy teachers, principals and specialists will begin work on creating a vision for literacy instruction in Guilford County.  With the help of consultants from Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL), their task will be to take the best of what our schools have been doing and develop a comprehensive framework for what good literacy instruction should include.  Representatives for Pre-k, Exceptional Children, Advanced Learners and English Language Learners will be part of the efforts to develop an overall approach that will address the diverse needs of our student population. For more information, please contact Dr. Mack McCary, Chief Academic Officer, at 370-2365 or Lee Ann Segalla, Executive Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Elementary, at 370-2657.

Office of Employment

On Saturday, April 14, the district will host Tour de Guilford, a special job fair targeting certified math teachers at our most needy Mission Possible high schools.  Candidates will arrive for networking and refreshments at 8:30 a.m., and the program will begin promptly at 9 a.m. with presentations by Human Resources representatives and principals.  Candidates will receive detailed information about Mission Possible and how to earn up to $18,000 more in salary.  The day will end with candidates having the opportunity to visit the school and interview with the principal of their choice.  For more information, please contact Alan Hooker, Director of Employment, at 370-8318 or 370-8319.

ON STAGE!

We are pleased to announce that GCS and The Guilford Education Alliance are presenting “On Stage!,” a student talent showcase on April 19.  The exciting event is being held at War Memorial Auditorium in Greensboro at 7 p.m.  Tickets can be purchased on line at http://tickets.com/ or charged by phone at 888-397-3100.  A ticket can be purchased for $10, $15, $25 or $35 depending upon seat location in the auditorium.  This is a wonderful opportunity to witness the talent of outstanding GCS students and support the efforts of the Alliance.  Please call me at 370-8992, should you have questions.

Western High DECA Club to Host Event Featuring Local Executive

Jerry Neal, co-founder and Executive VP of RF Micro Devices, will be speaking at a fund raising event hosted by Western High's DECA Club on Tuesday evening, April 17. The event will be held at the Guilford Baptist Church Community Room at 5904 W. Market St., Greensboro. Mr. Neal will speak on “How to Fund Your Entrepreneurial Dream” and will introduce his latest book, Built on a Rock: a Memoir of Family, Faith and Place. He has donated 100 copies of his book to the DECA club to sell at this event to benefit the club. The admission is $20 per person (groups of six or more $18 per person). If you would like to attend, please RSVP at www.wghs-deca.com or by E-mail to wilsonk4@gcsnc.com.

Middle School Students to Cheer on the Grasshoppers

On April 16, more than 2,000 Title I middle school students will have the opportunity for some hoppin’ fun with the Greensboro Grasshoppers. An eighth-grade student from Ferndale Middle will start off the day by singing the national anthem. The students will also see Lewis Ferebee, the GCS 2006 Principal of the Year and former principal at Hairston Middle, throw out the first pitch. Additionally, the students will enjoy watching their teachers participate in fun and exciting activities between the nine-inning contest. Thanks to the generosity of Crumley and Associates, Safe Guilford, Safe Kids Guilford County and State Farm Insurance, 17 lucky middle school students will win bicycle helmets. One student will win the grand prize – a BMX bike courtesy of Hoffman Bikes and a bicycle helmet. This year marks the third annual GCS Day with the Greensboro Grasshoppers and is the first time the Grasshoppers have extended the fun to include middle school students. For more information, contact Lillian Govus, Program Administrator – Publications & Special Events at 370-8997.

Educators Urge Students to Think Before You Drink

Each year, 1,400 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related injuries, including vehicle crashes. April is Alcohol Awareness Month and local educators and substance-abuse treatment providers have come together to urge all students to Think Before You Drink. Representatives from the GCS, local universities, the Guilford County Substance Abuse Coalition and the Guilford Center have come together for the observance throughout the month. Organizers hope the efforts will help make students and parents aware of the consequences of alcohol abuse.

In addition to on-campus activities, an on-line and confidential alcohol use screening tool is now available at the Guilford County Substance Abuse Coalition Web site, www.gcsac.org. The screening tool gives immediate feedback and referral information.

Additional activities scheduled for April include:

• The University of North Carolina at Greensboro is planning alcohol awareness activities at The Atrium on April 16, and Elliott University Center on April 17 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
• Bennett College for Women will have a substance abuse display at the college’s student union on April 18 from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
• North Carolina A&T State University will have a health fair on April 19 at the college’s student union from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
• Guilford County’s Safe & Drug-Free Schools Program and Alcohol & Drug Services will have a program (What Parents Need to Know!) on April 19 from 6 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at the Millis Education Center, 600 N. Elm St., High Point.
• Guilford Technical Community College will be holding a Substance Abuse Awareness and Prevention Workshop on April 19, 2007 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. at the Medlin Campus Center on the Jamestown Campus
• Guilford County’s Safe & Drug-Free Schools Program will have its second annual S.M.A.R.T. Summit (Students Mentoring Awareness and Resource Team) from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday April 21, 2007, at the Guilford Technical Community College’s Medlin Campus Center at the school’s campus in Jamestown.

For more information, please contact the Guilford County Substance Abuse Coalition at 288-9774.

Transfer Deadline Ends Monday

The 2007-08 transfer for licensed employees ends on Monday, April 16 at 5 p.m.  For more information, please contact Alison Yates, Director of Staffing, at 370-8094.

Allotment Workbooks

Allotment workbooks for the 2007-08 school year were distributed to principals this week.  Finance and Human Resources staff are working closely with principals and IIOs on their allotments.  A web link will be ready in the next few days to provide answers to frequently asked questions regarding the allotment process.  For additional information, contact Steve Foster, Executive Director for HR Operations, at 378-8822.

Employee Relations

Jill Wilson, Board Attorney, provided a training session for all principals on April 12.  Topics covered included teacher rights, planning time and teacher evaluations.  This is the second session Ms. Wilson has conducted for our principals in the arena of legal issues.  In February, she spoke on the subject of sexual harassment, including the GCS policy and procedures related to it and how to conduct an investigation following an allegation.  For more information, please contact Carla Alphin, Program Administrator for Employee Relations, at 378-8821.

Mentor and Beginning Teacher Surveys

The Induction and Success Department is currently conducting a survey of our first-year teachers and the mentors for first-and second-year teachers to determine the areas of strengths and weaknesses of the mentor-mentee program.  Mentors and teachers are encouraged to complete the online survey by April 20.  The results of the survey will be used to refine the GCS beginning teacher induction program.  For more information, contact Martha Snavely, Executive Director for Induction and Success, at 335-3290.

“The Cumulative Effect”

The steering committee for “The Cumulative Effect,” which is the UNC System and GCS’ Mathematics Project, has been meeting regularly to plan and begin the implementation of the math mentoring program.  Math teachers from Smith, Dudley, High Point Central, Andrews, Eastern, Southern, Middle College at Bennett, The NC A&T Middle College and The Academy at Smith will receive laptop computers, attend a two-week Summer Math Institute at UNCG and will have a mentor assigned to them for the 2007-08 school year.  The Summer Math Institute will focus on content pedagogy with emphasis on modeling appropriate interactive, practical teaching applications for math instruction.  The math mentor will meet with each individual teacher at least bi-weekly throughout the school year.  Participants have been asked to sign a commitment statement agreeing to their participation in the program.  The cumulative effect of this project is improved math instruction and improved student achievement.  For more information, contact Peggy Thompson, Chief Human Resources Officer, at 370-8340.

GCSTV 2

GCS Building Futures” Construction Update

More than two dozen construction projects are underway within our school district. The new Southern Middle School is on schedule to be finished in April. Guilford Primary should be complete in August and Northern Elementary in December. In addition, building is underway at Ferndale, Oak View and Southern Middle School. Come along on a tour with GCSTV 2. Our school construction bond money helps make the improvements possible. Join us for the latest update on GCS’ building projects. Lillian Govus and Dave Burnett, Executive Director of Facilities and Construction are your hosts for this edition of Building Futures. The program airs daily at: 12:20 a.m., 12:20 p.m., 4 p.m. and 9:20 p.m.

Legislative Luncheon

Enrollment in GCS increases by an average of 1,700 students each year and our fiscal needs grow accordingly. High quality public education is dependent upon local, state and federal government to provide the funds to meet the educational needs of our society. Join us as educators discuss school needs with our local legislative delegation at the new Northern Middle School. This program airs daily at 10 a.m. 

Tus Hijos y GCS (Your Children and Guilford County Schools)

It’s enrollment time for next year’s kindergarten classes. Join host Karin Young for this newest edition of our Spanish and English language program, “Tus Hijos y GCS.”  Karin provides the latest information on registering your child for school next year including information about enrollment in the district’s Magnet and High School Options programs. Tus Hijos y GCS airs daily at 1 a.m., 7 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.                

The Home Field Advantage

Changing schools during the year creates a disadvantage for students when it comes to their studies. Research indicates that children who study at one school throughout the school year do better academically than those who change schools one or more times during the year. GCS offers students at select schools the “Home Field Advantage.” The initiative gives children a chance to stay at their original school if their family moves during the academic year. Get the latest information on this program that helps students stay in the game. Home Field Advantage airs five times daily at 7:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. 

Young Drivers-The High Risk Years

If you have a teenager who is already driving or will be getting their licenses soon, don’t miss this program. The focus is on ways to reduce injuries and death among our young. It is told from the perspective of teens and parents who know the consequences of a simple mistake made behind the wheel. This program airs daily at noon, 9 p.m. and midnight.

On Assignment

For the latest in news and information that chronicles programs and events throughout the school district, join host Leonard Simpson for “On Assignment.” This newest episode airs daily at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.  

GCS/ABC 45 Partnership Continues

GCS continues its partnership with ABC 45 television to share the current news and feature stories about our district. The segments run on ABC 45 (Cable Channel 7) during “Good Morning America” each Wednesday and Friday at 7:25 a.m. and 8:25 a.m. You can also learn more about GCS by tuning in to GCSTV 2 (Cable Channel 2).

Celebrating Excellence in Education
Partnerships help reinforce our theme of “Striving. Achieving. Excelling.”  Our business community is a strong and important partner in the education of children in Guilford County.  Now travelers from all over the world can carry that message with them wherever they go.  Visitors to the Piedmont Triad International Airport can’t help but notice the recently unveiled mural that adorns the upper level of the airport terminal. This Newsbreak airs Wednesday, April 18.

The Gift of Life and More
The generous donations from GCS’ partners not only make a difference in the lives our students they can also save lives. Just ask the Western Guilford High student whose life was spared with the help of the school’s Automated External Defibrillator. The folks at Greensboro Orthopedics want to make sure more students have that life-saving help. This Newsbreak airs Friday, April 6.

For more information, please contact Leonard Simpson, Broadcast Production Manager, at 370-8167.

NON-GCS EDUCATIONAL NEWS

Excellence in the Classroom

A new volume from The Future of Children focuses on improving the quality of teachers as a critical move towards closing the achievement gap. Accompanying the journal is an executive summary and a policy brief. The volume concludes that good teachers make a difference. According to the 15 leading scholars who contributed to the journal, the most promising way to improve teacher quality is to broaden entry requirements, identify and promote effective teachers, provide additional pay to successful teachers who work in challenging schools, and promote meaningful professional development. Strengthening the teacher workforce is not a one-time policy initiative. The editors argue that ongoing flexibility will be needed for schools to implement these reforms. Education policy in individual districts, and in the nation as a whole, would be well served if reform initiatives were designed from the outset with credible evaluation elements. Click here to read more.

Five Tips for New Teacher Success

Is teacher retention an issue in your school or district? Do you recruit or retain? Teacher retention should be a process, not a program. It is far better to retain a savable teacher than to train new ones year after year. With national attention focused on the number of teachers that will be needed over the next decade, schools need to take personal ownership of supporting and developing their new educators. Knowing that teacher quality is the greatest predictor of student success means that support for new teachers should be a critical component in all school improvement plans. Here are five tips from Lynn F. Howard to support new teacher success: (1) Never let them feel isolated. New teachers want to know that they are not alone as they struggle to learn to manage and organize a classroom. Take time to share refreshments, have discussions, trade your stories of success and build excitement and energy at every opportunity; (2) Be visible -- everyday. Many new teachers say that visibility and personal interaction with the principal is the number one factor that would make the difference in their decision to stay or leave a particular school. Visiting classrooms regularly, promoting success, and allowing time for discussion and questions are powerful motivators for beginning teachers; (3) Provide the skills and knowledge needed for their success. All new teachers want help with classroom management, building relationships, strategic planning with lesson design, observations and evaluations and testing. Provide new teachers with step-by-step strategies and activities that build both confidence and competence; (4) Allow time for growth and reflection. Knowing what works and what does not allows new teacher to identify areas of growth and strength while determining specific areas that need improvement; and (5) Celebrate! Learning to teach is a long process and celebrating small, incremental steps is one way to recognize growth and achievement. Write positive notes, provide special treats or just say "Thank You" for coming to school. The rewards in teaching are often intrinsic and we must recognize the little things that happen every day that make school a good place to be. Click here to read more.

Amato Sticks with Plan but Backs Some Delays

Kansas City School Superintendent Anthony Amato continued Wednesday night to push for sweeping reorganization of schools, but with some changes delayed.  Amato's plan would still phase out most middle schools and would create additional small high schools. But difficult details remain unresolved. ... Boundaries would be redrawn, and most remaining elementary magnet schools would become neighborhood schools. ... Sixth-grade students would stay in their current elementary schools, beginning the phasing out of middle schools. In subsequent years, seventh-graders and then eighth-graders would remain in elementary schools. ... Amato continues to support plans by the district's African Centered Education task force to move Chick and Ladd elementary schools and Clarke Middle School to a K-12 campus at the former Southeast Zoo Academy. Click here to read more.

Expert Teachers Call for Performance Pay

A group of expert teachers from across the country is calling for radical changes in the way teachers have traditionally been compensated, saying teachers are ready for performance-pay that truly advances student achievement and the teaching profession. Their report, Performance-Pay for Teachers: Designing a System that Students Deserve, is the first from TeacherSolutions, an initiative of the Center for Teaching Quality to bring the views of expert teachers to bear on critical issues facing public education. The teachers’ recommendations include replacing the traditional teacher-pay structure that rewards only seniority and advanced degrees with a comprehensive new framework that would allow all teachers to earn more through a variety of incentives as they progress from "novice" to "expert." Incentives would be tied to student progress, relevant professional development, school and community leadership, and collaborative work, including mentoring and coaching, that extends teacher expertise beyond a single classroom. Click here to read more.

School Plans First Non-Segregated Prom

Breaking from tradition, high school students in a small Georgia town are getting together for this year’s prom. Prom night at Turner County High has long been an evening of de facto segregation: white students organized their own unofficial prom, while black students did the same. This year’s group of seniors didn't want that legacy. When the four senior class officers -- two whites and two blacks -- met with Principal Chad Stone at the start of the school year, they had more on their minds than changes to the school’s dress code.  They wanted an all-school prom. They wanted everyone invited. On April 21, they'll have their wish. The town’s auditorium will be transformed into a tropical scene, and for the first time, every junior and senior, regardless of race, will be invited. The prom’s theme: Breakaway. Students say the self-segregation that splits social circles in school mirrors the attitude of this town of 4,000 people. So getting every student to break from the past could be a difficult task. With prom night about two weeks away, only half of the 160 upper-class students have bought tickets. And there’s talk around the school that some white students might throw a competing party at a nearby lake. Click here to read more.

Work for Real Education Reform

The new education reform report called "Tough Choices or Tough Times" is the first national report of its kind in recent years to truly address and challenge the deeply entrenched and systemic factory-model nature of our educational system. Our traditional time-defined paradigm of "school" has become so legalized, institutionalized, internalized and continuously reinforced that it is ingrained in our culture and way of thinking. That's why virtually all other major educational reform reports or initiatives have either reinforced this outdated and counter-productive paradigm or simply tried to apply Band-Aids to it. Since most Americans love the image of the school they attended, they can't imagine anything else and don't want to see it changed. That's a key reason why real educational change proceeds at a snail's pace, gets blocked or never really materializes, writes Bill Spady in the Denver Post. The changes needed in education should be far broader than the report's focus on math, technology and literacy. Educators of all stripes should support a vision for educational outcomes that include abilities to synthesize, creative imagination, motivation, social skills, leadership abilities, decision making, teamwork, and what is generally called "emotional intelligence." The "Tough Choices" report also has an enormous business bias and urges education to yet again to operate more like modern business -- a notion that has both merit and enormous dangers, depending on how its complex (and vague) vision of performance standards and enlightened instructional practices are, in fact, applied. Click here to read more.

Education Leadership Policy Toolkit Now Available

The Education Commission of the States (ECS) announces the release of the Education Leadership Policy Toolkit, a comprehensive online toolkit that provides information on effective education leadership policies and practices. The toolkit was created through the generous support of MetLife Foundation and is designed to provide information to state policymakers and school district leaders -- as well as principals and teachers -- with the goal of increasing leadership capacity in schools, districts and states. Information on the site was gathered and synthesized from a series of case studies conducted around the nation in districts with strong student learning, often in challenging contexts. The Education Leadership Policy Toolkit organizes information into eight key categories that represent the common leadership factors in all the studied districts: Vision, Governance, Relationships, Culture, Human Development, Instruction, Evaluation and Resource Allocation. Within each category, users can find example policies and practices, recommendations and key elements of effective leadership at three different levels: state, district and school. Additional resources for each leadership factor are provided as well. Additionally, the site features case studies on the challenges and successes of three different districts: Boston; National City, Calif.; and Memphis, Tenn. Each case study features the perspective from a teacher, a principal and the district superintendent about how change was implemented, and what conditions and beliefs are essential for effective and successful leadership. The toolkit provides online audio clips of interviews with a teacher, principal and superintendent from each district. Click here to read more.

Free High-Quality Teaching & Learning Resources

The Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education has just released OER Commons, the first comprehensive open learning network that enables users to find freely available high-quality teaching and learning materials. Created with and for educators, students, and self-learners, this broad selection of open educational resources for K-12 and higher education can be browsed, searched, and enhanced using collaborative social networking features, such as tags, ratings, and reviews. The goal of OER Commons is to bring innovation to teachers and learners around the world. Within its first month, OER Commons has forged alliances with over 60 major content partners in order to provide a single point of access through which educators and learners can search across collections to access over 9,000 open educational resources, read and provide descriptive information about each resource, and retrieve the ones they need. There are a wide range of educational resources, from complete courses to learning modules to library documents, and from algebra to zoology, all in one place. Many of the resources use one of the popular Creative Commons licenses. Click here to read more.

Investor ED 101: Best Classroom Tools

If you are a teacher who has had a hard time finding quality investor education content for your middle school or high school classroom, your search is over!  The nonprofit Alliance for Investor Education (AIE) today is highlighting ten of the best available investor education classroom resources for teachers and students. AIE is a 22-member organization of the United States’ leading financial-related foundations, nonprofit organizations, associations and governmental agencies. Click here to read more.