TOP NEWS Sun Gazette The Fairfax County School Board approved the expenditure of nearly $4 million for security upgrades, including installing improved locks, hiring more mental health workers and boosting systemwide security training. Read more>> Sponsored Sponsored by 3M Some schools have chosen the potentially costly and inconvenient options of distributing bottled water or undergoing large projects to rebuild plumbing infrastructure to help improve the water quality for students. Read more>> WJAR The Rhode Island Department of Education rejected a request from the Warwick school superintendent to charge students for bus rides and sports. The school district sought several variances that would save the district about $6 million. Read more>> Grand Forks Herald Despite a report that the state doesn’t have any “persistently dangerous schools,” State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler is planning a series of public meetings across North Dakota in the next few months to listen to public comment on how to improve school safety. Read more>> From DA Magazine Steven Blackburn The latest in energy management technology can prevent waste automatically while allowing administrators to control ventilation and other systems from a computer or mobile app. Read more>> The Oklahoman The change comes as the Oklahoma district begins its first school year where all students in sixth through 12th grades will be provided Chromebook laptops that will provide access to email, the internet and coursework. The school's wireless network will only be accessible by school devices. Read more>> WJHL This year, schools in Northeast Tennessee will get more than $1 million from the state to evaluate their safety needs and decide the best way to use the money. There is also a certain amount of money each district has to put forward as a "local match." Read more>> Wisconsin Public Radio Districts across Wisconsin are enrolling fewer students. In Milwaukee, the drop is due in part to fewer school-aged children and the state's voucher program. A new recruitment tactic to boost student enrollment has canvassers and administrators going door-to-door talking to parents about the public schools. Read more>> Associated Press via News & Observer Indiana's school districts are bracing for big changes approved by lawmakers that will alter how they handle their budgets and school funds. Upcoming changes, taking effect on January 1, will give districts greater flexibility in spending and help clarify how much is spent on student instruction. Read more>> OPINION EdSource For decades, California fourth graders have studied the Golden State: its geography, people and history. Now, historians and Native American teachers are pushing to broaden that curriculum to include more on the culture and history of the state’s original inhabitants. Read more>> KQED Like many organizational leaders, principals may get stymied when they actually try to describe the elements that create a positive culture. It’s tricky to define, and parsing its components can be challenging. Amid the push for tangible outcomes like higher test scores and graduation rates, it can be tempting to think that school culture is just too vague or “soft” to prioritize. Read more>> From DA Magazine Roberto Padilla and Nancy Gutiérrez Turnaround leaders need to respond with urgency and make key changes quickly while establishing a vision and a strong team to carry out that vision. Read more>> INDUSTRY NEWS Proximity Learning Inc. Shonto Preparatory School and Proximity Learning Inc. implemented an online education program in a district serving a Navajo Indian student population. This partnership will empower the school to provide virtual chemistry, earth science and biology classes in Shonto’s remote high school community. Read more>> PSST, LLC/PennSpring Capital PSST, LLC, a regional integration and software solutions provider to K12 school districts, municipalities and commercial businesses, has been acquired by PennSpring Capital, a private equity firm. The company will continue to operate independently. Read more>> ✭ Visit the District Administration's PR Portal ✭ PEOPLE WATCH The Daily Mining Gazette David Radovich was hired as the new superintendent by Ewen-Trout Creek's school board. He replaces Alan Tulppo, who took a position with the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District. Read more>> Pine Journal Cloquet Superintendent Michael Cary has hit the ground running, taking over from retiring Superintendent Ken Scarbrough. Cary was hired away from the Duluth School District, where he was director of curriculum and instruction. Read more>> |