SPPS Today - Morning Edition: Friday, September 5, 2008 ***SPPS IN THE NEWS: Changes coming, St. Paul schools boss warns Report reveals schools 'at crossroads,' needs to retool, Carstarphen says 9/5/2008 Pioneer Press http://www.twincities.com/education/ci_10385364.html Students skip school to stage peaceful protest Several hundred high school students and others marched from the State Capitol through downtown St. Paul to Harriet Island to protest war and racism and war criminals. 9/5/2008 Star Tribune http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/conventions/27867639.html?elr=KArksUUUU ***OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE NEWS: Rural school districts seek voter approval to repair antiquated infrastructure A work crew inspects the roof of Stevens Elementary School in the Dawson Boyd School District. The district wants to replace its old boiler with an efficient geothermal system. 9/5/2008 Finance and Commerce http://www.finance-commerce.com/article.cfm/2008/09/04/Rural-school-districts-seek-voter-approval-to-repair-antiquated-infrastructure Many Principals Remain at Schools Graded ‘F’ Since the mayor made his ominous pronouncement at a news conference in November, new principals have been put in place at 14 of the schools rated “F,” according to the Education Department records. Three of those 14 schools are scheduled to close in the next few years. Five others among the 52 “F” schools have already been shuttered, and one more will soon be closed. 9/5/2008 New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/05/education/05fschool.html?_r=1&ref=education&oref=slogin What To Make Of Students' Sexy Clothes? As students head back to school, teachers can find themselves face to face with teenagers clinging to their summer styles. Commentator Annmarie Kelly Harbaugh knows — thanks to an experience with a student a few years ago — that the boundary between what is and is not appropriate school clothing can be a bit blurry. 9/5/2008 NPR http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94288145&ft=1&f=1013 China admits school collapse blame Report acknowledges shoddy construction might have triggered the problems 9/5/2008 Pioneer Press http://www.twincities.com/ci_10383687?IADID=Search-www.twincities.com-www.twincities.com Minnesota / Fewer school levy requests planned for fall Fewer Minnesota school districts plan to ask voters for more money this fall. 9/5/2008 Pioneer Press http://www.twincities.com/ci_10384284.html At least 38 school districts will hold referendums At least 38 Minnesota school districts plan to ask voters to raise their taxes in November to provide more school operating funds, according to a recent survey done by the Minnesota School Boards Association. 9/5/2008 Star Tribune http://www.startribune.com/local/south/27890864.html?elr=KArksUUUU Charter high school in Philadelphia rekindles the debate over same-sex education PHILADELPHIA - Calling all ninth-grade boys! Raise your hand if this school sounds like fun: wearing jackets and ties every day, staying until 5 p.m., learning Latin and — to top it all off — no girls. 9/5/2008 Star Tribune http://www.startribune.com/nation/27900934.html?elr=KArksUUUU No Child Left Behind statistics revealed struggling students Does MPS provide adequate support in response? Since the implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in 2001, much has been reported on how average students — particularly students of color — are fairing in the educational system. Although students, parents and teachers tend to be in agreement with the statistics generated through mandatory testing, there is less agreement on how to respond to the information. 9/5/2008 Twin Cities Daily Planet http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/article/2008/09/03/no-child-left-behind-statistics-revealed-struggling-students.html ***MISC. NEWS: No stories today |