SPPS Today - Morning Edition: Thursday, September 4, 2008 ***SPPS IN THE NEWS: Despite RNC, it's back to school for most Today was the first day of school for many students across Minnesota. And even with the Republican National Convention in town, it was also back to school for the St. Paul School District. But not every school in the capital city was open today. 9/4/2008 Minnesota Public Radio http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/09/02/back_to_school/ AARP programs reach out to the young and old Seeds of Change, an after-school program at St. Paul Central High School, received a $10,000 grant from AARP Minnesota at the Minnesota State Fair. 9/4/2008 Spokesman Recorder http://www.spokesman-recorder.com/news/article/article.asp?NewsID=90956&sID=13&ItemSource=L.html Real-life poli-sci at Wellstone Students at Wellstone Elementary in downtown St. Paul are learning about civics and democracy with the real thing happening at the RNC just blocks away. 9/4/2008 Star Tribune http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/27839724.html?elr=KArks:DCiUocOaL_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU ***OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE NEWS: School board candidates disagree on severity of MPS performance problem Editor's note: There are seven members on the Minneapolis School Board. All members are elected at-large. Terms are staggered, with three or four members being elected every other year. Three at-large positions will be on the ballot in 2008. Since more than six candidates filed, all candidates will be on the Tues., September 9 Primary ballot. The top six vote-getters from the Primary will be on the November 4 General Election ballot. 9/4/2008 Insight News http://www.insightnews.com/articles.asp?mode=display&articleID=4766 School districts challenged by rising energy costs School districts across Minnesota will pay more to keep their classrooms warm this winter. Administrators are bracing for double-digit increases on their utility bills. The rising energy costs will likely mean cooler classrooms and tighter budgets as districts look for ways to conserve. 9/4/2008 Minnesota Public Radio http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/09/03/schoolheat/ Court Blocks Florida Ballot Measures Intended to Help School Vouchers TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Two constitutional amendments intended to help Florida’s school voucher programs withstand legal challenges cannot appear on the November ballot, the State Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. 9/4/2008 New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/us/04florida.html?_r=1&ref=education&oref=slogin New School Rules on Bias Bullying Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced regulations on Wednesday that are meant to combat bullying in city schools that is based on bias. 9/4/2008 New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/nyregion/04bully.html?ref=education Panel Backs Leaving Schools Under the Mayor A commission appointed by the city’s public advocate recommends in a report scheduled for release on Thursday that the state law giving the mayor control over New York’s public schools be renewed, but amended to place more limits on City Hall’s power. 9/4/2008 New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/education/04school.html?pagewanted=1&ref=education Organizers call off 2-day boycott of Chicago public schools, saying protest was successful CHICAGO - Public school students who skipped classes to protest unequal education funding were urged to return to their desks Thursday after the boycott was prematurely called off. 9/4/2008 Star Tribune http://www.startribune.com/nation/27835714.html?elr=KArks:DCiUMEaPc:UiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU Large class sizes leave some students behind Schools are not and should not be factories, and educators have often defended their work by saying “We are not creating widgets.” 9/4/2008 Twin Cities Daily Planet http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/article/2008/09/03/large-class-sizes-leave-some-students-behind.html ***MISC. NEWS: Palin Has Not Pushed Creation Science as Governor As a candidate for governor, Sarah Palin called for teaching creationism alongside evolution in public schools. But after Alaska voters elected her, Palin, now Republican John McCain's presidential running mate, kept her campaign pledge to not push the idea in the schools. 9/4/2008 Edweek.org http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/09/03/155214cvnpalincreationism_ap.html?tmp=170224310 No Child Left Behind statistics revelaed 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. 9/4/2008 Spokesman Recorder http://www.spokesman-recorder.com/news/article/article.asp?NewsID=90954&sID=4&ItemSource=L Pawlenty: Education key to U.S. standing A forum on improving education drew standing ovations for diverse speakers, including Al Sharpton. 9/4/2008 Star Tribune http://www.startribune.com/local/south/27790649.html?elr=KArksUUUU |