SPPS Today - Morning Edition: Tuesday, October 20, 2009
***SPPS IN THE NEWS:
No Stories Today
***OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE NEWS:
Mahtomedi school changes the dynamics of recess
But O.H. Anderson recesses have undergone significant changes this school year as part of the "Positive Playground" initiative, which aims to alleviate bullying and spur children to be more active.
10/20/2009
Minnesota Public Radio
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/10/18/recess/
School for the Gifted, and Only the Gifted
In a city where the public school gifted programs have long provided an enviable free education, and there are many expensive private schools that emphasize rigorous academics, the Speyer Legacy School, which caters to advanced learners, is a rare breed: a private school with an all-gifted student body. It opened last month with 26 children in kindergarten through second grade in a leased space in the Gateway School.
10/20/2009
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/education/19gifted.html?ref=education
'Packing lunch' has new meaning for needy kids at Burnsville school
Needy students get weekend food in Friday backpack
10/20/2009
Pioneer Press
http://www.twincities.com/education/ci_13574141.html
Vote 2010 Minnesota / Kelley lays out education plan
Democrat announces second run for governor at Mahtomedi High School
10/20/2009
Pioneer Press
http://www.twincities.com/ci_13597581.html
Beyond School Walls with Big Brothers Big Sisters
At a red-carpet event in Saint Paul October 13, twenty-two fifth and sixth grade students from the KIPP: Stand Academy in Minneapolis met, for the first time, their "Bigs." Through a rigorous matching process, the Big Brother Big Sister program had matched Talley with sixth-grader TaNysha. Dubbed "Beyond School Walls" the program will bring school children to the Comcast grounds for an hour every other week and pair them with volunteers who will mentor them. TaNysha was at a People Serving People shelter when she filled out forms for the program.
10/20/2009
Twin Cities Daily Planet
http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2009/10/18/beyond-school-walls-big-brothers-big-sisters
Middle school conversations
Every year, every route, I overhear conversations on my bus. Last week, on my middle school route, I overheard a white boy talking to a black girl, first about his disapproval about President Obama, then about race.
10/20/2009
Twin Cities Daily Planet
http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/blog/rich-broderick/middle-school-conversations
Montgomery students thrill to hear from the reader in chief
President Barack Obama chats with third and fourth grade students at Viers Mill Elementary School in Silver Spring, Maryland, October 19, 2009. Obama visited the school where the students had improved their standardized test scores.
10/20/2009
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/19/AR2009101901724.html
Students give math a bit more thought
'Reasoning,' 'sense-making' at the center of lessons as teachers focus on relevance
10/20/2009
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/18/AR2009101802385.html
***MISC. NEWS:
Gov. Granholm Vetoes Some Extra K-12 Funds
Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Monday vetoed K-12 school aid payments to school districts that get among the highest per-pupil payments statewide. Some of the 39 districts get more than $11,000 a year per student, almost $4,000 more than poorer districts. They'll now be more in line with the basic foundation grant unless lawmakers override her veto.
10/20/2009
Edweek.org
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/10/19/308106mistatebudgeteducation_ap.html?tkn=[WVF%2Bh4LEFsuYiAIXDu4dgttL%2FwrqkG31B8b
In Hawaii, School's Out for Recession
At a time when President Barack Obama is pushing for more time in the classroom, his home state has created the nation's shortest school year under a new union contract that closes schools on most Fridays for the remainder of the academic calendar.
10/20/2009
Edweek.org
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/10/19/307900bchischoolsfurloughs_ap.html?tkn=LWPFWoaElz%2F45Y9RbIuKT60LAkAxP%2FPUUJER
Schools Taking Part in Campaign to Give Swine-Flu Vaccine
Mieshay Smith holder her son Lawrence Marshall, 4, as he receives the H1N1 vaccine at Dodge Park Elementary School in Landover, Md. —Mary F. Calvert/The Washington
10/20/2009
Edweek.org
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/10/21/08flu_ep.h29.html?tkn=LQ[FFT1BPGj40ESpzHHs37kcdXb7esnHUxVM
City Property Taxes Up in the "No New Taxes" Era Part 1 of 4
With property tax payments due this week, Minnesotans are painfully aware that property taxes -- including city property taxes -- have increased tremendously during the era of "no new taxes," which officially began with the ascension of Governor Pawlenty and his conservative allies in 2003.
10/20/2009
Minnesota 2020
http://www.mn2020.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7BF9F516AB-E663-470C-9EB1-4C4741BBF4AE%7D
County Property Taxes Up in the "No New Taxes" Era Part 2 of 4
Yesterday's installment demonstrated how the state's "no new tax" policies have left Minnesota cities with no option other than to cut budgets and increase property taxes. Sadly for Minnesota property taxpayers, counties are in the same boat. The pursuit of the "no new tax" agenda has helped to avoid the need for state revenue increases by shifting public costs on to regressive local property taxes.
10/20/2009
Minnesota 2020
http://www.mn2020.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7BAFC6D548-18EA-403F-8399-EC0ADD3B12C4%7D
School Property Taxes Up in the "No New Taxes" Era Part 3 of 4
Property taxes have shot up dramatically in Minnesota over the last several years, with school property taxes growing most rapidly of all. However, despite this growth, schools have fewer resources to educate students. Real per pupil school revenues are expected to be less in fiscal year (FY) 2011 than they were in FY 2003.
10/20/2009
Minnesota 2020
http://www.mn2020.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7BA9F830EB-18C5-449C-B668-4BC0991F49FC%7D
"No New Tax" Policy Shifts Public Costs to Property Taxpayers Part 4 of 4
As demonstrated in previous installments in this series, city, county, and school property taxes have all increased significantly during the "no new tax" era. Collectively, responsibility for these tax increases do not rest with local officials, since total real per capita and per pupil local spending has declined over this period. Rather, the growth in property taxes is the result of a deliberate state policy to shift more public costs on to local property taxes.
10/20/2009
Minnesota 2020
http://www.mn2020.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B54194DB5-B552-446D-BCD7-449D3BFC967A%7D
Minnesota School Year Requirements Too Casual
President Obama recently called for school districts to lengthen the school day and extend the school year. It's a great idea, especially in Minnesota where schools are given great latitude in determining the number of days in a school year.
10/20/2009
Minnesota 2020
http://www.mn2020.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7BDD22BBF7-35F9-41CB-A062-4010AD9D9DA2%7D
Research Shows Key NCLB Provision Not Helping Students
New Minnesota 2020 research shows that almost no school that is forced by NCLB to offer Supplemental Education Services (outside tutoring) drops out of it. Of the 149 schools that have faced SES sanctions since the 2002-03 school year, only seven schools, or five percent, have been helped off the list by these services.
10/20/2009
Minnesota 2020
http://www.mn2020.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7BCD209743-A621-46A1-8306-4718E2FB330E%7D
A Moo-Moo Here, and Better Test Scores Later
New York State’s English and math exams include several questions each year about livestock, crops and the other staples of the rural experience that some educators say flummox city children, whose knowledge of nature might begin and end at Central Park. On the state English test this year, for instance, third graders were asked questions relating to chickens and eggs. In math, they had to count sheep and horses.
10/20/2009
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/education/20farms.html?ref=education
Field Study: Just How Relevant Is Political Science?
After Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, this month proposed prohibiting the National Science Foundation from “wasting any federal research funding on political science projects,” political scientists rallied in opposition, pointing out that one of this year’s Nobel winners had been a frequent recipient of the very program now under attack.
10/20/2009
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/books/20poli.html?ref=education
Study Finds Growing Work for School Counselors
The struggling economy has taken a toll on those directly responsible for advising students about the college admission process
10/20/2009
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/education/20college.html?ref=education
School lunch program changes urged
Panel wants more veggies, fewer calories
10/20/2009
Pioneer Press
http://www.twincities.com/ci_13597620.html
Thank you, Miss Weaver
A dedicated teacher took interest in the fun-loving twins' artistic inclinations; now they hope their paintings will ensure lasting interest in her.
10/20/2009
Pioneer Press
http://www.twincities.com/education/ci_13596628.html
Astra Taylor: 'Unschool' was cool in her youth
Would you let your kids stay home from school and teach themselves? Astra Taylor's parents did, and she grew up to be an indie filmmaker.
10/20/2009
Star Tribune
http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/movies/64803947.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU
|
|