August 29, 2016
Delaware News
Delaware 105.9
Delaware schools grappling with bus driver shortage
Delaware school districts are struggling to find enough drivers to shuttle students to and from school. The Wilmington News Journal reports that the shortage has meant some students aren’t getting to school on time and some low-income students who eat breakfast at school are missing their first meal of the day. T.J. Vari is assistant superintendent for operations at the Appoquinimink School District.
Delaware Public Media
TEDxWilmington talk: “Chess Champions of Murdertown USA”
Wilmington’s “Murdertown USA” title has resonated with many, including Walter Nathan Durant. Durant is a teacher at Thomas Edison Charter School in Wilmington, and also gave a TEDx Wilmington talk titled “Chess Champions of Murdertown USA.” A few years ago, leadership at Edison started a chess team.
Delaware schools adopting new annual science test
Delaware educators want to better evaluate students’ understanding of science topics, so they’re adopting a new annual test. Previous science assessments used multiple choice questions to measure intelligence. But the Delaware Department of Education believes this method is flawed. Delaware Chief Academic Officer Michael Watson said the updated test will evaluate how students are doing in the classroom.
The News Journal
Kids come first at Exceptional Care for Children
Exceptional Care for Children is all about creating a childhood for the kids who live in its Newark-area medical facility. And everyone who works there shares that goal. “The kids are No. 1,” said Shannon McLaughlin, spokeswoman for Exceptional Care. “That’s why we’re here all day.”
At Howard, new school year brings hope after violence
Howard High School of Technology will open its doors on Monday for a new school year, as it tries to leave behind the brutality that ended the last academic year. The vo-tech high school in Wilmington’s Eastside neighborhood saw two of its students slain last spring. Amy Inita Joyner-Francis was beaten to death in a girls’ bathroom at the school in April and, within a month, Brandon Wingo, 15, was shot just blocks from the school.
Town Square Delaware
Empowerment, self-confidence key to success for students in struggling schools
Commentary by Arleen Vargas, support program manager for the Delaware Charter Schools Network
This month I had the opportunity to catch up with students I taught during my first year of teaching at Howard High School in Wilmington. Now seniors, these college-bound students were excited to share their impressions of the schools they recently visited. One student remarked, “I like that this college has small class sizes even for general education.
National News
Hawaii Tribune Herald
Education meeting focuses on ESSA
Dozens of East Hawaii teachers, principals, complex area administrators and community members gathered Wednesday to discuss ways to improve Hawaii’s education system. The town hall meeting was among several scheduled around the state this summer to compile input on the Every Student Succeeds Act.
MyCentralJersey.com
Ensuring opportunities for a quality education
After seeing some communities in his home state that could benefit from his charter school model, longtime educator Michael D. Piscal came home and brought his innovations in education with him. This resulted in College Achieve Public Schools and two locations for the College Achieve Central Charter School.
Portland Press Herald
Special education teacher shortage worsens at Maine schools
Deb Alden had to find five special education teachers this summer, and she had to find them fast. “It’s been such a crazy shortage. I thought other years it was tough, then I got to this year,” said Alden, special education director in SAD 52, which serves students in Turner, Greene and Leeds. Typically, she might have one or two openings among the 28 special education teacher slots across six schools.
The New York Times
Why black men quit teaching
Opinion by Christopher Emdin, associate professor at Columbia University
How can we help black boys succeed in school? One popular answer is that we need more black male teachers. The logic appears simple: Black boys are not faring well, and the presence of black men as teachers and role models will fix this problem.