September 18, 2014
Local News
The News Journal
Capital school superintendent to retire
Michael Thomas, the superintendent of the Capital School District in Dover, said Wednesday he will retire in June 2015. The Delaware Chief School Officers Association named Thomas its “Superintendent of the Year” this year. Thomas led the association in the 2012-2013 school year, using the post to push for the General Assembly and Gov. Jack Markell’s administration to provide more funding for technology in school districts across the state, and to reinstate program funding cuts.
Wilmington gets new charter school
The Community Education Building, the former Bank of America building in downtown Wilmington that has been renovated to house charter schools, has accepted Great Oaks Charter School as its third tenant in the next school year, the school announced Wednesday. The Great Oaks Foundation is a nonprofit that already operates charters in Manhattan, New York; Newark, New Jersey; and Bridgeport, Connecticut. The school model focuses on using a corps of recent college graduates to give two hours of one-on-one tutoring to every student each day.
Decision on closing Moyer postponed
The state’s decision on whether it will close the Maurice J. Moyer Academic Institute charter school has been postponed because of a procedural delay, officials announced Wednesday. A transcript of the public hearing, in which school supporters and other community members were invited to give their thoughts, was not prepared in time for Secretary of Education Mark Murphy and the state Board of Education to consider it, spokeswoman Alison May said.
WDEL
State Children’s Dept. gets Fed grant to help high-risk kids
Delaware’s Children’s Department is in line for a 4 million-dollar federal grant aimed at helping meet the needs of kids in high-risk communities. Project LAUNCH, a partnership of government, education and healthcare leaders, will get 800 thousand dollars a year for 5 years.
Sussex Countian
Sussex libraries offering new high-tech amenities
Public libraries throughout Sussex County recently added a few, new technological amenities intended to help them better meet the demands of the community. One of those notable additions is a 3D printer now available at public libraries in Georgetown, Laurel, Lewes and Milton.
Smyrna-Clayton Sun-Times
First State Military Academy updates Clayton Council on plans
First State Military Academy is currently doing renovations at the St. Joe’s campus; exterior work will be done first followed by interior improvements. The board is still working on the plans for the entire campus, which includes a football field and stadium but the plans haven’t been approved yet. As the budget for the school increases, more work will be done to the property. Other proposed plans include a library and media production area, sports fields, and a 17,000-square foot science and biology building. Cadet recruitment will take place from September through January. Hiring of teachers and support staff will start next year.
National News
Chronicle of Higher Education
New 11-university alliance plans efforts to help gradate more needy students
Eleven public research universities around the country that enroll some of the most economically and racially diverse student bodies in the nation have formed a collaboration aimed at increasing the numbers of low-income students who start and graduate from college.
Orlando Sentinel
Florida halts online reading test that was the focus of complaints
An online reading test Florida required for kindergartners and other young students was halted Monday after numerous complaints about technology glitches.
Deseret News
New definition of homeless would give kids more help
A bill before Congress aims to amend the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s definition of “homelessness,” which would help children and families living in motels, cars or temporarily with others to obtain needed services.
Education Week
Senate education panel clears education research bill
The Senate education committee cleared an education research bill with bipartisan support, altering the House-passed version only slightly before readying it for a full Senate vote.
Homework in elementary school divides educators
Students in middle and high school are being assigned about the same amount of homework today as they were in 1984, but the load for elementary-school students has increased. One elementary school is replacing homework in certain grades with PDF — play, downtime and family time.
Special education charters renews inclusion debate
Parents go to great lengths to meet the special and often demanding needs of children with disabilities. The 90-student Arizona Autism Charter School—is among dozens of charters nationwide that focus on serving students with disabilities. Such schools help counter the long-running criticism that charters don’t serve enough of those students. But they also renew questions about the best educational environment for students with disabilities: Is it a specialized school or a more mainstream setting with general education students?