#middle-schools
#middle-schools

AUSD Notes: Frequent questions on Bay Farm School proposal answered

As noted in the Alameda Unified School District's last column (Jan.27), the AUSD Board of Education will vote next week on Tuesday during its public meeting on phasing out the middle school program at Bay Farm School.This idea was first referenced at the board's Dec. 13 meeting, introduced as a formal proposal at the Jan. 10 meeting and then revisited at the Jan. 24 meeting.

www.eastbaytimes.com

AUSD Notes: Alameda board to vote on after-school program provider

Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, the state of California is requiring the Alameda Unified School District and all other districts in the state to offer expanded after-school programs for students from transitional kindergarten through sixth grade.The program promises to provide new after-school options for families seeking child care support in the afternoons.

www.kvue.com

San Marcos CISD observing 'mental health half-day' on Friday following death of student

SAN MARCOS, Texas This coming Friday, San Marcos CISD will observe a "mental health half-day" following the death of a student last week.On Feb. 24, an 11-year-old Goodnight Middle School student was struck by a vehicle in the drop-off lane of the school's parking lot.The student was pronounced dead at the scene.

www.berkeleyside.org

Berkeley students' reading test scores stable through pandemic, math scores drop 4 points

Berkeleyside published a story this week analyzing how BUSD's state test scores were impacted by the pandemic.Read the story for an in-depth look at student progress by grade level, race and other factors like English learner status, as well as three charts breaking down the trends.The results show that the pandemic interrupted students' progress, but not as dramatically as it did across the state: The percentage of BUSD students meeting state math standards dropped 4 percentage points, to 58%, compared with a 7 percentage point drop to 33% across California.

www.berkeleyside.org

Berkeley school board votes to desegregate middle schools with new enrollment policy

In June, the Berkeley school board unanimously voted to overhaul its middle school assignment policy by adding a third enrollment zone in an effort to desegregate the city's three middle schools.To watch Wednesday night's school board meeting, join via Zoom.The presentation on the middle school enrollment policy is available online.

moreEducation

Chicago Tribune

10 months ago

Chicago

Letters: Banning of the Bible in Utah school district shows current idiocy at its peak

You know the current idiocy of trying to ban disliked ideas has reached its peak when the Bible itself, also called the Good Book, has been banned from elementary and middle schools in Utah's Salt Lake City school district for vulgarity and violence, a way of avoiding saying "sex" ("Utah district bans Bible from schools after citing vulgarity, violence," June 4).

www.nytimes.com

10 months ago

New York City

A Musical Walk With Gershwin, Rachmaninoff and Papageno

Good morning.It's Friday.We'll go on a walk something you probably shouldn't do today, but reading about it might take your mind off the smoke from the Canadian wildfires.We'll also find out when the air quality in New York will improve.Image Credit...Karsten Moran for The New York Times Thomas Oliemans is a newcomer who navigates New York like a native.

Brooklyn, NY Patch

Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn Nets, NY Liberty Give Clinics At Brooklyn Schools

BROOKLYN, NY - Brooklyn students could soon get a visit from the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty thanks to a new partnership between the two teams and NYC Public Schools.The star-studded athletic program kicked off Wednesday at P.S. 1 in Sunset Park, where Nets and Liberty coaches, Nets forward Cam Johnson and Liberty center Jonquel Jones hosted a free athletic clinic for students, according to the Brooklyn Nets.

information

www.cnn.com

US politics

House to vote on GOP education bill that aims to provide additional oversight for parents

The House is expected to vote Friday on a bill that aims to increase so-called parental rights in the classroom, as House Republicans spotlight an issue that has emerged as a key party priority.Among other things, H.R. 5, also known as the Parents Bill of Rights Act, would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require schools to provide parents with a list of books and reading materials available in the school library as well as posting curriculum publicly.

amNewYork

United Federation of Teachers rallies against cutbacks to city's early childhood program | amNewYork

Several hundred social workers, educators, and parents joined the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) for a rally and press conference Friday outside Tweed Courthouse demanding that the Department of Education save early childhood programs and reinstate nearly 400 instructional coordinators (ICs) and social workers who were "excessed" in September.

San Jose Spotlight

Election 2022: Candidates vy for Santa Clara, Oak Grove school board seats - San Jose Spotlight

Voters have their work cut out for them this November as dozens of candidates are running for school board seats throughout Santa Clara County.

Los Angeles Times

Veteran teacher accused of sexually assaulting 10-year-old girl at Santa Ana elementary school

A veteran teacher was arrested this week on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl at a Santa Ana elementary school, police said.

Berkeleyside

Berkeley school board votes to desegregate middle schools with new enrollment policy

The Berkeley school board voted to overhaul its policy for assigning students to the city's three middle schools on Wednesday night, unanimously deciding to add a third enrollment zone at the start of the 2023-24 school year.

moreinformation

Independent

France politics

Thousands join protests in French cities over Macron pension reform

Large crowds have taken to the streets in Paris and other French cities in the first mass demonstrations since President Emmanuel Macron forced through a higher retirement age without a vote.trikes upended travel across the country on Thursday as protesters blockaded train stations, Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, refineries and ports.

www.amny.com

Brooklyn

Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty partner with NYC Public Schools to host free basketball clinics for Brooklyn youth | amNewYork

Brooklyn youth are getting their own version of March Madness through a partnership between the city's Department of Education and the borough's home basketball teams, the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty.The partnership announced on March 22 will offer free basketball clinics taught by youth coaches from the Nets and Liberty to all Brooklyn elementary and middle schoolers during their gym periods.

www.nytimes.com

Sports

This Stanford Freshman Wants His Play to Represent India

STANFORD, Calif.The arena in Frisco, Texas, is only a 30-minute drive from Ryan Agarwal's hometown near Dallas.But for a middle-school-age Agarwal, stepping inside was like entering another world.In 2015, Agarwal was a sixth grader obsessed with basketball.So that year, when the Dallas Mavericks made the 7-foot-2 Satnam Singh the first Indian-born player selected in an N.B.A. draft, Agarwal knew he had to go see him compete.

kvue.com

Fourth Hays CISD student confirmed to have died from fentanyl overdose, school district says

The 15-year-old student died in July.An autopsy revealed fentanyl was the cause.

AUSTIN, Texas - Hays CISD confirmed Wednesday that another student died from a fentanyl overdose.

Los Angeles Times

Feds say Oklahoma man threatened repeatedly to bomb, shoot students at L.A. schools

An Oklahoma man who grew up in Los Angeles and allegedly harbored a grudge against certain schools there was arrested Wednesday and accused of threatening to shoot elementary school students and making several bomb threats, federal prosecutors said.

www.mercurynews.com

Opinion: Students' backpacks are too heavy and why it matters

As a ninth-grader, I know firsthand the burden of carrying a heavy backpack.Mine weighs close to 20 pounds, the same weight as a large watermelon.Upon returning to in-person classes after COVID-19 shutdowns, I noticed that the skin under my backpack straps was red and my back ached.I was overwhelmed by the number of textbooks, notebooks and supplies my teachers required me to carry.

Brooklyn Eagle

Schools clash with parents over bans on student cellphones

Cellphones - the ultimate distraction - keep children from learning, educators say.But in attempts to keep the phones at bay, the most vocal pushback doesn't always come from students.In some cases, it's from parents.Bans on the devices were on the rise before the COVID-19 pandemic.Since schools reopened, struggles with student behavior and mental health have given some schools even more reason to restrict access.

amNewYork

Schools clash with parents over bans on student cellphones | amNewYork

Austin Monitor

Austin

Austin ISD earns a 'B' rating from Texas Education Agency - Austin Monitor

Photo by Renee Dominguez/KUT

Wednesday, August 17, 2022 by Becky Fogel, KUT

kvue.com

Del Valle ISD returns and middle-schoolers sport clear backpacks as new safety measure

Last year, clear backpacks were required for high schools, but the district extended it to middle school for this school year.

Nytimes

Covid Stopped the Music. Now This School Is Striking Up the Band Again.

Young violists and sax players in Brooklyn get reacquainted with their instruments, and with one another: "You have to play in harmony."

Los Angeles Times

Covina-Valley school district teachers strike is averted with tentative agreement

Teachers union leaders called off a strike set for today at the Covina-Valley Unified School District after reaching a tentative agreement late Wednesday night with officials of the 13,400-student school system."Schools will be open and will continue on a normal schedule tomorrow, Dec. 1," Supt.

www.mercurynews.com

Walters: California high schools need a mission overhaul

Most of the political debate in California over public education centers on money particularly the annual exercise of determining how many billions of dollars the state will send to local school systems.Occasionally, the debate shifts to actual education issues such as whether universal pre-kindergarten programs could have a positive effect on the shamelessly low scores of the state's elementary students on national academic achievement tests.

Los Angeles Times

Covina-Valley Unified teachers poised to strike as last-ditch negotiations are underway

More than 300 picketers demonstrated outside the headquarters of the Covina-Valley Unified School District on Wednesday morning as negotiators began last-ditch efforts to avoid a teachers strike scheduled for Thursday in the 13,400-student school system.A primary point of contention is proposed changes to health benefits.

www.mercurynews.com

Editorial: Support Campbell Union School District bond measure

A century ago, in 1922, the newly formed Campbell Union School District built a grammar school at the intersection of East Campbell Avenue and Winchester Boulevard.For 42 years, it served as the only grammar school in the district.A marker with a photograph of Campbell Union Grammar School commemorates its history at what is now the Heritage Village offices.

www.kvue.com

Education advocacy group wants more success indicators other than the STAAR test

AUSTIN, Texas A school advocacy group is hosting an event Tuesday at the Texas State Capitol to suggest changes to standard testing across the state.Raise Your Hand Texas says it has been gathering research and feedback on how the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, test is impacting students and the changes students want to see in the test.

www.kvue.com

Education advocacy group to present recommendations for Texas standardized testing

AUSTIN, Texas A school advocacy group is hosting an event Tuesday at the State Capitol to suggest changes to standard testing across the state.Raise Your Hand Texas says they've been gathering research and feedback on how the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Test is impacting students and the changes students want to see in the test.

Fatherly

Fathers

Thousands Of Public School Students Walked Out Of Class. Here's Why

More than 1,000 teens in Virginia staged a walkout yesterday to protest anti-transgender policies recently proposed by the state's Republican Governor Youngkin.

Portland Mercury

Portland

Savage Love: Quickies

There were no middle schools where I grew up, so an "elementary school age" child could be a six-year-old first grader or 14-year-old eighth grader.

Nytimes

World politics

Typhoon Live Updates: Hinnamnor Barrels Toward South Korea

South Korea is bracing for what may be the strongest storm on record to hit its shores on Tuesday, when Typhoon Hinnamnor makes landfall on its southern coast.

Austin Monitor

Austin

Austin ISD is trying to fill more than 150 teacher vacancies days into the new school year - Austin Monitor

Photo by Renee Dominguez/KUT.Austin ISD Interim Superintendent Dr. Anthony Mays greets students on the first day of school at Zilker Elementary School.

Portland Mercury

Portland

Mayor Wheeler Again Relies on Executive Powers to Restrict Homeless Camping

In his office's latest move to restrict homeless camping, Mayor Ted Wheeler has signed an emergency declaration to prohibit camping along an extensive network of roads that are designated walking routes to Portland schools.

Fatherly

Fathers

Which One Is Better: Private School or Public School?

The differences and benefits between public school vs private school are myriad.

Nytimes

New York City

Covid Stopped the Music. Now This School Is Striking Up the Band Again.

Young violists and sax players in Brooklyn get reacquainted with their instruments, and with one another: "You have to play in harmony."

Fatherly

Fathers

Crack Of Dawn School Start Times Hurt Kids. One State Is Finally Changing That

The struggle is real for parents and kids waking up for school in the pre-dawn hours.

Towleroad Gay News

LGBT

South Carolina Governor Signs Transgender Sports Ban - Towleroad Gay News

By Maria Caspani

kvue.com

Austin ISD board votes to approve $2.44 billion bond package election

Local voters will now have the chance to vote on three separate propositions that make up the entire bond package in November.

kvue.com

Del Valle ISD instituting early-release Fridays next school year

The early dismissal will help teachers to develop instructional practices and responsive plans for learning.

the Guardian

Japanese children allowed to talk again over lunch as Covid cases fall

After two years of eating in near-monastic silence, children in Japan have been given permission to chat to their classmates over lunch, as Covid cases in the country continue to fall.

East Bay Times

Alameda Unified $298 million bond measure on June ballot

ALAMEDA - Alameda Unified could get $298 million for facility upgrades through a bond - it all depends on what voters say regarding Measure B in the upcoming June election.

East Bay Times

San Francisco

Hayward superintendent to lead San Francisco schools

HAYWARD - Hayward Unified Superintendent Matt Wayne is leaving to take a job as the next superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District beginning on July 1, following five years at his job.

Brooklyn Eagle