New Members

Florida ASCD would like to recognize and welcome all of the new members who have recently joined our organization.

 

Zane Walden Rebecca Dahl, Broward Carolyn Guthrie, Broward Mark Kaplan, Broward Nancy Mejias, Broward Randy Stephen, Broward Linda Thomas, Broward Nanette Rathbun, Collier Hazel Truluck, Columbia Linda Waters, Desoto Susan Archer, Duval Loretta Reddick Hines, Duval Janelle Wagoner, Duval Kim Gunn, Escambia Barbara Leiterman-Busbee, Escambia Marilyn Schaeffer, Hernando Judy Kent, Hillsborough Jason Pepell, Hillsborough

Aimee Roles-Coston, Lee Gail Rossier, Leon Michele Balars, Manatee Melenia Johnson, Manatee Jeannie Mills, Marion S. Brown, Miami-Dade Valerie Carrier, Miami-Dade Sheila Foy, Miami-Dade Anna Garcia, Miami-Dade Kathy Hendrix, Miami-Dade Marilyn Parel, Miami-Dade Lydia Solernou, Miami-Dade Fran Herrin, Monroe Robert Burris, Orange Julie Helton, Orange Dennis Herron, Orange Antonio Martinex-Soto, Orange Patricia Ramsey-Baney, Orange Helene Valentine, Orange

William Latson, Palm Beach Vicki Garner, Pasco Darrell Huling, Pasco Kathleen Oropallo, PascoAlbert Bennett, Pinellas Victoria Caruana, Pinellas Mary Delasin, Pinellas Jane Govoni, Pinellas Valerie Wostbrock, Pinellas Charlene Kincaid, Santa Rosa Mary Caren Heffner, Sarasota Nick Kohler, Sarasota Helen Roberts, St Lucie Christine French, St. Lucie Mallissa Hamilton, St. Lucie Michael Lannon, St. Lucie Kathleen Lazarus, Volusia Betty Nielson Green, Volusia

 

Members in the News

Have you had a recent event to share with others in Florida ASCD (like a job change, promotion, retirement, award or recognition received, unique travel experience, etc.)?  We would like to include your information in the next Electronic Dimensions. Send it to us: fascd@fascd.org

 

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Florida ASCD Events

 

Board Meeting

Our next board meeting will take place at 9:00 AM on February 24, 2007 at the Hawthorn Suites Orlando Airport. We plan to decide on a new Executive Director and discuss progress of all of our committees. We also plan to work on our plans for the 2007 annual conference. Please email us at fascd@fascd.org if you are interested in sitting in as a visitor.

 

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Grants

Grants to Promote Neighborhood Safety
MetLife Foundation and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) are partnering to recognize the work of innovative partnerships between community groups and police to promote neighborhood safety and revitalization. Maximum Award: $25,000. Eligibility: member organizations of partnerships that include, but need not be limited to, community organizations and police. Deadline: February 23, 2007.
http://www.lisc.org/section/areas/sec1/safety/awards/

Grants to Increase Impact of Service-Learning Projects on Climate Change
Youth Service America and the Civil Society Institute are awarding Red, White, and Green Climate Change Grants to design a service-learning project that promotes awareness about climate change and possible solutions. Projects should be youth-led, and the service must take place between May 1 and October 31, 2007. Maximum Award: $500. Eligibility: youth between the ages of 15-25 or to organizations that serve engage youth ages 15-25. Deadline: March 9, 2007.
http://www.ysa.org/awards/

Student Poetry Contest
The Sarah Mook Memorial Poetry Contest acknowledges, encourages, and rewards the efforts of student poets. Maximum Award: $100. Eligibility: students K-12. Deadline: March 31, 2007.
http://www.coreknowledge.org/CK/about/CommonKnowledge/v20I_2007/v20_I_2007_SarahMook.htm

 

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Awards

 

Outstanding Special Education Teacher Award
The National Association of Special Education Teachers Outstanding Special Education Teacher Award is given to educators who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of special education. Eligibility: full-time, certified or licensed, special education teachers with 3 or more years’ teaching experience. Deadline: May 1, 2007. 
http://www.naset.org/specialeducationteac.0.html

 

Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year Awards
A  Local Teacher of the Year is awarded by each Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, and Neighborhood Market location. Winners receive a $1,000 grant for their school, an honorary Wal-Mart polo shirt, and are eligible to apply for the state (one award) and national(one award) Teacher of the Year awards ($10,000 and $25,000 grant for the award winner’s school, respectively). http://www.walmartfoundation.org/wmstore/goodworks/scripts/Education.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0425103513.1168895717@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccciaddimhfmdgkcfkfcfkjdgoodglg.0&oid=-10260&coid=-10249
 

American Stars of Teaching

This award recognizes exemplary teachers who raise student achievement, use innovative classroom strategies and make a difference in their students' lives. Due Date:  March 31, 2007. Teachers across all grade levels and disciplines will be honored this fall as 2007 American Stars of Teaching. One teacher will be recognized from every state and the District of Columbia. As in the past, Education Department officials will again visit the schools of American Star teachers to congratulate them on their success. Website: http://www.t2tweb.us/AmStar/About.asp Nomination link: http://www.t2tweb.us/AmStar/Nominate.asp

 

Community Schools National Awards for Excellence
The Coalition for Community Schools has established a national awards program to highlight the expansion and effectiveness of community schools, which it defines as any school or initiative that is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources, whose integrated focus on academics, youth development, family support, health and social services and community development leads to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities. Maximum Award: recognition on Capitol Hill. Eligibility: Individual community schools and community-wide initiatives that have been operating for three or more years. Deadline: March 22, 2007.
http://www.communityschools.org

 

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News Briefs

Students Get More News in Classroom From Internet Than TV or Newspapers
A new survey by the Carnegie-Knight Task Force at Harvard University shows a strong movement in America’s classrooms toward the use of Internet-based news and away from the use of newspapers and television news, a trend that is virtually certain to continue. The study also shows that teachers, as they have moved to the Internet, have switched from using hundreds of local news outlets to making use of a small number of national ones. Internet-based news in the classroom is dominated by the websites of a few top news organizations including CNN, PBS, and The New York Times. In fact, the classroom use of non-U.S. websites, such as BBC’s, even exceeds the use of local TV or newspaper sites. The report is based on parallel national surveys of over 1,250 social studies, civics, and government teachers in grades 5 through 12, as well as several hundred Newspaper-in-Education (NIE) program directors at daily newspapers. The survey of teachers showed that half are making greater use of news today than they were a few years ago, an increase attributable to developments outside the school such as the war on terrorism and the fighting in Iraq. For over 20 years, hundreds of large and small U.S. dailies have provided free or reduced rate copies of their newspapers for classroom use by students through the Newspapers-in-Education program.  Touted as a means of improving students’ reading, spelling, and writing skills as well as contributing to civic education, it has also been a way to encourage students to become lifelong newspaper readers.  Most newspapers continue to promote hard-copy newspapers at a time when teachers and students are moving online.
http://www.shorensteincenter.org

Same-sex Classes a Growing Trend in Public Schools

More public school systems are looking at separating boys and girls, whether for certain classes or by entire schools, after the federal government opened the door last fall. Supporters say splitting students by sex minimizes distractions, helps them learn better and allows boys and girls to explore subjects they may not otherwise take. http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/01/25/same.sex.schools.ap/index.html

Students as Allies in Improving Their Schools
In many classrooms across the country, neither students nor teachers feel very smart. The refrains are familiar. School is boring, students complain. It's hard to see a connection between what’s taught and the real world. Teachers don't explain things in ways we understand. What we think doesn't seem to matter. We can't do everything, teachers respond. Students are unprepared. It's tough to reach kids whose backgrounds are so different from our own. Too much of teaching is really just classroom management. What if teachers and students became steady allies rather than frequent adversaries? What would it take for students to become stakeholders not just in their own success but also in that of their teachers and schools. Read more on this topic by visiting. http://www.whatkidscando.org/studentallies/studenta lliesintro.html

For Teachers: Gaming Advances as a Learning Tool
Using computer games to teach is hardly new: The military has been doing it with pilots and soldiers for decades, and corporations have been gaming for years as well. But momentum also is growing for using computer games to help teach students basic curricular concepts in school--even such entertainment-focused games as Restaurant Empire and Zoo Tycoon. Full story can be found at http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/s howStory.cfm?ArticleID=6799.

Does School Choice Increase Parent Involvement?
Choice proponents argue that allowing parents to choose schools that match their preferences reduces local conflicts and encourages effective school management practices. As a result, parents are more willing to participate in school activities. A new paper by Jack Buckley uses data from the National Household Education Survey (NHES) to compare parent involvement in four types of schools: assigned public, chosen public, non-religious private, and religious private. Descriptive statistics suggest that attendance at school meetings and events and participation in volunteering and fundraising is greater in schools of choice. However, more advanced statistical methods that control for family background characteristics produce different outcomes. Public schools of choice appear to have no effect on parent attendance at school meetings and events, but provide a substantial boost to parent volunteering. Private secular schools show a decline in parent attendance at school events, but an increase in parent volunteering. Most interesting, private religious schools are found to decrease parent involvement across all measures. http://www.ncspe.org/list-papers.php

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ASCD Connections

 

The ASCD High School Reform Proposal

Recognizing the importance of innovative high school reform, ASCD has named this issue as one of the Association's top legislative priorities and developed a High School Reform Proposal to help the U.S. Congress foster the innovative reform that is needed to fully support our nation's high school students. Join ASCD's Educator Advocates to keep yourself updated on current legislative actions that you should be aware of! You will receive emails from ASCD on new legislation that could affect you, your job, and the children of the future.

 

Annual Conference

ASCD's annual conference, Valuing the Whole Child: Embracing a Global Vision, will be held on March 17-19, 2007 in Anaheim, California. Check out ASCD's annual conference page for more information.

 

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Contact Us

 

Florida ASCD Electronic Dimensions is published as the newsletter of Florida ASCD, publishing announcements, coming events, awards, short articles and items of interest for and about Florida ASCD members.  Items for publication should be sent to Florida ASCD headquarters at the address below. Views expressed are not necessarily the official position of Florida ASCD. Any product announcements appearing in Florida ASCD Electronic Dimensions are paid advertisements. They do not reflect an endorsement by Florida ASCD.

 

Please send comments, articles, announcements, and suggestions for future topics to the Editor:

 

Ralph Barrett, President Florida ASCD

11225 Kapok Grand Circle

Madeira Beach, FL 33708

727-871-1112

fascd@fascd.org

www.fascd.org

 

 

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