New Members

Florida ASCD would like to recognize and welcome all of the new members who have recently joined Florida ASCD as well as those members who renewed their membership with our organization.

 

James Wohrley Candace Roberts Gwendolyn King Kimberly Neal, Alachua Maria McCalister, Bay Oleh Bula, Brevard Dianne Zdanowicz, Broward Estelle Strader, Broward Myriam Rodriguez, Broward Sharon Kochlany, Broward Thomas Greene, Broward Claudia Bostwick, Broward Karen Denison, Charlotte James Lawless Jr., Clay Karey Stewart, Collier Gwen Green, Collier Erin Duffy, Collier Nongongoma Majova-Seane, Duval Kelly Aeppli Campbell, Escambia Richard Dupont, Flagler Danielle Abernethy, Hernando Kelly Rowe, Hillsborough Robert Quinn, Hillsborough Judy Kent, Hillsborough Marilyn Katzenmeyer, Hillsborough Jennifer Coats, Hillsborough Elizabeth Brown, Hillsborough Sue Ann Falco, Indian River

Rhonda Hunt, Lake Marcia Halpin, Lake Sharon Ebbert, Lake Dee Ann Wilson, Lake County Aida Saldivar, Lee Susan Kohler, Lee M. Lucile Williams, Leon Dale Lick, Leon Claire Frick, Leon Lynette Hutchinson, Manatee Jamie Pittman, Marion Denise Weir, Martin D. Jeanne Tubb, Martin James DePiro, Miami Dade Bettye Woodson, Miami-Dade Aline Sarria, Miami-Dade Ava Byrne, Miami-Dade Sandi Busta, Miami-Dade Santarvis Brown, Miami-Dade Charles Bethel, Miami-Dade Mabel Jean Morrison, Okaloosa Karen D'Avignon, Okaloosa Chuck Smith, Orange Carol Grosshans, Orange Geraldine Gendall, Orange Gail McGoogan, Osceola Melissa Akey, Osceola Jennifer Lesh, Palm Beach

Derrick Hibler, Palm Beach Kathleen Devine, Palm Beach James Lane, Jr., Pasco Roberta Bailey, Pasco Dawn Wilson, Pinellas Reva Williams, Pinellas Catherine Fleeger, Pinellas Wendy Bryan, Pinellas Marilyn Bartlett, Pinellas Lillian Colon-Vila, Pinellas Deborah Schwope, Polk Joel McGuire, Polk Leanne Yerk, Putnam Rick Surrency, Putnam Henri Sue Bynum, Saint Lucie Robin Sweeting, Sarasota David Schatz, Sarasota Richard Nicoli, Sarasota Cory Miller, Sarasota Sandy Kahl, Sarasota Dianne Frailing, Sarasota Rebekah McCloud, Seminole Michelle Wilcox, St. Johns John Clark, St. Lucie Julian Jones, Volusia Bonnie Gyarfas, Volusia Virginia Abernathy, 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

Florida ASCD is gearing up for another board meeting at the end of September. We will have our meeting at NOVA Southeastern University's Orlando Campus on September 29th. At this meeting we plan to get an update from all of our committees on the work that they have conducted since our last meeting. Additionally, we will be taking a look at our proposed budget for the 2007-2008 fiscal year. We are also hoping to approve some board members who have shared interest in joining as a board member. Look for an update on our progress in the next monthly Dimensions!

 

Annual Conference

This year's conference theme is Reinventing Schools: An Extreme School Makeover. The conference is November 30, 2007-December 1, 2007 at NOVA Southeastern University in Orlando, Fl. The conference committee is making their final decisions for speakers at the conference, once confirmations are made a mailing will go out to all members. This event is sure to be one you do not want to miss! Please visit www.fascd.org/2007_Conference.htm for more information about our conference as well as our registration page. Registration is limited, so please register early. Florida ASCD hopes to see you there!

 

Professional Development Institute

Florida ASCD board members have also been busy planning a professional development institute (PDI) for the Palm Beach Area. The theme for this institute will be Differentiating Instructional Strategies to Meet the Needs of ALL Students. The PDI will take place at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton on November 3, 2007. Registration is $125. Please see flier for more information. Register online today to ensure you have a seat!

 

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Grants

 

Airborne Teacher Trust Fund Grants for School Art & Music Programs
The Airborne Teacher Trust Fund invites elementary and middle school teachers to submit proposals for art and music programs that their schools are unable to fund. Maximum Award: $10,000. Eligibility: elementary and middle school teachers in both public and private schools. Deadline: October 31, 2007. http://www.airbornetrust.com/index.aspx

Lowe’s Toolbox for Education
Lowe’s Toolbox for Education wants to help parent-teacher groups achieve more for schools by increasing parental involvement, building stronger community spirit, and/or creating a new school tradition. The deadline is October 12, 2007. Up to $5,000 per school is obtainable. More than 1,000 different schools will be funded in 2006 and 2007. Any non-profit public K-12 school or parent group (associated with a non-profit public K-12 school) that has a group tax ID# and official 501c(3) status from the IRS is eligible to apply. For more information call 1-800-644-3561 x 210 or visit the website at http://toolboxforeducation.com/index.html

 

Best Buy Grants for Interactive Technology Programs
The Best Buy te@ch program rewards schools for successful interactive programs they have launched using available technology. Winning te@ch programs focus on kids using technology to learn standards-based curriculum, rather than on teaching students to use technology or educators using technology that children aren't able to use hands-on. Maximum Award: $10,000. Eligibility: Accredited K-12 public, private, parochial, and nonprofit charter schools located within a 50-mile radius of a Best Buy store. Deadline: September 30, 2007. http://communications.bestbuy.com/communityrelations/teach.asp

Grants to Increase Public Understanding of the Humanities
National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipends support individuals pursuing advanced research that contributes to scholarly knowledge or to the public's understanding of the humanities. Recipients usually produce scholarly articles, monographs on specialized subjects, books on broad topics, archaeological site reports, translations, editions, or other scholarly tools. Maximum Award: $6,000. Eligibility: faculty or staff members of colleges or universities, primary or secondary schools, or independent scholars or writers. Deadline: October 2, 2007.
http://www.grants.gov/search/synopsis.do

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Awards

 

Breakthroughs in Inclusive Education

The TASH Breakthroughs in Inclusive Education Awards program honors important contributions of individuals and school districts in advancing inclusive education and equitable opportunities for students in grades K-12, particularly those with the most significant disabilities and support needs. Awardees will be selected from these categories: Inclusive Education Administrator of the Year; Inclusive Education Teacher of the Year; Inclusive Education Advocate of the Year; Most Promising Inclusive School; and, Most Promising Inclusive School District. Maximum Award: recognition; a library of books about inclusive best practices from Brookes Publishing. Eligibility: school districts and education professionals that work inclusively with students K-12 with disabilities. Deadline: September 20, 2007. http://www.tash.org/2007tash/Awards.htm

 

Awards Recognize School District Best Practices

American School Board Journal (ASBJ) is accepting nominations online for the 2008 Magna Awards through October 1, 2007. Presented in cooperation with Sodexho School Services, winners of the Magna Awards receive national recognition in a special supplement to ASBJ and are honored at a luncheon at the National School Boards Association's annual conference. Awards are handed out in three enrollment categories -- under 5,000, 5,001 to 20,000, and more than 20,000. Grand prize winners in each category receive a $3,500 cash award from Sodexho. Nominations this year are being accepted only on an online basis. For more information, call (703) 838-6739. http://www.asbj.com/magna/

 

Youth Service America Harris Wofford Awards

Youth Service America Harris Wofford awards annually honor exceptional individuals, institutions, and media figures who actively contribute to this nation's spirit of service. Eligibility: Youth (ages 5-25), Organization (nonprofit, corporate, foundation), and Media (organization or individual). Maximum Award: $500 individual award and a $500 award for the nonprofit organization of his/her choice. Deadline: October 19, 2007. http://servenet.org/DesktopModules/iBN%20News%20Articles/Download.aspx?AttachmentID=44

 

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News Briefs

 

Democrats Try to Soften Bush’s Education Law
As Congress returns next week, leading Democrats are struggling for the formula that can attract bipartisan support to extend the life of President Bush’s education law, No Child Left Behind. In doing so, they are proposing to ease the pressure on suburban schools. A draft proposal being floated by Representative George Miller, chairman of the House education committee, would soften many of the law’s accountability provisions while maintaining its overall strategic goal: to bring every student to proficiency by 2014 by requiring states to administer standardized tests and to punish schools where scores do not rise. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/01/washington/01child.html?_r=1&ref=education&oref=slogin
 

Florida Leads Growth in Virtual Schooling

Virtual learning is becoming ubiquitous at colleges and universities but remains, in many ways, in its infancy at the elementary and secondary level, where skeptics have questioned such factors as its cost and its effect on children's socialization. Virtual schools are growing fast, though, at an annual rate of about 25 percent. Estimates of elementary and secondary students taking virtual classes range from 500,000 to 1 million nationally, compared with total public school enrollment of about 50 million. There are now 25 statewide or state-led programs and more than 170 virtual charter schools across the nation, according to the North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL). FLVS is a pioneer and a model for many of these other programs. FLVS, part of the Florida's public education system, is the leader among K-12 virtual schools in terms of innovation, depth of courses, rigor, and enrollment, said Bill Tucker, chief operating officer at Education Sector, a Washington, D.C., think tank. Founded 10 years ago, it offers more than 90 courses ranging from such basics as English and math, to specialties that include keyboarding, computer programming, web design, Chinese, marine science, Earth-space science, macroeconomics, and microeconomics. Advocates say virtual learning has almost unlimited potential, reports eSchool News, although some have raised questions about funding and the amount of social interaction that students receive from such schooling. http://www.eschoolnews.org/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=7315

 

State Board of Education Chooses Applicants To Interview For the Commissioner of Education Position
The State Board of Education (SBE) voted unanimously on Tuesday, Aug. 14, to accept seven applicants from a pool of 24 to be interviewed for the Florida Commissioner of Education position. Each of the seven interview candidates was recommended to the SBE by PROACT Search, Inc., after a comprehensive screening process determined that they met board-established position profile/criteria. The interview candidates selected by the SBE are as follows: Dr. William Harner, Dr. Earl Lennard, Dr. Joseph Marinelli, Dr. William Moloney, Dr. Eric Smith, Mr. James Warford and Dr. Cheri Pierson Yecke. For continuing updates on this process, visit www.proactsearchinc.com/florida or via the Department’s Web site at www.fldoe.org/commissionersearch

 

Department of Education Launches New Teacher Misconduct Web Site
The Florida Department of Education launched a new Web site that enables the general public to check if disciplinary action has been taken against a Florida educator’s certificate. Using an online database, visitors to the site are able to obtain information on teacher misconduct cases brought to the state level. Currently, the available information includes action dates, complaint summaries and descriptions of final outcomes, including any penalties that may have been applied to an educator's certificate. Similar to other licensed professionals such as physicians, accountants and pharmacists, Florida educators are subject to action against their certificate for substantiated misconduct. Visit the site at www.myfloridateacher.com.

 

Helpful Back to School Statistics

Nearly 50 million students are heading off to approximately 97,000 public elementary and secondary schools for the fall term.  Before the school year is out, an estimated $489 billion will be spent related to their education, with an average of $9,969 to be spent per pupil for fall enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools. Some 3.2 million teachers are projected to be employed in public elementary and secondary schools in 2007-08. And more than 1.1 million students -- about two percent of all students -- will be homeschooled. These are just a few of the statistics contained in "Back to School Stats," compiled by the Institute of Education Sciences' research and statistical centers. Follow the link below for more statistical information about American elementary, secondary and postsecondary schools, students, and the educational process.

http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372

 

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ASCD Connections

 

Annual Conference

Make plans now to attend  ASCD's annual conference in New Orleans, March 15-17, 2008. The conference theme is "Reinventing Schools: Courageous Leadership for Positive Change." Pre-conference institutes are available for registration now.

Connecting Instruction and Assessment
Is it possible to reclaim assessment as a way to adjust teaching and learning? Drawing from decades of research and the work of effective teachers, more than 50 expert presenters at the 2007 ASCD Conference on Teaching and Learning will demonstrate the possibility -- and the practices -- that connect instruction and assessment. Join your colleagues in Atlanta, Oct. 19 to 21. http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/menuitem.4bf962cfeb89d92abfb3ffdb62108a0c/

Whole Child on YouTube
We've got a powerful new tool in the effort to spread the word about ASCD's Whole Child Campaign. ASCD recently released a short video on YouTube that dynamically captures the message of the Whole Child. ASCD hopes you'll watch the video, share it with your colleagues, and continue to help ASCD spur conversations across the country about how to ensure each child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported and challenged. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTRKHR-6i3k

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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:

 

Kim Pearson, Executive Director, Florida ASCD

11225 Kapok Grand Circle

Madeira Beach, FL 33708

727-871-1112

fascd@fascd.org

www.fascd.org

 

 

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