Here is an interesting question: how many building principals that you know have a building or a facility named after them while still alive and contributing to the profession? When you stop and consider this thought, you may feel that this would be a rather unusual event and certainly done for a very special school …
October 2013 archive
Oct 29
Data Driven Decisions Through Testing Under Scrutiny
In a recent blog in the Huffington Post entitled “A Data Driven Argument to Reduce Testing in Schools” the familiar position being put forth in the Commonwealth of Virginia by school officials is getting support. A report from the National Education Policy Center at Boston College entitled “Data Driven Improvement and Accountability” recommends U.S policy members to …
Oct 28
Virginia SOL Issues/Complaints Go National
A recent article in the Washington Post (October27) by Valerie Strauss, “Virginia school boards pass anti-SOL resolutions” takes the issues that our own local divisions have to a new level of attention. With nearly 30 of the 130 school boards producing resolutions requesting that the SOL testing system be revamped, this article helps to highlight …
Oct 26
Virginia School Principals Week, January 5 – 11, 2014
Your superintendent should have the copy of this memorandum by now from the Virginia DOE announcing Virginia Principals Week in January. Dr. Patricia Wright, State Superintendent has opended the door with recommendations for the superintendents across the Commonwealth regarding this important opportunity. For your principals, she notes” I hope that you and others throughout your community …
Oct 26
Good News For Public Schools
If you have grown weary of hearing and reading of complaints from your local stakeholders and our legislators in the General Assembly regarding public schools, then this brief blog may give you a lift. Written by Brian Cleary, a teacher in Canada, he addresses student, parent and teacher issues as real, but not devastating to …
Oct 22
Virginia Republican House of Delegates 2014 K-12 Agenda
Thanks to Bet Neale, our VASSP Director of Government Relations/ Lead Lobbyist and our General Assembly “Watch Dog”, we have obtained a copy of thoughts of visions (their word) for education policy enhancements via the 2014 legislative session in Richmond. It will be interesting to note what will be promoted by this group of legislators for the …
Oct 22
George Mason Site of 2014Teacher Center for Excellence in Teaching
The Virginia Center for Excellence in Teaching which was announced as part of the governor’s 2013 All Students K-12 legislation agenda will open at George Mason University in June, 2014. This program will provide professional development opportunities in instruction, education policy and leadership for 100 teachers annually. “By establishing the Virginia Center for Excellence in Teaching, we …
Oct 21
Improving Public Schools in Virginia: Is This the Correct Way?
You have seen this comment in previous blogs, but it bears repeating: public education and schools in Virginia have been subjected to various solutions, practices and theories designed to improve public education and the schools. To date, these approaches to resolving the issues for improving student learning and understanding, equal learning opportunities for all and promoting …
Oct 10
Shutdown Questions and Answers for Federal and State Education Issues
The shutdown is a reality and many educators have questions related to the Federal government level and State government level education issues. You may access a blog that will provide some answers at: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2013/10/answering_your_shutdown_questi.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2
Oct 08
Virginia’s On-Time Graduation Rate Tops 89 Percent
The Governor’s office today released a news item announcing that Virginia’s On-Time Graduation rated topped 89 percent and that the drop-out rate decreasesd as more minority students earned diplomas. In the 2013 cohort of 93,167 students, 89.1 percent earned a Board of Education-approved diploma. Among the group increases in graduation rates were black students, Hispanic …
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