Parents of five Black elementary and middle school students in Livingston County are suing the district, alleging their children endured “severe, pervasive, and persistent” racist comments as administrators looked the other way.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court by the prominent civil rights law firm Marko Law, says the students at Pathfinder Middle School and Navigator Upper Elementary School were called the n-word, “monkeys,” and “cotton pickers,” among other derogatory slurs.
Despite a repeated pattern of white students mocking Black children, administrators at Pinckney Community Schools have failed to “take any meaningful action to correct the behavior or end the racism,” according to the lawsuit.
The students are as young as 11 years old.
At Pinckney Community Schools, 92.3% of the students are white.
The lawsuit also alleges that Black students are disciplined more harshly than white students. In one case, the district refused to punish the harassers “out of fear of labeling them a ‘racist,’ while the harassed child was suspended for two days,” according to the lawsuit.
“Any school district has a duty and obligation to look out for the welfare and wellbeing of its students,” Jon Marko, principal attorney and founder of Marko Law, said in a statement Wednesday. “Not only did Pinckney Community Schools breach its duty when it failed to protect these children from racial discrimination, but it also failed to act or protect from the incessant bullying and humiliation the children experienced. As a consequence, racism continues to permeate throughout the school district. No parent should be scared to send a child to school for fear of racial harassment.”
Metro Times couldn’t immediately reach district administrators for comment.
The lawsuit was filed against the district, Superintendent Rick Todd, and principals Janet McDole and Lori Sandula.
According to the lawsuit, the school failed to review the incidents collectively to determine if there is a racist, hostile environment. And the harassers who were disciplined faced lenient corrective action, the lawsuit claims.
Marko also alleges that district administrators are not properly trained in investigating harassment complaints. In addition, the administrators failed to accurately record the incidents of harassment and didn’t follow school procedures to address the behavior.
The lawsuit lists multiple, troubling incidents of harassment. At Pathfinder Elementary School, one student, identified as S.C. in the lawsuit, was physically assaulted, called the n-word, “cotton picker,” and “monkey,” and was told she does not belong, according to the lawsuit. To avoid the harassers, she hid in hallways until the instigating students reported to class. As a result, she has repeatedly been written up for being tardy to class.
When the students’ parents complained, they often didn’t hear back from administrators, the lawsuit states. A father of one of the students said he asked a principal why she did not alert him to racial harassment targeting his child. The principal responded that she didn’t want to bring negative attention to the behavior or label the white student as a racist.
At Navigator Upper Elementary School, a Black child was called various derogatory names, and each time the teachers failed to do anything about it. At one point, the student was so distraught that his teacher failed to take action that he asked his parents to pick him up from school.
“Teachers are present when slurs are used against African
American students, administrators are informed of racist behaviors, including physical assaults, and parents routinely escalate racist incidents to principals and the superintendent,” the lawsuit states. “Yet, Defendant has failed to take meaningful action.”
On average, K-12 school districts access 2,739 edtech tools over the entire school year, according to Edtech Top 40, a report on the usage of digital solutions, tools, and resources in K-12 districts, schools and classrooms during the 2023-24 school year.
K-12 institutions are accessing 8 percent more tools aggregated annually from the prior academic year, with an increase in unique edtech tools accessed individually by both students and teachers.
The report, highlighting the top 40 education technology products, is published by LearnPlatform by Instructure and provides insights on trends, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)-aligned evidence, and categorical rankings relevant to K-12 decision-makers as well as edtech product leaders.
“The evidence is clear: tech-enabled learning is here to stay,” said Melissa Loble, Chief Academic Officer at Instructure. “As districts continue to explore different tools to enhance learning, the obstacles they now face aren’t just about picking the best tool, but picking safe, effective and interoperable tools that work together to build a highly effective learning ecosystem. Districts need trusted guidance and transparent information to empower them to make efficient and effective decisions that will improve teaching and learning.”
“The increase in tools used isn’t a surprise,” said Shiren Vijiasingam, Chief Product Officer at Instructure. “On the one hand, we know districts are actively looking for opportunities to consolidate their edtech, but with the explosion of new AI-enabled tools, there has been a lot of experimentation. We expect scrutiny on how these tools are helping the teaching and learning process.”
The report also offers action items for K-12 leaders and edtech leaders.
For K-12 leaders: Understand which of your most used tools integrate with your LMS to architect a more centralized ecosystem; consider the best user experience for your teachers’ and learners’ unique needs; and prioritize LMS integration when making edtech purchasing and implementation decisions.
For edtech leaders: Identify where your users are and prioritize LMS integrations that will enhance their edtech ecosystems and help to expand your customer base; prioritize and invest in outstanding user experiences when developing LMS integrations; and ensure the highest standards of data privacy and security for your users by upgrading existing LTi integrations.
As with previous years, the top 40 tools continue to remain consistent, with only a handful of new products joining the list. The five new entrants to the EdTech Top 40 this academic year include PBS, Panorama Education, Scratch, Adobe, and Grammarly; the latter three indicating the quickly increasing prevalence of AI in schools and drawing attention to the need for best practices to guide its use.
Educators are using technology to boost student engagement, personalize learning, and save time, but how do they know what’s making a difference? The report found that 32 percent of the tools on the 2024 Edtech Top 40 have published research that meets one of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) four tiers of evidence. The ESSA framework offers an accessible model for educators to identify research-backed edtech, ranging from innovative new solutions to established tools with empirical validation. School districts are increasingly seeking ESSA-aligned research as part of their vetting processes to make evidence-based decisions.
“Year after year, the EdTech Top 40 has provided comprehensive data of K-12 education technology engagement across our nation’s districts,” Loble concludes. “Data-driven decision-making is more important than ever when assessing the role of technology in our schools. This is why the EdTech Top 40 remains more relevant than ever.”
Consistent with previous years, this report analyzed products performing specific functions to provide a deeper look at the top education technology tools within key categories. This year’s categories include Learning Management Systems (LMS), Supplemental Platforms, Courseware Platforms, Study Tools, Classroom Response & Assessment Tools, and Sites and Resources.
Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
As part of Gov. Phil Murphy’s call to create an “artificial intelligence moonshot” in New Jersey, the state’s department of education unveiled a set of resources last week aimed at helping educators understand, implement, and manage artificial intelligence in schools, state education officials said.
The resources range from articles about teaching and learning on artificial intelligence to a webinar that explains the history of the technology and how it is used in education. The materials do not outline strict regulations on how to use AI in education but they are New Jersey’s first guidance for school districts to “responsibly and effectively” integrate AI-powered technology in the classroom, and incorporate tools to facilitate administrative tasks in schools, according to a state department of education press release.
But as the technology gains popularity, education experts continue to note that safety and privacy concerns should remain a top priority as AI expands in schools. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, says states should consider protections for AI in classrooms that take into consideration educators and parents.
“We know that school districts can’t just say privacy matters,” Weingarten said. “There has to be a tech translator, there have to be parent information sessions, and there has to be classroom guidance.”
The state’s new artificial intelligence resources come as Newark Public Schools takes steps to incorporate more AI in classrooms and surveillance systems.
Last month, the school board approved a $12 million project to install more than 7,000 AI cameras districtwide this summer. District leaders said the high-tech surveillance system is meant to make schools safer, but security experts warned that such capabilities could result in an invasion of privacy or could potentially misidentify items or students.
The district is also considering the expansion of Khanmigo, an AI program designed for the classroom and meant to tutor students and assist teachers. So far, there is little research on whether tools like Khanmigo are effective but experts have also said school districts should consider the learning goals for their students. .
New Jersey’s resources do not set parameters for student privacy but the department of education created an artificial intelligence webpage that provides an overview of AI and its systems, terms, and concepts, and guidance tailored for school leaders and teachers. The page will be updated regularly to keep up with the “fast-paced” changes to AI, the state said.
The state also released a webinar that introduces the fundamentals of AI technology and explains how the technology can support and enhance teaching and learning and provide personalized feedback to students depending on the type of technology. AI systems that use machine learning, such as facial recognition software or email spam filters, employ algorithms to make decisions based on data, while systems like chatbots use deep learning to identify complex patterns and relationships in data, the webinar explained.
The state’s webinar also prompts school districts to think about how new technology can support student learning and suggests that districts should review policies as AI evolves and integrates into learning. It also encourages school leaders to think through guidelines for acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI and discuss how the new tools are best implemented.
AFT President Weingarten says “there is tremendous potential for AI use in schools” but school districts and their tech departments should review programs and materials before allowing students access to them. She also warned that with any new technology, the safety and privacy of students should be protected.
AFT released its own set of AI guard rails on Tuesday that focus on educators and provide resources for teachers as they grapple with the new integration of AI in schools. The report lists six core values that focus on maximizing safety and privacy, empowering educators to make decisions on AI, and advancing fairness and equity of the technology among other values.
Through its Innovation Fund, AFT is also providing over $200,000 to 11 school districts across the country to find solutions to incorporate, understand, and regulate AI with input from educators. The United Federation of Teachers in New York City, Cranston Teachers Alliance in Rhode Island, Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association in Florida, and other union locals will work with their school districts to create AI summits to understand and establish guidelines, provide hands-on training for educators, and establish workshops, panels, and community events.
“I’m not saying that there’s not a way to do it, but who’s responsible for data privacy, who’s responsible for student protection?” Weingarten said.
The state department’s office of innovation plans to meet with educators to obtain feedback, learn how AI is being used in classrooms, and discover existing needs to inform new guidance, resources, and professional development, according to the state’s press release. The department is also part of the Teach AI initiative, a consortium of state departments of education and international organizations that work to create guidelines for AI policy and resources.
Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.
After dedicating more than $25 million toward canvassing and political ads, California’s oil and gas industry announced it will withdraw a hotly contested referendum from the November ballot that sought to remove restrictions on drilling near homes and schools.
The California Independent Petroleum Assn. announced this week that its members will abandon their expensive push to overturn Senate Bill 1137, a 2022 state law that would prevent drilling new oil and gas wells within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, parks and hospitals. Not long after its passage, oil and gas companies organized an effort to collect enough signatures to put the state law up for a vote in the Nov. 5 general election.
In recent months, however, the Petroleum Assn. acknowledged the referendum had not garnered sufficient levels of public support, according to its polling. It had also encountered a groundswell of resistance from a well-funded countercampaign that featured appearances from Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Hollywood icon Jane Fonda.
And, in perhaps one of the final attempts to broker a compromise, Assemblyman Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) said he recently took part in negotiations with the fossil fuel interests, declaring he would limit financial penalties in a separate bill if they pulled their ballot initiative.
Aggressive and impactful reporting on climate change, the environment, health and science.
The oil industry’s decision to retract the proposition marks an unanticipated end to one of the state’s most expensive political contests. In a state filled with more than 100,000 unplugged oil and gas wells, environmental advocates say that defending the setbacks law is essential to eventually phase out planet-warming fossil fuels and protect residents who live near the toxic fumes released by drill sites.
Nearly one-third of these wells are within 3,200 feet of homes, schools and other sensitive areas, exposing nearly 3 million people to cancer-causing pollution. In addition to restricting new drilling, the law would prohibit maintenance and redrilling, ensuring that old wells remain closed.
“It’s a massive and historic win,” said Kassie Siegel, senior counsel for the Center for Biological Diversity. “Victories like this don’t come every day. The oil industry just backed down in total defeat.”
Siegel painted the development as a last gasp for oil and gas production.
“This is an industry that’s going away anyway,” she said. “What the state needs to do is oversee this ongoing decline in a way that minimizes the additional damage that this dying industry does on its way out the door.”
But the state Petroleum Assn. didn’t concede defeat — it vowed to fight California’s well-capping law and similar legislation in court.
“Californians do not want to further increase our dependence on expensive foreign crude when California workers can create the energy locally under the strictest regulations in the world,” said Jonathan Gregory, chairman of the California Independent Petroleum Assn. He added: “We are pivoting from the referendum to a legal strategy since it is a violation of the U.S. Constitution for the government to illegally take private property, particularly operations that were duly permitted by the government and all impacts mitigated.”
Although the oil industry called the 3,200-foot setbacks “arbitrary,” the distance was established by a 15-member panel of health experts convened by the Newsom administration. The panel concluded there was a strong association with higher rates of asthma, heart disease and adverse birth outcomes for people who live within that radius of oil and gas developments.
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The law is expected to reap tremendous health benefits in Southern California, where some of the largest oil fields border densely populated communities. Enshrining those protections was critical to Bryan, whose district includes the Inglewood oilfield — the nation’s largest urban oilfield that lies beneath Baldwin Hills, Culver City, Inglewood and Ladera Heights.
“I see that particular oil field completely being phased out over the next decade and a half,” Bryan said. “And I think the health impacts for communities around it are going to be immeasurable — longer life expectancies, lower rates of heart conditions, lower rates of childhood asthma and the opportunity to live and thrive without the toxicity of these wells right next to homes.”
To that end, Bryan said he leveraged Assembly Bill 2716 in negotiations with the oil and gas interests. The bill he co-authored would charge a $10,000 penalty for operating low-producing wells within 3,200 feet of sensitive sites. In negotiations, Bryan said that if the ballot measure was withdrawn he would revise AB 2716 so that the daily penalty would apply only to the Inglewood oil field.
In Colorado, we love our pets, so it’s personal when the care they need is out of reach. A recent Colorado State University study found that veterinary care is unattainable for a third of pet owners.
This is why a group of animal welfare advocates have come together to lead ballot initiatives 144 and 145. These measures will safely increase access to veterinary care in Colorado by expanding the use of telehealth and by introducing a career pathway for a master’s-level veterinary professional associate (VPA) position, similar to a physician assistant in human medicine.
In a recent op-ed, state politician Karen McCormick, raised concerns about these two ballot initiatives. We are a group of veterinarians with a lifelong commitment to the well-being of animals and the community. We are leading this measure and feel compelled to offer our perspective on why these measures are crucial for the health of our pets. Initiatives 144 and 145 are critical steps to safely increasing veterinary care for pets in Colorado and addressing the dire shortage of veterinary professionals.
Animal Health Economics estimates a shortage of nearly 15,000 veterinarians will exist in the U.S. by 2030, leaving as many as 75 million pets without veterinary care. This is largely the result of a veterinary workforce crisis. There are simply too few veterinary professionals to meet the demand. A study from the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) found that there were 2,000-3,000 more open jobs than veterinarians available to hire.
Ballot Initiative 144 increases access to veterinary telemedicine, allowing pet owners to create a new relationship with a veterinarian and receive care virtually when appropriate. This same model has been successful in human healthcare, and was passed nearly unanimously in Florida, Arizona and California last year. Rep. McCormick claims to have passed a bill (HB 24-1048) on behalf of the veterinary trade association as an “expansion” of tele-technologies. What she fails to share is that her bill eliminated options for many pet owners to access veterinary care virtually.
Even Gov. Jared Polis stated his disappointment in this new restriction when the bill passed, saying he was concerned that it “creates additional impediments to veterinary care, especially in rural areas.” Initiative 144 repairs this damage and truly expands telehealth.
Ballot Initiative 145 creates a career pathway for a veterinary “PA”. These professionals will have a master’s degree in veterinary clinical care and must work under the supervision of a licensed Colorado veterinarian. Initiative 145 requires robust training from a leading veterinary school in the country. It also empowers the State Board of Veterinary Medicine to create licensing and other regulatory requirements. Initiative 145 leads to increased capacity in veterinary clinics, particularly in rural communities, while driving down costs for pet owners.
Despite McCormick’s statement that these initiatives are being funded by corporate interests outside of Colorado, to date, no funding has been received from any national veterinary corporation. These initiatives are being driven by the Vet Care Coalition, a grassroots alliance of veterinarians, technicians, animal welfare advocates and pet owners in Colorado who see the devastating impact of the critical veterinary workforce crisis.
It is important that this effort is led by the individuals most impacted by the pet care crisis. Last week alone, more than 100 Colorado pet owners contributed over $7,000 to the campaign. The Dumb Friends League is the biggest contributor because they run one of the only subsidized veterinary hospitals in the state and they see firsthand the pet owners who struggle to access care every day. They care for the pets that other private practices, like the one Rep. McCormick retired from many years ago, turn away because they are under-staffed and unaffordable for many Coloradans.
By supporting these ballot initiatives, voters like you are increasing access to
care in Colorado. You are preventing animal suffering. And you are ensuring Colorado pets get the care they need and deserve regardless of their zip code, or their owner’s paycheck. These aren’t the only solutions to the veterinary crisis, but they will make a big difference. Let’s work together to protect animals. This November, we encourage the voters of Colorado to use their voice to prevent animal suffering and increase access to veterinary care.
Apryl Steele is the CEO of the Dumb Friends League. She has nearly two decades of experience in veterinary practice and served as president of the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), the Denver Area Veterinary Medical Society, the American Association of Feline Practitioners, and the Animal Assistance Foundation. She earned her DVM at Colorado State University. Missy Tasky graduated from Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine and currently works as the Lead Medical Team Coach at Blue Heron Consulting in Denver. Tasky was also a founding partner of Gentle Touch Animal Hospital. Jo Myers brings more than three decades of experience to her role as a veterinary consultant for the telehealth marketplace, Vetster. She graduated from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and has taught at an accredited veterinary technician program.
Nearly $1 million — mostly from a group supporting charter schools — has poured into the Democratic primary for a seat on the Colorado State Board of Education, a race that some observers say could play a role in the future of charters in the state.
But the two candidates vying to represent the 2nd Congressional District dispute that Tuesday’s primary, whatever the result, will alter the fate of charter schools. They each said in interviews that they support school choice, a system in which charters — public schools that have more autonomy than traditional, district-run schools — play an integral part.
“I believe this is a false narrative,” said Marisol Lynda Rodriguez, an education consultant new to politics with a background in charter schools.
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. — The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Medal of Honor and supporting Recipients of the Medal, has launched ” Path to Honor,” a free platform designed for middle and high school students. Path to Honor provides first-person views of historical and heroic actions by Medal of Honor Recipients. Path to Honor offers rich storytelling content in a short digestible digital format for students’ self-exploration of the Medal of Honor values.
“The choices we make during life-altering moments have a significant influence upon our character,” said Medal of Honor Recipient James McCloughan. “With Path to Honor, students can explore real stories and make connections to many aspects of their everyday lives. It’s an important initiative because heroism isn’t reserved for a select few – it’s cultivated within the hearts and minds of our next generation.”
The self-directed resource is broken down into six core values, each containing three stories from Medal of Honor Recipients:
Courage: Can you be scared and show courage at the same time? In these stories, students see courage in action.
Sacrifice: Sacrifice is a personal action, and it may cost one everything. But it is always intended for a more important purpose.
Patriotism: To many people, patriotism is red, white, and blue, parades, stars and stripes. It’s also hard decisions and overwhelming odds, usually far away from home.
Citizenship: We are citizens in many places: home, school, city, country, on teams, and in classes. Active citizens participate in their communities.
Integrity: Integrity is often described as doing the right thing. But what if you can’t tell what is the right thing? Or what if the right thing seems impossible?
Commitment: Life is all about commitment, to self and others. Sometimes we get frustrated or scared and want to quit. Sometimes, quitting is not an option.
Backed by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s Character Development Program, which has trained over 19,000 teachers nationwide, Path to Honor is available as a standalone, self-directed resource for students appropriate for a variety of educational settings. It can also be implemented within class curriculum and overall character development – promoting a positive school culture, supporting social, emotional and behavioral learning goals, or integrating character education into relevant cross-curricular subjects like history, civics or ELA.
“Path to Honor is a powerful tool for a variety of learning environments, whether as part of social studies curriculum, provided as an extra-curricular activity or assigned for extra credit,” said Catherine Ehlers Metcalf, Senior Director of Education at the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. “The platform draws young people into these real stories so they can see how situations escalate, and ultimately decide how they’d respond. Our goal is for students to exemplify values of strong character by reflecting on Medal of Honor stories and their personal experiences.”
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Medal of Honor (the United States’ highest award for military valor in action) and its Recipients, inspiring Americans to live the values the Medal represents, and supporting Recipients as they connect with communities across America. Chartered by Congress in 1958, the Society’s membership consists exclusively of those individuals who have received the Medal of Honor.
The Society carries out its mission through outreach, education, and preservation programs, including the Medal of Honor Character Development Program, Citizen Honors Awards, and The Medal of Honor Museum. As part of Public Law 106-83, the Medal of the Honor Memorial Act, The Medal of Honor Museum, which is co-located with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s headquarters on board the U.S.S. Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, was designated as one of three national Medal of Honor sites.
The Society’s programs and operations are fully funded by generous donors. Learn more about the Medal of Honor and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s initiatives at cmohs.org.
eSchool Media staff cover education technology in all its aspects–from legislation and litigation, to best practices, to lessons learned and new products. First published in March of 1998 as a monthly print and digital newspaper, eSchool Media provides the news and information necessary to help K-20 decision-makers successfully use technology and innovation to transform schools and colleges and achieve their educational goals.
Editorials and other Opinion content offer perspectives on issues important to our community and are independent from the work of our newsroom reporters.
What are certain fringe politicians, podcasters, aging rockers and blatant self-promoters thinking?
Paul A. Smith
USA Today Network file photo
Wildlife health
Thank you for the clear-eyed June 9 commentary, “State must deal with wasting disease threat to Texas deer,” (5C) about the deadly threats posed by chronic wasting disease. The vast majority of Texans concerned with preserving a healthy wild deer herd are fully supportive of the extensive efforts by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to contain and eliminate this awful disease.
It is beyond comprehension that fringe voices are waging such a virulent campaign against any who take this disease seriously. I can’t help but think that certain politicians, podcasters, aging rockers and blatant self-promoters are harboring their own heads full of damaged prions.
– Roy Leslie, San Antonio
Fueling violence
The Fairmount neighborhood has always been a safe place for the LGBTQ community. Businesses on Magnolia Avenue, Celebration Community Church on Pennsylvania and Westside Unitarian Universalist Church are welcoming to all. As a straight cisgender couple, my husband and I enjoy the area because everyone seems so chill and non-discriminatory.
Holding an anti-transgender disinformation seminar during Pride Month at the Fire Station Community Center is disrespectful to the community and invites danger to a neighborhood that is one of the few safe spaces in Fort Worth. (June 5, 2A, “Fort Worth OKs anti-LGBTQ ‘ideology’ event at city center”) The groups involved in this event spread incorrect information about gender-affirming care, and their rhetoric fuels violence. The city made a mistake by allowing this event.
– Amy Ramsey, Fort Worth
School decisions
Let’s make sure we all understand the Fort Worth school board’s recent decisions.
The board commissioned a study, due this year, to better understand declining enrollments and underused facilities. Deciding not to wait for the commissioned report, the board decided to close several schools.
But because of predictable community reaction, the board reversed that decision. The board will use bond funds to upgrade all middle schools, even though some will be closed in the future.
It’s rather questionable decision-making for those governing an $800-million-a-year enterprise.
– William Koehler, Fort Worth
Texas prisons
It will take more than the sheriff and Texas Rangers to resolve the overcrowding and inmate death issues in Texas county jails. Prison and jail administrators and corrections officers should be educated in criminology, sociology, correctional law, management, sociology of organizations, minority relations and psychology. This would prepare individuals to lead their organizations, work with at-risk populations, understand social and cultural issues, and apply effective problem-solving strategies. These skills are important because the research suggests that most prison and jail deaths are preventable.
Without intelligent, competent and inspiring leadership, there is little chance of creating constructive corrections environments and operations. It is time to re-address the training and educational requirements for prison and jail administrators, and corrections officers.
– Leslie J. Smith, Grapevine
Phones rob kids
Thank you, Brian Byrd, for addressing school phone bans in your June 4 commentary, “To help ‘anxious generation,’ start with school phone bans.” (12A) It saddens me to see young people and adults with their heads staring at their smartphones, fingers flying. I am certainly guilty of this at times, but the cost to our children’s development is incalculable.
Our phones are an exciting source of information. So is a good book. Our phones are an escape from reality. So is a walk in the woods. This is definitely a problem that needs our attention.
One surefire way to support student success? Consistent, positive family communication.
In elementary school, there’s frequent outreach. A recent report found that this wanes somewhat throughout middle school, and, by the time students reach high school, many schools subscribe to the belief that the need for school-to-home communication diminishes. The prevailing notion is that high school students are learning to be independent, therefore their home adults should be less involved.
However, data reveals a sobering reality: chronic absenteeism rates are highest in high school, with approximately one in three students missing at least 10 percent of their school days. This alarming trend jeopardizes students’ academic achievement, graduation prospects, and life outcomes. Dropping out of high school is linked to poorer health outcomes, significantly fewer opportunities in the labor market, and an increased likelihood of entering the criminal justice system.
Given the numbers, the idea that communication becomes less crucial as students age is counter-intuitive. In fact, maintaining consistent and tailored communication channels is pivotal during adolescence. Teenagers face numerous challenges–academic pressures, social dynamics, identity exploration–that can contribute to disengagement and absenteeism. Hedy Chang, executive director of Attendance Works, connects the high levels of chronic absenteeism to a broken connection between students and school.
One essential mechanism for repairing that connection is family communication. Here are some ideas for how to rebuild the relationship between home and school appropriate for high school students.
Leverage multiple communication channels
While traditional methods like newsletters and parent-teacher conferences remain valuable, incorporating popular technologies such as text messaging, social media, and mobile apps can enhance engagement and reach students and families where they are.
A recent study on adolescent loneliness suggests that light-touch, low-cost interventions focused on attendance can pay dividends. Strategies like sending families statistics about the impacts of absenteeism and collaboratively developing attendance plans have proven effective. These types of targeted communication efforts empower families as partners in prioritizing consistent attendance.
Tailor messaging to student interests
Rather than generic communications, personalize messages to align with students’ interests, goals, and aspirations. This increases relevance and demonstrates that the school understands and values each student’s unique perspectives.
Data shows many students have untapped talents in high-demand fields–but lack exposure. Facilitating “Career-Connected Learning” through communication with industry and community partners is a great way to make school immediately relevant to high school students. Coordinating job shadowing, internships, and career exploration activities exposes students to inspiring futures worth attending school for daily. When they see a clear path from classroom to career, attendance improves.
Communication should never be a one-way street. Create opportunities for students and families to provide feedback, share concerns, and actively participate in decision-making processes that affect their educational experiences. Ensure that communications are culturally responsive and inclusive, acknowledging and celebrating the diversity within the school community. One crucial way to do this is to ensure that all communications can be shared in a family’s home language.
This helps foster a sense of belonging and strengthens the school-home connection.
Think Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
To combat chronic absenteeism, a tiered approach leveraging strategic communication is ideal.
At Tier 1, implementing universal data tracking systems enables early identification of attendance patterns, allowing for proactive, personalized outreach before issues escalate. Positive messaging campaigns that tout the benefits of coming to school and promote engaging programs inspire students to attend.
For moderately chronically absent students (Tier 2), conducting individualized meetings and offering mentorship facilitates open dialogue to understand the root causes of attendance struggles. It’s also crucial to communicate about available support resources like counseling.
For severe chronic absenteeism cases (Tier 3), coordinated two-way communication between schools and families builds trust. Schools can connect them with vital services–such as mental health counseling and transportation assistance–to overcome significant barriers to attendance.
Students engaged through inclusive dialogue feel supported and empowered to overcome hurdles preventing daily attendance. By prioritizing consistent, personalized, and career-minded communication at all tier levels, high schools can combat alarming chronic absenteeism rates.
Dr. Kara Stern, SchoolStatus
Dr. Kara Stern is Director of Education and Engagement at SchoolStatus, a leader in K-12 data-driven solutions that empower student success. SchoolStatus provides a comprehensive suite of communication and attendance solutions that enhance educator-to-family connectedness and support student success.
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Achievement discrepancies among U.S. students remain persistent and troubling–despite decades of targeted interventions and whole-school improvement programs. To make real gains, teachers need to address the underlying problem: the critical thinking gap.
Focusing on core cognitive skills sets students up for success throughout their academic careers. These five critical thinking strategies can help.
Why focus on critical thinking?
Most academic interventions focus on core knowledge and basic skills: Let’s practice two-digit addition. Review the parts of the cell. Learn these vocabulary words. Read these passages for fluency. These kinds of exercises can help students make marginal gains in reading, math, and general content knowledge, but they don’t address the root of the problem: learning how to think and how to learn.
Growingevidencepoints to the role of critical thinking in educational achievement. Students need to activate higher-order thinking skills and metacognition to effectively master and retain new content knowledge, synthesize it with prior knowledge, and apply it to new scenarios and domains. However, most students are not explicitly taught how to do this.
Colin Seale, author of Thinking Like a Lawyer: A Framework for Teaching Critical Thinking to All Students (Prufrock Press, 2020), noted in an interview with ASCD: “When you start to look at how critical thinking looks in practice in K–12 classrooms, it’s often being treated as a luxury good. You’ll see critical thinking in an after-school mock trial program, or for an honors program that serves 8 percent of the school population, or for the special debate team or the selective entry school.”
Teaching students how to activate critical thinking and metacognition will enable them to learn more efficiently and effectively. Fortunately, that can be done within the context of the existing curriculum. Here are some ways teachers can get started:
1. Integrate critical thinking with content
Critical thinking should not be something that is separate from and on top of everything else teachers are doing in the classroom. For best results, it should be fully integrated with the content that is being taught. Think about the standards you are teaching to. Most will have both a content knowledge component and a thinking component. For example, if the standard requires students to understand the causes of the Revolutionary War, they need to know specific content, but they also need to understand cause-and-effect thinking. Teachers can help students by explicitly calling out the type of thinking required–e.g., defining, classifying, part-to-whole relationships, sequencing, etc.–and making sure students know what that kind of thinking looks like.
2. Give students a framework for thinking
Once students understand the type of thinking required, they need a framework to support it. A visual framework supports the development of critical thinking skills. Making thinking visible and concrete helps students activate the type of thinking required by the task and organize their ideas effectively. While there are tons of graphic organizers out there, it’s most beneficial to have a consistent framework for thinking that spans grade levels and content areas. This supports the growth of automaticity in activating cognitive skills.
3. Make learning active
Models such as project-based learning and inquiry learning have been demonstrated to improve learning outcomes. But you don’t have to upend your entire curriculum or implement a complicated model to make learning more active. Building in time for debate and discussion and collaborative learning activities are simple ways to make learning more active and engaging. For example, students can work together to construct meaning using a thinking map. Look for learning activities that require students to go beyond simple recitation of facts and engage deeply with the content as they solve a problem, develop and defend a point of view, or create something original.
4. Ask better questions–and teach students to ask their own
Increasing the rigor of the questions we are asking is another way to support critical thinking. That means asking questions that go beyond basic knowledge and comprehension to require higher-order thinking skills such as application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. (See some examples in the image below.) Even better, teach students how to ask their own questions. After introducing new content, for example, pause for a class brainstorming session where students come up with as many questions as they can, including basic clarification questions and higher-order “why,” “what if,” and ‘what else” kinds of questions. Then, students can work together to start answering some of these questions using the active learning methods above.
5. Get metacognitive
One important aspect of critical thinking is metacognition, or “thinking about one’s own thinking.” Students who are skilled in metacognition are able to recognize how well they understand a concept, where they need extra help or support, and how to apply and adjust learning strategies. Metacognitive skills include planning for learning, monitoring understanding, and evaluating the learning process. Like fundamental cognitive skills such as cause-and-effect or sequencing, metacognitive skills can also be explicitly taught. The questions in the Tree Maps below can help teachers get started.
These essential strategies can be applied across all grades and content areas. When we help students develop fundamental cognitive and metacognitive skills, learning becomes easier–and a lot more fun.
Sarah McNeil, Thinking Maps
Sarah McNeil is vice president of professional development at Thinking Maps.
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Loyola University students at the school’s Rogers Park campus are about to be schooled in the ways of Cambodian cuisine. Their lesson will be taught by Mona Sang, the chef behind Khmai Fine Dining. It’s been nearly six months since Sang closed the original location of her decorated restaurant. The Cambodian refugee is poised to double down on the neighborhood that supported her, pushing Khmai to one of the 2022’s Best New Restaurants in America.
Sang’s opening a pair of restaurants on Loyola’s campus. Beyond a supercharged return of Khmai, adorned with a black and gold color palette and Bridgerton-inspired Regency-style table settings, Sang will unveil the more casual Kaun Khmai — “child of Khmai” in Khmer — an all-day affair with fun cocktails and Cambodian street food. Sang says she created the new addition to better serve the neighborhood, and not depend on the university community. But it wouldn’t be a surprise if a cheaper option would attract more students and faculty. Sang will also launch the city’s only Cambodian brunch services at both restaurants alongside dinner. Sang hopes to reveal breakfast and lunch service in August.
“It’s a lot,” Sang admits. “When you’re opening a restaurant, one thing gets fixed and then five other things break. We have two restaurants with two different menus coming from one kitchen, so we’re trying to perfect that [process].”
Khmai’s egg rolls have earned a devoted following.Jack X. Li/Eater Chicago
The new Khmai stands inside a Loyola University-owned space at 6580 N. Sheridan Road on the ground floor of the Hampton Inn. Hotel guests generally expect daytime options, and Sang is eager to deliver a menu with unique items like fresh croissants filled with lychee or kumquat cream, congee with blood sausage, and num por peay — glutinous rice flour stuffed with yellow mung bean and topped with coconut cream.
Kaun Khmai’s weekend brunch menu will also include doughnuts from suburban bakery Gurnee Donuts, owned by Sang’s friend and fellow first-generation Cambodian American Kevin Lee. Cambodians have played a significant role in the U.S. doughnut industry, particularly in California — a story detailed at length in the 2020 documentary The Donut King.
At the restaurants, Sang has opted to home in on serving her neighbors in Rogers Park rather than purely devoting her efforts to luring Loyola students — an inconsistent presence in the area thanks to the churn of the school year. But Sang is also the mother of an incoming Loyola freshman and spent recent weeks testing recipes on her student employees. She’s noticed that many of them miss eating home-cooked meals and hopes to eventually create low-cost meal kits that students can purchase and make themselves.
At the outset, staff will seat diners for both restaurants in the 40-seat Kaun Khmai space or on a 30-seat patio. Stay tuned for news of an opening date.
Khmaiand Kaun Khmai, 6580 N. Sheridan Road, Scheduled to open in June.
Today’s students need to develop a broad and well-rounded body of knowledge. When this is compartmentalized into different areas of expertise, however, they may not develop the tools to integrate information and skills from disparate areas when they begin working at jobs that we can’t even imagine today. If we can move beyond the industrial model and engage in place-based education that connects to the community outside the school, teachers can still be experts, but they can also be facilitators who open the door to a world of potential partners with their own areas of expertise.
The industrial model has also put us out of touch with the human side of education. There has been some effort to bring the human touch back with the increased focus on social-emotional learning (SEL), but educators need to put that work at the core of what they’re doing.
Ulster Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) is addressing these issues by adopting the competencies, or learning dispositions, of deeper Learning. The original Deeper Learning Network was established in 2010 by the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation to serve as a source of innovation. The network of 10 school networks spans a mix of charter and traditional public schools across 41 states and serves more than 200,000 students. Each school network has a unique approach to delivering deeper learning with a shared purpose to promote better educational outcomes for young people. Deeper learning creates profound experiences that tap into each learner’s uniqueness and that are rooted in connection, relationship, and creativity.
Here’s how this approach is transforming our teaching and learning, along with some advice on finding entry points to this kind of work in your own district.
Overcoming the challenges of school transformation
Embracing deeper learning poses the same challenges inherent in any school transformation. How will we prepare students for state assessments? Where will we find time to reach out to and collaborate with community partners? What if we don’t do a particular activity that’s tied to an evaluation?
A school or district’s values are expressed most explicitly in its schedule and budget. If we have eight periods in a day and decide students need six academic subjects, a lunch, and a period of physical education, what is the value statement here? Does that mean we need shorter periods to add one to the day? Does it mean that we train our teachers to offer relationship and human-centric education one day a week, or ask teachers of academic subjects to spend a certain amount of time on it each week? These solutions each have costs, but if relationships are important to us, we’ll find a way to include building them into our schedule and within our budget.
After the onset of COVID-19, district leaders realized that students needed SEL more now than ever and found creative ways to squeeze it into their existing schedule–and, in time, many found ways to scale and incorporate it more fully and naturally into their schedule and budget.
And so it is with deeper learning. Something as critical as school transformation can’t happen overnight, but every school and district has entry points to begin to do this work in ways that make sense for students, teachers, and communities.
Moving toward deeper learning in our own district
Ulster BOCES began working toward deeper learning with our partners at High Tech High a decade ago. We were focused on learning how to create an environment to support the kinds of relationships we wanted to help build between teachers and students. That’s where the magic happens. In the school environment, teachers have the greatest and most direct impact on students.
The role of leadership is important as well, and over time we began to think about the conditions that allow for excitement, experimentation, failure, and revision to occur. Those conditions and the disposition behind them are the same for high school students as they are for adult learners. Our leadership team started asking its members:
What are the leadership moves we need to make so that our teachers feel good about stepping into this role and feel ready to be designers of these kinds of experiences?
Are we leading in a way that models for our teachers how we’d like to see our students learning?
Are we asking teachers to engage in the same process we would like to see them create in the classroom?
In the fall of 2023, we held a superintendent conference where, for the first time, we invited all of Ulster BOCES’ staff members, including custodial, food service, and clerical, to begin thinking together about the protocols, structures, and equity-based dispositions that drive toward deeper learning. The main theme of the day was connection: revitalization of old connections and the forging of new ones. It was an opportunity to think about who we are as an organization and where we want to go next. It included acknowledging that we want to do things differently, while highlighting all the amazing things we do in our district that we want to continue.
Once we made the commitment to deeper learning, micro-moments of change began happening all around the district as individual teachers learned and jumped in. That is often the case with institutional innovation–change occurs in tiny pockets. Innovation can be a lonely place; it is our role as district leaders to stitch those pockets together into a quilt that all can share.
Identifying your district’s entry points
Sometimes the entry point for transformation is as simple as shifting your professional development opportunities to allow your teachers to learn the way you want their students to learn.
In the specific case of deeper learning, I recommend experiencing it in action. This summer, Ulster BOCES will be hosting Deeper Learning New York 2024 (#DLNY24), a conference designed to help school and district administrators explore entry points for this work and begin planning next steps. As participants engage in interactive workshops, immerse themselves in deep dives, and attend dynamic den talks, they’ll have the opportunity to experience deeper learning from the student’s point of view.
Student voices should also inform the shape that transformation takes. Bring them together to talk about what they would like to see before you begin and continue the dialogue about their experiences as you begin to make changes. Ask them what is different in their experiences, how their opportunities have changed, and what new possibilities they imagine going forward.
Along the way, take a peek beyond the industrial education system as it exists. High Tech High (HTH) has many resources and examples of how powerful deeper learning can be. No two school districts are exactly the same, and our entry points to this work–and the new models we’ll come up with as a result–will vary accordingly. HTH is a leader in this work, but there are many other districts and schools across the country undergoing similar transformations. If the HTH approach to deeper learning won’t fit within the context of your district, find administrators interested in transformation at districts that are more similar to yours.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. The point is continuous improvement toward a more engaging, personal, and equitable means of teaching and learning. Along the way, don’t be afraid to explore. Some districts are further ahead in certain areas than others, but we’re all trying to solve the same problems. Together, we are going to build a boundary-free network to have these conversations. If you have an appetite for change, let’s figure out together what’s possible.
Dr. Jonah Schenker, Ulster BOCES
Dr. Jonah Schenker is the superintendent of Ulster BOCES. He received his doctorate in education leadership from the Esteves School of Education at The Sage Colleges in 2015. Dr. Schenker began his formal education career as a classroom teacher in both inner-city urban settings and rural school districts. His focus on building non-traditional, sustainable schools and relevant teacher and student learning communities that prepare schools for the future was instrumental in his school being recognized as a White House Next Generation High School in 2016. Dr. Schenker received a Global Leaders Scholarship in 2016, which gave him the opportunity to explore systems around the world that are at the forefront of educational reform. It is through this lens that he developed a true understanding that in order to lead a group, institution, or company it is crucial to have the ability to inspire passion and leverage the strengths of individuals. He can be reached at Jschenker@UlsterBOCES.org.
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The Department of Justice is suing an Oklahoma school district that refused to rehire a teacher after he was deployed, according to officials.
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An Oklahoma school district is accused of illegally refusing to rehire a teacher after he returned from military deployment. Now the Department of Justice is suing.
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On July 16, 2019, Michael J. McCullough began working for Oklahoma City Public Schools as a band teacher. He then became a member of the United States Air Force Reserve in June 2020, according to the lawsuit filed May 29.
McCullough was employed as a music teacher with the school district for the 2021-2022 school year. However, in February 2022, he received a non-continuance notice from the school.
So he reached out to Cindy Lang, the principal of Fillmore Elementary School, where he taught at the time, according to the lawsuit.
She responded in an email, saying she “didn’t know they were sending out the non continuing [sic] letters today,” according to court documents. “That’s just protocol. All teachers under two years get that. I’d like you to stay if you are happy.’”
After receiving this email, McCullough believed he would continue his employment through the 2022-2023 school year.
A day later, he received orders for military service beginning Feb. 14, the lawsuit said.
McCullough notified school officials that he would have to take a leave of absence to fulfill his military duties. Then, he received an email from Lang.
“I’m trying to wrap my mind around this and I’m very concerned. So I’m paying you all year and have to have a sub? It would make it so much easier to fill this with a music teacher if you resign. But this is your choice,” the email said, according to the lawsuit.
Then, on March 10, McCullough received a letter from the school, saying his contract would not be renewed.
Oklahoma City Public Schools told McClatchy News in a statement that it was “made aware of the lawsuit” and is reviewing it.
“The district will work through the legal process accordingly,” the statement read. “We cannot provide any further comment at this time.”
Still, on April 25, McCullough notified school officials that he intended to return to his employment for the 2022-2023 school year, the court document said. On July 29, he informed school officials that his military duties were extended until Dec. 30, and that he would be able to return to his employment after Christmas break.
School officials responded to him, saying, “Thank you for sending this information, however, your employment with OKCPS ended on July 15, 2022, at the end of your 2021-2022 contract,” the lawsuit said.
In December, McCullough reached out again after seeing a job posting for a band teacher position at a middle school. McCullough was interviewed for the position, according to the lawsuit, but the school hired someone else.
McCullough once again requested to be reinstated to his former teaching position, to which school officials responded, saying, “Since you are not currently employed with OKCPS, you must apply for open positions and follow the normal recruitment process,” the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit said the school’s refusal to reinstate McCullough was a direct violation of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, which “protects the rights of uniformed service members to reemployment in their civilian employment following absences due to military service obligations,” according to a May 29 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma.
“Service members are called to leave their home and work to serve and protect us,” U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma said in the release. “It is our job to make sure their employment rights are protected once they return home. My office will continue to vigorously defend the rights justly earned by those who serve our country.”
The lawsuit is asking for an amount equal to McCullough’s lost wages, as well as further relief.
Jennifer Rodriguez is a McClatchy National Real-Time reporter covering the Central and Midwest regions. She joined McClatchy in 2023 after covering local news in Youngstown, Ohio, for over six years. Jennifer has made several achievements in her journalism career, including receiving the Robert R. Hare Award in English, the Emerging Leader Justice and Equality Award, the Regional Edward R. Murrow Award and the Distinguished Hispanic Ohioan Award.
Although our communities strive to maintain safety, nearly half of all American children have experienced some form of trauma. Some of these include everyday Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) such as bullying, witnessing violence, experiencing physical, verbal or sexual abuse, or neglect. According to the National Child Trauma Stress Network, these experiences can spark strong emotions and physical reactions that can persist long after an initial trauma event.
Traumatic events can cause a variety of physical and emotional symptoms and can impact children at home and at school. In addition to struggling with schoolwork, children who’ve experienced trauma may overreact to routine requests, engage in negative outbursts or aggression, show signs of sadness, have difficulty focusing, and may struggle to interact appropriately with peers and teachers.
Educators don’t necessarily know which students have been affected by trauma. However, because it impacts such a large number of students, you can use specific strategies to help all students develop resiliency and improve emotional regulation. Here are some trauma-informed teaching strategies you can use to intentionally strengthen your relationships with students and support their success.
Create classroomroutines
Research focused on classroom norms and expectations shows that students want and need academic and behavioral expectations from their teachers. Establishing simple daily routines for your students–such as daily warm-ups or ice breakers–and establishing procedures for asking questions and turning in classwork create a sense of stability and predictability. When you create predictable routines, your students will have an easier time understanding what steps they need to take to be successful in your classroom.
Set clear expectations
More than 25,000 schools nationwide already use Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) frameworks to support students’ behavioral, academic, social, emotional, and mental health. By extending your school’s PBIS framework school-wide, your teachers can maintain consistent expectations and reward students for their progress and achievements. For example, some PBIS solutions allow teachers and staff to immediately acknowledge positive student behavior from mobile devices. Students earn PBIS points, which can then be tracked and redeemed. This helps teachers eliminate manual paperwork and reporting which increases instructional time.
Adopt restorative–rather than punitive–practices
Zero-tolerance classroom policies that focus on disciplinary actions do not equip students with the skills they need to improve relationships or de-escalate conflict. Instead, they remove students from their learning environments and deny them the opportunity to make positive changes. Conversely, restorative practices, such as mediation or peer conflict resolution, allow students to take responsibility for their actions, engage with others, and develop empathy and understanding.
Introduce calming techniques
Students who’ve experienced trauma encounter significant challenges with emotional regulation. Research suggests that early trauma exposure fundamentally alters the way children process and prioritize emotional information. Other behavioral studies that look at the behavior of children with trauma histories show “enhanced attention to and difficulty in disengaging from emotional stimuli (Tottenham et al., 2010).” By encouraging students to engage in mindfulness practices, you can help them better manage their emotions and behaviors. Some techniques include walking meditation, body awareness, and breathing exercises.
Engage in social-emotional learning (SEL)
Children who’ve experienced traumatic events may have an even greater need to master social-emotional learning skills. A strong SEL curriculum not only benefits these students, but it builds skills school-wide. According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), the fundamentals of social-emotional learning include:
Developing the knowledge, skills and attitudes to create healthy identities
Managing emotions and achieve personal and collective goals
Feeling and showing empathy for others
Establishing and maintaining supportive relationships
Making responsible and caring decisions
In order for SEL to be effective, curricula should be backed by evidence-based research, be age-appropriate, and be engaging for students. Solutions should also be flexible enough to allow districts to tailor their programs to meet the diverse needs of their students. The overarching goal of SEL is to make all students feel safe and supported, which leads to better mental health and greater engagement for all students–including those who’ve experienced trauma.
Regularly encourage and recognize your students
Trauma significantly impacts a child’s self-esteem and sense of self-worth. People who lack safety or a sense of belonging develop survival skills to better cope with their situation, according to Psychology Today. These adaptive behaviors can make children prone to loneliness, depression, anxiety, or other self-sabotaging behaviors. By taking the opportunity to acknowledge their contributions to your classroom so that they feel valued, capable, and successful, you can help them develop a positive self-image.
The prevalence of childhood trauma doesn’t have to result in power struggles, behavior problems, or academic deficiencies. Reaching students who’ve experienced trauma requires education, patience, compassion, and creativity. By creating welcoming spaces and using proven tools and techniques that help you get to know all of your students better, you can guide them toward academic–and lifelong–success.
Melissa Ragan, Navigate360
Melissa Ragan worked as an educator before moving into curriculum and professional development. As Chief Learning Officer of Navigate360, a company that provides holistic safety and wellness solutions for K-12 schools, she believes in empowering school districts to create environments where students can learn and flourish without fear. She is also the author of The Social-Emotional Classroom.
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The former Colleyville Heritage High School principal sued the district after a board member disparaged him at a 2022 panel discussion.
Courtesy
Grapevine
The Grapevile-Colleyville school board voted 6-0 Monday to go after former Colleyville Heritage High School principal James Whitfield for legal fees.
Newly elected Place 2 trustee Dalia Begin abstained from the vote.
It comes after Whitfield unsuccessfully sued the district and board member Tammy Nakamura for disparaging him during a June 2022 school board panel discussion sponsored by the Republican National Committee. He alleged her comments violated a November 2021 settlement agreement.
However, Nakamura, who was elected in May 2022, argued in court documents she wasn’t bound by the settlement, because she wasn’t a board member when it was signed. A Tarrant County court agreed, and dismissed the case against her in June 2023.
The district then pushed to throw out the rest of the case, arguing Nakamura’s comments didn’t violate the agreement. The court dismissed that case on April 11.
Now the district will try to get Whitfield to pay for its legal fees.
“Grapevine-Colleyville taxpayers should not have to pay for one man’s political quest,” Nakamura said after Monday’s vote. She thanked her fellow board members for their vote, and said she’s looking forward to moving past the lawsuit.
Whitfield did not immediately respond to a text message requesting comment after the vote Monday night.
Whitfield was the first Black principal at Colleyville Heritage High School when he was hired in 2020. In July 2021, a former school board candidate accused Whitfield of promoting“critical race theory,” which led to calls for his firing.
After a series of board meetings, the district and Whitfield reached a settlement where he would remain on administrative leave until August 2023 in exchange for not commenting on the dispute publicly.
Alfred lost his race for Place 2 to Begin by 29 votes during the May 4 election.
When asked if he believed Alfred’s political donation influenced the outcome of his case, he said, “I’ll leave that for others to decide. I just want there to be a level of transparency surrounding these happenings,” in an email to the Star-Telegram ahead of Monday’s vote.
Alfred vehemently denied the suggestion that his donation played any role in the case. He said he’s been friends with Fahey’s husband for over 25 years, called her a very qualified judge, and said the county needs more like her.
He also noted his donation was less than 10% of the total amount she’s raised since 2020, and called the suggestion she would be swayed to by his donation “stupid.”
Harrison Mantas has covered the city of Fort Worth’s government, agencies and people since September 2021. He likes to live tweet city hall meetings, and help his fellow Fort Worthians figure out what’s going on.
While not a new concept, the importance of building a sense of community within school districts has never been more apparent, especially in the wake of the pandemic. In a recent survey by the Education Advisory Board, 80% of superintendents reported that student behavior has worsened over the last four years, and 74% reported that parent communication has become more disrespectful.
Dr. Joe Phillips, Broward County Public Schools’ (FL) Chief Information Officer, and Sam Chaudhary, CEO of ClassDojo, got into the weeds in person last month on this topic at a CoSN session and were gracious enough to follow up with me via Zoom. In this conversation, they explore how leaders can leverage technology to foster close-knit, supportive relationships among teachers, children, and families.
Joe emphasizes a need to shift back to community-based education, where schools are not viewed as separate entities but integral parts of larger communities. He stresses the importance of parent engagement and collaboration in bridging the gap between home and school life, ultimately fostering a supportive student environment. Sam speaks to the evolution of Class Dojo from a grassroots initiative to a district-wide community-building tool. He details the platform’s focus on intimacy, trust, and real-time communication among teachers, parents, and students, contrasting it with broader social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter (I refuse to use the letter) that often exacerbate divisions.
Both envision a future where technology complements rather than replaces human interaction in education. They foresee a hybrid model where technology facilitates communication and collaboration while preserving the invaluable benefits of face-to-face engagement. Despite the challenges, they remain optimistic about the potential for unified efforts rooted in a shared commitment to children’s education. I found this to be a powerful conversation and I hope you find it insightful.
Kevin is a forward-thinking media executive with more than 25 years of experience building brands and audiences online, in print, and face to face. He is an acclaimed writer, editor, and commentator covering the intersection of society and technology, especially education technology. You can reach Kevin at KevinHogan@eschoolnews.com
The Orlando Police Department Special Victims Unit is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect that is reported to have exposed himself to a minor.
On May 3rd, between 8:40am and 9:00am, the victim was walking to school in the area of Summerlin Avenue and Washington Street when an unknown white male with brown hair, approximately 6 feet tall, in a blue sedan approached the victim. He was unclothed and exposing himself while in the vehicle.
The victim walked away, and the vehicle attempted to follow her until she ran away. The mother of the victim reported the incident to police.
Patrol officers continue to canvass the area and detectives continue to investigate along with the help of the Crime Center in reviewing surveillance cameras from businesses and residents in the area.
It is believed the suspect may have been in the area of the 7-11 on Summerlin Ave. prior to encountering the female student.
There are social media posts circulating of a blue vehicle. According to OPD, the vehicle in the photo has not been confirmed to be the suspect vehicle at this time. The Orlando Police Department did state that the suspect vehicle is possibly a blue sedan, specific model is unknown.
If vehicle or suspect is located, do not approach. Immediately call police.
If you or anyone you know may have information that can help police in locating this suspect, please call OPD at 9-1-1 or submit a tip anonymously to Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS(8477).
We need to manage and control our emotions better–and by better, I mean by not managing and controlling, but by utilizing and exercising them.
“I need to control my emotions” is oft-spoken self-talk that we may hear ourselves saying as we reflect on our actions. Or occasionally we may have someone suggest that we need to manage our emotions better. But do we? Is the assumption that emotions and leadership are the oil and water of the workplace actually true? This may (still) be the last bastion of leadership assumptions that needs to be put to sea.
We have spent generations being told that our emotions are those things that should be corralled, encircled, and subdued. It has fomented the ideas that we should “leave our personality at the door” and “keep business and personal separate.”
Research found that school leaders and school principals who coped and adjusted to the pandemic the best where those who were able to utilize, and not ignore, their emotions.
Before the pandemic, strong leaders were often expected to focus their leadership on process, accountability, and strategic planning that presented a very controlled picture of leadership. The leader led and others followed. There was a theoretical rhythm and cadence to how effective leadership should look.
The pandemic changed this mindset.
We saw leaders who were vulnerable, who were open to listening and acknowledged they might not have all the answers. These were leaders who whole-heartedly embraced the ambiguity and looked to thrive in the uncertain messiness. As Bryan Goodwin and Kent Davis of the nonprofit McRel have written, this shift can be difficult for some as it “requires them to reflect on not only what they must do, but more deeply, who they must be as leaders.” —The Case for Embracing Messy Leadership in Schools
Granted, there are occasions when emotion can interfere with decision making, just as there are times when not showing emotion is a missed opportunity. Perhaps it’s not the separation of both, but rather the utilization of both that’s the sweet spot we should seeking. Perhaps it’s not the word “emotion” that is the issue, but the accompanying words that give it intended or unintended meaning.
When we hear the word emotion in the workplace, it has often been sidled up with other words that on their own sound harmless but in fact spread an underlying frame of mind and intention:
These words imply that emotions, and expression, work in opposition to our ability to lead and make decisions. They hint that emotions are the antithesis of a good leader. They are negative. They will lead to distraction. And because of that, they will make you appear weak. Strong leaders are those who can maintain the separation and not be affected or show emotion.
The use of these words makes emotions appear like a deficit.
What we have found, and are continuing to find, however, is that emotions are a strength. Brene Brown stated it as being authentically you: “Letting go who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are. Choosing authenticity means cultivating the courage to be imperfect, to set boundaries, and to allow ourselves to be vulnerable.” (The Gifts of Imperfection)
This has been echoed in research, showing strong links between trust, output, and performance. Higher levels of emotional connection and trust result in lower stress levels, a reduction in burnout, and a more than 75 percent increase in engagement.
Compared with people at low-trust companies, people at high-trust companies report: 74 percent less stress, 106 percent more energy at work, 50 percent higher productivity, 13 percent fewer sick days, 76 percent more engagement, 29 percent more satisfaction with their lives, and 40 percent less burnout.
By integrating vulnerability into your leadership approach, you can build stronger relationships, invite collaboration and open a pathway for more difficult but important conversations, which will improve the wellness and performance of the company and everyone within. —Vulnerability at work not about tears and over-shares
It increases the potential of empowerment, and as such increases the likelihood of shared responsibility and collective leadership. Building emotional connections will take the pressure off the individual leader and share it across their teams. So maybe it’s not the word emotion that we need to change, but rather the words that accompany it:
Exercise
Utilize
Cultivate
By selecting these words, we change the use, understanding, and meaning of “emotions.” Emotions are a key tool for forming alliances, building trust, conveying importance, demonstrating empathy, growing inclusion, and can be viewed as the hidden power of effective leadership.
Too often we dismiss the little things we do–the human things–that are crucial in building relationships, trust, and a positive school climate. Now’s the time the celebrate these unconventional measures of success. —The Human Side in Developing a Positive School Climate
“Our emotions are a big part–maybe the biggest part–of what makes us human,” says Marc Brackett, author of Permission to Feel, “and yet we go through life trying hard to pretend otherwise.” —Reinventing How We Lead
Rather than exclude emotions, we should be utilizing them to their best effect. It is more natural to show our personalities and it’s more authentic. It allows others to show theirs and it reduces stress, increases trust, and often results in greater satisfaction, engagement, and performance. Education is a relationship-driven sector and to ignore the tools and skills that enhance, build, and grow relationships would professionally be a backwards step.
The emotion-problem school leaders and principals now face is to unlearn what we have assumed and help leaders embrace their emotions. It requires a new understanding and a new mindset–a mindset of effective leadership. It requires us to look at our emotions from a new perspective. Not as things to control, but as tools to utilize.
The captain of the ship has sailed and it is time for us to lead in a new way.
Sean Slade, BTS Spark
Sean Slade is co-head of Education, North America, for BTS Spark. He is the author of “Questioning Education,” “School Climate Change,” and other books on educational reform.
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A new commission comprising policymakers, education leaders, business leaders, and education stakeholders from 16 states is tackling AI’s role in education from kindergarten through postsecondary programs, focusing on AI skill readiness and policy development.
The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Commission on Artificial Intelligence in Education is chaired by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and is co-chaired by Brad D. Smith, president of Marshall University (WV) and former Intuit CEO.
The commission will review research and industry data and hear from education experts as it develops recommendations for southern states around using AI in teaching and learning, developing AI-related policies, and preparing students for careers in AI.
Top of mind for commission members after the group’s initial meeting was how to ensure AI is thoughtfully infused in K-12 and postsecondary curricula in a manner that equips students for success in a workforce that will demand AI skills and know-how for jobs that largely do not yet exist.
“This isn’t the age of Rosie the Robot taking over jobs–there will be jobs. The question is, are we going to have people equipped to fill those jobs?” said SREB President Dr. Stephen Pruitt during a conference to discuss the group’s first meeting.
The commission’s first meeting generated discussions about what, exactly, AI looks like at different levels of education and how to integrate it in useful and actionable ways for students, educators, and stakeholders.
“We have a blueprint of what it looks like to implement this technology into different fields of education and what types of relationships that creates with the workforce. We have a plan and we’re ready to progress that plan,” said Calvin McNeil, an Advanced Placement computer science instructor with the University of Florida.
Bringing in industry members is a critical part of the commission’s success in outlining what AI skill proficiency looks like at the K-12 and postsecondary levels.
“One of the great things, from education and the legislative side, is having the active involvement of industries and knowing what they’re looking for, so we can get back to schools and know what needs to be taught,” said Charles Appleby, senior advisor to the Coordinating Council for Workforce Development with the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.
Ultimately, the group’s common goal is to ensure students aren’t lagging behind a rapidly evolving workforce that is increasingly centered around AI knowledge.
“Everyone here, from diverse perspectives, recognizes the importance and the critical nature of this technology. Our charge is to balance risks and opportunities in the education space,” said Sen. Katie Fry Hester of Maryland. “In thinking about education, you can use AI to tailor education to individual students, to improve mundane tasks, and to look at large data sets and identify trends. But we want to do all that in a really careful way and make sure the AI we’re using is fair and unbiased. We want to make sure student data stays safe. We want to ensure that with our teachers’ jobs, that the AI enhances, rather than replaces, the role of teachers. I think this is the right group to do that.”
“We’re really preparing our institutions to prepare people for a world that’s changed. They say about 60 percent of our jobs will be impacted by AI. Well, how do we use that technology to better prepare students for a world that will be very different from the world we’re currently in?” said Jim Purcell, executive director of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.
“We’re bringing together industry, students, and parents, and we’re going to take advantage of what AI offers, which is a unique tool we can use to improve skillsets for the work environment. Students end up in a position where they can meet the needs of the job market,” said Stanton Greenawalt, professor of Cybersecurity at Horry-Georgetown Technical College in South Carolina.
Ensuring all students have access to AI skill development will play an important role in equity and access if AI skill frameworks reach students across all trajectories, particularly because education is key to economic mobility.
“In Florida, we’ve developed frameworks for learning standards going through our CTE division. In this division, students are learning high-level concepts, allowing them to become employable as we talk about this new Industrial Revolution 4.0, where there are jobs that haven’t been created yet,” said Nancy Ruzycki, an instructional associate professor and director of Undergraduate Laboratories at the University of Florida. “So, what skills do they need to learn, and how do we help them prepare? Helping people get into the AI pipeline provides equity and access for all students.”
Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
Spaulding Academy & Family Services is a small, non-profit special education school and residential facility serving students with a wide range of abilities, including many who are on the autism spectrum, some who have medical or physical limitations, some who have been diagnosed with other learning challenges, and some who have been victims of trauma, abuse, or neglect. Our students are with us because they require more support than their previous schools were able to provide, and it is central to our philosophy that our programs and offerings meet the needs of all of our students.
Since our last blog post, we’ve been hard at work exploring new and exciting ways of using ClassVR to support our students! The first step in achieving this was continuing to leverage our on-campus experts. We have an extremely talented team of administrators, board certified behavior analysts & clinicians, social workers, speech-language pathologists, occupational & physical therapists, teachers, medical experts, and staff who all bring a unique perspective to this project, and their input and support has allowed us to thoughtfully expand the scope and methods of our ClassVR implementations.
ClassVR in staff training and social-emotional learning
In the past year, our school has undergone a remarkable cultural shift that centers SEL and the Choose Love program within our curriculum and everyday operation. This shift has already provided results that have been inspiring to witness among both students and staff alike, and we were very interested in exploring how to leverage virtual reality (VR) in this area.
One important thing we’ve decided to do is use ClassVR as part of our staff training process. Our interest is in using VR to strengthen compassion, empathy, and perspective-taking among new staff. We identified a video by the National Autistic Society (Autism TMI), which consulted people with autism to create a first-person simulation of what sensory overload feels like for them, and we are now using that VR experience on ClassVR headsets to help train and inform new school staff. It’s difficult for a ‘neurotypical’ person to truly understand the perspective of those who are neurodiverse, but this immersive experience brings tremendous value in helping our staff understand and empathize with our students – as a result it helps staff provide better service and support for them.
After staff experience the video, we have a discussion about how this new information can impact the way we approach supporting our students in given moments, and how we can proactively take steps to avoid those situations or to offer solutions in the moment – that could mean rethinking our learning spaces entirely, or proactively offering the student sensory tools like noise-reducing headphones, or anything in between. We’re also working with our school BCBAs and others to begin filming custom 360° perspective-taking videos for use in staff training, in which we record simulated student-staff interactions with the intent of showing the trainee a student’s perspective during various situations. The hope is that this will further develop empathy and understanding among our staff!
School Training Supervisor Brion Schaffnit demonstrates ClassVR in a staff training.
With that same logic in mind, we’re also continuing to explore VR strategies in the world of SEL for our students. We want to look beyond using the headsets as calming devices, so we’re finalizing plans to create and film custom 360° content that also focuses on compassion, empathy, and perspective-taking. We’re using various research papers as a jumping-off point, but as usual, our creative and innovative specialists have taken the ideas and run with them to develop solutions that are most likely to work for our specific students.
The starting point will be filming simulated social scenarios in a similar fashion to the perspective-taking strategy mentioned above. Students will be able to experience social situations from specific viewpoints, and the intent is for teachers or clinicians to guide the implementation and elicit feedback from students in the moment, as they’re immersed in the experience. Given our focus on SEL and Choose Love, we’ll be starting with scenarios that involve courage, gratitude, forgiveness, and compassion in action.
We also plan to create student-produced SEL content where students develop materials for other classrooms to engage with. This may take the form of 360-degree videos, which could be anything from a student-produced puppet show to students writing a scene and acting it out, but I’m also interested in having students create and code custom SEL CoSpaces for other students to use. Imagine having students build a ‘Courage Castle’, full of SEL information and videos and coded interactive elements, for younger students to explore and interact with?
ClassVR in proactive needs-management
As highlighted in our last blog post, one of our most established strategies for using ClassVR is in providing vestibular-ocular stimulation for students who require movement to be successful in the classroom. We’ve amassed a library of custom-made and outsourced 360-degree videos that meet the specific needs and interests of specific students, all of which provide different levels of sensory stimulation intended to ‘trick the brain’ into thinking it has received needed movement.
With that in mind, our next step was to identify whether proactive vestibular-ocular VR implementations could lead to overall improvement in behavior and time on task in the classroom. One of our students tended to hit a speed bump at about the same time every day, where they would lose interest in classwork and we would see increases in outburst behaviors. So, every day for two weeks, we implemented ClassVR to provide simulated movement about a half-hour before the typical speed bump – we saw notable decreases in outburst behaviors and notable increases in time on task throughout the rest of each day following VR use!
The next phase is pre-loading headsets with content, customized to the students in each classroom, which will be available to classroom teachers so they can more easily, both proactively and reactively, provide students with immersive content that meets their specific needs. Once the technology is in place, we will continue to use our data collection infrastructure to help us understand whether each implementation is effective.
ClassVR in medical applications:
Based on research papers from Oxford and others, which show decreased anxiety and pain perception when VR is implemented during routine medical procedures, we began using VR for select students who struggle with things like blood draws and immunizations. This involved significant pre-teaching – we introduced the VR to the student to get them comfortable with the experience and to determine the level of sensory input they prefer, and then we separately introduced the student to the process of the blood draw. That included breaking down the steps of a blood draw and practicing by using fake equipment in a safe environment. These steps allowed the student to be comfortable with both processes when the time came to combine them.
Another specific need we’ve begun to address in the medical space is the fear of unknown or anxiety-inducing spaces, like medical and dental offices. We’ve had several students who have significant anxiety around the dentist, which can lead to refusal to attend appointments or refusal to cooperate when in the office, so we coordinated with our local dental office to film a 360° tour of their entire facility. We’re guided on the tour by their head Dental Hygienists, who meet us at the front door and walk us around while describing each step of the visit, explaining each piece of equipment, and reassuring the viewer (the student) that everything is safe.
We then took it a step further and filmed a second version of the video – in this one, a popular staff member takes the place of the student for a fake dental visit. The viewer watches the staff member as he walks into the office, sits in the chair, goes through a teeth cleaning, and assures the viewer that nothing is painful or scary.
Paraeducator Pedro Perez models a dental visit.
This type of video modeling practice is well-established, but the immersive nature of VR video modeling has proven to be even more successful for our students. We’ve since expanded this strategy to other new or scary places, including filming custom content for students who are being discharged out of Spaulding to new schools (typically in their home districts). In a recent scenario we traveled to a student’s new school and filmed a guided 360-degree walkthrough video of the student’s new environment, including their classroom and other important resources. Transitions like this are scary, sometimes particularly for students with Autism, and the hope is that this strategy will help alleviate some of the anxiety that comes along with them.
Looking forward
The thing that strikes me personally about all this is the way ClassVR uniquely expands our toolbox to help meet the individual needs of our students. Every day at Spaulding is filled with successes small and large, all of which inspire me, and I’ve found our VR implementations to be among the most interesting and inspiring that I’ve witnessed. There’s something special about a team working together to come up with a new and innovative solution to a persistent problem, and then seeing a student do something they never thought they’d be able to do, or experience something they’ve never experienced before, or smile more than we’ve ever seen them smile.
In the future we will continue to explore new and exciting methods of implementation, always with the goal of meeting the diverse individual needs of our students, and we hope that these ideas help spark other new and innovative ideas for you!
Charley Suter, M.Ed, Spaulding Academy & Family Services
Charley Suter, M.Ed is the Director of Technology & Innovation at Spaulding Academy & Family Services, where he has worked and been inspired for 9 years.He also serves on the Board of Directors of New Hampshire’s ISTE Affiliate, NHSTE, where his aim is to bring together the vast expertise that exists among NH technology educators and leaders.He’s a devoted educator, an advocate for equity and inclusion, a tech geek, a privacy proponent, and a lifelong guitar player!
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Charley Suter, M.Ed, Spaulding Academy & Family Services
