You are receiving this email newsletter because you are a subscriber of Education Slice (formerly Principal News) or you signed up for our email newsletter on our site.

Valencia College has partnered with Orange and Osceola County school districts to combat the ongoing teacher shortage in Florida. The collaboration involves the implementation of Elementary Education Apprenticeships, which allow college students to gain classroom experience while working towards their teaching degrees. Both school districts estimate a need for 500 new elementary school teachers annually. Valencia College President Dr. Kathleen Plinske emphasizes the value of students simultaneously studying and gaining practical experience. The program enables students to work in nearby schools, earn college credit, and receive guidance from teacher mentors. The Florida Education Association reports over 7,500 job openings for teachers and educational support staff, potentially leaving numerous students without full-time teachers. Participating students can also complete their bachelor's degree for less than $10,000. Ruby Berthole, a Valencia College student, expresses excitement about the program's benefits, including financial support and valuable experience.

 

News 13

Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida recently celebrated the success of its second annual JA Inspire career expo, held at Florida Gulf Coast University's Alico Arena. This significant event welcomed nearly 6,000 eighth and tenth graders from Lee County, offering them a dynamic introduction to various career opportunities within Southwest Florida. The expo aimed to ignite enthusiasm among students by introducing them to 45 prominent local employers and business professionals, providing hands-on experiences that underline the importance of credentials, real-world experience, and future job prospects. The expo not only facilitated a direct interaction between students and potential future employers but also highlighted the broader role of Junior Achievement in fostering economic success through education. As the world’s largest organization dedicated to this cause, Junior Achievement uses such events to enhance student understanding of the job market and skills required for economic success. Annually, with the support of corporate and community volunteers, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida reaches over 12,000 students across Collier, Lee, and Charlotte counties, significantly contributing to the preparation of the future workforce.

 

Lehigh Acres Citizen

Images of school fights at Florida high schools are so frequent that there's a social media channel dedicated to them. During the 2022-2023 school year, the number of students suspended in the state hit an all-time high, with over 193k students suspended. 858 Florida students were also expelled from public school that year. Teacher exit interviews reveal concerns about extreme and out-of-control student behavior. The increase in unruly student behavior reflects schools with limited power, phones and social media with too much power, and parents who aren't holding their kids accountable, it is said.

 

WPTV

Jill Biden hosted the 2024 National and State Teachers of the Year at a White House dinner to honor teachers' commitment to their students and excellence in the classroom. President Joe Biden also made a surprise appearance, expressing his appreciation for teachers. The event was a twist on the traditional White House ceremony, with Jill Biden hosting a "state dinner" instead. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona highlighted the significance of this honor, stating that there is no American dream without American teachers. The event aimed to recognize the challenges faced by U.S. public schools and the dedication of teachers. The State Teachers of the Year were treated to a slimmed-down version of a White House state dinner, with personalized thank-you notes from their students. The guest list included Vice President Kamala Harris's husband, Cabinet members, members of Congress, and the heads of major teachers' unions. This year's State Teachers of the Year represented 49 states and various U.S. territories.

 

Wacotrib

Pace Center for Girls released a study emphasizing the importance of building school belonging for teachers working with high-risk students. The study reveals that belonging is critical to teacher retention and satisfaction. Mary Marx, CEO and President of Pace Center for Girls, states that a teacher's satisfaction depends on relationships with students, team members, leaders, and the community. The study also highlights the importance of competence, autonomy, purpose, and belonging for teachers. Professor Marcia Lyles from Columbia University Teachers College asserts that building teachers' competence, autonomy, and shared purpose fosters a sense of belonging. The paper includes case studies from various school and teacher support organizations and proposes solutions such as creating learning communities, prioritizing mental health supports for teachers, and partnering with nonprofit organizations. Pace Center for Girls has developed a blueprint for change based on the research, which has shown early indicators of increased teacher retention. For more information and access to the full white paper, visit the source.

 

Port Arthur News

A new review suggests that implementing school mandates for the HPV vaccination could significantly boost immunization rates among American adolescents. Currently, only about half of American children are up-to-date with their HPV shots, which are crucial in preventing cervical and other cancers linked to the human papillomavirus. The study, led by Brigid Grabert, found that not only do such mandates increase HPV vaccination rates, but mandating other vaccines also has a "spillover" effect, encouraging more comprehensive vaccination coverage, including for HPV. Presently, only a few regions—Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.—require the HPV vaccine for school entry. Grabert emphasizes the importance of these findings for policymakers, highlighting that effective strategies are essential to increase HPV vaccination and reduce related cancers and diseases.

 

Killeen Daily Herald

Moore County News Press

As heatwaves become more frequent and intense due to climate change, millions of students around the world are being affected by school closures. The decision to either keep students in hot classrooms or encourage them to stay home and keep cool has consequences for their education. High temperatures can impair cognitive functions and lower students' ability to retain and process information. This is particularly concerning in developing countries, where a large proportion of children are already out of school and test scores lag. The impact of heat on education is expected to widen the learning gaps between hot and cool countries. The closure of schools due to heatwaves also exposes children to risks such as child labor and child marriage. As heatwaves continue to disrupt education, governments and authorities face the challenge of finding solutions to protect students' learning and well-being in a warming world.

 

Reuters

After months of debate, parents and teachers in Newberry have voted against the conversion of public schools to charter schools. The vote resulted in the rejection of the conversion for Oak View Middle School and Newberry High School. However, there was some uncertainty regarding the outcome of the vote for Newberry Elementary School. Representative Charles Clemons believes that the conversion has passed as required by Florida law, but the state's response is still pending. Alachua County Public Schools is confident that the matter is closed, stating that the schools are not eligible to become charters for the upcoming school year. The measure to convert the schools was brought by a group called Newberry Education First. If passed, the conversions would have been effective in the 2025-26 school year.

 

Alachua County Today

Project SEARCH signings were held at Avon Park, Lake Placid, and Sebring high schools. Parents, teachers, and mentors watched proudly as exceptional students signed on for the internship program at AdventHealth Sebring. The School Board of Highlands County, AdventHealth, Ridge Area Arc, and the Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation are focused on providing exceptional students, exceptional opportunities as they graduate high school and transition to work. Students are nominated by the exceptional student education (ESE) teachers at their schools and must fill out an application to participate in Project SEARCH. The ultimate goal of the program is to have competitive employment for young people with "significant intellectual and developmental disabilities." During the year, the interns will be at AdventHealth, learning both hard and soft job skills. Avon Park, Lake Placid, and Sebring High School students will perform real jobs in AdventHealth hospitals.

 

Midfloridanewspapers

Leon County Schools is facing a graduation crisis as over 300 seniors are at risk of not graduating. The majority of these students are missing the required scores on the 10th grade state English Language Arts exam and the Algebra 1 End of Course exam. Chronic absenteeism, remote learning, and mental health issues have contributed to this problem. The district's graduation rate has dropped from 94% in 2019 to 86.1% for the Class of 2023. Economically disadvantaged and African American students have the lowest graduation rates. Godby High School has the highest number of at-risk seniors. The district is implementing initiatives such as testing boot camps, free college entrance exams, and credit recovery programs to help students graduate.

 

Tallahassee.com

NASA astronaut and former Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana recently spoke to a group of Brevard County students who won an essay competition on why they want to be astronauts. Cabana encouraged the students to never give up on their dreams and shared his own journey to becoming an astronaut. The students had the opportunity to participate in the Astronaut Training Experience at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, where they worked on simulated space missions and received guidance from Cabana. The experience was created through a partnership between the Visitor Complex and Lockheed Martin. The essay competition aimed to encourage young students to pursue careers in the aerospace industry.

 

Florida Today

A judge has postponed the sentencing phase for a teenager who assaulted a teacher's aide, halting proceedings that were scheduled to take place on Wednesday. The incident, which occurred last year, involved an attack on Joan Naydich, who provided testimony recounting how the event had irrevocably altered her life. "My life will never be what it was before," Naydich said while on the stand. She detailed the assault that transpired at Matanzas High School. She was serving as a paraprofessional when Brendan Depa, who has autism and other mental health conditions, pursued her and carried out the attack. "My last memory is putting my hand on the doorknob to exit the room," she said.

 

Fox 35 Orlando