A daily round-up of education news and views for the Sunshine State
 
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 Principal News
 
 A daily round-up of education news and views for the Sunshine State To add a recipient please click here
 
 
Monday, 21st June 2021
 

 

WORKFORCE

 

More school superintendents opting to step down

More and more school superintendents are leaving their posts, far more than in a typical year, a result of the extraordinary challenges of keeping kids learning after schools closed in spring 2020 and serving as crisis managers for months on end while dealing with pandemic pressures on their own families. The departures are from the top spots in large cities, including the largest three, New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago, but also in many midsize and smaller districts in suburban and rural areas, according to AASA, the School Superintendents Association. The turnover this year has been unprecedented, superintendents say, with the usual job responsibilities and tensions exacerbated by crisis management and debates with communities and school boards over when and how to reopen schools during the pandemic. Conflicts over equity and education that addressed racial issues also boiled over, with superintendents often feeling the brunt of the disputes. Daniel Domenech, AASA’s executive director, who served as superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools from 1998 to 2004, said he can’t remember a time that was more fraught for those in the top leadership role in school districts. “In this environment, there’s no joy. It’s all like boom, boom, boom, constantly being hammered over one issue or another,” he said.

Washington Post 

 

DISTRICTS

 

Seminole schools to vote on making face masks optional

Seminole County Public Schools meets Tuesday to vote on its mask policy for the next school year. According to the agenda, the superintendent is recommending the board repeal the mandatory face covering policy. Last week, Volusia County Public Schools unanimously voted to make masks optional starting immediately, while the Orange County school board will make its final vote on the mask policy on July 13. Brevard, Osceola, Flagler, Lake and Marion counties all have optional mask policies in place.

Click Orlando 

 

Caution urged over holding kids back a year

Officials from the School District of Palm Beach County note the impacts of pupil retention and factors for parents to consider before potentially holding their kids back a year. Under a new law in Florida, parents or guardians can request that their K-5 public school student "be retained for the 2021-2022 school year" in their current grade level, "provided that such request is made for academic reasons." Keith Oswald, the district's chief of equity and wellness, comments: "There may be opportunities for summer learning. There may be opportunities for learning throughout next school year to be provided additional support," while Glenda Sheffield, chief academic officer for the district, urges caution, suggesting: "Let's talk about that plan that we could put in place for that academic year that’s coming up before that decision is made." Older children may also be barred from participating in certain sports, officials say. A measure that would put into state law a series of parents’ rights related to their children’s education and health care was one of 24 bills formally sent Friday to Gov. Ron DeSantis. The bill (HB 241), which passed during the legislative session that ended April 30, would spell out the rights of parents to “direct the education and care of his or her minor child,” which would include a right to “access and review all school records” related to the students.

Wink News  WPTV 

 

District launches national search for struggling Warrington Middle leader

The Escambia County School District has launched a national search to find a potential new principal for Warrington Middle School, who will be needed if the school fails to earn a C grade this year. While the state of Florida hasn't yet released school grades, the district is in the hiring process for new teachers and searching for a principal, who must meet strict Florida Board of Education requirements so they can be in place and ready for next school year if Warrington does earn a D or F grade.

Pensacola News Journal 

 

Pasco schools serve as vaccine centers

Pasco County Schools and the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County are launching a big vaccination push this week for students 12 years old and up. Sites include Sunlake High, Fivay High, Pasco High and Wiregrass Ranch High. Separately, Parrish Healthcare has partnered with Brevard Federation of Teachers and Brevard Public Schools to provide free COVID vaccines to students 12 years or older at the Parrish Health and Fitness Center today.

 

 

LEGISLATION

 

Third of educators support legislation restricting discussions on racism

As questions over whether and how racism should be discussed in the classroom continue to dominate headlines across the country, a new national EdWeek Research Center survey found that about a third of K-12 educators support legislative efforts to restrict classroom discussions on the topic. The survey, completed last month, found that while 59% of participating teachers, principals, and district leaders believe systemic racism exists, 23% said they do not believe so. Educators interviewed by Education Week largely said the survey results matched their experiences in schools, many of which have historically excluded such conversations.

Education Week 

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Electric school bus coalition launched

The Copper Development Association (CDA), a market development, engineering, and information services arm of the copper industry, has announced the launch of a new coalition dedicated to promoting the expansion of electric school bus fleets across the U.S. The Electric School Bus Coalition, a group of school bus manufacturers, NGOs and material providers, aims to drive adoption of electric bus fleets and the infrastructure needed to support them through education and actionable, market-driven policy development. John Hipchen, director of energy and electrical systems at the CDA, comments: “We are calling for $25bn in federal grant funding (enough to replace 20% of the current diesel school bus fleet) as part of current infrastructure package negotiations.”

School Bus Fleet 

 

TECHNOLOGY

 

Strategies to speed up computer science implementation

As states implement computer science standards, developing a computer science teacher pipeline is a must for districts seeking to take steps to accelerate the process. In some instances partner organizations, like CodeVa in Virginia, for example, can work with schools to develop the pipeline, by working it into other subject areas, merging data science and social studies to allow students to look at history through a data-driven lens. Additionally, Hour of Code activities allow students to learn about coding through short, interesting activities, such as creating animation to illustrate a story.

K-12 Dive 

 

OTHER

 

Ways that librarians can support teachers and students amid reopenings

As schools return to full-time, in-person learning, school librarians are in a unique position to lead efforts to incorporate social-emotional learning into back-to-school plans and help students reacclimate. “Some of the key facets of social-emotional learning — communication and social skills, inclusivity and community, growth mindset and problem-solving, character and kindness, and reflection — are all areas in which librarians can offer support schoolwide,” argues Liz Bowie, marketing content manager for library supplier Demco. To further support the development of SEL skills, school librarians can create displays of books and reading lists that highlight a wide range of perspectives, sharing literature that communicates the experiences of diverse populations, Ms. Bowie said. Librarians can also help teachers address social-emotional learning topics with the stories they select and read aloud to classes. These selections can help students cope with issues confronting them and their families, provide academic enrichment, inspire students to read on their own, and make children laugh to help them relax.

K-12 Dive 


 
 
 
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