District Administration - September 2006 - (Page 10)

Editor's Letter Introducing Our New Blog Site hen's the last time you had one of those moments when popular culture W or non-educator friends or even a board member said something about education so nonsensical that it made you crazy, but also scared you into thinking that maybe a lot of people felt this way? If you're like me, it happens every few days. This week, I was at a board meeting to hire a new high school principal when the board got sidetracked into a discussion of the high school's summer reading list. While some valid complaints were mentioned, one member repudiated the entire list of books by saying his high school age son wasn't interested in reading any of them. While I value student input as much, and probably more than, most people, my reaction was immediate, if kept internal. So now we're going to remove any book Have an opinion suggested, no matter its value, if students don't agree? We're going to immediately question the judgment of our senior administrators over an offhand complaint? And to get off your we're going to pick our new high school principal, in part, based on how he plans to manage the summer reading list? chest, or do you Like most of you in the same situation, I kept these thoughts inside until I just want to rave discussed the matter with my wife at home and my co-workers at the office. But starting this month, I have an immediate alternative. DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION about the latest is rolling out its own blog, The Pulse, this month. To see the new site, and the magazine's redesigned Web site, visit www.districtadministration.com. Our tagline, education book Education's Place for Debate, says it all. Here's a place where education experts, you read? Visit board members, frustrated teachers, and anyone else can post a rant, a theory, or a thoughtful question, and be able to get feedback from his or her peers. the magazine's And that's not all. The redesigned Web site will also allow readers to post comments on both news stories of the day, and articles from the magazine. Just new blog site. peruse some of the headlines that ran in our Aug. 10 newsletter: Auditors reproach California charter schools; Denver district sets English policy; New Jersey moves toward revamping disputed school funding plan; Louisiana parents upset by students not being promoted. Even without reading the stories, you're probably already forming some ideas about what you think on these topics. And that's not even half of the stories that we run in our newsletter, DA Daily, everyday. Now on our Web site, you can read these stories and post your reaction to them. And while it's always a relief to get burning thoughts off your chest especially when you know you're right it may be even more valuable to see what other people think and if they agree with you. Longtime Editor-at-Large Gary Stager will be our new Blog Editor and he is busy at this moment adding to the list of experts who will be posting regular blogs on the site. Already notables such as Roger Schank, David Thornburg and Pedro Noguera will post regularly. So the next time you're watching television, at a neighbor's house, or even in a staff meeting, and someone says something about education that you can't react to at the time, but have to get off your chest you know where to turn, The Pulse. TREND WATCH Spending Trends EDITOR-IN-CHIEF page s 19 & 48 wdorio@edmediagroup.com Obesity pages 22 & 28 Blogs page s 60 & 74 10 September 2006 District Administration DA_906_Ednote.w.indd 10 8/15/06 9:21:06 AM http://www.districtadministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - September 2006

Contents
Editor?s Letter
Snapshots
Update
Inside the Law
Curriculum Update
Administrator Profile
District Profile
Unveiling the School of the Future
Are wireless VoIP handsets worth the cost?
Smart ways to detect and manage cyberbullies
Scared Straight
Up for Debate
In the Spotlight
Growing Community Schools
Learning Styles
The Online Edge Odvard Egil Dyrli
Speaking Out Gary Stager
Problem/Solution
Research Corner
Computer Literature
Leadership Books
New Products
By the Numbers

District Administration - September 2006