District Administration - October 2006 - (Page 20)

Update Upcoming Documentary SURVEY: Unveils Urban Urgency Internet Ills Fester More than half of educators and administra- enlightened leadership and dialogue t is reminiscent of many urban I tors, or 58 percent, recently surveyed cite at their seminars, policy programs school stories: Indianapolis, 1997. criminal acts such as threatening others or and conferences. It will depict criti- Test scores were dismal and the attempting to hack into the school network ca l issues for education reform that minority-to-white achievement gap as the most common student offenses. NUA president and founder Eric was gaping. The survey was conducted at last Cooper addressed during this past But since the National Urban Alli- summer's Aspen Ideas Festival. a nce for Effective Education came summer's National Education Computing Our goal is to help everyone along, student reading improved Conference, with more than 1,500 teach- realize that every child in the Amer- significantly, according to former ers, administrators and IT professionals ica n education system is capable of Superintendent of Schools Pat Pritch- responding, according to 8e6 Technolo- graduating from high school ready et t. Some schools even soared ahead gies, which announced the results. for college, Cooper says. of state average test scores, he adds. The most glaring issues included a N UA, which is about 17 years The NUA simply conducted a middle school student stealing the school old, is working in 22 school districts curriculum audit of each school and band director's password so he could post nationwide, in part providing profes- worked with administrators to develop pornography on the band site and create a siona l development to administrators a comprehensive staff development satanic worshiping page on the director's and teachers and creating partner- plan to help all teachers understand church Web site. An eighth-grader also e- sh ips with the community and local the strategies necessary to teach read- mailed a threat to President George Bush. business and faith organizations. ing, recalls Pritchett, now at Indian Cooper points to Birmingham, River County Schools in Florida. The student was tracked down by IP address Ala., as a success story. In one year, Together, this partnership made and school seating chart. the percentage of students meeting a difference for kids, Pritchett says. state standards jumped from 40 per- T h is is just part of the makings cent to 80 percent. He says it's about of a new feature documentary in improving the delivery of instruction the works called In a Perfect World to students and showing teachers ... Listen to the Children. The docu- that even the students they don't ment a r y, which will include the think can learn actually can and students' perspective in low-income will, and that encouragement will and primarily urban schools, will make the students more hopeful and be featured next summer at Aspen eager to learn. Institute, whose mission is to foster www.nuatc.org Running and Playing Vital for Children w i ng i ng on swings and running in circles is good for children's health, S FA ST FACT according to former President Bill Clinton. So he recently announced a plan to build playgrounds in several pilot schools across the U.S. through the Alli- 83 % a nce for a Healthier Generation. T he Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association partnered in of those in the general public 2005 to create the alliance. Clinton announced the alliance's Healthy Schools surveyed found teachers to be Program pilot year at the fi rst forum last summer. among the most truthful profes- To address the causes of obesity, the alliance pushes nutrition as well as envi- sionals in the U.S. up three ronment s that encourage physical activity. A new partnership with KaBOOM!, percentage points since 2002. a nonprofit organization that envisions a play place within walking distance of every child, will mobilize communities to build school playgrounds. Source: Harris Poll w w w.healthier generation.or g 20 October 2006 District Administration DA_1006_Update.indd 20 9/15/06 1:48:34 PM http://www.nuatc.org http://www.healthiergeneration.org

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

Table of Contents
Editor's Letter
Snapshots
Update
Inside the Law
Curriculum Update
Administration Profile
District Profile
Disaster Recovery
Tech Trends
COVER STORY: The Chicago Team
Out Is In
Algebra's At-Risk Solution
Rural Quality
Struggling Readers
The Online Edge
Speaking Out
Principal Opinion
Problem/Solution
Research Corner
Leadership Books
New Products
By the Numbers

District Administration - October 2006