Return-Path: <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id g6QJ49X28767; Fri, 26 Jul 2002 15:04:09 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 15:04:09 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <NCBBKFFJMKFIFAGAFGNEIECGDDAA.jlee@famlit.org> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Jon Lee" <jlee@famlit.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:1235] FW: PEN Weekly NewsBlast for July 26, 2002 X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2911.0) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 18970 Lines: 359 Had to forward the entire document as it is full of good stuff. (Sorry if you already receive it) Jon -----Original Message----- From: Public Education Network [mailto:PEN@PublicEducation.org] Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2002 9:42 PM To: PEN Weekly NewsBlast Subject: PEN Weekly NewsBlast for July 26, 2002 Public Education Network Weekly NewsBlast "America’s Favorite Free Newsletter on Improving Public Education" *************************************************************************** FUEL FOR SCHOOLS: THE IMPORTANCE OF TRUST IN CHANGING SCHOOLS Can excellent work be coerced from principals, teachers, and students simply by withholding diplomas, slashing funds, and publishing embarrassing statistics in the newspaper? As states and school districts work at structuring new accountability mechanisms and mandating changes in instruction, they will do well to remember that school people and their relationships to one another will make or break reform. How do teachers relate to each other? How do school professionals interact with parents and community? What are principal-teacher relations like? The answers to such questions are central to determining whether schools can improve. http://www.edletter.org/current/reform.shtml -------------------------------------------------- NewsBlast Publication Notice: Summertime. The fish are jumping. Like many of you, NewsBlast is going to take a little time to recharge its batteries. We will return to your inbox on Friday, August 23rd. Have a safe and enjoyable summer! Thank you for your continued suggestions and support. -------------------------------------------------- ENRICHING EDUCATION: ECONOMIC INTEGRATION MAY BE KEY There's no magic bullet in urban school reform. Any way you look at it, improving city schools is a project that requires dogged persistence. Though the hurdles are high, even large-scale reform is not a hopeless task. But one of the most promising remedies available -- economically integrating schools -- has been largely ignored. It's a well-established fact that an "achievement gap" exists between students from more affluent backgrounds, who tend to perform well on standardized tests, and students from low-income families, who, on average, perform poorly. There's a hidden achievement gap as well, however, one that is rife with potentially profound public policy implications. This hidden gap exists between low-income students in schools with mostly middle-class populations and low-income students in high poverty schools. Alan Gottlieb, a Piton Foundation program officer, challenges conventional thinking when he asks, "If we can establish that low-income children learn best in environments where few of their peers are poor, why do we persist in a system of neighborhood schools, most of which are segregated by socioeconomic status?" http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E73%257E728091,00.html?search =filter TEN POSITIVE WAYS A MAYOR CAN HELP IMPROVE PUBLIC EDUCATION Ron Gonzales, mayor of San Jose, California shares his ten ways for improving schools. His strategies include: Become a "Teacher Friendly City;" Invest in preschool programs and quality child care; Keep schools safe; Extend the school day by providing quality after-school programs; Encourage innovation in public education; Recognize and encourage schools that show improvement; Encourage parents to be active in their child’s education; Build strong relationships with school district leaders; Support efforts to improve school facilities; and Talk about education. Mayors can strengthen public interest and support the improvement of public education by using their influence with civic leaders, other elected officials, businesses and community organizations, and the media to ensure that education stays at the top of the public agenda. http://www.sjmayor.org/education/smartstarttopten.html STRONG NEIGHBORHOODS, STRONG SCHOOLS The prevailing belief is that transforming schools and improving student performance is beyond the scope of community organizations. In fact, some school leaders frequently see communities as the problem. Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform believes that community organizing is essential to initiate, develop, and sustain long-term, dynamic school reform. But, how does community organizing for school reform contribute to the improvement of public education and the strengthening of low-income communities? A new report provides insight into that vital question. Using an action research approach, they document the methods used in community organizing for school reform and provide measures for evaluating their success. Learn how this new approach has led to sustained momentum for change in five communities across the nation in the areas of leadership development, community power, social capital, public accountability, equity, school/community connection, school climate, and high-quality curriculum and instruction. http://www.crosscity.org/programs/indicators/findings.htm SCHOOL PROGRAM HELPS BRIDGE DIGITAL DIVIDE A recent study indicated that the digital divide -- the gap between the technology haves and the have-nots -- remains despite the attention, and lip service, it gets from corporations and politicians. Effective solutions, especially those that do more than make computers available to low-income students at school or in public libraries, are hard to find. To narrow the gap, technology must become a vital part of a person's everyday life. Students in a program administered by The Education Fund, a local education fund in Miami (FL), have improved their achievement in school. But the Citibank FamilyTech program breaks new ground because it goes beyond the students. Not only do the kids learn to use computers in school, but their parents are trained as well. Computers are placed in their homes to augment and implement the training the family has received at school. Teachers also are trained, so they can incorporate computers and the Internet in their curriculum. http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/3609364.htm SLOWING DOWN THE DAY TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LEARNING True learning requires time: time to wonder, time to pause, time to look closely, time to share, time to pay attention to what is most important. Time is the major resource at our disposal, and principals must take the lead in changing how we use time during the school day if we are to improve children’s academic learning and performance. Chip Wood reports that given time to experience school without constant hurry and to be deeply involved in the learning moment, children steadily gain a sense of perspective as well as a sense of competence, significance, and order in their lives. http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/Kappan%20032002.htm BENEFITS OF FAMILY-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS The National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE) is a coalition of major education, community, public service, and advocacy organizations working to create meaningful family-school partnerships in every school in America. As a result of these partnerships students do better in school and in life, parents become empowered, teacher morale improves, schools get better, and communities grow stronger. Click below to learn more about NCPIE’s comprehensive framework for family involvement. http://www.ncpie.org/DevelopingPartnerships/ FEWER STUDENTS SMOKING, DRINKING & USING DRUGS Drug, alcohol and cigarette use among sixth-to 12th-graders is at the lowest level in years, partly because adults are doing more to keep their kids away from illicit substances, according to a survey. Parents and teachers are warning students about drug use and are encouraging kids to nurture other interests by joining extracurricular school and religious activities. The percentage of students using any illicit drug -- marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens and others -- dropped to 22.3 percent, the lowest level registered by the study since the 1993-94 school year. The percentages of high school students who said they drank alcohol, 65 percent, or smoked cigarettes, 36 percent, in the previous 12 months were the lowest in the survey’s 15-year history. The results might reflect a cultural reaction to the September 11th terrorist attacks, officials said http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/sun/news/news_0n21teendrug.html SCHOOL PUBLIC RELATIONS PROGRAM BACKFIRES In an aggressive strategy to promote the Detroit Public Schools and attract more students, district officials have spent at least $1.5 million on public relations consultants and marketing pitches in the past year. More than one-third of the money went toward consulting fees for work ranging from designing newsletters and the annual report to organizing staff-appreciation luncheons, planning enrollment fairs and promoting the band's trip to the Rose Bowl. In a year that saw 700 staff members laid off and schools cutting expenses 10 percent, the four public relations firms also were paid to supplement routine staff duties, including editing the districtwide school improvement plan, attending meetings with newspaper editorial boards and putting together a brochure explaining the district's standardized test. Some people have begun to question the appropriateness and timing of such expenditures. http://www.detnews.com/2002/schools/0207/23/a01-543825.htm $2 MILLION PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EQUIP INNER-CITY TEACHERS As part of their commitment to improving student achievement and increasing teacher retention in nine elementary schools, the Osborne Foundation has awarded $1.5 million to the Public Education Foundation (PEF), a local education fund, to implement a master’s degree program for urban educators. Designed to allow teachers to earn a master’s degree at no individual costs, the Osborne Fellows Project will support and help to improve student achievement and increase teacher effectiveness through continuing education. The goals of the program are to educate teachers on how to enhance student learning within urban schools and communities, and to ensure that all students are reading at or above grade level. These over-arching goals are interwoven throughout a cohort-based program, crosscutting issues such as literacy instruction, educational technology, classroom management, and instructional strategies for urban learners. Specifically designed for the urban educator, teachers will attend classes such as Socio-Cultural Context of Urban Education; Classroom Management & Instructional Techniques; Assessment, Action Research, & Evaluation; and Problem-Based Field Practicum. http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_24205.asp BILINGUAL SITE: HELPING HISPANIC PARENTS PLAN FOR COLLEGE The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans recently unveiled a new website to provide parents with a one-stop center of information to increase college knowledge. Among the resources online are: "Myths and Facts About College Costs," "20 Questions to Ask Your Guidance Counselor," and "Things You Need to Know About Paying for College." In addition, the new mascot, Pablo the Eagle, encourages reading and educational achievement among the community's youngest members. (Note: The Tomas Rivera Policy Institute found that 96 percent of Hispanic parents surveyed expected their children to go to college, but fully 66 percent of parents failed to answer four out of eight questions about what it takes to make college a reality.) http://YesICan.gov (http://YoSiPuedo.gov) |---------------GRANT AND FUNDING INFORMATION--------------| "The William T. Grant Foundation" The William T. Grant Foundation announces a new Request for Proposals (RFP) in a drive to support research that increases understanding of how to improve supports and opportunities for young people (8-25) through effective interventions. The Foundation recognizes that there are a large number of publicly and privately initiated attempts to intervene and improve programs, organizations, and systems that affect youth. It also believes there is very little high-quality research and theorizing about why and how various intervention approaches lead to improved supports and opportunities for young people under varying conditions. Applications will be accepted through the Foundation's website beginning August 15 through September 30, 2002. http://www.wtgrantfoundation.org/newsletter3039/newsletter_show.htm?doc_id=1 15820 "MetLife Foundation Bridge Builders Initiative" With funding from MetLife Foundation, The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is launching the MetLife Foundation Bridge Builders Initiative aimed at strengthening ties between secondary schools and their students' neighborhoods and communities. As part of this initiative, NASSP is conducting a national search to select five exemplary secondary school principals (middle level and/or high schools) to recognize their demonstrated success in creating strong ties between school faculty and the surrounding community. If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else who has implemented strong ties between faculty/staff and the community surrounding the school, MetLife Foundation would like to hear from you. Please note that only public school principals are eligible. Urban school leaders who serve large numbers of low-income and minority students will receive primary consideration. The five award winners will receive $1,500 cash awards and be invited, all expenses paid, to share their experiences at the MetLife-NASSP Principal of the Year Symposium in Washington, DC in January 2003. For additional information, contact Rosa Aronson at aronsonr@principals.org. Nomination deadline: August 26, 2002. "Planned Giving Design Center" The Planned Giving Design Center (PGDC) helps charitable organizations create strategic alliances with legal, tax, and financial services professionals in their communities who have the capacity to influence philanthropy. The PGDC does this by offering the largest body of technical content and planning resources on the topic of charitable gift planning and taxation found anywhere on the Internet free of charge. http://www.pgdc.net/pub/rwf-20000616113315 "Global Educator Awards" Each year, Global TeachNet recognizes K-12 educators who exhibit a commitment to bringing global education into U.S. classrooms. Teachers can nominate themselves or be nominated by others. Qualified applicants include Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) and non-RPCVs whose global education efforts in the classroom span at least one academic year. The nominees selected should demonstrate an outstanding job of leading our youth to a knowledge of and respect for the people, cultures and nations of the world and an understanding of their interdependence. Award winners receive a $500 monetary award and national recognition. Application deadline: October 15, 2002. http://www.rpcv.org/pages/sitepage.cfm?id=55 "FastWEB" FastWEB is the largest online scholarship search available, with 600,000 scholarships representing over one billion in scholarship dollars. It provides students with accurate, regularly updated information on scholarships, grants, and fellowships suited to their goals and qualifications, all at no cost to the student. Students should be advised that FastWEB collects and sells student information (such as name, address, e-mail address, date of birth, gender, and country of citizenship) collected through their site. http://www.fastweb.com/ "Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE)" More than 30 Federal agencies formed a working group in 1997 to make hundreds of federally supported teaching and learning resources easier to find. The result of that work is the FREE website. http://www.ed.gov/free/ "Fundsnet Online Services" A comprehensive website dedicated to providing nonprofit organizations, colleges, and Universities with information on financial resources available on the Internet. http://www.fundsnetservices.com/ "Department of Education Forecast of Funding" This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which the Department of Education has invited or expects to invite applications for new awards for FY 2002 and provides actual or estimated deadline dates for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of charts -- organized according to the Department's principal program offices -- and include programs and competitions the Department has previously announced, as well as those it plans to announce at a later date. Note: This document is advisory only and is not an official application notice of the Department of Education. http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCFO/grants/forecast.html "eSchool News School Funding Center" Information on up-to-the-minute grant programs, funding sources, and technology funding. http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/funding/ "Philanthropy News Digest-K-12 Funding Opportunities" K-12 funding opportunities with links to grantseeking for teachers, learning technology, and more. http://fdncenter.org/funders/ "School Grants" A collection of resources and tips to help K-12 educators apply for and obtain special grants for a variety of projects. http://www.schoolgrants.org QUOTE OF THE WEEK "I wake up every morning determined both to change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning the day a little difficult." -E. B. White (author) ===========PEN NewsBlast========== The PEN Weekly NewsBlast is a free e-mail newsletter featuring school reform and school fundraising resources. The PEN NewsBlast is the property of the Public Education Network, a national association of 70 local education funds working to improve public school quality in low-income communities nationwide. There are currently 44,140 subscribers to the PEN Weekly NewsBlast. Please forward this e-mail to anyone who enjoys free updates on education news and grant alerts. Some links in the PEN Weekly NewsBlast change or expire on a daily or weekly basis. Some links may also require local Web site registration. To view past issues of the PEN Weekly NewsBlast, visit: http://www.publiceducation.org/news/signup.htm To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit: http://www.publiceducation.org/news/signup.htm If you would like an article or news about your local education fund, public school, or school reform organization featured in a future issue of PEN Weekly NewsBlast, send a note to HSchaffer@PublicEducation.org Andrew Smith is a regular contributor to the PEN Weekly NewsBlast. ---------- Howie Schaffer Managing Editor Public Education Network 601 Thirteenth Street, NW #900N Washington, DC 20005 202-628-7460 202-628-1893 fax www.PublicEducation.org --- You are currently subscribed to newsblast as: jlee@famlit.org For subscription changes please visit: http://www.PublicEducation.org/news/signup.htm
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