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Education News for 01-31-2013

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State Education News

  • New college degrees respond to evolving job market (Canton Repository)

    • At 47, Frank Phillips is back in school. The Canton native is taking a mobile app development class at Stark State College of Technology to prepare for a career change forced on him by a disability…Read more...

  • Sale of naming rights may be option for schools (Canton Repository)

    • Could selling naming rights to high school football stadiums be a viable option for financially strapped school districts…Read more...

  • Kasich says two-year budget has $1B surplus (Chillicothe Gazette)

    • When the governor publicly releases his proposed two-year operating budget Monday, it will show a $1 billion surplus, he said…Read more...

  • U.S. to propose limits on snacks sold in schools (Columbus Dispatch)

    • After more than a year’s delay, U.S. schools soon will see proposed federal rules restricting the kinds of snacks sold to students…Read more...

  • Kasich rolling out his plan for schools (Columbus Dispatch)

    • Gov. John Kasich will unveil his long-promised school-funding plan today, in which he’ll propose creating a $300 million “innovation fund” to support school initiatives to improve teaching and learning…Read more...

  • School safety high on legislators’ list (Columbus Dispatch)

    • The Ohio House and Senate will take a deeper look into school safety in the wake of the shootings in Newtown, Conn., and Chardon in northern Ohio…Read more...

  • Kasich to unveil plan to fund Ohio schools today (Dayton Daily News)

    • Gov. John Kasich will unveil his plan for funding Ohio’s public schools today, just days before he releases a state budget plan for the next two years…Read more...

  • School chiefs heading to Columbus (New Philadelphia Times)

    • Superintendents from throughout the Tuscarawas Valley are headed to Columbus today to attend a special meeting where they are expected to learn about Gov. John Kasich’s plan to fix school funding…Read more...

  • Who teaches the teachers? (Portsmouth Daily Times)

    • Educators from four regional schools participated in a professional development program this week, at New Boston School…Read more...

  • Ohio school funding formula unlikely to be cut (Toledo Blade)

    • Details remained tight Wednesday, but the amount of money going into the new school funding formula that Gov. John Kasich will publicly unveil today is not expected to be reduced again…Read more...

  • House Dems seek input on Kasich schools plan (Youngstown Vindicator)

    • Democrats in the Ohio House hope Gov. John Kasich includes all-day kindergarten, smaller class sizes and charter-school accountability…Read more...

  • Legislation aimed at making schools safer (Youngstown Vindicator)

    • A Republican lawmaker from the Akron area introduced legislation Wednesday aimed at making schools safer…Read more...

Local Education News

  • Akron students receive free eye exams, glasses (Akron Beacon Journal)

    • The Ohio Optometric Foundation, Akron Children’s Hospital and Akron Public Schools joined forces with several volunteers Tuesday and Wednesday to offer free eye exams and glasses to about 88 district students…Read more...

  • Coleman’s influence over schools growing (Columbus Dispatch)

    • Mayor Michael B. Coleman might have been adamant that he’s not out to take over the Columbus City Schools…Read more...

  • Details of Centerville schools cuts plan released (Dayton Daily News)

    • Details regarding Centerville City Schools’ $2.6 million plan to reduce spending and generate revenue were released this week, and it will impact academics, busing…Read more...

  • Lakota to see enrollment drop, study says (Hamilton Journal-News)

    • A detailed, 10-year enrollment study for Lakota schools includes a drop of more than 2,300 students by the 2022-23 school year…Read more...

  • Madison school officials defend response on bullying (Mansfield News Journal)

    • Through numerous parental accusations that the district’s approach to bullying is poor, Madison Local Schools Superintendent Lee Kaple stood firm…Read more...

  • Superintendent to part ways with Toledo Public Schools after contract expires in July (Toledo Blade)

    • Toledo Public Schools Superintendent Jerome Pecko will part ways with the district when his contract runs out this summer, pushing the Toledo Board of Education…Read more...

  • Hubbard superintendent to receive $1 salary next year (Youngstown Vindicator)

    • A school official may have given new meaning to the value of a dollar. The Hubbard Board of Education has approved a contract to pay Superintendent Richard J. Buchenic one dollar for the entire 2013-14 school year…Read more...

Editorial

  • Universities face more competition (Columbus Dispatch)

    • An announcement last week by the University of Dayton is causing a stir around the country: The private Catholic university is promising prospective students that they will pay the same amount…Read more...

  • Marietta board takes steps that will protect students (Marietta Times)

    • In the wake of the Newtown, Conn., school massacre, many local education officials have said they want to step up discussions about ways to increase security at their facilities…Read more...

Education News for 12-17-2012

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State Education News

  • Attorney General Mike DeWine urges schools to submit safety plans after Connecticut school (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

    • The shooting Friday morning in an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. that left 20 children and seven adults dead, including the shooter, prompted Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine to remind the remaining 145…Read more...

  • Most schools soon will let some kids skip gym (Columbus Dispatch)

    • By next school year, most districts in Franklin County will let students bypass gym class if they play a sport or participate in marching band or cheerleading. State law has allowed the option since 2006…Read more...

  • West Geauga School District offers programs for children with disabilities (Willoughby News Herald)

    • In accordance with operating standards for Ohio's Schools Serving Children with Disabilities, the West Geauga School District is seeking to identify, locate and evaluate all children with disabilities in the district…Read more...

  • Chardon reacts to Connecticut school shooting (Willoughby News Herald)

    • Memories of the Feb. 27 shooting at Chardon High School came flooding back with a vengeance for many area folks Friday, following news of the Connecticut elementary school slayings…Read more...

  • State committee and liberty school board set to meet (Youngstown Vindicator)

    • Local and state officials are hoping to create a new road to financial recovery for the Liberty school district…Read more...

National Education News

  • Oklahoma student arrested in alleged school-massacre plot (Columbus Dispatch)

    • Oklahoma police arrested a high-school student on charges that he was plotting to carry out a shooting and bombing massacre at his school…Read more...

  • Teachers, parents brace for day (Columbus Dispatch)

    • Jessica Kornfeld drove her children to their elementary school this past weekend. She wanted them to feel reassured that it was still safe, despite a horrific shooting in New England that killed 20 students close to their own age…Read more...

  • State Chiefs to Examine Teacher Prep, Licensing (Education Week)

    • Twenty-five state schools chiefs are vowing to take action to update their systems of teacher preparation and licensing, with an eye to ensuring teachers are ready the minute they take charge of their own classrooms…Read more...

  • Neighboring region's schools address security concerns (USA Today)

    • Schools in the Lower Hudson Valley in New York are working to find a balance between frightening children with worries about their safety and being ready to offer comfort for the nervous…Read more...

  • Autistic excel at detail, repetition (USA Today)

    • An estimated 1.5 million people in the United States have autism spectrum disorder, so chances are you may be affected by autism in some way…Read more...

  • Sandy Hook victims shared love for life, learning (USA Today)

    • NEWTOWN, Conn. -- The horror wrought by a lone gunman on this close-knit community crystallized Saturday afternoon as the 26 victims of the Sandy Hook school massacre were publicly identified…Read more...

Local Education News

  • Luxottica buys 540 laptops for high school (Cincinnati Enquirer)

    • Another Cincinnati Public School is going high-tech. Withrow University High School, an 880- student, 9-12 school in Hyde Park has partnered with Luxottica, a global eyewear company whose retail office is based in Mason, to buy 540 new laptops…Read more...

  • For former Cleveland schools leader Barbara Byrd-Bennett, Chicago is the final challenge (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

    • Chicago -- When Mayor Rahm Emanuel asked Barbara Byrd-Bennett to run the nation's third-largest school system, she didn't exactly jump at the chance…Read more...

  • Unorthodox approach working for Reynoldsburg schools (Columbus Dispatch)

    • Ask Reynoldsburg Superintendent Steve Dackin what’s behind the innovation in his district, and he’ll point to a set of beliefs shared by the school board, teachers and administrators…Read more...

  • Columbus students’ credits now in question (Columbus Dispatch)

    • The state is investigating whether Columbus schools awarded grades and credits to students who did not earn them…Read more...

  • Area educators shocked, but say they're prepared (Findlay Courier)

    • Northwestern Ohio school officials said Friday they were as shocked as anyone by the Connecticut school tragedy, but they are as ready as possible for something similar…Read more...

  • School officials, experts provide tips on discussing school shooting (Marion Star)

    • It’s likely children may have questions following today’s mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. School officials and counselors offered some tips on how to address their concerns…Read more...

  • Facebook post prompts school district “all-call” (Springfield News-Sun)

    • A post on a student’s Facebook page created safety concerns for Shawnee High School today…Read more...

  • Weathersfield teachers upset with contract talks (Youngstown Vindicator)

    • Weathersfield Local Schools teachers took up informational pickets of the schools to let the community know they believe they are being treated unfairly in contract negotiations…Read more...

Editorial

  • Cleveland schools CEO turns to parents (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

    • Now that Cleveland has passed a 15-mill levy slated to bring in millions for the district, this is no time for Clevelanders to sit on their hands…Read more...

  • Goosing up gigabits (Columbus Dispatch)

    • “Ohio is really cool.” That’s the upshot of what a new, lightning-quick broadband Internet network means for this state, Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee…Read more...

  • Too little, too late (Columbus Dispatch)

    • The sudden interest of the Columbus Board of Education in its internal auditor is appropriate, but overdue…Read more...

Education News for 09-26-2012

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State Education News

  • State report cards to be posted today (Canton Repository)

    • The Ohio Department of Education will post school report cards today — minus the grades…Read more...

  • State issues schools’ slimmer report cards (Columbus Dispatch)

    • The slim version of Ohio’s school report cards that will go public today is like a hamburger without the bun…Read more...

  • Education Nation: Obama, Romney outline their plans (WKYC)

    • For the third straight year, the top minds in education are meeting in New York City for the annual education nation summit. Education is center-stage in the presidential election…Read more...

Local Education News

  • Budget woes continue for Akron schools (Akron Beacon Journal)

    • The cash-strapped Akron Public Schools took an unexpected budget hit this week with news that the district must repay more than $3 million…Read more...

  • No clarity on Coleman’s role in school district (Columbus Dispatch)

    • A special joint committee of the Columbus City Council and Columbus school board met yesterday, but with no clearer idea of how their relationship has changed…Read more...

  • PETA Seeks to Put Vegan Ads on CMSD Lunch Trays (WJW)

    • People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Or PETA, has made a unique proposal to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to help take a bite out…Read more...

  • Emotions run high at levy debate (WKYC)

    • It was an emotionally-charged debate in the heart of Cleveland's Lee-Harvard neighborhood. Community activists organized an informative debate…Read more…

Editorial

  • Open doors amid school controversy (Warren Tribune Chronicle)

    • Arrogance among those elected to represent the people's interests sometimes reaches intolerable levels. Often it involves keeping secrets from the public…Read more...

Stan Heffner's Double Standards

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Stan Heffner seems to have a set of double standards when it comes to ethics

Stan Heffner last week, talking about the scrubbing scandal

“I will be asking our office of professional conduct to launch investigations along with the attorney general’s office if I find there is evidence of fraud so we have civil and criminal investigations at the same time,” Heffner said after speaking at the Columbus Metropolitan Club yesterday. “Those people have no business in our public schools.”

Stan Heffner today, in the wake of the Inspector General's detailing his serious ethics violations

Ohio schools Superintendent Stan Heffner quickly apologized for ethics allegations outlined in a state watchdog investigation released today but stopped short of stepping down from the post he has held for a year.

“I accept the findings of the Inspector General’s report. I was wrong and I’m sorry for my lack of judgment,” Heffner said in a statement released by the Ohio Department of Education.

“I’ve apologized to my staff, my friends and colleagues at the department, and the board. I have learned from my mistakes, and I will work with the board to take whatever steps they feel are necessary to resolve this matter and move forward.”

Stan Heffner's Double Standards

in

Stan Heffner seems to have a set of double standards when it comes to ethics

Stan Heffner last week, talking about the scrubbing scandal

“I will be asking our office of professional conduct to launch investigations along with the attorney general’s office if I find there is evidence of fraud so we have civil and criminal investigations at the same time,” Heffner said after speaking at the Columbus Metropolitan Club yesterday. “Those people have no business in our public schools.”

Stan Heffner today, in the wake of the Inspector General's detailing his serious ethics violations

Ohio schools Superintendent Stan Heffner quickly apologized for ethics allegations outlined in a state watchdog investigation released today but stopped short of stepping down from the post he has held for a year.

“I accept the findings of the Inspector General’s report. I was wrong and I’m sorry for my lack of judgment,” Heffner said in a statement released by the Ohio Department of Education.

“I’ve apologized to my staff, my friends and colleagues at the department, and the board. I have learned from my mistakes, and I will work with the board to take whatever steps they feel are necessary to resolve this matter and move forward.”

Your vote today

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Voting is a very personal thing. It reflects values held dear. Some people vote "their" party, some their "conscience", others their profession. Often times these things reflect parts of the same.

Today, is primary day in Ohio. We've covered a lot of the issues and candidates who will be vying for your vote.

Here at Join the Future we'd like you to consider supporting your local schools, their students and education staff. We have published a list of school levies and issues here. School's are facing a budget crisis caused not of their own largesse, but of draconian cuts made by politicians in Columbus who took a pass on making their own tough decisions, and instead passed the buck, to the tune of almost $3 billion over the next 2 years.

While many might look to the general election in November, there are also opportunities today to make a big difference in who those Columbus politicians will be next year.

We're experiencing the effects of bad budgeting and bad policy made in Columbus by out of touch, extreme politicians every day now. We can only change those policies by changing the people who represent us.

We can support candidates who chose to stand with the middle class, not against them. Who understand the importance of public education, not it's privatization.

We spent last week providing some details of candidates who have strong middle class values, who respect working people and who can replace office holders who voted for extreme legislation like SB5 and the budget.

Day 1: Union members running for the Ohio House
Day 2: Union members running for the Ohio House
Day 3: Union members running for the Ohio House
Day 4: Union members running for the Ohio House
Day 5: Union members running for the Ohio House
Union members spotlight - State Senate

So whether you live in HD21 where special education teacher Donna O'Connor is running, or HD70 where Republican cop Eric Spicer is running, understanding that the way to prevent legislation like SB5, or budgets like HB153 from happening again, is to support candidates who share our mainstream values, candidates who won't support legislation that is unfair, unsafe and hurts us all.

DISTRICT NAME UNION PRIMARY PARTY
HD 7 Matt Patten LABORERS N D
HD 16 Todd Laveck OFT Y D
HD 20 Marco Miller IAFF (Ret.) Y D
HD 21 Donna O’Connor OEA Y D
HD 24 Maureen Reedy OEA N D
HD 37 Tom Schmida OFT N D
HD 45 Teresa Fedor OFT N D
HD 47 Jeff Bunck OEA N D
HD 57 Matt Lark OEA Y D
HD 58 Bobby Hagan BLET N D
HD 61 Susan McGuinness ONA N D
HD 68 Brad Schaff USW Y D
HD 69 Judith Cross OEA (Ret.) Y D
HD 70 Eric Spicer FOP N R
HD 71 Brady Jones UAW N D
HD 72 David Dilly UMWA N D
HD 76 Mary O’Toole OEA Y R
HD 81 John Vanover USW N D
HD 87 Dennis Sterling FOP Y R
HD 88 Bill Young OEA N D
HD 95 Charles Daniels OCSEA Y D
HD 95 Jim Drake OEA Y D
HD 99 John Patterson OEA N D
SD 6 Rick McKitty UAW (Ret.) N D
SD 20 Teresa Scarmack OEA N D
SD 24 Tom Patton IATSE Y R
SD 26 Tanyce Addison OEA N D