Secretary of State Ruth Johnson reads “A Fish Out of Water” to kindergarten/Pre-5 students at Thomson Elementary School in Davison on March 23.
Secretary of State Ruth Johnson visited two elementary schools in Davison today in observance of National Reading Month to talk about the importance of having strong reading skills.
Johnson was a special guest for three kindergarten/pre-5 classes at Thomson Elementary School in the morning. She read “A Fish Out of Water” by Helen Palmer—her own favorite book from childhood—to the youngsters.
In the afternoon, she met with five classes of third graders at Gates Elementary School and read “Little Michigan” by Denise Brennan-Nelson with them. Johnson’s presentations also included trivia, questions and answers and a photo session.
During March, schools stress the importance of reading for future success in academics and in the workplace, and welcome guests to read to children
“Reading gives us a foundation for learning and success in life,” Johnson said. “It is also an activity that sparks our imagination and, as the humor columnist Dave Barry has described it, ‘a vacation for the mind.’
“I hope you’ll help celebrate National Reading Month by picking up a good book – or downloading a good e-book – and encouraging others to read as well.”
LOS ANGELES — Not many 6 to 18 year olds can can say they’ve been published.
But there are more than 300 in Los Angeles that can can claim the title of published writer thanks to 826LA.
Since 2005, the nonprofit has supported students throughout the Los Angeles Unified School District and around the country, helping them build confidence as creative and expository writers.
“At the heart of what we do is bring volunteers to work with students one-on-one,” said Marisa Urrutia Gedney, director of in-schools programs and college access. In many under-resourced and overpopulated classrooms, she said, it’s difficult for teachers to give their students personal attention, especially when it comes to their writing.
“Writing is difficult for anyone of any age, and we tell the students that. It takes a certain level of confidence to take what’s in your heart and in your head and write it down,” she said.
Executive Director
Joel Arquillos
The intimate support “really helps students share their ideas so they have more confidence after they finish a writing assignment.”
Through its numerous free programs, more than 9,000 economically disadvantaged students in L.A. are taught how to write everything from poems, chapbooks and short films to stories, magazines and comic books during its weekend workshops.
During the week, students can take advantage of after-school and evening tutoring at two of 826LA’s writing locations in Echo Park and Mar Vista. There, volunteers help students with writing, reading and homework in all subjects.
“Our volunteers also go to schools where they work with teachers directly in the classrooms,” Gedney said. Because it’s not always possible for students to take a field trip to one of 826LA’s sites, volunteers drop into classrooms to support teachers with projects and provide students more one-on-one attention for writing assignments.
As for the many high school students working on their college applications, volunteers offer them help with their personal statements. This college-readiness work, Gedney said, is critical to what the nonprofit does.
“Personal statements help students write about their triumphs and trials,” she said. While students’ college applications show their academic successes, they don’t offer a glimpse into the realities of their lives.
By guiding them through their essays, they’re making “college writing more equitable.”
In 2013, the organization decided to extend this idea of equitability to South L.A., where they opened the Writers Room at Manual Arts High School.
There, students have a creative space where they can explore their writing voices and get college access support. It now serves more than 700 students every year and, as a result of this added support, more seniors are getting accepted into four-year schools.
As the nonprofit steadily grows, so has students’ enthusiasm for writing.
“So many times, once we publish a book of student writing, kids often say they want to be a writer. They say they want to be keep writing and get published,” Gedney said.
Kids frequently carry their published writing in their backpacks all year and show their teachers and classmates the work they’re so proud of, she added.
And this zest for writing that 826LA sees in its students is an energy it hopes to expand to more kids.
“Our hope is to increase capacity and bring in more volunteers into all our programs and centers to support more than 9,000 students a year,” Gedney said.
“We are always excited when people take interest in the work we do because it’s rewarding, exciting and fun.”
INFORMATION BOX
Executive Director: Joel Arquillos
Years in operation: 13
Number of employees: about 24
Annual budget: $1,744,809
Location: 1714 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, 90026
Secretary of State Ruth Johnson visited elementary schools in Grand Blanc and Swartz Creek today in observance of National Reading Month to talk about the importance of having strong reading skills.
Johnson was a special guest for second graders at Cook Elementary School in Grand Blanc in the morning. In the afternoon, she met with second and third graders at Rankin Elementary School in Swartz Creek. She read “Little Michigan” by Denise Brennan-Nelson and played a trivia game, answered questions and took group photos with the kids.
Secretary of State Ruth Johnson plays a Michigan trivia game with students at Cook Elementary School in Grand Blanc on March 27.
During March, schools stress the importance of reading for future success in academics and in the workplace, and welcome guests to read to children
“Reading gives us a foundation for learning and success in life,” Johnson said. “It is also an activity that sparks our imagination and, as the humor columnist Dave Barry has described it, ‘a vacation for the mind.’
“I hope you’ll help celebrate National Reading Month by picking up a good book – or downloading a good e-book – and encouraging others to read as well.”
Secretary of State Ruth Johnson talks with students at Rankin Elementary School in Swartz Creek on March 27.
SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson on Wednesday (March 28, 2018) will speak with California bilingual teachers and meet with Mexican education officials to discuss ways to work together to help “the students we share.”
These discussions, which will take place at the state’s largest bilingual education conference, continue Torlakson’s efforts to forge closer ties with Mexican educators and to promote multilingual education.
Torlakson will address the California Association for Bilingual Education, which organizes the gathering of about 2,000 educators. The conference this year is titled “Embracing Multilingualism: From Policy to Powerful Practices.”
“Embracing multilingualism is what we do, and do well in California,” Torlakson said. “We embrace different languages, we welcome different cultures. We build bridges, not walls with our fellow educators in Mexico. People in California, parents, educators, business leaders, and community leaders understand that diversity is our strength.”
For example, over 173,000 Seals of Biliteracy have been awarded to high school graduates who demonstrate proficiency in more than one language. Information is available at the California Department of Education (CDE) State Seal of Biliteracy Web page.
Torlakson will speak at an awards ceremony and open the general session where he will unveil the release of the California English Learner Roadmap Guidance document which will support districts in strengthening comprehensive policies, programs, and practices for English learners. He will also join a roundtable with Mexico officials including state of Baja California Education Secretary Miguel Ángel Mendoza.
Torlakson has visited Mexico City and Tijuana to promote cross-border education cooperation, promote teacher exchange programs between California and Mexico, and support migrant and immigrant families.
He has also worked with Mexico to better serve “the students we share,” the estimated 50,000 U.S. born students attending schools in Baja California and may eventually return, and the Mexican born students attending school in California.
California voters in 2016 overwhelmingly passed Proposition 58, which removed outdated barriers to bilingual and multilingual instruction and is increasing the demand for credentialed teachers in those specialties.
Torlakson will also discuss his Safe Havens initiative, which includes schools that reassure students, parents, and educators that everyone is welcome on school sites, regardless of immigration status. To date, 130 school districts representing 2.7 million total students have adopted Safe Haven resolutions. Information is available on the CDE’s Safe Havens Web page.
The roundtable will be at 10:30 a.m. at the Sheraton Grand Hotel Camelia Room. The award presentation and opening of the general session will be at 4:30 p.m. at the Sacramento Convention Center, Ballroom A, 1400 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Details about the conference are on the CABE 2018 Conference Web site.
CHICAGO – Mike Havener, school librarian for Springfield (Illinois) High School, is the recipient of the 2018 American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) Ruth Toor Grant for Strong Public School Libraries. Sponsored by Jay Toor, the grant provides $3,000 in funding for the creation and implementation of a local public awareness/marketing campaign that promotes and positions the school library as a necessary resource in the community.
Havener will use the Toor funds to build a recording studio in an underused office space centrally located in his school library. Along with technological equipment, Havener plans to use a portion of the budget on painting the space and adding sound-dampening panels to the walls. His goal is to create a fresh, modern, and attractive space for students to work together in, while increasing foot traffic and advertising modern, non-traditional library services. Students and faculty will be invited to use the studio to record broadcasts that will bring greater public and administrative attention to the school library.
“One of the best ways to gain the attention and engagement of parents, administration, and community members is to showcase the work and creations of students,” wrote Havener in his application. “This project will give the library program the same kind attention that departments such as art and music receive through exhibits and concerts. All projects will be hosted on the school library website, uploaded to iTunes, and advertised throughout the building bringing crucial public and administrative awareness to the power, importance, and necessity of a strong school library program.”
“The recording studio planned by Mr. Havener will showcase student learning and creativity in ways unique to the school library,” said Lynn Gordon, award committee chair. “These broadcasts are the kind of creative collaboration that bring the library to the forefront of the school and serve as an advertisement for the school library! We give Mr. Havener, his partners Ms. Kaisner and Mr. Lightfoot, and the staff and students of Springfield High School our sincere congratulations and best wishes as they move forward with this project.”
Along with the $3,000 in funding for project creation and implementation, the grant includes $2,000 for both the school librarian and a school official to attend the ALA Annual Conference.
The AASL award winners will be honored at the AASL Awards Ceremony & President’s Program during the 2018 ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans. The ceremony will be held from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on Saturday, June 23. All are welcome to celebrate the accomplishments of their peers during this recognition event.
The American Association of School Librarians www.aasl.org, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), empowers leaders to transform teaching and learning.
The Houston Independent School District Board of Education unanimously voted to name Chief Academic Officer Grenita Lathan as interim superintendent of the state’s largest school district.
Dr. Grenita Lathan
Lathan was tapped to serve as the interim leader of HISD while trustees search for a permanent replacement for outgoing Superintendent Richard Carranza, who is stepping down after nearly a year and a half with the district.
Lathan will assume the role of acting superintendent immediately, and she will become interim superintendent on April 1.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to help our schools achieve educational excellence,” Lathan said. “We are on the right path, and I want to ensure all our students have quality educational opportunities that will prepare them for college or career. I’m fully prepared to lead the district in this season of swift transition.”
Lathan, a 26-year veteran educator, joined HISD in 2015. She has served as Chief Academic Officer since the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year. She previously served as the chief school officer in the HISD Office of School Support for the district’s north area. Prior to that role, she served as the chief school officer over elementary transformation schools during the 2015-2016 school year in which she led more than 20 schools of out an “improvement required” state rating to a “met standard” rating.
“Dr. Lathan has a track record of turning schools around,” said Board of Education President Rhonda Skillern-Jones. “We are fortunate to have someone of her caliber on our leadership team, and we hope this will be a seamless transition as we continue to move the district forward.”
Lathan previously served as superintendent of schools for Peoria Public Schools, where she oversaw approximately 14,000 students and 2,700 staff. She began her education career as a high school teacher in North Carolina and later served as both an assistant principal and principal in the state. She went on to serve as chief elementary school improvement officer of the San Diego Unified School District and as an interim deputy superintendent.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in business education from North Carolina A&T State University, a master’s degree in business education from the University of North Carolina, and a doctoral degree from Southern Illinois University.
Superintendent Richard Carranza announced earlier this month that he would be stepping down this spring to become Chancellor of New York City schools. The Board accepted his resignation today and his last official day will be March 31.
The Board of Education will use the firm used in the previous search that resulted in Carranza’s hiring. Because he left in less than two years, the search will not cost the district. The firm will be tasked with helping trustees conduct a survey and hold community meetings to gather input on the superintendent candidate profile. That profile will then be used to recruit candidates.
The Dallas ISD (DISD) school board met March 22 for a regular agenda meeting. During the public forum of non-agenda items, many DISD support staff members came forward to be persistent about a wage increase.
The support staff has asked before at previous meetings; however, the board has not addressed their concerns.
Shawna Washington, an administrative assistant at the Northeast Maintenance Quadrant, urged the board to make it their priority to give support staff a three percent wage increase. She went on to tell the board and community members about how support staff are the lowest paid employees, often resulting in the employees forced to work multiple jobs.
“In many cases, these employees are single parents with children who attend schools, here in DISD, when we consider paying DISD employees a livable wage we must consider both the employees and the example we are setting for other districts to model,” Washington said.
Rosario Zamudio, a teacher assistant at Nathanial Hawthorne, also stood up to speak at the public forum. She, too, urged the board to make compensation for support staff a top priority in next years’ budget. She believes the same respect should be given to all employees of all levels in the district.
“You may say we sound like a broken record, but to be fair, support employees have been promised and left out when it comes to compensation for the last couple of years. We are taking home less every year because of increase premiums, yet we still show up and do our jobs because the kids are worth it,” said Zamudio.
With the support staff that represented DISD at the school board meeting, other organizations joined with them in support of an increased compensation for DISD support staff. A member of the American Federations of Teachers (AFT), and members of the Democratic Socialist of America, the North Texas chapter, voiced support for improved pay for the staff.
Andrew Kirk, a member of AFT as well as a DISD teacher, believes the DISD support staff is underpaid, yet they are a necessity for the district.
“They do a lot of work that isn’t recognized, and I think that there pay should be commensurate with the value that they generate for the schools. I think the schools work because they do,” said Kirk.
A group of nine young leaders from East Bay schools, organized and led by Regina Jackson of East Oakland Youth Development Center (EOYDC), will participate in the “March for Our Lives” demonstration for an end to gun violence Saturday in Washington, D.C.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee urged Jackson to organize the delegation so that Oakland would have a presence in the historic march. Lee contributed money to pay for part of the trip, and a micro-grant covered the rest.
“Recently we did a listening session with Oakland Lee about gun violence. She asked me to coordinate the student delegation. I will be leading the group of students, who have all been affected by gun violence, ages 13-18,” said Jackson.
Members of the EOYDC delegation: Damoni Nears, senior at Moreau Catholic High; Destiny Shabazz, senior at McClymonds High; Devlynn Nolan, senior at Castlemont High; Jada White, 8th grader at Edna Brewer Middle; Khali Walker, freshman at Castlemont High; Kia Hanson, senior at Fremont High; Nala Lazimba, 8th grader at Alliance Academy; Rasheem Haskins, sophomore at Skyline High; and Ramaj Walker, junior at Envision Academy.
Organizers of the Washington D.C. march are students from Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where 17 students and adults died.
The young Oakland leaders spoke about how gun violence has impacted their lives.
“I have first-hand experience with gun violence,” said Jada White, aged 13.
“I lost my father when I was just a baby. I am going to the march to share my experience and my hope for stronger gun education and policy.”
Seventeen-year-old Kia Hanson said, “I lost my brother to gun violence. My pain is real every day. I am going to the march to represent him and my hope that no one ever have to experience a tragedy like mine ever again.”
The young people plan to write a blog about the march after they return draft some language for bills to be considered at the state and federal level.
Over 800 rallies and marches are scheduled across the country Saturday in solidarity with the protest in Washington, D.C. In the Bay Areas, marches are planned for San Jose and San Francisco.
A rally will be held Saturday morning at 10 a.m. in front of City Hall in Oakland, and then attendees will go by BART to join forces with marchers in San Francisco.
I believe that it is possible that, in the annals of time — should our republic survive this period in history — America will be revealed to be the hollow, shallow shell of what the experiment was meant to be. The kids from Parkland, Florida are proving that it was and should always be the government of the people, by the people, for the people, and not the people with the most money.
But I think that America stopped being that place when we refused to acknowledge that this country was built on the backs of slave labor, and we decided that there would be no accountability for that. We stopped living up to that ideal when we began to delude ourselves that this nation had a manifest destiny to lead the world, but there would be no repercussions for slavery. That lie we told ourselves — that no accountability was and no repercussions were necessary — was the beginning of the downward slide to where we are now.
Announces primary membership, first meeting and other key details
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today announced new details on the Federal Commission on School Safety the President appointed her to chair. The Commission has been charged with quickly providing meaningful and actionable recommendations to keep students safe at school. Accordingly, the Commission will be comprised of department heads whose agencies have jurisdiction over key school safety issues: Secretary DeVos, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen.
The first organizational meeting will be Wednesday, March 28 in Washington, D.C. to discuss the scope of the Commission’s work, timeline, locations for meetings and topics for field hearings.
Input from and meetings with students, parents, teachers, school safety personnel, administrators, law enforcement officials, mental health professionals, school counselors, security professionals and other related stakeholders will be critical to the Commission’s work.
Additional details on stakeholder engagement both in Washington and across the country will follow the meeting on March 28.
“Over the last several weeks, I have held meetings with parents and non-profit organizations, who in the wake of tragedy, have leapt into action and have focused on finding solutions to school violence,” said Secretary DeVos. “The Commission’s task will be to hear their ideas and the ideas of anyone who is focused on finding solutions to bolster school safety across the country. We want to highlight what’s working so that every school has access to solutions that will keep students and teachers safe.”
Attorney General Sessions had this to say about the Federal Commission on School Safety’s work, “No child should have to be afraid to go to school. That’s why President Trump has taken action to strengthen law enforcement and to protect law-abiding people from the threat of gun violence. Since last month’s tragic shooting in Parkland, the Department of Justice has taken new steps to put more law enforcement officers in schools, ban bump stocks, get better information to our background check systems, and aggressively prosecute those who lie on a background check. I am confident that, by bringing together teachers, parents, and law enforcement officers, the School Safety Commission will inform the next steps we will take to give students safety and peace of mind.”
Secretary Azar added, “It is a core responsibility of government to keep our communities, and especially our schools, safe from all forms of violence. We at HHS look forward to contributing to the work of the Commission, especially when it comes to identifying young Americans struggling with serious emotional disturbance or serious mental illness and helping them find treatment that enables them to lead healthy, fulfilling lives.”
Secretary Nielsen said, “No child should have to worry about their safety when in school. The Department’s top priority is to keep the American people safe. I look forward to working with other Commission members to advance school security, including by promoting education and community awareness of school threats, capacity building and training to guard against them, and early warning mechanisms to help intervene before threats become tragedies.”
Members of the public with recommendations on how to increase school safety can send them to safety@ed.gov.
SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson on Wednesday (March 28, 2018) will speak with California bilingual teachers and meet with Mexican education officials to discuss ways to work together to help “the students we share.”
Web site.
Dr. Grenita Lathan
By Jazlyn Mercer, NDG Staff
Announces primary membership, first meeting and other key details