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October 31, 2006

Orange County Schools - Orlando

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — admin @ 10:12 am

There are many Orange County Public Schools systems throughout the nation. There are Orange Counties in Virginia, North Carolina, California, and Florida to name a few. Issues and challenges may vary from Orange County Schools to Orange County Schools, but the basic drive is the same &ndash to give students the best quality education possible.

Orange County Schools in Orlando are no exception. School choice, as mandated by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, is present throughout these Orange County Schools. Improvements in reading education and reading fluency are also hot topics.

It may be hard to believe that a school district could raise the reading scores of struggling students by as much as two grade levels each year, but Orange County Schools are doing just that. The most challenging group of students to bring up to grade level are students in middle and upper grades. These Orange County Schools students are a lot less motivated, and have even lost a lot of their trust in the learning process, believing they are too dumb to learn. Many educators have come to realize that it’s going to take extreme measures to change such these students’ lives. Interventions are required at all levels &ndash from the superintendent’s office on down to the humble classroom. One Orange County Schools intervention that has been put into place &ndash with amazing results &ndash is the Orange County Literacy Project.

In addition, a recent report was solicited by Orange County Schools from the Phyllis C. Hunter Consulting Firm. The firm recently presented an evaluation of the Orange County Schools, and how the district can best improve its reading instruction. The report, entitled “Reading Leadership in a Standards-based Reform”, covered numerous aspects that need to be addressed. Among them:

-All students have the right to reading instruction that enables them to meet high standards

-A Comprehensive Reading Program includes these six elements:

(1) Phonemic and phonological awareness

(2) Systematic phonics

(3) Vocabulary and background knowledge

(4) Fluency

(5) Comprehension

(6) Motivation

-Necessary criteria for increasing reading achievement:

(1) Minimum of 90 minutes of protected time for reading instruction to close the gap

(2) Smaller class sizes for intervention (15 to 20 students per class) to individualize and adjust instruction for all students

(3) Technology in classrooms to create a scope and sequence of individualized instruction for all students

(4) Commitment, by administrators, to learning about reading process instruction and what it looks like in a successful classroom

(5) Continual professional development for intervention program teachers

In accordance with a 1970 court order enacted by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Orange County Schools offers its students and parents many avenues of school choice. They are:

Majority to Minority Transfers

No Child Left Behind

Opportunity Scholarship

Exceptional Education Program Placement

McKay Scholarship Transfer Academic Transfer

Childcare Transfer

Graduation Transfer

Magnet Transfer

Medical Transfer

Mid-Year Transfer

Psychological Transfer

School Personnel Transfer

Sibling Transfer

Work-Related Transfer

For more information on the requirements to make any of these types of transfers, visit the Orange County Schools district website.

October 30, 2006

Organizing Students: The Cure For Morning Mayhem

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 10:13 pm

It is 6:00 AM…you have already hit the snooze button twice and are dreading the morning marathon that lies in front of you. Making sure everyone is dressed and ready for school is enough of a process, especially when everyone is bleary-eyed (and oh-so cheery) at the very beginning of the day. Soon the chaos begins… “Mom, where are my shoes?” “I can’t find my homework!” “Did you sign my field trip form?” Everyone is scurrying around trying to get ready while you are sweating over being late…again.

Halfway to school, one of your children realizes that they have P.E. today, but they wore sandals instead of gym shoes. So, after racing back home for the right shoes, you barely manage to drop everyone off on time and dash into work. Fifteen minutes later, you get a call… “Mom, I forgot my lunch money.”

Morning Mayhem creates problems that last all day long…making students distracted with worry, teachers frustrated, and parents incredibly frustrated and exhausted. This commotion sets a tone for the rest of the day that is very hard to shake!

My dad used to be a victim of Morning Mayhem because I was one of those kids who was always calling home for forgotten assignments, library books, lunches, etc. I do not recall how often (daily, weekly?) but it was often enough to prompt Mrs. Turner, my third grade teacher, to pull me in the hallway one afternoon and share a “secret” with me.

That secret was simple, yet so profound. It cured me (mostly) of my forgetful ways and was the single event that turned me into an Organizing Freak. (Nick-name courtesy of my brothers.)

**Action Plan**

Now, Mrs. Turner’s secret did not qualify her to be a rocket scientist, but it did make a huge difference for me! She simply suggested that I take a few minutes to get ready for school BEFORE I went to bed. “Put your homework and all of your books in your bookbag. Find your jacket and shoes. Put all three by the front door. Set aside your clothes for tomorrow so you don’t waste time trying to figure out what to wear. (Although I went to Catholic school…such choices with those uniforms!) See if getting ready TONIGHT will make a difference for you.”

As simple -and ALMOST obvious- as that suggest was, it made a world of difference for me. Mornings were not as bad. I was not forgetting nearly as many things at home. I felt better during the day because I was not worried about whether or not I would have gym shoes in time for gym class.

That simple step created such an improvement for me that I instantly realized the benefits of being organized. It was then that I began searching for ways to get organized…and haven’t stopped yet!

**In Conclusion**

I am not suggesting that you will turn your children into Organizing Freaks like me, but I am suggesting that this simple process might make mornings a bit less stressful for your family, and your days run a little more smoothly.

I have created a FREE “Night Before School Tool” for parents to customize and download from my website. These checklists can be posted by your door and serve as a reminder for the items needed each day. The elementary version includes pictures and is organized by the days of the week to accommodate weekly classes like P.E., library, etc. There is a version for older children, too. To access the toolkit, go to .soarstudyskills.com/morefreestuff.htm and scroll down to find the “Night Before School Tool.”

So, tonight, take a few minutes to create a checklist with each child, then have them gather their things BEFORE they go to bed. 6:00 a.m. may not seem quite as brutal tomorrow.

October 28, 2006

Orlando Schools Prepare To Shape Up

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — admin @ 9:27 pm

When students in Orlando Schools return to school this fall they should prepare to shape up. Physically speaking anyway. Florida Governor Charlie Crist just signed into law a new requirement for daily physical education (PE) classes for all kindergarten through 5th grade students. Historically Orlando Schools, and all its Florida counterparts, have allowed local governing agencies to set PE requirements. But new governor Crist thinks it is time for a change.

Prompting his action are numerous reports pointing to the increase in obesity and obesity related diseases in children nationwide. A 2003 task force found that millions of American children are at risk for juvenile diabetes, which is often caused by obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. Add to that these shocking statistics: the percentage of overweight children has tripled since 1980, while the number of schools requiring daily PE classes has dropped from 42% to 28%.

Orlando Schools, which are part of the Orange County District, will need to make some significant changes to meet the new requirements. While Orlando Schools have shown some improvements on statewide test scores, much of that success is attributed to the additional time devoted to intensive math and reading instruction. A recent inquiry of 100 Orange County Schools found that 4 had replaced PE time with academic instruction in math and reading. This has some teachers in Orlando Schools scratching their heads as to where this “extra” PE time is going to come from.

The new mandate will require Orlando Schools to provide 2

October 26, 2006

Orlando Schools Receive Awards And Funding From The Community

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Awards for Preventing Substance Abuse

Five Orlando public schools will be recognized for outstanding prevention efforts in the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs at the Statewide Prevention Conference in Orlando held at the Caribe Royale Resort. Only 10 schools in the state are being honored during the event to be held on September 20, 2006.

Lancaster Elementary; Gotha and Southwest middle schools; and Boone and Timber Creek high schools will receive special commendation for innovative and community-involved programs to help students make responsible and smart decisions. All these Orlando schools are honored to have received such distinction in the state of Florida and are encouraged that their substance abuse programs have proven so successful.

“As educators we want all of our students to make the right choice when faced with decisions that could impact their young lives forever,” said Superintendent Ronald Blocker. “I’m very happy that others outside of [Orlando schools] value and applaud the collective community efforts these schools are using so that our students can be successful in and out of the classroom.”

Florida’s First Lady, Columba Bush, will attend the Statewide Prevention Conference. She will be on hand to present the Orlando schools with specially-designed flags in honor of the recognition during the opening session from 8:30 &ndash 10:30 a.m. on September 20, 2006. Her participation adds extra bragging rights to the Orlando schools honored by her visit.

The five Orlando schools will receive further recognition during the annual Florida Department of Education’s Safe and Drug Free Schools Conference to be held next December. Their programs are being examined throughout the Florida educational community.

Orlando Schools Get Books from Donor

The CFE Federal Credit Union is donating $100,000 a year, totaling a half million dollars to Orlando schools to buy books for media centers. This is the fourth year of the Dollars for Books program.

“This is all about providing students with the tools they need to become successful,” said Joseph Melbourne, President and CEO of CFE Federal Credit Union. “Reading is like compounded interest, a little each day adds up and it provides a wealth of knowledge for our students.”

What has become an annual event was held at Kaley Elementary School, where ten principals were each given a ten thousand dollar check for their schools. The Orlando schools receiving the donations are: Eccleston, Englewood, Kaley, Little River, Pinewood, Rolling Hills, West Oaks elementary schools; Lee and Liberty middle schools and Cypress Creek High School.

“The Dollars for Books program is just a great way for schools to obtain additional books that we don’t have the money to buy,” said Kaley Elementary Principal Sandra Daves. “I strongly believe that improving reading skills is the best means to improve student achievement and our school is very grateful for this donation from the CFE Federal Credit Union.” Her sentiments are reflected in the opinions of students, teachers, and parents throughout the Orlando school system.

To date the CFE Federal Credit Union has donated $400,000 to Orlando schools to buy books. Hopefully the success of the program will ensure that it will continue in years to come, bringing more opportunities for reading in the classrooms of Orlando schools.

October 24, 2006

Orlando Schools To Improve Literacy

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , — admin @ 6:10 pm

Let’s Read, Seminole! is a summer reading program that Orlando Public Schools got behind this summer. The Orlando Schools took a bus, painted it red, ripped the seats out and installed book shelves. The bus was then crammed with books for kids ages 5 to 18. Orlando Schools students can keep the books they take off the bus, or they can bring them back and get more. What an awesome program!

When I look back at summer vacations, I find that I was mostly bored. My best friend’s parents always took her to New York for the summer, and all I had to look forward to was a 3-week trip to my grandparents’ houses in Ohio. While I did have fun visiting them, most of the summer was quite boring, and lonely, to tell you the truth.

Orlando Schools Brings the Books to the Students

The big red bus intended to serve Orlando Schools students in the summer would’ve done me a world of good as a child. While I’ve always been an avid reader, meeting the bus would have given me something to look forward to. A lot of “latch-key kids” are pretty starved at times for contact with other kids. When parents of children in the Orlando Schools work or can’t be available a lot of children are left to fend for themselves.

As a child my family went to bookstores fairly often, but I often found myself with nothing to read unless I reread what I already had. I did plenty of that, but more and more times I sat down to watch Andy Griffith and Beverly Hillbillies’ reruns, instead. If my school had had the Orlando Schools program in place for the summer holidays, I’m sure that the vacation would have passed quickly for me.

I’m not bitter, however. Education has come a long way in schools throughout the country, and Orlando Schools are no exception. I truly believe that the schools I attended did the best they knew how at the time and have simply progressed over time to continually improve, as they should. Today, however, they are concentrating more on keeping students engaged over the summer months, and I applaud them for that. Orlando Schools have recognized the need to keep kids reading when they are off, and this will pr help retention of what the students have learned in the previous school year as well. Since the newness of free books will most likely wear off, the leaders of this program developed by Orlando Schools have also developed a website to encourage the kids to keep visiting the bus, and to keep reading. Orlando Schools students who have gotten books from the bus can log on, record what they’ve read, and in the process get a chance to win prizes. Not much else thrills a kid more than that!

October 23, 2006

Orlando Schools

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — admin @ 7:32 am

Every school district must strive for excellence. Orlando Schools are no exception. From Magnet Schools to new bus mufflers, from backpacks to free or reduced lunches, the Orlando Schools system is working to continuously improve itself.

BACKPACKS: The S.T.A.R.S. program (Supplies To Assist Our Students) is the only program that provides backpacks and basic school supplies to elementary, middle and high school students in Orlando Public Schools in West Orange County. Students will have the tools they need the first day of school. The goal of S.T.A.R.S. is to coordinate community based and individual efforts to efficiently and effectively assist Orlando Schools students in need so every child who needs a backpack gets one.

FREE/REDUCED LUNCHES: The Orlando Schools district is accepting applications from families who want to qualify for free or reduced-price meals for their children.

Applications are available at all schools. Orlando Schools families must complete the application and return it to the school their child will attend. For more than one child, one application may be used for all, and it may be returned to any school one of the children will attend. To qualify, families must be at 200% below the poverty level.

MAGNET SCHOOLS: Magnet programs have been established at Orlando Schools elementary, middle and high schools to provide an opportunity for students to engage in intensive study in specific areas. Orlando Schools magnet programs offer the opportunity for students to discover their talents and explore their interests while focusing on strong academic excellence. The programs are designated to attract students from across the district with transportation provided for elementary and middle school students, who reside in specified areas.

Orlando Schools grades 9-12 magnet programs provide unique personalized learning communities. These programs of study are aimed at increasing student achievement and permit a student to focus on interest, talents or career goals. Middle and elementary magnet programs in Orlando Schools provide students with the opportunity to participate in challenging experiences that engage them in learning.

MUFFLERS: An ambitious attempt across the nation to remove nasty and lethal ingredients from diesel exhaust has taken aim at the tailpipes of Orlando Schools buses. The original mufflers on 90 buses have been replaced in recent weeks with a type that incinerates a portion of pollutants. That’s good for students, motorists and pedestrians who breathe fumes from those buses. Dirty diesel exhaust has been linked to illnesses such as bronchitis, asthma and cancer. Environmental improvements for other school buses will come gradually because of cost and the long lives of diesel engines.

Nearly 1,300 school buses serving Orlando Schools still don’t have the devices, called “diesel-oxidation catalysts,” which cost about $1,000 each.

“I wish we could get more,” said Steve Huckeba, senior administrator of Orlando Schools system operations. “[but] We can’t take education dollars to do that.”

Orlando Schools are able to count on enough funding to replace about 10 percent of its fleet each year. Even at that rate, a lot of relatively dirty buses will remain on the road for a long time.

October 21, 2006

Overcrowding A Problem For Some Los Angeles Schools

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , — admin @ 5:12 pm

A long time ago, kids went to school in a one-room schoolhouse. Kids ranged in age from around 7 to 16, and were all taught by the same teacher. In the cities, schools were mostly run by religious organizations or sometimes the town’s city council took over the responsibility of educating the young people.

As our population has increased, the need for more teachers and more classrooms and even more school buildings has grown exponentially. Nowhere is that more evident than in Los Angeles Schools.

Los Angeles Schools have seen a population explosion over the past few years. Higher birthrates as well as new residents moving to the city have led to Los Angeles Schools that are operating way over capacity. The overflow of students is spilling into portable classrooms, and at many Los Angeles Schools children share deteriorating bathrooms, a single eating area and an overcrowded playground.

Faced with the increasing challenge of getting Los Angeles Public Schools kids to lunch around lunchtime and making sure they are getting enough physical exercise throughout out the school day, Los Angeles Schools principals find themselves forced to cut special programs.

Another problem Los Angeles Schools are facing due to overcrowding is that schools don’t have to capacity to house all those extra kids. Some Los Angeles Schools have a student population that is at least three times the size the building was designed to serve.

Because of these larger class sizes in the Los Angeles Schools, principals are finding that they also lack the necessary teachers needed to accommodate them. Other problems Los Angeles Schools students are facing in the classroom is that they can’t get the proper attention they need from their teachers. Needing to spend a lot more time on discipline, teachers can’t always get to each and everyone of their students each and every day. Los Angeles Schools teachers also have more papers to grade and more parents to conference with.

According to recent studies, being in an overcrowded class means that kids are performing at a lower achievement rate than they would in a normal-sized or even small-sized classroom. Kids that need help from their teacher may need to wait a long time before the teacher can get to them, since he or she is most likely working with another student at the time. This empty time can lead to bullying, disruptive behavior, or other nonproductive activities.

Some Los Angeles Schools teachers are reacting to the problems of overcrowding with morning demonstrations against the rising class sizes. They have been outside their school picketing for a few minutes each morning before class begins. They want to open the public’s eyes to the fact that having too many kids in one class makes it nearly impossible to give each student the attention they deserve.

The teachers say that having too many students in one class makes it harder for them to spend enough time with each. They have been holding picket signs outside of the school this week for a few minutes before classes begin.

Overcrowding is definitely a big problem for Los Angeles Schools.

Overcoming Fears And Phobias Through Knowledge

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 7:53 am

Fears and phobias are very limiting in our lives and keep us from attaining our true potential. This is a brief outline of how I overcame a debilitating phobia, and hopefully this method will help you too,

All my life I had a terrible spider phobia, becoming absolutely paralyzed with fear and having to get others to rescue me from these terrible monsters. Then I got a job as an electrical meter reader, which meant I had to go into people’s basements, and we all know what lives in basements! I knew I had to conquer this life-long phobia, so I went to the library and started researching spiders - physiology, biology, and so on. It was very difficult at first to even look at the pictures of spiders. But the real breakthrough came when I started looking at the mythology and symbology of spiders in various cultures and the general characteristics of spiders. To my surprise and dismay, I discovered that I was very much like a spider myself, and my fear came from a fear of those characteristics in myself. So I embraced my spider nature, particularly the creative nature of a spider, and when I saw a spider I took it as a sign that I was neglecting my creativity. In a matter of weeks I was able to be in the presence of spiders without fear. But the amazing part was that now I rarely even saw spiders as I was no longer attracting them with my fear.

The Law of Attraction tells us that what we focus on will appear in our lives. Focussing on the object of your fear will only produce more instances of that fear manifesting in your life. Getting at the root of your fear through research and observation greatly decreases the impact of that fear on your life.

I believe this method will also work to help you overcome your fears around successful internet marketing. Research, learn, and identify your deep-rooted beliefs about success and money. Find your personal truth about a fear or phobia, and the truth shall set you free!

October 19, 2006

Pagan Home Schooling

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , — admin @ 1:26 pm

Nowadays we live in body were religion rules. What do I mean by that? I mean that altogether sorts of systems of ethics, religions, and anti-religions found openly in the world, anything goes and no one and only is hiding it! Due to this fact, there are heavy amounts of families that detect themselves with spouses of a distinctive good faith.

This doesn’t exclude families who like better to homeschool their children. Most of society thinks that homeschooling families like better homeschool because of their long-standing code of conduct in a particular system of belief be it Catholic or Christian like. This is true in some cases, irregardless some families prefer homeschool for accessory basis and find themselves with multi views on dogmas.

For example, a pagan other half and a Christianly wife? Where as in advance when the youth attended junior high school, it wasn’t much of a skepticism, nonetheless now that the kids are being homeschooled you grasp deeper of an advancement to consider and coach conviction. So what do you do? How do you homeschool if you are a Pagan and your wife is a Christly or even Jewish?

It’s effortless. Artistically, model, perhaps its not so smooth, yet it can be done with a little inquiry and pre-planning. Call for the model program and give instruction your children two different faiths which encourages them comprehend that everyone doesn’t think the same and how to know tolerance for others even when they are distinctive or think differently.

Scads of the holidays are acquainted with Pagan and Christian like connections. Make obligatory some time to dig to the chief of each religions holidays and obtain it as an educational go through. Tent some of these “restless holidays” where the kid doesn’t comprehend which way to party, Pagan or Christian like, to broaden the mind and instruct. Detract the pressure by giving your child background and particulars from each of the dad’s views and let them go along with their own conclusions.

October 18, 2006

Parents A Top Priority For Atlanta Schools

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , — admin @ 5:22 pm

No one can deny that it is important for parents to be involved in their child’s education. It is a widely known and rarely disputed fact that kids whose parents are involved in their child’s school do better than those whose parents are not. Parental involvement increases and boosts student achievement. End of story. Or is it?

Many parents today have to work, whether they are heads of single-parent or two-parent families. Atlanta Public Schools parents are no exception. They know that if they want to give their children support by contributing to their child’s learning environment, they must actually do something beyond telling the child in question to “go do your homework”.

While lots of students will do extremely well despite their parent’s lack of involvement, all kids would do better WITH that involvement. Yes, helping with homework is important, and for the struggling student, is vital. For even the highest achieving Atlanta Schools student will benefit from parents who work on homework with them. The child will feel that their parent loves and supports them, and is interested in what he or she has been doing all day.

This past school year, in August 2006, the Atlanta Schools education board gave the go-ahead for the formation of a Parental Involvement Task Force. The main purpose of this organization is to identify strategies which increase Atlanta Schools parental involvement. Their ultimate goal is to improve student achievement. This initiative by Atlanta Schools demonstrates yet another key factor in getting parents to participate in the schools at higher levels. Showing that they are determined to get their parents more involved, Atlanta Schools are taking the topic to the administrative levels. This move demonstrates that Atlanta Schools leaders are aware of and believe in the importance of getting &ndash and keeping &ndash parents involved in the schools.

Of course, helping with homework or simply reading aloud with a child (at any age, even with teenagers) shows enormous benefit to the child. But getting out there in their children’s school by volunteering in the classroom, front office, library, and for special events is vital. Physically being there shows the student (and their friends) that the parent is interested and wants to know what’s going on in the place their child spends most of their time.

The Atlanta Schools parental committee, a sub-committee of the Parental Involvement Task Force, is present at each elementary, middle, and high school throughout the Atlanta Schools area. Two parents and two faculty members from all Atlanta Schools are nominated to sit on this committee. Their objectives are to:

• Make recommendations to the Atlanta Schools Superintendent regarding parental, family and community involvement activities.

• Provide input to the annual parent/community report that will be submitted

to the Board of Education by the Superintendent.

It is obvious that the Atlanta Schools are aware of the necessity to increase parental involvement, with the ultimate goal of improving student achievement.

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