School officials say mayor’s proposed budget will increase class size …

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‘Bear crawl’ coaches to keep teaching jobs – USA Today

CLAYTON, Ind. — Four Indiana high school track coaches suspended over their controversial punishment of team members won’t lose their jobs as teachers.

Mill Creek Community Schools said the four — three men and a woman — were back in the classroom Tuesday at Cascade High School but won’t return to their coaching roles.

School officials said an investigation into the May 1 incident in which the coaches made students “bear crawl” — do laps hunched over on their hands and feet, causing some students to have blisters on their hands — as punishment for missing practice was completed Tuesday.

STORY: Athletes forced to ‘bear crawl’

“After gathering and investigating facts surrounding the incident that occurred, it has been determined that there was no intent to cause harm to students,” the school corporation said in a statement.

Sean Adams, Rosie Fakes, Josh Hagonow and Nicholas Puckett resigned their coaching jobs after the school corporation asked them to do so, said Linda Stinson, executive assistant to the superintendent.

But after the investigation, school officials said, “there was no evidence that the extracurricular incident that occurred would carry over to the classroom.”

In a statement released shortly after the incident, the school district apologized to the students’ parents and assured them that officials “do not condone, nor will tolerate” such behavior from school employees. The coaches had been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

Students on the track team were split on the decision Tuesday afternoon.

Sophomore Mac White, 16, said media focus on the incident meant the teachers’ resignations as coaches “had to be done.”

But Eli Harrison, 18, one of those who did the punishment May 1, disagreed.

“They still shouldn’t have lost their coaching jobs, because the punishment wasn’t that severe,” he said.

According to Tuesday’s statement, the teachers will focus on “moving forward on effective teaching and student learning.”

Hamilton School District officials cut 11 teaching jobs

MISSOULA, Mont. –

Thursday evening Hamilton School District officials voted to not fill 11 teaching positions.

School board members held a special meeting Thursday regarding job cuts, where the public voiced their concerns over how cuts could impact education.

Most of the folks who got up to speak urged the school board to postpone the teacher reduction. They asked for the board to wait and find out if state dollars would be available to offset costs.

Administrators tell us the cuts are necessary to offset an anticipated $371,000 deficit.

School officials said they don’t believe they will see significant funding increases and they have other budget issues to consider like tenure teacher salaries.

“This isn’t something that is just this year, this has been done before. We had 29 of them two years ago,” said board member Jim Shea.  

Hamilton resident and mother Angie Poliquin stood up a handful of times to voice her concerns about the teacher cuts.  She explained to board members that her son has Down syndrome and she feels eliminating so many para-professionals would have detrimental impacts on her son. 

“The school district is his last best hope at getting to be a self-supporting, contributing member of society when he’s an adult and I really want to see that happen for him,” said Poliquin.  “I’m afraid pulling resources where they’re desperately needed and experienced teachers from where they’re proven is a mistake.”

The 11 positions which will not be filled are:

-6 para-professionals

-2 teachers

-1 preschool specialist

-1 art specialist

-1 grant writer

Poliquin tells NBC Montana she understands having a balanced budget, but says she’s disappointed the school had to eliminate 11 teaching positions to do so. 

NBC Montana will continue to follow this story and bring you the details as we learn more.

Terrell, Young face loss of teaching jobs

PARKERSBURG – Two teachers who were suspended by school officials this year may find themselves out of the Wood County classrooms permanently next year.

Embattled Parkersburg High School teachers Amanda Terrell and Jesse Young were not on the list Tuesday evening to receive probationary and continuing contracts for personnel in Wood County Schools.

Terrell was suspended by officials earlier this year following the “Bad Kid Fort” incident. Young was suspended recently for his role in the PHS Harlem Shake video.

Article Photos

Photo by Jody Murphy
Greg Merritt, president of the Wood County American Federation of Teachers, listens as board members discuss the positions list Tuesday.

Greg Merritt, president of the Wood County American Federation of Teachers, spoke during public comments at the Wood County Board of Education meeting to bring attention to Terrell’s omission. He noted Terrell, who’s taught in the system for two years, has not been included in the continuing contracts for next year.

Merritt said Terrell served her suspension and returned to the classroom. He acknowledged she made a mistake with regard to the “Bad Kid Fort” incident, but has continued to teach.

Merritt described the social media campaign against Terrell, following the incident, as “ruthless and exaggerated.” He asked the board to consider placing Terrell’s name on the list for continuing contracts.

Terrell attended Tuesday’s meeting, but did not address the board of education. She left before the meeting ended.

Merritt said Terrell was unaware of her contract status until she noticed her name had been omitted from the agenda.

The issue was questioned by board president Tim Yeater.

“She served her suspension, and there were no issues after the fact?” he asked Superintendent Pat Law. “Can you explain?”

“Not here,” Law said.

“Terrell won’t be notified until after (tonight),” Yeater followed. “We take action without her knowledge?”

Law said Terrell would be able to respond by requesting a hearing. She has a right to a hearing afterward, he said.

Sue Woodward, assistant superintendent of Wood County Schools, said after the meeting teachers lacking tenure have to prove why they should be rehired.

“After three years it’s our burden to prove why they shouldn’t be hired,” she said. “That’s the way the system works.”

Merritt imagined Terrell would request a hearing.

“I would encourage her to do that,” he added.

Board members voted to approve the personnel matters by a 4-1 vote. Yeater was the lone no vote. He said his vote was not because of the names on the list, “but the ones left off.”

Yeater said he had additional comments, but would refrain.

Young, a first-year teacher, also was not extended a contract according to the personnel addendum. In fact, board members unanimously – and without discussion- voted to extend his suspension to 30 days.

Board members voted down the proposed early transfer of Christie Willis, principal at Jefferson Elementary Center, to become assistant director of federal programs. The change had sought to go into effect April 1, but board members and several school officials balked at the early change, preferring to maintain the initial July 1 date.

Officials noted Willis was “not bailing on the school.” The earlier date was requested by John Merritt, the federal programs director, who needed help preparing for summer programs.

Karen Brunicardi, director of elementary schools and prekindergarten programs, told the board in the “best interest of the school I would like her to finish the year.”

The board declined to approve the early transfer, voting it down by a 1-4 vote. Fox was the only affirmative vote.

School janitor indicted of hidden cellphone, flitting along provocative pictures

A Seminole County facile propagandize janitor is off a pursuit after being indicted of hidden provocative photos of a teacher’s partner and promulgation them to other employees.

Allen Foster worked during Layer Elementary School in Winter Springs.

School officials pronounced Foster was ostensible to be cleaning a classroom, though they pronounced he took a training assistant’s phone, went by her cinema and snatched several provocative photos from that phone.

They pronounced Foster is indicted of promulgation those insinuate photos to during slightest one other janitor.

Officials pronounced he spent time going by dozens of a woman’s personal photos until he found dual he liked.

The district told WFTV’s Kenneth Craig that a eight-year worker was held when he attempted to spin a phone behind in. They pronounced he initial lied about what he did, though eventually confessed.

Officials pronounced Foster had never been in difficulty with a school.

Craig found that Foster has been arrested once in Seminole County 14 years ago after a domestic situation.

School officials give Cuomo churned grades on State of State summary – Glens Falls Post

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in Wednesday’s State of a State speech, did not residence mandates and losses that are pushing propagandize districts toward bankruptcy, internal propagandize officials said.

Some officials did support Cuomo’s skeleton for improving a peculiarity of teachers, observant that improved educators are a pivotal to tyro success, though a governor’s remarks left out solutions to a many obligatory issues confronting propagandize districts.

“There was no plead of charge relief, and charge relief, we think, is a many vicious emanate for a Legislature and administrator to address,” pronounced Douglas Huntley, superintendent of Queensbury.

Huntley pronounced Cuomo combined a skill taxation top — that affects a income districts accept — though has not taken movement to revoke districts’ expenses.

Pensions and health word are dual vital losses that have increasing in new years for districts, and will boost again for 2013-14. Districts have tiny control over these costs.

“Those are a losses that districts are confronting that are heading districts in New York state to insolvency,” Huntley said.

Paul Jenkins, superintendent of a Glens Falls City School District, also felt a administrator missed a many vicious emanate involving education.

“I was unhappy a administrator did not plead any form of charge relief. That was a large square that was missing,” Jenkins said.

Cuomo wants to enhance a propagandize day and educational year, permitting for some-more classroom time for students. He has also called for full-day pre-kindergarten, generally in high-poverty districts where those services are some-more needed.

Grants will be accessible on a rival basement to districts to cover a cost of fluctuating a day and calendar, and for full-day pre-kindergarten.

While those programs are good intended, and would assistance boost tyro achievement, internal superintendents pronounced districts should not have to contest with any other for a money. Doing so puts small, farming districts during a waste since they are some-more expected to miss a resources and crew with grant-writing imagination compared to larger, wealthier districts, officials said.

“It shouldn’t be rival grants unless they are guaranteed grants, where we write a concentration and we get a money,” pronounced James Watson, superintendent of Whitehall. “You are pitting one propagandize opposite a other. That’s not integrity for a credentials of a state.”

Rather than set aside income for grants, it should go toward state assist for all districts, Huntley said.

Local propagandize officials have argued that a state’s regulation for distributing income to districts is unfair. High-poverty districts accept some-more state assist than others, though also continue a larger cut when a supports are reduced. Poor districts have a larger commission of low-income homes, creation it formidable to lift propagandize taxes to equivalent state assist cuts.

Some internal credentials experts did support Cuomo’s devise to put improved teachers in classrooms.

Cuomo wants a State University of New York to lift a admissions mandate for clergyman credentials programs. He wants impending teachers to take partial in some-more visit and higher-quality student-teaching programs in propagandize settings.

Cuomo has called for substantiating a “bar exam” for teachers, and to prerogative “master teachers” with $15,000 per year for 4 years to sight other teachers. His devise does not specific how a module would be funded.

Stephen Danna, vanguard of SUNY Plattsburgh’s bend campus in Queensbury, that has a training program, pronounced lifting a customary for students who wish to turn teachers will urge a profession.

“I consider lifting a bar is a good thing,” he said. “We wish graduates to leave a schools prepared to strike a belligerent running, to safeguard students grasp to a biggest capacity. We don’t wish them to figure it out over a two- or four-year period. We wish them to be prepared from Day One to effectively change a expansion of any student.”

Huntley pronounced he likes a thought of regulating master teachers to sight new teachers. It creates a career ladder that could advantage gifted teachers, though how it’s saved is a concern.

“If it’s going to yield a cost-burden to a internal taxpayer, afterwards we could not support it,” Huntley said.

Dee Winter-Barclay, boss of a Glens Falls teachers union, wrote in an email to The Post-Star that investigate studies have found that a peculiarity of instruction is a No. 1 predictor for tyro achievement. She wrote that training schools should be like training hospitals, where a final dual or 3 years would be tuition-free residency in that a training claimant would combine with a group of master teachers.

“After a rigorous, competitive, ‘real school’ program, training possibilities would connoisseur as rarely qualified, effective teachers,” Winter-Barclay wrote. “I only consider when we’re building new teachers, we should concentration on a unsentimental knowledge of teaching.”

Others were some-more vicious of Cuomo’s devise for a bar examination since it shows a stream complement for training teachers is not working.

“Why do they need to pass a bar exam?” Watson said. “He (Cuomo) is revelation a SUNY credentials complement does not work. That falls underneath his jurisdiction, too.”

Full-Day Pre-K, Longer Schools Days Eyed by Cuomo

By Lisa Fleisher

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday due rival grants to tempt propagandize districts opposite New York state to adopt policies such as full-day prekindergarten for low-income students, longer propagandize days and years, and new record programs.

During his state of a state address, a administrator didn’t contend how many income he would make accessible for a programs — or how a districts would continue appropriation a programs after a grants run out.

Cuomo also pronounced that districts would once again be compulsory to have new clergyman evaluations in place in a 2014-15 propagandize year in sequence to accept any boost in state funding. This year, New York City and a handful of other districts are during risk of losing adult to 4% of their state assist since they haven’t beaten out a understanding on those evaluations yet, and a deadline is Jan. 17.

Cuomo’s recommendations mirrored many of those outlined in a news released final week by a elect he convened in April.

Cuomo has used rival grants in any of his final dual budgets to try to prerogative good opening or potency in schools — about $250 million out of $20 billion sent to internal districts this year. Some propagandize officials and members of a Board of Regents have pronounced a income shouldn’t be hold behind in a segregated pot when all propagandize districts were feeling a splash of a 2% skill taxation cap.

Signs of pushback on Wednesday were immediately apparent as Cuomo delivered his speech. The New York State School Boards Association tweeted that a administrator should keep rival grants out of ubiquitous preparation funding.

“We don’t wish to make schools contest for ubiquitous propagandize assist or revoke simple handling aid,” one twitter said.

On Wednesday, a administrator laid out a many some-more minute turn of grants, with comparatively renouned ideas such as appropriation to supplement 25% some-more training time to propagandize days or years. Districts could also request for grants to supplement full-day prekindergarten — or during slightest 5 hours a day — for a highest-need students.

Cuomo also due worse standards for new teachers, including some-more severe student-teaching mandate and aloft admissions mandate for training programs during a State University of New York and City University of New York, that aides pronounced would come in a form of GPA requirements. The state also is in a routine of formulating a new examination for incoming teachers, that has been likened to a bar examination for law students.

The administrator also pronounced he would like to compensate a best teachers additional stipends to act as mentors and instructors to other teachers by expanding a module called Math for America via a state. The module would yield $15,000 a year for 4 years to supposed “master teachers.”

The preparation proposals avoided some-more argumentative topics, such as a placement of state assist to districts formed on need and anything associated to licence schools.

Cuomo also pronounced he upheld profitable teachers for good performance, though his outline stopped brief of what many people consider of as “merit pay”: increasing compensate or bonuses formed only on either teachers are effective. Instead, Cuomo pronounced he upheld profitable effective teachers to assistance coach and sight other teachers or profitable them some-more for doing more.

The proposals were widely praised. Both a care of a city Department of Education and of a visit kinship adversary, a United Federation of Teachers, found things they liked. The kinship generally upheld a offer to centralize services in particular schools, while a city highlighted extended training and early childhood preparation programs.

Brooklyn training partner arrested after distinguished child, cops say

A Brooklyn training partner was collared for distinguished an 8-year-old tyro in a face, cops said.

Raifu Saka, 65, was charged with endangering a gratification of a child for allegedly attack a lady inside Public School 191 on Park Pl. in Crown Heights Monday.

Witnesses told military Saka and a child were arguing when a 8-year-old kicked him.

Saka allegedly responded by holding a pitch during a child, attack her in a face.

School officials immediately dangling Saka but compensate tentative a military investigation.

The teacher’s partner has been with a Department of Education given 1999 and has been during P.S. 191 given 2009, according to a Department of Education spokesman.

This is a initial time Saka’s been indicted of any wrongdoing, preparation officials said.

Calls to Saka were not returned. His counsel could not be reached.

Examiner Local Editorial: Common sense trumps ‘zero tolerance’

Lawmakers were quick to begin their legislative overreaction to the shooting in Newtown, Conn.: the calls for gun control measures that would have done nothing to avert the tragic shooting (including the fingerprinting of all gun buyers) and lockdown-style school safety measures that would make grade schools resemble prisons.

But it isn’t just lawmakers who have abandoned sober thinking for abject panic. School officials at Roscoe R. Nix Elementary in Montgomery County suspended a 6-year-old student for something nearly everyone does as a child. He formed his thumb and finger into an L-shape resembling a gun, pointed it at another student and said, “Pow!” This kid needed a talking-to, and perhaps a note home to his parents. Suspension was totally uncalled for.

Fortunately, common sense prevailed in this case. As The Washington Examiner reported Sunday, Principal Annette Ffolkes has informed the child’s parents that they will be rescinding his suspension and expunging it from his record. We can only add that we hope no trace of the incident remains, because perfectly normal childlike behavior should not mar a student or cause him to be singled out for life as a troublemaker. The school administrator who originally informed his parents that he had “threatened to shoot another student” should really use words more carefully.

The main question to consider is how we got to this point. On the one hand, teachers are frequently unable to impose classroom discipline because public school systems are loath to suspend or expel even the worst troublemakers. On the other hand, suspensions are handed out for trivial behavior like the incident noted above. Another classic case came last year, when Maryland’s state board had to reverse two suspensions in Talbot County for possession of “deadly weapons” — a penknife and a lighter, which school officials called an “explosive device.” Both items were in fact used to maintain the strings on the students’ lacrosse sticks. The suspensions, though lifted, interfered with the students’ college applications.

Such “zero tolerance” approaches to school discipline have been badly and rightly tarnished. Zero tolerance tends to harm the near-innocent as much as it punishes the guilty. Perhaps more importantly, it has created an even stronger disrespect and contempt for school authority. When fully grown school officials behave so foolishly, it undermines their authority in the sight of the children they are trying to educate. The solution, which most educators already apply, is common sense.

Here is a latest Rhode Island news from The Associated Press

CRANSTON, R.I. –

CRANSTON, R.I. (AP) School officials in Cranston contend they’ve trained a surrogate clergyman who punished dual third-graders by promulgation them out in a cold continue though coats. An central tells The Providence Journal a clergyman showed a “lack of classroom management” when he sent a students outward since they were “acting up.”

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) State preparation commissioner Deborah Gist (gihst) is behind during work following her medicine in Sep to mislay a grape-sized mind tumor. She tells The Associated Press she feels good and is blissful to lapse full-time.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) Providence’s downtown skating course is open for business. The Bank of America City Center course adjacent to Kennedy Plaza is charity singular hours this afternoon and will be open all day tomorrow. Rental skates are available.

JOHNSTON, R.I. (AP) You don’t have to flow that used Thanksgiving cooking oil down a drain. The Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation offers a giveaway recycling use that translates a rubbish into fuel. Collection drums are during a Central Landfill in Johnston. The landfill is sealed currently though will be open tomorrow.