| Scholarships: Deadlines near
The deadline for the 16th annual William M. Evans Scholarship award is March 16. The $2,000 scholarship, which honors the memory of Bose McKinney & Evans founding partner Bill Evans (1923-1991), will be awarded to an Indiana special education student (as defined by 511 IAC 7) who is pursuing post-secondary education in 2007-08 by attending a university, college, junior college or vocational training program. Applications are available at offices of Indiana Directors of Special Education or www.boselaw.com/groups/scholarship.shtml. Call 1-317-571-0051 for more information. .
Retired Teacher Proposes Sex Education Bill
(AP) DENVER A retired teacher sponsored a bill that would require that sex education classes be based on information from doctors, health services and public health departments.The bill by Democratic Representative Nancy Todd is scheduled Monday in the House Education Committee. The proposal by the Aurora lawmaker would urge teachers not to promote religious values in the courses.But Todd said the bill would not bar discussion of moral and religious issues bound to come up. She worries that kids are getting bad information about sex from music, movies and other media.The bill would encourage parental involvement, emphasize abstinence and warn of the danger of sexually transmitted diseases. .
County honors principal
When Judy Laakso became principal of Victoria Elementary School in 1993, she didn't have much of an act to follow — the Westside school, located in one of Costa Mesa's poorest areas, had been closed for a number of years.Since then, with Laakso at the helm, the school has steadily racked up honors. The state named it a California Distinguished School in 2000 and 2006, and it has posted high enough scores to stay off the federal Program Improvement list — unlike most Newport-Mesa schools with low-income populations.Laakso got a recognition of her own this week, as she became the third Newport-Mesa staffer in the last year to win the county's Outstanding Contributions to Education Award. Laakso followed Newport Coast Elementary School teacher Ingrid Ohanian and Newport Heights Elementary School Principal Kurt Suhr, both of whom won the honor last year."I think I'm most proud of the Victoria family, the students and the parents and the staff," said Laakso, who previously served as principal of Andersen Elementary School in Newport Beach.
Board of Education makes redistricting decision
Pittsboro, NC - Chatham County Schools has been in the process of redistricting the elementary attendance zones for the Siler City and Silk Hope areas in preparation for the opening of Virginia Cross Elementary School this fall. A redistricting committee, comprised of parent representatives from Silk Hope and Siler City Elementary, principals of the two schools, Board of Education members, central office staff, and Superintendent Ann Hart, worked from December through early February to supply suggested zones for attendance at Siler City Elementary, Silk Hope, and the new Virginia Cross Elementary. The OR/Ed. Lab in Raleigh had created optimal scenarios from which the committee worked. During its meeting on Monday, February 26, the Chatham County Board of Education voted to use scenario D in redistricting.
Bill would fund state sex education classes
HELENA - Montana's schoolchildren need to learn about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases - not just abstinence - in sex education classes, advocates of a bill to expand such offerings said Wednesday.Rep. Teresa Henry, D-Missoula, is proposing a measure to make comprehensive sex education programs available throughout the state. Her bill would provide more than $500,000 in state grants to city, county and tribal health departments each year for such programs. The courses would have to include instruction about abstinence, contraception, STDs, drug and alcohol use and other issues and could not teach or promote religion.The programs must also be "age-appropriate" and would have to promote self-esteem, nonviolent dating relationships and "healthy attitudes" about body image, sexual orientation and other subjects.Classes offered by Montana schools aren't cutting it, Henry and other supporters told the House Human Services Committee.
South Africa: Brain Drain Turned to Country's Advantage
THE brain drain of skilled South Africans who leave the country to work overseas is invariably presented as a negative phenomenon. Whether those who leave do so out of concern over crime levels or in search of better employment opportunities, the general feeling is one of loss. Government's response is consistent with this, ranging from accusing those who leave of being unpatriotic to taking action intended to lure skilled emigrants back to their land of birth. Education Minister Naledi Pandor recently proposed new measures to persuade expatriate South African educators to come home, including the possibility of government incentives for those with appropriate qualifications who take up positions in higher education institutions in particular. .
WORKING FOR NYC'S YOUNGEST: CHILD CARE AT A TURNING POINT
New York City's publicly funded early childhood care and education system is sprawling. Nearly 56,000 of the city's poorest children receive subsidized child care services through the primary child care subsidy agency, the Administration for Children's Services (ACS). Free pre-kindergarten services reach another 48,000 low- and middle-income preschool-age children through the Department of Education (DOE). Thousands more receive free federal Head Start (a comprehensive child development program for 3- and 4-year-olds), some through ACS. Yet there are still 35,000 low-income working families on waiting lists, unable to take advantage of these early childhood opportunities that prepare kids for success in school and help parents work. Traditionally, these critical programs have been operated separately, with funding, programming and planning done in silos, leading to contradictory eligibility requirements, overlaps in services and a waste of precious limited resources.
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