| Numbers don't tell whole story
Numbers are stark. They can be static and unforgiving. They embrace no shades of reality, no mitigating factors. And they call out to be put in order, from best to worst or vice versa. That urge to rank numbers can be particularly unforgiving in relation to how well our students, schools and school boards do on provincewide standardized testing. The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO), which administers standardized tests in grades 3, 6, 9 (math) and 10 (literacy), rails against media and parents putting test results in any kind of order in relation to each other. Similarly, educators balk at such rankings. The cynics among us might suggest teachers, for example, dislike EQAO-based rankings because it could make some teachers look bad. If students aren't performing, or aren't showing improvement over time, it must be the teachers' fault, right? Wrong.
Pass proposed suicide legislation
A recent Chronicle of Higher Education article said a bill was approved by the Virginia legislature that would not allow public colleges and universities to expel or dismiss suicidal students.
All that's left is for that state's governor, Tim Kaine, to sign it into law.
This is a positive thing, and more states, including Ohio, should look into passing similar laws.
The Chronicle article said The bill came about after a number of universities were sued by students who had been suspended after attempting suicide or seeking treatment for depression.
After the bill turns into law, "students at public universities could not be 'penalized or expelled solely for attempting to commit suicide, or seeking mental-health treatment for suicidal thoughts or behaviors,'" as reported by the Chronicle.
SLM Financial Awards $3500 to Brooklyn Family in K-12 Family ...
BROOKLYN, N.Y., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SLM Financial, a Sallie Mae company that offers products for parents of K-12 children, today announced that it has awarded $3,500 to Rickey and Inger Mercado of Brooklyn as the winners of its K-12 Family Education Loan Scholarship Sweepstakes. The prize is awarded annually to one lucky family who uses SLM Financial's loan program to finance a private K-12 education. The Mercado's two children attend a private school in Brooklyn. The Mercado's eldest son attends fifth grade at Poly Prep Middle School, and their daughter attends first grade at Poly Prep Lower School. The Mercado's took out an SLM Financial K-12 Family Education Loan to help them cover Poly Prep's tuition. "My children love the school they attend and I believe they are getting a wonderful education there, but at times it can be difficult to handle the cost of a private education," said Rickey Mercado.
Microsoft Sponsors National Computer Skills Competition in Saudi ...
The General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training has announced plans for the National Competition for Computer Skills, which comes within the framework of an agreement signed with Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates. Motivated by appreciation for the importance of such activities for youths in the Kingdom, Microsoft has lent their support through a financial grant amounting to SR 100,000. The National Computer Skills Competition is open to computer fans from all segments - male or female, old or young, Saudi and expatriate, who have creative abilities in the following branches: Programming (databases, programming language, Internet Programming, asp, php etc); networking and programming operational systems; programming mobiles and hand-held devices (PDA's); multimedia; cartoon films and stills, and website design.
Smart saving must be followed by smart spending
Parents' college plans shouldn't stop with saving money. Spending that currency can demand a strategy as well. Consider Mark Buell's choices. Buell, who raised two children in Liberty, began to save money for their college education in Coverdell Education Savings Accounts. In their high school years, he shifted contributions to Missouri's state-sponsored 529 savings plan, called MOST, which has better tax benefits. Buell's oldest child, Dustin, is now in a private college and earning merit scholarships. A grandparent has come up with contributions at key moments as well. And Dustin is borrowing money under low-cost student loan programs and from a private lender. The whole household is trying to figure out how to marshal these resources and still contribute to future college needs.
Different Version Of Sex Ed Coming To Loudoun
Much was made in some Loudoun communities over the sex education message the Loudoun County Public Schools system pushed when it brought abstinence-only speaker Keith Deltano into a handful of the areas schools.Not once, but twice, Deltano's visits raised eyebrows from groups like Mainstream Loudoun, who didn't quibble with the effectiveness of abstinence but wondered why the school system wasn't promoting a comprehensive sex education policy.Now, Mainstream Loudoun, the Unitarian Universalist Church and the St. James United Church of Christ are bringing another version of sex education to the county. Shelby Knox, who is now a senior in college, is a devout Christian and had pledged abstinence until marriage. But while a high school student in Lubbock, TX, Knox became an "unlikely advocate for comprehensive education," a release promoting the event stated.Her story will be on display in the form of an award-winning documentary, which won an award for Best Cinematography at the Sundance Film Festival in 2005 and which aired in part on PBS' Point of View series.
Pakistan experiencing shortage of medical doctors
KARACHI: Pakistan is facing a shortage of 50,000 doctors needed to attain even a level of one doctor per 1000 patients, said the Federal Health Secretary, Syed Anwar Mehmood.
He has registered his concern about the patient/doctor ratio in the country. This affects public access to quality health care. In his key note address at the Convocation of Jinnah Medical and Dental College (JMDC), he said that there were no more than 75,000 to 80,000 medical graduates serving the country. The issue is extremely crucial and needs to be addressed without any delay, as the population is estimated to reach 250 million by the year 2025.
Supporting the governments decision to promote private sector involvement in the medical education, the health secretary said that the public sector is also playing its role, and that the government is not oblivious about its responsibility to ensure provision for quality education.
Pass proposed suicide legislation
A recent Chronicle of Higher Education article said a bill was approved by the Virginia legislature that would not allow public colleges and universities to expel or dismiss suicidal students.
All that's left is for that state's governor, Tim Kaine, to sign it into law.
This is a positive thing, and more states, including Ohio, should look into passing similar laws.
The Chronicle article said The bill came about after a number of universities were sued by students who had been suspended after attempting suicide or seeking treatment for depression.
After the bill turns into law, "students at public universities could not be 'penalized or expelled solely for attempting to commit suicide, or seeking mental-health treatment for suicidal thoughts or behaviors,'" as reported by the Chronicle.
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