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School District Salaries

Does a $338,000 salary for a school district executive sound obscene? Many executive’s salaries are around $200,000. Do these salaries, highlighted yesterday in the Daily News column by former schools CEO Phil Goldsmith represent new evidence that after years of starving the city’s public schools, we are not recognizing the value of education, and are simply paying for what we value? To be fair, Arlene Ackerman didn’t establish the standards for this high rate of pay, $338,000. Her predecessor, Paul Vallas, had a base of $275,000 with perks that pushed his compensation beyond $500,00 a year. It isn’t just Ackerman’s salary that is the issue. It is also the pay of the executives that surround her that sends the wrong message.

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Administrative School Reform

During recent months there has been increasingly heated debate centered on how the administration of the Detroit Public Schools should look in the years to come. The topic on how to improve the school system is long overdue. It may be time to let the mayor and school board members start repairing the city. If neither rises to the occasion, then it may be time to go outside and try something altogether new. So far all that’s been talked about is administrative reform, when the administration is only part of the problem. Granted, recent embarrassing stories highlighting the worst of what DPS has to offer have greatly contributed to the call for an administrative overhaul, and that’s not surprising. It’s hard to imagine the situation getting any worse.

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Theories of Reform

Anyone who had ever been to school has a theory about what is wrong with education. With this the list of reform theories gets longer and longer. A few to list are:get back to the basics, lengthen the school day, separate the sexes, toughen standards and many more. The school reform is chaotic. Currently the only reforms being taken seriously are those being pushed by Bill Gates, Eli Broad, the Waltons, and other rich theorists. Since the whole matter comes down to getting inside kids’ heads and helping them make better sense of the world, and no job is more intellectually challenging than that, the opinions of those who’ve actually taught should be actually taught should be useful.

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Movers and Shakers

The Skiatook School Board president, Kenneth Cooper, stepped down Friday after a grand jury accused him of misconduct.
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Dr. Constance Clark-Snead, hired in March after year-long search, told the school board President that she decided to stay at her current position as superintendent.
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Tina Templin, superintendent of DeWitt Public Schools, has joined a stream of mid-Michigan administrators retiring this year.
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Airport Community Schools is losing Supt. Henry A. Schafer, a “lifelong educator” and administrator in the district for 37 years, to retirement.
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Special meeting of the Lakeside Water District, Bernard P. Malis Jr. was hired as superintendent.
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The Union Board of Education has appointed Dr. Patrick Martin as the district’s new
superintendent, beginning August 1st.
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Toledo Public School Board members voted 4-1 Tuesday evening to offer the open superintendent job to Dr. Jerome Pecko. Pecko accepted the position.
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The Freehold Regional High School District’s newly retired superintendent, H. James Wasser,
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Yellville-Summit High School Principal Ralph Bishop has officially retired after taking a leave of absence for health reasons since January.
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The Wausau School District has hired the top administrator of Stevens Point schools to be its interim superintendent.
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Developing Robot Teachers

A 6-year-old autistic boy has been introduced to a new companion, a robot. The boy starts to imitate his playmate’s every move from raising his arms to smiling. When the child start to go back into withdraw, the robot keeps eye contact and the boy continues to play the game of “Simon Says.” Now there are many laboratories where scientists are developing robots to engage people and teach the simple skills.

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About 80 Educators Suspected of Cheating

There is an ongoing investigation on about 80 educators by the state of possible cheating on standardized tests last year. Kathleen Mathers, executive directors of the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, indicated that these educations come from 14 districts and counting. A report show that about 20 percent of Georgia elementary and middle schools last spring. Mather did not state the districts involved.

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Bill Gates Believes Charter Schools Can Revolutionize Education

Bill Gates thinks that charter school are showing the possibility of bringing a breakthrough in education. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been a very big player in school reform with spendings of up to $200 million a year on grants to elementary and secondary schools. Gates said charter schools and their ability to innovate are a key part of the foundation’s education strategy.

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Alameda Unified School District approves largely slashed budget

It was an emotional Board of Education meeting last night, as both the board and the audience struggled to comprehend the magnitude of the $17 million in cuts the district needs to make over the next three years. But in the end two plans of action were recommended: a) move forward on implementing those cuts; and b)look into putting another parcel tax on the ballot next spring.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/inalameda/detail?&entry_id=66886#ixzz0sLdEF54J

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/inalameda/detail?&entry_id=66886#ixzz0sLd8Uyia

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Schenectady Schools Chief Ely Resigns

The city school district’s controversial superintendent, Eric Ely, has resigned, but the school board is refusing to discuss a proposed separation agreement with Ely in advance of tonight’s scheduled vote. READ MORE

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Movers and Shakers

Steelton-Highspire superintendent resigns to care for husband. Read More

North Kingstown school superintendent Dr. Priscilla Feir resigned her position Thursday, blaming the growing fiscal crisis in education in North Kingstown and across the state. Read More

Dr. Suzanne Koegler Appointed Acting Superintendent of School. Read More

Booker to become superintendent of School District 7. Read More

Foreman School District Superintendent Larry Lairmore resigned Monday night for “personal reasons.”
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