Friday, August 12^th

Zone Offers Chance for Excellence

Innovation drives successful school systems.

One of my earliest teaching assignments took me to a troubled urban school where far too many of the adults in the building had long since given up on the students. Discipline was poor, and the principal spent virtually all her time making rules and punishing students.

Yet, when I walked into the hallway where I was assigned, the feeling was completely different. The teachers on that hallway had taken control of their students and almost completely separated from the rest of the school. They planned together, taught themed units and established powerful relationships with each other and their students, creating an oasis of excellence in a desert of urban despair. Read More

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Company Has Constructive Mission

When Alan Masters started working independently as a painter, he had already come a long way in his own life.

In August of 2010, he decided to make a bold move that would take his career to the next level.

Masters, 30, now serves as the president and founder of TradesBowl, an online database that quickly connects homeowners and craftsmen looking for work. The company also has a charitable element, working with contractors and troubled youth programs to give youngsters a fresh start through learning a viable and sustainable trade.

"For the homeowner, it's fast, free, and easy. It's as simple as that," Masters said. Read More

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New Curfew for Philly Teens as Mayor Blasts Flash Mobs

Curfew is taking on a whole new –– that is, more official –– meaning for teenagers and pre–teens in Philadelphia, where the mayor is combating marauding mobs of kids known as "flash mobs" by ordering anyone under 18 to be off the streets by 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights in problem–plagued areas of the city.

Blaming recent violence on a "relatively small number of complete knuckleheads," Mayor Michael Nutter told a news conference Monday that increased police patrols will round up minors caught outside after the curfew hours, and that parents will be called to pick up their kids. Parents could face fines of $500 if their children are picked up, or charges of child neglect if they don't fetch their children. Read More

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Facing Race Idea Challenge: Engaging Youth to Reduce Racism

Community voters chose two youth–focused projects as the winners in the Saint Paul Foundation's Facing Race Idea Challenge. Nearly 50 Minnesotans submitted their ideas to reduce racism in their communities as part of The Saint Paul Foundation's Facing Race We're All in This Together initiative.

"Through our Facing Race initiative, the Saint Paul Foundation is committed long term to creating communities where everyone feels safe, valued and respected," says Rowzat Shipchandler, Racial Equity Manager for The Saint Paul Foundation. "We will continue to look for creative ways to support racial equity work at the community level."

When the polls closed on June 30, it was clear community voters feel the solution lies in engaging youth. The two top–vote getting ideas will receive '2,500 implementation grants. Read More

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Bully–Ridden Schools Have Lower Test Scores

Bullying in hallways and locker rooms is linked to lower test scores in the classroom for high school students, a new study finds.

In schools where bullying is frequent, schoolwide passing rates on standardized tests are as much as 6 percent lower than in schools without a lot of bullies, researchers reported on Aug. 7 at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in Washington, D.C.

It's not known whether the bullying directly causes lower test scores or whether a bad school climate incubates both bullying and bad test scores, according to University of Virginia psychologist Dewey Cornell and his co–researchers. Research shows that bullying can harm victims both mentally and physically. Bullies themselves are also at risk for mental health problems and substance abuse. Read More

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Free School Supplies

Just a reminder to check with your local Salvation Army about local drives for free school supplies. Please get the word out so that all students can start the school year prepared and positive.

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