Association of
Alaska School Boards
E-NEWS
...your dues at
work.
A weekly digest
of education news for Alaska's School Board Members.
Association of
Alaska School Boards, 1111 West 9th St., Juneau, AK 99801. Tel.
907-586-1083,
Fax 907-586-2995. Carl Rose, Executive Director,
crose@aasb.org: John Greely, Editor, jgreely@aasb.org. Review past issues of
the E-News on
the AASB Website at <http://www.aasb.org>. To unsubscribe send an email
stating the same to jgreely@aasb.org.
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Sponsored by
Alaska Public Entity Insurance Co. <http://www.akpei.com>
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AASB E-News
March 1, 2007
--SURVEY: MANY U.S. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
BORED IN CLASS
--GOVERNORS: EDUCATION, WORKPLACE MUST
CHANGE
--INVOLVING COMMUNITIES: AASB HIGHLIGHTED
AT CPE SITE
--NSBA URGES THAT PARENTS BE
COLLABORATORS, NOT LITIGATORS
--HIGH COURT CASE TESTS LIMITS OF STUDENT
SPEECH RIGHTS
--AASB POLICY UPDATE AVAILABLE NOW
SURVEY: MANY U.S. HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENTS BORED IN CLASS
A majority of U.S. high school students say they get bored in
class every day, and more than one out of five has considered dropping out,
according to a new survey. See full story here:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/02/28/students.survey.reut/index.html
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GOVERNORS: EDUCATION,
WORKPLACE MUST CHANGE
Governors are facing up to some harsh realities: Their
statesÕ school children arenÕt ready for the 21st century, their
workers arenÕt trained for the new jobs created every day, and their businesses
arenÕt competing as strongly as they must to keep ahead. See full story here
from the National GovernorÕs Association winter meetings:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17360369/
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INVOLVING COMMUNITIES: AASB
HIGHLIGHTED AT CPE SITE
Public schools are not islands. They operate within
communities of families, businesses, services and individuals who all share an
interest in the preparation of their younger citizens. Schools that have the
support of their stakeholders have a powerful advantage in carrying out their
mission. Now, the Center for Public Education is highlighting community
engagement partnerships between AASB and three Alaska communities –
Dillingham, Kodiak and Wrangell.
Click here for links to their special coverage:
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NSBA URGES THAT
PARENTS BE COLLABORATORS, NOT LITIGATORS
The U.S. Supreme Court is considering
whether parents who are not attorneys can represent their child in court in
cases under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The
national School Boards Association has filed an amicus brief that argues
parentsÕ role should be as their childÕs advocate in developing the childÕs
individualized education plan, not as their childÕs attorney in court. See full
news release here:
http://www.nsba.org/site/doc.asp?TRACKID=&VID=2&CID=90&DID=40244
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HIGH
COURT CASE TESTS LIMITS OF STUDENT SPEECH RIGHTS
When
the Olympic torch passed through Juneau in 2002, high school senior Joseph
Frederick thought it would be fun to get on TV. As the torch relay passed by
his school, Frederick led his friends in unfurling a banner that read, ÒBong
Hits 4 Jesus.Ó The school principal removed the sign and Frederick sued. Five
years later, the spat in Juneau has become a significant legal test of
studentsÕ speech rights – and of how far school officials can go in
limiting such rights to try to maintain order in schools. On March 19, the U.S.
Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case. See full story here:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-02-28-court-students-speech_x.htm
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AASB POLICY UPDATE AVAILABLE
NOW ON LINE
The most recent edition of AASBÕs
Policy Reference Manual Update is now available on-line on a subscription basis! The update has been posted on the AASB Website
(www.aasb.org) in a Word format that makes it quick and easy for you to
download the instructions and policies
and prepare them for your board to review, revise and adopt, according to the
needs of your school district.
Currently 45 of AlaskaÕs
53 school districts utilize the AASB Policy System format.
Knowing that all school boards want to keep their manuals current with
changes in laws and regulations, each of those 45 districts will be
automatically invoiced for the update and a password will be issued upon
payment. Districts may access the
update sooner by simply contacting Laurie Miller (lmiller@aasb.org) or Diana Miller dmiller@aasb.org with a purchase order number to receive the password
right away.
Districts not currently
using the AASB Policy System can also benefit by purchasing the Update package to either update the AASB Policy
Reference Manual that you may already own, or simply to access current legal
language to use in your own policy manual. Please contact Laurie or Diana at the e-mail addresses
listed above.
Regular policy updating
is essential to keeping the district in compliance with changes in state and
federal law and avoiding the risk of
legal exposure. This edition of the Update contains important changes that
include:
¥ School
District Report Card
¥ Sexual
Harassment
¥ School
Discipline and Safety
¥
Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (to include Cyberbullying)
¥
Performance Enhancing Drugs (Anabolic Steroids)
¥ Health
Care Emergencies (SB 48 changes)
¥ Student
Mental Health – Medication and Services (SB 48 compliance)
¥
Qualifications of Board Members
AASBÕs Policy Update is an
affordable way to attain comprehensive and legally sound revisions to your
manual. The cost of this
current edition of the Policy Update is $995.
A listing of districts currently using the AASB Policy System
is shown below:
|
Alaska Gateway |
Lower Kuskokwim |
|
Aleutian Region |
Lower Yukon |
|
Aleutians East |
Mat-Su Borough |
|
Annette Island |
Nenana |
|
Bering Strait |
Nome |
|
Chatham |
North Slope |
|
Chugach |
Northwest Arctic |
|
Copper River |
Pelican |
|
Cordova |
Petersburg |
|
Craig |
Pribilof |
|
Denali Borough |
Sitka |
|
Dillingham |
Skagway |
|
Galena |
Southeast Island |
|
Haines |
Southwest Region |
|
Hoonah |
St. MaryÕs |
|
Hydaburg |
Tanana |
|
Iditarod |
Unalaska |
|
Kake |
Valdez |
|
Kashunamiut |
Yakutat |
|
Kenai |
Yukon Flats |
|
Ketchikan |
Yukon Koyukuk |
|
Klawock |
Yupiit |
|
Kuspuk |
|
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Association of
Alaska School Boards
...promoting BOARD STANDARDS through...
Vision Structure
Accountability Advocacy Conduct-Ethics
Association of
Alaska School Boards
1111 West 9th
Street, Juneau, Alaska 99801-1510 Tel. 907-586-1083
Fax 907-586-2995
Email: aasb@aasb.org
Website: http://www.aasb.org