Association of
Alaska School Boards
E-NEWS
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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
June 14, 2007
--FEDS EASE SCHOOL RULES IN ALASKA
--KENAI MAY NOT SUE STATE ON SCHOOL FUNDING
FORMULA
--EDUCATION SUIT RULING EXPECTED
--STATE EDUCATION CHIEF RESIGNS TO TAKE
NATIONAL POST
--SCHOOLS CRACK DOWN ON CYBER BULLYING
--SCHOOLS MAY MUZZLE CELL PHONE USE BY
STUDENTS
--SU VALLEY EXAMINING SHORT-TERM SCHOOL
SITE
--JUNEAU VOTERS APPROVE SCHOOL BONDS
--MAGNA AWARDS NOMINATION FORMS AVAILABLE
FEDS EASE SCHOOL RULES IN
ALASKA
The federal government has granted AlaskaÕs request for some
leeway when judging how a school is performing under the No Child Left Behind
Act. A new system, known as a growth model, will track individual student test
scores throughout the years and reward schools when students improve even if
those students are not technically proficient. State and local school officials
applaud the decision. See full story here:
http://newsminer.com/2007/06/12/7447
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KENAI MAY NOT SUE
STATE ON SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA
Just three months after putting $100,000
aside for a lawsuit to challenge a state funding formula that they say shorts
their rural schools, Kenai Peninsula officials say thereÕs new hope it wonÕt
come to that. A statewide school funding task force that starts meeting this
week will consider equity among districts this summer. Peninsula officials in
local government and the Legislature say their message – that their
schools have lost millions over the last decade – finally seems to
resonate with lawmakers. See full story here:
http://www.adn.com/news/education/story/8967954p-8883682c.html
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EDUCATION SUIT
RULING EXPECTED
An Anchorage Superior Court judge is
expected to rule soon in a landmark lawsuit over the adequacy of state funding
for schools. Judge Sharon Gleason has until June 19 to render a decision in the
suit, Moore vs. State of Alaska, in which a group of parents and educators
challenge the constitutionality of the stateÕs K-12 funding program on the
grounds the state does not invest enough money in schools to provide an
adequate education for all students. See full story here (may require
registration):
http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/stories/061207/news_0612new002.shtml
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STATE EDUCATION
CHIEF RESIGNS TO TAKE NATIONAL POST
Roger Sampson, AlaskaÕs education
commissioner, has resigned to work for a national education organization, the
Education Commission of the States. SampsonÕs last day on the job is Aug. 17.
See full story here:
http://www.adn.com/news/education/story/8972526p-8888259c.html
The Department
of Education & Early Development is advertising for a replacement for
Sampson. For a copy of the advertisement, click here:
http://www.eed.state.ak.us/news/Juno_ad.pdf
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SCHOOLS CRACK
DOWN ON CYBER BULLYING
Bullying, hazing and harassment have
found a new outlet with cell phones and the Internet. Now, the Anchorage School
District is working toward putting a stop to cyber bulling with a new policy.
See full story here:
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=6650236
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SCHOOLS MAY
MUZZLE CELL PHONE USE BY STUDENTS
Some Anchorage principals and teachers
have shown cool receptions to studentsÕ cell phone use, even threatening to
confiscate the devices on sight. At other schools, cells and other electronic
devices have hardly caused a blip on the radar. ThatÕs about to change. See
full story here:
http://www.adn.com/news/education/story/8972507p-8888240c.html
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SU VALLEY
EXAMINING SHORT-TERM SCHOOL SITE
The Upper Susitna Senior Center could
serve as temporary digs for Susitna Valley Junior/Senior High School, which was
destroyed by fire June 5, if the schoolÕs Parent Teacher Student Association
has its way. See full story here:
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/8973436p-8889131c.html
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JUNEAU VOTERS
APPROVE SCHOOL BONDS
Yes, yes, and yes. Juneau voters said
yes to all three bonds for completion of Thunder Mountain High School during a
special election on Tuesday. In all, some $17 million is needed to complete the
facility, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2008. See full story here (may require
registration):
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/061307/loc_20070613030.shtml
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MAGNA AWARDS
NOMINATION FORMS AVAILABLE
The American School Board Journal
annually presents the Magna Awards to honor school districts around the country
for achievements in a wide variety of programs, from curriculum and technology
to community engagement and school board training. The Magna Awards nomination
forms for 2008 are now on-line and are worth a review by Alaska school
districts, big and small. The deadline to apply is October 1, 2007. See the
nomination forms here:
http://www.asbj.com/magna/index.html
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Association of
Alaska School Boards
...promoting BOARD STANDARDS through...
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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