Big Deals—Khan Academy Boosts National Civics Bee, AI Tackles Campus Safety, and Stanford Offers Online Math

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation this month announced the launch of the 2024 National Civics Bee. The competition is expanding to 27 states for the 2023-2024 school year, tripling its reach from nine states last year. Students may apply for the competition here. The deadline to enter is January 8, 2024.

The National Civics Bee is a nationwide competition that encourages young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. Middle school students in grades 6-8 flex their civics knowledge for a chance to win recognition and cash prizes. Chambers of commerce across 27 states will host in-person contests in their communities this school year. Top performing students will advance through local and state rounds, culminating in a national competition held in Washington D.C.

This remarkable expansion reflects the deepening civics education crisis in America and has been made possible by significant multi-year grants from supporters like the Daniels Fund. Recent studies have shown alarming gaps in Americans’ understanding of our democratic processes and systems. More than one third of U.S. adults cannot name the three branches of government. The National Civics Bee taps into business leaders’ deep commitment to strengthening civics education and the long-term health of our democracy.…Read More

Konica Minolta Joins ZeroNow Alliance to Foster Safer Schools

Ramsey, NJ (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. ( Konica Minolta) announced it has joined the ZeroNow Alliance for safer schools.

ZeroNow is a member-based nonprofit that facilitates collaboration between industry, association and education partners to foster new solutions to keep school campuses safe and secure. The organization was founded by technology partners Additional, Axis Communications, Johnson Controls and Omnilert, along with campus safety nonprofit partners the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), NASPA (the Association of Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education), Campus Safety Magazine and VTV Family Outreach Foundation.

“The last decade has shown the world just how essential school security has become,” said Stephanie Keer, National Practice Manager, Government/Education, Konica Minolta. “The next decade will bring historical changes, and Konica Minolta is anticipating and preparing to meet the challenges ahead by creating school security solutions that can and will save lives.”…Read More

How video cameras help improve classroom learning and campus safety

When Micah Watson, an 8-year-old with autism, came home with bruises, his parents suspected their son had been mistreated in a closet-sized “calm room” at Plano ISD’s Miller Elementary School. It took two years for the child’s mother, Bethany Watson, to finally see video from that day, which showed Micah being forced into a tiny padded room at the elementary school in Texas. The door was held shut while the child yelled, “No! No! Let me out now!” At one point the teacher egged Micah on with, “Kick me. You’ve already done it. I don’t care.”  The student was knocked to the ground in an attempt to remove his shoes. When the child begged to be let out, the teacher responded, “No.”

This horrific incident led to important changes at Plano ISD and throughout the state of Texas. The teachers involved in the incident were fired. All calm room spaces at Plano schools must now be at least 50 square feet and without doors. This episode, combined with similar high-profile occurrences across the state, led Texas to pass SB507, requiring cameras in special education classrooms. Advocates of the law say the video cameras go a long way in both easing parent concerns and in protecting teachers from wrongful accusations.

The topic of video cameras in the classroom has been brewing for years. Schools that have deployed cameras in public areas have experienced dramatic safety benefits. For example, Fraser Public Schools in Michigan found that the incidents of fighting dropped to near zero. Police officers have found body cams provide an important defense against false accusations.…Read More

Emergency notification in jeopardy if students tune out digital signage

Messages should be capable of being conveyed through digital signage in just seven seconds or less, or else students will tune them out.

If a digital sign can’t convey a message in seven seconds, the technology runs the risk of blending into the background, one expert says—and during campus emergencies, that could prove dangerous.

Schools and departments on college campuses are often competing with each other to see which building touts the most advanced digital signage, but in the arms race for fancy graphics on impressive screens, the potential for emergency messages is lost, said Sean Matthews, president of Visix, a developer of software that’s used in digital signage.…Read More

SROs: A great investment in campus safety

SROOne of the best security measures any district can employ is a school resource officer (SRO)–a trained police officer assigned to a campus. If an emergency strikes, the officer is there to immediately help take control of the situation. There was a perfect example at the end of August…

One of the best security measures any district can employ is a school resource officer (SRO)–a trained police officer assigned to a campus. These officers get to know the campus, the staff, administrators, and students. And if an emergency strikes, the officer is there to immediately help take control of the situation.

There was a perfect example at the end of August. An armed intruder walked onto a high school campus in Tennessee and confronted the principal, pointing a weapon at him. The SRO stepped in between them and began to calm the intruder and move him into an area where he couldn’t harm students or other staff.…Read More

Campus recovering after massacre

police tape webIt’s been more than five years now since a 16-year-old student at Red Lake High School in Minnesota shot and killed his grandfather and the grandfather’s girlfriend. He then took the grandfather’s police-issue weapons and squad car to his school, where he…

It’s been more than five years now since a 16-year-old student at Red Lake High School in Minnesota shot and killed his grandfather and the grandfather’s girlfriend. He then took the grandfather’s police-issue weapons and squad car to his school, where he killed five students, one teacher, and an unarmed security guard before taking his own life. It still stands as one of the nation’s deadliest school shootings.

But today, the school on the Red Lake Indian Reservation is a much happier place. The district has received more than $2 million in school improvement grants—funds that are being used to develop staff and new curriculum with the idea of increasing student test scores and graduation rates.…Read More

Work with staff, parents, and students

home_security_camera_ste-320x243Not long ago, the decision by a Northeastern school district to install security cameras in two high schools without any announcement to parents, faculty, staff or students stirred up a hornet’s nest…

Not long ago, the decision by a Northeastern school district to install security cameras in two high schools without any announcement to parents, faculty, staff or students stirred up a hornet’s nest.

A student newspaper first broke the story about the cameras. A debate ensued about whether or not the cameras should stay. A committee was formed to decide if the cameras represented too great a threat to the privacy of students, faculty, and staff.…Read More

Think outside the box: Doing more with less, Part 2

Dollar Sign on Green BackgroundIn my last blog, I wrote about the massive budget deficits facing most school districts, making it vital that everyone learn to do more with less. Yet, at the same time, we can’t overlook the security needs of our campuses. A few thefts or acts of vandalism can cost more than…

In my last blog, I wrote about the massive budget deficits facing most school districts, making it vital that everyone learn to do more with less. Yet, at the same time, we can’t overlook the security needs of our campuses. A few thefts or acts of vandalism can cost more than the security that may have helped prevent the crimes.

It begins with a security risk assessment. The goal is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the district’s security program. Often times, the weaknesses can be remedied with simple, inexpensive solutions such as landscaping, fencing, or lighting.…Read More

Keep after-school events safe

School Resource Officer_2311The start of a new high school football season is a reason to celebrate–but it also is a time for administrators to be on guard against those who find the games an excuse for criminal behavior. And it’s not just football that can lead to security problems on campus. The same can be true for dances, concerts, and other after-school activities. Fortunately, there are some steps that can help control a situation before it gets out of hand…

For many students, faculty, parents, and members of the surrounding community, the start of a new high school football season is a reason to celebrate. But it also is a time for administrators to be on guard against a few people who find the games an excuse for criminal behavior.…Read More

More schools take security seriously

keypadAs we enter a new school year, I’m happy to see several districts spent the summer making investments in keeping their students, faculty and staff safer. One New Mexico district partnered with a new…

As we enter a new school year, I’m happy to see several districts spent the summer making investments in keeping their students, faculty and staff safer.

•    One New Mexico district partnered with a new bus service provider that equips each bus with three surveillance cameras–one facing the students in their seats, another watching as the kids step on board and the last monitoring the road.  District drivers were immediately pleased.…Read More