Whether you have an active program in your school district or not, you’ve likely heard about the blazing hot eSports movement in education which aims to help engage marginalized students by leveraging and further developing their steadfast passion for video games. eSports serves as an ideal entry point to bring these kids more fully into the education fold while also preparing them for the future by cultivating their social interaction, leadership and problem-solving skills.
Podcast Series: Innovations in Education
Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.
6 things parents can do to boost school security efforts
As students head back to the classroom, parents of school-age children can play a significant role in helping assure violence prevention and school security measures are implemented in their child’s school.
Parents can be as influential as school board members, superintendents, principals, and teachers in helping prevent violence in schools. In fact, parents–who are also taxpayers and voters–have the power to effect change if they are willing to become involved both individually and collectively.
All members of the education community–including parents–need to be involved in helping provide a safe and secure environment where children can learn without fear. Don’t wait until something bad happens.…Read More
5 ways to support educator well-being this school year
Educators, I see you. I know it’s been a rough couple of years.
From teaching through a global pandemic to adjusting in real time to teacher shortages and policy changes, from worrying about school safety to trying to manage more disruptive behavior in your classroom, this past school year alone has presented huge challenges.
As humans, we are neurobiologically wired for connection – it’s in our DNA. And, as educators, you are wired to help support the students (and fellow educators) you serve – it’s why you entered this profession to begin with. However, due to all of the external (and internal) pressures, you and so many other educators are likely feeling burned out, exhausted, and overwhelmed.…Read More
Creating support ecosystems for neurodivergent learners
Since March 2020, we have all assuredly witnessed firsthand the importance of our community – our friends, family, co-workers, and loved ones who supported us, helped us deal with the layers of adversity, and played a critical role in helping us come out of the pandemic stronger.
While ecosystems are important to all individuals, they are especially crucial to the caregivers and families of neurodivergent learners. Ecosystems for these individuals help provide a sense of belonging for those going through similar experiences, but also serve as a community or network of confidantes and advisors who can help give families direction when time is of the essence.
Educational professionals play a starring role in learner ecosystems and help bolster them as they provide a listening ear, a credible source of support and validate recommendations to parents. …Read More
Children’s Hospital Colorado Expands Access to Free, Online Teacher Training to Help Students with ASD and ADHD Improve Executive Functioning Skills
Aurora, Colo. – Free, online teacher and parent training designed to improve the executive functioning of elementary school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is now accessible across the nation. The availability of this training is possible due
to a $2 million contract awarded to Children’s Hospital Colorado’s (Children’s Colorado) Pediatric Mental Health Institute by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute ( PCORI) in 2020. A team from Children’s Colorado, Children’s National Hospital and The Institute for Innovation and Implementation at the University of Maryland, Baltimore is working to implement a successful online training and tele-support system for the Unstuck and On Target (UOT) program for any parent or educator who needs it.
Since 2020, this team has piloted UOT video training with 293 school-based staff across 230 elementary schools in Colorado and Virginia. The work follows a related PCORI-funded research project, Improving Classroom Behaviors Among Students with Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, led by Children’s Colorado researchers.That project demonstrated the effectiveness of UOT at improving the executive functioning – or frontal lobe skills, including flexible thinking, planning and self-control – of school-aged children in Title 1 schools. …Read More
Loudoun County Public Schools Partners with Tutor.com to Provide 24/7 Unlimited Tutoring for K-12 Students
NEW YORK/PRNewswire/ — Tutor.com, one of the world’s largest online tutoring services, announced today that it has been selected by Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS), the third-largest school division in Virginia, to provide 24/7 online tutoring for every K–12 student in the division.
Through the partnership, which launches today, more than 82,000 students across 98 LCPS facilities will benefit from access to 1-to-1 expert tutoring, test prep, concept review, and homework help in more than 200 subjects, including many in Spanish.
“We believe that all students should be able to access additional support when they need it, and therefore, we are pleased to be able to offer this service to our students at no cost,” said Dr. Ashley Ellis, deputy superintendent of instruction. “We are offering this service because students should have access to the tools they need to be successful in school. By partnering with Tutor.com, we are further able to fulfill the mission of our strategic plan and empower our students to achieve their best.”…Read More
Incident IQ Releases Integration With ClassLink Single Sign-on
ATLANTA (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Incident IQ, the workflow management platform built for school districts, released an integration with ClassLink—a global education provider of access and analytics products that create more time for learning and help schools better understand digital engagement.
As school districts continue to rely on more technology in today’s classrooms, Incident IQ offers advanced integrations that provide data-rich help requests to K-12 IT teams, while being easy to use for end-users. ClassLink’s single sign-on platform gives teachers and students access to classroom resources with a single login. Using this integration, tech support is only a click away, providing users with immediate access to support workflows.
“Keeping classroom time dedicated to teaching and learning is essential for Incident IQ and ClassLink,” said Matthew Krivanek, Vice President of Marketing. “Incident IQ and ClassLink work together to eliminate the unnecessary back-and-forth that can come with classroom technology support. This integration allows teachers and students instant access to the Incident IQ platform and relevant support workflows using their ClassLink credentials, returning more time to teaching and learning, instead of troubleshooting tech issues. We are dedicated to providing a supportive, streamlined support environment for K-12 districts through our continued partnership with ClassLink.”…Read More
AtomicMind launches the AtomicMind Foundation Scholar Program to assist students from families experiencing financial hardship
NEW YORK — AtomicMind, an education technology company that offers families a boutique coaching experience in the increasingly competitive college admissions landscape, today announced the establishment of the AtomicMind Foundation Scholar Program to help make the company’s services available to those students who would otherwise be unable to afford them. In its inaugural year, AtomicMind is committing up to $500,000 worth of services to support up to 50 qualified students, with plans to expand in future years.
The AtomicMind Foundation Scholar Program will provide comprehensive support throughout a student’s college admissions journey, starting as early as the freshman year of high school. Students will receive tailored counseling to build strong candidacies for elite colleges, as well as assistance with every facet of the admissions process during the college application season.
AtomicMind also aims to help these students more easily obtain financial aid. Given the amount of need-based aid often falls short, under-resourced students need to be able to close the funding gap with merit-based aid. To qualify, these students must demonstrate strength of character and a track record of academic and extracurricular accomplishment. Success rates are significantly higher when students have access to long-term, quality support. …Read More
Bring the Science of Reading to the Classroom
Dive into the science of reading and its application in the classroom, known as Structured Literacy. This Lexia education insight breaks down the components of Structured Literacy and outlines how it can help students accelerate their literacy skills.
Treering Announces New Philanthropic Partnership with Sandy Hook Promise
SAN MATEO, CA, — Treering is pleased to announce a new philanthropic partnership with national non-profit organization, Sandy Hook Promise. The yearbook company signed a three-year pledge, which will support Sandy Hook Promise’s ability to bring the life-saving, evidence-informed “Know the Signs” prevention programs into more K-12 classrooms nationwide at no cost to schools. Treering’s crowdsourcing features and custom pages foster inclusivity, and the San Mateo-based yearbook company is honored to help advance Sandy Hook Promise’s work to foster inclusion and empathy in the effort to make schools safer and more supportive for students. “We founded Treering in 2009 with the goal of creating a more inclusive yearbook. We’re proud to partner with an organization that not only shares this focus but is driving an entire culture change within the schools of our customers from all across the country,” said Kevin Zerber, co-founder and CEO of Treering Yearbooks.
Founded after the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy on December 14, 2012, Sandy Hook Promise’s mission is to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. Sandy Hook Promise teaches the warning signs of someone who may be in crisis, socially isolated, or at-risk of hurting themselves or others and how to get help.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Treering, and believe that, together, we can empower students to better support and look out for one another to prevent violence, suicide, and self-harm. Collaborating with Treering will allow us to ensure cost is never a barrier to school safety,” said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise Foundation, and mother of Dylan who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. …Read More