Savvas Learning Company Launches Culturally Responsive Learning Initiative

Savvas Learning Company, a next-generation learning solutions provider for K-12 education, is proud to announce the launch of its Culturally Responsive Learning (CRL) Initiative that will focus on supporting teachers in making real changes in their classroom practices to foster student voice and improve achievement as well as using curriculum that opens minds and allows students to see themselves reflected in what they learn.

Building on the national movement for social justice, the Savvas CRL Initiative seeks to cultivate a more inclusive culture at Savvas that elevates different perspectives and increases diversity within its workforce, vendors, and editorial content. As part of its effort, Savvas is developing professional learning to support teachers in setting high expectations for all learners and creating classroom environments that welcome individual voices, provide safe spaces for challenging conversations, and promote student agency by empowering students with choices in how they learn.

“Culturally responsive learning is critical for increasing student engagement by encouraging student voice. We want our curriculum to be a tool to inspire that student voice in an authentic way, and to create opportunities for students to share their rich, cultural backgrounds,” said Bethlam Forsa, CEO of Savvas Learning Company. “As an extension of our core values of expanding equity and empathy, culturally responsive learning must be woven into everything we do at Savvas: from the curriculum we build and the professional learning we offer teachers, to the training we provide our employees, who are the heart and soul of our organization.”…Read More

Curriculum Associates’ New Blog Provides Solution-Focused Content to Support Teachers and Leaders

Curriculum Associates has launched a blog to help support teachers and building-level leaders navigate today’s educational environment. The blog, which can be found at CurriculumAssociates.com/Blog, features original, informative, and actionable resources, best practices, research, and educator stories. New content, written by educators and industry experts, will be added multiple times per week.

“We are always looking for new ways to connect with and help educators, especially in today’s complex and fast-changing teaching environment,” said Rob Waldron, CEO of Curriculum Associates. “Our blog delivers insights from incredible experts—both from our own team and practitioners in the field—and will be a valuable resource for any educator looking for practical and relevant guidance, strategies, and tips to inspire their practice and help solve challenges.”

Posts are authored by a range of voices, including Curriculum Associates national directors, Extraordinary Educators, education researchers, teachers, administrators, and respected thought leaders.…Read More

New Data from Rave Mobile Safety Shows Schools’ Top Safety Concerns About Returning to the Classroom

Rave Mobile Safety (Rave), the critical communication and collaboration platform customers count on when it matters most, today announced a new survey report that reveals the top safety concerns that school administrators, teachers and staff have about returning to the classroom, as well as the steps they are taking to create a safe environment. Chief among those concerns are the mental and physical health of both teachers and students and enforcing social distancing practices. The report also addresses what learning will look like once everyone does return to classrooms and managing a hybrid learning environment.

Key findings of the report include:

  • Social distancing and mental/physical health of school staff are the top health and safety concerns for the new year as the coronavirus evolves. Social distancing is a top concern for those returning to school (77%), followed closely by teacher/staff physical health (70%) and mental health (69%), as well as student mental health (69%) and physical health (67%). To address these concerns, schools will be putting up signage promoting social distancing (74%) and issuing daily temperature checks (69%) and wellness checks (57%).
  • State and local governments will be the major influencers about when schools reopen and teachers and students return to the classroom — and many are starting early. While parent preference (43%) and a belief in the importance of in-person learning (50%) are factors in the decision whether to return to the classroom or not, most school leaders report that state (81%) and local (57%) governments are major influencers in that decision. Additionally, 44% report that their school districts are going back before September, compared to 6% considering a December or later return to in-person learning.
  • Hybrid learning is the most likely class model for students and teachers this year, meaning that schools also need to overcome distance learning challenges.As circumstances force schools to consider alternate learning models, a hybrid approach of in-person and remote learning is the most popular solution (75%). For that model to be successful, schools need to consider the challenges that emerged from classes held remotely this spring, chief among them being students lacking internet access and low student and parent engagement.

“This year, ‘school safety’ has taken on an entirely new level of meaning, from meeting CDC standards to caring for the mental health of those in the building,” said Todd Miller, Chief Operating Officer, Rave Mobile Safety. “Clear communication about safety standards and compliance with everyone involved in that effort, from teachers and administrators to parents and students, has never been more critical. We are proud to support schools in these efforts through tools that enable daily wellness checks and frequent communication with all stakeholders, which help promote health and safety and create a sense of consistency during a disruptive, stressful time.”…Read More

Amex Trendex: Consumers Prioritize Remote Learning and Work from Home Upgrades this Back to School Season

According to the Amex Trendex, a trend report from American Express, consumers surveyed in the U.S. are anticipating spending more time at home this fall as back to school approaches and work from home practices continue. With this in mind, they’re spending to enhance their remote learning and work environments. The majority of consumers surveyed also note they are missing travel right now, and for nearly half of those surveyed, it’s taking an emotional toll, causing increased stress and anxiety.

Adapting for the School and Work Year Ahead – The way parents are preparing for back to school season is evolving to meet changing demands. In fact, 55% of parents surveyed are considering co-parenting with another family to help ease childcare responsibilities while they navigate working remotely. Parents are also investing in their work from home and remote learning experiences. In lieu of the typical back to school items, they’re planning to spend more on technology (30%) and workspace enhancements such as office furniture (27%).  Due to the challenges they have already navigated over the past several months, the majority of parents (75%) feel prepared to adapt to any changes ahead.

…Read More

International Code Council releases recommended practices for remote virtual inspections

– The International Code Council recently published “Recommended Practices for Remote Virtual Inspections,” a guideline document that governmental jurisdictions should consider for an effective and consistent remote virtual inspections program. The publication is based on study, research and discussions from the Code Council’s membership (including responses to an earlier Code Council survey of U.S. code officials on COVID-19 response), partners and industry experts.

 

Remote virtual inspections use visual or electronic aids that allow inspectors to observe specific construction projects, products or materials from a distance. These remote inspections are beneficial when the materials or buildings are inaccessible, in dangerous environments, or in other circumstances, prevent an in-person inspection. Given the challenges and limited financial resources available for building departments as cited in the Code Council’s ongoing survey of U.S. code officials response to the pandemic, the implementation of remote virtual inspections can also save jurisdictions time and money as there is no longer a need for inspectors to travel to and from sites.…Read More

Dean Transportation to treat all vehicles with MicrobeCare™ antimicrobial

For over 50 years, Dean has placed the safety of its passengers above all else, having a long history of advocacy for passenger safety. As students begin returning to school this fall, Dean Transportation has worked diligently to create safety protocols for staff and passengers that aim to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses. To augment regular disinfectant use, Dean has announced an industry-leading commitment to treat the more than 1,600 school buses it operates throughout the State of Michigan with MicrobeCare™. Application of MicrobeCare™ represents one of the first industry deployments of antimicrobial technology in school buses.

“As our education system returns to operation, our number one priority is the health of our passengers, our employees, and the general public. In response to COVID-19, we are enhancing our cleaning procedures and operating practices to suppress the spread of illness,” said Kellie P. Dean, President, and CEO of Dean Transportation. “Since June we have looked at various emerging technologies to increase safety and augment our regular use of a disinfectant. Our commitment to applying MicrobeCare™ on all Dean Transportation owned and operated school buses is about our student’s and staff’s health, safety, and support for our districts when they return to in-person instruction. Dean Transportation transports a high number of special education student passengers, many of whom rely on in-person education and services provided by our public education system. It is our mission to help them get back to school by increasing the health protections on our school buses.”

MicrobeCare™ is an antimicrobial with unique bonding technology that is long-lasting and effective against bacteria, viruses, fungi, algae, and yeast on surfaces. It is registered with the FDA and EPA as a safe and effective antimicrobial that will help reduce cross-contamination of dangerous microorganisms on surfaces to which it is applied. The product is often used in health care facilities and common public spaces. MicrobeCare™ has been shown to eliminate >99.99% of microorganisms on surfaces quickly. By continually combating and neutralizing microbial threats before they have an opportunity to grow and spread, the protection of MicrobeCare™ persists even in between cleanings and disinfection. The antimicrobial is applied by experienced application specialists using state-of-the-art electrostatic sprayers to ensure complete and total coverage of all surfaces.…Read More

3 ways educational data helped this district improve outcomes

In the Wilson County School District, using educational data to inform our decisions has reinvented the way students learn, and it has given educators a newfound confidence in their teaching practices.

Last year, we were recognized by the state as an exemplary district, and we’ve achieved level five status, meaning our students are growing at a rate that’s two years beyond what’s expected.

We’ve achieved these results through the hard work of our faculty—and by using educational data to support how we instruct and evaluate our students. Other district leaders hoping to achieve similar results can follow three essential steps to creating a data-centric culture.…Read More

You’re invited: Learn how to enhance safety and communications in your school

Register Now

Safety is a critical component of any K-12 school, and a key part of safety is having the right information during an emergency. Leveraging tools and practices that keep the right people informed at the right time goes a long way toward enhancing safety and security in schools and districts. However, safety is an ongoing process. It doesn’t happen all at once, and it should never be thought of as something that can be done once and then be left alone. Safety requires continuous adaptations to respond to the needs of your school or district.

Attend this free webinar to:
• Learn about emergency preparedness and response
• Understand how to build a mass notification ecosystem that reaches everyone
• Receive best practices for using mass notifications to communicate about new schedules and expectations that have been implemented as a result of COVID-19…Read More

eLumen Introduces Professional Services to Help Institutions of Higher Learning Lead Change and Improve Outcomes

Minneapolis, MN―eLumen, the all-in-one platform that helps institutions of higher learning and all individual stakeholders succeed on purpose, today announced the launch of a suite of professional services designed to leverage the effectiveness of instructors and enhance the accomplishments that take place on campuses across the world every day. These services will support colleges and universities in their efforts to better understand and utilize the technology solutions across campus, access more timely and insightful performance data, enhance accreditation and compliance practices, give students better visibility into their mastery of key skills, and much more.

“At eLumen, our focus is to help institutions facilitate student achievement that is foundational―guiding the pathway to mastery of key skills in a fashion that provides a course to something greater. That’s why we work to provide resources and technology to connect what’s possible for all stakeholders, expanding and enhancing the expectations of what education should be,” said Joel Hernandez, CEO of eLumen. “Our new professional services build on what we’ve already achieved through our platform by addressing institutions’ needs in educational technology, curriculum, assessment management, and student pathways. These services, delivered in-person or remotely by experienced practitioners, will help institutions introduce a sense of control of complex processes and gain confidence in the value they can deliver to students.”

eLumen’s professional service engagements range between three to five days in duration and can be delivered on or offsite. This includes the COVID-19 Toolkit, a customizable package of services created to support institutions through current challenges, and to prepare for success this fall and beyond. The toolkit includes training and workshop options to best prepare staff for the upcoming semester.…Read More

Simplify student health care management

Frontline School Health Management has expanded their offering to include COVID-19 training, tracking, data analytics and reporting for students AND staff to support and ensure the physical, mental and behavioral health, well-being and regulation compliance of the full school community as they develop plans to address social distancing, COVID-19 case tracking and more in addition to their existing responsibilities.

  • Comprehensively and easily collect health data on students, their families and school staff (e.g., symptoms, testing, immunity and other data)
  • Educate, implement and enforce practices to increase safety and reduce risk
  • Provide comprehensive tracking, reporting and oversight
  • Support mental and behavioral health issues among students

For additional information visit Frontline Education

…Read More

New Webinar Series to Support Virtual Coaching

Edthena is kicking off a new webinar series to help instructional coaches provide newly-virtual teachers with timely and much-needed support. The four-part “Kitchen Table Coaching” series, launching this Thursday, will provide strategies and best practices for facilitating virtual coaching. The series is part of the #PLtogether project (PLtogether.org) which will provide a collection of free resources for instructional coaches, including tactical advice from notable thought leaders in the education industry.

“Effective coaching will lead to the ultimate success of distanced teaching,” said Adam Geller, founder and CEO of Edthena. “The #PLtogether project will provide a hub for topical resources to support instructional coaching during this unprecedented time. The first resource – this new webinar series – offers coaches an opportunity to ask questions and get tips and best practices for supporting professional learning now.”

The 30-minute Kitchen Table Coaching webinars, which will be led by former classroom teachers Heather Purzner and Rob McCreary of the Edthena Partner Success team, will take place every Thursday in May at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT. Educators can register for some or all of the following sessions:…Read More

Richardson Independent School District – Texas, USA

BARCO SOLUTION

  • wePresent

KEY BENEFITS

  • Improves student learning & drives engagement
  • Ease of use for teachers & stimulates interactive teaching
  • Supports different BYOD operating systems & perfectly integrates in the network

The Richardson Independent School District in Texas, USA, was not looking for just any wireless solution. They wanted one that would accommodate all users. This is a must in an age when Bring Your Own Device practices reign supreme and every classroom is inhabited by a mix of Google, Apple, Android and Microsoft devices. For Technology Project Manager, Terry Balch, finding such a solution was far more difficult than it should have been:…Read More