Cracking the code on student mental health

The past year has taken a toll on students’ mental health. Rates of anxiety, depression, and stress are up and the CDC reports emergency room visits for adolescent suicide attempts have soared.

Teachers and school staff can play a critical role in addressing student mental health and supporting student wellbeing. But they can only help if they know what to watch for–and the warning signs aren’t always readily apparent.

Students often spend several hours a day online and often the first clues as to their feelings–good or bad–are found in their online communications with peers, their posts on social media and in chat rooms, and in their internet searches.…Read More

How to overcome trauma through kindness

Mrs. Reavis was more than just my 5th-grade teacher. She was a lifeline. I always knew her persevering belief in me made a difference in my life, but I never understood the science behind her impact until recently.

Growing up, my life was filled with trauma. Abuse was, unfortunately, not a rare experience in my household. From an early age, I was subjected to things no child—or person for that matter—should ever encounter. Research shows this kind of trauma, also known as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have a lifelong impact. However, we now know positive childhood experiences (PCEs) can lower the impact of those negative effects by building resilience.

Long-term effects of trauma in childhood…Read More

From Katrina to COVID: Kids heal in communities

Some moments in life are unforgettable. For me, the experience of evacuating from New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina with my two young children and pup is one of those moments. Katrina became a marker in the life of our family. We used to talk about the timeline of our experiences in terms of “before Katrina” or “after Katrina.” While our home only sustained significant wind damage but no flooding, we witnessed firsthand the considerable tragedy across the city.

My husband is a Coast Guard pilot and was part of the rescue efforts immediately after the storm. As a young mother and teacher, I was focused on setting up a temporary home in San Antonio, TX. I had very little information on how long we would be living in Texas, whether my house was destroyed, what would happen to my teaching job and salary, and how long I would be apart from my husband. The uncertainty combined with the sudden nature of the disaster was, at times, almost too much to bear. I spent hours watching the news showing pictures of people on roofs trying to survive the flooding and the helicopters bravely swarming the airspace to save as many people as possible.

After two months, in October, we were able to return to the city once electricity was restored to our area on the west side of the river. Imagine a home in the deep heat of a New Orleans summer, closed, with no electricity or air conditioning. Imagine a refrigerator and freezer in that house with food left behind. Imagine thousands of those! Imagine wind and water damage and destroyed backyards, sheds, patios, and plants. We returned to that scene, and we were by far one of the lucky ones! We focused on cleaning out our home for several weeks, installing a blue FEMA tarp over a damaged roof, burning the left-behind branches and fallen trees in our yard, and attempting to find food and water. We were grateful for organizations that sent volunteers to cook, assisted with cutting down trees, and did various other tasks.…Read More

Swing Education Launches Bonus Plan to Support and Incentivize Substitute Teachers

SAN MATEO, Calif., August 24, 2021 – To further support substitute teachers and recognize their dedication to the students and schools they serve, Swing Education has launched its Annual Bonus Plan for the 2021-2022 school year. The company, which offers an app connecting schools to substitute teachers, will provide substitute teachers in its network with an annual bonus of up to $1,000 based on the number of days they work this coming year.

“Substitute teachers are critical to the success and daily operations of schools, yet oftentimes don’t receive the recognition or compensation they deserve,” said Mike Teng, CEO of Swing Education. “As an organization, we are committed to the success of our substitute teachers and the new bonus plan will help support, motivate, and reward them this coming school year.”

With the bonus plan, which concludes on June 10, 2022, substitute teachers in Swing Education’s network will be eligible for tiered daily bonuses after working 50 days. The bonuses increase at 100 days and again at 150 days during the 2021-2022 school year. The daily bonuses will be paid as a lump sum at the end of the school year on or before June 30, 2022.…Read More

7 in 10 Parents Say Children’s Post-Pandemic Social Skills Are at Risk, Per Osmo Study

Palo Alto–According to a new study of 2,000 U.S. parents of school aged-children (5-14 years), parents have tried a myriad ways to keep their kids active and social during the pandemic, however, 7 in 10 perceive their child’s post-pandemic social skills to be at risk, even as things return to normal. The majority of parents (71%) are also worried about potential learning loss that may have resulted by not being in school, and are pursuing a variety of means to keep up their child’s studies at home this summer. The study was commissioned by STEAM brand Osmo and conducted by OnePoll.

Osmo’s study reveals that 77% of parents encouraged their child to be social and active from afar, while at home. For example, they allowed their child to: play video games or online games with others (52%); call and text friends often (49%); make neighborhood friends (45%); engage in outdoor activities like walking and bike riding (46%); attend virtual get togethers (35%); and new friends online (23%).

Despite trying their hardest, two in three parents are worried that their child has gotten more socially awkward around others, and 62% do not think their kid will be able to pick up where they left off upon returning to class this fall. Specifically, parents worry that their child will have trouble in these areas: making conversation with friends (41%); meeting new people (40%); sharing (35%); staying quiet for long periods (34%); waiting their turn (31%); or remembering to say “please” and “thank you” (37%).*…Read More

Countdown to eSN Hero Awards nominations!

To acknowledge educators’ efforts, and to tell their stories, you can submit nominations for the eSchool News Hero Awards–but don’t wait, because the deadline is June 30!

Vendors can nominate as many individuals or organizations as they’d like–anyone who had a role in ensuring education continued during the pandemic is eligible. But remember, nominations will close on June 30. Begin your nomination right here.

Never before have educators been challenged and tested as they were beginning in March 2020 and continuing up to present day, and never before has their resilience been more apparent. With the abrupt move to online learning in the spring of 2020 to the introduction of hybrid and full-time in-person learning today, educators have been innovative and determined as they remained dedicated to teaching each and every one of their students during the global pandemic.
…Read More

Epson Now Shipping Eight New PowerLite Laser Projectors Built to Captivate and Impress Audiences in Virtually any Environment

New Laser Projectors Deliver Ultra-Bright, Impactful Displays for Education, Signage, Corporate, and Entertainment

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. – June 17, 2021 – As markets continue to open up, schools and businesses are looking for advanced display solutions that make an impact. Epson, the number-one selling projector brand worldwide,1 today announced it is shipping eight new PowerLite® laser projector models that deliver bright, powerful displays – the L520W, L520U, L530U, L630U, L730U, L735U, L630SU, and L635SU. Ranging from 5,200 to 7,000 lumens of equal color and white brightness,2 the new PowerLite projectors offer convenient creative tools and easy installation. From classrooms and meeting spaces to signage and entertainment applications, the new models captivate audiences and empower laser-focused learning.

“Building on the success of Epson’s existing PowerLite lineup, the new models bring next-generation display technology to end users, enabling them to wow audiences and make an impression, no matter the environment or installation,” said Mark Roslon, director, product marketing, Epson America, Inc. “These compact projectors combine impressive visuals with helpful installation tools and connectivity options, making them ideal display solutions for a variety of presentation and signage needs.”…Read More

EarlyBird Education Introduces Game-Based Screener

It Helps Schools Identify Children at Risk for Dyslexia and Reading Difficulties — Even Before They Learn to Read

BOSTON — June 14, 2021 — Two-thirds of U.S. fourth graders are not reading at a proficient level, and reading difficulties are often identified too late for students to catch up with their peers, even with intervention. To help schools identify children at risk for reading difficulties before they start struggling with reading, EarlyBird Education today announces the nationwide release of the EarlyBird game-based screener.

Developed and scientifically validated at Boston Children’s Hospital in partnership with faculty at the Florida Center for Reading Research, EarlyBird brings together all the relevant predictors of reading in one easy-to-administer assessment. It helps educators identify and support children at risk for dyslexia and other reading difficulties — even before they learn to read.…Read More

Enabling the next generation of citizen data scientists

Google has ruined research.

Okay… I’m being hyperbolic. Google hasn’t ruined research. But as a senior data scientist, I do worry that search in the age of Google has outstripped our ability to gather, analyze and truly interpret data.

Thanks to algorithms, predictive text, billions and trillions of bytes of data, cookies, and the like, we’re used to searching for a needle in a haystack and Google returning the exact needle we’re looking for. We’ve been tricked by the fallacy that our answer will be in the top 10 results.…Read More

FLVC offering College 101 video series

Tallahassee, FL – April 28, 2021 – The Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC) is offering a series of videos to help students get all the information they need to prepare, apply, and pay for college.
 
FLVC recently hosted “College 101: What to Do, When to Do it, and How,” a four-night virtual series that covered important steps of the college preparation process.
 
That series was followed up with another virtual College 101 event – Finishing the FAFSA.
 
Videos for each of these events can be viewed at https://www.floridashines.org/go-to-college/get-ready-for-college/college-101-event and https://www.floridashines.org/go-to-college/get-ready-for-college/college-101-finishing-the-fafsa.
 
In these videos, experts, and partners from around Florida help students explore their college options, including career and technical programs, understand and excel in the application process, learn about the three main ways to pay for college, and finish their senior year strong so they can start the fall semester on the right track. Students also learn step-by-step how to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is the best way to make college affordable.
 
Nearly 2,780 people registered to attend the live College 101 event.
 
Partners for these events included: AVID; Broward County Public Schools; Florida Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators; Florida College Access Network; Florida Department of Education; Florida PTA; Florida School Counselor Association; FLORIDA TRIO; FloridaShines; The School District of Osceola County; Office of Student Financial Assistance; Polk County Schools and Take Stock in Children.

About Florida Virtual Campus: The Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC) is made up of several units that provide statewide innovative educational services for Florida’s K-adult students. Working collaboratively with Florida’s 12 public universities, 28 public colleges, K-12 school districts, and other partners, FLVC provides free services to help students go to college, succeed in school, prepare for career success, and in life after graduation.

7 predictions about back-to-school during COVID

As schools across the nation open their classrooms for a return to full in-person learning, educators, parents, and stakeholders are wondering what the fall will bring. Concerns about COVID surges and a return to remote or hybrid learning aren’t far from educators’ minds.

When schools across the country started shutting down in-person instruction in March of 2020 in response to the COVID-19 virus, much of the nation’s focus turned to COVID’s immediate and long-term impact on students.

Educators, parents, stakeholders, and policymakers wonder how much learning loss occurred, how schools can mitigate the impact on students, and–perhaps most pressing of all–what back-to-school will look like in the fall.…Read More

Sharp NEC Display Solutions Upgrades ME and MC Series Projectors for Classrooms

NEC’s breakthrough lamp technology lasts up to 20,000 hours, effectively eliminating lamp maintenance requirements for the life of the projector

Sharp NEC Display Solutions, a global leader in the projector and display market, today announced its upgraded ME and MC Series projectors. Primarily designed for K-12 education, the upgraded projectors leverage new lamp technology that increases the brightness to between 4,000 and 4,500 lumens and features the longest lamp life on the market, extending to 20,000 hours in ECO mode.

Increased lumens equals brighter projection, a feature that provides a distinct advantage for supporting students in socially distant classrooms and hybrid learning models. With many K-12 classrooms having to accommodate desks in every corner of the room for social distancing protocols, it’s imperative that each student benefits from the bright, crisp content being projected. Installing brighter projectors and larger screens, the students in the very back corners of the room still have full advantage of the content on the screen.…Read More