Block Island School remains heart of community

“People didn’t have running water. People didn’t all have electricity. This school is like a palace. It had hot and cold running water. It had central heat,” Ball said.

Since then, the Block Island School has continued to evolve. The most recent addition is a brand new gym.

Over the years, the school has added more teachers, more courses and the latest technology.

“Make this a great learning experience for an isolated community, and we do our best. We also have a virtual high school, which will allow kids to take courses virtually through the Internet,” said teacher Kristine Monje.

For the rest of the article, go to Block Island School remains heart of community

Gist: Attacks on Teachers Need to Stop

You will meet students like Daniel McNulty. Daniel is the first student in Rhode Island who, because of illness, took most of his coursework through virtual schooling. This month, Daniel will graduate 10th in his class at Woonsocket High School. Congratulations, Daniel, and to Woonsocket’s instructional-technology coordinator, Michael Ferry!

We’re also proud that the Central Falls High School & Calcutt Middle School chess team won the state championship and represented Rhode Island at the National Chess Championship, in Tennessee. The high-school team finished 6th in their division! Congratulations, chess champions!

And in the Westerly Middle School, Cassandra Lin and other 7th-graders started a program that collected recycled fuel for families in need – enough to keep 92 families warm this winter. Cassandra is one of 10 national winners of a 2011 Prudential Spirit of Community Award. Congratulations, Cassandra!

For the rest of the article, go to Gist: Attacks on Teachers Need to Stop

Online classes helped ill Woonsocket teen earn high school diploma

WOONSOCKET –– In his 17 years, Daniel Collin McNulty has missed more days of school than he has attended, spending weeks at a time in the hospital battling illnesses caused by autoimmune diseases.

But on June 17, he will cross the stage to graduate sixth in a class of 358 students at Woonsocket High School and become the first public school student in Rhode Island to have completed nearly all of his credits through online classes.

Daniel’s diploma will be testimony to his perseverance, the devotion of his parents and the dedication of a team of Woonsocket administrators, guidance counselors and teachers who developed an “e-learning” approach that enabled Daniel to keep up with his peers by studying on his laptop whenever he was healthy enough, including nights, summers and weekends.

For the rest of the article, go to Online classes helped ill Woonsocket teen earn high school diploma

Race to Top Winners Work to Balance Promises, Capacity

In Florida, district and state officials are working furiously toward a June 1 deadline to finish teacher-evaluation plans that will be based in part on students’ growth in achievement. The state also is negotiating a $20 million contract to pay for new charter schools in the feeder networks of the state’s persistently low-performing schools.

Also in the works for Florida are contracts to align a student-tutorial tool with academic standards under the Common Core State Standards Initiative, and another contract to bring virtual learning to gifted and talented students in the STEM subjects: science, technology, engineering, and math. In all, the state will manage 48 contracts related to the Race to the Top, budgeted to be worth $350 million.

In this first year, Rhode Island is working on its teacher-evaluation model, which is being field-tested in two districts and one charter school. The state is also developing training programs for teachers and administrators that will accompany the common-core standards.

For the rest of the article, go to Race to Top Winners Work to Balance Promises, Capacity

Electronic tablets break down educational barriers in R.I. schools

Located in the Woonsocket Area Career & Technical Center, the E-Learning Academy offers 200 electives and 13 advanced-placement courses that students can take on school computers without sitting in class.

What began six years ago as a credit-recovery program has since morphed into a virtual high school that enrolls more than 500 students.

It has saved more than a few students from certain failure, says coordinator Michael Ferry. Last year, a sophomore walked into Ferry’s office and said, “I quit.” After talking with the young man, Ferry realized the student’s biggest problem was getting to school on time.

For the rest of the article, go to Electronic tablets break down educational barriers in R.I. schools

Education Commissioner Gist states her case

Her plan to transform education statewide involves providing feedback and resources to educators. Curriculums, she said, will be developed that are in line with meeting the standards; data systems will be in place that allow access and information-sharing among parents, teachers and students; educators will be evaluated on their teaching methods and student progress; and innovations such as charter schools, virtual learning and experiential learning will become options.

After a 30-minute overview, Ms. Gist opened the floor to questions and comments.

“While it’s a great story, your formula is flawed in many ways,” said state Representative-elect Richard Morrison (D-Bristol, Warren). “In Bristol-Warren, as a regional school district, the funding formula will cause our district to lose $1 million a year. How do you propose empowering great teachers?”

For the rest of the article, go to Education Commissioner Gist states her case

Week in Review: Can Kids Make a Difference? They Sure “Can!”

“In a nearly two-hour pitch session Tuesday night, Middletown made its case to educate Little Compton’s high school students again beginning in 2012, with school officials enthusiastically presenting slide after slide of glimpses into scholastic life at Middletown High School that covered everything from AP classes to virtual high school classes, from discipline statistics to NECAP scores, from the championship football team to the award-winning robotics teams, and more. Middletown School officials also offered the Little Compton School Committee a non-voting seat on the Middletown School Committee to help ensure Little Compton has a greater voice in Middletown. Some of the most compelling insights came from the students themselves…”

For the rest of the article, go to Week in Review: Can Kids Make a Difference? They Sure “Can!”

Best Online High Schools gets new design

Best Online High Schools has now been updated with a new design and new features. This new version will continue to provide you with the best information available on the Internet about online high schools.

Come take a look!

Middletown Faculty and Students Make Case for Little Compton

In a nearly two-hour pitch session Tuesday night, Middletown made its case to educate Little Compton’s high school students again beginning in 2012, with school officials enthusiastically presenting slide after slide of glimpses into scholastic life at Middletown High School that covered everything from AP classes to virtual high school classes, from discipline statistics to NECAP scores, from the championship football team to the award-winning robotics teams, and more.

Middletown School officials also offered the Little Compton School Committee a non-voting seat on the Middletown School Committee to help ensure Little Compton has a greater voice in Middletown.

For the rest of the article, go to Middletown Faculty and Students Make Case for Little Compton

Brown goes virtual for high school

In 2009, the Office of Continuing Education began its experiment in online education. Created specifically for high school students, the online program offers career exploration courses and courses on leadership training, as well as more traditional courses such as “DNA Science: Forensics, Food and Medicine.” In total, Brown offers five no-credit online courses with a cost of $985-$2,475 depending on the course. Each is offered in the fall, spring and summer.

Dean of the Office of Continuing Education Karen Sibley, who spearheaded the project, said the program was developed for students who have already exhausted the options available to them through their high schools and are seeking to advance their education.

For the rest of the article, go to Brown goes virtual for high school