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

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

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

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

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

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

Come take a look!

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

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

Narragansett is one of four towns in Rhode Island participating in virtual learning, along with North Smithfield, Scituate, Newport and Portsmouth.

Once enrolled, students are part of a class taught by a high school teacher in a different part of the country. “Students have the opportunity to meet online with teachers and talk to other students to make it feel like they are part of the class,” Pince said.

For the rest of the article, go to High school students enjoy online option