There are national education grants for school systems to improve student success.  There are national neighborhood grants for districts to improve families’ economic success.  There are national county and multi-county grants to improve people’s health conditions.  At times these efforts stumble over each other as they try to put together collaborations of the same handful of local institutions – but each effort has the potential to make a big difference and each requires agreement by those leading entities.  If we don’t change the way we work, we will get the same results we have always g

How does anyone manage to survive middle school years?  Problems loom large. Changes are traumatic.  Perception is EVERYTHING!

A children’s garden – such a sweet notion for such a big step for 5 year olds into the world of education!
 

Checking out kindergarten blogs and chats, the ones I found were by kindergarten teachers – I was looking for one by parents.  I had a recent conversation with a dad whose daughter is starting school this year. My kids are past that stage, but I remember some very significant parts of entering the school system.  And I’m sure parents have lots of thoughts about that first big step into an Institution.
 

The attached link to a Frontline program on middle school is worth the few minutes it takes to view it.  Before you watch it, consider this story of one young girl in New York City as translatable to a young girl in Buncombe County NC.  Imagine a young girl living  sometimes in a local shelter, other times with different relatives, trying to figure out how to get back to her school each day even though she is in a different part of the of county, walking, figuring out the city bus schedule, and in general having a chaotic home life. 

Summer learning loss.

It's the new buzz term for kids’ brain hibernation over the summer vacation. It happens a little bit to all students, but most significantly to those who have few opportunities to exercise their minds.

Can One Passing Comment To a Child Really Make a Difference?

In previous blogs I wrote about our community’s role in education for our youth, opportunities to be involved with young people in a positive way, and listening to the opinions of young people.  During the summer months as kids are interacting with lots of different adults, let’s consider the power of adult influences on a young person’s life.

Summer Learning Loss: Four ways kids approach summer vacation

It’s always interesting to me when an old topic takes on new urgency – as though it were a new phenomenon.  “Summer Learning Loss” is one of those.

One of the questions posed to stakeholders in the Asheville City Schools strategic planning process is: How well does ACS prepare students with the skills they need to be successful in employment or at college?

I’d venture to say there are the old, current and evolving roles.

The Asheville City School system is designing a new strategic plan.  I had the recent honor of being interviewed as a stakeholder in the schools.  The questions were well thought out and it gave me a chance to reflect on my children’s experiences in their very different journeys from kindergarten through graduation, and my own experience as a parent, nonprofit administrator and a four-year term member of the school board.  I plan to write several blogs about the questions and my thoughts about them not just for Asheville City Schools, but all public education systems.

Whenever I go to a conference that costs me or my employer money, I expect to bring back at least three things. 

• I want to get at least one new idea I can put to use quickly. 
• I want to make at least one connection with another person who is doing interesting things in their work and who I can follow up with later.
• And I want to be inspired.  I look for a passionate speaker who makes me want to do a better job and be a better person.