ASCD Hurricane Relief
As a result of the recent hurricanes, states and school districts throughout the United States have opened their doors to as many as 200,000 displaced children from the Gulf Coast region. To aid schools with this new challenge, ASCD has launched a multiyear Hurricane Relief Effort. Announced in October, the initiative includes substantial organizational and monetary support for learning and teaching as well as online resources to help educators meet displaced students' academic, physical, and emotional needs. The effort will also offer ASCD leaders, members, and constituents the opportunity to volunteer or make monetary contributions.
“As we reach out to the children affected by the hurricanes, we must continually remind ourselves to focus on providing relief to the whole child,” said ASCD Executive Director Gene R. Carter. “Some of these children have been forced from the only homes they have ever known. Others have lost family members and friends. Too many have witnessed tragic sights that no child should see. We must ensure that we nurture both their physical and emotional health.”
- Building Resiliency.
- Supporting Positive School Culture and Climate.
- Exploring New Roles for Families, Schools, and Communities.
For more information and periodic updates, visitwww.ascd.org/2005hurricanerelief.
A New Education Journal
In January 2006, the first issue of the International Journal of Education and Policy Leadership (IJEPL) will be published through a new partnership among ASCD, George Mason University in Virginia, and Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. IJEPL is an online, refereed scholarly journal dedicated to enriching the education policy and leadership knowledge base and promoting exploration and analysis of policy alternatives. IJEPLwelcomes articles on education policy and leadership related to a variety of disciplines and education settings as well as government policy initiatives. All articles in IJEPL are free to the public through its open access policy. For more information on IJEPL or to submit an article, visitwww.ijepl.org.
Creating a Healthy School
How can schools assess the environmental and programming factors linked to student health and identify behaviors that impede academic achievement? How can they formulate a systemic and comprehensive approach to decision making that enhances the health and well-being of students and staff, thus enabling them to meet academic goals? How can schools report to parents and the community their progress in meeting the needs of the whole child?
This January, ASCD will provide educators with a new action tool that can help. Creating a Healthy School Using the Healthy School Report Card will help schools engage their communities to assess school practices and identify changes that will improve the school environment. Support for research and development of the Healthy School Report Card was provided by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. To order the action tool, visit the ASCD Online Store.
Nominate Now
ASCD's Nominations Committee invites all ASCD members to self-select or encourage qualified individuals to self-select for leadership positions within the organization. We need a strong and vital slate of candidates who will provide essential leadership for ASCD. In 2006, the General Membership election will fill positions for President-Elect, the Board of Directors, and Leadership Council Members-at-Large.
Nomination forms are available online at www.ascd.org/nominations. For a print version, please contact either Joann Mychals (jmychalswsascd@aol.com), chair of the 2005–2006 Nominations Committee, Washington State ASCD, 17225 N. Linkletter Ln., Surprise, AZ 85374; or Becky DeRigge (bderigge@ascd.org) at ASCD, 800-933-2723 or 703-575-5601. Return the completed forms to the chair by Jan. 31, 2006.
ASCD Mentors Students in Local Schools
Through ASCD's Community Outreach Team, 18 ASCD staff members worked with underserved students in the community during the 2004–2005 school year. ASCD mentors and tutors see the results of their efforts as their students become more resilient, more focused academically and socially, and more confident in school. One 5th grade student won a $200 savings bond for an essay describing what his mentor meant to him.
Resources for “Learning in the Digital Age”
- The Technology Fix: The Promise and Reality of Computers in Our Schools. By William D. Pflaum. (2004). Stock No. 104002. Price: $18.95 (member); $23.95 (nonmember).
- Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning. By Anne Meyer and David H. Rose. (2002). Stock No. 101042. Price: $22.95 (member); $26.95 (nonmember).
- Increasing Student Learning Through Multimedia Projects. By Michael Simkins, Karen Cole, Fern Tavalin, and Barbara Means. (2002). Stock No. 102112. Price: $17.95 (member); $21.95 (nonmember).
- The Internet and the Law: What Educators Need to Know. By Kathleen Conn. (2002). Stock No. 102119. Price: $16.95 (member); $20.95 (nonmember).
- Project-Based Learning with Multimedia. (San Mateo County Office of Education, 2001). One interactive CD-ROM. Stock No. 502117. Price: $25 (member and nonmember).
- Instructional Strategies for the Differentiated Classroom (Tape 7):WebQuests. (ASCD video, 2004). Stock No. 404442. Price: $180 (member); $210 (nonmember).
- The Lesson Collection (Tape 14): Environmental Project—Internet (Middle School). (ASCD video, 2000). One 10- to 20-minute videotape. Stock No. 400066. Price: $79 (member); $95 (nonmember).
