First and foremost, my prayers and sympathies are with the students and their families, teachers, staff, and administrators in the Chardon community as they deal with the aftermath of the tragic shooting that took place at Chardon High School. As school districts we strive to provide an environment conducive to learning; this is predicated on » Read More
Leave a commentIn his 2004 book Today Matters John Maxwell shares a story about the Tartar tribes of Central Asia. When the tribe spoke a curse against their enemy they didn’t wish for death or sickness, they stated “May you stay in one place forever.” Progress is essential for sustainable excellence; we must continually strive for improvement » Read More
Leave a commentWe hear a great deal about K-12 education preparing students to be college and career ready. This is a common focus of the Ohio Department of Education. Ohio has joined the PARCC Consortium – Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers. According to the PARCC website, “The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for » Read More
Leave a commentOn November 14, 2001, during an episode of the NBC series The West Wing Toby Ziegler reminds us, “There is a connection between progress of a society and progress in the Arts. The age of Pericles was also the age of Phidias. The age of Lorenzo de Medici was also the age of Leonardo Da » Read More
Leave a commentThe world of education is changing at an incredibly rapid pace. Just when we think we are working on the latest, research-based project it seems that the “what’s next” is already here. Just as teachers and other educators begin to embrace the newest “shift,” the next wave is already crashing down. We are in the » Read More
Leave a commentI am truly fortunate to have the opportunity to be part of the Ohio Digital Learning Task Force. I am humbled by the appointment to a statewide group with the potential to set a course for transforming education in our great state. The other members of the task force bring diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives » Read More
Leave a comment2011 was a challenging year for public education. From Madison to Columbus it seemed like almost every aspect of our work in schools came under attack. From our State Superintendent calling for new assessments and higher standards to daily articles in newspapers and websites, public education has never come under such scrutiny. 2011 was a » Read More
Leave a commentOhio State Superintendent Stan Heffner recently reported, “The entire (state) system is focused on minimum competence, and there is no reward for going beyond that. There is no incentive to excel, and we became so enamored with these report cards.” Dr. Heffner has continued to repeat, “Good is no longer good enough.” As a district » Read More
Leave a commentI believe we can all agree that the face of education in this country is changing. We live in a turbulent and rapidly evolving period. Innovation and technology are providing new tools for schools to enhance how students are educated. Our students are “digital natives” – our students have never lived in a world without » Read More
Leave a commentOn any given day, from any given media outlet, anyone can find calls for reform in our education system. American schools have become the target for change from nearly every sector of society. Reform in education isn’t a partisan issue – from Former President Bill Clinton, to Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and from Bill » Read More
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