Last Tuesday, State Superintendent Stan Heffner testified before the Ohio Senate Education Committee on SB 316, the Mid-Biennium Review bill that contains education-related matters. His testimony focused on early childhood, the need for intervention as part of the third grade guarantee, changes in the local report card, blended learning and career connections as part of the model curriculum.  It also included proposals that he stressed will provide better accountability systems for career-technical education schools and for dropout recovery schools and more options for conducting teacher evaluations. You can find the full text of his testimony at: http://education.ohio.gov/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?Page=3&TopicRelationID=1871 . The hearings will continue in the Senate this week.

 

 

 

 

Schools in Ohio are permitted to use five calamity days for circumstances such as hazardous weather conditions, disease epidemic, damage to school building, inoperability of buses or other equipment necessary to the school's operation, or temporary conditions making the school building unfit, such as utility failure.

 

To make up calamity days in excess of five, schools have the option to use their contingency plans or use online lessons for up to three days. To use the online option, schools must submit a plan to ODE on or before July 31, 2012. For more information, including Frequently Asked Questions and a link to BASA's model resolution for use in obtaining local board and teacher sign-off for district plans, click here: http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=1222&ContentID=124321

 

 

 

Strengthening Academic Achievement with Healthier Kids is the theme of the 2012 Coordinated School Health Conference to be held June 25-27 at the Cherry Valley Lodge in Newark. The registration deadline is May 25. The conference is open to anyone who wants to address the non-academic barriers to students’ academic success, including district wellness team coordinators, administrators, school nurses, food service directors, guidance counselors, physical education and health teachers and community organizations.

 

Schools/districts that bring a team are eligible for discount pricing. For more details, including a flyer and registration information, click on:  http://www.bhsalliance.org. If you have other questions, please contact Jackie Sharpe at (614) 387-2241 or via email at jacqueline.sharpe@education.ohio.gov.