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$70 million in grants available for child care programs in New York’s underserved areas
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“Parents need to work in order to take care of their families, and when they don’t have anyone to take care of their kids, the kids are lacking.”
WSKG (https://wskg.org/tag/education/)
“Parents need to work in order to take care of their families, and when they don’t have anyone to take care of their kids, the kids are lacking.”
“Here we are today with people who are really trying to rebuild their culture.I believe that we have a debt that we owe them, and this is a great opportunity to step up.”
When you look at just the opinions of parents who have children in kindergarten through high school, they are more closely divided.
The challenge in finding instructors can be even greater for rural school districts.
“If you vote yes and extend the emergency order and keep our kids in masks, you can go to bed at night considering yourselves child abusers.”
Gov. Tom Wolf presents his budget on Feb. 8.
A lot of state money hasn’t been spent, because many families don’t know it’s out there.
Campuses across New York state will begin hosting free COVID testing for the general public this week.
“Once again, the January Regents exams cannot be safely, equitably and fairly administered across the state.”
“The better environment we can create for raising our children, that’s going to pay dividends in terms of innovation, in terms of entrepreneurship.”
SUNY Oswego President Deborah Stanley was set to retire at the end of December. She has led the campus since 1995.
“People were seeing their colleagues right across the street getting recognized for what they had been doing in the pandemic. And the state is saying ‘sorry, we can’t do that for you,.”
The court will hear arguments Dec. 8 in order to make a final decision.
A group of students at Greene High School in Chenango County have held protests and walkouts against racial, sexual and homophobic harassment by other students.
While the stresses of the pandemic led some nurses to quit or retire, others are getting ready to step in.
To prepare you for the upcoming trial we’ve broken down the history of this case, where it stands now, and where it could lead.
“They’ll have an argument with the parent right in front of you where the parent says no and the child says yes.”
“We’re all just trying to get through a global pandemic. But definitely, they need some [additional] instruction when they get back.”
The western university group also got a brand name this month: Pennsylvania Western University, or Penn West.
“I want to empower parents and schools to do the right things first but if we’re not seeing adequate compliance…I will have no choice.”
The governor and Democratic lawmakers want to make affirmative consent policies standard practice at Pennsylvania colleges and universities.
Educators say there’s a clear choice: Limit the spread of the virus, or risk going back to online and hybrid learning.
The New York Court of Appeals ordered the state pay the additional money 15 years ago, but the decision was never fully carried out.
Gun ownership is on the rise nationwide, and with the biggest jump being among Black people, some of them have started gun clubs.
These races are more contentious than ever, but getting information can be difficult.
Licensed child care providers can now apply for one-time grants to help them retain and recruit personnel and cover operational costs.
About 97% of students enrolled at SUNY schools across New York have complied with the mandate, according to a SUNY spokesperson.
60 percent of parents also revealed they’d prefer having remote learning as an available option, full or part time.
“I’d love to be able to [test] our whole school, but you’re talking, you know, 5000 tests a week. We do not have that capacity.”
“There still is a digital divide, particularly in rural parts of the state, and for lower-income New Yorkers.”
“Nobody wanted to have unilateral government, whether that be from the executive or from the legislature. What people voted for…was cooperative government.”
“I want them to know that it’s personal for so many of us.”
“You have to be at a point where you have plans in place where you can adjust accordingly, and still maintain an education for our students.”
Students heading back to school may not hear about climate change in the classroom because of outdated science education standards.
“It’s clear that everyone wants to keep kids in the classroom and keep extra curricular activities going.”
Syracuse will require masks regardless of vaccination status and require proof of vaccination for all employees or regular testing.
Nine states, including New York, have implemented new mandates aimed at curbing the spread of the more contagious variant indoors.
“There is an urgent need for timely advice and supervision flowing from the State Department of Health to local and school officials.”
“Students who are parents prioritize feeding their children over getting their own meal in order to make their tuition payments.”
SUNY is pushing vaccine awareness campaigns and encouraging students and faculty to use vaccine clinics on campus.
“We know that significant change must occur if we are going to ensure that accessible, affordable public higher education remains available and attractive to students.”
“We must shed light on the unspoken traumas of the past. No matter how hard it will be.”
“This initiative will help create affordable connected homes that equip residents with the tools necessary to thrive in the modern world.”
Socializing can be challenging for children with Autism, it’s especially hard during a pandemic. But a summer program aims to help.
The case involved a teenage cheerleader who dropped F-bombs on Snapchat. At issue was whether schools may punish students for speech that occurs online and off-campus but that may be disruptive.
The theory — which explores narratives of American History from all perspectives — has been a common practice in higher education for decades.
NAME: Dodie Ainslie
SCHOOL/ORGANIZATION: Broome Tioga BOCES
TITLE: Technology Integration Specialist
DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE: I support teachers in two districts, Union-Endicott and Binghamton, on integrating technology to enhance student learning. Currently, I’m focusing mostly on grades 6-12. HOW DO YOU DEFINE DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP INCLUDING MEDIA LITERACY?: I feel we need to start talking about citizenship, it isn’t just about digital citizenship, but being a good citizen throughout all your environments and communities. What we do to be productive and responsible citizens we should do in our physical and virtual communities. It’s when we put them in different boxes that we get in trouble because our students then see them as different and therefore can rationalize different behaviors.
Acting State Human Services Secretary Meg Snead said parents ultimately have to make their own decisions about what’s safe.
“We need school districts and superintendents to marry civil disobedience with common sense. And that is no masks for the rest of the year.”
The expansion will increase enrollment in FLCC’s registered nursing program by 60% and it will also allow that college to add a licensed practical nursing program.
NAME: Marissa McNamara
Twitter: @MarissaMcNamara
SCHOOL/ORGANIZATION: Professional Learning & Innovation Center- a division of Broome-Tioga BOCES
TITLE: Instructional Technology Specialist
DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE: I work directly with teachers and administrators providing professional learning and coaching around effective practices for leveraging instructional technology within the classroom.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE MEDIA LITERACY?: Media literacy is the ability to identify and understand various types of media. To be media literate is to have the ability to critically analyze the media that one consumes, allowing you to discern the message they are sending.
WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY AROUND THIS AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU?: Media literacy is vital for our globally connected world. Students are exposed to so much media, knowing how to critically analyze and use media thoughtfully will help our students to discern what is credible and accurate in a digital world.
WHAT ARE YOUR GO-TO RESOURCES TO RECOMMEND IF PEOPLE WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MEDIA LITERACY? Here is a nice compilation of resources put together by ISTE 10 Resources to Boost Student Media Literacy. If you’d like some examples and lesson ideas, check out commonsensemedia.org. It’s free for educators to create an account!
Here are a few accounts to follow on Twitter: @DigCitDoctors @digcitPLN
WHY DID YOU APPLY TO WSKG’s PBS MEDIA LITERACY ACADEMY?
It looks like New York State is not ready to change its guidance on masking yet for grades K-12.
Younger people were cleared for the COVID-19 vaccine later than older people, and they are getting vaccinated at much lower rates.
The largest U.S. school district will reopen this fall with no option for virtual classes. Chancellor Meisha Porter says 70,000 employees have already been vaccinated, “and we need our children back.”
“Our goal should be focused on getting the vaccine to those who want it, but not punish those who have made a personal choice.”
More New Yorkers think the embattled governor should hang on than think he should resign.
“When so many people had to work and learn and play at home, the lack of broadband internet service clearly became a real problem for those families.”
“I think there is an obvious desire to get back to normal, and get their youth and lives back that they so dearly miss.”
A new federal program will provide low-income residents with a monthly stipend to help pay for internet service.
“You go to a SUNY school, State University of New York, City University of New York, you must have a vaccine to come back in September. If you must have a vaccine, get it now, if you have to get it anyway.”
The CAB exists as a place where charter schools can challenge decisions made by their local school boards.
“As we set our sights on the fall semester and reopening our campuses, we hope to be able to lift many more COVID-related restrictions in the weeks and months to come.”
The proposed northeastern entity would consist of Lock Haven, Mansfield, and Bloomsburg Universities.
Fracking caused upheaval over the disruption and environmental degradation in the rural communities surrounding Williamsport, and challenged the rural values of independence and sovereignty over private property.
“I’ll go inside the bathroom, just for a quick second, and I’ll cry. But then I’m like, you know what, let me get myself together, everything’s going to be OK.”
“It could really change the whole way that child care is done, it could change the child care system going forward.”
“School is not just a place where they learn academics. It’s how they learn to get along with other kids their same age — how to navigate and negotiate all that.”
“We know this has been a really hard year and a half. We are going to put resources behind education to prop the kids back up, give them time to maneuver through these changes and then get back on track with their education.”
“For America, broadband holds great power. It will either be the great equalizer for society, or it will be the great divider.”
“You have to respect what’s happening with COVID, and make sure not only the students are safe but the family and friends that would come on to campus.”
“We also believe that in this moment, we must ensure coherent opportunities for all students to actively participate in a lifetime of civic engagement and social justice activism.”
The deal will also require the state to study access and reliability of high-speed internet service statewide, including in historically underserved rural areas.
“We want to get past this and the only way to get past this is to get folks, you know, vaccinated.”
She said the proposed $3.6 billion would dramatically increase currently allocated funds for wraparound services. And she believes those are more sorely needed because of the pandemic.
“I think what has really sparked the imagination and the spirit is really seeing the possibility and the power of being a healthcare professional.”
A study by Penn State researchers found that songbirds nesting near the sound of natural gas compressors had fewer hatched eggs.
“We know that in particular young children are at risk of neurological and behavioral health consequences associated with developing bodies and that is something that lasts forever.”
University of Pittsburgh researchers slated to conduct 3-year study.
The academy began to allow more discretion in punishing honor code violations after the 1976 scandal.
While COVID-19 has greatly affected the economy, it was already in flux before the pandemic hit.
Under this latest plan, educators and staff will not be moved into Phase 1a, which would make them eligible for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
Currently, about 30 percent of Pennsylvania’s K-12 schools, which serve half the total student population, are learning entirely remotely.
“For generations, our teachers, guidance counselors, nurses, students, and school staff have been sent into buildings where they can get brain damage because of chipped paint, or cancer because of asbestos.”
“If you change the six-foot rule and it was only three feet with distancing, or four feet, we could bring back more in-person learning, because of the physical space.”
The funds would allow schools to upgrade things like HVAC and ventilation systems. It would also offer funds to help expand access to reliable, high-speed broadband, in districts that can’t afford it.
“We are opposed to a one-shot federal fund replacing needed state dollars for schools.”
The proposal would increase the state’s personal income tax from 3.07% to 4.49% in the next fiscal year.
PCCY’s report found that the two-thirds of Pennsylvania school districts where enrollment has shrunk over the last thirty years receive far more funding per pupil from the state than the others that have grown.
“We were told two weeks ago it was done, ready to go. I don’t know what the hold up is.”
“I kept seeing these questions over and over: How do I run for school board? How do I help candidates run for school board?””
“We should engage in everyday actions and changes in our lifestyle, that reduce our environmental footprint, that often make us healthier and happier and save us money, things we ought to do anyway.”
A change at the state level is blocking funding for a type of one-on-one therapy when conducted at clinics rather than in the home.
“Hopefully we will get to a place where the numbers go down and we can find a way to offer these opportunities for our student athletes and community.”
While public schools in urban and suburban counties have lost students, schools in more rural counties have largely tread water.
“We must remain steadfast in our decisions to ensure the safety of our athletes is our focus.”
“We didn’t have big parties, etc. But we did have too many gatherings of too many people in ways that were not necessarily safe given the COVID situation.”
“We want to make sure, as our students are leaving and departing our system and campuses, they’re not carrying the virus home.”
State officials determined that the January Regents Exams could not be safely, equitably and fairly administered across the State given where the pandemic currently stands.
Next month, all SUNY campuses must test any student who comes on campus for COVID-19.
The school originally moved online this month.
“We can no longer operate at the same size that we once were when we were a much larger university, so our expectation is that we will align those costs and revenues.”
Syracuse University officials said late Tuesday that the number of students who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last day has risen to 45. Most are associated with a off-campus parties that occurred last week.
Cuomo said he’s taking the steps because he does not want the hot spots to spread to the rest of the state.
Pennsylvania school-choice advocates are pushing hard for a measure that would send federal coronavirus relief money directly to families to put towards private school tuition, tutoring, or other educational expenses.
Over 90% of businesses asked say more government funding is needed, and 75% support investment in affordable preschool child for children aged three and younger.
Advocates say the ruling is a win for students and families, allowing them to better hold school districts accountable for discriminatory bullying that happens under their watch.
“All kids will be getting screened with their temperature check and they will fill out a five- or six-part questionnaire.”
The new standards — which are still subject to regulatory review and approval by the state legislature — were advanced by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education last week.
NEW YORK NOW – The state’s largest teachers union filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Division of Budget over more than $5 billion in state spending that’s expected to be withheld from school districts as the state grapples with an unprecedented budget crisis.
“Instead of a frivolous lawsuit, NYSUT should turn its attention to Washington and work with us to get the assistance New York’s children deserve.”
“We want to keep students here and operating. If there has to be some mitigation efforts taken, we will keep students here as much as we can. But, we all have to remain vigilant.”
“I think that technology has really helped us. It’s an inexpensive technology. It’s a student-friendly and a faculty-friendly technology.”
“You would you think that the teenagers don’t want to be like Mom and Dad, but they will mimic your behavior. And if you’re using the phone behind the wheel, the teen drivers will too.”
Masks are strongly recommended at all other times, including in the classroom, but they are not mandatory once the student is sitting down at a socially distanced desk.
“So you wanted a party. OK, now you have to go to remote learning, which means you basically stay in the dorm. It’s a function of discipline and compliance.”
The three organizations suspended include the Theta Chi and Zeta Beta Xi fraternities and the Sigma Delta Tau sorority.
“That constitutional right doesn’t go on hold because there are financial constraints, because the state is having financial difficulties. This is a constitutional right.”
“I got boxes I’m staring at every day. My kids are staring at it. They’re like, ‘When are we gonna find a place to go?’”
Colleges in New York will be required to return to remote learning for at least two weeks if either 100 cases of COVID-19 are diagnosed, or 5% of that institution’s population tests positive, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday.
“I will be a catastrophe. Many school districts depend just about totally on state aid to get their programs running.”
“We want children to be in situations where they’re safe and supervised by trusted adults.”
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway announced she was stepping down from her position to look after her family. Working families across the country are figuring out how to provide care for their children with remote and hybrid schooling this year.
“Make no mistake, there was not a single student who gathered on the Quad [Wednesday] night who did not know and understand that it was wrong to do so.”
The president of the city’s United Federation of Teachers called for testing every student and staff member before the start of school, set for Sept. 10.
“If the pandemic was over today, and our economy was back to where it was pre-pandemic, we would probably be in a pretty good place. I think the concern really comes in when we look at the future.”
Mandatory masks, strict discipline and rigorous testing have helped the academies, including West Point and Annapolis, welcome students back to campus. Can other schools learn from their example?
The school district plans must include procedures and protocols for instruction, health screenings, and social distancing measures.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo formally gave schools the green light to reopen on Friday, saying the coronavirus infection rate was low enough in New York for students to return to class in the coming weeks.
“And the really cool thing is when you fill out a survey on your smartphone, it geolocates you. We’re able to go back to that exact same spot and we’ll do the water quality testing.”
“Districts must have a plan in place for testing related to symptomatic or exposed individuals, whether in school or through the local health department.”
“I don’t care what any bureaucrat says,” said Cuomo. “If they don’t have a good plan for reopening, no kids are going to come and no teaches are going to come.”
Coronavirus testing, online instruction, and the ability to turn on a dime are central to reopening plans
“If you have the virus under control, reopen. If you don’t have the virus under control, then you can’t reopen,”
“I appreciate the work that the Congress has done to date with the CARES Act proposals. But this current debate must create resources that support state education and educational equity.”
Classroom capacity ranges from about 19-21 students. But with social distancing, the capacity can drop to around 16 or 17 students.
“Our school board members, really their heart is in opening up the school, but they know it’s going to cost a lot of extra money this year.”
The coronavirus pandemic has affected the Special Olympics athletes and competitions.
The city aims to provide relief for working parents who either can’t afford to stay home or can’t find child care for the days that students aren’t in school.
“This whole process we’ve had an array of choices and they’ve all been bad.”
“If we give the schools the dollars they need to make sure the kids are safe and the teachers are safe and the employees are safe, we can sort of have our cake and eat it too.”
The Walden Project is an example of an outdoor independent learning program that is a possible alternative for immunocompromised students or others who can’t or don’t want to return to a traditional classroom setting during the coronavirus pandemic.
“By testing a pool, if the pool is negative, everyone is clear. If the pool is positive, we break out the samples, we run them individually, so it’s like an individual test.”
“There are some strings. They have to use it for health and education, but we don’t say one size fits all.”
Regions will be allowed to reopen schools if, by the first week of August, the infection rate remains below 5% using a 14-day average.
“We find the data is suggesting children should be wearing masks any time they are outside of their family’s home and can’t maintain a distance of 6 or more feet.”
Jerri Lynn Sparks says her 22-year-old son, Jared, and thousands of other New Yorkers with disabilities are suffering because the state has adopted “one-size-fits-all” coronavirus restrictions for group homes.
“If we’re going to get serious about bridging the urban-rural divide and making sure that schoolchildren are not left behind then we have to work together to do a few things.”
“The federal government’s demands that schools reopen without concern for health, safety and equity are simply out of touch.”
New York will decide if schools will reopen this fall in the first week of August, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday, and tasked districts across the state with coming up with plans in the event that they’re allowed to resume in-person learning.
For students, it’s a disorienting change during an already difficult time.
“We’re kind of stuck in a position where we kind of feel helpless. We feel like we should be doing something.”
“We are more than happy to provide childcare. It’s complicated. It’s not easy. But it’s our mission.”
“We are preparing to open schools, we have plans to open schools, but (edit) I’ll be honest with you. It’s two months away. Anything can happen in two months.”
“The ideal situation would be to see this kind of turnout, without having to go through the expense of the postage and printing of absentee ballots.”
Stakeholders are being asked to share what they’ve experienced during the pandemic shutdowns and how can the state improve and take proper precautions in the fall.
“It really is the best situation, I guess, that we can have. It’s a tough one. It’s really not what we want, but we’ll make the best of it.”
“The word is uncertainty. We don’t know what’s going to happen and it’s very tough for our school districts to budget.”
Most of western Pa. moves to green phase of coronavirus reopening plan next week.
Binghamton University’s president said that students will return to campus this fall as well, but more details are forthcoming.
Scientifically, there’s no clear consensus yet on the effectiveness of school closures in stopping the spread of COVID-19.
“The families claim “online learning is wholly inadequate to meet the needs of nonverbal and partially verbal children with autism who rely upon…in-person instruction.”
“Going out there and saying ‘support your local economy’ is going to make you look bad if at the same time you are saying ‘put your kids in danger.’”
“The challenge has been that school districts don’t have a list of all qualified voters within a school district, so identifying those individuals has been challenging.”
“The folks that are incarcerated in the prisons in our region are potentially a huge source of contagion.”
“Helping them see their families, making sure we’re scheduling times for Zoom and FaceTime meetings — that’s never been a part of our day.”
“I am hoping they come up with a vaccine. I will be first in line, because I want to get everybody out of the house.”
An educator and entrepreneur believes he’s found an untapped resource to help more struggling students succeed in reading. The secret? Families.
One high school in New York has found a way to have safe and memorable graduation: hold it at a drive-in movie theater.
The Steelton-Highspire School District says it’s reaching between 73 and 79 percent of its high-schoolers with online instruction.
“We’re going to have the schools closed for the rest of the year. We’re going to continue the distance learning programs.”
Students who failed Regents tests during the school year normally would have the opportunity to take them again in August.
“Politicians took notice. Nothing like this had ever happened. It was obvious that people really cared more than anyone had known about clean air and clean water.”
“They have a constitutional obligation to fulfill the needs of students, and they have not done that.”
These days, Maegen Wagner is serving as her daughter’s therapist, aide, and teacher — while balancing her own responsibilities as an educator in a nearby school district.
Around the country, losses of educators are mounting. It’s unknown whether working in schools when they were open might have exposed staff to more danger than an average workplace.
“The state is giving us the choice: ‘you decide.’ So it’s a really uncomfortable position to be in.”
The New York State School Boards Association says schools are bracing for teacher lay offs over the next year.
“This was not an easy decision but closing schools until the end of the academic year is in the best interest of our students, school employees and families.”
Binghamton University student Dino Nicolari decided to stay at his off-campus apartment. “I really have trouble working at home.”
“When we don’t provide children with accurate information, they will still seek it out, and the worry is they’ll seek it out from sources that are not accurate and more fearful.”