Western States

With the expectation of losing accreditation in January 2012, Kansas City Public Schools are dealing with turbulence both within and outside their ranks. The school district’s accreditation was revoked in September after a vote from Missouri education officials. The decision was based on the fact that for several years, the district has failed to meet academic performance standards established by the state. With many questions about what will happen next, many within the district are reacting to the coming changes with fear, concern, and even panic.

The Decision is Made

According to a report in the Huffington Post, Missouri school officials decided to revoke the district’s accreditation less than a month after the current superintendent of Kansas City Public Schools, John Covington, left the district to take a job in Michigan helping poorly performing schools in that state. The interim superintendent, R. Stephen Green, told the Huffington Post that while the district was disappointed in the state’s decision, they would rely on community involvement to help bring schools back up to state standards.

This is not the first time Kansas City Public Schools has lost accreditation. The first vote to this effect took effect in 2000. After two years of work to get the district's schools back up to par, Kansas City has been granted provisional accreditation since 2002. However, after years of failing to make the grade, education officials decided it was time again to take matters into their own hands.

“We’ve

Online learning has become a convenient way for many students of all ages to meet academic requirements today. However, as more of the world goes virtual, some states are beginning to require secondary students to spend at least some of their academic experience online. Idaho is the latest state to join the trend, with even stricter online requirements than their three predecessors: Michigan, Florida, and Alabama. Although Idaho legislators believe online education is the best way to prepare students for life in the 21^st century, not everyone in the state is on board with the idea.

The Advent of Online Learning

Online learning is not a new concept. College courses have been available online for some time, with some universities going entirely virtual for the convenience of students. High schools have also seen an increase in online learning, which is a helpful option for students who perform better in school when they can go at their own pace. It is also essential for some students who cannot quickly get to a classroom daily due to a physical disability or other challenge.

As virtual learning continues to grow globally, it has become touted as the education wave of the future. With the ability to earn degrees online, students can now study from anywhere in the world, as long as they have a computer or comparable device and an Internet connection. Undoubtedly, online courses are reshaping how we look at academics today. However, controversy arose when legislators began

High school athletics are an important part of many students’ lives, teaching them important life lessons such as hard work, perseverance and time management. In Hawaii, sports are an integral part of the high school culture, with a district that boasts more than 40 sanctioned sports and a number of championship seasons under their belts. Now the state will have one more sport to add to their repertoire – the state recently announced plans to make surfing a sanctioned sport in high schools across the islands.

According to a report at ESPN, the governor of the state, Neil Abercrombie, made the announcement in Waikiki, in the company of Lt. Governor Brian Shatz, Department of Education superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi, and Board of Education member Keith Amemiya. Women’s world surf champion Carissa Moore was also in attendance at the announcement.

Origins of Surfing

Hawaii has traditionally been considered the birthplace of surfing since the royalty of the islands used to surf across the waves as an expression of courage and competition. Today, the sport has become big across the globe, and competition has brought surfing to a new level of performance and acceptance. People come from around the world to test out Hawaii’s surfing opportunities for themselves, whether for recreational or competitive purposes.

“Hawaii is the birthplace of surfing,” Governor Abercrombie told the crowd on Waikiki, and ABC News when the announcement was made. “From Duke Kahanamoku to the thousands of residents and visitors who surf both

School districts nationwide have been dealing with smaller budgets and fewer resources since the economy came to a grinding halt just a few short years ago. In most cases, this meant less to go around for teachers and administrators. In Tacoma, Washington, teachers have determined that the proposed cuts by the school district simply didn’t “cut it” as far as they were concerned. To make their disapproval of the pending changes plainly known, the Tacoma teachers union called a strike, which is now in its second week of the brand new school year.

The Strike Unfolds

As the district grappled with various issues before the start of this school year, some of the decisions that were made did not go over well with the teachers who work in Tacoma. There are three basic issues on the table: teacher pay cuts, increases in class sizes, and the way the district wants to handle teacher transfers. All of these issues are still in discussion, and no agreement has been reached on any of them.

According to the News Tribune, teachers who request transfers have their requests processed based solely on teacher seniority. The district has proposed that future decisions entail seniority, teacher evaluations, and assessments. Adding the additional criteria ensures that the most effective teachers in the district will get the first pick of teaching assignments. The union has argued that this process would be subjective and unfair to teachers who have worked in the district for many years

Weight issues among children have become such a problem in this country that some experts are mulling over whether to deem obesity an actual epidemic. According to a report at Explorer News, the number of overweight children in the United States has doubled over the past three decades. Nearly 25 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 11 are considered obese by current standards. When children gain too much weight during their younger years, they are at much higher risk for conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. Schools have recognized the obesity problem in this country, and many are taking steps to address it right in their school lunchrooms.

Bringing Nutrition to the Classroom

From coast to coast, schools across the country have taken the necessary steps to ensure their students are treated to nutritious foods throughout the school day. From removing sugar-laden drinks and snacks from vending machines to stocking school cafeterias with an array of healthy fare, these learning institutions are taking the obesity scare to heart. Some even provide their students with home-grown produce, thanks to agreements with local farmers or gardens on school property.

Students are learning to make healthier food choices and discovering that nutrition-packed fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can make for a tasty meal. Some schools are incorporating taste tests or time in the garden with their classrooms to encourage students to try new foods and