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NJ Spotlight--Profile: National Advocate for Public Schools Says Stakes Are High
Kevin Ciak, only the second New Jerseyan to lead the National School Boards Association, believes that public education is central ‘to our country’s future and stability’
Who: Kevin Ciak
Hometown: Sayreville
Family: Single
What he does: Ciak is president of the National School Boards Association (NSBA), which represents the state associations and their 90,000 members.
How he got there: After serving on his local school board, Ciak became involved in the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) and was its president in 2006-2008. He then got onto the board of directors of the NSBA and won its presidency last March 27.
Colleen O'Dea | August 17, 2017
Star Ledger--N.J schools, police go high-tech to combat terrorism (VIDEO)
BERKELEY TOWNSHIP -- Police in New Jersey are employing a new technology that will be at the touch of their cell phones to help them better respond at scenes of terrorism and other scenes of mass casualties where good communication and the quick deployment of officers is critical.
The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday rolled out a demonstration of that technology, which Prosecutor Joseph Coronato envisions first being adopted by local school districts and then spreading to other potential terrorist targets.
Based on a system used by the U.S. Navy SEALS team that killed Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden in 2011, the program allows all those responding to a critical incident to "see" and communicate with each other using just their smartphones.
MaryAnn Spoto| Updated on August 16, 2017 at 4:54 PM Posted on August 16, 2017 at 3:20 PM
The Record--Schools have trouble finding long-term superintendents
Saddle Brook has had five in six years, Glen Rock has had three in eight years, and the Northern Valley Regional School District went through five in less than 10 years:
Call it the Great Revolving Door of North Jersey superintendents.
School districts have had trouble holding on to superintendents in recent years as school leaders — seeking higher pay amid salary caps — play musical chairs with their appointments.
Deena Yellin, Staff Writer, @deenayellin Published 11:45 a.m. ET Aug. 15, 2017 | Updated 7:15 p.m. ET Aug. 15, 2017
Education Week--More Students to Take SAT Online
The College Board announced Wednesday that it will expand the availability of a digital version of the SAT this school year.
The company will give a practice version of the SAT online in some school districts in December, and then administer a fully operational, digital version of the SAT—and the PSAT 8/9—to more students in the spring of 2018, said Cyndie Schmeiser, a special assistant to company CEO David Coleman.
College Board officials couldn’t provide an estimate of the number of students who will have access to the online SAT this year, saying only that they anticipate a “slight increase” in participation in 2017-18, and additional increases in the next few years.
Last fall and spring, more than 5,000 students in 17 school districts took the SAT online, spokesman Zach Goldberg said. Another 5,000 students took the online version of the PSAT 8/9, he said.
Next spring’s digital tests will take place within the College Board’s “school day” testing program, which serves the 10 states, and about 250 school districts, that give the SAT or PSAT to all of their students.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/08/16/more-students-to-take-sat-online.html
Catherine Gewertz| August 16, 2017 | Corrected: August 16, 2017
