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NJ Spotlight--Preparing for Coronavirus in NJ: Not if But When, Say Murphy Officials
Expanded screening protocols are expected to result in more people testing positive for the virus in US; state officials say New Jersey is prepared
.New Jersey has yet to see any cases and state officials insist the public health system is ready to respond, but it is now a question of when — not if — coronavirus will be discovered in the Garden State.
That was one key takeaway from a briefing Gov. Phil Murphy held Monday with top health officials and other government leaders on New Jersey’s efforts to prepare for the virus that is the source of a growing global outbreak, in addition to rising public and economic panic.
Lilo H. Stainton | March 3, 2020 | Health Care
Chalkbeat--NJ officials: Schools should prep for possible coronavirus outbreak, including plans for closures and online learning
New Jersey schools should plan for a possible coronavirus outbreak in their communities, the state said Monday, even as officials insisted that the risk of infection remains low.
Patrick Wall| March 2, 2020
NJ Spotlight--When Do Active-Shooter Drills Do More Harm Than Good?
Security drills, which have been required in New Jersey schools for the past decade, are coming under scrutiny for their potential harm to students
New Jersey’s written guidance for a school active-shooter drill — essentially, practice for the most horrific of circumstances — is cold and dispassionate.
Get students out of sight. Keep them quiet. Window shades up. Lights off — just four of the nearly 50 steps outlined in a checklist circulated by the state Department of Education. Its job is to detail what to do before, during and after security drills that, by law for the past decade, must be held in every public elementary, middle, and high school in New Jersey.
https://www.njspotlight.com/2020/03/when-do-active-shooter-drills-do-more-harm-than-good/
NJ Spotlight--Public Will Have Four Chances to Weigh in on Murphy’s Budget Plan
John Reitmeyer | March 3, 2020 | Budget
New Jerseyans can offer testimony on state budget issues at hearings this month in Newark, Glassboro and Trenton
Lawmakers who play an important role in drafting the state’s annual budget are holding a series of public hearings starting next week to enable residents to weigh in on Gov. Phil Murphy’s latest spending proposal.
Four hearings devoted solely to public testimony on state budget issues will be held this month, starting with a 10 a.m. hearing at New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark on March 10. Other hearings will be held in Glassboro on March 12, and in Trenton on March 18 and March 25, according to a schedule that lawmakers unveiled on Monday.
John Mooney, David Cruz | March 3, 2020 | Education
Star Ledger--The 10 biggest winners in N.J.’s new school funding plan
New Jersey’s new school funding proposal has plenty of winners, but some districts stand out among the rest.
https://www.nj.com/education/2020/03/the-10-biggest-winners-in-njs-new-school-funding-plan.html
Adam Clark | NJ Adv ance Media for NJ.com| Updated Mar 02, 2020; Posted Mar 02, 2020
Star Ledger--Kids at N.J. school will use a finger scanner to pay for lunch. Parents are not happy.
The roll-out of a biometric scanning program for meal purchases in a school district in Camden County is raising alarm among some parents.
Bill Duhart | For NJ.com| Updated Mar 02, 2020; Posted Mar 02, 2020
Education Week--There Are Smart Ways to Use Time to Aid Learning, Research Shows. Why Do So Many Schools Ignore Them?
Schools are constantly fighting for more resources: money, effective teachers, facilities. But one pivotal factor in student learning and child development isn't often on the negotiating table: Time.
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/02/26/there-are-smart-ways-to-use-time.html
Alyson Klein| February 25, 2020
Politics K-12 (via Education Week)--As House Votes to Tackle Youth Vaping, Some Fear Unintended Consequences
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act, a bill that aims to tackle the youth vaping epidemic by putting new limits on the sale and marketing of a variety of tobacco products, including a ban on flavored e-cigarettes favored by teens.
The bill, which passed 213-195 Friday, is favored by organizations that represent teachers, principals, school boards, and school nurses.
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2020/02/house-vaping-juul.html
By Evie Blad on February 28, 2020 4:30 PM
The Hechinger Report--Chicago analysis finds schools that foster social-emotional development get better results for students
High school students comfort each other on Chicago’s South Side. A new Chicago study shows that students who attend schools that foster soft skills do better in high school and beyond. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
We hear the phrase “failing schools” a lot but what really defines a failing school? Generally, we look at test scores. Schools that aren’t getting students to improve their math and reading achievement on the standardized tests administered by each state are the ones singled out for shame, punishment and sometimes closure. That’s led to excessive test preparation — and even fraud — to boost scores.
Jill Barshay| March 2, 2020
