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Dwight Carter admits he was a novice at social networking when he was introduced to the 140-character world of Twitter in 2010. Now, three years later, the principal of Ohio's Gahanna Lincoln High School and one of three winners of the 2013 National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Digital Principal Award does not know what he would do without it. Today, Gahanna and Clark Hall--the school's tech-centric addition that opened in 2010--use social media and web tools as a primary means of communication among parents, students, teachers, and administrators. The band, the parent-teacher organization, and the lacrosse team have Twitter accounts; teachers receive in-service training on using and applying best technology practices in the classroom; and parents take free workshops so that they can keep up with the tools their children are using. Winners Ryan Imbriale (the executive director of digital learning for Baltimore County [MD] Public Schools and a former principal of Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts in Baltimore) and Carrie Jackson (the principal of Timberview Middle School in Fort Worth, TX) have taken similar approaches to opening up their schools to students, parents, and the community. In this article, the author describes how Imbriale and Jackson have broadened the use of social networking and placed a defined, pragmatic emphasis on infusing technology throughout their schools, all in the interest of increasing student learning.

In this article, the author talks about students being taking in public schools in Houston and Dallas, as well as other states, after evacuating from New Orleans which was struck by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. For students displaced by the storm, mobility is as constant as stability is elusive. Already traumatized and faced with the loss of their homes and culture, youths of all ages have been uprooted multiple times, separated from friends, and dropped into schools where cultural tensions and turf wars were inevitable. And a large number of kids--especially from New Orleans--have played academic catch-up in their new schools. Here, the author talks about some problems and challenges being faced by some districts, including enrollment fluctuation and academic problems.

In this article, the author discusses how physical education (PE) is being given less attention in schools, especially in the elementary level. The lack of physical activity is one of the reasons that lead to the increase in the number of obese children. School boards and administrators are making decisions to cut PE, thinking that it doesn't impact academic performance. Other schools are designing physical education programs to help students look at individual wellness. Among other things, the author discusses factors complicating the situation. Many elementary schools do not have certified PE teachers on their staff, with the result that they rely instead on classroom teachers to provide the instruction for the students. The author also discusses the project called, "Fitnessgram" which has been included in PE programs.

The story of Summerton and its schools is a footnote to history. On the surface, daily life in this small South Carolina town today is a far cry from a half century ago. At the same time, little seems to have changed--and many residents seem to prefer it that way. And with good reason, for the townspeople, especially whites, still cast a wary eye at Summerton's place in history. It is home to Briggs v. Elliott, the first of five cases later consolidated into Brown v. Board of Education and arguably the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement. To most, Brown is a lawsuit over an African-American girl from Kansas not allowed to attend an all-white school. But Briggs, not Brown, was the foundation for abolishing separate but equal schools. Thurgood Marshall, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People lawyer who led the battle to end segregation in U.S. classrooms, argued Briggs, not Brown, before the Supreme Court. "It all started here," says Joe De Laine, Jr., namesake and son of the pastor whose efforts led to the litigation. "And yet people don't want to acknowledge it. They would be happy if it all just went away." But De Laine and the original plaintiffs' descendants, many of whom moved away and returned after retiring, are working to change that. Now in their sixties and seventies, they want Summerton to acknowledge and embrace its place in history. They want this hamlet--still dominated in population by blacks and in power by whites--to educate its children equally and equitably.

In characterizing urban public schools, the public does not appreciate that the complexities of urban education cannot be reduced to a few short facts. Instead, the public often works from perception based on nostalgia, rumor, and what is on the newspapers and on television. In this paper, the author discusses public school realities in an effort to inform teachers and other concerned individuals about ways to help students progress in their academic achievements, and to help schools improve.

Describes how one district closed its minority achievement gap by employing the Brazosport model, a combination of effective-schools research and Total Quality Management principles. The model includes an eight-step "plan-do-check" instructional cycle for teachers and emphasizes teacher training and tracking data. Student-achievement data, not the system, drive decisions. (WFA)

A win-at-all-costs mentality in high school athletics increasingly promotes commercialism over academics. Some school districts have enacted a 1-year ban from competition for athletes who transfer within the district. Summarizes experiences of three student athletes. (MLF)

Describes the takeover of urban districts by city majors. Profiles the cities of Cleveland, Washington, D.C., New York, and Chicago. Also describes partnership between Chelsea (Massachusetts) Public Schools and Boston University and state takeover of California's Compton Unified School District. Includes list of districts with more than 100,000 students taken over by the state or mayors since 1995. (PKP)

Chester Upland School District, which finished last out of 501 systems in Pennsylvania, is a guinea pig for the private management of public education. Managing 9 of Chester's 10 schools, Edison Schools and its subsidiary Edison/Learn Now is banking on turning around the district with its longer class day, structured curriculum teacher training, and enhanced technology. (MLF)

The experiences of Columbine and El Cajon high schools with media onslaughts following traumatic shooting incidents underscore the importance of getting the message across and sticking to known facts. In a crisis, speculation can hurt everyone. The most important elements in crisis communications are planning and media relations. (MLH)

Describes development and implications for public schools of cyber (online) charter schools such as Ohio's Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (eCOT). (PKP)

Describes how many school districts are dealing with the problem of funding high school athletics and extracurricular activities in times of declining state and local budget revenues. Solutions involve program cuts, "pay for play" fees, fund raisers, and tax referenda. (PKP)

California's "power struggle" will probably not be replicated in the other 23 states that have deregulated electricity, but costs are rising everywhere. The Environmental Protection Agency/Department of Energy's new Energy Star online rating system should help school officials measure their buildings' efficiency and remove barriers to improvement. (MLH)

The mining industry played a big role in the development of Elko, NV, as The Best Small Town in America in the 1993 national guide 'The 100 Best Small Towns in America.' Mining companies led by Newmont Gold Co., which first discovered invisible or microgold in 1961, extended financial and in-kind assistance to the city and county of Elko to defray costs in education, law enforcement, sewer systems, road maintenance and other areas.

Discusses origin of the public's perception of the failure of urban education, the media's role in perpetuating that perception, and some ways urban school districts can change that perception. (PKP)

A review of more than 100 educational facilities designs revealed common themes: desire for small communities of learners even in large schools, facilities that reflect the community they serve, and larger, more flexible classroom spaces that serve a variety of subject areas. Also noted was an "everything old is new again" trend and attention to safety. (EV)