Comprehensive Educational Platform

Hamilton Receives Largest Gift in Its History

July 26th, 2011

Hamilton has received notification from the SunUp Foundation of a $16 million donation, the single most generous act of philanthropy in the college’s history. Edward ’46 and Virginia Taylor, directors for the foundation, recently informed the college of the commitment, which will establish Hamilton’s largest financial aid endowment and provide support for faculty research in the sciences and new arts facilities.

The previous single largest contribution to Hamilton was made in 2007 by Wendy and Keith ’50 Wellin to build a new museum of art. Construction of that facility started in June.

“SunUp’s magnificent gift comes as Hamilton is preparing to celebrate its bicentennial,” said President Joan Hinde Stewart. “It will be as transformative for Hamilton as this college has been for students over the past 200 years. I have enjoyed witnessing the Taylors’ enthusiasm in directing SunUp’s generosity to Hamilton’s students and faculty. We are looking forwar

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Tags: History

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State panel targets school discipline

July 26th, 2011

Zero tolerance policies came in for a lot of criticism Wednesday at the first meeting of a legislative study committee assigned to review discipline methods in Colorado schools.

Such policies have lead to criminalization of students who commit minor infractions, exploding suspension and expulsion rates, increased dropout rates and reduced student achievement, witnesses told the Legislative Task Force to Study School Discipline, meeting at the Capitol.

Witnesses repeatedly used the phrases “school to prison pipeline” and “school to jail track” to describe the effect of zero tolerance policies, increased use of suspension and expulsion and rising numbers of student referrals to police. The use

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Tags: Discipline

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Akron schools to seek levy, cut spending

July 26th, 2011

The Akron school board will ask voters for new money in November, but plans to make budget cuts as well to keep the levy small enough to pass.

Treasurer Jack Pierson gave the board two extreme scenarios on Monday for eliminating an $11.6 million deficit in the 2012-13 school year, which balloons to more than $100 million two years later.

The first extreme option was taxes only, with no more cuts. That would require passing a 10.3-mill levy in November that would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $315 a year. If the board puts it off another year, it would need a 14.5-mill levy costing the same homeowner $444.

The second extreme option was cuts with no new taxes. That would require slashing the budget by $45 million by the 2014-15 school year, with $32 million chopped in the 2013-14 year alone.

Instead, the board announced that it will pursue a combination of taxes and cuts guaranteed to cause pain all around. Taxpayers will have to pass some kind of levy in November, balanced by cuts that could include school closings, layoffs and reduction of employee medical benefits.

The board will meet Aug.

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Tags: Cut, Cut Spending

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At-risk teens find life skills in summer program at Sacramento City Hall

July 25th, 2011

Newspaper and limited tape were provided, a task clearly laid out. Build a 2-foot-tall tower, the teacher said. The structure must be able to be transported and support 2 pounds.

The clock was ticking.

Christina Keller had been given deadline and team building assignments like this in the past. But, the Meadowview teen said, this time it was different. She is different.

“That’s when I found out that even though life is stressful and there are distractions, I built that tower,” Keller said. “And I realized I can make it.”

Every teacher strives for this kind of epiphany, where a student suddenly sees the embedded metaphor of limited tape representing money.

It’s the kind of realization Keller and other students said they had during Summer at City Hall, a program launched in June that introduced 32 teens to city government, taught them communications skills and showed them the value of volunteering.

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Green schools superintendent promotes savings

July 25th, 2011

GREEN: The Green Board of Education has approved eight contracts totaling almost $428,000, but expenditures are less than previous years.

Superintendent Michael Nutter said Monday night’s action by the board amounted to notable cost savings.

“We’re trying to do things so our kids can excel while [at the same time] being fiscally responsible,” he said.

Three contracts were for reading and language arts materials, which Nutter explained are important to enhance students’ education, with much being Web-based, reducing the number of textbooks needed.

The board approved a $175,555 contract to purchase Read 180 Next Generation and System 44, comprehensive, Web-based Tier II and Tier III intervention programs for students in fourth through 12th grades.

Also adopted was another $98,520 contract for Expert 21, language arts texts, ancillary teacher materials and Web-based resources for grades six through eight.

Another $21,457 contract was for the Scholastic Reading Inventory for students grades three to 12.

A $9,373 replacement contract with SchoolWires of State College, Pa., for website services was at a 32 percent savings over last year.

A $2,685, one-year contract with Ohio School Comp of Cleveland for services related to workers’ compensation represents a $300 savings.

The district’s $400 agreement with Ohio Schools Council for participation in a cooperative purchasing program, Nutter said, saved about $5,000 last year alone.

The board’s contract with Rachel Wixey & Associates of Toledo for substitute teachers, Nutter said, represents a $4,000 savings.

The board also approved a $119,968 contract, covered through other tax sources, for two case managers from Child Guidance & Family Solutions of Akron to perform services in assisting the lead teacher in developing appropriate behavioral interventions for individual students.

Tags: Green, Green Schools

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Mari Ruti asks Why Fall in Love?

July 25th, 2011

Mari Ruti, author of The Summons of Love, also writes a blog for Psychology Today called The Juicy Bits: Love, lust, and the luster of life, recently wrote a post exploring the reasons why it is important to fall in love.

For Ruti, love ushers us to frequencies of human life that we might find difficult to access otherwise, and allows us a break from the pragmatic preoccupations that dominate our everyday life. Drawing on the ideas of Julia Kristeva and Alain Badiou, Ruti writes that love, adds a layer of luster to our mundane existence, making us feel empowered and self-connected even as it decenters us from our customary concerns.

In considering the potential for disappointment and disillusion that comes with love or loves failure, Ruti writes:

The problem, of course, is that we cant access the depths of love without opening ourselves to its risks that the price of allowing ourselves to experience loves mystery is utter vulnerability. This is why its easy to refuse loves summons, to decline its invitation to self-transformation.

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Tags: Love, Mari Ruti

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