Latest news with #AlabamaStateDepartmentofEducation
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Anniston school board approves JAG program to combat dropouts
ANNISTON — The Anniston Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to adopt the Jobs for Alabama's Graduates (JAG) program, a statewide initiative aimed at supporting at-risk students and reducing dropout rates. The decision, made during the board's formal meeting, secures $75,000 to $80,000 in state funding for a JAG instructor and an additional $10,000 in startup costs for the district. The program will launch in Anniston City Schools in the coming academic year. 'This is a program that has saved countless lives in Alabama over the years,' said Dr. Craig Collins, education administrator at the Alabama State Department of Education and state JAG coordinator. 'We titled our presentation 'Let's Do the Math' because when you break it down, the real cost of dropout rates is staggering.' Joined by longtime state JAG director Mandy Nichols, Collins detailed the program's targeted approach to students facing academic and socioeconomic barriers. He cited statistics that roughly 2,500 students drop out of high school annually in Alabama, costing taxpayers an estimated $292,000 per student over their lifetimes — more than $3.5 billion over five years. 'The consequences are enormous,' Collins said. 'If we do nothing to help students graduate, our communities suffer, our workforce suffers, and most importantly, our youth suffer.' The JAG program identifies students dealing with five or more of 33 recognized obstacles — including poverty, homelessness, and parental incarceration — and supports them through daily, dedicated contact with a trained adult. JAG classrooms focus on 87 core employability competencies in a flexible, student-centered environment. 'I love it,' Superintendent Dr. D. Ray Hill said. 'It's good for students who need that extra attention.' Collins shared a personal account of witnessing generational poverty in his hometown of Troy. 'These numbers aren't just statistics,' he said. 'I've seen five generations living in housing projects. I'm not talking about 'those people'—I am one of those people. That's why this matters.' The vote capped off a meeting largely focused on celebrating student and faculty achievements. The board honored Anniston High School's boys and girls track teams for continued state-level success since 2021. Coach Lisa Howard received a plaque recognizing her leadership. 'Track is not the easiest sport, but they came out and they gave it their best," Howard said. 'We have two of our young men here that's a part of our team, they also competed in the Special Olympics.' Hill praised her record of consistent excellence. 'I've only been in a couple of districts where we've had what I call a repeat winning coach,' he said. 'We're going to do something a little bit larger.' Howard will receive a bonus, and the board plans to help purchase championship rings for the team. Board President Robert Houston added that he will treat the athletes to dinner in celebration. The meeting also recognized participants in the Anniston City Schools Leadership Development Seminar Cohort and the student-led broadcast crew from Randolph Park Elementary. Anniston Middle School teacher Samuel Green showcased creative work from his gifted students, including animated cartoons. In other business, the board approved several field trips, including summer football scrimmages for Anniston High, a ninth-grade transition program for eighth graders, and a gifted student trip to Majestic Caverns.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Huntsville City Schools to offer free meals to children during summer learning activities
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – The Huntsville City Schools will offer free meals to students this summer through their Summer Food Service Program. In conjunction with the Alabama State Department of Education, HCS will start the program on June 2. It will run through June 26, during summer learning activities. National TOP COPS Awards honors Huntsville Police officers Every summer, millions of meals are distributed to children and teens at risk of hunger across Alabama. The ALSDE's Child Nutrition Program is aiming for more participants at the Huntsville sites. Alabama's Break for a Plate Summer program has outpaced the growth os similar programs in other states, and there is still a critical need for sponsors. The included summer learning sites are as follows: James Dawson Elementary Farley Elementary Montview Elementary Morris Elementary/Middle Rolling Hills Elementary Sonnie Hereford Elementary Martin Luther King Jr. Elem Whitesburg Elem./Middle Summer learning sites will serve breakfast from 7:30-8:30 a.m., and lunch from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Two external community sites will also be operating from June 2-26. The Richard Showers Recreation Center will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., and Brahan Springs Splash Pad will serve lunch from 1:00-1:45 p.m. For more information about the Summer Food Service Program, call 256-428-6955. To find more information about Break for a Plate Summer, or other child nutrition programs, call 334-694-4659 or visit their website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Kay Ivey signs law banning smartphones in Alabama public schools
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — A new law banning smartphones in classrooms across Alabama has now gone into effect. On Wednesday, Gov. Kay Ivey signed the FOCUS Act, which would prohibit students from using smart phones and 'other wireless devices' in public school. 'In my state of the state address, I repeated the requests of Alabama teachers and parents in calling for a ban on student cell phone use in our schools,' Ivey said in a statement. 'Smart phones have beneficial roles when used in proper settings. However, these often-disruptive devices have no place in our classrooms during the school day except for educational purposes or during an emergency. The FOCUS Act will enable students to 'focus' on learning while in school rather than on their phones.' As part of the FOCUS Act, students must keep phones in their locker, backpack, car or another storage location. However, students are allowed to use them for emergencies. Alabama nonprofit art studio that celebrates the autism community hit by Trump cuts to NEA The FOCUS Act also requires the Alabama State Department of Education to offer safe social media training for all students entering the eighth grade. 'As a parent, equipping my children to excel in all aspects of life is priority number one, and what they learn in the classroom plays an immense role in that,' said Rep. Leigh Hulsey, who sponsored the bill. 'The FOCUS Act will limit distractions and provide an avenue for every student in our state to get the absolute most out of their day at school, leading to a stronger Alabama of tomorrow. I am grateful to Governor Ivey for the opportunity to sponsor this important legislation and sincerely appreciate the support of my colleagues in the House and Senate.' However, others think the bill doesn't provide enough exceptions for when phone may actually be needed. 'In the bill, they're gonna be able to have them on campus, their lockers. That's not a workable solution for me,' Democratic Rep. Barbara Drummond told CBS 42 back in March. Some school systems have already taken steps to curb phone use in the classroom. For example, Pike Road Junior High in Montgomery County has a policy requiring students to leave their phones in a specialized pouch that can only be opened at the end of the day or with permission. According to a survey published last summer by the Pew Research Center, 72% of high school teachers across the country feel cellphone distraction is a major problem in the classroom. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Danville students learning fractions with manipulatives
Jan. 29—DANVILLE — You could say Sydni Franklin's sixth grade math class at Danville Middle School is learning fractions the hard way — well, the hard plastic way. A few weeks ago, her students started studying fractions using a collection of rods, blocks and other shapes meant to show them how fractions look geometrically, not just as numbers on a page. These colorful doodads are called manipulatives, and they help small groups of students study fractions in a hands-on manner. The exercise makes abstract concepts like math more tangible. These fraction bars or blocks are called Cuisenaire Rods. The class got them out during one of Franklin's "lab classes," which she uses to teach material the students are struggling to grasp. "The lab classes give us a little more freedom to teach things they are not understanding and to go back and sort of reteach," Franklin said. "We were going back and adding and subtracting fractions because they were confused on it." The rods and other shapes work by being different lengths and colors, which helps the students "see" the fractions. "It's more visual so you can get a better understanding of it instead of just looking at a board while she teaches," said 12-year-old Charley Penney, a student in the class. "We learned that when there are different sizes of blocks and different colors of blocks it is a different fraction," said Avella Underwood, 11. Because Underwood is a visual learner, she stopped her comment to grab some of the blocks to hold them up and illustrate. "I learned that half of a blue block is a purple block," she said. "This gives me a better visual — it helps me understand it better. I just love it a lot." Aiden Bryant, 11, said he learned how to make a whole using different types of blocks — or different fractions of the whole. "It helps you get a visual," he said, and then it's easier to know how to do math problems using fractions. Blake Wood, 12, said that instead of working the fractions out on a piece of paper he could "see it better and learn more from it. Instead of just giving us a worksheet and telling us to do it she did this and it really helped." Franklin recently trained on this technique using the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) numbers book. It is the Alabama State Department of Education's effort to improve math and science teaching statewide. Teachers use professional development hours to improve their teaching skills. "My kids are 12 years old, they are high-energy, they want to run around, they will take a mile if you give them an inch, so doing things like this is very beneficial but it is also challenging. It gets dicey, but it is definitely worth it in the long run because like Aiden said, it gives you a concrete idea. I really liked this when I saw it. You never know what will stick, but they really did enjoy this." — or 256-340-2361
