The Electronic Report of the Illinois Coalition of Non-Public Schools is being sent to you as a means of communicating with our member schools the importance of the work being done on your behalf. ICNS is your voice in Springfield to promote issues of interest to our nonpublic schools. This year, ICNS is engaging the services of a consultant to work in Springfield throughout the spring legislative session. This individual would work on behalf of our Illinois nonpublic schools to seek:
We know cuts in transportation reimbursement, textbook loan and school safety have had an impact on our nonpublic schools. Our hope is that a focused advocacy effort will help to restore funding by convincing legislators of the critical importance of these programs. Just last week, a committee of ICNS board members met to interview three candidates for the position. The intent is to have someone working for ICNS in Springfield when the legislature returns on January 12.
Your membership dues are needed to make this happen. If
you were a member last year, have you renewed for 09-10? The cost to be a
member of ICNS is only $50 for the year. If you need the
membership renewal form, the web site link is:
http://www.icns.net/membership.htm
HOTCHALK LEARNING ENVIRONMENT SYSTEM
HotChalk is a learning environment for K-12 teachers, students and parents that includes a learning management system (LMS), a rich library of teacher-contributed lesson plans, premium digital content, and professional development for teachers in a Web-based environment. Available through any Internet browser, the HotChalk Learning Environment is an easy to use system and brings teachers, students and parents together to improve education. HotChalk is free to teachers and schools: http://www.hotchalk.com/index_new.html
ILLINOIS LEGISLATIVE NEWS
State Recognition
Nonpublic schools have made good progress from last year. ISBE conducted some 120 school recognition visits this past school year. ISBE has adopted revised administrative rules for the governing of the non-public school recognition program. These rules will take the place of the current Policies and Guidelines Manual controlling state recognition operations.
House Bill 3982 (Transportation of Students) – This legislation eliminates the use of 11-15 passenger vans for interscholastic or other school sponsored activities by July 1, 2010. The new law will bring Illinois schools into compliance with federal standards for transporting students by eliminating vans that have been deemed unsafe by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As of July 1, 2010, students grade 12 and below will be required to be transported in a school bus, multifunction school-activity bus (MFSAB), or First Division Vehicle (vehicles designed by the manufacturer to transport 10 or fewer persons) for these events.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Federal Stimulus Package) – If your school receives Title I, Title II or IDEA services from the local school district, it is imperative you communicate that your students are entitled to equitable participation in services funded by that federal money. It will take meaningful consultation with the local school district, but be sure your students receive their lawfully entitled services.
AED Clarification Approved - A bill was approved that clarifies that a school is not responsible for providing an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) or a trained AED user if the activity taking place is not a school-sponsored event. SB1371 makes clarifications to the law that requires schools to have access to an AED at all outdoor physical fitness facilities. It more clearly states that schools only must provide the AED and trained AED user at outside athletic facilities if the activity is directly supervised by an employee (not maintenance or security personnel) of the school and specifically exempts any activity or program that is organized by a private or not-for-profit organization and supervised by a person who is not employed by the school. So, if another organization – say a Little League baseball team or Junior Soccer League team – uses a school's baseball diamond or soccer field in the summer the school is not responsible for providing an AED or a trained AED user. SB 1371 will be sent to the governor for consideration
Important Dates – Most likely, your school has already submitted the following documents and data, but just in case, here are the deadlines for each. A school principal can use the ISBE IWAS system to check the status of these reports.
1) Nonpublic School Registration, Enrollment and Staff Report: 12/31/09
2) Student Health Data – Immunization: 11/16/09 (system opened 10/16/09)
3) Student Health Data – Vision: 6/30/10 (system opened 10/16/09)
* Please remember children must receive physical examinations prior to entering Illinois schools for the first time, prior to the date of entering kindergarten or first grade, prior to entering sixth grade, and prior to entering ninth grade. The immunization requirements, K-12, can be found here: http://www.isbe.net/research/pdfs/immunization_requirements.pdf
INFORMATION YOU CAN USE
Daily jailing data for young black male dropouts shows one in five
A new study from the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University details the high cost of the dropout epidemic for both students and taxpayers. The paper outlines data for the employment, earnings, incarceration, teen and young adult parenting, and family incomes of the nation's high school dropouts and their better-educated peers from 2006 to 2008, and the news is not good. The most startling statistic, contained in the report's subtitle, indicates a 22 percent daily jailing rate for young black men who have dropped out. Overall, nearly one of every 10 young male high school dropouts was institutionalized on a given day in 2006-2007, versus fewer than one of 33 high school graduates, one of 100 young men who completed one to three years of post-secondary schooling, and only one of 500 men who held a bachelor's or higher degree. Other data show young female high school dropouts nearly nine times as likely to become single mothers as their counterparts with bachelor degrees, with the year-round joblessness rate of young high school dropouts at 40 percent. Over their working lives, the average high school dropout will have a negative net fiscal contribution to society of nearly -$5,200, while the average high school graduate generates a positive lifetime net fiscal contribution of $287,000.
See the report: http://www.clms.neu.edu/publication/documents/The_Consequences_of_Dropping_Out_of_High_School.pdf
Forty Percent of America’s Teachers Are Disheartened
A new report from Public Agenda and Learning Point Associates offers a comprehensive look at how teachers across the country differ in perspectives on their profession. The study, based on a nationwide survey with more than 100 questions of nearly 900 teachers, revealed three broad categories that the researchers labeled Disheartened, Contented, and Idealistic. The view that teaching is "so demanding, it's a wonder more people don't burn out" is pervasive, particularly among the disheartened. This group, which accounts for 40 percent of K-12 teachers in the United States, tends to have been teaching longer and be older than the Idealists. More than half teach in low-income schools. By contrast, teachers in the Contented group (37 percent of teachers overall) view teaching as a lifelong career. These teachers tend to be veterans -- 94 percent have been teaching for more than 10 years, the majority has graduate degrees, and about two-thirds are teaching in middle-income or affluent schools. However, it is the Idealists -- 23 percent of teachers overall -- who voice the strongest sense of mission about teaching. More than half are 32 or younger and teach in elementary schools, and 36 percent say that although they intend to stay in education, they do plan to leave classroom teaching for other jobs in the field. Read more: http://www.publicagenda.org/pages/three-distinct-sensibilities
NEW GRANT & FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Tylenol: The Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children's Tylenol National Child Care Teacher Awards
The Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children's Tylenol National Child Care Teacher Awards acknowledge the critical role of childcare teachers in providing quality early care and education. Applicants are asked to design an enhancement project for the children in their classroom illustrating the educational, social, and emotional benefits from the project. Maximum award: $1,000. Eligibility: teachers of infant, toddler, or preschool age children employed in a home, group, or center-based program that is fully compliant with local and state regulations for operating child care programs. Deadline: December 4, 2009. http://www.tllccf.org/pr_nccta.php
ING: Unsung Heroes Awards
The ING Unsung Heroes Awards program recognizes
innovative and progressive thinking in education through monetary awards.
Maximum award: $25,000. Eligibility: full-time educators, teachers,
principals, paraprofessionals, or classified staff members with effective
projects that improve student learning at an accredited K-12 public or
private school. Deadline: April 30, 2010.
http://www.ing-usa.com/us/stellent2/groups/dc/documents/companylobinformation/001143.pdf
A FINAL THOUGHT
Little people carry grudges. Great people simply forgive and forget. Sticks and stones break bones; but the fact is, names hurt too. Leaders may not have to dodge the branches or granite thrown by their opposition, but often they can’t avoid their hurled insults. The way a leader reacts means the difference between leadership greatness and mediocrity. Great leaders refuse to don battle gear. Instead they remain focused on their goals. Ask any leader why he or she is willing to forgive and forget, and you’ll hear, “I don’t have time to be bitter. I only have time to be better.” (Stan Toler) Simply stated- leaders forgive quickly.