Dover DoodleHeads

Offering the Best Price for Learning Supplies - Free - NYTimes.com

I never knew this organization existed! So neat!

Extras for Creative Learning is a nonprofit organization that funnels castoff items from businesses into the hands of teachers, day care providers and parents. And the economic downturn is fueling a boom in some donations.

Offering the Best Price for Learning Supplies - Free - NYTimes.com.

Schools Try Separating Boys From Girls - NYTimes.com

Schools Try Separating Boys From Girls - NYTimes.com.

The Parent-Teacher Talk Gains a New Participant - NYTimes.com

From today's NYT:.....
Student-led conferences are gaining ground at elementary and middle schools nationwide, in part because of the rapidly shifting demographics at public schools.

The Parent-Teacher Talk Gains a New Participant - NYTimes.com.

Annals of Education: Most Likely to Succeed: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker

Who makes a good teacher? ......
Annals of Education: Most Likely to Succeed: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker.

Kindergarten Redshirting Is Bad in Many Ways - NYTimes.com

8th Annual Year in Ideas - Kindergarten Redshirting Is Bad in Many Ways - NYTimes.com.

Cutthroat Preschool Ritual Isn’t Like Prison, or Is It? - NYTimes.com

A documentary filmmaker who won an award for his film about the lives of prison inmates trains his camera on another fascinating subculture: New York's preschool parents.

Big City - Cutthroat Preschool Ritual Isn’t Like Prison, or Is It? - NYTimes.com.

The Anti-Schoolers: NYT

From the NYT today... The "Anti-Schoolers"

A community of like-minded parents is opting to enrich rather than formally educate their not-yet-school-age children.

Home-Schooling Grows in New York City - NYTimes.com.

Math Skills Suffer in U.S., Study Finds - NYTimes.com

While the study suggests many girls have exceptional talent in math, they are rarely identified in the U.S., because culture discourages girls — and boys — from excelling.

Math Skills Suffer in U.S., Study Finds - NYTimes.com.

50 smartest high schools - DS #3

Boston Magazine's list of Best Public High Schools is out.  Dover-Sherborn is #3 in their Cost Efficiency Ranking.  See Boston.com's blog entry and a link to the chart here:

50 smartest high schools - Boston Real Estate - Boston.com.

Get Pad and Pen - The School Supply List Is Long - NYTimes.com

Get Pad and Pen - The School Supply List Is Long - NYTimes.com.

At School, Technology Starts to Turn a Corner

As a new school year begins, the time may have come to reconsider how large a role technology can play in changing education.

Essay - At School, Technology Starts to Turn a Corner - NYTimes.com.

Where the Race Now Begins at Kindergarten - NYTimes.com

Another look at kindergarten admissions in NYC.

Where the Race Now Begins at Kindergarten - NYTimes.com.

Pre-school screening coming up - Dover, MA - Dover-Sherborn Press

Link: Pre-school screening coming up - Dover, MA - Dover-Sherborn Press.

The Dover Public Schools’ Special Education Department is offering a free screening for 3-and 4-year-old children who reside in Dover and may have developmental delays or disabilities that may affect school performance.

Screening will take place on March 31 at the Chickering School, 29 Cross St., Dover.

Parents who suspect that their child may have a disability or may be developmentally delayed in any area are encouraged to contact Elissa Yanco at 508-785-0480, ext. 2206, to schedule a screening appointment.

General questions in regard to the special education process and services may be directed to:
Sally Winslow, Administrator of Special Education
Chickering School
29 Cross St., Dover, MA 02030
508-785-0480, ext. 1031

At Elite Prep Schools, College-Size Endowments - New York Times

Exeter is #3 with a $1 billion endowment, Andover is #4 with an $800 million endowment....

Link: At Elite Prep Schools, College-Size Endowments - New York Times.

Dover-Sherborn Superintendent Interviews tonight & Wed

Dover-Sherborn Superintendent Search - Interview Schedule

Public Meetings: Parents, residents and school staff encouraged to attend.
Feedback forms available for audience participation.

Due to the school cancellations today, we would like to spread word that the interviews are indeed scheduled for this evening, Monday 1/14/08.

Location: Middle School Choral Room (second floor)

Time: 7:00 -9:15 p.m. (one hour interview per candidate)

Monday, January 14
7:00-8:00 pm  Dr. Christine Tyrie
8:15-9:15 pm  Ms. Delma Josephson

Wednesday, January 16
7:00-8:00 pm  Ms. Valerie Spriggs
8:15-9:15 pm  Dr. Lynne Sarasin 

The Early Bird Gets the Bad Grade - New York Times

Link: The Early Bird Gets the Bad Grade - New York Times.

IT’S Monday morning, and you’re having trouble waking your teenagers. You’re not alone. Indeed, each morning, few of the country’s 17 million high school students are awake enough to get much out of their first class, particularly if it starts before 8 a.m. Sure, many of them stayed up too late the night before, but not because they wanted to.

Nancy Kalish is the co-author of “The Case Against Homework: How Homework Is Hurting Our Children and What We Can Do About It.”

School Snow Closing Alerts Via Email/Text

  Link: School Snow Closing Alerts Via Email/Text.

Online Research for Kids

We have research projects for Brownies and for school.  Dinos and countries on the brain.  Here are some great online (& authoritative) research databases for kids to get those projects done.  Many from the library and you need your library card to access.  Will be adding more as we go, please leave comments with more great sites. Thnx!

Link: Dover DoodleHeads: Online Research for Kids.

Dover-Sherborn Superintendent of Schools finalists named

Link: Superintendent finalists named : Dover Sherborn Blog.

Even more info with bios is now available here.

Delma Josephson, Assistant Superintendent of the Narragansett Regional School District.  Framingham State College Class Notes from 2005 entry give some info on her background:

Delma Josephson has recently been appointed assistant superintendent of the Narragansett Regional School District.  She has 26 years of experience in Harvard Public Schools as a teacher, health coordinator, dean of students, and assistant to the superintendent/ principal.

 

Lynne Sarasin, Deputy Superintendent of Schools, Lexington.  A Bio from one of her books gives us some info on her background:

Lynne Celli Sarasin received a BA in Sociology and Education from     Clark University (Worcester, MA) in 1982, an Med in Curriculum, Instruction, and     Administration from Boston College (Chestnut Hill, MA) in 1988, and a PhD in Curriculum     and Instruction from Boston College in 1991.  Dr. Celli Sarasin has been committed to the education profession     for fifteen years and has worked diligently for her students and their learning success.     Her professional research focus is in the area of student learning styles and teaching     strategies.

 

Valerie Spriggs, Superintendent of Schools for the Southern Berkshire Regional School District: some info on her degrees can be on the SBRSD Certifications & Degrees:

M.Ed. Administration & Supervision, Curriculum & Instruction, University of South Florida; BA, Elementary Education, University of South Florida

You can also read about some of the issues the SBRSD is having with its budget here.

Christine Tyrie, Superintendent of Schools for SAU 24 representing four school districts in New Hampshire.  See an article in the Metrowest Daily News about her interviews for the Natick Superintendent's job here. Some info on her background from that article:

"I'm no longer looking to build a resume," said Tyrie, who has held positions of math and science teacher, assistant superintendent and superintendent over the past 16 years. She is currently the Superintendent in Henniker, NH.

And even more info on her accomplishments in the district in this article.

*****

If you're really motivated, you can use GreatSchools.net to compare the schools in these districts to that of Dover & Sherborn.

Giving Disorganized Boys the Tools for Success - New York Times

Link: Giving Disorganized Boys the Tools for Success - New York Times.

With girls outperforming boys these days in high school and college, educators have been sparring over whether there is a crisis in the education of boys. Some suggest the need for more single-sex schools, more male role models or new teaching techniques. Others are experimenting with physical changes in classrooms that encourage boys to move around, rather than trying to anchor them to their seats.

School Recess Gets Gentler, and the Adults Are Dismayed - New York Times

Grade school recess -- long seen as a way for children to develop social competence, recharge after long lessons, and resist obesity -- is being rethought and pared down.

Link: School Recess Gets Gentler, and the Adults Are Dismayed - New York Times.

US News and World Report Best High Schools and High School Rankings – US News Best High Schools

Dover-Sherborn Regional High School is #65 on the Best High Schools 2008 Ranking from US News & World Report

Link: US News and World Report Best High Schools and High School Rankings – US News Best High Schools.

How to Get Into Harvard - WSJ.com

Link: How to Get Into Harvard - WSJ.com : A WSJ study finds that certain high schools have a remarkable record of sending their students to elite colleges.  ...Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., is a virtual factory, sending 19 kids to Harvard this fall...

Who made the list in New England?

• Andover
• Exeter
• Milton
• Groton
• Rivers
• St. Paul's
• BB&N
• Hotchkiss
• Deerfield
• Boston Latin

DS Press: Emergency notification system to cover all D-S schools

With the new school year now in full swing, the Dover-Sherborn Regional School Committee is planning to implement an emergency notification system across its entire system. Currently, Connect-ED, a program that allows a school’s superintendent to contact family of students, is only on the plate for Sherborn’s Pine Hill School.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/dover/schools/x2033926310

Chickering principal discusses school's goals - Dover, MA - Dover-Sherborn Press

Link: Chickering principal discusses school's goals - Dover, MA - Dover-Sherborn Press.

NYT: Article on Needham High & Principal Richards

Did you see the New York Times article on Needham High School - Less Homework, More Yoga, From a Principal Who Hates Stress? Includes links to resources on academic stress, including SOS: Stressed Out Students.

Chickering Lunch Menu for Sept

http://doversherborn.org/~janelle_madden/dovermenu.htm

Dover Bus Schedules Posted [2007-2008]

Chickering's Bus Schedule is here: http://www.townonline.com/dover/education/x663479031

More back to school info here from DS Press

Dover Sherborn Bus Schedules Posted Soon

Check here closer to the end of August for the bus schedules.