NEWSLETTER UPDATE #38

JANUARY 16th, 2007

• RESEARCH AND SMALL SCHOOLS
• EDUCATION FUNDING AND THE CONSTITUTION
• CAN YOUR GRANDCHILD READ?
• CHARTER SCHOOL UPDATE
• MARTIN LUTHER KING & HIS “I HAVE A DREAM” SPEECH
• RIGHT TO KNOW CHECKLIST FOR SCHOOL BOARDS
• ENTREPRENEUR WEEK & 9 QUALITIES OF ENTREPENEURS

RESEARCH AND SMALL SCHOOLS

Researchers say small schools have big advantages: higher attendance, fewer dropouts, fewer course failures, increased sense of personal safety, far fewer incidents of violence and drugs, higher achievement, higher graduation rates, higher achievement of poor students, more individualization, greater focus on goals, and increased student, parent, and community satisfaction. All resulting from one key feature that large schools cannot provide—they are small. Read more:

EDUCATION FUNDING AND THE CONSTITUTION

The Josiah Bartlett Center’s program this Friday is EDUCATION FUNDING AND THE CONSTITUTION. Come prepare yourself for this year’s debate. The forum is Friday, January 19^th. 8:30 a.m., Capitol Center for the Arts, Concord. Attorney General Kelly Ayotte will join constitutional experts, including Claremont Coalition attorney Scott Johnson, former Supreme Court Justice Charles Douglas, former Speaker Donna Sytek, and three expert attorneys--Martin Gross, Edward Mosca and Eugene Van Loan. Professional Professional Development Certificates are available for $25.00 For more info. 

CAN YOUR GRANDCHILD READ?

Jimmy Fitzpatrick has posted the Red Flag Reading Test for anyone to quickly screen whether or not a young person can read. It’s free and food for thought. LDAdvocates.com provides parents with this Red Flag Reading Screening as an informal means by which they can evaluate their child’s level of reading accuracy from grade level materials.

NEW HAMPSHIRE CHARTER SCHOOL UPDATE

Nothing exemplifies New Hampshire's tremendous progress with chartered public schools more than the community support these new schools now have. Entrepreneurial leaders and teachers in almost every New Hampshire college are finding ways to participate. Support from college and school district personnel shows how important these schools are in creating results and new opportunities we need. For a quick progress report click here. Check our website for a complete listing and explanation of schools with links to their directors and websites.

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR’S “I HAVE A DREAM” SPEECH

Imagine the courage and power of Martin Luther King’s I HAVE A DREAM speech in the context of 1963, delivered at the feet of President Lincoln’s Memorial. The nation’s Civil Rights Act was passed the following year. Martin Luther King was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. He was killed in 1968. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” We’ve reproduced the I HAVE A DREAM speech for readers.

RIGHT TO KNOW CHECKLIST FOR SCHOOL BOARDS

Here’s a helpful checklist to assure your board is on board with state guidelines for handling and recording public meetings. Click here

9 QUALITIES OF ENTREPRENEURS & ENTREPENEUR WEEK

Entrepreneur Week is February 24-March 3^rd. Do you know education entrepreneurs with these 9 characteristics for entrepreneur success?

1. self-esteem (you have to believe you can do it)
2. need to achieve
3. screening for opportunity
4. goal orientation
5. optimism
6. courage
7. tolerance for ambiguity
8. strong internal motivation
9. locus of control (belief that your own hard work can bring something about)

EntrepreneurshipUSA & Entrepreneur Week are sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kaufmann Foundation with national sponsors, including the New York Times. Think about the entrepreneurs you know. This is the spirit of America.