School Supplies for Parking Tickets
Last summer, the city of Las Vegas launched an innovative initiative that put their parking tickets to good use for schools. The city council unanimously approved a monthlong program that allowed motorists to pay off their parking tickets and driving infractions by donating school supplies and educational materials. As long as a driver had not been fined for a public safety-related incident, they were free to eliminate their debt by bringing in pencils, pens, erasers, dry erase markers, paper towels, copy paper, rulers, scissors, and pencil sharpeners. All of the supplies were donated to the Teachers Exchange, a nonprofit associated with The Public Education Foundation, which distributed them to local school districts.
A New Steam Classroom Brings Tears of Joy
Caryn Long, a fifth-grade science teacher at Treadway Elementary School in Leesburg, FL, couldn’t believe her eyes when the school revealed her newly renovated classroom, courtesy of the Addition Financial Credit Union (AFCU). “This is going to be so good for the kids,” Long said with tears in her eyes. “Now, they can walk in here and be instantly inspired. This will mean everything to them.” AFCU chose one public elementary school teacher from Orange, Seminole, Lake, and Osceola counties for the Renovate to Educate contest, allowing up to $2,000 per classroom. AFCU’s Senior Relationship Manager Valerie Moses says, “Ms. Long wanted her dream classroom to allow students to visualize themselves as leaders in STEAM [science, technology, engineering, arts, and math] fields, and we were inspired by her goal of bringing more inclusivity and accessibility to science.”
A Unique Job Ad for a Diversified Staff
Many school districts talk a big game about increasing staff diversity, but one Oregon district made it clear in its job posting that it wants minority and underrepresented groups to work there. An advertisement for a fourth- and fifth-grade elementary school teacher in the North Clackamas School District near Portland, OR, made the plea explicit by encouraging candidates who think they may not meet all of the qualifications to apply for the job. “Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in a job description,” the ad read. “We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of our qualifications described.” The job listing was posted on Twitter and quickly generated buzz among educators, many of whom applauded the effort.
New Food and Nutrition Website
The food and nutrition department at Warwick School District in Lititz, PA, is made up of a team of professionals who are dedicated to their students’ health, well-being, and their ability to learn. They are taking the lead to promote nutrition and fitness for their students. The district now utilizes an interactive and user-friendly school nutrition website. The website, www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com, educates and inspires excellence for students by promoting health, fitness, and the district’s wellness policy via digital tools. You’ll find information about meal components, interactive nutrition lesson plans, fitness calculators, and healthy recipes. Plus, the site gives parents easy access to nutrition information from the school’s menus. Users can hover over menu items to reveal each item’s nutritional information and allergens. Students can rate menu items, and all of the menus can be translated to different languages to support all families.