2016 has been a busy year for the students, teachers and leaders of Douglas L. Jamerson Junior Elementary School (DLJ) in Pinellas County. The school has earned a number of awards, including MSA's School of Excellence Award, they were named the top Elementary STEM program in the nation by the Future of Education Technology Conference, they are a National PTA School of Excellence, and they have also been named a Five Star School by the Florida Department of Education.
Making her first appearance before a public audience as the new U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos addressed magnet school leaders at Magnet Schools of America's recent National Policy Training Conference in Washington, DC.
With the election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States, it is unclear how much the world of education will likely change. During the campaign, the president-elect made several statements about his policy preferences. He stated that "we need to fix our broken education system and keep it local." He believes the Common Core is a "very bad thing" and that the U.S. Department of Education should be streamlined, or possibly eliminated.
Today, President-Elect Donald Trump announced that he has chosen Betsy DeVos to serve as his Secretary of Education in his new administration. Ms. DeVos is the chairwoman of the American Federation of Children, which is an advocacy group that strongly supports the expansion of charter schools and school vouchers.
“This week’s NAACP resolution calling for a moratorium on charter school expansion and for the strengthening of oversight in their governance and practice is very appropriate. We appreciate that the NAACP has raised this concern and has expressed the need to work harder to create equity in the classroom.
We would like to congratulate the 31 magnet schools that were designated as 2016 National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. These schools are recognized for the superior academic performance and success closing acheivement gaps.
In 2009, Martin T. Reid joined Arthur & Polly Mays Conservatory of the Arts. Armed with a strong educational background, a B.S. from Florida A&M University, M.S. from Nova Southeastern University and an Ed. S. from The University of Miami, plus years of experience teaching and leading as a principal, Mr. Reid was ready for any challenge that Mays, a tough urban school with inner city problems.
Derek Burns, the principal at Douglas Creative Arts and Science Magnet Elementary School, insists that, “If you don’t go all in, it’s not going to work.” The “it” he is referring to here is Douglas’ magnet theme, the creative arts and sciences. Mr. Burns is heading into his third year at Douglas and he believes that allowing his faculty and staff the freedom to be creative, and modeling a strong commitment to infusing Douglas’ creative arts and sciences theme into everything they do, are the keys to building and sustaining a successful magnet school.
In an effort to help school districts provide students with a well rounded education that includes the humanities and arts, the U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to state and local education leaders outlining creative ways they may enhance holistic education programs by utilizing in conjunction various federal resources.The department defines humanities in the letter as history, civics, government, economics, geography, literature, art, music and other non-STEM subjects not usually found in the English/language arts curriculum.
Magnet School of Merit Awards recognize member magnet schools/programs that demonstrate a high commitment to academic standards, curriculum innovation, desegregation/diversity efforts, specialized teaching staffs, and parent and community involvement.
Raise the level of performance consistent throughout school districts nationwide and creates a platform from which all magnet schools can flourish. Magnet Schools of America’s national certification process is designed to recognize the hard work of the best magnet schools in the nation and to help them as they grow.
