tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88440534571329292372024-03-18T23:22:14.799-05:00Classroom BlogKeeping tabs on education in Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne and Randolph counties in northeast Alabama.Bob Davis, Editor of The Anniston Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12024576660525765598noreply@blogger.comBlogger282125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-50527051818307277282008-06-11T10:41:00.001-05:002008-06-11T10:41:32.143-05:00Riley will sign education budgetNot that anyone doubted this would happen...OFFICE OF GOVERNOR BOB RILEYMEDIA ADVISORY FOR EVENT ON THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2008 Governor Riley to Sign Education Budget PRATTVILLE β Governor Bob Riley will sign the FY 2009 Education Trust Fund budget into law on Thursday, June 12, at 9:30 a.m. at Kiddie College in Prattville. The $6.3 billion dollar budget increases funding for critical programs thatUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-49284873354225659572008-06-09T10:09:00.002-05:002008-06-09T10:12:08.580-05:00LordySorry for the long drought between postings- I took about three days of comp time last week after a very long tough stretch covering the special session in Montgomery.Some stories I'm working on- A new candidate has emerged in the race for Anniston City School board. It hasn't been confirmed yet, but I am meeting with someone today to find out more.- What have changes in the graduation Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-39021962777911221322008-05-20T13:57:00.001-05:002008-05-20T13:57:47.810-05:00From an e-mailHere's what some folks are saying about yesterday's session....Dysfunctional Senate Kills Ed BudgetSpecial Session Coming SoonCLAS Legislative UpdateMay 20, 2008Monday the Senate wasted an entire day as Alabama and Auburn lobbyists dug in and killed the education budget. The big universities wrote some big checks to hire lobbyist Joe Fine and even after the House added $25 million in additional Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-65365917763969309622008-05-20T10:10:00.003-05:002008-05-20T10:17:10.857-05:00Education budget and other storiesThe Senate failed to pass the $6.3 billion budget over a disagreement about additional funding for colleges and universities. This will put most local school systems in a bind, because they'll have to pink-slip teachers that are non-tenured, and they will inevitably seek other work in Georgia, Mississippi and Florida. So the question is not really, are you in trouble but, how much trouble are youUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-62859677873292039922008-05-05T10:02:00.002-05:002008-05-05T10:07:10.772-05:00Follow-up thoughts from ValdostaI enjoyed the opportunity to get out of the office (ok, flee the office) and go down to Valdosta for Dr. Bill Meehan's interview. I learned a lot about what issues are facing regional universities as they try to fill their niche. And Meehan was in fact staying across the hall from me. We chatted informally for half an hour Tuesday night and I got a better sense of his thoughts on Alabama Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-87990515003576986372008-05-05T09:59:00.000-05:002008-05-05T10:00:27.741-05:00I should do a story about this .....CHICAGO (AP) β American children take anti-psychotic medicines at about six times the rate of children in the United Kingdom, according to a comparison based on a new U.K. study.Does it mean U.S. kids are being over-treated? Or that U.K. children are being under-treated?Experts say that's almost beside the point, because use is rising on both sides of the Atlantic. And with scant long-term safetyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-28544520306365418572008-04-29T18:53:00.003-05:002008-04-29T18:58:04.809-05:00More from ValdostaI toured more of the campus and spoke to students at Valdosta State University, who were an incredibly friendly and obliging bunch. Everyone was very helpful and had real insights into what was going on- rare when you do man-on-the-street type interviews. Jax-State University President Bill Meehan had his first public forum and I was glad to hear the depth of the questions the faculty asked. TheyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-3698320935897878342008-04-28T18:12:00.008-05:002008-04-28T18:26:18.741-05:00Valdosta State University tripDan, this is the artist rendering of the Student Union βlet me know if you need photos of anything else on campusValdosta State University, like other schools in Georgia, is preparing for an influx of students. The collge expects 16,000 students by 2020 and is in the middle of a $263 million expansion project. It's a bit bigger than Jacksonville State University already and will continue to grow Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-29992408245730412022008-04-27T20:51:00.002-05:002008-04-27T20:53:47.128-05:00Blogging from ValdostaI'll be leaving bright and early tomorrow morning and head toward Valdosta, Ga., the setting for Jacksonville State University President Bill Meehan's two days worth of public interviews. Expect semi-regular updates and photos about the trip. I'll also be working to knock out some of my other assignments later in the week as well.If anyone knows where I can get any good food down that way, hollerUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-73445308717385413182008-04-24T20:20:00.005-05:002008-04-24T20:26:29.825-05:00Back from the meetingJoan Frazier is now the permanent superintendent of Anniston City Schools.In a 4-1 decision the board voted to give Frazier the top job.And, contrary to my earlier 'spider sense,' there was very little acrimony involved. Vivian Thompson voted no, but there was no heated debate. At the end, some of the parents even gave her a round of applause.There were some people in that room who weren't happy Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-18636848962398084342008-04-24T14:50:00.004-05:002008-04-24T14:56:46.926-05:00Spidey sense tinglingSome of you may have read this story about tonight's Anniston Board of Education meeting. Based on some of the rumblings I'm hearing from the community, it should be a hot one.If the board selects Interim Superintendent Joan Frazier as its permanent superintendent (something similar to what happened 10 years ago with Jan Hurd- which is another story) there are people who are not going to be happyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-82335219696439777632008-04-21T17:18:00.006-05:002008-04-21T17:26:00.302-05:00Get real paidI offer this because I couldn't find a place for it in tomorrow's story. Former Anniston Superintendent Sammy Lee Felton, through his attorney, sent the following letter to the Anniston Board of Education regarding how they would pay him the remainder of his contract, which is up next year. It includes an interesting turn of phrase, which I've placed in italics. BOE Attorney's Response- By letterUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-76715852341709523212008-04-17T14:05:00.004-05:002008-04-17T14:12:06.507-05:00Bill Meehan could leave JSUThat's the word- Dr. Bill Meehan, who's been with Jacksonville State University for decades and president since 1999- is entertaining a move to Valdosta State University.We have the story for free on our Web site.So what do you think? Should Bill Meehan stay if he gets the offer or should he go? How do you pesonally feel about him leaving?Please post your thoughts in our comments section.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-23303739757410039102008-04-16T12:57:00.005-05:002008-04-16T13:55:17.531-05:00I'm back, I'm backBack from my honeymoon and I'm ready to roll. While I was away, I received some feedback from my story about Anniston City Schools. (Subscription required.) Here are two letters I received.I joined IBM in 1960 and worked for them for 33 years. During the 1960's and 1970'swe could not build new plant sites fast enough to meet the growing demand for computer products. When opening new plant sites Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-37631298296780464062008-04-14T14:02:00.001-05:002008-04-14T14:02:33.131-05:00JSU trustees raise tuitionBy Megan NicholsStaff Writer Updated 1:45 p.m. Tuition for Jacksonville State University undergraduates will go up 12.4 percent beginning this fall, after the JSU Board of Trustees approved the hike at its Monday morning meeting.The board also approved an 11-percent tuition increase for graduate students and a $50 per-credit-hour charge for distance-learning courses. Residential Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-65228158192438875442008-04-09T10:25:00.000-05:002008-04-09T10:27:38.489-05:00Saks, Alexandria high schools compete in NASA moonbuggy raceBy Andy JohnsStaff Writer 04-09-2008 Photo: Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star ALEXANDRIA β Saks and Alexandria high schools have been rivals in football, baseball and basketball for generations. Now the rivalry has been taken to the moon and back.Both schools built "moonbuggies" for NASA's Great Moonbuggy Race. The schools not only competed against each other but Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-27390450655179708402008-04-08T09:12:00.000-05:002008-04-08T09:14:08.023-05:00Trantham finalist for teacher of the yearBy Andy JohnsStaff Writer 04-08-2008 A third-grade teacher at Alexandria Elementary School has been named one of the top four educators in the state, and more awards could be on the way.The teacher, Amber Trantham, is among the Alabama State Board of Education's "final four" in the teacher of the year running.The field of 147 nominated teachers was narrowed to 16 in March, with the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-15748113360167055852008-04-04T13:52:00.001-05:002008-04-04T13:52:13.726-05:00Randolph, Talladega, Clay school closing early for stormsBy Andy JohnsStaff Writer Updated 1:42 p.m. Several local school systems are dismissing students early this afternoon due to concerns about bad weather.All Randolph County and Talladega County schools will dismiss at 1:30 p.m.Clay County schools will dismiss at 1:45 p.m. Calhoun County and Jacksonville City schools officials said there were no plans to dismiss early. Cleburne County Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-31555884754793746202008-04-03T10:16:00.000-05:002008-04-03T10:17:09.514-05:00Wellborn student earns national merit scholarshipBy Matt KasperStaff Writer 04-03-2008 It's a first, as far as June Bentley can tell.The social studies teacher at Wellborn High School, who has been teaching for 13 years at the school, thinks senior Erica Bell is the only national merit achievement scholar the school has ever had.Bell is at least the first in recent memory."She just looks intelligent," said Bentley, who is teaching Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-13662459263685745152008-04-01T15:00:00.002-05:002008-04-01T15:04:43.269-05:00Nightmare or Dream Come True? Computer bug eats Ind. students' gradesI can remember a few times wishing this would have happened to me. I am a little skeptical because this story did come out on April Fool's Day. -ajComputer bug eats Ind. students' gradesEVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) -- A computer malfunction wiped out a month's worth of grades at three high schools and one middle school, giving struggling students a second chance but dismaying others.The Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-32406592167818090672008-03-31T15:49:00.004-05:002008-04-14T15:57:21.832-05:00Programming noteI will be out of the office starting April 2 because I am getting married on Saturday. There probably will be few or no education blog updates until April 16- but remember, we try to provide information about area schools and educational organizations in one handy index. So I hope you'll take advantage of it if you need it- its on the left-hand side of the blog under the links section.Hope Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-35553502955177047462008-03-26T13:02:00.003-05:002008-03-26T13:06:19.685-05:00Last night's meetingIf one thing is clear from Anniston's cost-cutting meeting last night it's this: there is no one solution. I've been working on a larger story concerning economic development and how it relates to the schools; the story will also examine what the picture looks like as we approach elections this summer. A letter in today's speakout, by Rose Munford- a concerned parent whose daughter recently Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-71801460116079588412008-03-25T12:26:00.004-05:002008-03-25T12:31:51.339-05:00Lineville assistant principal killed while huntingTHE STAR- An assistant principal at the Lineville elementary and high schools, who also was a former Ashland City Council member, died in a hunting accident over the weekend, the Clay County coroner said Monday.Charles Gerald "Gerry" Elliott Jr., 39, was turkey hunting early Saturday when he tried to climb a barbed-wire fence and slipped, Coroner Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-18669832990811442672008-03-24T13:50:00.002-05:002008-03-24T14:01:11.555-05:00Stories I'm working onA feature obituary of Lineville High School/Elementary School Assisstant Principal who died in a hunting accident over the weekend.Also, two local teachers are among a "Sweet 16" list for Alabama Teacher of The Year. Also, check out this cool link my editor Bob Davis sent me. It shows how Alabama's schools stack up to our neighbors and the nation. I've added the link to our helpful links section Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8844053457132929237.post-49012809597396063002008-03-24T13:37:00.005-05:002008-03-24T14:01:36.299-05:00Education storiesThe beat goes on, as they say. Here are a few stories I published last week.Local school boards working out boundary disputeTHE STAR-Jacksonville City Schools officials say 14-year-old Cody Chapman belongs at White Plains High; the Calhoun County Board of Education, which runs White Plains, says he belongs at Jacksonville High.Each school system has a different map showing who is responsible for Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0