Sixth-grader at Abramson wins state science fair

By Marilyn Stewart
Contributing writer
Thursday, April 21, 2011
nola.com

Twelve-year-old Andre Johnson entered the state science fair for the first time this year and walked away with first place in the junior division. Now his eye is on an international competition this fall in Washington, D.C.
“It took practice, and it was hard work,” Andre said. “I had to believe in myself.”
Andre won the Greater New Orleans Science and Engineering Fair’s junior division before taking top honors in the mathematics category at the recent state Science and Engineering Fair at Louisiana State University. His win marks the 100th science competition award by an Abramson Science and Technology student since the Pelican Foundation Charter School opened four years ago.
The sixth-grader’s victory earns him a chance at an all-expense-paid trip to the Broadcom Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering for Rising Stars, or MASTERS, Competition in October. Thirty middle school students from across the nation will be chosen to compete for a $25,000 grand prize for education.
Andre’s experiment involved trial runs of a yellow toy car down an incline. He varied the height of the incline and measured the distance the car traveled off the ramp. In a second set of experiments he added weight by adding pennies, then made a comparison.
“I found out Isaac Newton was right,” he said.
Andre observed that the higher the incline, the greater the distance the car traveled off the ramp. He graphed his results, and in mathematical language, determined “the slope of the line.” The variance in height affected the outcome more than the change in weight, he concluded.
“Science fair is either the best, or one of the best ways, to teach the scientific method,” said Elkhan Akhundov, the school’s science research coordinator.
The scientific method, the organized testing of an idea through experimentation and observation, is the basic method in any research, Akhundov said.
“This introduces students to a simple method for carrying out research,” Akhundov said. “It gives them the blueprint for a path that takes them to a new invention.”
The Pelican Educational Foundation was formed in 2005 with educators from Louisiana State University, Southern University of New Orleans, Southeastern Louisiana University and the LSU Science Center in New Orleans. The foundation operates Abramson Science and Tech, its first school, and Kenilworth Science and Tech in Baton Rouge.
Pelican Foundation schools emphasize the integration of technology and digital arts in education, web-based training and monitoring, and collaboration with university professors and researchers for national and international science competitions. Orhan Kizilkaya, LSU professor with the center for advanced microstructures and devices and the department of physics, is president.
Cuneyt Dokmen, principal, said the science fair is valuable because it connects students to educators and resources at the university level. Partners include the University of New Orleans, LSU, Southern University at New Orleans and Tulane.
“Science fair is a tool,” Dokmen said. “It is additional support in making students aware of college opportunity. It is a tool to keep them academically challenged.”
Abramson graduates its first senior class in May with 27 students. The kindergarten through 12th grade has an enrollment of 550. Saturday school, after school tutoring and additional help on core subjects are standard. Teachers visit with parents in the home.
“We want to challenge students according to their level,” Dokmen said. “These children are smart. If they are already at mastery level, we want them to go for advanced.”
Abramson students took home 19 awards in this year’s city-wide science fair, and earned five of the nine awards offered at a competition this year sponsored by SUNO.
The school is located on the site of the former Marion Abramson Senior High School, 5552 Read Blvd. It is a Type 5 charter school and has open enrollment. Testing is not required for admission.
Andre’s win at the state science fair is another “first” for the school. Abramson came close two years ago when his brother, Michael Barnes, won fourth place in a computer science entry.
“He told me when I won, ‘Good job, little bro,’ ” Andre said. With a grin, he added, “Sometimes, I tease him that I passed him up.”

Source : nola.com

Online charter school starts up in Louisiana

BY JESSICA GOFF
THE DAILY IBERIAN
Monday, April 4, 2011

A new Baton Rouge-based statewide online charter school began accepting applications statewide on Friday.

The school, which is the first of its kind for the state, will be holding information sessions in several Louisiana cities for parents interested in enrolling their students in grades kindergarten through 12 into the program next fall.

The closest session to the Teche area will be held in Lafayette on April 12.he school, Louisiana Connections Academy, was approved by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in December and is predicted to enroll 500 students statewide in its first school year.

The school is one of 11 charter schools approved to open in the fall, the state department said.

There are 90 charter schools currently in operation in Louisiana.

The school is operated through the Friends of Louisiana Connections Academy but like all charter schools must demonstrate state-mandated academic performance and accountability requirements to maintain its BESE approved charter status, the department said.

The school advertises itself as “a challenging, K–12 curriculum developed by leading education experts- with instruction from state-certified teachers experienced in online instruction.”

Connections Academy is a national nonprofit company that operates free online public schooling in nearly 20 states.

The program combines learning in a non-traditional out-of-classroom atmosphere with curriculum that includes art, physical education, music, home life, foreign language, technology literacy depending on state issued curriculum.

For more information on the Louisiana Connections Academy visit www.connectionsacademy.com

Source: THE DAILY IBERIAN

The Changing Face of American Education

Posted by Secretary Arne Duncan 
on March 28, 2011

One of the greatest challenges facing our country is the coming retirement of more than 1 million baby-boomer teachers. This challenge has presented us with a once in a lifetime opportunity to help reshape education in America by recruiting and training the next generation of great American teachers.

Teaching is a rewarding and challenging profession where you can make a lasting impact. Teachers have a positive influence on students, schools, and communities, now and into the future. Schools across the nation are in need of a diverse set of talented teachers, especially in our big cities and rural areas, and especially in the areas of Math, Science, Technology, Special Education, and English Language Learning.

That’s why the department launched the TEACH campaign -- a bold new initiative to inspire and empower the most talented and dedicated Americans to become teachers. We know that next to parental support, there is nothing more important to a child’s education than the quality of his or her teachers.

Many of you are already thinking about becoming teachers. The TEACH campaign provides tools at your fingertips to navigate the academic and professional requirements that will credential you to succeed as a teacher in one of our schools. TEACH.gov features an online path to teaching and over 4,000 listed, open teaching positions.

In addition to information on job postings, teacher prep, and financial aid, prospective candidates can watch testimonials from current teachers. Each one was looking for a professionally challenging and financially rewarding career that would allow them to bring their passions, their lives, to work every day.  Go toTEACH.gov and listen to their stories. 

We’re also setting up TEACH Town Hall events around the country to encourage discussions in communities and at colleges for those who are preparing to step into the workforce. Help us spread the word about teaching careers. If you know someone who is considering becoming a teacher, send them to TEACH.gov so they can learn about the resources available for their state and district. Also be sure to let them know that we have an application called Raise Your Hand on Facebook that allows prospective teachers to join a community of teachers across the country and ask about teaching as a career.

Together, we can change the face of American education. We can recruit the next generation of great American teachers.

Arne Duncan is Secretary of Education

Source : The White House Blog