Virginia Teacher September/October issue by Dory Suttmiller

A MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATORS ACROSS VIRGINIA

ED-LECTION 2012

September - October 2012

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Letter From the Editor privileges. Back in 1984 I relied on my dad for wisdom and advice on who would make the best President. But today, as a mother, teacher and small business owner, I am much more aware of the issues that affect me, my family, my career and my business. I make a concerted effort to become informed so I can make a knowledgeable choice when I go to the polls.

Remember the first time you voted? Mine was the 1984 Presidential Election. President Ronald Reagan was the incumbent for the Republican Party and former Vice President Walter Mondale was the Democratic candidate. I don’t recall the issues of the 1984 Campaign. As a high school senior, I had more pressing problems on my mind – like what I was going to wear to school that day. But that didn’t stop me from voting. Turning 18 was a rite of passage, and I was determined to exercise my voting

Naturally, education is one issue very near and dear to my heart. And while America has the potential to be a world leader in education, the simple truth is that this country lags behind other industrialized nations. A quick visit to the website www.StudentsFirst.org reveals that: 1) Our children are not reading at grade level. 2) Compared to other countries, we fail in math and science, and 3) Despite decades of efforts, our test scores are not improving.

Unfortunately, the subject of education has not been mentioned much during the 2012 Presidential Campaign. I hope this issue of Virginia Teacher will help you to sort out the facts so that you can make informed decisions about your career and, more importantly, about what is best for our students come November 6th. I think you will find that Virginia is on the right path to improving education for our students. But much more work still needs to be done. I wish all my colleagues a successful and joyful new school year. Despite the plight of education in this country, I know you work very hard to give your students the best possible future. Evidence of this fact is found in every issue of Virginia Teacher. Yours in Education,

Editor & Publisher

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Contributors CORINNA HANN Corinna Hann earned her Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from the College of William and Mary in 2008. She then continued her education at Hebrew University of Jerusalem and completed her Master of Arts in Religious Studies with concentrations in Hebrew language, Coptology, and linguistics in Summer 2011. She currently teaches Spanish and Language Arts/History at Williamsburg Montessori School and is pursuing AMS Secondary Certification.

BUD LIVERS, PH.D. Bud is the Learning Standards Officer at the Center for Naval Intelligence in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is senior adjunct faculty for Cambridge College, Chesapeake Virginia Campus, in the M.Ed., Special Education program. He taught students with an emotional disturbance at a regional public day school, and was an Assistant Professor in the department of Teacher Education at Chowan University in North Carolina. He headed the Jails Education Program in Virginia Beach, Virginia, tasked with providing special education services for incarcerated youth and young adults. Bud received his BA from University of California, Berkeley, and his M.S.Ed. in elementary education with endorsement in special education from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. He received his Ph.D. in Educational Planning, Policy, and Leadership, with emphasis in Special Education Administration from The College of William & Mary, in Williamsburg, Virginia. SEAN KANE Sean Kane is the Museum Educator for The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar in Richmond, VA. Before assuming this position in March, 2010, he worked at the Museum of the Confederacy for 10 years in a variety of positions, including Museum Education Specialist. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Sean combines his enthusiasm for history with his passion for art to develop new and unique programs for the ACWC. PENELOPE CARRINGTON WALLACE (not pictured) Penelope Carrington Wallace is the Public Relations Coordinator for the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar in Richmond, VA. An award-winning journalist, she worked for the Richmond Times-Dispatch for 15 years as a writer, editor, producer and videographer. She holds a B.A. in communications from Temple University and is an alumna/former lecturer at the Knight Digital Media Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Multimedia Reporting and Convergence Workshop at the U.C. Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Dory Suttmiller Production, Design and Distribution Breeger Media Group Writers Corinna Hann Sean Kane Bud Livers, PH.D. Penelope Carrington Wallace Erin Zabel Mission Statement The mission of Virginia Teacher Magazine is to inform and inspire educators in Virginia by providing current and relevant information on career development, educational enrichment and personal growth. Disclaimer The views and opinions of writers and contributors that appear in Virginia Teacher Magazine do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Virginia Teacher Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s publisher, editor, staff and affiliates. The information in Virginia Teacher Magazine is provided as a service to the readers of Virginia Teacher Magazine for information purposes only. Virginia Teacher Magazine is not responsible for problems arising out of reference to the included material. Information on a commercial product or service does not imply an endorsement by Virginia Teacher Magazine. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. All photographs are property of and credited to Virginia Teacher Magazine, unless otherwise noted. Advertise To advertise or to obtain a current rate card call 757-620-2631 or email at advertise@NichePublicationsLLC.com Editorial Submissions Virginia Teacher Magazine accepts news releases from credited organization. Submit material for editorial consideration to editorial@NichePublicationsLLC.com Extra Copies For extra copies call 757-620-2631 Virginia Teacher Magazine 325 Flax Mill Way Chesapeake, VA 23322 Phone 757-620-2631 Fax 757-410-0783 Web www.VirginiaTeacherOnline.com

Table of Contents ED-LECTION 2012

Get the facts about what is happening in education throughout Virginia and across the Nation during this election cycle.

Beyond the Classroom

American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar: students explore history firsthand at this Richmond based museum.

If Your Students Love Sports, They Love Math (& More)!

Lunch Room Topics

The Affordable Care Act: A giant step forward to health care access in the United States.

Old School vs. New School

From scores to stats and jumps to goals we make it fun to learn math, science, health and more!

Programs for pre-K-12th grades

Reinforce SOLs

Available at Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum or in your classroom

For details, call our Education Department at (757) 393-8031, ext. 14 or visit www.vshfm.com.

BYOD: Coming to a school near you!

Class Reunion

William D. Sessoms, Jr., Mayor of Virginia Beach

206 High Street Portsmouth, VA 23704 (757) 393-8031 www.vshfm.com

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VIRGINIA TEACHER MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2012

ED-LECTION 2012 By: Corinna Hann

Amid the rallying cries of “Four more years!” and “Believe in America,” one fundamental issue concerning America’s future is conspicuously absent in the majority of stump speeches and debates. In Virginia, Senate hopefuls George Allen and Tim Kaine fill their Twitter accounts and Facebook feeds with talk of the economy, budgets and the nation’s defense spending. The latest Rasmussen Report poll, conducted on August 7th, included questions about each candidates’ perceived ethicality, the work ethics and success of small business owners, the government’s responsibility for economic growth and fairness and the respondent’s own personal finances and definition of recession. Irrefutably, the nation’s economic situation is the primary concern of most voters; with a national unemployment rate of 8.2%, the state unemployment rate at 5.6%, and a stagnant job market with less than 80,000 jobs created in the month of June, the economy naturally dominates the national spotlight. If the state of the economy is the oubliette from which candidates promise to rescue the nation, the state of education is the dismal and dated abyss of which no one speaks for fear of escalating our precipitous fall. The silence

shrouding education in this election comes in the wake of the latest slew of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) waivers issued by the Department of Education. This silence on the part of presidential and congressional candidates on the future of education is neither eloquent nor tranquil. President Obama and Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education, introduced the opportunity to apply for an NCLB waiver as a way to amend an act that a gridlocked Congress has proven unable to resolve. As many educators, administrators and students know, the latest manifestation of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), the No Child Left Behind Act, is broken—it lacks focus on college and careerreadiness, it does not distinguish

between abysmally failing schools and schools that just missed the mark, it ensures teachers are credentialed by does not provide students with effective instruction, and it enforces a “one-size-fits-all” solution for schools in need of improvement. Nearly a year after this opportunity was introduced by the current administration, 33 states have been awarded waivers releasing them from the onerous benchmarks put into place by the 2002 Act. Receiving its waiver on June 29th of this year, Virginia

The silence shrouding education in this election comes in the wake of the latest slew of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) waivers issued by the Department of Education. This silence on the part of presidential and congressional candidates on the future of education is neither eloquent nor tranquil.

counts among some of the most recently released. Like the other 32 parolees, Virginia will not be required to reach 100% proficiency in reading and math by 2014 (a standard associated with the dreaded AYP—adequate yearly progress reports that determine if a state has reached the mandated targets). Within two years, Virginia will need to decide whether a second waiver is necessary.

Some of the new “rigorous new content standards and assessments” Wright speaks of in the latest press release have already enjoyed their debut during this past school year. The new Algebra I SOL assessment saw 75% students pass, versus the 94% pass rate under the old standards in the 2010-2011 COLLEGE AND CAREER school year. Similar drops occurred READINESS in the Algebra II and Geometry Virginia is one of two of the 33 assessments, and Virginia officials states to receive a NCLB waiver that also saw declines in pass rates in has not adopted the Common Core SOL math assessments for grades WHAT DOES THE WAIVER Standards developed by the 3-8. McDonnell gave a statement MEAN FOR VIRGINIA National Governors Association regarding the drastic decline in pass SCHOOLS? Center for Best Practices (NGA rates, saying higher standards are In a press release outlining Virginia’s Center) and the Council of Chief the “right thing to do and in the newfound flexibility, Patricia I. State School Officers (CCSSO). The long-term interest of Virginia Wright, the Superintendent of commonwealth opted out of what students. This is a necessary step in Public Instruction for the Virginia some are calling a “national ensuring that Virginia students are Department of Education, says, curriculum” because it felt the ready to excel in our globally competitive economy.” His statement came days before he In a state that professes to revere the development convened the Governor’s K-12 of a transparent, superior educational system, Education Reform Summit in teachers are not being given things they would Richmond, an event at which appreciate most—one of the most important being educators, legislators, bureaucrats, and academics will meet. flexibility granted by the waiver, the administration requires the state to prove the development of plans to address three critical areas: college and career readiness, accountability, and improvement in teacher and principal effectiveness.

more instructional time and less time spent in tests or wasted after tests are completed in the spring. “Virginia schools and school divisions can now focus their energy and resources on implementing the state Board of Education’s rigorous new content standards and assessments without contending with outdated and often counterproductive federal requirements and rules. The commonwealth will continue to hold schools accountable for closing achievement gaps but schools won’t be subject to a system of increasingly unrealistic annual objectives.”

In exchange for the increased

Standards of Learning developed in 1995 and revised in 2001-2003 and 2008-2010 are superior to the ones presented by the CCSSO and NGA Center. The choice was simple, according to Governor Bob McDonnell in May 2011, “We can’t go back,” he said. “We’ve been working on this for 15 years. Our standards are much superior. They’re well accepted. They’re validated.” In defense of this decision, lauded by some and derided by others, the VDOE has issued a document comparing the SOLs and the Common Core Anchor Standards (available on the VDOE website).

Virginia’s Standards of Accreditation (SOA), in place since the advent of the SOLs and revamped by the Board of Education in June, coupled with the new methods of defining and accounting for the achievement of minority groups will continue to report annual accreditation ratings to the federal Department of Education each September. Although Virginia no longer has to contend with the AYP, the commonwealth must establish annual measurable objectives (AMO) under the ESEA flexibility waiver. According to the commonwealth’s Board of Education President David M. Foster, “This new federal accountability model is more complicated than the Board of Education believes is necessary, but it is definitely a step in the right

VIRGINIA TEACHER MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2012

direction. Looking ahead, it is my hope that Congress will revise NCLB and allow Virginia to attack achievement gaps within the context of the SOL program, free from unwarranted and intrusive federal rules.” Accreditation is determined by the VDOE as follows (more details available on the VDOE website): Elementary schools are Fully Accredited if students achieve all of the following pass rates: • English – 75 percent or higher, grades 3-5 • Mathematics – 70 percent or higher, grades 3-5 • Science – 70 percent or higher in grade 5 and 50 percent or higher in grade 3 • History – 70 percent or higher in Virginia Studies (grade 4 or 5) and 50 percent or higher in grade 3 Middle schools are Fully Accredited if students achieve pass rates of 70 percent or higher in all four content areas. High schools are Fully Accredited if students achieve pass rates of 70 percent or more in all four content areas and attain a point value of 85 or greater based on the Graduation and Completion Index (GCI). As with the Common Core Standards and Virginia’s hasty 2010 withdrawal from the Obama administration’s Race to the Top incentive program, the educational leaders and statewide bureaucrats are intent on defending the integrity and validity of Virginiaborn standards.

The VDOE will be required to report on low-performing schools identified as “priority” and “focus” schools as well as high-performing Title I “reward” schools. All schools will be able to obtain “reward” status, but only Title I schools can be identified as “priority” or “focus.” In the press release extolling the recent waiver approval, the VDOE categorized those students who historically have had difficulty meeting the commonwealth’s achievement standards into three focus sub-groups: • Proficiency Gap Group 1— Students with disabilities, English language learners and economically disadvantaged students, regardless of race and ethnicity. • Proficiency Gap Group 2— African- American students, not of Hispanic origin, including those also counted in Proficiency Gap Group 1 • Proficiency Gap Group 3— Hispanic students, or one or more races, including those also counted in Proficiency Gap Group 1. Priority and focus schools, respectively 5% and 10% of Title I schools, will be regulated by state-

approved and monitored schoolimprovement interventions; many of the underperforming schools in the commonwealth are already accountable to similar interventions due to the requirements and provisions for schools receiving federal School Improvement Gap funds. Schools with “priority” or “focus” status will no longer be required to offer school choice or Supplemental Education Services. With school choice and SES no longer required, the school divisions will be able to shift 20% of the funds previously allocated by NCLB for these services in schools “ to focus their Title I funds on measures and strategies that have been shown over time to be effective in raising student achievement,” Wright says. In regards to improving teacher and principal effectiveness, Virginia had already had regulations passed with a plan to put them into place starting July 1, 2012. These regulations, entitled Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria for Teachers, require 40 percent of a teacher’s evaluation be based on student academic progress (as evidenced by assessments). Student academic progress is only one of seven standards by which Virginia teachers will be evaluated; the

The No Child Left Behind Act, is broken—it lacks focus on college and career-readiness, it does not distinguish between abysmally failing schools and schools that just missed the mark, it ensures teachers are credentialed but does not provide students with effective instruction, and it enforces a “one-size-fits-all” solution for schools in need of improvement.

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tourism in the late summer to benefit education. When compared with the economic benefits the state could reap with an educated workforce by investing in early childhood and K-12 education reform, and the savings of $50 million tax dollars a day for the ten wasted days after testing is complete, the tourism industry fighting for the last two or three weeks of August appears a foolish exercise in instant gratification.

HOW DO THE CANDIDATES MEASURE UP?

others include professional knowledge, instructional planning, and instructional delivery, assessment of and for student learning, learning environment, and professionalism. Evaluation will not only include the raw scores of student assessment performance, but also formal and informal observation, student surveys, self-evaluations, and portfolios. Apart from mentioning that Virginia law also requires principals and other school administrators to be evaluated based on student academic progress, nothing else in the document refers to the onus incumbent upon school and district administrations. While the VDOE breathes a collective, if brief, sigh of relief, some teachers across the commonwealth realize their embattled and crowded classrooms are far from becoming the ideal learning environment. There are still the SOLs to teach to and a lack of readiness to accept or

implement daily differentiated instruction in the classroom. Ideally, the waiver would allow for more project-based, experiential learning—but this requires remediation for teachers who are shell-shocked by the decade-long reign of NCLB benchmarks and offers of professional development that enables teachers to see beyond the test and to learn how to reincorporate creativity in their instructional planning and delivery. In a state that professes to revere the development of a transparent, superior educational system, teachers are not being given things they would appreciate most—one of the most important being more instructional time and less time spent in tests or wasted after tests are completed in the spring. As recently as January of this year, the Virginia Senate rejected bills that would have repealed the “Kings Dominion Law.” The commonwealth appears to be working at odds with itself—it cannot give up a few extra days of

The state of Virginia’s education culture has been shaped by both Senate candidates during their respective gubernatorial administrations. George Allen, the commonwealth’s 67th governor, introduced the SOLs to the state after the VBOE adopted his Commission on Champion Schools recommendation that statewide standardized testing be implemented in order to establish effective accountability measures. Throughout his term as governor, he strove to keep the state’s educational reform free of federal interference and financial aid. During his term in the Senate, Allen introduced the “Flexibility for Champion Schools Act” which resembles certain aspects of Obama’s NCLB waiver allowances, but was not enacted Allen’s current campaign indicates that he plans to keep public education safe from the hindrance of federal involvement. He “believes that education policy should be decided and implemented at the State and local level, where it can be most responsive and accountable to parents and schoolchildren,” according to his campaign website. Allen also supports school choice

initiatives and tax credits for homeschool families.

best teach and prepare future generations.”

Tim Kaine’s contribution to education reform during his term at governor from 2006-2010 focused on pre-K education, namely the 40% increase in pre-K enrollment initiated by the Virginia Preschool Initiative. As Senator, Kaine promises to, “support individualized learning plans and other methods that encourage a personalized learning experience for every student so that we can

The campaign promises from both candidates are quite fitting and show they know the culture of the Virginian educational system well, as they should as former governors. The vagueness and idealism in both Allen and Kaine’s statements speaks to their understanding that Virginia bureaucrats and institutions are fiercely protective of their state’s right to determine the future and

benchmarks of the system. While both candidates acknowledge that improved K-12 education with an emphasis on college and careerreadiness promises a better economic future, education deserves attention for learning’s sake. In the current economic climate, we as teachers cannot expect much more—education for the time being is another abstract, labyrinthine term to be added to the relentless election mantra of economy first. VT

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VIRGINIA TEACHER MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2012

Beyond the Classroom

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR CENTER AT HISTORIC TREDEGAR: Exploring History Firsthand By: Penelope Carrington Wallace and Sean Kane Every September, Candice Royall starts the school year with classes eager to learn about the Civil War. It’s an excitement the sixth-grade teacher shares with her new students. “When I was a student, what I loved about the Civil War was not just the battles and statistics. I really liked learning the stories about the people who lived during the Civil War. There were also a lot more advancements...like the development of photography,” said Royall, who heads the Social Studies Department at Pocahontas Middle School in Henrico County, VA. For her students, Royall said the Civil War is the earliest war in which they can relate to the people and what happened to them. That said, a visit to the nearby American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar is first on her field trip list. “With the site being local, the kids see history first hand,” she said.

John Wilkes, who has taught history for 22 years, said such diversity of viewpoint is key. “I don’t think you can tell the history of any event or any place if you don’t have multiple perspectives on it,” said Wilkes, chairman of the Social Studies Department at the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School in Richmond, VA. “History is not just a one-take discipline. You have to have multiple views on every circumstance and event and I think that is done well at Tredegar.”

The Richmond, Virginia based museum is set within the 8.9-acre ruins of the famous Tredegar Iron Works, the most important industrial complex serving the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Inside, the acclaimed, interactive exhibit, In the Cause of Liberty, examines the causes, course and legacy of the war from Union, Confederate and African American perspectives.

But, Wilkes added, few Richmonders may understand the importance of Tredegar Iron Works. “This is obviously something that is taught before (students) arrive, but it hits home more powerfully when we are walking through the buildings and the courtyard there and they recognize why that facility is the reason Richmond is such an important part of the war,” Wilkes said. “That facility is the reason the

90 miles between Richmond and Washington, D.C., are known as the bloodiest soil in all of North America. Capitals can and did move (during the war), but there was no moving the Tredegar Iron Works.” The significance was not lost on the Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau. Last year, the American Civil War Center, in partnership with the Richmond Battlefield Park of the National Park Service, was selected by the RMCVB to serve as the Richmond Region’s Gateway to the Civil War. Together the Center and the National Park Service offers 18, free interactive programs developed with the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) tests in mind. From costumed interpreters demonstrating how to load and fire a rifle musket to programs covering the causes of secession

and the trials of Reconstruction, Historic Tredegar provides an exciting educational experience for students and teachers of the American Civil War. A favorite among Royall’s students was Fire!, the rifle musket program. “The kids were really excited to see how many steps it took to fire a rifle and the fact that the museum has staff people in costume helps to engage the students even more,” she said. “Students like to see people in costume because they feel like they’re talking to someone from the past and they’re less intimidated about asking questions.” Curious minds are welcome during the various programs in which students examine, explore and analyze life amid this country’s turning point - in the place where it happened. “Sometimes my kids will say, ‘California is such a cool place!’ or ‘New York is such a cool place!’ But when they see places right in their backyard, they start to say, ‘We live in a cool place, too.’ And once they’ve been, they tell their families about it and they visit on the weekends and bring history into their extra-curricular lives so it’s not just at school,” Royall said.

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There will be even more to see and do at Historic Tredegar in the years to come as planned improvements move forward thanks to the $8 million, Forging Our Future capital campaign. More than $7.6 million has been raised to date. Newmarket Corp. and Bruce C. Gottwald, Sr., launched the campaign with a $4 million seed donation; $2 million of which will be placed in a reserve fund to ensure the Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future financial security. Among the improvements are an interactive theater experience that will be housed in an a new 8,000square-foot exhibition hall; interactive battle maps and enhanced audiovisual equipment in the flagship exhibit, In the Cause of Liberty; and a 400-squarefoot interactive model of Tredegar Iron Works.

With the latter, visitors will be able to control canal boats transporting materials to the factory as well as water flow to the turbines. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What we are proposing building here is a full scale, topographical model of the site circa 1880,â&#x20AC;? said Christy Coleman, President of the American Civil War Center. Choosing a period decades after the war was intentional, she said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;because everything was going on here by then. We had rail production and we were still producing armaments.â&#x20AC;? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s this mix of history that has made Wilkes and his students regular visitors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What better location is so infused with Richmond history, not just Civil War history?â&#x20AC;? he said.

WANT TO VISIT? The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar is located at 500 Tredegar St., Richmond, VA 23219. All onsite programs are FREE for student groups of ten or more; reservations must be made prior to your visit. For information and reservations for all Historic Tredegar education programs, contact Sean Kane: 804.780.1865 x 23 or skane@tredegar.org. For a full list of programs, visit http://www.tredegar.org/richmondsols.aspx VT

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Old School vs. New School

BYOD-

Bring Your Own Device: Coming to a School Near You!

By: Bud Livers BYOD used to be a phrase that was fairly popular with the college crowd, often heard in reference to Frat parties (Bring Your Own Drink). A variation of that acronym is now enjoying resurgence in K-12 classrooms in Virginia and elsewhere, but in this case, BYOD means Bring Your Own Device. Some school divisions call it BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology). Today’s ubiquitous “mobile device” was once the purview of only the geekiest of individuals. Tablets have changed significantly since Charleston Heston brought two of the early models down from Mt Sinai, and Blackberries, Ipods, Ipads, Cellphones, and Palms will all find their way into K-12 classrooms. Most students now have access to one or more of these devices, and smart school leaders are allowing these devices to be used to enhance classroom instruction. Several Virginia School divisions have already incorporated BYOD/BYOT into their classrooms. York County Schools (YCS) has implemented BYOT programs at the high school and middle school level, and has run a pilot program at the elementary level as well. YCS was awarded the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) Excellence award for their BYOT program. Beginning SY 2012-2013, students in Virginia Beach will be allowed to use their own electronic devices in an academic setting to access the VBCPS filtered WiFi network. Other school divisions throughout the state either have, or soon will, follow suit. Virtual

Virginia, the Virginia Department of Education’s official online course provider, operates a pilot in which an Advanced Placement (AP) biology textbook is delivered entirely through student-owned iPads.

Myths about BYOD In her article, 7 Myths About BYOD Debunked, blogger Lisa Nielsen notes how, over a decade into the 21st century, we are still keeping learners and teachers prisoners of the analog past by enforcing outdated mandates that ban and block them from using the digital resources of their world. Some of the more prevalent myths include: 1) BYOD deepens the digital divide. This divide exists, whether we allow kids to bring devices to school or not. Provide devices for those who need them and let’s move forward. Allowing students to bring their own technology can free up school resources for use by those of lesser means. 2) BYOD will result in lessons geared toward the weakest device. This is just wrong. Cell phones can be used to read books, write articles, and create digital books or podcasts. It’s time we let teachers discover, along with their students, the many possibilities in a tech-rich environment, then work together to achieve these goals.

3) BYOD will cause students to be distracted. Teachers know that with the right tools and structure in place, learners are more engaged and connected to the material. As a result, discipline and behavior issues decrease. 4) Teachers need to become experts in all the technology students own. By allowing the students to use their own technology, they become the technical masters, and can help each other find solutions as needed. The teachers can focus on providing outstanding instruction. 5) BYOD will result in students engaging in dangerous activities. Students today are going home from school and jumping on their devices, exploring the Web, often in totally unsupervised environments. By allowing use of these devices in school, students can be taught how to become responsible digital citizens in a controlled environment. 6) Cell phones are not that powerful, so we should not waste our time with them. According to a recent survey, 93 percent of American teens say they go online. Those from low-income families typically do so using their phones. 7) BYOD will require standardized apps and software across all devices. Students are not all the same, and they don’t need all the same tools or to do the same things. Students like to choose

Most students now have access to one or more of these devices, and smart school leaders are allowing these devices to be used to enhance classroom instruction.

their own apps, and they have personalized them to their unique interests.

Advantages There are many obvious advantages to letting students employ the latest technology in their schoolwork. Tom Vander Ark, writer for gettingsmart. com notes several reasons we should encourage such uses. • School districts can free up resources as students bring their own technology devices. Instead of text books, schools would pay for e-texts, apps and other online learning programs. • Teachers who allow kids access throughout the day can let them use e-textbooks, watch videos, use educational apps, research online, and complete digital learning projects, all to reinforce ideas that are being taught in class. • Teachers can use the many tools available online for student assessment in BYOD classrooms. • Students with tablet-enabled textbooks will no longer have to lug around 50 lb backpacks. By using the same computing device at home and in school, they will have access to all the same digital resources both places.

younger students keep track of their devices? • While costs may be prohibitive for some students, Partners in Education, or the PTA, may help fill the shortfall for families in need. Gayle Wuesthoff, the Computer Resource Specialist at King’s Grant Elementary in Virginia Beach notes that, “A challenge will be to help teachers see how they can incorporate the Nintendo DSI and 3DS, which many of our students have, into their classroom instruction.” “Students today are digital natives. Many have the technology readily available, and often sneak it into schools. We should leverage that power in a healthy and appropriate BYOD environment really helps our program.” VT

Challenges • Schools will need special software to filter out inappropriate content on devices that are brought into school. Acceptable use policies will need to address these and other concerns. • What about younger students who may forget the device on a bus, or have it taken by another student? What can be done, if anything, to help

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VIRGINIA TEACHER MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2012

Lunch Room Topics

THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT;

a Giant Step Forward for Health Care Access in the United States By: Erin Zabel, Education Director PPSEV As most people know, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010. This new law provides the mechanisms for increasing insurance coverage to more than 50 million Americans who currently have no access to health care. It also includes new requirements of insurance plans to make coverage and costs more equitable. Some key components of the law include: PREVENTIVE SERVICES WITHOUT CO-PAYS. Starting in August 2012, new health plans are required to cover preventive services without any co-pay for enrollees. For women, this also includes birth control, breast and cervical cancer screenings and annual well-woman exams. For children, this includes their regular well-visits. For men, this includes their annual check-up, blood work and anything associated with routine preventive care. Encouraging all people to access preventive care should greatly decrease health care costs associated with illness when people wait too long for treatment because of lack of access to health insurance. YOUNG ADULTS CAN NOW STAY ON THEIR PARENTS’ HEALTH INSURANCE UNTIL AGE 26 Many insurance companies used to discontinue coverage of young adults once they graduated from either high school or college. Now, all insurance companies are required to allow young adults to remain on their parents’ plans until they reach the age of 26. This is particularly crucial in difficult economic times, when it’s

harder for new grads to find jobs, or jobs that offer health care coverage. WOMEN WILL NO LONGER BE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN HEALTH INSURANCE Today, women are often charged much higher rates for health insurance coverage, simply because they are women. For example, a healthy 22 year-old woman can be charged premiums 150 percent higher than a 22 year-old man. Starting in 2014, insurance companies will no longer be allowed to discriminate against women in this manner. PEOPLE WILL NO LONGER BE DENIED HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION Starting in 2014, the ACA stops health insurers from denying people coverage due to pre-existing conditions, such as cancer, high blood pressure, or diabetes. In the past, some insurance companies have denied coverage to women due to being pregnant or even being a survivor of domestic violence, categorizing both situations as preexisting conditions. Thanks to the health care law, these types of unjust practices will no longer be allowed. And most importantly… THE ACA CREATES AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE Currently, close to 50 million people do not have health insurance coverage

and in turn have limited or no access to health care. Thanks to the ACA, millions of people will no longer have to worry about what will happen if they get sick, get into an accident, or break a limb. There are two ways people will become eligible for new health insurance coverage under the law: ■ Medicaid: some people will get their new insurance coverage through the Medicaid program. Medicaid is actually one of the largest public health insurance programs in the world, and will be covering additional people who cannot afford private insurance. ■ Exchanges: some people will buy private health insurance through and Exchange, which will be a new marketplace for people to pick the plan that works best for them. Many people will qualify for credits that will reduce the cost of their health insurance plan. ACA TIMELINE As of September 23, 2010: • Affordable health insurance coverage for dependents under age 26. 3.1 million people have already benefited! • Children and teenagers 0-18 with pre-existing conditions cannot be denied health insurance coverage • Women have direct access to OB/ GYN providers, without referrals • Caps on coverage and restrictions are placed on insurers’ limits

This new law provides the mechanisms for increasing insurance coverage to more than 50 million Americans who currently have no access to health care.

• Prevention coverage without co-pays for those with private health insurance and those on Medicare As of August 1, 2012: • No co-pay for wellness check-ups • No co-pay for prenatal screening or breastfeeding support, supplies and counseling • No co-pay for birth control and contraceptive counseling • No co-pay for screening and counseling for interpersonal and domestic violence • No co-pay for STI testing and counseling As of January 1, 2014: • Approximately 12.8 million women of reproductive age will gain new access to insurance coverage under Medicaid and state insurance exchanges • New insurance companies will be required to offer maternity coverage • Insurers will be prohibited from denying people insurance coverage or limiting their benefits because of pre-existing conditions • Insurers will be prohibited from charging women more for health insurance coverage than they charge men • New insurance plans will have to include a standard minimum package of benefits, knows as Essential Health Benefits (EHB), including: ■ Ambulatory patient services ■ Emergency services ■ Hospitalization ■ Maternity and newborn care ■ Mental health and substance use disorder services ■ Prescription drugs ■ Rehabilitative services and devices ■ Laboratory services ■ Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management ■ Pediatric services including oral and vision care VT VIRGINIA TEACHER MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2012

Class Reunion FIRST COLONIAL HIGH SCHOOL, CLASS OF ‘72

By: Bud Livers

William D. “Will” Sessoms, Jr.

MAYOR OF VIRGINIA BEACH Who is the teacher you remember most, and why is she or he so memorable? That would have to be Mrs. Maddux. She was a tough-as-nails English teacher who made sure grammar, punctuation and spelling was right. To this day, that has been a tremendous benefit to me; I can’t STAND to see typos, misspellings and incorrect grammar. She showed me how to communicate well and in a responsible manner. Can you share with our readers your most embarrassing moment at school? I remember an incident where I was leaning over in my desk, (the kind where the desk and the chair are connected) and I was trying to be “cool”. The desk tipped over with me in it and I fell head-first onto the ground. I had a big bruise and a knot on my face for weeks, but there was a lot of laughter after it happened.

If we opened your locker in high school, what would we find? It was disgustingly filthy. You have your gym clothes in there, and they stink. I never took anything out except at the end of the year. It was a collection of everything. If you could do high school over again, what would you do differently? I would really try to be a better student. I was more interested in “being cool”. I should have studied more. I mean that honestly. What one thing did you learn in school that has served you well in your post-school years? It goes back to Mrs. Maddux, my English teacher, for helping me to become an articulate communicator. Also I would have to say I learned a lot in my Government class. We were just becoming the age to vote. They were just changing the legal voting

age to 18, and the teacher really stressed the importance of participating in the democratic process and getting active in the upcoming elections. What motivated you to choose your career field? I did pretty well in math and I always had an interest in numbers. This led me into the banking industry. My interest in government and the processes involved led to me running for office. VT BIOGRAPHY: Will Sessoms grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He graduated from First Colonial High School (1972) in Virginia Beach and went on to attend Virginia Commonwealth University where he earned a degree in Business Administration in 1976. He then returned to Virginia Beach to pursue a career in banking. He currently is President and Chief Executive Officer of Towne Financial Services Group. His father-in-law, Roy B. Martin, Jr., was Mayor of Norfolk for 12 years, and in 1988 Sessoms began his political career as an atlarge member of the City Council. In 1992, his fellow council members selected him to be Vice Mayor, a position he held for 10 years. In 2008, he was elected Mayor of Virginia Beach. For more than 20 years, Sessoms has been actively involved in community service and has worked with numerous local and regional organizations including the Life Saving Museum of Virginia, the American Heart Association, the Boys & Girls Club, the Norfolk State University Foundation, the Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad Foundation, the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, and several other business and community service groups. He and his wife, Beverly, have three daughters: Mollie Sessoms Korte, Kate Sessoms Napolitano, and Anne Douglas Sessoms.

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