Plainfield CCSD 202 blocks all Google sites
We wonder why a huge unit school district in Chicago's western suburbs would block Google, given the fact that it is the <em>de facto</em> standard in Internet search engines.
Academics
Dow Jones Industrial Average breaks 16,000
Business classes may be buzzing today, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 16,000 for the first time in history yesterday.
3rd graders learn to estimate with Common Core
We consider a letter written by a parent of a 3rd grader in Maryland, published in the Baltimore Sun, about the Common Core standard for estimation.
Large hail & killer tornadoes rake Illinois
Severe weather, including at least three killer tornadoes, ripped through Illinois and nearby states Sunday, producing baseball-size hail and damaging winds as well.
NAACP: Not enough black teachers in Springfield IL
Schools in one central Illinois district are supposed to have more black and minority employees than they do, but suing them may be like spinning a wheel without going anywhere.
Celebrating the text at Gettysburg, 150 years later
We remember what is perhaps the most famous speech ever made on American soil, on the upcoming occasion of its 150th anniversary.
Governor praises middle schoolers for a clean stream
One of only a few Green Ribbon Schools in Maryland, Dunloggin Middle School received a visitor last month, who heaped praises on them for their work on the environment.
Like us, ants reprioritize their tasks based on experience
It has been found that ants who don't know what they're doing individually can work as a team to reprioritize their tasks and make decisions as a group. Can this help us choose a home or a school?
The Martin-Incognito hazing/bullying NFL sideshow
We take a quick look at the hazing and bullying of Jonathan Martin, formerly of the Miami Dolphins, by Richie Incognito. The case has a few possible lines of defense.
A little late, PARCC releases more sample test items
The assessment consortium to which both Maryland and Illinois belong (PARCC) has released another set of exemplar items to show teachers what's coming in terms of the tests aligned to the Common Core.