Ah, the things I've seen...

My son just started middle school. Last night I went to his school’s open house and traipsed around the same halls he walks. Some readers may recall that I was the public relations manager for PowerSchool in the years prior to its acquisition by Apple in 2001. I’ve always been proud that our school district, Folsom-Cordova USD turned to PowerSchool a few years ago. Well, while listening to Elliott’s new Pre-AP math teacher (and while admiring her fancy interactive white board), she loaded a page of products she uses in her class. All three were products I have represented at one time or another: PowerSchool, Holt and SpringBoard.

While I now feel a little older than I did at, say, 2:00 yesterday afternoon (perhaps well-seasoned is a better word), I am feeling proud. I’m proud to have been part of these successes. It is amazing to know I’ve been a positive factor in so many company histories. I have my favorite products, which are typically those that do spectacular things to help children learn. But above all else, in my 25 years of education and PR work, the people in this industry are what inspire me.

Right now, I am working with a long-time friend and colleague, Pam Nelson at SpringBoard. I get to rub elbows with Michael Glover who manages to find the most exciting products in the world. There’s Bill Tudor, a GIANT in this business who has hit 3 (or 4) home runs and has selflessly shared his knowledge and enthusiasm with probably a hundred companies.

There are my old colleagues at PowerSchool and my new friends at Schoology. There is the gem of a lady, Michele Pitman, at intelliVOL who patiently waited for me for a whole year while I recovered from a viral infection and is now my friend and client. Gosh, there are so many people I can’t even name them all.

No, I’m not retiring. Heaven’s no. I’m not even 50 yet. I figure I’m half way into my career. I’m just being a little introspective at the moment, happy to be in a business where my efforts are directly related to my children’s education and the lives of millions more.

Michele Pitman's response to excellent Education Week article on Compassion

Hurrah! I applaud you and your insight, Carol.

My mission as the CEO of intelliVOL.com is community service. Through community service, I see students discover something about themselves, that they are capable of giving and showing compassion to another individual through service programs run at their high school. We learn by doing. Young adults (and young children) who help others--and see the effect of their service--learn something we cannot teach through books or videos. These are lessons in compassion that positively affect someone for a lifetime.

I hope more schools will give students the opportunity “to have time to care” by building robust community service programs. Community service shouldn’t be relegated to the fringe, a voluntary club poorly attended. It should be a school’s mission, encouraged by administrators, modeled by students who pass the torch to each generation of students who enter their school.
--Michele Pitman, CEO of intelliVOL

What Really Matters in Education: Compassion

By Carol Lach, August 14, 2013, Education Week

 

An excerpt of Ms. Lach's article:
...We need to remember that education is not a one-size-fits-all product. While standards and expectations are important, we need to remember that not all students will be successful with four years of high school math. If I had been required to achieve similar athletic standards in physical education for four years in high school, I never would have graduated. If I hadn’t had teachers who dealt with the bullies and a sister who listened and understood me, I don’t know where I’d be today.

 

As you continue your work, please don’t lose sight of the students. Look for ways to help streamline policies and regulations so school staff members have time to encourage their students’ talents, and find ways to provide those students support, to be mentors, and to have the time to care.

Read the full article and comments at Education Week

Librarians Pick Schoology as Best App for Managing Classrooms

NEW YORK – August 15, 2013— Dynamic learning is taking place in classrooms where students are using the Schoology learning management system, recently selected by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) for having some of the best learning apps in K-12 education. The Schoology mobile apps are native apps with specific functionality maximizing how tablets and other mobile devices are used for teaching and learning. ...more

Read the full release on Businesswire 

Going to College? Survey Conducted by x2VOL Says Service is Important

DALLAS – August 7, 2013 – College-bound high school students take note: 99% of K-12 school and district leaders believe community service and service learning history positively influence college acceptance according to a survey completed by intelliVOL, publishers of x2VOL. 

In a survey of 73 district and school administrative staff attending the Naviance Summer Institute, 99 percent agreed or strongly agreed that service history positively impacts college acceptance. Additionally, 80 percent of the 30 college admissions officers surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that volunteer and community service in high school positively impacted college acceptance.

Read more here



Additional survey presentation here

Article: Juggler teaches environmental messages to Auburn children

Entertainer juggles environmental messages at Skyridge
By: Andrew Westrope, Staff Writer
May 21, 2013

Skyridge Elementary School got an environmental lesson on Monday from juggling performer Doug Nolan, whose “Rock Steady Juggling” program has appeared in schools, festivals, fairs and other events throughout the Bay Area to teach audiences about water conservation, waste water issues and other water pollution issues. Read More in the Auburn Journal.

Schoology Wins SIIA Education Technology CODiE Award

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Schoology—a scalable learning management solution (LMS) deployed in K-12 schools and universities across 135 countries—won the SIIA CODiE Award for Best K-12 Enterprise Solution.

More than two million users at over 35,000 schools and universities use Schoology’s collaborative interface to boost student engagement and streamline curriculum management. Schoology’s user-centric design and open integration platform helps schools of every type meet the individual needs of learners with powerful tools for instruction, assessment and communication.

Read the rest of this release issued May 14, 2013 on BusinessWire.

DALLAS — May 10, 2013 – The world is in a better place right now. In fact, there are lots of better places and happier people thanks to students around the country who have given over 1 million hours of community service through x2VOL. 

Read a recent case study about 21st Century Learning Skills and Community Service here.

Read the full news release here.