Do you have information you would like to share in future
issues of Citizenship Matters? Send submissions to Ann Rautio at arautio@ecs.org.
The ECS National Center for Learning and Citizenship (NCLC) assists
state and district policymakers and educators developing policies
that support K-12 school-based service-learning opportunities. These
educational experiences help students acquire the skills, values,
knowledge and practice necessary to be effective citizens. The NCLC
identifies and analyzes policies and practices that support effective
citizenship education, creates and disseminates publications for
education stakeholders, and convenes meetings to develop a collective
voice for citizenship education and civic mission of schools. NCLC
also encourages policy support and system structures to integrate
service-learning into schools and communities. For more information,
visit www.ecs.org/nclc.
Welcome to CITIZENSHIP MATTERS, from the NATIONAL
CENTER FOR LEARNING AND CITIZENSHIP (NCLC) at the EDUCATION COMMISSION
OF THE STATES (ECS). This bimonthly newsletter focuses on ECS' work in
improving citizenship education in our nation's schools.
Guest Column Former Superintendent of Public Instruction SUELLEN REED is a longtime supporter of citizenship education. Her reflection on the Constitution leads her to ask about the Washingtons, Jeffersons and Franklins of the coming generation. /clearinghouse/79/43/7943.doc
Good Reads Preliminary results of the CALIFORNIA SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY have been released by the California Department of Education. The data is drawn from over 67,000 California school staff members and includes their perceptions of school climate at their school. http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr08/yr08rel175.asp
Still Serving: Measuring the Eight-Year Impact of AmeriCorps on Alumni is a new study on the long-term effect of AmeriCorps service on former members. It suggests that Americorps provides individuals with immediate opportunities to serve, and also spurs these individuals to be AGENTS OF POSITIVE CHANGE in their communities after their service is complete. http://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/08_0513_longstudy_report.pdf
The December issue of Educational Leadership features an article by Terry Pickeral, Molly McCloskey and Jonathan Cohen. "The Challenge of ASSESSING SCHOOL CLIMATE" discusses how education leaders can get a picture of the whole child and the whole school by using school climate data to promote meaningful staff, family and student engagement. The article also explains how to use school climate data to enhance the social, emotional, ethical, civic, and intellectual skills and dispositions that contribute to success in school and in life. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/dec08/vol66/num04/The_Challenge_of_Assessing_School_Climate.aspx
NCLC News The National Center for Learning and Citizenship is pleased to announce the selection of JOANN HENDERSON as executive director. Henderson comes to ECS with a 27-year history of educational service in Alaska. As the executive director of Alaska's Southeast Regional Resource Center (SERRC), she implemented policies and programs to improve areas of teacher training, service learning, vocational education, English language learning and special education among many others. Henderson served as a member of the Association of Education Service Agencies (AESA) Federal Relations Committee focusing on the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Additionally, for two years she acted as chair of the Alaska Workforce Investment Board and four years as a board member. Henderson's experience in Alaska complements the work of NCLC where the mission is to promote citizenship education as an essential component of America's education system. She joins the NCLC staff February 2.
Kent School District School Board of Directors was named the 2008 School Board of the Year in the large district category by the Washington State School Directors' Association. Kent's Superintendent of Schools is BARBARA GROHE, also the NCLC board chair.
Meetings & Events NCLC hosted its semi-annual BOARD MEETING January 23, 2009, in Denver, Colorado. Board members welcomed the new executive director, JoAnn Henderson. The board reviewed progress on the NCLC Chair's Initiative, which focuses on research and advocacy, and set future goals.
The National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC) and Volunteer Tennessee are hosting the 20th Annual NATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING CONFERENCE, March 18-21, 2009, in Nashville, Tennessee. Participants will come from the United States and at least 20 other countries to network and engage in local, national and global issues that are addressed by service-learning. Late conference registration deadline is February 27. Complete conference information is on the National Youth Leadership Council's Web site. https://programs.regweb.com/metro/NYLC2009/registration/
Superintendents, principals and school leaders will meet at the ADMINISTRATORS ACADEMY, March 19-20, during the 20th Annual National Service-Learning Conference. The theme of this year's academy is "Out-of-the-Box Leadership Through Service-Learning." Participants will examine ways service-learning can be used to improve academic achievement — and civic, social and career development — and will leave with increased knowledge and skills on how to effectively develop policies that support quality service-learning practices. For more information, visit the NYLC Web site. https://programs.regweb.com/metro/NYLC2009/registration/index.cfm?page=specialevents
Street Law, Inc. and the Supreme Court Historical Society will sponsor the annual SUPREME COURT SUMMER INSTITUTE, June 25-30, 2009. The institute is open to secondary level social studies teachers and supervisors who will spend five stimulating days on Capitol Hill and inside the Supreme Court learning from top Supreme Court litigators and educators about the Court, its past and current cases, and how to teach about them. Participants also will be in the Court to hear the Justices announce the final decisions of the term and attend a private reception. The application deadline is March 20, 2009. For full information and to apply online (under the "Registration Info" tab), go to: http://www.streetlaw.org/en/CalendarEvent.6.aspx
Names in the News National Center for Learning and Citizenship staff said good-bye to their longtime executive director, TERRY PICKERAL, whose last day was December 31, 2008. Pickeral had been with NCLC since its inception in 1997. He is thanked for his many years of dedication and service to NCLC and its mission.
Recipients of the FRIENDS OF NATIONAL SERVICE AWARD will be honored at a reception on February 10, 2009. Honorees are named on the Voices for National Service Web site. http://www.voicesforservice.org/events.htm
Updates from NACE Citizenship Matters regularly features new information available on the NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR CIVIC EDUCATION'S (NACE) Web site. NACE comprises over 200 group and individual members committed to advancing civic knowledge and engagement. /clearinghouse/79/44/7944.doc
Other Useful Web sites The Center for Civic Education, the Center on Congress at Indiana University and the National Education Association are now accepting applications for the 2009 American CIVIC EDUCATION TEACHER AWARDS. Each year, three teachers are selected for recognition of their exemplary work preparing young people to become informed and engaged citizens. The awards are given to elementary and secondary teachers of civics, government and related subjects who have demonstrated special expertise in motivating students to learn about the Constitution, Congress and public policy. The application deadline is February 23, 2009. http://www.civiced.org/pdfs/announcement/AcetaApplication0808.pdf
Applications are being accepted for the Partnerships in Character Education Program GRANT COMPETITION. Awards are made to eligible entities for the purpose of designing and implementing character education programs that can be integrated into classroom instruction and that are consistent with state academic content standards. The application deadline is February 24, 2009. http://www.ed.gov/programs/charactered/applicant.html
International Focus WORLD PEN PALS has been promoting friendship and cultural understanding since 1950 and claims to be the largest student pen friend exchange in the world. Since the recent presidential election, World Pen Pals has been receiving thousands of requests from young people abroad wishing to correspond with American boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 19. To find out more, visit their Web site. http://www.world-pen-pals.com
