A Principal's Reflections

MAY 18, 2011

The following is a guest post by Disha Dass and Jessica Milne, two New Milford High School students. They approached me with an idea and as a school we let them run with it. The end result of their unwavering commitment to make their peers aware of of an issue had a profound impact on the entire school community.

High School 261

High School Cultures History Education 261

Thrive in Grade Five

MARCH 23, 2019

A meme is defined as a cultural item in the form of an image, video, phrase, etc., One day, I was browsing Facebook and saw a short video, obviously made by high school students, making fun of Parliament’s reaction to the Boston Tea Party. So, the history meme project was born in my classroom.

History 130

History Primary Sources Social Studies Library 130

TCI

NOVEMBER 12, 2024

High-quality civics and U.S. history instruction is essential for developing informed, engaged citizens who can navigate the complexities of modern society. Fordham Institute evaluated the state-of-state standards for civics and history across all fifty states. History and one semester of civics in high school.

Civics 98

Civics Teaching Civic Engagement Social Studies 98

ED Surge

DECEMBER 11, 2024

As a public high school teacher in a state and district with a teachers union, my contract entitles me to a duty-free lunch. Many teachers dont necessarily see their students outside the confines of their class often, but high school is about way more than class time.

K-12 110

K-12 Cultures High School History 110

The Hechinger Report

DECEMBER 2, 2024

Franklin/Associated Press Many schools serving Native American students have been working to strengthen connections with families, who often struggle with higher rates of illness and poverty. Schools also must navigate distrust dating back to the U.S. 1, 2024, at Algodones Elementary School in Algodones, N.M.

Elementary School 95

Elementary School Charter School Cultures High School 95

The Hechinger Report

FEBRUARY 10, 2025

Some educators are calling for schools to adopt a curriculum that emphasizes content along with phonics. More schools around the country, from Baltimore to Michigan to Colorado , are adopting these content-filled lessons to teach geography, astronomy and even art history.

Teaching 137

Teaching Charter School Social Studies Geography 137

Teaching American History

MARCH 11, 2025

Teaching government at Hilliard Darby High School in Ohio (a suburb of Columbus), Amy Messick helps students understand how our constitutional system works. One former student who appreciates what he learned from Messick now serves on the school board for the district in which Messick teaches. Some of them encourage her.

Government 89

Government Controversial Topics American History Civics 89

A Principal's Reflections

FEBRUARY 12, 2012

New Milford High School proudly joined 37 states, 15,000 teachers, and over 2 million students on February 1 for the inaugural Digital Learning Day. This day, however, was not really much different than any other day at NMHS as we have made a commitment to integrate digital learning into school culture for some time now.

Library 266

Library History Cultures Educational Technology 266

ED Surge

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

As a writer, my Indigenous culture shows up in my poetry. When I was a student, I struggled to see my people represented in curricula, so when I design Spanish and social studies classes, I work to decolonize my lessons and reclaim Indigenous history.

Cultures 138

Cultures Teaching Pedagogy Ancestry 138

The Hechinger Report

APRIL 6, 2021

I grew up in an area with a large Asian American population, including 25 percent of the students in my high school. And yet, I have never had the opportunity to discuss anti-Asian racism in the classroom, learn about Asian American history or engage with educators who understand my experiences.

High School 114

High School American History Social Studies Leadership 114

The Hechinger Report

FEBRUARY 26, 2020

But the high school freshman at the Old Rochester Regional High School in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, near Cape Cod, has recently leaned in to her little-explored Irish heritage. In a school that is more than 90 percent white, her genealogy course offers a rare opportunity to talk about diversity.

History 137

History Ancestry Heritage Project-Based Learning 137

The Hechinger Report

MARCH 30, 2023

But a few months later, in June of last year, Carver suddenly announced he was departing his position as a high school teacher because of the constant discrimination and threats he said he faced as an openly gay man. “I Carver said he received little to no support from his school administration. When Willie Carver Jr.

Cultures 145

Cultures High School Leadership Teaching 145

The Hechinger Report

OCTOBER 31, 2018

history class this year, she described the American revolution and then expanded on the lesson, making connections to historical events in Mexico, Central America, the Dominican Republic and elsewhere in the Caribbean. schools, as teachers attempt to make a traditional, Eurocentric curriculum personally interesting to a diverse student body.

Cultures 110

Cultures American History Tradition Lesson Plan 110

ED Surge

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

The Black Students Association is composed of Black high school students at Labs High School. In partnership with their advisors, I had some of these Black high school students visit my first-graders. They introduced themselves, played games, colored and connected over hairstyles.

Pedagogy 102

Pedagogy High School Cultures History 102

A Principal's Reflections

DECEMBER 17, 2011

It is hard work to change cultures, systems, and perceptions that have been firmly entrenched for a long time. The transformation taking place at New Milford High School to create a 21st Century culture of teaching an learning would fit this bill. Image credit: [link] For a recent assignment, students in Ms. Perna and Ms.

American History 197

American History Leadership History Cultures 197

A Principal's Reflections

FEBRUARY 10, 2013

New Milford High School joined thousands of other schools and educators across the country to showcase how digital learning is changing education. The only thing though is that this day was just like any other typical day at my school as digital learning has become an embedded component of our school''s culture.

Sociology 265

Sociology Heritage Cultures History 265

Zinn Education Project

OCTOBER 20, 2024

Donate Today Right wing politicians and media outlets are attacking the very heart of the Zinn Education Project — teaching people’s history in classrooms across the country. Officials in at least 44 states have sought — and in many cases succeeded — to enact restrictions on what teachers can say about history and current events.

History 94

History Teaching Civics Middle School 94

ED Surge

AUGUST 28, 2023

On a Friday morning in March, students and teachers gathered at a hip hotel here to reimagine what their high schools could be. The delegation from Calvin Coolidge High School was thinking big — as in, global. Yet measuring whether a redesigned high school is working as intended, and why, is difficult to do.

High School 118

High School Leadership Public School Charter School 118

The Hechinger Report

SEPTEMBER 27, 2017

Students participate in morning workshops in advance of national May 1 “Day Without Immigrants” rallies, learning also about the labor rights history of May Day rallies worldwide. Nevertheless, the school’s record lends credence to a new districtwide focus on supporting students’ language and culture to foster academic achievement.

High School 112

High School Heritage Economics Cultures 112

The Hechinger Report

JULY 14, 2019

I took multiple semesters of musical technique, history and theory as well as music education methods. Here’s what is missing in music education: cultural and social relevance. But being culturally responsive means teaching music where kids are, and with what interests them. I played in ensembles. Incredibly traditional.

Cultures 111

Cultures Education Middle School Tradition 111

The Hechinger Report

OCTOBER 16, 2024

As a high-school senior in New Jersey, Ernesto Reyes Velasco couldn’t envision himself taking the leap to become an independent college student. The clubs displayed cultural flags and handmade posters, blasted music and enticed potential recruits with Skittles, Kit Kats and Oreos. MONTCLAIR, N.J. — Money was tight.

Tutoring 133

Tutoring Social Science Cultures Research 133

The Hechinger Report

JUNE 7, 2022

history and civics curriculum to be more inclusive and equitable? As an Asian American, my lived experience and this research make me firmly believe that we must do a better job of teaching Asian American history and culture in the U.S. — We must do a better job of teaching Asian American history and culture in the U.S.

American History 108

American History History Teaching Primary Sources 108

Active History Teacher

DECEMBER 22, 2022

I often use class competition games in my US History classroom – you could say it is part of my classroom culture. It’s important as a teacher to build that classroom culture before you add the competition. Timeline Races One of my absolute favorite classroom competitions for US History is timeline races.

Primary Sources 195

Primary Sources American History History Cultures 195

A Principal's Reflections

JANUARY 14, 2014

I''m not going to lie, New Milford High School is an amazing place to work. With these elements in place the stage is set for innovation and the creation of a school culture that works for students in the digital age. I count my blessings everyday that I work in a school where daily inspiration is the norm.

Library 230

Library High School History Cultures 230

The Hechinger Report

OCTOBER 28, 2019

A Stanford University study finds that dropout rates were lower in Oakland, California, high schools that offered a special class for black students called the Manhood Development Program. “Particularly in high school, there’s a fear of these kids.” “It shows that it works.”

Cultures 97

Cultures Teaching High School History 97

A Principal's Reflections

OCTOBER 10, 2010

Little did I know that I would be leaving with a wealth of information that could have the potential to radically transform the learning culture at New Milford High School. First a little history on 1:1 laptop programs in Iowa. Last year approximately 17 Districts had deployed these programs in their schools.

K-12 266

K-12 Elementary School Professional Development History 266

NCHE

APRIL 3, 2023

At the grocery store: “ Your students did such a great job documenting our local history! They were students when Smithfield’s Red Brick school closed, and he would enjoy their story.” What’s the name of that young lady who did a history project about Dickson Mounds? Hey, will you have Cooper call me?

Oral History 100

Oral History Public History History Museum 100

The Hechinger Report

SEPTEMBER 20, 2022

NEW YORK — There’s a new look to history classes in New York City schools: a curriculum in Asian American and Pacific Islander history. New York City’s Department of Education is the latest public school system to require that U.S. history instruction include an Asian American and Pacific Islander K-12 curriculum.

History 106

History Heritage K-12 American History 106

ED Surge

APRIL 29, 2022

As workplaces, schools can intentionally structure systems and provide resources that decrease some of these barriers, such as addressing the scarcity of dedicated services and supporting educators through convoluted insurance hurdles that make it even harder to seek professional help. Even hailing from vastly different corners of the U.S.,

Cultures 121

Cultures Education Elementary School High School 121

ED Surge

FEBRUARY 24, 2025

At Gwinnett, we have a history of preparing students for their futures in innovative and meaningful ways. We knew we would be opening a new school due to population growth. Anytime you start a program or a school from the ground up, theres an opportunity to innovate and try something different. Having partnerships is also huge.

K-12 104

K-12 Public School Leadership Teaching 104

A Principal's Reflections

DECEMBER 22, 2010

The next week off will enable us to recharge our batteries and continue our efforts to make New Milford High School a model for innovation and student-centered learning. I would just like to take this minute to wish each and everyone of you a break filled with joy, peace, and rest.

Education 197

Education Tradition Leadership Cultures 197

The Hechinger Report

MARCH 6, 2023

Ron DeSantis or the College Board to curate and disburse Black history to us. As despicable and harmful as the Florida governor’s recent rejection of the pilot Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies course was, DeSantis does not get to decide when and how we learn Black history. DeSantis’ playbook is plagiarized.

History 112

History American History Social Justice Leadership 112

The Hechinger Report

FEBRUARY 7, 2023

Students are once again in the crosshairs of our nation’s political culture, following the College Board’s decision to buckle under political pressure and strip their Advanced Placement African-American studies course of essential topics for what is supposed to be a rigorous, college-level course.

American History 101

American History History Heritage Cultures 101

A Principal's Reflections

DECEMBER 29, 2019

For me, the push I needed came from Ken Royal, who, after hearing what we were doing at New Milford High School and then visiting, stated unequivocally that I had to share our story. After that, the rest is history. Blogging has certainly changed over the past ten years. Here's to an amazing 2020 everyone.

K-12 238

K-12 Leadership Pedagogy History 238

A Principal's Reflections

JANUARY 14, 2011

The following is a guest post by Linda Keesing, the Media Specialist at New Milford High School. Mark Twain''s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a treasured classic that many students read in high school, as they have for generations. Feel free to comment below and she will respond.

High School 198

High School History Cultures 198

ED Surge

FEBRUARY 22, 2022

I first acknowledged it subconsciously in my middle school years. Social studies and history classes weren't just academic discourse, they were social and emotional experiences. Like many people who learned new skills during the pandemic, I immersed myself in Black history, pedagogy, and education reform.

History 108

History Tutoring Pedagogy American History 108

A Principal's Reflections

APRIL 2, 2017

We showed that embracing innovative practices aligned to a sound pedagogical foundation could create a learning culture rooted in meaningful learning and relationships. And the great disruptors of our time are shaping the culture itself in innovative ways. To model this, we wrote the book using a conversational tone.

Leadership 229

Leadership Cultures Community Engagement History 229