By Andrew J. Rotherham
With budget cuts looming, and with more states considering radical changes to teacher tenure and other important policies, 2011 looks to be a big year for education, for better or for worse. Here are 11 reformers poised to shake things up even more in these tumultuous times. These activists are political and apolitical, working to change schools systems from within and without, and can be found in the for-profit, nonprofit and governmental sectors. Some are big names in the education world, others are more behind-the-scenes players. But what they all have in common is the potential to change how Americans think about education and how kids experience school in 2011 — and beyond.
Michael Bennet: The Senator
If the federal No Child Left Behind law is modified this year, or if anything else significant happens in Washington on education policy, this Colorado Democrat will be at the center of it. Bennet, who was Denver's superintendent of schools before being appointed to fill a vacant Senate seat in 2009, beat the odds in November and won a full term. He's tight with the President and has credibility with moderates in both parties. For these reasons, he'll be a powerful force when the debate about teacher effectiveness and school accountability heats up in Congress.
Link: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2040867_2040871_2040905,00.html
Students at Landmark academy at reunion celebrate first annual latin culture week
Landmark Academy at Reunion , a tuition-free public charter school, recently hosted their First Annual Latin Culture Week, a week focused on educating students on the various aspects of Latin culture, from music and art to sports and celebrities, through unique activities. During the week-long celebration, students were able to step into the lives of the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans with Latin culture lessons through piñata making, cultural crafts, songs, traditional foods and more. Students made maracas and learned a traditional Mexican Hat Dance; created Aztec suns working with metal tooling; and studied different countries in Mexico , Central America and South America . Aztec dancers from the Colorado Folk Arts Council also visited with students and educated them on the spiritual and traditional aspects of Aztec culture through dance. “We reside in a community with strong Latin and Hispanic roots,” said Matt Carlton, principal of Landmark Academy at Reunion . “Our community culture is important to us at Landmark. By providing unique ways for our students to learn the various backgrounds of our diverse community they are able to understand and appreciate different cultures.” For more information about Landmark Academy at Reunion , please visit www.landmarkacademy.org.
