Education News

Alexandra Callen was named the very first female to head St. George School a 120-year-old high school located in Middleton Rhode Island. She has a Bachelor’s and Masters from Brown University and a Doctorate from Harvard. She has many years of leadership and teaching experience in public and private schools.
She served as principal of Acton-Boxborough High School from 2008-2013 located in Acton, MA. In 2004-2008 she was assistant principal of Needam High School (see: Alixe Callen LinkedIn). The chair of St. George’s Board of Trustees Leslie B. Heaney described Alexandra as a brilliant educator that devoted her life to education and the wellbeing of students.
Alexandra plans to continue to nurture students and help them prepare for college. She is honored to be chosen as head of the St. George School. The backing of the Board of Trustees is icing on the cake she said. She will begin her position on July 1, 2017. Currently, she now is the upper school director at Lakeside School in Seattle.

When she attended college she assisted with graduate courses in school reform, design, and leadership for secondary education. She is married and has two sons. When she lived on campus in Middlesex with her husband and sons she served as dorm parent. Her mentor was Ted Sizer. She has taught social studies and English at the Sedona Red Rock High School in Arizona.

Alexandra has strong ties to New England and four of her relatives graduated from St. George. They were her great grandfather, grandfather, great uncle, and uncle. The Board of Trustee chose the best candidate that fit their vision of a leader for the future of the school. She stood out among many other qualified exceptional candidates that applied for the position.

When becomes head of St. George School she plans to keep helping the staff and students become contributing members of the community, excel in learning, and make sure teaches and students and watch out for each other.

The use and application of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has been around for decades. However, until the production boom centering around the Bakken Formation in North Dakota began hitting news headlines, the general public had never heard of fracking. Hydraulic fracturing, when used in combination with horizontal drilling technology, provides America the opportunity to tap into the vast oil and gas deposits within our own country and not have to rely as heavily on foreign oil.

What is Fracking?

In simplest terms, fracking causes micro-fractures in the rock thousands of feet below the surface. A mixture of sand and water is forced into those cracks and widens the cracks enough to allow the oil and gas that is trapped in the rock formations into the pipes where it can then be brought to the surface.

Benefits of Fracking

• Jobs

  A study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 21st Century Energy Institute estimates that 1.7 million jobs have already been created because of fracking. They expect that number to increase to 3.5 million by 2035. This includes jobs directly connected to fracking, such as those working on the wells themselves, and jobs indirectly connected, such as contractors creating gravel roads. These are large numbers and most of the jobs provide a family wage income. The creation of jobs is essential for America’s economic output.

• Energy

  Fracking in the U.S. has been primarily for natural gas production. America is now the top producer of natural gas in the world. In 2016, for the first time in 60 years, our natural gas exports exceeded our imports. It is projected that U.S. natural gas production will increase by around 50% over the next 20 years.

  The cost of natural gas to the American consumer has been steadily decreasing for the last decade. This saves money on utility bills, but more importantly, it lowers our dependence on electricity to heat our homes and to cook our food. Natural gas is known as a “clean energy.” While not as green as renewable energy solutions, natural gas emits 50% less carbon dioxide than coal.

• Foreign Relations

  As the energy revolution in America continues, our demand for foreign imports lessens. This is safer for American oil and gas companies who no longer need to operate in high conflict areas. It is also good for the American trade deficit. Foreign organizations such as OPEC will have less and less sway over our international decisions.

St. George’s School in Newport, Rhode Island has announced that they have appointed their first female head of school, Alexandra Callen. She will be the twelfth head of school since the 1896 founding. She will be replacing Eric Peterson, who has been at the school for the past thirteen years. Callen is a descendant of several alumni.

Callen is coming from being the upper school director of the Lakeside School in Seattle. Before that, she was principal at Acton Boxborough Regional High School in Acton, Mass. and assistant principal of Needham High School in Needham, Mass. She has a bachelor’s and master’s from Brown University, along with a master’s and doctorate from Harvard.

Callen’s family members who are alumni are great-grandfather, Johns H. Congdon ’03, grandfather, James B. Congdon ’41, great uncle, Charles B. Congdon ’40, and uncle, James B. Congdon Jr. ’66. Her husband, James Bailey, is an educator. The couple has two sons, Zander and Miles.

“My entire career has been spent helping teenagers to be kind, to watch out for each other, and to be contributing community members,” said Callen. “To now do that work in a school that has such deep roots for my family makes me humble and proud.”

St. George’s is one of the five elite prep schools that are unofficially called St. Grottlesex. The school has graduated Vanderbilts, Bushes, Astors, and Mellons. It is situated on Aquidneck Island across from Newport. The campus itself is known as the Hilltop.

In a statement, the trustees said, “We are confident that [Callen] will steer the course boldly for St. George’s, continuing to build on our longstanding strengths while at the same time moving St. George’s confidently into the future. She is fully prepared and eager to build upon our forward-thinking curriculum, to foster our safe and welcoming community, and to support our teachers in continually expanding their expertise in teaching and learning.”

Alexandra Callen was introduced to the school by the Board of St. George’s on December 9.

A good education is something that will be of great value later in life. If you’re considering enrolling your child in a boarding school, then chances are you want to be sure that they are getting the best education possible. To ensure this consider doing some background research and investigating multiple schools. Parents often look to big names in US boarding schools like Phillips Exeter Academy, St. George’s School and Church Farm School.

This article will list some of the most important factors to consider when selecting which boarding school you want to enroll your child in so you can make the best decision possible.

Academic Programs

A key area to research when looking at schools is the variety of academics and the availability of academic support to students. This includes things such as small classroom sizes. This allows each student to receive individual attention from the teacher during class. It also means having teachers who are willing to interact with students outside of class, having open office hours available throughout the day so that students can seek out academic guidance or clarification on subjects they are finding difficult in the classroom. Just because they are attending a boarding school does not mean that the child’s parent is uninterested in their academic performance. Teachers and faculty should be willing and able to work with parents to resolve performance issues when they arise.

Variety Of Courses

Generally speaking, students do not know exactly what direction they will be heading professionally and in their personal lives. As such, rather than attending a specialized school, it is good to investigate the width and breadth of a school’s available curriculum. A well rounded student is more appealing to colleges and employers. It is also good for the student as it allows them to participate in a wide range of subjects and makes it more likely that they will find the one that sparks a genuine personal interest.

Athletics and Art

Consider less traditional programs such as athletics and art. These programs are great for padding out college resumes but they also teach important skills that are not learned in the classroom. This includes things such as teamwork, competitive spirit, creative problem solving, and skill development.

Your child’s education is important to you so take the time to investigate their educational environment. This helps ensure you find the best match for your child’s academic needs.

 

The Overview of a Boarding School
There are numerous benefits that a quality boarding school can provide to your child. A boarding school will offer a personalized education. There will be a focus on academic progress for each and every child. A focus on social progress is included into the boarding school experience. A boarding school may offer a post-graduate year of study to students. The idea is to provide an environment that will assist each student to prepare themselves for college. A quality boarding school will provide an exceptional environment for students to live and study. The term “boarding” is “bed and board.” This involves lodging, meals, and quality education in an atmosphere that fosters learning. One of the many premiere boarding schools in the United States will provide and environment that will offer your child numerous opportunities.

Sound Reasons to Choose the Boarding School Option
Every parent has several options for education for their child. This is a serious decision to make. There are many reasons to choose a boarding school. These are sound reasons that may help you to make the right choice for your child. Education matters. A good boarding school will incorporate appropriate academics, physical activities, and interesting extracurricular activities. The following items are the top benefits that your child will receive from a premiere boarding school. These include:

* superior teachers who have a degree in their subject; Many teachers in a boarding school will possess an advanced degree

* fantastic art programs and arts facilities

* independent living for students; this fosters a “real world” experience

* students are stretched by the total academic work that must be completed; a boarding school is concerned with college preparation

* all students typically have the goal to attend college; support and encouragement from like-minded individuals

* excellent media center and libraries; they are well-filled with a large variety of exceptional materials

* they offer great sports facilities along with exceptional sports

* smaller class sizes; there is an opportunity to obtain extra attention. Classes may have 10 to 15 students in a class

* the student learns self-responsibility

* the boarding school promotes intelligence; this environment will make it cool to be smart and studious

Well-Known Boarding Schools in the United States
There are many exceptional boarding schools to choose from. The following are amongst the top boarding schools. Included amongst the top boarding schools:
* Phillips Exeter Academy
* Phillips Academy (Andover)
* St. George’s School
* the Church Farm School
* Episcopal High School

Introduction

Herb Allen knows that investing is one of the best ways to build wealth over a long period of time. There are many people that want to learn how to invest but simply do not have any idea where to begin. Investment conferences are a great way for beginners to learn the basics around investing. There are a variety of different investment conferences around the country every year such as the well known Sun Valley Idaho conference. New York City hosts a lot of these investment conferences due to its proximity to Wall Street. There are thousands of people that come to these conferences every year in order to learn about investing. Here are several ways that these conferences can benefit anyone wanting to learn about the subject.

Investment Basics

The great thing about investing over the long term is that the concept is relatively simple. As a person increases the amount of money that they invest, the amount of wealth that is built over time will increase as well. Increasing the rate of return is another great way to build more wealth over the long term. The rate of return can be increased in several ways. Diversifying investments is one of the best ways to do so. When a person has all of their investments in one area, the unsystematic risk is increased. This reduces the rate of return that a person will earn over time.

Networking

Another great benefit to going to investment conferences is meeting other people that are interested in the subject of investing as well. Learning from others who have actually succeeded with investing is a great way to build a base level of knowledge. Investment conferences bring together people of all ages and backgrounds with a common interest.

Conclusion

Overall, investment conferences are a great way to learn about the subject of investing. Investing is one of the best ways to build wealth over the long term. There are many people that want to learn more about the subject but are unsure of how to do so. Going to investing conferences and meeting with other people who want to learn is a great way to increase knowledge in this area.

Each year, there are a growing variety of families that are deciding to homeschool their kids. There have been numerous new educational program presented to make this easier for households to do. Learning a couple of ideas might really assist you make the change with your household much easier. Continue reading to learn a few of the very best pointers for homeschooling.

Every state has certain laws relating to homeschooling. It depends on you to comprehend what your state requires of you as a moms and dad, and your youngster as a student, when it concerns homeschooling. Look at your state’s academic web site, along with your county school board’s website to completely comprehend the expectations.

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Asked what they know of homeschooling, most people still describe evangelical Christian parents doing their best to shield their children from a secular world view. With The Duggar Family still making headlines, this is the most common face of homeschooling.

Yet the homeschool community is changing. According to the Home School Legal Defense Association, orHSLDA, secular homeschoolers are a significant 25 percent of the total homeschool community. Despite this, resources for this minority within a minority are geared toward Christian education with A Beka Book,Bob Jones and Sonlight leading the way. A Google search for homeschooling support turns up far more Christian resources than inclusive or secular ones, many demanding statements of faith. This leaves many atheist homeschoolers and even those religious families choosing to educate using secular materials feeling less than welcome in the larger homeschool community.

Even with secular resources much more readily available than they were ten years ago, finding a welcoming group is no easier than wading through mountains of religious texts and activities to cobble together a curriculum in keeping with the secular family’s beliefs. With so many non religious parents stepping into the role of educator, the group has reached a point of organization.

The newly formed National Alliance of Secular Homeschoolers offers a voice to homeschoolers choosing this controversial educational option for reasons other than religion. As stated on their web site, N.A.S.H. intends to “Provide a national framework of structure, support, and connection for those homeschoolers who identify themselves with secular homeschooling and as a by-product create a demand for secular curriculum and other materials that cater to secular homeschoolers…”

In keeping with this promise, N.A.S.H. has an inaugural conference slated for Sept. 4, 2014 in Atlanta, Ga. Alongside vendors including Pandia Press and Build Your Library selling homeschool related goods, attendees can expect activities for children, workshops and an opportunity to lend expertise and opinion to the first planning session of N.A.S.H.

While other conferences of this type do exist, N.A.S.H. offers a future, unifying force for secular homeschoolers, perhaps giving them an influential voice in political and social arenas affecting homeschoolers.