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How can we adapt this as an ongoing series?

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11/30: Jenna K told that it will be presented to the currculum committee for the Board of Education next week, but district office wasn't sure if that would be presented.

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District surveys students about athletic programs

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District surveys students about athletic programs

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Is this taught? Or do they us think proper typing happens on its own. Submitted by Ms. Griess

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https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/when-is-the-metoo-movement-going-to-finally-make-it-to-my-high-school_us_5a833a95e4b02b66c512b498

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Gubernatorial elections

Governors hold powerful positions since they control huge budgets and implement their state's laws.

Before Tuesday, Republicans controlled 33 out of 50 governorships and two-thirds of 99 state legislature chambers.

Some 36 governorships were being elected this November and Democrats were targeting the 23 which have Republican incumbents up for re-election.

Key races to watch were in Ohio, Michigan, Florida and Pennsylvania - key swing states in the presidential elections. Governors in those states will be crucial to mobilising party activists and raising donations for the 2020 race.

How will they affect Donald Trump's presidency?

The elections will shape US politics for at least the next two years.

A Republican-controlled Congress would have made the final two years of Mr Trump's first term much smoother - giving him the power to continue funding his border wall with Mexico, pass further tax cuts and make another attempt to repeal Obamacare.

With Democrats set to regain control in the House, they will fiercely oppose a number of Mr Trump's key policies.

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US midterm elections 2018: Why these congressional elections matter

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Governors hold powerful positions since they control huge budgets and implement their state's laws. Before Tuesday, Republicans controlled 33 out of 50 governorships and two-thirds of 99 state legislature chambers. Some 36 governorships were being elected this November and Democrats were targeting the 23 which have Republican incumbents up for re-election.

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JAN HEFLER/Inquirer Staff

On the first day of October, Gov. Murphy predicted on Facebook Live that recreational marijuana use could be legal in New Jersey by Halloween.

"It's sooner than later ... like Oct. 29," he said to a caller who asked a question asked repeatedly since Murphy said on the campaign trail a year ago that he would legalize marijuana as governor.

By that, he meant the bipartisan committee Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin created last week to investigate the Murphy administration's handling of a sexual assault allegation by Katie Brennan, chief of staff of the Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency. She said she filed a complaint against Albert Alvarez in April 2017, but it was ignored and he was named chief of staff of the Schools Development Authority this year. Alvarez, who denies the allegation, resigned Oct. 3.

"These things have a tendency to suck up all the air in a room," Scutari said.

So marijuana legalization just may get eclipsed for now.

Scutari, also a Democrat, said legalization may have to wait until December.

Marijuana advocates also watched Canadians celebrate their nation's legalization last Wednesday. So far, only nine states have approved legal weed for adult use, and New Jersey lawmakers have been weighing this action since January.

One of those created another roadblock to legalization. Sweeney recently said he only wants a 12 percent tax on marijuana sales - which would be among the lowest in the country - while Murphy has said it should be higher. Sweeney and Murphy are political rivals and Murphy said that he will sign the bill as long as it contains the provisions his administration supports.

In June, the bill called for a 10 percent tax the first year and a gradual rise to 25 percent by the fourth year.

Scutari predicted a compromise. "I don't want a conditional veto," he said.

Sweeney did not respond to calls for comment.

Murphy's spokesperson said via email, "We don't comment on specific or pending legislation."

A unique proposal recently tucked into the 121-page bill calls for "consumption rooms," similar to bars, where people over age 21 could smoke marijuana.

"That was my idea," said Scutari, who has visited Colorado, California, and the Netherlands to see legalization firsthand and to take notes. "Why not? You have people sitting on bar stools. As this becomes more mainstream, these could someday be like coffee shops, like in Amsterdam," he said.

Scutari said he believes Colorado is the only state that has consumption lounges. He said he included them because people in high-occupancy buildings might otherwise be precluded from smoking marijuana in their homes because of neighbors or landlords. Local approval would be required.

The bill also would allow cannabis deliveries, something that advocates have lobbied for over the years. Would that include deliveries to nursing homes and hospice centers? "I anticipate it would be for everyone ... open-ended, and that's another job creation aspect," Scutari said.

Ken Wolski, executive director of Coalition Medical Marijuana New Jersey, applauded the bill. "I'm unhappy that it doesn't include home cultivation, especially for patients who can't afford the medicine ... but this bill represents great progress," he said.

Jamal Holley is co-sponsoring a bill identical to Scutari's in the Assembly. He said the bill addresses social justice issues surrounding marijuana - studies show more than three times as many minorities are arrested for possessing small quantities than whites. It allows for quick expungement of these criminal records.

The bill also directs that at least 25 percent of the marijuana licenses would go to minorities, women and disabled veterans, said Holley, a Democratic assemblyman from Union County. "No other states have it that focused," he said.

Murphy said in the Facebook Live video that social justice is why he supports legalization. "We have the largest white/nonwhite gap of persons incarcerated in America, and low-end drug crime is not the only reason, but it's a driving reason," he said.

But not everyone is on board. Republican Sen. Robert Singer, the deputy minority leader, said he and some other lawmakers favor decriminalization of marijuana to address the racial disparities in arrests. He said his concern is that legalization will lead to people smoking marijuana and driving.

"There will be an influx of out-of-state residents," Singer said. "And they will be driving home high."

Scutari said officials in states that have legalization have reported that driving under the influence of marijuana has not become a significant problem and is less troublesome than driving under the influence of alcohol. He also said there will be enforcement to control any such problem.

The first paragraph of the bill states the intent is to change "our marijuana policies by taxing, controlling and legalizing marijuana like alcohol for adults."

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Will New Jersey have legal weed by Halloween? That could be tricky

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On the first day of October, Gov. Murphy predicted on Facebook Live that recreational marijuana use could be legal in New Jersey by Halloween. "It's sooner than later ... like Oct. 29," he said to a caller who asked a question asked repeatedly since Murphy said on the campaign trail a year ago that he would legalize marijuana as governor.

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When students sit down to take their standardized tests this spring, they will notice some changes.

As the New Jersey State Board of Education considers eliminating two of the six state-required tests in high school, the Department of Education is moving forward with changes it can make on its own - renaming and shortening the tests.

In a memo to school administrators Oct. 5 and updated Oct. 12, NJDOE Assistant Commissioner Linda P. Eno announced that instead of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, known commonly as PARCC, the tests will be called the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments - NJSLA for short.

In addition, the tests will have fewer questions and take less time to administer, the memo reads.

"These changes do not go through the State Board process, but are implemented by the Commissioner," the memo reads.

DOE spokesman Mike Yaple stressed the less-test-time angle.

"Depending on the grade and subject, it will be approximately 25 percent less testing," Yaple said.

Steve Baker, spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association, said the changes are "a positive development." The union, which represents about 175,000 teachers and support staff in the state, has been a supporter of changes to PARCC proposed by Commissioner Lamont Repollet and Gov. Phil Murphy over the summer.

The shortening of the exam and renaming of the test were announced in July following an outreach tour with stakeholders from around the state. In a report, the DOE said it would reduce the time of testing from nearly eight hours to six. The report states the change is possible because of the DOE's partnership with New Meridian, a nonprofit that provides test design and support. The organization was selected by the PARCC consortium in 2017 to license test content.

School districts in South Jersey said they are still learning about what the changes to PARCC will look like in the spring.

"We're finding out as the commissioner releases more information on a day-to-day basis how it's going to look moving forward," said Buena Regional Superintendent David Cappuccio.

He said the PARCC tests was too long for students and implementation was difficult, so educators will be pleased with the changes announced so far.

Pinelands Regional School District English supervisor Gina Frasca said she didn't think the test would change that drastically because it was already aligned with the state's student learning standards.

"I think New Jersey is definitely in the forefront when it comes to assessing students and making sure the students are taught," said Frasca. "We have to show that we're making strides with achievement. We have to show that our students are learning."

Margate interim Superintendent Thomas Baruffi said there was a consensus among educators, parents and students that the length and time of the test needed to be reduced.

"Logistically, it should help make administration of the test more manageable while hopefully reducing some of the stress on students," Baruffi said.

He said the name change should help test perception.

"There were too many negative connotations tied to PARCC, often leading to unwarranted opt-outs," he said of students who chose not to take the test.

Atlantic City Assistant Superintendent Sherry Yahn said the district is committed to following testing procedures.

"We are secure in our belief that Commissioner Repollet is working to do what is best for the students, teachers and school districts in New Jersey," Yahn said.

In the latest memo, Eno wrote that the changes are interim and the DOE will explore long-term changes to the state assessment with the next phase of stakeholder outreach expected to begin this fall.

Baker said the most important change going forward for state standardized assessments would be to lower the stakes and reduce the intrusion on the school year.

"We've seen the damage done when you have lengthy, high-stakes tests that don't provide immediate feedback, that don't accurately measure the things they are being used to measure like student learning and teacher effectiveness. We need a better way of assessing student learning," Baker said.

Contact: 609-272-7251 CLowe@pressofac.com Twitter @clairelowe

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new jersey assessment of skills and knowledge

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PARCC gets new name, fewer questions for spring 2019

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When students sit down to take their standardized tests this spring, they will notice some changes. As the New Jersey State Board of Education considers eliminating two of the six state-required tests in high school, the Department of Education is moving forward with changes it can make on its own - renaming and shortening the tests.

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From Chief Keef to Gucci Mane

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Jonah Hill Talks His Movie 'Mid90s,' Old School Hip-Hop, & His Top 5 Rappers Of All Time On 'For The Record'

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"To me, this is a movie for people that pioneered in skateboarding, for people that pioneered in hip-hop."

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How much time do students spend on HW for their classes? Is it reasonable? Is it doable if you have out-of-school commitments? How long does a teacher expect a student to spend? Is it worth it? What does research say?

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Great article topics for school law

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New Jersey schools are about to be out of excuses for violating the rights of transgender students.

The state Department of Education on Thursday sent new guidelines to schools, explaining how to follow a 2017 law that reinforced protections for transgender students, including expressly forbidding districts from keeping students out of the bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity.

The new rules also settle once and for all how schools should handle other controversial issues, such as what name to call transgender students, whether birth names should be printed on school documents and how much schools should tell parents about student's gender identity.

The guidance is especially important because too many schools continue to mishandle situations involving transgender students, said Christian Fuscarino, executive director of Garden State Equality, an advocacy group for the LGBT community.

"Transgender students now have some of the best protections in the country," Fuscarino said.

According to the guidance:

A school district must accept a student's gender identity. Parental consent or notification is not required.

Schools should use a student's preferred name and pronoun, print the preferred name on school documents and keep records with the birth name and gender in a separate, confidential file.

Students must be allowed to dress in a way that matches their gender identity

Students must have access to bathrooms, locker rooms, gym classes and other actives that match their gender identity.

All students, including those uncomfortable being in the same locker room or bathroom as transgenders students, must have access to a unisex or private facility.

While some schools have already made strides in treatment of transgender students, others are "in denial" about students' rights, Fuscarino said.

"This guidance make it very clear to schools that they need to protect transgender students," he said.

The 2017 law, signed by former Gov. Chris Christie, was designed to replace federal guidance on transgender rights issued by President Barack Obama and later rescinded under the Trump administration.

The law tackled many of the most pressing issues for transgender students and called on the state Education Department to send guidelines to schools to clear up any confusion about how it should be interpreted.

But the Christie administration never did, leaving Gov. Phil Murphy to make those decisions.

Murphy's administration said it hopes the rules help districts set their policies and procedures.

"New Jersey continues to stand with our LGBTQ community, and that includes the youngest and most vulnerable residents: our children," Murphy said.

Opponents of the law, such as the New Jersey Family Policy Council, had argued decisions about what names to call students and what bathrooms students use should be made on the local level.

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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N.J. has a new plan to protect transgender kids in schools

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New Jersey schools are about to be out of excuses for violating the rights of transgender students. The state Department of Education on Thursday sent new guidelines to schools, explaining how to follow a 2017 law that reinforced protections for transgender students, including expressly forbidding districts from keeping students out of the bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity.

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Is there a survey for new sports via Realtime? How do you propose new sports for consideration? No swimming? Volleyball

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How much time do students spend on HW for their classes? Is it reasonable? Is it doable if you have out-of-school commitments? How long does a teacher expect a student to spend? Is it worth it? What does research say?

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why would we do this, what are the benefits or downsides if we do go back

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Board of Education Minutes for 10/11 Meeting

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Board of Education Minutes for 10/11 Meeting

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Dig through to look for potential story ideas. These are accessible to public 24 hours before meeting. Exhibit Codes are revealed at the actual meeting.

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See the attached story starter sheet for some great ideas and coverage options related to this.

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How valuable is it to take all these tests during school hours? Do the benefits outweigh in-class learning?

Debate in NJ about PARCC testing. What's the status? See article for details. This article is from Oct. 3.

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The most controversial standardized test in New Jersey history is now becoming the most difficult one to kill.

Gov. Phil Murphy's proposal to eliminate four of the six PARCC exams for high school students never made it to a vote before the state Board of Education on Wednesday.

Instead, the board revised Murphy's plan and granted preliminary approval to end just one exam, the 11th grade English test, although many students will now take two fewer tests.

The decision punctuates months of heated debate over PARCC's short-term future, which included a last-minute push by Democratic state lawmakers to scale back the Democratic governor's proposal. It became apparent during last month's meeting that the 13-member Education Board was split and an overhaul once thought be a forgone conclusion was in jeopardy.

"There is no doubt in my mind that not everybody is totally happy with everything we have before us today," board member Ronald Butcher said. "It does represent comprise, and I think it represents consensus on how can move forward."

The amended proposal passed with only two votes against it and was praised by education groups that had made passionate arguments both for and against reducing the number of exams.

"We think that this is an important step forward,' said Steve Baker, spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association, which supported ending the four exams. "It really prioritized the needs of students and the well-being of students."

The new plan requires final approval from the board in the coming months. Once it's official, it will spare the ninth grade English exam and the Algebra II and Geometry exams from elimination.

Opponents of ending those tests had worried the state would be dumbing down its testing requirements and missing an opportunity to measure student learning. But state officials argued that students who couldn't pass their state exams in eighth grade have been mired in a cycle of failure that only hurt them during high school.

Under the new plan, all students will be given the 9th and 10th grade English exams. The state will also give students a standardized math test in both ninth and 10th grade -- either the Algebra 1, Algebra II or Geometry text, depending on which course a student is taking that year.

Though none of three math tests for high school students are completely going away, students who start Algebra 1 in ninth grade or later would take one fewer math exam than before.

The amendments reflect the state Education Department's willingness to listen to concerns and find the best solution for students, teachers and parents, state Education Commissioner Lamont Repollet said.

"This wasn't an us vs. them," Repollet said of the process.

Notably, the board accepted Murphy's proposal to extend the graduation requirements for the Class of 2019 to subsequent classes.

Without Murphy's change, students would have been required to pass the Algebra I and 10th-grade English exams, two tests with low pass rates. Instead, they can use passing scores on PARCC exams or scores from alternative tests like the SAT or ACT to meet their graduation requirement.

The revised requirements will remain in effect until the Class of 2025 graduates, board president Areclio Aponte said.

"To say that we are ever going to get everyone 100 percent happy is difficult to say," Aponte said, "but I think ultimately this is going to work well for the districts, work well for students, work well for parents."

The vote should produce the first tangible sign of Murphy fulfilling his signature education campaign promise -- ridding New Jersey schools of PARCC.

The governor initially pledged to "scrap PARCC Day 1," only to later acknowledge the process was more difficult than he realized. The state has since said students will likely take PARCC for two more school years, although the tests will be rebranded under a different name.

Murphy then announced in July he intended to eliminate four of the six exams for high school students, and it seemed unlikely at the time that the state board would push back.

But heightened skepticism from lawmakers, including state Sen. Teresa Ruiz, D-Essex, the chair of the state Senate Education Committee, led the state board to delay its scheduled vote in September.

Asked if the board would have approved Murphy's changes Wednesday without the amendments, Aponte wouldn't speculate.

"Until a vote is actually required, it's hard to say where everyone is going to land." Aponte said.
Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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These PARCC tests were just spared a death sentence

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The most controversial standardized test in New Jersey history is now becoming the most difficult one to kill. Gov. Phil Murphy's proposal to eliminate four of the six PARCC exams for high school students never made it to a vote before the state Board of Education on Wednesday.

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Would solar panels be a good investment for the school and for the district?

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In a field behind an elementary school in rural Middlesex County, Virginia, near the Chesapeake Bay, an ambitious plan has been taking shape: Schools Superintendent Peter Gretz and other local administrators are preparing to power their school district with solar energy.

By next August, Virginia-based solar developer Sun Tribe Solar expects to have an array of solar panels in place in that field that can generate enough electricity to power the county's elementary school and middle school-at a price well below their current electricity costs-while offering students, teachers and the community a way to learn about clean energy.

"We felt it was important work for our kids, and we wanted them to see the community leading in a way that was responsible and sustainable, as well as fiscally responsible and efficient," Gretz said.

The number of schools powered by solar is growing quickly. About 5 percent of all K-12 U.S. schools are now powered by the sun, and their solar capacity has almost doubled in the last three years, according to a new study by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), The Solar Foundation, and Generation 180, a clean energy nonprofit.

The nearly 5,500 schools using solar power today have a total of 910 megawatts of solar capacity, enough to power 190,000 homes, according to the study.

The biggest reason for the surge is the economic benefits of solar energy. Drastic declines in price have made it financially viable for schools. Both public and private schools are reducing their electricity bills with solar, leaving them more money to spend on educational programs, according to the research. Many are also incorporating renewable energy into their science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) lessons.

Mirroring the overall solar landscape, California has the most school installations, with nearly 2,000 schools that use solar power. Nevada has the highest adoption rate: 23 percent of schools are now using solar energy. New Jersey, Arizona, Massachusetts and New York, other states with solar-friendly policies and a rapidly growing solar base, also have high adoption rates, according to the study.

"People are excited about the environmental benefits, and the curriculum development, but what has moved the needle is the economics," said Devin Welch, vice president of business development for Sun Tribe. "It has really changed the narrative completely."

Schools Are Saving Millions of Dollars

Sun Tribe has spent the last two years working to expand solar in Virginia, which gets less than 1 percent of its electricity from solar. The company has installed an array on a private school campus near Charlottesville and on the University of Virginia's campus. By partnering with the Virginia Association of Independent Schools, Sun Tribe is working to expand a pilot program for third-party power purchase agreements in the state.

"Schools have always been in demand for solar because it aligns so well with their mission: preparing the next generation of leaders," Welch said.

According to the study, the average school solar system is about 300 kilowatts, which is 900 to 1,200 panels. Most are installed on rooftops, but there are many other models: solar farms are being built near campuses or on shaded carports in parking lots; urban schools with less space are participating in community solar projects; new buildings are being designed to be solar or net-zero-energy ready. The projects can save school districts into the millions of dollars over the projects' 25-year lifetime. Kern High School District in Bakersfield, California, for example, is estimated to save as much as $80 million in electricity costs over 25 years with its 22-megawatt project.

The upfront costs of the majority of school solar projects are funded through power purchase agreements, which allow a solar company to install panels and sell the power to the school, but some have also been funded through school bonds if the state does not allow third-party solar.

Middlesex County is using a power purchase agreement with Sun Tribe and will pay 6.8 cents a kilowatt-hour for solar, compared to about 9 cents the district currently pays, Gretz said. The district expects to save about $2.5 million in energy costs over 25 years with the solar panels.

The Students Get It

There has been some pushback from communities, although most, even in a conservative state like Virginia, have been on board as prices have dropped to make solar more affordable for schools. But the students get it, Welch said. In many cases, students have been the ones to push schools to transition to solar power, and some have gotten jobs with solar installers after projects were completed.

To cultivate more of that enthusiasm, solar companies are partnering with local organizations to develop math and science curriculums that teach students and teachers about renewable energy. In North Carolina, the nonprofit NC GreenPower has a program that offers low-income schools in the state a curriculum about solar, along with a 5-kilowatt solar array and weather station that classrooms and often, the community, can use as an educational tool.

"We hope this opens the door, especially in areas where solar is not welcomed," said Katie Lebrato, marketing communications director for NC GreenPower. "This provides an educational opportunity for folks who live nearby."

The sector is growing rapidly, but like the solar industry as a whole, the expansion of solar-powered schools depends on market forces, cheaper technology, the adoption of solar-friendly regulations by states, and the outcome of the international solar tariff trade case, said Shawn Rumery, SEIA director of research.

In Middlesex County, construction is about to begin. Gretz is excited to learn alongside students about how solar energy works. "I don't know anything about solar, I was an English teacher," he said. "The kids will be involved and teachers are involved. It's important for kids to see and have access to this technology."

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5,500 U.S. Schools Use Solar Power, and That's Growing as Costs Fall, Study Shows

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In a field behind an elementary school in rural Middlesex County, Virginia, near the Chesapeake Bay, an ambitious plan has been taking shape: Schools Superintendent Peter Gretz and other local administrators are preparing to power their school district with solar energy.

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Article about Mock Trial activity happening today, 10/10. Is anyone going? Can reach out to Angelozzi to ask about pictures and set up interview to talk about it.

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One group did a getting to know the GSA Club. We can profile other such groups in a similar fashion. See it for example.

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Clubs: Get to Know the Gay-Straight Alliance

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The current event quiz I gave on 10/10 has Taylor Swift going political. Any others? You can profile them, where they stand, and how they've gotten involved.

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Taylor Swift got political again at the American Music Awards on Tuesday.

Swift, who recently endorsed Democratic candidates in Tennessee and urged young citizens to vote, stayed on message in her acceptance speech for Artist of the Year.

"I just wanted to make a mention of the fact that this award and every single award given out tonight were voted on by the people," the pop star said. "And you know what else is voted on by the people is the midterm elections on Nov. 6. Get out and vote."

Is it cool that she said all that? Of course it is. @taylorswift13 accepts the award for #AMAs Artist of the Year! 🎉 #TaylorSwiftAMAs pic.twitter.com/EmTzjlB8uH
- American Music Awards (@AMAs) October 10, 2018

At past awards ceremonies, Swift's speech might have come off as a neutral plea for Americans to perform their civic duty by voting. But not this time.

Swift, departing from her apolitical public stance, declared in an Instagram post on Sunday her support for Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen over Republican Marsha Blackburn in the Tennessee race for retiring Sen. Bob Corker's seat. Swift, a Tennessee resident, also said she'd be voting for incumbent Rep. Jim Cooper, a Democrat.

"In the past I've been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now," she wrote.

The announcement reportedly helped generate a spike in voter registration and sparked backlash among conservative fans, including President Donald Trump, who said he liked her music "25 percent" less now.

BEFORE YOU GO

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Democrat-Backing Taylor Swift Stays Political At American Music Awards

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Taylor Swift got political again at the American Music Awards on Tuesday. Swift, who recently endorsed Democratic candidates in Tennessee and urged young citizens to vote, stayed on message in her acceptance speech for Artist of the Year.

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Why are they special? What special things happened or were done for fall sports senior days? Pictures with detailed captions?

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This type of series might be good for cheer or marching band. What goes into planning the performances? Story behind the song choices or themes?

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The only coverage we have so far (as of 10/10) is of a girls cross country meet and football getting ready for Absegami. We need to up our game. There's a field hockey piece that hasn't been exported yet in Period 6.

Girls tennis, boys cross country, field hockey, boys soccer,

Ideas include updated season record. Highlight/lowlight of season and why. Captain's Report / Coach Report

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Set up an interview with a new faculty member or staff member. See the link for examples. We need to update our record of new faculty and staff (through main office and this Google sheet) and take inventory of the profiles that have already been done.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CvONDYVEaNpLO79mC_EbX6TNKCk6ljDKTsyyMwmJmfw/edit?usp=sharing

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Nicholas Dogostino, Reporter

Special education teacher and track coach Mr. Jeff Dey attended Absegami High School. He earned a BA in Historical Studies from Rowan University in 2003, and earned his BA (2006) and Master's (2013) in Special Education from Stockton. He earned his School Social Work certificate through Walden Univ...

Before joining the HHS math department this year, Ms. Smolenski graduated from Edison High School in 2010. She went onto to Rowan University to earn her degree in Mathematics and K-12 Education in 2014 and is currently working toward her Master's in School Leadership at Wilmington University. Be...

Ms. Favat attended Eastern Regional High School and graduated in the class of 2007. She then enrolled at Quinnipiac University from 2007-2012 with a Bachelors in Mathematics and a Masters in the Art of Teaching-Secondary Education. Before joining the Hammonton High School staff this year, she taught...

Filed under One of Us, Uncategorized

Coach Morrell, who joined the HHS staff as a physical education teacher this year, attended and graduated from Overbrook High School in 2004. He then attended Rowan University and graduated in 2009 with his BA Health and Exercise Science degrees. After college he taught at Overbook High School, Lindenwold...

Alyssa Van Sciver, Reporter

Filed under One of Us, Uncategorized

I graduated from Hammonton High School in 2001. I attended Philadelphia University in September of 2001. I quickly realized that Philly U was not the place for and transferred to Stockton College for the Spring semester. I graduated from Stockton College in May of 2005 with a Bachelor's Degree in H...

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Nicholas Dogostino, Reporter Special education teacher and track coach Mr. Jeff Dey attended Absegami High School. He earned a BA in Historical Studies from Rowan University in 2003, and earned his BA (2006) and Master's (2013) in Special Education from Stockton. He earned his School Social Work certificate through Walden Univ...

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Local Elections / Profiling Candidates / Board of Education

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Local Elections / Profiling Candidates / Board of Education

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What does the Board actually do? Why should students care? Meeting is this Thursday night. Covering a meeting might lead to some good story ideas.:

http://www.fosters.com/news/20180920/student-journalists-get-up-close-with-candidates

https://padailypost.com/2018/09/20/school-board-candidates-debate-jordan-questioned-about-her-criticism-of-student-press/

http://www.nhpr.org/post/high-school-press-corps-puts-nh-congressional-candidates-test#stream/0

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These are all DIFFERENT story ideas. Not one.

How can your of-age readers vote? Or where can they register to vote?

Does Midterm Election voting even matter?

What does a ballot look like? Or what else can you tell them about the Election Day process?

Who are the candidates?

What do the different political offices being pursued in the election actually do?

Where do candidates stand on the issues, especially those issues that matter to the age group of your readers?

What’s a Democrat? What’s a Republican? What’s it matter?

Why does voting matter?

Or for readers who aren’t of age, how can they still get involved?

https://wsspaper.com/24877/showcase/election-2016/

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Democrats are winning over younger voters by huge numbers, but as a highly contentious, voter turnout-dependent midterm election inches closer, there's a serious question of whether these young Democrats will come to the polls.

A recently released poll from the Public Religion Research Institute and the Atlantic conducted in June showed only 28 percent of young adults ages 18 to 29 say they are "absolutely certain" they'll vote in midterms, compared to 74 percent of seniors.

In a year when Democrats are hoping an energized base can deliver them massive gains in Congress - and possibly the majority in one or both chambers - this poll, on its face, should give Democrats some pause.

Of course, this is only one poll. There are other surveys with varied results; a recent poll conducted by the Associated Press and University of Chicago's NORC found that 32 percent of young voters would certainly vote and 56 percent were likely to. Another poll by Cosmopolitan magazine and SurveyMonkey found that 48 percent of young voters were "absolutely certain" they'd vote in the midterms.

And it's actually a big improvement for Democrats compared to past midterms. In the 2014 midterms, when Democrats lost control of the Senate, only 23 percent of young voters participated, according to the census, which considers young voters as aged 18 to 34.

But the takeaway is still serious: While Democratic voters are more enthusiastic to vote in the 2018 midterms than in past off-year election cycles - and recent polls show they're more eager to get out to the polls than Republicans - young voter turnout could make the difference in 2018.

"Right now the 'blue wave' is being powered by suburban professional women, but to fully capitalize on 2018, Democrats need to energize young voters and voters of color," Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report said.

Republicans have a millennial problem. Luckily for them, millennials don't consistently vote.

Young people haven't been a reliable voter base for Democrats.

To be clear, people ages 18 to 34 overwhelmingly vote for Democrats and prefer Democratic candidates even if they are registered as "independent." Democrats have a 35-point advantage with young female voters in the 2018 House midterm elections so far, according to a CIVIQS surveys. That lead narrows to 10 points for young male voters.

As Vox's Li Zhou wrote, a recent Pew Research Center survey found young women's preference for Democratic congressional candidates is significantly higher than that of women of other age groups:

Women overall are likely to lean blue, with 54 percent supporting or leaning toward the Democratic candidate in their district this fall, versus 38 percent who favor the Republican candidate. But 68 percent of young women are choosing Democrats, compared to 24 percent who prefer Republicans.

This is in stark contrast to older voters, who are more likely to vote Republican than young voters. Younger voters are also notably much more diverse than older voters.

But the problem for Democrats is that young people just don't always vote.

"They are volatile in term of their turnout," Wasserman said. "They are the likeliest voters to drop out of the electorate - them and Latino voters ... for Democrats there is a lot of room to grow."

Even a jump from the 23 percent that participated in 2014 could have a serious impact on elections. Wasserman says part of the reason Donald Trump won in 2016 was the young voters didn't turn out - and those who did cast ballots for third-party candidates. Young voter turnout in 2016 was slightly lower than in 2012, when President Obama's support among millennials saw a significant drop from his first election in 2008.

Now, as young voters appear more engaged in the Trump era than they were under George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, they could make a big difference in the so-called "blue wave" this midterm season.
Correction: The PRRI poll classified young voters as aged 18 to 29, not to age 34. The Census showed 23 percent of young adults voted in 2014, aged 18-34. We regret these errors.

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Poll: only 28 percent of young voters say they will certainly vote in the 2018 midterms

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Democrats are winning over younger voters by huge numbers, but as a highly contentious, voter turnout-dependent midterm election inches closer, there's a serious question of whether these young Democrats will come to the polls.