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Cyber-attack targets personal info of students and parents in Splendora ISD

SPLENDORA, Texas - Splendora ISD says a cyber-attack has compromised information of families within the district and could potentially give rise to threatening messages made directly to parents, students and staff. The school district said it was first notified of the threat early Wednesday that is targeting confidential information such as phone numbers and addresses. On Friday, Splendora ISD stated it continued to receive the threats, saying this prominent hacking group intends to send violent and graphic messages through text and email [...] The school district believes the hackers have targeted districts throughout the country in the past, including a Montana district earlier this month.

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Why some schools are sending kids out for recess four times a day

A new program called the LiiNK Project connects play and character development and is designed to bridge academics with the social, emotional and physical well-being of children. The program started in the 2015-2016 school year with four schools in Texas that used the program and four other schools that served as controls. Although it’s too early for definitive results, the short-term ones look promising.

The Death of Recess in America

As the imperative to squeeze every last drop of instructional time out of the school day has intensified, we have become increasingly committed to the premise that students learn best when drilled constantly with information. This premise is, of course, drawn entirely from the groundbreaking therapy used to psychologically destroy the main character from A Clockwork Orange.

Green Schoolyards and Mental Health Benefits

Green Schoolyards and Physical Activity

Green Schoolyards and Beneficial Play

Green Schoolyards and Academic Outcomes

Green Schoolyards Offer Physical and Mental Health Benefits for Children

Research presented at the 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition finds that green schoolyards bring families and communities together in a healthy environment. For this study, researchers summarized the peer-reviewed scientific literature documenting green schoolyard benefits to academic outcomes, beneficial play, physical activity, and mental health.

A New Declaration States that Risk-Taking is Essential for Kids’ Development

A new declaration from the International School Grounds Alliance (ISGA) states that, while promoting risk-taking on school grounds may raise questions of liability for schools and concerns for parents, it is essential for the development of healthy young people. The declaration, which was made available in 13 different languages, cites research from around the world demonstrating the benefits of risk-taking and showing that an indiscriminate risk-minimization policy can be a source of harm.

Social and Emotional Health Are Important Benefits of School Gardens

While the academic benefits of school gardens for students have become more widely accepted in recent years, the social and emotional benefits are often overlooked. Yet, numerous studies of school gardens show improvements in students’ feelings of well-being and therefore, ability to learn.