Describes how one school selected and prepared students to transfer from oversized classes into a new class at midyear. (IRT)

Describes and evaluates six common and/or empirically validated school-based substance-abuse programs, including Here's Looking At You, 2000; Developing Understanding of Self and Others (DUSO); Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE); Growing Healthy; QUEST; and Social Decision Making--Social Problem Solving. QUEST had all 11 key program elements;…

Describes a pilot project to include the global approach in the curricula of six Washington, D.C., area elementary schools. Discussion of the project's evaluation is included. (IRT)

To improve its reading program, a Pennsylvania district involved its teachers in retaining consultants who would work collaboratively with them. This model has been used in each of four elementary schools for the past seven years. The district allocates $1,800 per school for consultants, instructional materials, and substitutes who release…

Describes schooling in Israel, where religion is the center of learning for Jewish, Christian, and Muslim children. Outlines five kinds of schools available to Jewish children. (Author/JM)

An Alaska elementary school developed an innovative program to reduce bus problems arising from discipline infractions and driver/student frustrations. On every first Tuesday, the principal meets with drivers to offer encouragement and training. Students earn individual and group points for good bus behavior and receive small treats from the…

By bolstering students' sense of community in their school, educators can actually reduce the need for numerous prevention programs competing for time. When widely implemented, the Child Development Program fosters academic motivation and enjoyment of school while reducing alcohol and marijuana use among fifth and sixth graders. (MLH)

"Principal for a Day" is a program that provides students with an opportunity to work alongside the principal. Easily implemented, the program can encourage participation in school events and activities and help recognize and reward students. Ways to structure the day and involve the media are outlined. (MLH)

Uses a principal's disturbing experience to introduce the contention that teachers' lack of careful attention to instructing students about report writing may lead to mere copying, which in upper grades can become plagiarism. Proposes a solution involving the "six questions" (who? what? when? where? why? and how?). (JM)

Explains the three approaches to foreign language teaching: immersion, Foreign Language in the Elementary School (FLES), and Foreign Language Experience (FLEX). Presents notable current examples of the use of each type of approach throughout the country that suggest that language teaching is reviving. (JM)

SUAVE (Socios Unidos para Artes Via Educacion--United Community for Arts in Education) is an arts-integrated approach to teaching in multicultural and multilingual settings. A unique professional development project for San Diego-area teachers, SUAVE helps teachers develop ways to integrate the arts into mathematics, science, language arts, and…

To support first-year teacher development, the Jefferson County (Alabama) School District initiated an innovative mentoring program called Teaching Excellence Can Actually Happen (TEACH). The program provides full-time mentoring by highly qualified colleagues, a free two-year master's degree program, technology training and laptop computers,…

In 1996, Missouri passed legislation that provided districts with grants to establish alternative schools or programs for violent, abusive, or disruptive students. St. Joseph School District developed a successful Elementary Management School stressing social skills needed to succeed in a regular classroom. Facility, staffing, curriculum, and…

Three companies (Voyager Expanded Learning, Mindsurf, and EXPLORE) have introduced after-school programs that emphasize stress-free academic enrichment activities. The companies differ, but share a fun-learning concept, maintain low staff-child ratios of about 1:8, and serve grades K-8. The operative words are flexibility and affordability. Some…

Describes the goals, the selection criteria, and the selection process of the Elementary Private School Recognition Program. Includes a listing, by states, of the 60 private elementary schools selected for 1985-86 recognition. (IW)