Tagged: education

A vote scheduled today in the Rhode Island Senate could change the way public schools conduct emergency drills. The measure is a response to the mass shooting in Newtown Connecticut, where 26 elementary school students and teachers were gunned down during the school day.

The bill calls for monthly emergency drills including lockdowns and emergency evacuations. The idea is to better prepare school staff to handle a situation like the one in Newtown.

Commencement speakers for 2013 are a mixed bunch.  At New England Institute of Technology, quarterback turned sports analyst Terry Bradshaw will give the commencement speech on May 5th. The school is also honoring Taco, Inc. CEO John Hazen White, Jr. with an honorary doctor of humane letters, citing his leadership in the business community and his company’s commitment to education for employees.

Chess teams from Central Falls High School and Calcutt Middle School finished in the top 10 at this week’s Chess Supernationals in Nashville, Tennessee.

Coach Frank DelBonis, who is also a history teacher at Central Falls High School, reports the high school team ranked 8th overall, out of 64 teams from around the country. The middle school team finished in a tie for 7th and 9th places out of 54 teams.

Students from Central Falls had to raise the money for their trip to Nashville and got some last minute help from Actor Alec Baldwin to pay for travel and lodging.

Rutgers University is reportedly interested in University of Rhode Island Basketball Coach Dan Hurley, as officials seek a new athletic director. Former Head Coach Mike Rice got the boot this week after a video showed him yelling homophobic slurs at players, along with other abusive behavior.

Rhode Island lawmakers will consider legislation Wednesday aimed at increasing safety measures in public schools. The bills, now in the House and Senate Education Committees, would require school and law enforcement officials to work together to look for weaknesses in building security and craft new school safety plans.