Swing Education Recognizes Substitute Teachers

Swing Education, a staffing application connecting schools to substitute teachers, selected three educators to join its Substitute Teacher Hall of Fame. The 2021 class of inductees are Wanda Drayton, Marcella Kerbein, and Valerie Pierce. “Day in and day out, substitute teachers play such an important role in their school communities,” says Mike Teng, CEO of Swing Education. “This year’s Substitute Teacher Hall of Fame inductees are truly standout educators who, like so many other substitute teachers, continue to make such a measurable impact through their hard work and dedication.”

Florida funders Invests in ChalkTalk

Florida Funders, a hybrid of a venture capital fund and an angel investor network, announced its sixth investment from its Fund 2 in ChalkTalk, a machine-learning platform for teachers to create real-time curriculum to personalize lessons and rapidly help students learn. Using results from a student placement test, ChalkTalk’s machine-learning software generates a standards-aligned curriculum customized to fit within existing class schedules. Acting as the ultimate teacher’s assistant, ChalkTalk enables teachers to build personalized courses in under two minutes. It generates tailored lesson plans and actionable teaching materials for teacher-led instruction—whether that teaching occurs in person or remotely over a web-conferencing platform.

Melito Ramirez Named ‘Recognizing Inspiring School Employees’ Awardee

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced Melito Ramirez, an intervention specialist at Walla Walla High School in Washington state, as the nation’s first “Recognizing Inspiring School Employees” awardee. This honor, established by Congress in 2019, spotlights classified school employees’ outstanding contributions to quality K–12 education in the United States. “I’m pleased to recognize Mr. Ramirez as a most deserving employee who has demonstrated courage and creativity every day over decades of service as he inspires students in Washington state,” Cardona says.

Pennsylvania DOE Applauds 2021 Migrant Ed Graduates

Pennsylvania Department of Education Secretary Noe Ortega congratulated 200 Pennsylvania students for earning a high school diploma or GED during the virtual 2021 Migrant Education Graduation Ceremony. “I am grateful for the Pennsylvania Migrant Education Program, which breaks down barriers and supports our students as they navigate their academic journey while ensuring they receive the same world-class educational opportunities available to their nonmigratory peers,” Ortega says. “I want to thank and congratulate the class of 2021—they have worked incredibly hard and never gave up. They have a lot to be proud of as they prepare to begin the next chapter of their lives.”

We’d love some feedback!
Write to [email protected] to tell us what you’d like to see in Principal Leadership.