SchoolMatters Blog

iPods, cameras replacing pen, paper

The morning after our schools were featured on ABC World News, Brandon Shulleeta has a nice story in today's Daily Progress that covers Albemarle County's classroom technology projects in detail... Brian Wheeler

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9/14/09 * Daily Progress [full story]

Students are playing math games on iPod touches and reading electronic books instead of hard copies. Teachers are being recorded on cameras. And principals are attending conferences without leaving their offices.

Albemarle County schools are using new technology this year in an effort to better interest and excite students.

“We’ve watched many videos where the instructor’s not engaging,” said Luvelle Brown, the school division’s chief information officer. “The students didn’t have a clue what was going on.”

School division leaders are recording teachers and posting the videos on an internal Web site this year, which they hope will encourage discussions about what teachers are doing right and wrong.

Chapter of 100 Black Men working to eliminate achievement gap

Great article in the Daily Progress about the work of the new chapter of 100 Black Men and their personal work to eliminate the achievement gap in Albemarle and surrounding localities.  Our senior staff Dr. Luvelle Brown and Dr. Bernard Hairston and School Board Vice Chairman Ron Price deserve a lot of credit for their efforts.

Brian Wheeler

July 16, 2009 * Daily Progress [full story]

Closing the gap: Local chapter of 100 Black Men of America aims to do just that

Albemarle County is trying to close an academic achievement gap in which black male students are falling behind white classmates — and officials hope a new advocacy group can help.

A Central Virginia chapter of 100 Black Men of America was recently launched to provide educational and financial support for young black students. The local chapter, which has about 30 volunteers, mentors black male students, recognizes academic achievement and helps provide college scholarships.

“This is big,” said Luvelle Brown, the chief information officer for Albemarle’s school division and co-founder of the local chapter. “I’ve lived in this area a long time, and nothing like this has [ever] happened.”

The national nonprofit has more than 100 chapters throughout the country, many of which are decades old, and provides educational and economic support for young black males. The Central Virginia chapter serves youth in Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Buckingham, Greene, Madison, Louisa, Nelson, Fluvanna and Orange.