COVER STORIES

Special Education Leader: Dr. Harold S. Koplewicz Founder & Director, NYU Child Study Center Reflections on Special Education, 2004 READ EDITORIAL

The Plight of homeless chiLdren:
(part II of a series)
Experiencing Homelessness:
Hope for a Brighter Future
By Patricia A. Popp, Ph.D.
Education is a powerful key in breaking the cycle of homelessness experienced by youth in the United States. Since 1999, the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) has recognized successful high school students wishing to pursue higher education. READ ARTICLE

Abolishing Homelessness: Interview with
Maria Foscarinis, Esq. Executive Director,
National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
By Nazneen Malik & Liza Young
READ INTERVIEW

Using Out-of-School Time for Homeless Children?
By Richard Sinatra, Ph.D.
New York City Assemblyman Scott Stringer, in a recent article, painted a black picture for the education of children living in New York City Shelters. READ ARTICLE

Home and Schools:
The Top Priorities of Homeless Kids
by Eva Moskowitz
During the last school year, homelessness hit an all-time high in New York City. Since 1998, the shelter population increased by 73 percent to the highest number in city history: more than 36,400 homeless, 15,300 of them children. READ ARTICLE

A LoVE of THEATER & FILM :
(part II of a series)
An Interview with Columbia University Theater Chair, Steven Chaikelson
By Joan Baum, Ph.D.
So what's a nice Theatre Arts Division chair in an Ivy League MFA program doing talking up law school? Steven Chaikelson, Columbia College graduate and L.L.B., knows exactly why. READ ARTICLE

What in the World is a Grip & Gaffer?
By Liza Young
The final product of movie making is based on an intricate process usually involving the collaboration of scores of people. READ ARTICLE

Careers:
Filmmaker
By Sarah Ann Mockbee
When Sam Wainwright Douglas graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in the spring of 1998 with a major in film and television, he was ready to make his mark in the industry with creative, ambitious and visionary films. READ ARTICLE

SPECIAL EDUCATION

The Stephen Gaynor School: Providing a Warm and Enriching Environment to Children with Special Needs
By Liza Young
Dr. Scott Gaynor, Head of the Stephen Gaynor School, recently shared his dedication, passion and vision for his school. Housed in a landmarked townhouse on the Upper West Side, Dr. Scott Gaynor, whose grandmother founded the school which bears the namesake of his uncle, helps children with learning disabilities overcome the challenges they face so that they can ultimately transition to a mainstream environment. READ ARTICLE

National Campaign to Find &
Help Special Needs Children
The Center for the Improvement of Child Caring (CICC) has launched a national campaign to help parents, professionals, agencies, caregivers and others. READ ARTICLE

ADVERTORIAL:
Labels: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
READ ARTICLE

SPOTLIGHT ON SCHOOLS

Profiles In Education:
Joseph P. Viteritti, Hunter College
By Joan Baum, Ph.D.
Hunter's newly appointed Blanche D. Blank Professor of Public Policy in the Department of Urban Affairs, Joseph P. Viteritti, is thrilled at coming home. READ ARTICLE

Profiles In Education:
Mortimer Levitt: The Author at 97
By Dorothy Davis
Education Update Publisher Pola Rosen and I spent an afternoon with the spirited 97-year young author in his sumptuous Upper East Side townhouse. The occasion? His latest published book, Ninety-Six and Too Busy to Die. READ ARTICLE

Student JournalisT:
Budget Cuts
By Sophie Solomon
It was the first day of junior year, and I was waiting to receive my schedule. I was excited to see if I received the classes that I had requested the year before. READ ARTICLE

Expeditionary Learning Engages
Middle School Students at Bank Street
By Nazneen Malik
As seventh grader Janeese aptly states in a matter-of-fact way, “Education is the key to life.” Her teachers nod their heads approvingly and smile; her seriousness is refreshing. READ ARTICLE

HS Dropout Rates Reversed
By Nazneen Malik
Recently, the U.S Department of Education held a program in its series, “Education News Parents Can Use,” entitled, “Dropout Prevention and Recovery: Catching Students Before It's Too Late”. READ ARTICLE

Middle School Conference at Bank Street
By Sybil Maimin
At its first annual Middle School Conference, Bank Street College Division of Continuing Education captured for participants the excitement in learning that comes from bringing imagination to curriculum strategies. READ ARTICLE

Reading Reform Foundation Hosts Annual Conference
By Sarah Ann Mockbee
Dr. Agnes Howell-Jack, an aspiring principal with the Chancellor's Leadership Academy, recently attended the Reading Reform Foundation's 23rd Annual Conference with the hopes of becoming more familiar with innovative teaching approaches being introduced and discussed. READ ARTICLE

Lycee Francais of New York Receives Certificate of Recognition
On December 8, 2004, Governor George Pataki presented the students of the Lycee Francais of New York a Certificate of Recognition “for your wonderful commitment to the Empire State as illustrated by the success of the Community Service Program through which your student body has achieved 4,000 hours of service during the 2003-04 academic year. READ ARTICLE

OUTSTANDING TEACHERS OF THE MONTH

Outstanding Teachers of the Month-December 2004
Teachers are the backbone of our educational system. They richly deserve the recognition that Education Update gives them. Congratulations to this month's Outstanding Teachers of the Month in recognition of the vital role they play in our childrens' lives.
READ ARTICLE

COLLEGES & GRAD SCHOOLS

50 years of Dual Degree Program:
Chancellor Ismar Schorsch,
Jewish Theological Seminary
By Joan Baum, Ph.D.
Though in some ways unique, the joint or dual-degree arrangement between Jewish Theology Seminary (JTS) and Columbia University's School of General Studies (SGS) is cited by JTS Chancellor Dr. Ismar Schorsch as a “model” for collaboration between religious and secular institutions. READ ARTICLE

50 years of Dual Degree Program:
President Lee Bollinger
By Joan Baum, Ph.D.
Articulating Columbia University's reasons for having initiated a dual degree program through its School of General Studies with Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), and his hope for further and extended collaboration, Columbia University president, Lee C. Bollinger speaks eloquently about the arrangement's providing “deep intellectual and religious experiences” for Columbia and JTS students. READ ARTICLE

Barnard's Dean Dorothy Denburg Talks About the Civic Engagement Program
By Dorothy Davis
EU: What was the genesis of the Civic Engagement Program (NYCCEP) program at Barnard?
Dean Denburg: The idea was something I was interested in from the first minute I became Dean, 11 years ago. READ INTERVIEW

“New York's Nicest”:
Over 2,000 Learning Leaders Break Bagels Together
By Dorothy Davis
“There are very few events where you see this many nice people put together in one place. Look in the mirror tonight and you're going to see a very nice person,” Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg told the Learning Leaders, the volunteers of New York City's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to serving public school children. READ ARTICLE

Presidents and Media Discuss Future of
Higher Education
By Sarah Ann Mockbee
Twelve presidents from top universities and colleges around the country, along with a distinguished panel of news media, recently gathered at the Penn Club to discuss the major issues that are affecting their schools as well as the impact these challenges are having on our economy and society as a whole. READ ARTICLE

Queens College Sponsors Discussion on
Educational Reform
By Nazneen Malik
Recently, the Queens College Department of Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education hosted a panel discussion on “Authentic Educational Reform—What Does It Look Like and How Do We Bring It About?” READ ARTICLE

CUNY Announces $2.6 Billion Campaign
Chancellor Matthew Goldstein recently announced an “Invest in CUNY/Invest in New York” Campaign to dramatically increase public and private support for the University's colleges. READ ARTICLE

Barnard Gives Credit for Civic Engagement
People who engage in public service deserve all the credit they can get. And that's what Barnard College is giving them. READ ARTICLE

METROBEAT

Reflections on Campaign for Fiscal Equity
By Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Ensuring that every public school student has the opportunity to get a high-quality and meaningful education has been one of our administration's top priorities, which makes the opinion of the Special Referee Panel especially gratifying. READ ARTICLE

GED Exams End in January Without New Funding
By Steven Sanders
Due to a federal ruling disallowing the use by New York State of certain federal funds for administering the General Equivalency Diploma exams —and deep cuts made by Governor Pataki to the State Education Department's budget—may be canceled after January. READ ARTICLE

“Happy Holidays!”
By Matilda Raffa Cuomo
Established nearly ten years ago, Mentoring USA (MUSA) is the largest school and site-based, one-to-one mentoring program in New York City. We look forward to expanding our program to include almost 1,000 children in 2005. READ ARTICLE

Lessons from the Galapagos
By Jill Levy
They were all over the place everywhere I looked. And when I wasn't looking, they were under my feet, moving silently in a foreordained direction. READ MORE

FEATURES

Law & Education:
The Ten Commandments Revisited
By Martha McCarthy
No school issues are more emotionally and politically charged than church/state concerns, and posting the Ten Commandments on public property is among the most volatile recent controversies.
READ ARTICLE

Students Taking the High Road to Religion:
Imam Oliver Mohammad
By Nazneen Malik
Oliver Mohammad never really had a desire to become an Imam; it was more of a calling. READ ARTICLE

Seminarian James Grace
By Sarah Ann Mockbee
James Grace has known since he was in junior high school that he wanted to be a priest, but his desire to serve his community through ministry has not stopped him from pursuing other interests along the way. READ ARTICLE

The Road to the Rabbinate
By Liza Young
Elie Kaunfer did not always have the aspiration to become a Rabbi. “As the son of a Rabbi and nephew to two out of three uncles who are Rabbis, I knew I wasn't going to be a Rabbi,” Elie reminisced.
READ ARTICLE

THE CULINARY ARTS IN EDUCATION :
Sesame Street Launches Health Habits Campaign
By Sarah Ann Mockbee
In an effort to address the growing epidemic of childhood obesity, Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, has developed a comprehensive program that will educate children, parents and caregivers about the importance of cultivating a healthy lifestyle at an early age. READ ARTICLE

The Delicious Revolution: Transforming Education through School Lunch Curriculum
By Alice Waters
For me life is given meaning and beauty by the daily ritual of the table—a ritual that can express tradition, character, sustainability, and diversity. READ ARTICLE

Second Graders Cook at PS 98
by Dorothy Davis
Lisa Lloyd's Second Grade class at PS 98 in upper Manhattan reinforced counting, reading and teamwork skills while enthusiastically preparing tasty treats. READ ARTICLE

TECHNOLOGY & EDUCATION

Product Review
Reading Horizons
By Mitchell Levine
If you ever take the time to pore through adult literacy statistics, you'll find a number of highly disquieting items of interest: according to the Department of Labor, about 50 percent of unemployed individuals in the United States are functionally illiterate. READ ARTICLE

Product Review
R-Quest's TCR-4000 Duplicator
By Mitchell Levine
Mathematics teachers perennially complain that students lack statistics literacy. Here's some scary ones: an estimated 1 in 500 data centers will experience a critical hardware failure serious enough to cause a severe “data disaster.” READ ARTICLE

Product Review
The ProTouch XT Keyboard Protector
By Mitchell Levine
The primary selling-point of mobile computing is the ability to condense the processing power of a desktop computer into a compact, sleek frame which can be conveniently utilized whether on train, plane, boat, automobile, or in the park, classroom, or boardroom. READ ARTICLE

MEDICAL UPDATE

Dr. Norman G. Levinsky:
A Great Teacher Remembered Forever
By Pola Rosen, Ed.D.
Recently a memorial service was held at Boston University for Dr. Norman Levinsky, a great medical school professor, teacher, clinician, and researcher. READ ARTICLE

BEYOND THE STETHOSCOPE
Clear Screen
By Donald A. Feinfeld, M.D.
READ ARTICLE

MUSIC, ART & DANCE

The Salzburg Festival
Der Rosenkavalier in a Bordello!
By Irving Spitz
There was a startling new production of Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier at the Salzburg Festival this year. READ ARTICLE

Anesthetic or Aesthetic:
Arts Education at the Crossroads
By Scott Noppe-Brandon
Over the past few years at Lincoln Center Institute (LCI) I have had the great pleasure of hosting visitors from around the globe, representing over 40 countries. READ ARTICLE

NEW JERSEY NEWS

Acting Governor Codey Creates
Mental Health Task Force
Acting New Jersey Governor Richard J. Codey recently signed an executive order creating a task force that will recommend ways to better help the mentally ill lead normal lives. READ ARTICLE

CHILDREN'S CORNER

Gingerbread Adventures in the
Everett Children's Garden
The scent of gingerbread fills the air at the Everett Children's Adventure Garden as five fanciful gingerbread houses arrived for a Winter Wonderland of Gingerbread Houses in the Bendheim Global Greenhouse. READ ARTICLE

Psychiatrist Devemops New Board Game
to Help Children Prepare for Game of Life
The world can be a confusing and difficult place for young people. Everyday children face many complicated emotional and interpersonal issues. READ ARTICLE

NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE

Native American Music: A Must for Every Classroom
By Joan Baum, Ph.D.
His pleasing, confident a cappela tenor almost gives the lie to Dr. Louis Wayne Ballard's claim that Native American music, basically percussive, is without Western signifiers such as harmony, counterpoint, and improvisation. READ ARTICLE

North American Native Arts Lure at AMNH
By Jan Aaron
Can 500 beautiful objects of Native North American jewelry and art capture the minds of NY kids? You bet. READ ARTICLE

Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg & Arthur Chaskalson
Discuss Brown v. Board of Education
By Joan Baum, Ph.D.
Citing “education” as key in continuing the drive for racial equality that was advanced in one of the 20th century's most significant Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education (1954), U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and South African Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson spoke eloquently about the heritage of Brown, one of the court's most controversial cases. READ ARTICLE

BOOKS

Logos Bookstore's Recommendations
By H. Harris Healy, III, President
As the presidential election has come to a close, it is a good time to educate young children about democracy, and D is for Democracy: A Citizen's Alphabet does just that. READ ARTICLE

Seven Days of Possibilities:
One Teacher, 24 Kids, and the Music That Changed Their Lives Forever: A book by Anemona Hartocollis
Reviewd by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
A compelling book, despite its extravagant subtitle and ambiguous point of view, Seven Days of Possibilities tells the uplifting story of Johanna Grussner, a music teacher at P.S. 86 (The Kingsbridge Heights School) in the Northeast Bronx. READ ARTICLE

Warm Up These Wintry Days of December With Books!
READ ARTICLE

Pulitzer Nominee Dr. Charles Martin Receives Translation Award
READ ARTICLE

MOVIES & THEATER

Hop Aboard The Polar Express
By Jan Aaron
Bearing an uncanny resemblance to Chris Van Allsburg's original storybook, “The Polar Express,” also generates a new liveliness and magic that kids will love and enchant parents, too. READ ARTICLE

Journey Through Life: The Motorcycle Diaries
By Jan Aaron
Director Walter Salle's The Motorcycle Diaries tells how two middle class Argentinean buddies, the 23-year-old asthmatic med student Ernesto Guevara de la Serna (Gael Garcia Bernal) and the biochemist Alberto Granado (Rodrigo de la Serna), set out on a rundown motorbike to explore the South America they had only known through books.
READ ARTICLE