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Public Education

Virginia Powerball Winner Donates $150K Jackpot To Charity: ‘God Is Blessing Me’ Virginia Powerball Winner Donates $150K Jackpot To Charity: ‘God Is Blessing Me’
Virginia Powerball Winner Donates $150K Jackpot To Charity: ‘God Is Blessing Me’ Talk about hitting the jackpot and paying it forward. Most people dream of a new house, car, or vacation. Carrie Edwards dreamed of giving it all away. The Midlothian woman won $150,000 in the Sept. 8 Powerball drawing after matching four numbers plus the Powerball and playing Power Play, according to Virginia Lottery officials.  It was the first time she had ever bought a ticket online. On Sept. 16, Edwards accepted her prize from Virginia Lottery Executive Director Khalid Jones. Then she stunned everyone: she gave every single penny away. Three charities are splitting her entire j…
Bob Weir, Longtime Gainesville-Area Leader, Dies At 62 After Cancer Fight Bob Weir, Longtime Gainesville-Area Leader, Dies At 62 After Cancer Fight
Bob Weir, Longtime Gainesville-Area Leader, Dies At 62 After Cancer Fight Prince William County is grieving the loss of a respected leader and longtime public servant. Gainesville District Supervisor Bob Weir died Sunday, July 20, following a battle with metastatic colon cancer, his office confirmed.  He was 62 years old. “Bob was someone who fought for the people he represented and stood up for what he believed in,” Board of County Supervisors Chair At-Large Deshundra Jefferson said.  “He was a man of fierce conviction and integrity who didn’t suffer fools gladly.” Weir had served as Gainesville’s representative on the Prince William Board of County …
Supreme Court Green-Lights Trump Plan To Gut Education Department Supreme Court Green-Lights Trump Plan To Gut Education Department
Supreme Court Green-Lights Trump Plan To Gut Education Department The Supreme Court has just swept aside a lower-court injunction and handed President Donald Trump permission to restart mass layoffs at the US Department of Education, reviving his promise to dismantle the agency created nearly half a century ago. In an unsigned, 6-3 order divided along ideological lines that was released late Monday afternoon, July 14, the justices lifted a spring ruling by US District Judge Myong Joun of Massachusetts that had forced the administration to rehire hundreds of Education Department employees terminated during a March reduction-in-force.  Earlier report…
Cape May Teacher Indicted After Having Baby With 13-Year-Old Student: Prosecutor Cape May Teacher Indicted After Having Baby With 13-Year-Old Student: Prosecutor
Cape May Teacher Indicted After Having Baby With 13-Year-Old Student: Prosecutor A 34-year-old Cape May County elementary school teacher was indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday, June 17 on sexual assault charges after engaging in a relationship with a student, authorities said. Laura Caron, who taught fiftth grade at Middle Township Elementary School, is charged with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland said. The relationship with the student began in 2016, when the child was approximately 11 years old, and lasted until 2020, officials said. The relationship occurred while the c…
Casting Call: Paid Commercial Filming In Hartford Seeks CT Actors — Travel Covered Casting Call: Paid Commercial Filming In Hartford Seeks CT Actors — Travel Covered
Casting Call: Paid Commercial Filming In Hartford Seeks CT Actors — Travel Covered A judicial commercial scheduled to film next month is looking for two seasoned actors in Connecticut.  The commercial is for a professional judicial educational campaign meant to teach the public about the appeals process and how to waive court fees in a fun and engaging way, organizers said on an audition website.  The commercial will film in Hartford on June 23, 24, or 30, organizers said. The exact date will be determined later.  It pays $700 for 10 hours of work with a $300 usage buyout. Round-trip train fare or up to $100 in gas reimbursement is available for those…
Saratoga Springs School District's Transgender Athlete Policy Sparks Federal Investigation Saratoga Springs School District's Transgender Athlete Policy Sparks Federal Investigation
Saratoga Springs School District's Transgender Athlete Policy Sparks Federal Investigation The Trump administration has opened an investigation into a public school district in upstate New York over its policy permitting transgender athletes. Rep. Elise Stefanik confirmed that the US Department of Education is investigating the Saratoga Springs City School District for alleged Title IX violations “after my strong public advocacy," in a post on X Tuesday, May 6. Stefanik linked to a New York Post article in which Education Secretary Linda McMahon confirmed that the administration was looking into whether the district discriminated against girls by allowing biological boys to play …
Haldane School District Suspends DEI Policy To Protect $450K In Federal Funding Haldane School District Suspends DEI Policy To Protect $450K In Federal Funding
Haldane School District Suspends DEI Policy To Protect $450K In Federal Funding A Putnam County school district has voted to temporarily suspend its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policy following last-minute legal guidance to protect hundreds of thousands of dollars in critical federal funding, officials announced.   In a letter sent to families on Saturday, April 26, the Board explained that its decision came just hours before its Tuesday, April 22 meeting, after the district’s legal counsel advised immediate action to maintain compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  Failure to do so, according to the Board, could have put $450,000…
Ex-WWE CEO Linda McMahon Confirmed As Secretary Of Education Ex-WWE CEO Linda McMahon Confirmed As Secretary Of Education
Ex-wwe CEO Linda McMahon Confirmed As Secretary Of Education In a party-line vote, the Senate confirmed former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) CEO Linda McMahon as secretary of education on Monday, March 3.  It was an expected outcome as all of President Donald Trump's nominees have passed confirmation.  Trump has voiced his desire to abolish the Department of Education and transfer school decision-making powers to the states.  "It's a big con job," the president said of the Department of Education, according to Fox News. "They ranked the top countries in the world. We're ranked No. 40, but we're ranked No. 1 in one department: co…
Trump Wants To Shut Education Department: Here's Why, What It Means Trump Wants To Shut Education Department: Here's Why, What It Means
Trump Wants To Shut Education Department: Here's Why, What It Means President Donald Trump says he's considering an executive order to dismantle the functions of the US Department of Education, aiming to eventually abolish the agency.  This move aligns with his administration's broader strategy to decrease the federal government's size and return control of education policy to the states. The proposed executive order would maintain only those functions required by statute within the department, while other programs would be transferred to different agencies. An agency can't be abolished without Congressional approval. This reflects Trump's campaign pr…
DC's Rat Infestation Growth Leads Nation Due To Climate Change: New Study Shows Why DC's Rat Infestation Growth Leads Nation Due To Climate Change: New Study Shows Why
DC's Rat Infestation Growth Leads Nation Due To Climate Change: New Study Shows Why Climate change is fueling a surge in rat populations across major US cities, with Washington, DC, seeing the worst increase over the past two decades, a new study said. The study published by Science Advances on Friday, Jan. 31, analyzed public records from 16 cities worldwide to determine why some urban environments are more infested with rats than others. The researchers found that 11 cities — including Washington, Boston, and New York City — had seen major rat population growth over an average of 12 years. Washington's increase was the most extreme, tripling compared to Bo…
Group Threatens To Sue New Britain Schools For Suspending Teacher Over Crucifix Group Threatens To Sue New Britain Schools For Suspending Teacher Over Crucifix
Group Threatens To Sue New Britain Schools For Suspending Teacher Over Crucifix A Connecticut teacher was placed on administrative leave earlier this month after refusing to remove a crucifix affixed to a wall near her desk, authorities said. Now, a group known for handling religious liberty cases in public schools is championing her cause. Marisol Arroyo-Castro, who has worked in Connecticut schools for 32 years, has been a teacher at DiLoreto Elementary & Middle School in New Britain since 2003. She has kept the crucifix by her desk for a decade, according to a Jan. 21 letter from the First Liberty Institute. However, in December, one of the school’s vice princip…
Forgotten On The Bus: 4-Year-Old Girl Never Made It To School, EHT Mom Demands Answers Forgotten On The Bus: 4-Year-Old Girl Never Made It To School, EHT Mom Demands Answers
Forgotten On The Bus: 4-Year-Old Girl Never Made It To School, EHT Mom Demands Answers A 4-year-old New Jersey girl was left on a school bus for nearly six hours in what her mother is calling a traumatic and preventable incident. Darielle Lugo said her daughter, Makani, was supposed to arrive at the Bargaintown Preschool in Egg Harbor Township around 9:25 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, after being put on the bus by her father.  But Makani never made it to class. The ordeal came to light when Darielle’s husband arrived at the school around 2:05 p.m. for a class party. After signing in with security, he discovered Makani had been marked absent. “I thought it was a joke…
Eastchester School District Mourns 'Exceptional' Teacher, Mother After Murder-Suicide Eastchester School District Mourns 'Exceptional' Teacher, Mother After Murder-Suicide
Eastchester School District Mourns 'Exceptional' Teacher, Mother After Murder-Suicide A community in mourning following the tragic death of a beloved schoolteacher in an apparent murder-suicide at her Westchester home is finding the silver lining in remembering her massive impact on countless young students.  Eastchester Union Free School District teacher Arlene O’Neill, age 47, was killed in a shooting at her Yonkers home on Chittenden Avenue on Wednesday morning, Oct. 16, according to Yonkers Police. Earlier Report - Retired Nypd Officer, Teacher Found Dead After Murder-Suicide At Yonkers Home O’Neill, a fifth-grade teacher at the Anne Hutchinson School, was fatally shot …
NJ's Top Educator Is Montgomery Middle School Teacher NJ's Top Educator Is Montgomery Middle School Teacher
NJ's Top Educator Is Montgomery Middle School Teacher Stefanie Lachenauer always puts her students first. Lachenauer, a civics and mindfulness teacher at Montgomery Upper Middle School in the Montgomery Township School District, earned the 2024-2025 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year. She remains in the runnings for the national award. ALSO SEE: Top Educator In Each Of NJ's 21 Counties (Nominees) Lachenauer has taught at Montgomery Township for 18 years and her work has fostered socially conscious learners and has positively affected the health and well-being of both students and staff in the school district, the state Depart…
New Interim Principal Named At Danbury's Westside Middle School Academy New Interim Principal Named At Danbury's Westside Middle School Academy
New Interim Principal Named At Danbury's Westside Middle School Academy Danbury Public Schools has named a new interim principal at Westside Middle School Academy. Michael Flynn, a 28-year veteran of Danbury Public School as a teacher, administrator, and now principal, was chosen by Superintendent Dr. Kara Casimiro on Monday, Aug. 19.   According to Michael Seelig of Danbury Public Schools, Flynn attended Danbury public schools from grade three onward, graduating from Danbury High School in 1988. “I feel very fortunate and humbled to be selected for this Principalship,” said Flynn. “Westside has so many great leaders, veteran teachers, and …
New Superintendent Named At Katonah-Lewisboro School District New Superintendent Named At Katonah-Lewisboro School District
New Superintendent Named At Katonah-Lewisboro School District A Northern Westchester superintendent will soon transition to leading another nearby district in the county. In an announcement on Friday, June 14, the Katonah-Lewisboro School District revealed its next superintendent would be Raymond Blanch, who will be formally appointed in the role by the Board of Education on Thursday, June 20.  Blanch, who has served as superintendent of the Somers Central School District since July 2010, will officially begin in his new role on Monday, July 15.  Blanch's selection follows multiple rounds of interviews conducted by the school board in an ef…
NJ Mom Tells BOE Teacher Sexually Abused Daughter, Investigation Launched (VIDEO) NJ Mom Tells BOE Teacher Sexually Abused Daughter, Investigation Launched (VIDEO)
NJ Mom Tells BOE Teacher Sexually Abused Daughter, Investigation Launched (Video) A Monmouth County teacher is under investigation after a student's mother accused her of sexually abusing her daughter. The upset parents of a 13-year-old girl confronted the Marlboro Township Board of Education at a regularly scheduled workshop meeting on Tuesday, Apr. 16. The girl's mother claimed her daughter was "molested" in a hallway of Marlboro Memorial Middle School. ALSO SEE: Hateful Email, Bomb Threat Prompts Delayed Opening In NJ District Probing Teacher For Abusing Student Marlboro Township Public Schools During her public comment, the mother identified t…
Compassionate, Committed, Adored: Englewood Teacher From Dumont ID'd As Fatal Hit-Run Victim Compassionate, Committed, Adored: Englewood Teacher From Dumont ID'd As Fatal Hit-Run Victim
Compassionate, Committed, Adored: Englewood Teacher From Dumont ID'd As Fatal Hit-Run Victim 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A shocked silence that gripped a downtown intersection was pierced by the anguished scream of a woman whose mother -- a popular school teacher in Englewood -- had just been struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver less than a mile from her Dumont home. A lifeless Elizabeth Rosa lay off the corner of Washington and West Madison avenues as the driver who hit her stopped and got out, according to a witness. He just as quickly got back into the red pickup truck and sped off, the witness said. ****** 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A 94-year-old widower from Bergenfield was charged with the hit-and-run …
Proposed $6M Budget Cuts At Hudson Valley School District Spark Outrage Proposed $6M Budget Cuts At Hudson Valley School District Spark Outrage
Proposed $6M Budget Cuts At Hudson Valley School District Spark Outrage A Hudson Valley school district has sparked outrage among residents by proposing a budget for the next year that contains at least $6 million in cuts, which could affect many student programs and teaching jobs.  At a Board of Education meeting in Putnam County held on Tuesday night, March 12 at Carmel High School, countless community members spoke out about the budget, proposed by the Carmel Central School District for the 2023-2024 school year.  According to district documents, the budget could include at least $6 million in cuts to teaching jobs, after-school programs, fie…
Yonkers Public Schools Name New Superintendent Yonkers Public Schools Name New Superintendent
Yonkers Public Schools Name New Superintendent A school district in Westchester has named its next leader after an extensive nationwide search.  The Yonkers Board of Education unanimously voted to confirm Anibal Soler Jr. as the city's next superintendent of schools, Yonkers school officials announced on Friday, Feb. 9.  Soler, who was selected as part of a "rigorous national search process" that began in July 2023, will begin serving in the role on Wednesday, May 1.  Yonkers school officials said that Soler will bring plenty of experience to the role, as he has served as Superintendent of Schenectady City Scho…
Katonah-Lewisboro School DIstrict Superintendent Announces Retirement Katonah-Lewisboro School DIstrict Superintendent Announces Retirement
Katonah-Lewisboro School DIstrict Superintendent Announces Retirement A superintendent at one of the largest school districts in Northern Westchester has just announced he will be retiring. Andrew Selesnick has been in his post at the Katonah-Lewisboro School District since 2015, when he accepted the position after serving as principal at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua. His retirement will be effective Friday, July 12. "It is hard to express how grateful I am to have been your superintendent for nine years and an educator in Northern Westchester for 32 years," Selesnick said in a statement. "Though I’m retiring as superintendent, I will seek new way…
Man Shoots, Kills Teacher In Drive-By Long Island Shooting: DA Man Shoots, Kills Teacher In Drive-By Long Island Shooting: DA
Man Shoots, Kills Teacher In Drive-By Long Island Shooting: DA The alleged gang member has been indicted for shooting a woman in her car while her child sat in the back seat. On Friday, Dec. 15, 27-year-old Oumar Barry of Hempstead was indicted on charges including murder for the shooting of mother and Bronx elementary school teacher Kimberly Midgette, which happened in April 2023. Earlier Report - Double Shooting Update: Arrest Made For Fatal Hempstead Incident According to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, Barry was a leader of the Blood Hound Brims gang. At approximately 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 1, 44-year-old Midgette was sit…
'Distressing': Chess Club Teacher Sexually Assaulted North Jersey Student, Authorities Say 'Distressing': Chess Club Teacher Sexually Assaulted North Jersey Student, Authorities Say
'Distressing': Chess Club Teacher Sexually Assaulted North Jersey Student, Authorities Say Matthew Swajkowski, a 36-year-old Verona resident and teacher, was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a student, prosecutors said. Swajkowski oversaw the chess club at Verona High School and the victim was a member of the club, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II said. Police began investigating Swajkowski in July  and determined he engaged in sexual conduct with the minor and also gave them alcohol, Stephens said. Swajkowski was arrested on Friday, Sept. 22, Stephens said. Prosecutors did not say how old the victim is, but noted  "while the ag…
Teacher Convicted Of Sexually Abusing Students Released On Bond In Maryland: Police Teacher Convicted Of Sexually Abusing Students Released On Bond In Maryland: Police
Teacher Convicted Of Sexually Abusing Students Released On Bond In Maryland: Police A former elementary school teacher in Maryland who was convicted for sexually abusing students has been released from prison, the Montgomery County Department of Police announced. John Anthony Vigna, now 58, had his conviction overturned overturned over the summer and he is now released on bond while he awaits a new trial, despite additional victims coming forward.  According to police, while acting as a teacher at Cloverly Elementary School in Silver Spring, Vigna is accused of inappropriately touching girls between August 2001 and February 2016. He began teaching at the school in Oc…
These School Districts Ranked Top 5 In Hampshire County, Report Says These School Districts Ranked Top 5 In Hampshire County, Report Says
These School Districts Ranked Top 5 In Hampshire County, Report Says The grades are in, and these school districts are a cut above the rest, according to the community and school ranking site Niche. After considering several key areas, the following were ranked in the website’s 2023 “Best Public School Districts in Hampshire County” report: No. 1 - Amherst-Pelham Regional School District No. 2 - Northampton Public Schools No. 3 - Hadley Public Schools No. 4 - South Hadley Public Schools No. 5 - Belchertown Public Schools All five districts earned high overall grades, with Amherst-Pelham and Northampton receiving A’s. The remaining districts each hold an ove…
Here's Summary Of Kamala Harris' Speech At Paramus Event Here's Summary Of Kamala Harris' Speech At Paramus Event
Here's Summary Of Kamala Harris' Speech At Paramus Event United State Vice President Kamala Harris visited New Jersey on Wednesday, March 15 as part of a fundraising event organized by the Democratic National Committee. The event was held at a private home on Howland Avenue in Paramus, where the VP touched on the country's mental health crisis, cleaning up lead pollution, and technology. A copy of her speech was published by the White House. Harris began by thanking those in attendance, mostly doctors and healthcare providers, for their role in bettering the condition of human life. Noting external factors that have taken a toll on the coll…
Woburn Teachers Set To Strike After 'Exhausting All Other Options' Woburn Teachers Set To Strike After 'Exhausting All Other Options'
Woburn Teachers Set To Strike After 'Exhausting All Other Options' After over a year of contract negotiations, Woburn teachers have turned to more drastic measures to reach an agreement with the school committee and Mayor Scott Galvin.  The Woburn Teachers' Association announced on Friday, Jan. 27 that the organization had voted to authorize a strike starting Monday, Jan. 30, unless a tentative agreement was reached between the organization and the school committee and mayor, according to the union's Facebook page.  The association has demanded smaller class sizes, that students take physical education classes twice a week, and that teachers be compensated…
Area Grocery Store Owner To Run For Philly Mayor In 2023 Area Grocery Store Owner To Run For Philly Mayor In 2023
Area Grocery Store Owner To Run For Philly Mayor In 2023 A local grocery store magnate will seek the Democratic nomination for the 2023 Philadelphia mayoral race.  Jeff Brown, whose company owns 12 supermarkets in greater Philadelphia according to his LinkedIn, announced his run on social media on Tuesday, Nov. 15.  On his campaign website, the Democrat says his administration would prioritize addressing "generational poverty," crime and public safety, "economic opportunity," public education, and helping reintegrate residents returning from prison.  His company owns 10 ShopRite grocery stores in Pennsylvania and New Jersey as wel…
Bowman Easily Wins In Race Against Former Mayor In Westchester County Bowman Easily Wins In Race Against Former Mayor In Westchester County
Bowman Easily Wins In Race Against Former Mayor In Westchester County Incumbent Democratic US Rep. Jamaal Bowman trounced Republican challenger Miriam Levitt Flisser to once again represent New York's 16th congressional district, which includes much of Westchester County.  Bowman beat Flisser, the former mayor of Scarsdale, by more than 50,000 votes, according to Ballotpedia.  In a statement released on Wednesday, Nov. 9, Bowman outlined his priorities for his second term.  "We will continue to fight for health care as a right, not a privilege. We will continue to fight for reproductive freedom. We will continue to fight for meaningful gu…
This Long Island High School Ranks Among Top 10 Statewide, New Report Says This Long Island High School Ranks Among Top 10 Statewide, New Report Says
This Long Island High School Ranks Among Top 10 Statewide, New Report Says A Long Island high school is among the top 10 in New York, according to a new ranking from the school review site Niche. Jericho Senior High School, part of the Jericho Union Free School District in Jericho, was ranked No. 5 out of 1,255 public high schools in the state with an overall grade of A+. It was ranked No. 1 in best public high schools in Nassau County. Scores are based on a variety of school statistics like math and reading test scores, in addition to reviews from students and parents, according to Niche. Earlier report: 4 Long Island Public Schools Rank In Top 10 Statew…
George Mason University Will Freeze Tuition For In-State Students: Report George Mason University Will Freeze Tuition For In-State Students: Report
George Mason University Will Freeze Tuition For In-State Students: Report George Mason University has become Virginia's last public college to freeze in-state tuition, according to Richmond.com. The Fairfax County school voted to comply with Gov. Glenn Youngkin's request, and mandate that all in-state students pay the same tuition every year, the website said.  GMU is Virginia's largest public school and charges in-state students $13,000 for tuition and fees, along with another $13,000 for room and board, Richmond.com said.  Click here for more on George Mason University's recent decision on tuition.