Introducing our new blog site.

Introducing our new blog site. When's the last time you had one of those moments when popularculture or non-educator friends or even a board member said somethingabout education so nonsensical that it made you crazy, but also scaredyou into thinking that maybe a lot of people felt this way? If you're like me, it happens every few days. This week, I wasat a board meeting to hire a new high school principal when the boardgot sidetracked into a discussion of the high school's summerreading list. While some valid complaints were mentioned, one memberrepudiated the entire list of books by swing his high school age sonwasn't interested in reading any of them. While I value student input as much, and probably more than, mostpeople, my reaction was immediate, if kept internal. So now we'regoing to remove any book suggested, no matter its value, if studentsdon't agree? We're going to immediately question the judgmentof our senior administrators over an offhand off��hand?adv.Without preparation or forethought; extemporaneously.adj. also off��hand��edPerformed or expressed without preparation or forethought. See Synonyms at extemporaneous. complaint? And we'regoing to pick our new high school principal, in part, based on how heplans to manage the summer reading list? Like most of you in the same situation, I kept these thoughtsinside until I discussed the matter with my wife at home and myco-workers at the office. But starting this month, I have an immediate alternative. DISTRICTADMINISTRATION is rolling out its own blog blog,short for web log, an online, regularly updated journal or newsletter that is readily accessible to the general public by virtue of being posted on a website. , The Pulse, this month. (Tosee the new site, and the magazine's redesigned Web site, visitwww.districtadministration.com.) Our tagline, Education's Place forDebate, says it all. Here's a place where education experts, boardmembers, frustrated frus��trate?tr.v. frus��trat��ed, frus��trat��ing, frus��trates1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: teachers, and anyone else can post a rant, a theory,or a thoughtful question, and be able to get feedback from his or herpeers. And that's not all. The redesigned Web site will also allowreaders to post comments on both news stories of the day, and articlesfrom the magazine. Just peruse pe��ruse?tr.v. pe��rused, pe��rus��ing, pe��rus��esTo read or examine, typically with great care.[Middle English perusen, to use up : Latin per-, per- some of the headlines that ran in ourAug. 10 newsletter: Auditors reproach re��proach?tr.v. re��proached, re��proach��ing, re��proach��es1. To express disapproval of, criticism of, or disappointment in (someone). See Synonyms at admonish.2. To bring shame upon; disgrace.n. California California(kăl'ĭfôr`nyə), most populous state in the United States, located in the Far West; bordered by Oregon (N), Nevada and, across the Colorado River, Arizona (E), Mexico (S), and the Pacific Ocean (W). charter schools; Denverdistrict sets English policy; New Jersey moves toward revamping disputedschool funding plan; Louisiana Louisiana(ləwē'zēăn`ə, lē'–), state in the S central United States. It is bounded by Mississippi, with the Mississippi R. parents upset by students not beingpromoted. Even without reading the stories, you're probably alreadyforming some ideas about what you think on these topics. And that'snot even half of the stories that we run in our newsletter, DA Daily,everyday. Now on our Web site, you can read these stories and post yourreaction to them. And while it's always a relief to get burningthoughts off your chest--especially when you know you're right--itmay be even more valuable to see what other people think and if theyagree with you. Longtime long��time?adj.Having existed or persisted for a long time: a longtime friend; a longtime resident of Detroit.longtimeAdjective Editor-at-Large Gary Stager will be our new Blog Editorand he is busy at this moment adding to the list of experts who will beposting regular blogs on the site. Already notables such as RogerSchank Roger Schank (* 1946) is president and CEO of Socratic Arts, and a leading visionary in artificial intelligence. CareerSchank was formerly professor of computer science and psychology at Yale University and director of the Yale Artificial Intelligence Project. , David Thornburg and Pedro Noguera will post regularly. So the next time you're watching television, at aneighbor's house, or even in a staff meeting, and someone sayssomething about education that you can't react to at the time, buthave to get off your chest--you know where to turn, The Pulse. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF wdorio@edmediagroup.com