Everspring to speak on diversity, equity and inclusion in online education at EDUCAUSE Annual Conference | National News

Everspring to speak on diversity, equity and inclusion in online education at EDUCAUSE Annual Conference | National News

CHICAGO, Oct. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Everspring Inc., a top company of increased education technological innovation options and companies to universities trying to find to develop or expand their on-line abilities, declared that Tricia Lunt, good quality assurance manager at Everspring, and Dr. Jessica Ruiz, tutorial technologist at Clark Atlanta College, will current at the EDUCAUSE Annual Meeting, Thursday, Oct 28, 2021, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The joint presentation concerning Everspring and Dr. Ruiz explores how tutorial designers, technologists, matter issue professionals and instructors can leverage intentional discovering style and design procedures to strengthen engagement and guidance the achievement of diverse university student populations. The presenters will explore how to make the most of accessibility ideas to assistance inclusion and tactics for cultivating welcoming and inclusive on-line learning communities.

The presentation, entitled “Elevate Mastering Design and style: Greatly enhance DEI in On line Programs,” will begin at 2:15 p.m. ET Thursday, Oct 28.

“We’re thrilled to discuss how range, equity and inclusion boosts discovering for pupils, specifically in the on the net ecosystem,” says Lunt. “DEI is at the forefront of what we do at Everspring to drive outcomes for pupils in on line and hybrid packages.”

Everspring is a leader in developing discovering environments that center range, fairness and inclusion in on the internet schooling, with tutorial designers developing courses through the lens of DEI to assure accessibility and representation. This worthwhile perform aligns with the mission of larger training institutions throughout the globe to support pupil success and advertise professional accomplishment to generate a potential in which all individuals can arrive at their best probable.

To study additional about the EDCUAUSE Annual Convention, visit: https://situations.educause.edu/yearly-meeting 

About The Speakers

Tricia Lunt, QA Supervisor, Everspring

As QA Manager and QA Principal, Tricia reviews on line program content material with an emphasis on the high-quality of college student experience and tends to make layout suggestions to aid student success. Tricia has intensive knowledge in increased education and learning as equally an academic librarian and a humanities instructor. She retains a BA in English from The Ohio State College, an MA in English from Cleveland Point out College, and an MLIS from Kent Point out College.

Dr. Jessica Ruiz, Educational Technologist, On the web Understanding

Dr. Ruiz is an Instructional Technologist, Online Mastering at Clark Atlanta University. Dr. Ruiz finished her bachelor’s diploma in psychology at DePaul University and acquired her Doctorate in Training with a focus on Educational Leadership for teaching and mastering. Jessica served as a traveling to professor at Universidad de La Salle in Bogota, and school in the education and learning office for Town Faculties of Chicago where by she produced curriculum and instruction for hybrid and on the internet programs.

About Everspring

Everspring is a primary provider of education engineering and expert services methods for bigger training. Our highly developed technological know-how, proven advertising and marketing strategy, and strong college support and educational design and style providers deliver excellent results for our college partners, powering their success on the net. Everspring delivers a assortment of comprehensive-services turnkey methods, as nicely as standalone payment-for-support choices, and revolutionary self-assistance solutions that permit universities to establish by themselves as leaders in the electronic supply of bigger education. Based mostly in Chicago, Everspring serves a escalating amount of colleges and universities, nationwide.

Visit www.everspringpartners.com for much more information. Don’t just go digital. BE Electronic. 

Cision Check out original articles to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/everspring-to-discuss-on-diversity-fairness-and-inclusion-in-online-instruction-at-educause-annual-convention-301406063.html

Source Everspring

Mainbot Launches The First Global Education Games Metaverse with its own Cryptocurrency and NFTs

Mainbot Launches The First Global Education Games Metaverse with its own Cryptocurrency and NFTs

French begin-up Mainbot announces the development of The Initially Worldwide Schooling Video games Metaverse — The Winkyverse — to train new technologies to young children and their people.

The Winkyverse will rely on blockchain technologies and will have its cryptocurrency: The Winkies. It will be supplied to the community by means of an ICO starting up October 25.
The undertaking has now won around huge names in the Blockchain ecosystem such as Sébastien Borget, co-founder of The Sandbox Nicolas Gilot, co-founder of Ultra Mickael Canu, co-founder of Ternoa and Kyle Chassé, CEO of Compensated network and Learn Ventures.
Mainbot not too long ago unveiled the 1st collection of 12,111 NFTs: The Winkybots. It can be used as avatars in The Winkyverse, and some of them can be 3D printed.
Until eventually then, Mainbot was mostly known for its educational robot ‘Winky,’ which presently offered hundreds of units throughout Europe. Mainbot is now shifting up a equipment with the enhancement of a state-of-the-artwork Metaverse combining blockchain, NFTs, augmented reality, and synthetic intelligence.

WINKY: An Educational Robotic to Put together Young children for The Long term

Mainbot’s tale started in 2017 with the development of Winky, an academic robotic to educate programming and robotics to youngsters.
In 2019, Winky turned the most funded tech project on the French crowdfunding system ‘Ulule.’ A overall of much more than 1,352 contributors experienced pre-ordered Winky, the first instructional robot produced in France.

Winky is now on sale in the most important French retail chains these as La Fnac, Boulanger, BHV, Natures et Découvertes, Galeries Lafayette and Le Bon Marché.

With launches in the U.K., Germany, and the U.S. for Xmas 2021, Mainbot options to go the 25,000 customer mark by the stop of the calendar year.

The Winkyverse: The First World-wide Education and learning Online games Metaverse

The Winkyverse is a 3-D open environment exactly where consumers can interact, play and discover as very well as create and monetize their academic online games. The metaverse alone involves two modules: Winkyplay and Winkymaker.

Winkyplay provides with each other hundreds of educational video games made by renowned online video game titles editors and information publishers. Winkyplay also makes it possible for users to generate their video games in a lot of distinct groups such as motion, memory, logic, racing, etcetera.

Winkymaker will give the chance to players to design and style their equipment for the robot thanks to an intuitive 3-D editor available to all. They can then use their creations within the Winkyverse, but also 3D print them and acquire them at house.

The Winkymaker interface will allow for customers to change their creations into NFTs and promote them on numerous marketplaces this sort of as OpenSea.

Backed by Leading Buyers and Advisors

École Polytechnique, the finest engineering school in France, was the to start with to devote in the challenge and was quickly joined by several renowned players.

Among the them are Jérôme Bédier (ex-Basic Secretary of the Carrefour Team), Bruno Maisonnier (creator of the robots Nao and Pepper, acquired by Softbank), Michael Ingberg (Former CEO of Meccano) as effectively as Mateo Romano and Philippe Tomazo (previous administrators of Mattel and Common Games).

The Winkies: The Winkyverse’s Cryptocurrency

The Winkyverse will have its cryptocurrency, The Winkies, an ERC-20 token made on the Ethereum blockchain. The Winkies will be the only payment system recognized inside of the Winkyverse.

The Winkies will not only permit you to shell out for the obtain legal rights to the Winkyverse but also purchase video game subscriptions or make in-application buys inside of the many games. They will also be applied to shell out match and content builders and should really be utilised by advertisers wishing to publicize in just the Winkyverse. It will also be feasible to obtain Winky Robot at -50{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} when compared to the general public cost (€ 99 vs. € 199) using Winkies as a usually means of payment. Eventually, the holders of Winkies will have voting rights on particular selections affecting the evolution of the Metaverse.

The Winkybots: A Collection of 12,111 NFTs

The Winkybots are a collection of 12,111 NFTs residing on the blockchain Ethereum. The initially 12,000 in the selection had been programmatically generated by computer system and the remaining 111 will be developed one by just one in partnership with artists from diverse international locations.

It will be doable to use The Winkybots as avatars inside of distinctive Metaverses and some of them will be 3D printable. They will then gain from the similar options as Winky robots.

The holders of Winkybots will also have the appropriate to build accredited merchandise, and they will get royalties if just one or far more of their NFTs are utilised in commercial assignments these kinds of as video game titles, comics, cartoons, and so forth.

Now, a mini-collection which includes the Winkybots is currently being ready for television. All NFTs will be freely tradable Opensea.

Launch Date

The initially collection of NFTs grew to become out there on October 11 on the web page www.winkybots.io. It is however probable to sign up for the waiting list for a opportunity to get your fingers on a single of the Winkybots.

The cryptocurrency will be offered to the common general public by an ICO from Oct 25 on the internet site www.getwinkies.com.

See much more from Benzinga

© 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not give expenditure assistance. All rights reserved.

Lilly Endowment Grant Furthers Support of Wabash Center

Lilly Endowment Grant Furthers Support of Wabash Center

Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded an $8.5 million grant to Wabash College or university to aid programming for the Wabash Center for Instructing and Learning in Theology and Faith (Wabash Center) by 2025.

Established in 1996, the Wabash Heart is fully commited to maximizing educating in theology and religion in North American theological educational institutions, colleges, and universities. By means of workshops in Crawfordsville, webinars and other on line seminars, useful resource creation and curation, and a re-granting system, the Wabash Center gives school in higher training a room for conversation about critically reflective and socially responsive training in the fields of theology and religion.

“Throughout its approximately 200 decades, Wabash College or university has valued the work of faith academics, students, and theologians,” explained Dr. Scott E. Feller, Wabash College or university President. “The superior top quality and longstanding affect of the Wabash Heart carries on our foundational endeavor: excellence in instructing and finding out. We thank Lilly Endowment for 25 several years of support for the Wabash Center.”

The Wabash Center’s effect is typically felt by participants from early job college to those people near to retirement. In 2020, 6 digital The Wabash Center offers faculty in higher education a space for conversation about critically reflective and socially responsive teaching in the fields of theology and religion.salons convening 96 educators for nine months ended up launched on the net as schools navigated the viral pandemic and the race pandemic. With this newly awarded grant, the Wabash Centre will proceed to offer the two on-campus and hybrid workshops.

“The steadfast aid of Lilly Endowment has given school colleagues the option to interact troubles of teaching and the educating life,” claimed Nancy Lynne Westfield, Director of the Wabash Heart. “Colleagues want to boost their instructing. The impactful do the job of the Wabash Middle allows growth, creativeness, and expanded strategies.”

Of the present presidents and deans presiding at colleges accredited by the Association of Theological Universities, 27 presidents and 52 deans have participated in Wabash Center programming. This large quantity speaks to the purpose that the Wabash Heart performs in contributing to the leadership capacity of its individuals.

“The Wabash Centre plays a essential and energizing part in religious and theological schooling ,” said Dr. Jennifer Harvey, Professor of Faith and School Director of the Crew Students System at Drake University. “It supplies strong guidance of college as we navigate our early- to mid-vocation a long time. It aids us construct collaborative associations as we hone our teaching craft in a supportive environment that is one of a kind in the lives of higher training in faith and theological instruction. There is no way to overstate what the Wabash heart signifies for those of us in these fields.”

For educators fully commited to expansion and enhancement, the Wabash Heart provides sources these as the Journal on Instructing, a multimodal educational journal Instructing Hubs, a monthly e-e-newsletter Wabash Media Drop, a month to month update of educational resources consultants to guidance school in their institutional contexts weblogs, podcasts, and initial artwork that target on reflective instructing and grants that advertise sustained conversations on educating and the educating lifetime.

 “The Wabash Middle is regarded for its outstanding initiatives to improve the educating abilities of college in faith and theology,” stated Dr. Christopher Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion. “Excellent teachers in these fields are indispensable in educating a new technology of leaders who comprehend the job faith plays in shaping the planet about us.”

At this time in its 26th year of programming, the Wabash Middle has hosted 1,344 school users on the Wabash College or university campus for sustained discussion about teaching and understanding in 92 workshops, colloquies, electronic salons, and symposia awarded 1,466 grants to 529 institutions (totaling just about $16 million) held 118 conferences to take into consideration challenges of educating and mastering supplied 246 pedagogical consultations on greater schooling campuses across the U.S. and Canada and edited 689 content from 948 authors in Instructing Theology & Faith and The Wabash Centre Journal on Training.

The Wabash Heart has also developed 143 podcasts that have obtained more than 20,393 downloads, 650 weblogs on educatingNancy Lynne Westfield, Director of the Wabash Center and studying matters with perfectly more than 200,000 sights, and 37 movies and webinars similar to modern day concerns going through faculty and tutorial directors in theological seminaries and faith departments. This do the job has contributed in a sizeable way to enrich and strengthen training and mastering in spiritual and theological research in seminaries, faculties of theology, colleges, and universities across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

“As the U.S., as nicely as our world neighborhood, is challenged by the uncertainty wrought by the viral pandemic and the racial pandemic, the Wabash Center’s response of pivoting our operate to on the web workshops, building podcasts, increasing blog site offerings, concentrating our re-granting method, and evolving the consultant’s program is achievable thanks to the generosity of the Lilly Endowment,” stated Westfield.

Due to the fact its founding, the Wabash Center’s functions have been fully funded by Lilly Endowment with a whole assistance of nearly $68 million. Awards appear in a few-year cycles with this grant covering the 2022-25 time period.

 

Virginia saw homeschooling spike during the pandemic and many parents are sticking with it

Virginia saw homeschooling spike during the pandemic and many parents are sticking with it

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC)- Virginia saw a large spike in homeschooling throughout the coronavirus pandemic and quite a few parents are planning to adhere with it prolonged-term.

Virginia Section of Training info from the 2020-2021 college 12 months demonstrates 59,638 pupils were enrolled in home education. That’s up from 38,282 in the yr prior. Figures from the present university 12 months have not been finalized but, anecdotally, that trend seems to be continuing, according to the Property Schooling Association of Virginia (HEAV).

HEAV’s Director of Homeschool Assistance and Governing administration Affairs Yvonne Bunn explained the expansion was so sizeable that they had to maximize team to support hook up mom and dad with assets.

“I imagine it will forever change the landscape of instruction,” Bunn reported. “I never feel it will at any time go again to the way it was right before. We typically noticed in Virginia a 10 to 12 per cent boost each individual 12 months but this last year we saw a 48 percent boost.”

When her youngsters initially started university, mom of 4 Tera Thomas hardly ever noticed herself switching to property education and learning.

“I employed to educate large school English literature and I have generally joked that I teach higher school for a reason,” Thomas said.

With her oldest in the 3rd quality, Thomas noticed her little ones weren’t getting ample individualized attention at their community university. They ended up exhausted by packed schedules and did not look to be enjoying their lessons. She explained they have been falling guiding on elementary techniques in some cases but, below force to get via a stacked curriculum, their instructors appeared unable to cater to their particular desires.

Then, when COVID-19 pressured classrooms to shut down in March 2020, Thomas bought a nearer search at what residence instruction could glimpse like.

“I assumed, hey, we can do this,” Thomas stated.

Nonetheless feeling nervous, Thomas manufactured the change mid-semester. When their university program introduced designs to keep on being all-digital the next tumble, she stated it only reinforced her final decision.

“I would say that was perhaps the nail in the coffin,” Thomas said. “I knew there was no way they would thrive in front of a pc all working day. I understood there was no way that they would prosper with masks on their confront all day.”

Bunn explained just about every condition has its have legislation on homeschooling, every single with unique oversight and curriculum prerequisites.

“Virginia has a quite reasonable property faculty legislation. There are some states that have extra stringent laws,” Bunn mentioned.

Although some states involve moms and dads to be certified to teach at dwelling, Virginia offers a ton of adaptability. Bunn explained parents will need to possibly have a higher college diploma, be licensed as trainer in Virginia or post a written letter to their community superintendent with a record of subjects they intend to educate requesting an exception. Bunn explained college students enrolled in a distant discovering study course are permitted to be home schooled as well.

Bunn said condition regulation does not dictate which topics moms and dads have to have to include but, at the close of each individual university year, learners have to achieve particular standardized tests scores to continue dwelling education and learning.

Thomas reported her youngsters are observing superior take a look at scores than ever. As well as, the adaptable program performs for their spouse and children and her youngsters appear happier. She has no plans to re-enroll them in public colleges.

“I want mother and father to be inspired that you get to have a say in what your young ones are undertaking, who they are, what they grow to be and what they find out,” Thomas reported. “You really don’t have to do what all people else is performing. You don’t have to do the traditional issue.” 

Bunn suggests that dad and mom fascinated in acquiring began link with households who have encounter with dwelling training. For assist, check out this site.

Improve brainpower by getting children active in class

Improve brainpower by getting children active in class

Calling all moms and dads and teachers alike! Did you know that offering college students a entertaining and bodily lively “brain break” in the classroom enhances their studying? That is correct, little ones require to go – even in class – and they require to move typically.

With developing recognition of the ability of actual physical activity to improve children’s brainpower, there is a quickly advancing intercontinental movement in direction of a new tactic to bodily instruction and wellness and even the introduction of ‘brain breaks’ in the classroom.

So stated Professor Ming-kai Chin, Founding President of the BRICS Council of Exercising and Sports Science and Vice President, World Affairs and Analysis, HOPSports Inc, though offering a keynote address during the biennial Lifestyle By means of Motion Intercontinental Conference, introduced by the Biokinetics Association of Southern Africa (BASA).

The increasing childhood weight problems problem

In accordance to Prof Ming-kai, there is a growing overall body of exploration indicating that more small children are receiving even fatter. An post in the prestigious healthcare journal, The Lancet noted that in 2016, 13 percent of small children are chubby.

Prof Ming-kai pressured that health and fitness-similar problems, which includes the need for kids to turn out to be additional physically active, could not be dealt with in isolation. If youngsters are to be encouraged to training additional, it is significant to search at the child holistically and not relegate motion and training to the periphery of the child’s daily encounter.

Physical schooling must be promoted

This philosophy is being adopted wholeheartedly in international locations that have the greatest educational techniques in the globe and which earlier only centered on tutorial topics. They are now integrating actual physical training as a core part of the curriculum.

A co-ordinated university health design which had been made by the Centre for Disorder Management and Prevention in the United States (based on the strategy of Whole Child, Total Faculty, and Total Local community), included 8 pillars that would need to be executed if youngsters have been to be offered the finest feasible prospect for wholesome, effective lives. Actual physical training was significant on this listing together with detailed university well being training faculty well being providers nutrition services counselling, psychological and social expert services a balanced college atmosphere faculty-website overall health advertising for team and – also particularly significant – household and neighborhood involvement.

Make it exciting

“While physical training is crucial, we have to alter the way it is taught. We have to make it enjoyable and make sure all the little ones not only take part but are kept going all the time,” Prof Ming-Kai additional.

Mind breaks: Shorter bursts of a exciting physical activity

Mind breaks are coming into their possess. These are limited bursts of a enjoyment bodily exercise of concerning two and five minutes which have been shown to essentially promote the brain and boost focus and learning. These mind breaks could vary from dancing in the classroom along with their desks, to owning the little ones shoot some basketball hoops.

Large crowd turns out to support keeping Clays Mill Elementary School open | Education

Large crowd turns out to support keeping Clays Mill Elementary School open | Education






Clays Mill

Halifax County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Lineburg addresses the public at Clays Mill Elementary School on Tuesday on the possible consolidation of schools.




Close to 100 individuals including Clays Mill Elementary school staff, students, parents and community members filled the gymnasium of the Clays Mill Elementary School Tuesday evening to show their support in keeping the school open at a public hearing on the possible consolidation of elementary schools.

This was the third public hearing in a series of five where school board members and Halifax County Public School Superintendent Dr. Mark Lineburg are given a chance to hear the public’s concerns and questions on the possible consolidation of schools.

The school system plans to answer questions via email following the end of the public hearings.

“We make great things happen at Clays Mill,” said Clays Mill principal David Duffer as he opened the floor for the superintendent to speak to the audience.

Lineburg began his remarks saying, “I love Clays Mill Elementary School.”

He went on to state the challenges that HCPS face in its elementary schools is that 51{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} of the elementary schools’ 4,259 seats are empty, and enrollment is on a steady decline.

At Clays Mill alone 69{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} of the 508 available seats are empty.

“We have lost 500 kids in the last seven years, which is equivalent to losing two schools. Enrollment is declining because of the declining population in Halifax County,” said Lineburg.

He added, “It’s visible you have space in all of our smaller schools, but I want to remind you we don’t have all the answers.”

According to Lineburg, Clays Mill Elementary School needs “significant future facility needs” such as an updated parking lot, an HVAC system, window replacement and an electrical and plumbing upgrade.

Following Lineburg’s presentation, 16 Clays Mill students took the podium to fight for their school telling the school board, “We love Clays Mill,” “Don’t close Clays Mill,” and “We love the teachers and Mr. Duffer.”






Clays Mill

Matt Gunn speaks in support of keeping Clays Mill Elementary open during a public hearing on Tuesday on the possible consolidation of schools.




One of the first adults to take the stand was Matt Gunn, who said he has had a child at Clays Mill since 2001 and has been on so many field trips he has begun guiding tours.

“This school has teachers from all over, one who travels from the east side of Clarksville every day and it is certainly not for the paycheck, it is the atmosphere here, the passion they have for the student’s education,” said Gunn.

He added, “The faculty and staff here are nothing short of excellent, they’re the best. We have a phenomenal principal in Mr. Duffer who cares just deeply about the students. This is the cleanest school in the entire school system, and it wasn’t cleaned today because you were coming, it is like this every day.”

Gunn said community schools were the way “we were brought up and it’s the way of life around here.”

Many of the students named all of their teachers, name by name and expressed how great of a job they do in the classroom.

Clays Mill is one of three schools the school board has been considering closing. Also up for consideration for closure are Meadville Elementary and Sinai Elementary. The school system currently has seven.

In proposals to the school board, a seven elementary school model would cost $45,773,534 for future facility costs, a six-school model would cost $44,066,508 in future facilities costs but would save $19,596,000 over 30 years and a five-school model would cost $43,727,436 and would save $44,610,000 over 30 years.






Clays Mill

Nakelia Ross challenges the Halifax County School Board and Halifax County Board of Supervisors to think of the students during a Tuesday public hearing on the possible consolidation of schools at Clays Mill Elementary.




“Who’s thinking about today rather than 30 years from now, at what point, and time will we focus on now instead of 30 years from now,” said Nakelia Ross, another speaker of the public hearing.

“I challenge the school board to challenge the board of supervisors and say our kids matter,” she added.

After she spoke, audience members and chairwoman Kathy Fraley and ED-7 school board member Keith McDowell even rose to their feet to applaud her.






Clays Mill

Jessica Trent, a mother of a student at Clays Mill Elementary, takes the podium during a public hearing of the possible consolidation of schools at Clays Mill Elementary on Tuesday.




Jessica Trent, a mother of a student who attends Clays Mill, also said, “I keep seeing numbers and numbers, but our children aren’t numbers, stop worrying about money and worry about our children.”

Many of the teachers at Clays Mill Elementary spoke out as well.






Clays Mill

Natalie Long, a third-grade teacher at Clays Mill Elementary, addresses the school board in a public hearing at Clays Mill Elementary on Tuesday.




“I truly love this position and my students. Elementary schools build our counties academic foundation, and 20 to 25 students in a classroom is frankly too much,” said Natalie Long, a third-grade teacher at Clays Mill.

She added, “My son and I feel like we have found our forever home. The faculty and staff feel like a second family here.”

Long said research says small group instruction drives academic success.






Clays Mill

Vickie Powell, a longtime teacher at Clays Mill Elementary who travels to work from Clarksville addresses Halifax County School Board on Tuesday at the public hearing on the possible consolidation of elementary schools.




“This is my 29th year in Halifax. I live in Clarksville and drive 80 miles a day because I want to be here. I just employ you to see the children not dollar signs. If y’all close this school you’re not only hurting us you’re hurting this county,” said Vickie Powell, a longtime teacher at Clays Mill.






Clays Mill

ED-2 supervisor Jeff Francisco speaks during Tuesday’s public hearing of the possible consolidation of schools at Clays Mill Elementary School.




As the public hearing began to wrap up and many members of the crowd began to disburse because of the length of the meeting, ED-2 county supervisor Jeff Francisco took the podium.

“To say that the board of supervisors doesn’t believe in our schools is incorrect. Since I’ve been on it, it’s been number one,” said Francisco.

He added, “Do we want to close any schools? No. We do not want to close any schools, but another option is raising taxes. What I am hearing tonight is that people want to keep Clays Mill open. In order to equal the $2.3 million (in savings) it means a real estate tax increase of seven to eight cents.”

Francisco also made sure to praise smaller schools such as Clays Mill.

“A lot of kids out of district are coming here because this is a great school. They have a great principal, have great teachers and have great instruction. I truly believe that small schools like Clays Mill don’t only teach kids well, it helps in discipline, and it changes the kids’ lives because they have the personal attention here,” Francisco concluded.

Clays Mill Elementary School is ranked 126 out of more than 1,100 schools in the state and is in the top 30{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf}, according to US News and World reports.

Another public hearing on the possible consolidation of local elementary schools was held Thursday at Scottsburg Elementary School.

The final hearing will be held the following Thursday, on Oct. 28, at Meadville Elementary School at 6:30 p.m.