The mission to create profit and the mission to do good are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Students at U-M's Ross School of Business see the recently created Center for Social Impact as a pathway to doing both.
School's out for summer. Out till fall. And some might not go back at all. Concentrate's armchair historian Patti Smith looks at how old timey Ann Arbor once celebrated high school graduation.
Common Core, economic disparity, access to learning, the future of the American education system has been debated at just about every level of society. Public schools are typically the focus. But what about private or independent schools? Where do they fit into the conversation?
The modern high school curriculum doesn't look quite like it did a decade ago. While the core subjects remain, new ideas about how to teach to the next generation are finding their way into the classroom. Concentrate highlights five of the most innovative high school classes in the county.
The rush to establish International Baccalaureate schools in Washtenaw is on, with a regionally supported high school in Ypsilanti achieving high marks, a programme in Dexter and, now, Ann Arbor vowing to establish its own program track. But will these efforts complement or compete against each other?
TorranceLearning is a name that gets around, but it doesn't have to pay to reach its customer base. The downtown Chelsea-based firm lets it track record do the talking. And that has spurred its growth. "We don't pay for advertising," says Megan Torrance, CEO of TorranceLearning. "We only pay for two trade show booths a year. It's really about the quality of our work that gets us our attention." TorranceLearning calls the Chelsea Clocktower home and specializes in creating custom education projects for companies and non-profits. Its clients range from major auto suppliers like Denso to the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum. It recently landed work with NSF International, Consumers Energy, and Steelcase. That has allowed to start looking to hire half a dozen people to add to its staff of 13 people. "We will finish the year 40-50 percent higher than last year," Torrance says. TorranceLearning has been able to attract those new clients and expanded business through its growing reputation. The 13-year-old firm has landed several stories in niche publications about its work and growing business. Work like that has made Torrance optimistic about the company’s near-term prospects. "I'd like to triple our revenues next year," Torrance says. "I'd to have a team of two dozen people or more." Source: Megan Torrance, CEO of TorranceLearning Writer: Jon Zemke
Ypsilanti Community Schools is a district with serious challenges, from a shrinking population to negative perceptions. Dr. Benjamin Edmonson is taking them all on with gusto. Here's what YCS's new superintendent has planned for the struggling schools.
Here's something for older folks to grouse about: a phone app that rewards students for better study habits. Can't you almost hear them say, "How about good grades? Isn't that reward enough?" Oh, grandpa. Excerpt: "Students earn points for activities such as meeting with a tutor or success coach, attending campus events and more. Points accumulate and can be used to “purchase” items in a prize store or used at the end of the year to bid on major benefits such as free tuition, housing, a meal plan, a tablet device or gift cards to the campus book store." Read the rest here.
Eastern Michigan University was handed a $3.26 million gift from long-time supporters William and Delores Brehm. The philanthropic couple are dedicated to growing the university's special education programs and have, over the years, donated more than $8 million to the school. Excerpt: "Dee Brehm, herself a graduate of EMU’s special education program, says that their objective is to help train special education professionals and researchers who will lead the way in supporting people with disabilities as well as those who can benefit from music therapy." Read the rest here.
Technology is helping to reinvent the way we interact with libraries. U-M's Taubman Health Sciences Library just under went a a $55 million overhaul... and major rethinking of how it functions best. Excerpt: "Hundreds of thousands of books were moved to an offsite location and are available on demand for delivery, and by becoming "bookless" the school said that frees up space for medical student education. The facility on the school's Ann Arbor campus officially reopened over the weekend." Read more here.
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