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Education

Civics and Civility for Students

January 4, 2021 By Staff Contributor

Beyond its conversation events and programming, the Stubblefield Institute’s mission extends to being a catalyst for introducing the topic of civil political communication across the Shepherd University campus.

Category: Education
Tags: american government, bipartisan, political discourse, political science, Shepherd University, Stubblefield Institute

Coming Together to Talk Politics

January 4, 2021 By Steve Pearson

After the past year of 24/7 political and pandemic coverage, it might seem odd to hear David Welch say “we need to talk more about politics, not less.” The director of the Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications at Shepherd University is quick to point out that he means being able to have constructive conversations.

Category: Education
Tags: American Conversation Series, american government, political discourse, Shepherd University, Stubblefield Institute

Navigating A Difficult Road

October 27, 2020 By Stephen Willingham

looking down the school bus line at Shepherdstown Middle School

The Observer asked Stephen Willingham to explore how the local public school system is managing through the current public health crisis. The author interviewed the Superintendent and also spoke with teachers about their experiences in the classroom and online.

Category: Education
Tags: Bondy Shay Gibson, COVID-19, Jefferson County Schools, online learning, virtual

Online, Distant, Together, Ready

August 1, 2020 By Rich Goodman

A banner for the "Ram Ready" back to school effort posted outside McMurran Hall at Shepherd University

Shepherd University is moving forward with virtual and in-person instruction starting August 24, with an accelerated semester that reclaims Labor Day and Fall Break as instructional days and ends just before Thanksgiving.

Category: Education
Tags: COVID-19, Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, virtual

I Think I May Be the Luckiest Man Alive

February 7, 2020 By Wendy Baracka, LICSW

Dow Benedict sitting casually on sandstone steps outside at Shepherd University.

Dow Benedict, former faculty member and Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities at Shepherd University, looks back on 48 years of service as a mentor, artist, and leader.

Category: Education
Tags: Dow Benedict, Shepherd University

Are the Higher Education Policy Commission’s Days Numbered?

November 18, 2019 Article Submitted by Independent Submission

Delegate John Doyle

There have been four different systems of higher education in West Virginia since the 1960s. We seem to want to completely overhaul the structure every 20 years or so.

Category: Education
Tags: Higher Education Policy Commission, John Doyle, WVU

JCPS Responds to Rise in Special Education Needs with New Student Support Center

June 17, 2019 By Mike Chalmers

In April, Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) announced in a press release that, due to a significant increase in both the number of students and the level of student needs served in the past decade—particularly, the intensive needs of students requiring special education services—they were moving forward with the development of a regional student support center to meet those needs in a way that creates a more positive and productive experience for students, families, and staff.

Category: Education
Tags: Jefferson County Public Schools, Rockwool

Barrat Leads Way in AI Research

March 19, 2019 By H.S. Leigh Koonce

Robbie Barrat’s revolutionary research relating to artificial intelligence (AI) has earned him numerous plaudits, an art exhibition in France, as well as a place in a new documentary about high school science fairs.

Category: Education
Tags: Jefferson County Schools, science

We Went Back to School and Asked: What’s for Lunch?

February 10, 2019 By Claire Stuart

Ask random adults what school lunches were like when they were kids, and the answers can range from great to awful, depending on when and where they went to school. Schools are required to provide healthy lunches, but children must want to eat them. The Observer decided to see and taste-test some of today’s lunches in Jefferson County schools.

Category: Education
Tags: Jefferson County Schools, nutrition

Shepherd, Marshall Sign Agreement to Provide Autism Services

January 16, 2019 Article Submitted by Independent Submission

Shepherd University and the West Virginia Autism Training Center (WV-ATC), located at Marshall University, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that establishes Shepherd as a WV-ATC campus-based satellite site that will provide services to Shepherd students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and training for faculty and staff through the College Program for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (CPSASD).

Category: Education
Tags: autism, Shepherd University, West Virginia Autism Training Center

Life Beyond the Classroom

December 12, 2018 By Hans P. Fogle

West Virginia University President Gordon Gee spoke with juniors and seniors at Jefferson and Washington High Schools last month. While extolling the benefits of an education at WVU, the overall message he delivered is one that resonates with many working in education today: education beyond high school is more important than ever. Gee made it […]

Category: Education
Tags: James Rumsey Technical Institute., Jefferson County Schools

Morgan Academy Takes Promising New Steps into Future and Beyond

August 20, 2018 By Staff Contributor

Founded in 2004 by teachers Bernardine Somers and her friend Patty Neely (who retired in 2008), Morgan Academy is an innovative K-10 private school (including preschool) offering small classes that allow for one-on-one teacher-student time.

Category: Education
Tags: K-12, local business, Morgan Academy

Area School Systems Eye New Year on the Horizon

August 18, 2018 By H.S. Leigh Koonce

With schools slated to re-open on August 20, both Jefferson and Berkeley County (WV) school systems are continuing to see an upward trend in enrollment, which they are juggling while rolling out new programs for both students and faculty.

Category: Education
Tags: Arthena Roper, Berkeley County Schools, Gun Control, Jefferson County Schools

West Virginia’s Next Big Industry: Brain Power

May 15, 2018 By Pandora Affemann

The decline of the coal industry has left many in Richwood and other parts of West Virginia unemployed, contributing to the state’s economic troubles. Programs such as Richwood Scientific Inc, which offer free or cheap training in other industries, could help retrain and eventually employ those without jobs.

Category: Education
Tags: coal, Coding, economic development

Supporting Community Students When School is Out of Session

May 15, 2018 By Wendy Baracka, LICSW

To truly improve the academic and social success of students, particularly those who have greater adversity from poverty or toxic stress, we must also support and develop after-school, weekend, and summer-time programming.

Category: Education
Tags: Berkeley County BackPack Program, Caring Cupboard, food insecurity, The Martinsburg Initiative

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