January 2000

Flashback

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Education and Work—NWREL's 16th annual Work Now and in the Future conference drew nearly 2,000 educators, policymakers, and representatives from business, labor, and industry to Portland last November for more than 100 integrated sessions highlighting the connections between education reform, the world of work, and lifelong learning. An onsite computer lab allowed participants to learn firsthand how digital tools and resources can be used in career planning, distance learning, and classroom projects.

Traits for Spanish Writers—During a December workshop, bilingual and English-as-a-second-language teachers from eight Oregon and Washington school districts analyzed student papers and shared strategies for scoring their students' writing. Their feedback will assist the Laboratory's Assessment and Evaluation Program in developing a Spanish writing assessment model similar to the 6+1 Traits of Writing.

Safe Schools—Directors of state School Safety Centers gathered in Portland last November as part of a national staff development network on school safety. Sponsored by NWREL's National Resource Center for Safe Schools, the forum allowed different states to share resources and information, target gaps in their school safety plans, and explore opportunities for collaboration.