Readers offer their thoughts on jettisoning JET

Following are a selection of readers' responses to the July 27 Zeit Gist column headlined "Ex-students don't want JET grounded" by Eric Johnston and Kanako Nakamura: Grounding the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme would be a terrible mistake in this global era. As a former JET whose life was unexpectedly and positively transformed by this program, which has some flaws like any endeavor, I do ...

Light of learning

Just five students sat in an old classroom at the Knox County Academy on Mulberry Street, waiting silently for the school day to begin. Randy Meneweather, KCA director, asked a young woman to repeat the school’s mantra — “networking and knowledge” — and to write the words on the chalkboard. The ninth-grade girl scrawled the first word without a problem. But “knowledge” gave her pause. “How do ...

Choosing home school

An education model that evokes controversy as well as praise, home school offers alternatives in a state ranked 49th in public school funding. At the same time, the state has the highest number of students who receive their education at home.

Students finding options at the CORE of learning

In a few months, 18-year-old Brittany Pack will receive her high school diploma — a semester earlier than most other seniors. She’s ready to start taking classes at Ivy Tech Community College and talks excitedly about becoming a nurse. But a year...

Sweeney inherits challenges, vows to move forward

Overseeing more than 17,000 students and juggling parents’ andcolleagues’ needs is no piece of cake, but incoming Napa ValleyUnified School District Superintendent Patrick Sweeney says he’sready to take on the challenge.