Significantly lengthening the school day is a promising strategy to close achievement and opportunity gaps that must be considered by state, district, and school leaders who serve large numbers of low-income students. Fortunately, there is already a growing movement among policymakers and educators to increase the amount of in-school time devoted to teaching students the 21st century skills needed for future success. In 2013, a total of 33 states considered legislation related to expanded learning time. What's more, a recent count identified more than 1,500 expanded learning time schools, of which approximately 900 were traditional public schools.

Schools across the country are engaged in the complete redesign of the school day in ways that increase learning time. Effectively closing achievement and opportunity gaps, however, requires more than simply tacking on additional minutes at random. Schools should explore ways to use more time to focus on core academics and enrichment activities-such as art, music, apprenticeships, and sports-that provide a well-rounded education, as well as to provide teachers with more time for collaboration, planning, and professional development. Expanded learning time schools are using a variety of strategies to lengthen the day, from staggering staff schedules to keeping some staff in place for longer periods of time. What can often be overlooked in this mix of approaches is the extent to which community partners can enhance the offerings in schools that lengthen the day. When the two form authentic partnerships based on a school's goals, student needs, and constant evaluation of student data, expanded learning time schools and community partners can develop a promising all-hands-on-deck approach to student learning.   >> READ MORE 

Continuing their ongoing partnership, OriolesREACH and Baltimore City Schools have planned a series of activities in the coming weeks, including hosting over 7,000 students as part of Baltimore City Schools Night at Oriole Park this Monday, May 12, and player appearances at a city school.

Additionally, to help encourage regular school attendance, the Orioles are providing a fully-catered party suite for Monday's game to two schools that showed the greatest reduction in chronic absence rates this year compared to last. The Historic Samuel Coleridge Taylor and Carver Vo-Tech High Schools will send 75 students to enjoy Monday's game from a suite on the Club Level.

In pre-game ceremonies on Monday, Baltimore City Teacher of the Year ELIZABETH BARLETTA, a 5th grade science teacher at Barclay Elementary/Middle School, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch, accompanied by City Schools Teacher of the Year finalists. The finalists will enjoy that night's game from a private suite courtesy of NICK and CHRISTINA MARKAKIS.

The National Anthem will be performed by the Principal of Mount Royal Elementary Middle School, JOB GROTSKY, and the Edmonson Westside High School Air Force Junior ROTC Color Guard will present the colors before the game.

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You're not going to be able to take your whole closet and every cherished belonging with you to the dorm.  Start downsizing now and make a list of all the things you'll need to take with you.  A clean and tidy space will make things a lot more manageable.  Most likely you'll go home a time or two on break and you can swap out things that you don't need for things that you do.  But, in between those trips home, you'll need to learn how to do laundry.  Those whites can turn into some interesting colors and transform into a smaller size if you don't know your way around a washer and dryer.