This month the team at West Wind Education Policy is proudly celebrating the career of our own Deb Hansen. It has been an honor for all of us to share the capstone years of her career. During the past four years, Deb has lent her wisdom and experience to West Wind: she has been an expert adviser on an array of education policy issues; a guide to new employees entering the field; and a knowledgeable, passionate, and considerate colleague to all of us.

Her dedication and quest to understand new developments, grow her own knowledge, and challenge her own ideas have changed the way we work at West Wind. Deb understands and appreciates how hard deep inquiry can be and she approaches projects carefully and with consideration. Yet, even in the face of difficult change, she never lowers her standards. Her poise, determination, and empathy make her an invaluable colleague and a great friend to have in your corner. Continue reading “Senior Policy Analyst, Deb Hansen, Retires”

Congratulations to the 2014 Teacher of the Year, Sean McComb, a teacher at Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts in Baltimore. McComb and his fellow State Teachers of the Year were recognized by President Obama yesterday in the East Room of the White House. Check out more Teacher of the Year news to hear about the work of McComb and his colleagues #NTOY14 #CCSSO

This middle school student had a good idea that just kept getting better. A Pittsburgh-area teen had a hypothesis for his science fair project: The school district might save some money by reducing its use of printer ink…by changing the font used to create the handouts teachers distribute in class.

His thorough research and well-documented findings led to an expansion of that novel idea and…to headline news at CNN.com: Teen to Government: Change your typeface, save millions.