Remember those COVID funding freezes? Some say they backfired.
It seemed like a good idea at the time. As COVID swept across the country, legislators in some states put a freeze on funding to protect districts from declining enrollment. But some districts, especially rural ones, grew. Now, schools in these places need more dough to support students. Sound familiar? (Read about it.)

Panic attacks are real. And teachers are having more of them.
Teaching has always been stressful. But harmful to your health? New research suggests panic attacks are on the rise among classroom educators. America’s teachers are not OK — and some say the worst is yet to come. Higher pay can help, but it’s not enough. (What you can do.)

Schools received $190B during the pandemic. Is it helping?
Don’t call it a bailout. Or do. The last time schools received federal stimulus dollars, America was in the throes of The Great Recession. Now, we might be headed for another downturn. ESSER funds were supposed to boost learning outcomes for kids who fell behind, but is any of it working? It’s debatable.
(For all sorts of reasons.)

This guy wanted to be a teacher. Now he’s a teacher-leader.
Tristan Hunter is a teacher. He knows from experience how tough the job can be, especially if you’re just starting out. So, he carved out a way to help early-career educators find success. (Read more from Tristan.)

Hit follow. Here’s 30 education leaders to keep your eye on.
If innovation is everything, then this list of 30 #edtech innovators should make your short list of cool stuff to read this week. Who made the cut: an educator who engineers robots to help minority students and a district CTO with an eSports arena. (And that’s just for starters.)

CodeRVA tackles learning loss through IT internships.
Speaking of innovators, magnet schools are having a moment. Check out how one Virginia school levels the playing field for minority students and students with disabilities with a focus on computer coding and tech careers.
(Discover CodeRVA.)

A flight simulator for teachers. It’s a thing, apparently.
Airline pilots, sure. But teachers? A new simulator program in Virginia gives aspiring and new educators a chance to practice handling different scenarios before they encounter them in the classroom.
(Talk about preparing for anything.)

Action-oriented family engagement, an Rx for parent support.
When families are engaged in school, students learn better. Them’s facts. But too many schools don’t know what family engagement problem they’re trying to solve. Author and educator Dr. Steve Constantino has launched a new program to solve for that. (Check it out.)

5 ways to support teacher well-being.
Teachers are under serious pressure. Here’s 5 things you can do today to show your staff that you value their work and care about their mental fitness, including being a better listener.
(Give your teachers the help and support they need.)

I hope you enjoyed this edition of the RocketPD Community Newsletter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

The best communities are ones that grow. If you know someone who you think would benefit from these ideas, please forward this message along. Registration is free. And they can sign up here.

If you know an educator who deserves some ink, or have an idea you’d like to see featured in an upcoming edition, share your secrets with us at [email protected]; subject line: community. We’ll pass the best of the best on to the group in a future edition.

Be good. Do good. Keep up the fight.

-Corey & The RocketPD Team