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Front Page Talking Points

FOR THE WEEK OF AUG. 27, 2018

Practical back-to-school items include reusable notebooks, device chargers and digital tablets

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1.gifCan you find news about your school district or one nearby? Summarize it. (Sports counts.)

2.gifNow read coverage related to education at any level, including college. Share two facts.

3.gifLook for news that mentions a job or career of interest. List four school subjects useful in that field.

Popular education accessories as students head back to school include backpacks with digital device rechargers and auxiliary ports. Among other popular items are portable power banks ($30 or less), stackable locker shelves and digital tablets such as the Apple iPad (about $355) or Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 ($399), which are handy now that publishers offer interactive textbook editions formatted for tablets. A new item from Rocketbook is a $16 reusable notebook. Students use a special pen, then photograph notes and upload them to Google Docs, Dropbox or other destinations via an app before wiping pages clean with a moist towel.

Manufacturers and major chains compete aggressively this time of year with discounts on computers and other technology. Walmart, for instance, now charges just $6.97 for a Casio scientific calculator and $499 for a HP Pavillion laptop with Windows 10. An Apple promotion through Sept. 25 offers free Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones with a Mac purchase and Powerbeats3 Wireless for iPad Pro buyers. Office Depot drops the price of a JanSport SuperBreak backpack to $41. Bargain hunters await clearance sales in September after classes start, when backpacks, lunch kits and binders often get deep price cuts – if they're still in stock.

Some parents have safety on their minds as they consider backpacks with pockets for bulletproof panels that could be held as shields in case of a school shooting. Home Depot and Office Depot offer protective backpacks for about $130 to $150. Education administrators in some areas also are shopping for security steps, such as metal detectors, video cameras, intruder-resistant doors, shatterproof materials and higher-technology entry locks. In Lovejoy, Texas, the school district this month added a system that lets staff members use wireless "panic buttons" to sound an alarm on emergencies of any kind, including medical situations. The signal devices fit in a pocket or clip to a neck lanyard.

Educator says: "Technology enhances good instruction and a positive school environment, and lends itself to a more personalized learning approach." -- Adrian Acosta, instructional technology at Houston Independent School District

Retail executive says: "The closer shoppers wait until the beginning of the school year, the more discounts they can expect to find. Of course, inventory can be more picked over by then." – Courtney Jespersen of NerdWallet, a personal finance site

Mom says: "The cost is nothing compared with having a small bit of comfort that he will have something on him for protection." -- Maya Rockafellow of Shelby Township, Mich., who bought bulletproof backpack panels for her first-grader

Front Page Talking Points is written by Alan Stamm for NIEonline.com, Copyright 2024

Front Page Talking Points Archive

Common Core State Standard
SL.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: An essay of a current news event is provided for discussion to encourage participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the article. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event within the news, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support.