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School’s draw helped Andrew show signs of brighter days

School’s draw helped Andrew show signs of brighter days

Andrew* was a challenge. His behavior wasn’t rude, aggressive or violent. He just refused to come to school. BY NANCY KIDD For reasons unknown to me, Andrew chose to stay in his room rather than participate in the school program. That meant he could not join the other detainees for recreational activities, special programs or group meals. He was alone in his dreary cell — a thin vinyl-covered mattress atop a raised concrete platform/bed and a stainless steel toilet and…

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Detention kids gain lasting wings with ‘Birdie Song’ surprise

Detention kids gain lasting wings with ‘Birdie Song’ surprise

BY NANCY KIDD What do you do …  when you’ve been hired to teach 10- to 16-year-olds with a wide range of backgrounds and abilities at a juvenile detention center? When you don’t know until you walk in how many students you’ll have based on who was arrested or brought from court since the day before? When none of them are happy to be where they are? When they appear lethargic and unmotivated—likely focused on their own personal, serious situations?…

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