IN Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall Fall 2019 | Page 34

SPECIAL SECTION:
online, as the name suggests, for free! Need-based loans are
available as a Federal Perkins Loan, awarded to students with
the highest need, or a Federal Direct Subsidized Loan, provided
interest-free while in college.
If FAFSA determines that a student is ineligible for a need-
based loan, non-need-based loan options are available as a
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan or Federal Direct PLUS Loan.
Unsubsidized loans allow the borrower to add interest to the
total amount borrowed after graduation, but beware, as this leads
to owing even more money when it comes time to start paying
off the loan. Direct PLUS Loans provide graduate students or
parents the opportunity to borrow the total cost of attending
college, minus other financial aid received.
Unlike the loans mentioned above that are sponsored by
the federal government, state and private loans are sponsored
by banks, colleges, foundations, and state agencies. The U.S.
Department of Education manages all college loans available by
state and requires students to be in-state residents or enrolled in
a college in that state. Private loans are an option for borrowers
but come with terms and conditions that may not be as favorable
as federal loans. Private loans also require a cosigner who is
responsible for repaying the money if the student fails to do so.
assumes you’ll continue to make more money as you continue
your career path, so additional money is allotted to repayment
as you go. Extended plans may be made in a fixed amount or a
graduated amount and ensure payment in full within 25 years.
Income-based plans take 10-15 percent of your discretionary
income and are recalculated each year. Once you are married,
your spouse’s income will also be considered, if filing jointly
on tax returns. Any outstanding balance on the loan will be
forgiven after 20-25 years.
• Consolidate for ease – If you have multiple federal loans,
consolidating them into one can make repayment easier.
But there may be fees or other conditions associated with
consolidating, so be sure to do your research.
• Is forgiveness an option? Some programs offer loan
forgiveness if you meet certain criteria or work in a particular
field. People in government, nonprofit, and other public
service jobs may have the remainder of their loans forgiven
after 10 years of service. Additional forgiveness options are
available for nurses, teachers, AmeriCorps and Peace Corps
volunteers, and some state and private programs.
MANAGING DEBT POST-COLLEGE
Student loan debt continues to increase and has become a
burden on both graduates and the U.S. economy. There are a
variety of loan repayment options for students. Here are some
tips on how to approach repayment.
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the opportunity to connect with classmates in other countries,
giving teachers the ability to educate a virtual classroom from the
comfort of their own home, and expanding access to applications
that were once inaccessible.
Another key focus in education this year is on ensuring
that students feel safe, connected, supported, and challenged
through a variety of different ways. School culture and safety
are being addressed and adapted based on recent school safety
concerns across the country. Teachers, administrators, families,
and community groups are putting a critical focus on social-
emotional learning activities to facilitate a better look into dealing
with anger management, conflict resolution, empathy, and other
important life skills. School is often the only place where social
and emotional learning deficiencies can be addressed; therefore
teaching students these invaluable life skills ultimately prepares
them to become active members of society. This is another
pivotal point in a teacher’s role in the classroom.
Teachers continue to play an integral role in the lives of
students, one that cannot be replaced with even the most
advanced type of technology. This isn’t to say that the way
we taught even 15 years ago is suitable. Teachers’ roles are
continually changing, and their need to adapt is critical to
students’ success. School administrators must also support and
train educators with the tools and techniques they are being given
to ensure successful integration in the classroom.
SECONDARY EDUCATION
PRE-K – HIGH SCHOOL
• Figure out what you’ll owe and start to save early – Creating
a budget early will allow you to build a solid foundation for
repayment after graduation. Setting aside money each month
toward future savings for repayment will set you up for success
come graduation day.
• Understand your repayment options – There are several
different options available to start paying off student loans
based on the type of loan you received. Common federal loan
plans include standard, graduated, extended, or income-based.
Standard plans are payments in fixed amounts that ensure
loans are paid off in 10-30 years (these payments are often
very high for new graduates). Graduated plans are payments
that start out lower and increase every two years, also ensuring
loans are paid off within 10-30 years (based on loan). This plan
EDUCATION
The first public school opened in the United States in 1635,
and the Boston Latin School remains the nation’s oldest public
school. Early education didn’t focus on math or science, but
on the virtues of family, religion and community. Nearly 400
years later, schools are harnessing the fundamental principles of
community, and although it may look very different in this day
and age, a strong focus is being put on the importance of creating
a safe school culture and tapping into technology for limitless
learning.
In 2019, students, parents, teachers, and administrators are
seeing changes both inside and outside of the classroom. One
of the biggest changes in recent years comes in the form of
technology. Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to change
education tools and is expected to increase in implementation in
U.S. classrooms by 47.5% in the next three years, according to the
Artificial Intelligence Market in the U.S. Education Sector report.
In addition to AI, other technologies are providing students with
It was recently reported that teenagers spend nine hours a day
with technology. Whether in the form of social media, listening
to music, playing games, or texting with friends, technology
plays an integral role in their lives. Educators have taken note
and are now reaching teenagers where they are spending a
majority of their time. Digital tools are providing teachers with
the opportunity to incorporate personalized learning to students
in a way that benefits them. For example, AI is being used to
allow for greater individualized and differentiated learning to be
conducted by teachers. Applications that provide learning and
testing for students can identify opportunities for them to excel,
flag potential gaps in understanding, and provide feedback on
learning progress.
One exciting feature that will dramatically enhance technology
capabilities in the classroom is the integration of 5G technology.
Predicted to be ubiquitous by 2020, 5G technology allows for
data speeds almost 1,000 percent faster than 4G, empowering
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BRENTWOOD-BALDWIN-WHITEHALL
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FALL 2019
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