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Nearby Sandy Springs: With a new legislative session kicking off, State Rep. Lynne Riley has been named to a new leadership position in the Georgia House of Representatives.
"I am honored to have been elected Chairwoman of the Fulton County House Delegation," said Riley on her website. "In 2013, my colleagues and I will deliver a legislative package designed to benefit every citizen of Fulton County by lowering taxes and enhancing service delivery."
Riley, who lives in Johsn Creek, told Patch that this year is significant in that it's the first time the Fulton delegation will have a Republican majority, and that her election as chair will enable the delegation to move legislation through that is important to North Fulton constituents.
She said so far the delegation has adopted goals to better the lives of every Fulton citizen:
- Reduce taxes
- Provide better service delivery
- Provide better representation
Riley has also been named to the Natural Resources & Environment, Retirement, and Ways & Means committees, as well as MARTOC.
Locally, Riley serves as treasurer of the Johns Creek Foundation, which works to support non-profits supporting the community. She was elected state representative in 2010 after serving on the Fulton County Commission since 2004. She played a key role in working with the North Fulton House Delegation in creating the new cities of Johns Creek, Sandy Springs and Milton in 2007.
Last year, Riley served as a delegate at the Republican National Convention.


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Most long-distance runs are a bit risky, but organizers for what is being billed as the first ever adult-themed mud run expect it to be risque as well.
The inaugural adult-themed X-Rated Run will be held May 31 on the Historic Virginia Key Beach. The event was created to promote sexual positivity and healthy living, and encourages both novice and experienced runners to take part.
"The X-Rated Run celebrates physical fitness and sexual health, and I am elated to find a location that recognizes the value of our event," organizer and founder Kelly Perez said. "Since its establishment, The historic Virginia Key Beach Park has been a progressive monumental site in Florida's history. We are pleased to have the inaugural X-Rated Run at this culturally relevant, tropical paradise."
The X-Rated Run is an untimed run that is adult-themed, but no nudity is allowed. The race includes a 5K obstacle course and a mud run for men and women as well as adult-themed exhibitons. The X-Rated Run can accommodate 4,800 participants. All participants must be 18 or older.
"Competitors can enter on their own, as a pair, or as a team. Just make sure you're over 18!," Perez added. "This event has been organized with fitness and fun in mind, but most importantly, we are encouraging a positive attitude towards sex and a healthy lifestyle. As well as being physically challenging, competitors will learn sexy new ways to keep fit with our pole dancing and burlesque demonstrations. They may even take away some great ideas for the bedroom from some of our adult-themed exhibitors."
For more information visit: www.xratedrun.com
Charity run
Before sunrise Sunday, Virginia Key Beach will fill with thousands of runners, walkers and spectators for the Carnaval Run Miami 8K and 5K.
The fun run and walk, which is open to people of all ages and abilities, will benefit the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana and the the Children's Cancer Caring Center.A "Kiddie Dash" will be held after the race for children ages two and older.
The Children's Cancer Center is a non-profit organization that raises funds to help children with cancer.
Registration for the 5K and 8K runs is $35 and $40, respectively. The kids run is $10.
Half marathon
Registration is open for the 2014 Michelob Ultra Miami Beach 13.1 Half-Marathon, presented by Life Time on March 2. The half-marathon begins 6 a.m. at Ocean Drive and 13th Street. Nearly 3,000 runners and walkers are expected to participate in the half-marathong and accompanying Life Time Fitness 5K race.
If you would like you have your event showcased in the Miami Herald, please email Corey W. Campbell at firstname.lastname@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Vermont Law School teacher named new judgeStaff Report | November 20,2012MONTPELIER Vermont Law School adjunct professor Kevin Griffin, of Norwich, will serve as a Superior Court judge assigned to Chittenden County.
Gov. Peter Shumlin announced the appointment Monday.
Kevins extensive litigation background in family and criminal law, as well as his 15 years on the local school board and other civic contributions, ensure he brings broad experience to the court, Shumlin said in a statement. His intelligence, compassion and firm sense of fairness will make him a strong addition to the judiciary.
Griffin has owned the White River Junction-based law firm Griffin, Marsicovetere & Wilkes, PC since 1993. His practice has involved criminal defense, including work as a public defender on serious felonies, family law and some general civil litigation.
He was a clerk to Justice William Hill of the Vermont Supreme Court.
He has been an adjunct professor at Vermont Law School since 1986 and has taught courses related to trial practice and criminal law and procedure.
In addition to serving on legal committees, Griffin served on the Ottauquechee Health Center board in the mid-1990s and is a board member of the Hartford Dismas House.MORE IN This Just InA Rutland judge has denied Christopher Sullivan's motion to exclude an expert's testimony from... Full StoryMayor Christopher Louras endorsed Rutland County State's Attorney candidate Rose Kennedy Monday. Full StoryCaramelized leeks bring flavor to mashed to potatoes. Full Story
- Most Popular
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- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 1776, as Nathan Hale is hanged by British military authorities for spying, he utters his famous last words — or does he? In 1975, Sara Jane Moore attempts to kill President Gerald R. Ford in San Francisco.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: Patrick McArdle reports and the theft of an $89,000 shotgun, police release a video of the Monday Castleton robbery, O'Gorman reports a lawsuit by a local man claiming his vehicle unlawfully seized, police leave him in cold.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: Giles Corey of Salem, Mass., is pressed to death during the Salem witch trials; on this day in 1952, film comedian Charlie Chaplin, while traveling to England, is denied re-entry into the United States by U.S. attorney general.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: Dutch father of microbiology Antonie van Leeuwenhoek discovers the existence of one-celled organisms; in 1967, The Doors are booked to play the Ed Sullivan show; in 1858, freedom fighter Dred Scott dies on this day in St. Louis.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: No money this year for western rail project, Lola Aiken memorialized in Montpelier, Supreme Court Castleton murder suspect will remain in jail, Shaftbury man fires shots from his AK-47 into neighbor's home.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 1959, Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev arrives in U.S. for historic 13-day visit; in 1987, Secretary of State George Shultz and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze sign nuclear reduction agreement.


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The life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were celebrated at the annual MLK Day program at the Tracy Community Center. Black Student Union members from Tracy and West highs sponsored the annual event.
A 3½-acre park on Lankershire Drive in west Tracy was dedicated in the name of former Mayor Richard O. Hastie.
Enrollment in Tracy Unified School District has increased in the past decade (1991-2001) from 8,243 to 14,515.
Plans for an Old River Park on an island north of Tracy are being met with opposition from area farmers, who fear the impact of public access.
The city of Tracy is seeking federal funds to help with reconstruction of MacArthur Drive between 11th Street and Schulte Road.
Funeral services have been held for Helen E. Strunk, 83, a retired teacher at Jefferson School.
West High's girls basketball team is ranked first in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II standings after defeating crosstown rival Tracy, 71-52.
25 years ago — 1987
Carol Schubert, a partner in Old River Veterinary Clinic, has been appointed to the City Council to complete the unexpired term of Don Simpson who resigned when he moved out of the city limits.
Janine Bonin scored 12 points to lead the Tracy High girls' basketball team to a 30-28 win over Edison of Stockton.
A mess hall at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego has been named for Marine Cpl. Richard Duncan of Tracy, who was killed in action in Vietnam in 1967. He was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously.
About 400 people attended the Tracy Family Concert of the Stockton Symphony in Tracy Community Center.
50 years ago — 1962
The city planning commission has approved the development of Alex Spanos' Delta Shopping Center at the southwest corner of Tracy Boulevard and Grant Line Road. Planners rejected another shopping center farther east on the north side of Grant Line Road.
Louis Villolovoz has been elected president of the Tracy Guadalupe Credit Union. He succeeds Arcadio Adame in the post.
Three-bedroom homes in the new Cabrillo Park subdivision north of Grant Line Road are selling at prices ranging from $12,700 to $15,150.
The late Rev. Thomas Fleming, former pastor of St. Bernard's Catholic Church, left $34,000 in his will to the local parish.
Earle Williams has been elected to the board of Tracy Community Memorial Hospital.
75 years ago — 1937
A ruling by the state attorney general ruled Tracy's so-called "vending machine ordinance" illegal. The ordinance, which the City Council viewed as a systematic means of collecting fees for slot machines, was disallowed because it taxed illegal activity.
The flu bug has hit Tracy-area schools. Many classes are half empty, and Jefferson School was closed.
100 years ago — 1911
E.F. Rinehart has been appointed the city's night watchman, charged with guarding against burglaries of local businesses.
The Tracy Post Office is moving to the Arlington Opera House building on East Front (Sixth) Street.
The Southern Pacific has donated a carload of gravel to be spread over Tracy streets.
• Tracy Press archives


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talk about anything
Most likely a Taurus and Scorpio coming in a close second because Taurus is very very cautious and will take any precaution in order not to get caught. Their motto is "better safe than sorry" and they are also friendly too so, no one suspects the friendly people…
Scorpio is better at hiding things and keeping things a secret.. but they may become too careless especially when they get too cocky.
The reality is that so-called pro-life movement is not about saving babies. It's about punishing women for having sex. That's why they oppose birth control. That's why they want to ban abortion even though doing so will simply drive women to have dangerous back alley abortions. That's why they want to penalize women who take public assistance and then dare to have sex, leaving an exemption for those who become pregnant from rape. It's not about babies. If it were about babies, they would be making access to birth control widespread and free and creating a comprehensive social safety net so that no woman finds herself with a pregnancy she can't afford. They would be raising money for research on why half of all zygotes fail to implant and working to prevent miscarriages. It's not about babies. It's about controlling women. It's about making sure they have consequences for having unapproved sex.
How I Lost Faith in the "Pro-Life" Movement
This is an amazingly powerful, clear and well-researched article that exposes how the "pro-life" movement is anything but.
(via bagleworm)
(via firstenchanters)


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Drugs are grouped into three classes based on how harmful they are to your health. Class A drugs are the most harmful, with Class C drugs being less so. However, the drugs in all three classes are considered dangerous and addictive.
Cannabis has recently been upgraded from a Class C to Class B drug. Reclassification normally happens in light of new medical research.
Remember that all drugs are illegal, even Class C drugs like GHB and ketamine.
Selling drugsonto other people, or carrying a small amount of drugs in your pocket, are criminal offences and it's likely that the police will get involved. If you're found guilty of any of these offences, you may face a fine or time in prison. Class A drugs carry the most severe sentences.
|Class A
|Ecstasy, LSD, heroin, cocaine, crack, magic mushrooms, amphetamines (if prepared for injection).
|Up to seven years in prison or an unlimited fine or both.
|Up to life in prison or an unlimited fine or both.
|Class B
|Amphetamines, Cannabis, Methylphenidate (Ritalin), Pholcodine.
|Up to five years in prison or an unlimited fine or both.
|Up to 14 years in prison or an unlimited fine or both.
|Class C
|Tranquilisers, some painkillers, Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), Ketamine
|Up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine or both.
|Up to 14 years in prison or an unlimited fine or both.
People don't start taking drugs with the intention of getting addicted, but many drugs contain substances that can lead to addiction.
Everyone has their own reasons for experimenting with drugs, but here are a few common reasons why people start using:
If you start to use drugs on a regular basis, or if you become dependent on them, it can affect your family and friends as well as having a serious impact on your own physical and mental well-being. If you're worried that you're becoming addicted to a substance there are local services in Sheffield that can help and support you. (See Advice & Support with Drugs below)
In some cases, drug overdoses can be fatal. You can even die instantly from misusing drugs that you can buy over the counter – this includes things like aerosols, glues and other solvents.
Class A drugs, including heroin, cocaine, crack, LSD and ecstasy can be highly addictive and can cause serious problems with anxiety, paranoia, heart problems or convulsions (muscle spasms).
As many drugs can affect your co-ordination it is also illegal to drive or operate machinery whilst under the influence of drugs (even some prescription ones).
Here are some other common risks associated with drug use:
• Drugs sold by a dealer may not be pure. They can be mixed with a range of different substances including kitchen scourer, bleach, talcum powder and other harmful/toxic chemicals.
• You can never be completely sure of what effect a drug may have on you.
• Sharing syringes, needles and other injecting equipment carries a serious risk of passing infections such as hepatitis and HIV.
• Injecting can damage veins and cause abscesses and thrombosis.
• Using any types of drug can affect your decision making and lead to you taking more risks with your personal safety or sexual health.
All services are free:
The Corner
Sheffield's young people's drug and alcohol service
Tel: 0114 2752051
The Corner
91-93 Division Street
Turning Point Adult Treatment Services
Advice, information and help for people who use drugs.
Tel: 0114 275 5973
Turning Point website
Breakthrough Sheffield – Multi-ethnic drugs service
Support, counselling, education and information for drugs users from Black or Minority ethnic communities.
Tel: 0114 249 3700


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The three tracks included with this post were all recorded in 1993 in 147. When the recording gear arrived it included basically a few mics, an 8-track desk and a reel to reel 1/4' tape machine. Absolutely no fancy stuff. I will try later to get Marc to fill in some of this kind of techie detail.
The gear was set up in a room upstairs initially. The setup in the basement came later. In fact I doubt either myself or Marc were even aware that there was actually a basement in 147 at that point. I wasn't living there yet at this stage. Through the 'Crush' club I had gotten to meet, as i've described below, quite a few of the bands of the time. As the club thing was going on the other Eamonn was involved in getting together recording gear with an acquaintance of his with the idea of setting up a recording studio in the building. I can't remember what their intentions were - but I suggested that some of the bands I was coming across and asking to play across the road in Fibbers might be interested in recording demo tapes.
Sometime around then Marc Carolan showed up at one of the gigs. We went back a long way - to childhood in fact - as his family lived up the road from where I was brought up in the countryside outside Dundalk. I hardly knew him at that stage because I had been good friends with his older brother rather than him as a youth. I had picked up my friendship with Joe again since we had re-encountered each other after we graduated from two different colleges. Marc had just been Joe's kid brother to me - except for one important detail. When they were kids - Joe around 15 years old or so and Marc something like 11 years old - they had gone through a spate of recording what I can only describe as a series of lo-fi albums on basic cassette recorders. 'The Hot Petunia Corporation' was their unforgettable moniker. Their family had a lot of musical instruments lying around - and while Joe was the songwriter - Marc at a very early age was great on all the instruments he could get his hands on.
Joe was knocking out these tapes and handing them to me regularly for a period of maybe three months. As far as I know they're all lost. Joe was quite strongly under the influence of the endless stream of Fall albums which I listened to obsessively between the ages of 16 and 18 when they undertook this kind of stuff.
After myself and Joe went off to college Marc continued to play music and somewhere along the way got himself a 4-track. I wasn't paying that much attention at the time but sometime after hooking up again with Joe after we had finished college - I noted a 4-track and a drumkit in the Attic where Joe and Marc hung out in their house. Marc could record and did a lot of it according to Joe. I didn't hear any of this stuff he was recording but remembered these basic facts when I met Marc in 'Crush' in 1993.
Again the details are blurry in my mind but I remember telling him about the fact that recording gear had arrived in 147 and asking him if he thought he could record bands like those at the club with it. He said he could, despite the fact that he'd only ever used a 4-track up to that point, and it was completely obvious that he was into doing so. He was very young at this point. I think he was like 17 but will have to check this detail with him.
Between me, him and the other Eamonn we hatched a scheme to see what could be done in terms of recording with the gear that was there. It's worth remembering that there were very few mics in 147 at this point. Like maybe 4/5. I knew the line-ups of various bands and thought it logical that we get Marc to record Pincher Martin first as they had a drum machine which could plug straight into the desk. Marc could concentrate on instruments and vocals without having to attempt miking up a drumkit. I guess I talked to the band and offered them the opportunity to do some free recording. They must have played at 'Crush' at some point before that because I knew them and also knew one of their songs - 'Amaze'.
The first demo came out really well. I can vaguely remember Marc and Derek from Pincher Martin having fun with unconventionally produced guitar sounds and messing with the drum machine. That's about all I can remember. I do remember the tape. An image of the cover which we knocked up for it is included below. I listened to an archived version in the last week or so and remembered all of the songs on it very clearly. I found that version, from which I've posted two songs, on the DIY Irish Hardcore Punk Archive which is linked to on the related projects page here. I reckon that the demo was mastered onto cassette from the desk as there was no DAT machine in the ad-hoc studio at the time.
After that we decided to continue with a band with a drumkit. It was clear that Marc had done a really good job on the Pincher Martin tape. Not only that but the band had taken to him and there was little fuss during the quite productive session. Wormhole had, of all the bands that had played in 'Crush' made the biggest initial impression on me and they were picked as the next guinea pigs. I can't remember how many songs they recorded with Marc. I have no memory of the session whatsoever tbh. I think it was two songs. One of them was '44 Bulldog' and the other (I think and will have to check) was an instrumental called 'Collide'. Again the tape sounded really well despite the fact that Marc was operating with very limited equipment.
One very clear memory I do have from the period immediately after the session is myself and the other Eamonn sitting in his room on the top floor of 147 listening to 44 Bulldog over and over. It was simply a great catchy song in which the band sounded relaxed, confident, arty, sardonic and rocking all at the same time. It didn't sound like a demo. It was a song about a handgun sung from the point of view of a person sitting in a car being shot by said gun. It didn't sound like a band finding their feet. It was absolutely clear from it that Dave had a real 'rock' voice and that Graham was shockingly fluent on lead for someone who was only 15 or 16 at the time.
Wormhole must have given us at least one of the two 4-track demos they had recorded in the year before that (with Johnny) around the time of the session. I can also remember myself and Eamonn listening to a substantial amount of their material and articulating to each other that this was a jewel of a band. We knew as well by then that they were fun to be around. I reckon that the plotting to do something in terms of a record label began pretty much around that point. Again I'm going to have to do some research before I post properly on that.
A remixed version of the '44 Bulldog' that was recorded in that initial session with Marc, with nothing added other than a some intermittent tones from the 8 track desk and a simple synth overdub, was to become the 14th track on Wormhole's debut album and Dead Elvis' first release - 'Chicks Dig Scars'. The album version with those overdubs is also included in this post.


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Monday morning
Monday morning started bright and very early with a session on digitization projects. Joyce Rappaport from YIVO began by walking us through the process of editing the 2 v. Encylopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe and how it grew and transformed into a website. She spoke of the challenges that all we catalogers can relate to: standardizing the spelling of personal names; figuring how to refer to places that have changed names and national boundaries, multiple language submissions, and multiple author entries. Joyce also mentioned the lively discussions that determined the boundaries of "East Europe" (for their purposes; east of Germany, north of the Balkins) and the time period covered. It was very important to YIVO that this NOT be a Yizkor book, but rather a celebration of Jewish thought, life, customs, arts, biography, life cycle celebrations, political involvement and much more from medieval times to the near current day.
Transforming the paper volumes into web pages allowed them to add many more color pictures, interactive maps, multi-media, and to keep the articles current. There is a tab for educators and researchers with lesson plans and curricula. I was surprised and thrilled to hear that the online version is free and open to anyone. YIVO is understandably proud that they are the first to post a major reference source online that is open access.
The next speaker was just as exciting. Rebecca Jefferson spoke about digitizing one of the quirkier collections at the Price Library of Judaica at the University of Florida. The collect anniversary issues of journals and newspapers and festschriften of all kinds. The show a fascinating glimpse at what the editors thought were the important milestones for the Jewish community at that time. They also include ads and notes of congratulations from individuals, businesses, and organizations which show the make up of the community.
The last speaker of the session, Rachel Boertjens, spoke about the Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana's project to digitize the correspondance between the "Pekidim & Amarkalim," a philanthropic organization, and the individuals and yeshivot that wrote to them asking from money from the early to late 1800's.
The next session was a sort of catch-all on Israeli life and culture. Anna Levia gave a surprisingly interesting and engaging talk about sewage. Yes, I said sewage. As part of a large collection on Tel Aviv that the University of Stanford acquired, was a collection of correspondence to the municipality on the subject of waste processing and removal in pre-state Palestine. While not the most appetizing of subjects, this topic is of obvious importance to anyone studying the development of a city.
The next speaker might have started with the immortal words of Monty Python "And now for something completely different" Daniel Scheide and Sharon Benamou gave a whirlwind tour of Israeli hip-hop, rap, and other related genre's. They demonstrated (by showing videos - not by singing) how rap is used by both religious and secular Israelis as well as among many of the different ethnic groups in Israel. Some use it to show their differences while others to make a case for toleration and understanding.
Yaffa Weisman then took us in yet another direction by examining the book and television series HaSaMBaH, the Hebrew acronym for the Extreme secret Gang. This series showed a group of Israeli teens working together to solve crimes and nab the bad guys. The teens represented many politicals, economic, and social classes within Israel. She spoke about how the series was used to indoctrinate Israelis on the values of equality and cooperation. The books were revived and reprinted several times and were made into tv series. You could definitely tell who the Israeli's were in the audience by how much they were nodding in memory of the characters.
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The "Quality Counts" report issued each year by Education Week is considered a fair and comprehensive assessment of state efforts in education, so we have to applaud Georgia's 7th place ranking.
Georgia earned a grade of B- or 79.7.
It is a nice change to view a color-coded map of the United States and see Georgia sharing a hue with Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey — three states known for their commitment to and their investment in education.
Georgia earns its highest marks for its standards — which I have to note were put in place under Kathy Cox, who often takes the rap for the math program. Georgia gets an A- for both its standards and school accountability. Under a category called "Transitions and Alignment," it earns a bona fide A for early childhood education and economy and workforce.
However, Georgia gets an F in its most public of duties — status of k-12 achievement. The state also gets a D- for its spending.
The disparity in our grades raises questions: We have standards that are held up as among the nation's best by an objective and respected source, yet we have achievement results that are ranked among the nation's worst. Why?
Where is the disconnect? What are we doing wrong?
Here is the state DOE release:
Georgia ranks 7th in the nation for overall education quality, according to an Education Week report released today. The annual "Quality Counts" report is an investigation of key education outcomes that provides ranks and grades for each state based on their commitment to improve educational policies and practices. This year's report gave Georgia a grade of B-. Last year, Georgia ranked 8th among all states.
"We are very pleased with the overall marks that Education Week gave Georgia for its commitment to education," said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge. "While there is still plenty of work to do to improve education in Georgia, it's good to see others recognizing some of the improvements that are happening in our state through the extraordinary work of our students, teachers, and leaders."
Highlights from the Education Week Report
Areas of Continual Strengths
Ranking 6th and earning a letter grade of B+, Georgia remains a national example of best practices in the area of Transition and Alignment (which addresses the articulations between early childhood education, K-12 education, and postsecondary institutions). Additionally, Georgia remained in the top 10 of all states for the second straight year in the development of a rigorous and appropriate accountability system for teachers, along with providing teachers with incentives for certification and performance and enhancing building-level capacity and support. Finally, Georgia received an A- for our Standards, Assessment, and Accountability policies and programs. Georgia is only one of ten states to have alignment between standards and assessment in the area of Social Studies and is a national leader in portfolio assessments for students.
Areas of Growth
Using the metrics within the "Quality Counts" survey, Georgia saw tremendous growth in a number of student achievement indicators during the 2010-2011 year. In particular, Georgia experienced the 4th largest reduction in the 8th Grade Poverty Gap Closure in mathematics. Additionally, Georgia had the 6th largest scale score gains on the NAEP assessment for 4th grade Reading. Finally, Georgia ranked 4th in the Change in AP Scores category which examines the change in high scores per 100 students between 2000 and 2010. Georgia also ranked 9th in the scores of 3 or higher for each 100 students on the AP tests, cementing Georgia's reputation as a national leader in AP testing and AP achievement.
Interesting Findings
Despite the high ranking, Georgia ranks 24th in the overall School Finance Analysis and 38th in the adjustment per-pupil expenditures. This illustrates that while Georgia may not rank highly in the amount it spends per child, our education leaders and teachers are doing an extremely effective job at content delivery and ensuring students have the tools to succeed.
"This report demonstrates that improving education for Georgia's students is more than evaluating a single test score," said Superintendent Barge. "We will continue to focus on raising the quality of education so our students are ultimately prepared for college and careers."
And here is what Ed Week itself released about its report:
Against this backdrop, the nation and many states face continuing challenges in delivering a high-quality education to all students, according to Quality Counts, the annual report card published by Education Week. The nation receives a C when graded across the six distinct areas of policy and performance tracked by the report, the most comprehensive ongoing assessment of the state of American education. For the fourth year in a row, Maryland earns honors as the top-ranked state, posting the nation's highest overall grade, a B-plus. Perennial strong finishers Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia follow close behind, each receiving a B. Nearly half the states, however, receive grades of C or lower.
"Dating back at least to the Sputnik era and the Space Race, we've been warned that America's schools do not measure up favorably on an international yardstick," said Christopher B. Swanson, Vice President of Editorial Projects in Education, the nonprofit organization that publishes Education Week. "Despite some bright spots over the years, Americans remain rightly concerned that the nation's pace of improvement is simply too slow, at a time when our global peers and competitors may be rocketing ahead."
New findings from the report's annual Chance-for-Success Index show the country struggling to provide opportunities to succeed and many states lagging far behind the national leaders. The U.S. as a whole receives a C-plus on the index. For the fifth year running, Massachusetts earns the only A and remains at the top of the national rankings, followed closely by New Hampshire and New Jersey, each posting grades of A-minus.
On the report's K-12 Achievement Index, which evaluates overall public school performance, the nation again posts lackluster results, with the average state receiving a C-minus. Massachusetts earns a B and emerges as the top-achieving state this year, with New Jersey and Maryland finishing second and third, respectively. A wide gulf separates the leaders from the rest of the pack; three states—Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia—and the District of Columbia receive grades of F on the index.
States post their highest scores for policies related to standards, assessments, and school accountability. The nation earns a B in this year's report, with 12 states—led by Indiana—receiving an A and nine with an A-minus. This strong showing reflects the legacies of standards-based reforms dating back to the 1990s, the decade-old No Child Left Behind Act, and, more recently, stimulus-era programs and the common-standards movement.
Quality Counts 2012 also features new results for its Teaching Profession category, where the U.S. earns a C. Arkansas and South Carolina each earn a B-plus, the highest grade awarded this year. Scores for the nation and most states have dropped in the past two years, partly due to the economic impacts of the recession. However, the EPE Research Center's Pay-Parity Index shows that the national pay gap between teachers and other comparable workers has narrowed. Teachers now earn about 94 cents for every dollar earned in similar occupations nationwide.
Quality Counts 2012: The Global Challenge—Education in a Competitive World takes a critical look at the nation's place among the world's public education systems, with an eye toward providing policymakers with perspective on effective reform strategies here and abroad that have gained traction and may be replicable. The report also features commentaries penned by educational leaders from around the globe—Byong-man Ahn of South Korea, England's Sir Michael Barber, Pasi Sahlberg sharing Finland's lessons, and Margaret Spellings from the United States.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
January 12th, 2012
10:40 am
I think this is one for The Great Myth De-bunker. The article starts out talking about an Election Year. Then we look at the Georgia results on the state chart which are touted as keeping company with certain states but then we look at Florida which scored 3 tenths of 1 % lower than Georgia and they fall out of grace with the Blue colored states. I think the most telling stat would be Adult Outcomes. Oh, and that wonderful Kathy Cox!
Reading the commentary I was sort of lead to believe that NCLB may have worked. Could this possibly be? ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Nah!
January 12th, 2012
10:41 am
"Georgia earns its highest marks for its standards — which I have to note were put in place under Kathy Cox, who often takes the rap for the math program."
The same Kathy Cox who jumped up and down on the podium, in rapture about how well Georgia's third graders were reading; until YOUR very paper COMPELLED her (since she wouldn't divulge the info voluntarily") to release cut scores so ridiculously low Terry Shiavo could have passed that CRCT?
You mean THAT Kathy Cox?
January 12th, 2012
10:43 am
"Georgia earns its highest marks for its standards — which I have to note were put in place under Kathy Cox, who often takes the rap for the math program."
You mean the Kathy Cox who, after THE largest cheating scandal in United States educational history came out, CONTINUED to call Beverly Hall "her good friend".
You mean THAT Kathy Cox?
January 12th, 2012
11:06 am
[...] rankingKyForward.comKentucky rises 20 spots in national education rankingLouisville Courier-JournalAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog) -WLWT Cincinnati -Arkansas Newsall 53 news [...]
January 12th, 2012
11:24 am
Heaven help us all if Georgia schools are truly #7. If we're #7, what is going on in #25? This ranking does nothing but send a message to the state BOE that they are doing things well, when, in reality, the student achievement is really the only thing that matters. This ranking should be a weighted average, with student achievement having most of the weight.
January 12th, 2012
11:27 am
Looks like cheating does pay off after all.
January 12th, 2012
11:52 am
I think that we all need to realize that the media is happy to share repeatedly the negative and sensational side of education and RARELY shows the positive side. There really are good things happening here.
It is interesting that Georgia is not ranked well in financing education. However, it is not shocking. You put your money where your mouth is, so I guess Georgia really does not feel that education is so important….
January 12th, 2012
12:11 pm
Maureen, while you are there please ascertain why there are so many candidates to the colleges. And please add a post about what you hear today. I'm very interested….Thanks!
January 12th, 2012
12:12 pm
"However, Georgia gets an F in its most public of duties — k-12 achievement…"
Oh yeah, that.
The linens were starched and pressed, the china was spotless, the silverware polished, the band was wonderful and the food fabulous. The passengers on the Titanic were having a wonderful voyage….
It is said that Enron had great policies and procedures….
At some point, you have to perform.
January 12th, 2012
12:27 pm
Methinks your lauding the Edweek data would have brought one of those long conversations with Jerry Bracey . There are some interesting discussions that could be had about the meaningfulness of their criteria, not to mention the accuracy of the data. On the other hand, that's the case with just about every attempt to measure anything so complex as education, and they've been trying for a long time. I suspect the Edweek ratings have far less value than is attributed to them, but they're not valueless.
While I'm here, I'll throw in my take on "standards" yet again – they are GREAT when you're assembling cars on an assembly line. You want the door to fit next to the fender within a certain number of millimeters on EVERY car. Standards for kids begets you nothing but minimum competencies. As someone pointed out above, the "standard" for 3rd grade reading back then was probably in the neighborhood of the 6th percentile if compared to a national norm. If as a parent you're worried about whether your child might make it into high school before dropping out maybe that's good news, but if your aspirations for your child are even on the order of his or her successfully completing high school much less even a 2-year postsecondary degree, that doesn't help you much.
Value-added and minimum competency standards are, by the way, incompatible. If you want to measure growth, you have to measure the full range of performance, not just the little band around the 6th percentile. One could set standards for growth, but if you only demand some minimum you punish the high performers yet again (by forcing schools to ignore them as they must now under NCLB), and, by the way, according to the research to which Bracey was referring in the 9 Myths, such measures will also become corrupted to the point of meaninglessness a la the cheating scandal.
I look forward to your news from the meeting on Finnish education, Maureen. Are we like the Finns? Not much. Could we learn much from them? I have no doubt. Will we? That's a different question.
January 12th, 2012
12:34 pm
So are these scores weighted with or without the cheating scandal?
January 12th, 2012
12:36 pm
"I have to run as I am listening to a fascinating panel on why Finnish schools are so good. One key factor: There are 10 times more applicants for education degree programs than there are spots in the Finnish colleges of education."
Maybe a Finnish teacher knows that if a Finnish student says "Shut the F**K up, B*tch!" the response is hold the STUDENT accountable for his behavior, and not blame the teacher for not "engaging" him enough, and thus it's HER fault.
I'm sure that's not the ONLY thing, but when will this country realize if you want to attract good teachers, you attract them with good teaching CONDITIONS.
January 12th, 2012
12:39 pm
Teaching only to the test and the manipulation of enrollment and absentee numbers can do much for a headline or sound byte.
January 12th, 2012
12:39 pm
"However, Georgia gets an F in its most public of duties — k-12 achievement…"
Other that THAT, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?
Why Mrs. Lincoln, I'm SHOCKED at your harsh assessment; don't you realize the play was rated SEVENTH in the United States?
January 12th, 2012
12:41 pm
"We have standards that are held up as among the nation's best by an objective and respected source, yet we have achievement results that are ranked among the nation's worst. Why? Where is the disconnect? What are we doing wrong?"
Answer: We aren't holding kids accountable to meet the standards. The standards are fine. But how many students who fail simple accountability measures (CRCT, EOCT) are actually held back? Not nearly enough. And lets face it, too many undeserved B's are given away in the name of "HOPE." Most of these 3.0 students are *not* college ready, thus they must take remedial classes.
So the answers are staring us in the face. Grade harder. Add rigor. End social promotion. Hold students accountable to learn. And perhaps make another path for those not seeking to go to college instead of watering down our expectations for everyone.
January 12th, 2012
12:44 pm
Comparing states' achievements without breaking it down by demographics is pointless. This article is very illustrative of this point: http://content.hks.harvard.edu/savingschools/are-wisconsin-schools-better-than-those-in-texas/ .
January 12th, 2012
12:45 pm
Oh, and, btw, when broken down demographically, Texas students perform better than those in Wisconsin, especially minority students!
January 12th, 2012
12:46 pm
Were the test scores from the schools that cheated removed from Georgia's calculation before the states were raked?
January 12th, 2012
12:50 pm
Maureen, Maureen, Maureen,
Do you not read your own articles? You just put up the ten myths in education, and you don't even see how that applies here? That's just sad. Q: Who set up the standards? A: The bureaucrats under the direction of the legislature that is trying to destroy public education. Yes, the same bureaucrats who try to keep public education going in spite of the politicians rigorous attempts. Now the results of the Gawd-awful tests can be attributed to the myth about school success depending on who, hum? WHO??!! MAUREEN, WAKE UP! Yes, I'm talking to you…What's the answer to the question? Of course you don't know it — YOU WERE ASLEEP!! Get your head up off the desk and pay attention! I'll give you a hint. Reread myths of education number two. Bring a paper to school tomorrow, signed by your mother, saying you won't sleep in class again… yes, I know you'll get one of your friends to sign it. Make sure they don't sign it "Mommy."
Your second assignment is to go back through the archives and find the quote by Gov. Lester Maddox on the state of prisons in Georgia. Apply that quote to the state of the schools, and you will have your answer. Miracles don't happen anymore… I'm not sure they ever did. Miracles occur because of the hard work of people who labor in the dark with little appreciation. Just because you don't see it happening is no sign that it didn't happen.
January 12th, 2012
1:02 pm
The problem with Georgia education is in its historical reference. Erskine Caldwell pretty well defined the cultural ruralality of education in Tobacco Road. There was no need for education, everyone gone along just fine. Had a little patch for a garden, pick a little tobacco, get a little credit at the country store. If the roof leaked mve the furniture into another room. I see that attitude carrying forth today. Have to recognize, not everyone is seeking an education. A lot just want to get out and spend the day picking this and that like the old plantATions.Now the pay is over $100.00 a day.
January 12th, 2012
1:03 pm
"…so we have to applaud Georgia's 7th place ranking."
Might mean nothing more than we've gotten better at test cheating.
January 12th, 2012
1:09 pm
@Scott….I agree wholeheartedly, 3.0 is to easy to come by. When I was in high-school to be eligble for any type of scholarship, one had to have at a 3.5 or B+. Last time I check 79.7 was not a B- but a C+. Colleges and Universities aren't meant for every graduating senior, especially when they do not have the apptitude or fortitude to become serious students. As long as mediocrity and social promotion are held in high esteem this will continue. If remedial education is to be continued, let it be done at a junior college or vocational institution.
January 12th, 2012
1:16 pm
ohhhh. up there with NY & Mass, the liberal heartland.
anything putting us up with "them" must be good.
my ass.
January 12th, 2012
1:54 pm
@Elephant, good link. Funny though, in every single case, the white kids outperformed the minorties, but nobody wants to talk about "ability".
January 12th, 2012
2:00 pm
I know it's hard for you guys to believe, but some of us are running good schools that do good work. There are several things our state has done right in the last 10 years despite every politician's efforts to undermine the public schools.
January 12th, 2012
2:05 pm
Maureen Downey@11;15 a.m.
"I believe we need to be asking are: We have standards that are held up as among the nation's best by an objective and respected source, yet we have achievement results that are ranked among the nation's worst. Why? Where is the disconnect? What are we doing wrong?"
All students do not master curriculum concepts at the same rate. This is the result of many factors.
-Some students have higher IQs than others.
-Some have dysfunctional family environments which may cause an inability to focus.
-Some have learning disabilities.
-Some have mental illness or emotional problems.
-Some have physical impairments.
-Generational poverty can effect the ability of some students to learn.
Students cannot master concepts unless they are taught on their correct instructional levels. The state's curriculum requirements – although excellent in the ideal – do not address the myriad instructional levels of students within each grade level. Instead, a one-size-fits-all grade level excellent curriculum has been required of all students, irrespective of their varying functioning levels. This dichotomy has caused massive numbers of students, in Georgia, to fail grade level curriculum content. Eventually, students who are taught on their frustration levels will drop out of school.
Mastery learning requires that each student be taught on his or her precise instructional level, whatever his or her grade level. It also requires that each students be advanced through the curriculum continuum at a rate commensurate with his or her ability to actually master each concept within that continuum.
To be more specific, if a given student's IQ is 90 and another student's IQ is 140, they will never be able to learn the same grade level curriculum at the same rate although each can achieve mastery of the same curriculum, if their rates of learning are individually adjusted. When, however, ALL students are required to advance through grade level curriculum – at the SAME rate – some students will find themselves falling further and further behind others. (This example of IQ variation is only one factor, of many, which necessitates a variable learning rate for each student.) To achieve mastery of statewide curriculum for all students, educational leaders, and parents, must work together to ensure that mastery learning is occurring for each student throughout his or her educational career.
One reason many students have failed to master the state's science curriculum tests is because
their reading levels have not been adequate to handle the complex sentence structure, nor the specialized vocabulary, within either science curriculum tests or science grade level textbooks. Students' reading skills should be one focus of all teachers as they instruct their students – from kindergarten through twelfth grade
Targeting K – 3rd grade for instruction will help to offset many variables in children. However, precise instructional placement and rate of learning for each student – from kindergarten through high school -must continuously be addressed in order to ensure the academic success of each student in Georgia. That includes curriculum areas as varied as mathematics and language arts.
The recently developed state-of-art computer access of each student's standardized test scores (and developmental history) should help teachers pinpoint targeted individualized instruction for their students.
When I was in graduate school, I learned that there are 3 levels of learning:
Frustration, Instructional, Independent.
I learned that for any student to be successful in learning, he must continuously be taught on his Instructional level. Taught on his Frustration level, he will fail and give up. Taught on his Independent level, he will become bored and give up.
Instructional Level placement is the answer for success for each student.
Instructional Level must be identified through testing.
Instructional Level must be maintained by adjusting Pace/ Rate of Learning for each student.
January 12th, 2012
2:05 pm
The money issue is always interesting. Here in Georgia my experience in comparison with other states is that taxes and the cost of living are low. I enjoy that and I believe most state taxpayers do too including teachers and administrators. The only state I owned property in that had a lower tax rate than Georgia was North Dakota. My property tax bill was $388.00 a year for a 2,200 sq. ft. home. They scored an F in Early Childhood Development but came in 11% higher in Adult Outcomes than Georgia and 13% higher in Chance for Success. Under the Teaching Profession category they scored 13% lower than Georgia. So I understand this to mean they pay their teachers less, ignore early childhood development and somehow still produce a more successful, productive adult. Can that be?
January 12th, 2012
2:05 pm
Isnt' it a dubious honor to get a 7th place ranking for excellent standards but a failing mark to actually meet those standards?
That's like giving a gold medal to the person who says they plan to win the gold medal in the swimming competition but when they jump in the pool they drown because they can't swim.
January 12th, 2012
2:13 pm
Other than that how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?…B. Fraud dropping more gems. There are lies, damn lies and there are statistics. Georgia education is not what it should be but at least it's not what it used to be, I think. Any news in the positive is welcomed. One state must be setting the gold standard for education. Why is it then so difficult for other states to emulate that system?
January 12th, 2012
2:17 pm
I've seen a very interesting video on the Finnish educational system and comparing it to America's is like comparing apples to oranges. One of the most distinct differences is how teachers are valued in both countries. In Finland, teachers are very well paid and held in high esteem. They have a social status much the same as physicians. The culture demands a lot from them, but they are respected, trusted, and well compensated.
January 12th, 2012
2:18 pm
Maureen's comment is interesting: "…why Finnish schools are so good. One key factor: There are 10 times more applicants for education degree programs than there are spots in the Finnish colleges of education."
This points to the fact that many Finnish people want to be educators…or that there are simply too few education degree programs. We just don't know unless we have more information. Is it that there are plenty of educational programs but the profession of teacher is highly sought after and many people are clamoring to get in — in a fashion similar to American medical and veterinary schools? Or is it that there are so few education programs that there are simply too few spots?
What else is important — what is the average public education like for the average Finnish child?
Is it that Finland produces such a good public education for most that they have a wonderful pool of applicants from which to choose? More information would ceratinly be helpful.
I belive the general quality of teachers has decreased simply because there are more opportunities for women. In my mother's day, there were very few opportunities for women: teacher, nurse, secretary. Now women are near the top in many industries. All those intelligent and educated women don't want to go into teaching when they have more choices. The same is for nursing. Men are now entering the field in larger numbers because women have left the field to do other things.
Also, the profession of teacher is not highly regarded in our society. I think that is a tragedy. We worship the football coach and think little of the teaching profession.
There is a lot of interesting and important data to look at in regards to the successes and failure of our own educational system in the United States and we absolutely need to compare ourselves to other countries but it just doesn't seem to make the news much and politicians rarely care. If it doesn't make money, it gets pushed aside. We need to change that. Nothing is more important to democracy than an educated mass population.
January 12th, 2012
2:29 pm
The Finnish are not vastly superior to us when you compare scores demographically. They just have a mostly homogenous society (as does the aforementioned Massachusetts). It is just not PC to point out where our deficiencies lie: http://ezinearticles.com/?Student-Math-Scores-Broken-Down-By-Demographic-Tell-a-Different-Story&id=6503053
January 12th, 2012
2:43 pm
I think it's interesting that several posters are attributing Georgia's higher ranking to test scores received through cheating…but GA received an "F" in K-12 Achievement. Wouldn't that grade have been better if the cheating test scores had been included in achievement rankings?
January 12th, 2012
2:55 pm
As an Instructional Lead Teacher of an K – 8 model school for almost a decade, I monitored the progress of thousands students, in mathematics and reading, during their years in the school. I developed a chart for recording each student's developmental history so that I could make wise suggestions to teachers regarding each student's successful academic advancement. Today, that access is available through computer data systems throughout Georgia through Georgia's Department of Education. Teachers no longer have to take many hours to gather that information from each student's permanent folder, in main office vaults, as had been true for me, in my era.
Later, as a High School Reading Department Chair, I supervised the testing of all students in grades 9 – 11, yearly, for over a decade in order to help teachers better pinpoint instruction for their students. We tested thousands of students. In 9th grade, alone, the range of reading levels, each year, was, invariably, from grade level 4 to grade level 16, with half of the students testing on 6th grade reading level or below.
Many of my own reading students increased their verbal SAT scores by 150+ points.
I cannot emphasize, enough, based on my experiences above, how important the principles that I shared, in my 2:05 p.m. post on this thread, are to ensure that students' academic test results in Georgia become as excellent as Georgia's present curriculum standards are.
My principal, from whom I learned much regarding Mastery Learning, was the former Superintendent for Instruction for the school system in which I worked.
I hope anyone who is an educator, who reads this post, will share my 2:05 p.m. post with other educators. Even as a retired teacher, I continue to care that students throughout Georgia meet academic success, and I know that what I have shared in my 2:05 p.m. post will have positive impact to that end.
January 12th, 2012
3:07 pm
@sloboffthestreet, it is called demographics. Read my earlier posts.
January 12th, 2012
3:07 pm
I am confused. I have people in my neighborhood from NY and NJ and they don't strike me as uber-smart or educated. I know I am just a hick educated for the most part in Georgia including a couple of degrees from the flagship but I am just not impressed with the state of edumacation up there.
January 12th, 2012
3:44 pm
Fact: Georgia scored a C for effort and an F for results.
If you think you can contribute to the cure for what has been ailing this great state, please consider coming to the Black Conservative Summit at the state capitol on Thursday, 26 January at 11AM.
Most of you, if not all had valid points. The question is.. what are YOU going to do about it?
Please join us.
We endeavor to get it right.. non-partisan, non-union, pro student achievement.. particularly for minority Americans… by Americans.. parents and school parents who just might get it, where many career politicians have not.
Send your request for an Evite to firstname.lastname@example.com. When we have some results, we will post to the website.
Thank you.
January 12th, 2012
4:10 pm
Hi Mary Elizabeth, long time no see. Very good posts (as usual), you bring up some very basic points of logical thinking that are often ignored.
January 12th, 2012
4:11 pm
Gee Darryl, can white people come too?
January 12th, 2012
4:14 pm
"Standards for kids begets you nothing but minimum competencies."
No truer words
January 12th, 2012
4:38 pm
@Elephant in the room
You're such a smart elephant. You sure know big words too! Like "Demographics." You remind me of a guy I used to work with. He loved to say the word "Panacea." Everything was a panacea. I hope you aren't offended if I disobey you and decide not to "Read My Earlier Posts" as you have commanded. I never cared for mandatory reading.
I do think North Dakota is different than Georgia in some ways but it is not Finland by any means. My comment was about them doing more with less money. The biggest difference when speaking with educators in North Dakota is that their fist comment isn't about the low pay and furlough days. It is about your children's education. Perhaps Georgia teachers adopting this attitude would be our panacea for public education. Look ma, I used it in a sentence. Extra credit please?
Pluto, every state has their hillbillies, ghettos and white trash slums. Then there are average people who live average lives. You may not like the way they talk and they may not like the way you talk. One thing that may broaden your view of people from different parts of our country would be to travel and visit. Give it a try. Perhaps you will come across some flagship educated Yankees and come to the realization that you have a great deal in common.
January 12th, 2012
4:54 pm
Mary Elizabeth
June 12th, 2012
2:05 pm
All students do not master curriculum concepts at the same rate. This is the result of many factors…
Wow!! You surely hit the nail on the head! Great post!
January 12th, 2012
4:55 pm
So I guess we can give give Newt Gingrich a B- for marital fidelity (averaging an A- for professed STANDARDS of marital fidelity (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57341594-503544/newt-gingrich-promises-fidelity-to-my-spouse/) with an F for ACHIEVEMENT of marital fidelity).
January 12th, 2012
5:07 pm
@Mary Elizabeth, 2:05…
Excellent. Thanks for posting.
Question…how do we do I as a parent ensure that my child receives instruction on his/her instructional level vs. independent or frustrational? And do you think this is even a potential reality given class sizes in the state of Georgia?
January 12th, 2012
5:10 pm
@sloboffthestreet, cost of living is considerably lower in North Dakota than in metro Atlanta, so teachers there can be paid less than teachers here and still attain a higher standard of living. And, yes, I do like the word "demographics" because it is the elephant in the room that nobody seems to see (by choice). It allows people from some regions of the country to feel superior to others, all the while not addressing the problems that need to be addressed. Call me crazy, but I prefer not to bury my head in the sand. Also, high achievers in Atlanta public schools are not getting the stimulating environment they deserve because they don't do enough to separate children by ability. Fortunately, there are libraries, bookstores, and the Internet to further expose our children to knowledge outside the classroom. We also have exceptional extracurricular choices such as the Georgia Aquarium, the Tellus Museum, Fernbank, etc. Parents who rely solely upon schools to educate their children are not doing their jobs. Look at the zip-code parenting that took place at Columbine. Those boy's parents blissfully buried their heads in the sand because their children were attending school in the right zip code.
January 12th, 2012
5:30 pm
@Mary Elizabeth – the suggestions you make in the 2:05 post are the same practices one will find in Finnish schools. Teacher quality is important and cannot be dismissed, however, it is not the "silver bullet" for improving education. Finland took a multi-faceted and long-term approach to improve their educational system.
Read this article and watch the video.
January 12th, 2012
5:39 pm
Fred@4:10 p.m.
"Hi Mary Elizabeth, long time no see. Very good posts (as usual), you bring up some very basic points of logical thinking that are often ignored."
Hello to you, too, Fred, and thank you for the kind remarks. You are completely on target in writing that my points are very basic and logical, but that they are often ignored.
Until educators recognize the validity of what I have presented, students will continue to drop out of school in large numbers. Few students who are failing (and who often do not understand why)
can take the constant bombardment of sitting in classrooms where they are not absorbing concepts.
Wrong placement, in any subject area, is equivalent to being placed in Spanish IV when you have only mastered the curriculum of Spanish I. Do you think you are going to pass Spanish IV even if the curriculum is excellent? Of course not.
Wrong placement is easy to correct, but educators must start to recognize how important accurate placement is, and that many students are misplaced. School systems must use testing mainly for diagnostic purposes, instead of for punitive purposes toward teachers, just as doctors will use testing to diagnose their patients correctly.
The hard part is the delivery of curriculum in instruction by teachers to students with so many varied instructional levels within their classrooms. I understand, fully, how difficult instructional delivery is for that much variation of needs. At this stage of my life, that delivery problem is not mine to solve. That problem is for younger teachers to solve. And for younger administrators and counselors to help them solve. However, I know – without a doubt – that if all educators do not start insuring the right foundation for students, i.e. getting each student correctly placed and instructed correctly, as well as paced correctly throughout his elementary and secondary tenure, students will not grow to their individual maximum potential.
Some educators think that by being this detailed in analysis and instructional delivery that creativity will be impaired in teaching. That is generalized, stereotypical thinking not worthy of educators. Just as one can teach diagramming sentences and creative approaches to writing at the same time, one can properly diagnose placement, address individual instructional needs, and teach creatively at the same time. Educators can no longer afford to place their collective heads in the sand regarding the correct placement and correct pacing of instruction for each student. They can be teach very creatively once their students are properly placed and analzyed for differing needs.
Diagnosing correctly and teaching precisely, as well as creatively, will ensure the "leading out" that each student has the "birthright" to have in public education, which is the fulfillment of his or her potential.
January 12th, 2012
5:40 pm
Here are a few points from the article. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8601207.stm)
"There is a culture of reading with the kids at home and families have regular contact with their children's teachers."
"Children in Finland only start main school at age seven. The idea is that before then they learn best when they're playing and by the time they finally get to school they are keen to start learning."
"The system's success is built on the idea of less can be more. There is an emphasis on relaxed schools, free from political prescriptions. "
"A tactic used in virtually every lesson is the provision of an additional teacher who helps those who struggle in a particular subject. But the pupils are all kept in the same classroom, regardless of their ability in that particular subject."
"Primary and secondary schooling is combined, so the pupils don't have to change schools at age 13. They avoid a potentially disruptive transition from one school to another."


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Within days of new Winthrop University President Jayne Marie Comstock's pledge last week to look into the potential of bringing football to the school, Will Evans took to Twitter and Facebook to rally the gridiron troops.
The 18-year-old Northwestern High School graduate and York Technical College student is the man behind the "Bring Winthrop Football" social media accounts, and he is adamant that Rock Hill is a "football city."
Fresh from Northwestern Trojan football Friday nights, Evans has done his fair share of football research to bolster his agenda.
Rock Hill and Winthrop leaders say they want the city to be a bustling "college town," complete with pedestrian-friendly roads, inviting restaurants and students who stick around on weekends.
Evans says there's nothing like football to grow school spirit, attract a crowd and appeal to new businesses.
Comstock told state leaders Wednesday she wants to gradually grow Winthrop's enrollment – now about 6,000 – by 1,000 students.
Evans says putting Eagles in helmets and shoulder pads would bring in some extra college applications.
Business leaders and advocates for revitalizing downtown Rock Hill say they want more development between Main Street and Winthrop's campus.
Evans says Winthrop should lease District 3 Stadium on Cherry Road as its home field for football, then leaders can sit back and revel in new businesses setting up shop to cater to Eagles fans.
"I don't see any negatives from college football in Rock Hill," he said.
Winthrop's reputation of offering high-caliber academics with a large population of creative, "artsy" and intellectual faculty members and students doesn't need to change for football to be successful, Evans says.
The greater community of Rock Hill and York County would support an Eagle football team, he says.
Evans notes that the area's population is booming and Rock Hill is experiencing growth.
"One of the things we're missing is football," he says.
A Rock Hill native, Evans wants a Winthrop football team to cheer for – and he's not even enrolled in a Winthrop class yet.
Taking advantage of a new partnership between York Tech and Winthrop, he's in what's known as the bridge program. After two years at York Tech, he'll transfer to Winthrop and finish his degree in secondary education.
In the meantime, he has full access to Winthrop facilities, its library and academic services, such as a writing center and student success center.
He hopes one day he'll be cheering for Winthrop on the gridiron – whether he's an Eagle or not.
An expensive endeavor
It's not uncommon for schools such as Winthrop to be talking about adding a football program, said Winthrop Athletic Director Tom Hickman.
The move is usually "enrollment driven" and seeks to add to a college's atmosphere, he said.
"There's lots of kinds of football," Hickman said, and depending on the type that Winthrop leaders would want, the program is expensive to build.
Winthrop took a hard look at adding the sport in 2007 and came up with an initial price tag of $18 million to start football. Every year of operation would run the university about $2.4 million.
Estimates in the feasibility study showed that Winthrop football would rake in about $500,000 in revenue each season.
Some of the costs identified in the 2007 study were:
• $11.5 million to build an 8,000-seat stadium.
• $5.1 million to build a field house that would include coaches' offices, locker rooms, laundry facilities, practice fields and training and meeting rooms.
• More than $450,000 to pay coaches, an operations manager and two graduate assistants.
• $400,000 to pay support personnel, such as tutors, a strength coach, trainers and a secretary.
• $40,000 to add a band.
• $400,000 for other, non-salary operational costs.
• $848,000 to pay for scholarships for a 53-member football team.
Winthrop wouldn't necessarily have to offer its football players scholarships.
College football has three separate divisions, depending on the amount of scholarships offered to players.
Schools can start a "non-scholarship" football program and later move into another division if scholarships become available, Hickman said.
While many schools have added football programs in recent years, he said, the start-up programs are mostly happening at small private schools.
Hickman isn't ready to publicly share his opinion about whether bringing football to Winthrop would be a good idea.
Instead, he said, he's focusing on helping Comstock and the Board of Trustees collect information and evaluate the prospect of Eagle football.
A nearby blueprint?
A recent case study is less than 30 minutes up the road, at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
UNCC recently founded its football team, the 49ers, who will play their first game at home Aug. 31 against Campbell University.
The school borrowed nearly $40 million to build UNCC's stadium and field house, and student fees were increased to help pay for the new program and its facilities.
University officials hope having football will connect more students to UNCC and bring in support from Charlotte residents.
UNCC's football stadium is named after Carolina Panthers owner and founder Jerry Richardson who made a $10 million donation to the university and created a scholarship fund for a 49ers football player in honor of his son.
School officials have said that single-seat tickets available through UNCC were sold out for the team's first game this month.
Campus opinions mixed
Winthrop's campus community seems to have a mixed opinion about adding the sport.
During Comstock's opening address last week to employees, she informally polled the audience with the "football question."
By a show of hands, the crowd was divided almost equally among those indicating "no," "yes" and "unsure."
Comstock says she hopes she'll have an answer to whether football is good for Winthrop by the end of her first year as president.
On social media, Winthrop supporters responded to Evans' online football crusade in many ways last week.
Former Northwestern player and University of South Carolina defensive tackle Gerald Dixon Jr. showed excitement on Twitter over the possibility of a new Eagles football team.
Many students and alumni "re-tweeted" Evans' posts, showing support for adding football to the school's athletic offerings.
Less than a week after starting the "Bring Winthrop Football" account, Evans had gathered more than 100 Twitter followers and 41 "likes" on Facebook.
He's convinced, he said, that any "cons" of adding football are outweighed by the "pros."
Rock Hill's high schools are full of "impeccable" football talent that Winthrop could tap for its program, Evans said.
And, given the general excitement around the sport, he said, he's sure football would make Winthrop's atmosphere "go through the roof."
Online exclusive
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We examine how the Football Association of Wales is hoping hosting the 2013 UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship will reap rewards for the women's game in Wales.
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Annual Dolan School of Business Sophomore Symposium
The Dolan School of Business Sophomore Symposium, offered during the fall and spring semesters, provides students with the necessary resources to successfully navigate their college career. The Sophomore Symposium I (offered during the fall semester) provides business students with an overview of academic programs and co-curricular learning opportunities. The Sophomore Symposium II (offered during the spring semester) provides an overview of professional skills development and career preparation.
The Symposiums are designed to assist students in navigating their next 3 years at Fairfield University and to provide a forum to discuss learning opportunities with faculty, administrators, Dolan School of Business Advisory Council Members, and fellow business students and alumni.
Sophomore Symposium I
Date: September 30, 2014 (view photos from the event)
Sophomore Symposium II
Date: TBA
Thank you for attending the session! Please complete the Sophomore Symposium II Assessment by March 14th.
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Kathmandu, Nepal Vacations - Travel guide to Kathmandu, Nepal accommodations and vacation packages. Visit Kathmandu, Nepal for getaways and adventure travel. Plan your Kathmandu, Nepal vacation today.
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Nepal, Nepal Official Info - US State Department Travel Considerations for Nepal
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Good morning everone!!!
Because of the uncertainty of the weather, we are moving registration to the press room in the tower just like last time. It worked out well there and keeps us out of the "elements", whatever they may be!
If you can spread the word, I would appreciate it! Remind your friends and family that EVERYONE must come up to sign a waiver and get a wristband


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[video] Quick Take: All Eyes on Jobs Report
NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- The looming government shutdown possibilities are beginning to weigh on equity markets as TheStreet's Brittany Umar, David Peltier and Andrew Krill break down the week ahead.
Paychex (PAYX) will report earnings on Monday after the close and Walgreen (WAG) will report Tuesday before the open.
Monsanto (MON) will report earnings before the bell on Wednesday and Constellation Brands (STZ) reports before the bell on Thursday.
Friday will likely be the biggest day of the week, because of the nonfarm payrolls report for the month of September, scheduled to be released at 8:30 a.m. EDT.Krill said that economists will be looking for 180,000 jobs and a 7.3% unemployment rate. Umar added that if results come in higher than expectations, it will once again raise questions over when the Federal Reserve will begin tapering. Peltier concluded that he's raised a lot of cash recently, in order to buy stocks on a potential dip from the current budget issues in Washington. Video.
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Issue OverviewCIO Decisions - Oct. 2013, Vol. 26
CIOs are facing mounting pressures to flex their cloud muscles, but concerns about security still abound. Some CIOs are balancing the cloud's agility with its inherent risks by establishing an airtight cloud computing governance model. In this month's issue of CIO Decisions, SearchCIO Senior Features Writer Karen Goulart dives into the fray, asking CIOs and experts what it takes to build a strong cloud computing governance program and how to succeed as an IT service broker. In addition, we check in with TopGolf CIO Tom LaPlante, who has turned every one of his employees into an innovation ninja; share eight tips for succeeding with social collaboration; and consider whether the CIO position in regressing rather than advancing. Plus, check out our On the Job feature on CIO John Bowden, whose ERP project boosted the bottom line; a One on One with CIO Bill Miller and more. Access >>>
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CIO-led ERP deployment improves corporate culture, boosts bottom line
by Ben Cole, Site Editor
Lifetime Products CIO John Bowden oversaw a successful ERP deployment that not only transformed company culture, but improved profits as well.
IT as a service: How to succeed as an IT broker
by Karen Goulart
Is your organization moving toward offering IT as a service? Find out what CIOs and experts have to say about succeeding as an IT broker.
A midsummer night's bad dream: The CIO position regresses
by Linda Tucci
The seamless integration and provisioning of IT services is a lofty goal for even the most seasoned CIO. We don't have time for that.
- CIO-led ERP deployment improves corporate culture, boosts bottom line by Ben Cole, Site Editor
Cloud governance starts with knowing your end users
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Is cloud governance possible when many of a company's cloud tools are procured on the sly? Yes, but only if IT buddies up with the business.
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Coetzee keeps the faith
Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has named an unchanged line-up for Saturday's Currie Cup Final against the Sharks in Cape Town.
Captain Deon Fourie has overcome a neck injury and will lead the team into battle, with Springbok skipper Jean de Villiers once again serving as the team's vice-captain.
De Villiers will start in the No.13 jersey in what will also be his 50th match for Western Province. Juan de Jongh has been named on the bench, as he was in last week's semi-final win over the Golden Lions.
"Being at Newlands is fantastic and great, but there are no guarantees," said Coetzee.
"We have to be even better than last Saturday (in the semi-final) against the Lions. We have to start better and we have to stay in it for 80 minutes.
We don't want to be in a situation in a final where you take so long to work yourself back and get your dominance back."
Western Province: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Jean de Villiers, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Deon Fourie (captain), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Frans Malherbe, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Michael Rhodes, 19 Schalk Burger, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Kurt Coleman, 22 Juan de Jongh.
Date: Saturday, October 26
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 17:30 (15.30 GMT)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Assistant referees: Christie du Preez, Stefan Breytenbach
Television match official: Deon van Blommestein


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Programs & Events
Lunchtime at the Museum
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Jul. 22, 2013 | Monday, 12:15pm
Multiple Times:
Monday–Friday, 12:15–1:30pm
Location: Museum of Natural Sciences
$30 ($25 for Friends of the Museum)
Join the Museum's Junior Curators for lunch between your morning and afternoon classes. Each day we will enjoy our lunches and then either play a game, make a craft, or watch a short nature show. This will be a fun, relaxing hour and fifteen minutes in between your morning and afternoon learning experiences. Children are expected to bring their own lunches to camp each day. Lunchtime is peanut free.
If you are signing up for a full day camp program you do not need to sign up for lunch care.
Registration information: Registration required. Please visit the Summer Camp Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.
If you have questions, please contact Megan Chesser at 919.707.9889 or firstname.lastname@example.com


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At the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary, our mission is to provide nonhuman primates as high a quality of life as we can, with as little human interference as possible. The 186-acre Sanctuary, located near San Antonio, Texas, is currently home to more than 500 individuals, many of whom were rescued from abusive or exploitive situations.
Read about some of our rescues, including our biggest rescue ever, with pictures and video!
Your generous donation to our Rescue and Rehabilitation Fund ensures that we are able to continue this vital work of rescuing and rehabilitating individual monkeys in need, as well as providing them with an enriched, natural environment alongside others of their kind.
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The Gramblinite wins top honors among historically black university newspapers nationwide
The Gramblinite gathered more than
seven awards, including first place in the
best editorial cartoon and best spot
news story categories.
GRAMBLING, La. — The Grambling State University student newspaper is the best among historically black college and university campus newspapers, according to the Black College Communication Association.
In a national competition in which all HBCU college newspapers were eligible to participate, The Gramblinite came out on top as the best student newspaper with non-regular production. The newspaper is published weekly during the academic year and twice during the summer. Twelve newspapers competed.
"I am thrilled to know that the Black College Communication Association named The Gramblinite the best newspaper in 2013," Edward Welch Jr., the acting head of the university's Department of Mass Communication, said. "The award means the newspaper did a lot of things well. Judges noted the paper's spot news, sports coverage, paper design, headlines and cartoons."
Welch said he is "proud of the students," publication director Wanda L. Peters and university editor Joice M. Dunn who work (with students) to produce the best newspaper each week. "Kudos!" he added.
"This is a proud moment for The Gramblinite and Grambling State University," said Peters. "The Gramblinite's designation as the best student newspaper among historically black colleges and universities is a testament to the quality of the work of the student journalists here at Grambling. These students work hard to put out a paper each week and they take their work seriously."
"This award is also about continuing the strong journalism tradition here at Grambling," added Peters, who said The Gramblinite last won the top honor in about 2009 for work done in 2008. "We are standing on the shoulders of hundreds of student journalists who laid the foundation for this good work."
The announcement was made at the annual HBCU Excellence in Journalism conference at Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas, on Saturday. BCCA is the principal professional association of journalism and communication professors at HBCUs. Professional journalists around the nation volunteer each year to judge entries in 16 categories ranging from spot news reporting, photography, opinion writing, sports, feature writing and online reporting.
"Good layout, interesting and consistent," wrote the chief judge in the category for Best Student Newspaper (non-regular production). "The Gramblinite has a clean layout that uses promos wisely so they don't clutter the paper," the judge wrote. "The paper also does a good job of using wire to plug holes rather than filling holes with fluff pieces. Thought goes into the selection of photos and the presentation of story packages. That's good to see at the college level," the chief category judge wrote.
In addition to the best newspaper award, The Gramblinite gathered seven other awards, including first place in the best editorial cartoon and best spot news story categories. Gramblinite cartoonist Nobel Michael, 20, a junior from Lancaster, Calif., has worked with the student newspaper since the fall semester. He won for a cartoon about Obamacare. The newspaper reported and wrote a two-story spot news package, "Grambling loses Legend," including stories about head football coach Doug Williams' departure by Diana Sepulveda and Tierra Smith, both of Houston. The judges saw a lot they liked in the package: "There were a lot of elements to like in the package: the "moving forward," the list of Doug Williams' achievements and stumbles and the variety of reactions from the campus."
Evan Peters, 31, won second place in the best headline writer category and third place for best individual page design. Peters, a master's graduate student from New Orleans, La., finished the undergraduate program in December. Commenting about Peters' individual page design work, the judges said his work had an "Overall clean, traditional design, yet the content strongly reflects the voices/opinions of the student body, which is what a good college paper does."
The Gramblinite staff won second place for best design. The judges wrote "These covers had impact. Giant attention-grabbing photos and some risk taking in Art and Style. The designers also had a keen eye for photos that conveyed emotion and made solid use of graphics."
Sepulveda, 24, a senior from Houston, Texas, won third place in the best sports news or game story category for "GSU legend retires after 44 years in NFL," a story about Charlie Joiner, a wide receiver GSU and SWAC Hall of Famer who played with the San Diego Chargers.
An honorable mention recognition was picked up for best overall sports coverage for the April 11, April 18 and Oct. 3 editions of the newspaper.
The judges included respected journalists and news professionals from across the nation. Judges for the 2013 Excellence in Journalism Awards were:
Regina Boone, photographer, Detroit Free Press
Candace Buckner, sports writer, The Indianapolis Star
Duchesne Drew, managing editor for operations, The (Minneapolis) Star Tribune
Jeanne Fox Alston, news consultant
Deborah Heard, news consultant
Don Hudson, executive editor, The Decatur (Ala.) Daily
Delano Massey, metropolitan editor, Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader
Maria Reeve, deputy metro editor, The (Minneapolis) Star-Tribune
Reginald Stuart, journalist and corporate recruiter, The McClatchy Company
Linda Williams, senior editor, The (Raleigh) News & Observer
Gramblinite Award Winning Editorial Cartoon
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Media Contact:
Will Sutton