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USA Rugby 2013-14 Membership registration now open
Registration Opens August 15!
Excited for the fall rugby season? Before lacing up your boots, renew or register for your official USA Rugby 2013-2014 season membership TODAY! The new membership cycle takes effect August 15, 2013, through August 31, 2014.
To register for any role with USA Rugby go to www.usarugby.org and click on the red REGISTER button at the top of the screen.
Benefits & Improvements
- NEW Member Center user experience with enhanced "View Roster" and "Member Search" tools and navigation
- Continuation of our popular participant accident insurance program
- Returning member information has been automatically transferred to make renewals easier
Membership Renewals
- Renewing members will need to log on to complete registration
- For security purposes, your email address is your user name and you will need to request a new password the first time you sign on
Membership Means Insurance!
- Nationwide Insurance will continue to carry USA Rugby's accident insurance policy. The new policy for the 2013-2014 membership cycle takes effect September 1, 2013
- The policy covers only registered members who are participating in sanctioned USA Rugby activities
- USA Rugby strongly recommends that all members retain primary medical coverage before participating this season. The new deductible for uninsured members is $3,500
- Please visit https://www.usarugby.org/insurance/accident-insurance/accident-overview for more details about USA Rugby's insurance policy
Tournament Sanctioning: Grow the Game!
USA Rugby continues to require a formal sanctioning agreement for all tournaments and events outside of regular season play and practice. For a complete list of sanctioned tournaments and the breakdown of the process, please go to https://www.usarugby.org/event-sanctioning.
USA Rugby Coach Development: Give back to the Game!
USA Rugby is leading American sports in Coach Development. We are now officially certifying all rugby coaches, partnering with the top coaching education programs in the country and focusing on player welfare more than ever before. Make sure you register early. Certification and background screening completion will be required before activation of any coach registration.


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The following words in your search query were ignored because they are too common words: officially nominated or recognized fsm church holidays.
And now to the topic at hand (at appendage?): Have any days been decided as celebratory in the FSM calendar, besides Talk Like A Pirate Day? One of the reasons why I ask is that I am currently building a website and accompanying iPhone application that can keep track of official and unofficial holidays and special days from different countries and religions, as well as including brand new invented ones as suggestions (do YOU know when People Who Die In Airplane Toilets Memorial Day is? What about Chuck Norris Day? And do you know which is Things That Look Like Other Things Month, which of course includes Things That Look Like Holy Figures Week?). I would dearly like to include the FSM calendar if there is one, or if one can be cooked up (har, har). I won't be publishing my application for a month or two yet so there's plenty of time to hash (-brown!) it all out.
May the Sauce be with you,

subset: commoncrawl


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24 Hours of Pass (or 24HOP) is a great program offered by PASS to provide free, online training for anyone who wants to learn more about SQL Server. They routinely have the best SQL Server presenters available for these sessions, and attract hundreds, perhaps even a thousand attendees from around the world. This is definitely one of the best things they've started doing in the past few years, and every session I've attended has been excellent.
So why am I so grumpy about it?
I'm not really, pretty much everything here is a minor annoyance that I can deal with. However since they're so minor they seem to be things that can be easily corrected and would make the process much better.
First off, this is my biggest gripe, the registration page:
What grinds my gears about this? I have to scroll alllllllllllllllllllllllllllll the way to bottom to actually register for the sessions. This wouldn't be so bad except all the details of the session, including the presenter, is in a separate list at the top. Both lists contain info the other does not, and scrolling between them to determine "Should I make time to listen to this? Who is speaking at this time anyway?" is really unnecessary.
My preference would be to keep the top list and add the checkboxes and schedule info in separate columns. This is a full-width design, so there's plenty of space for this data, which is pretty small anyway. The other huge benefit is halving the size of the page, which improves performance and lowers bandwidth usage considerably. And if you know HTML/ASP.Net, and you view the page source, you can find PLENTY of other things that can be reduced even further. (not just viewstate)
One nice thing that PASS does is send iCal reminders to your email address so you can accept them to your calendar. Again, they leave off the presenter in the appointment details, while still duplicating the meeting title in the body. Sometimes I make decisions based on speaker rather than content (Natalie Portman is reading the Yellow Pages??? I'M THERE!) and having the speaker in the iCal is helpful.
Next minor annoyances are the necessity for providing a company name, and the survey questions. I know PASS needs to market themselves effectively, and they need information to do that, and since this is a free event it's really not worth complaining about, but why ask the survey question twice? (once at registration, once again when joining the LiveMeeting) Same thing for the company name. All of this should be tied to email address, so that's all I should need to enter when joining the LiveMeeting.
The last one is also minor, but it irks me in this day and age of multiple browsers and the decline of Internet Explorer as a dominant platform. The registration page was originally created in Visual Studio 2003, and has a lot of IE-specific crud representative of the browser situation of 2003. (IE5 references? really? and is the aforementioned viewstate big enough?) This causes some grief with other browsers like Firefox, Chrome, and sometimes IE8 or 9. And don't get me started on using the page on a Mac or in Safari.
My main point is that PASS is an international organization, welcoming everyone from all levels of SQL Server proficiency, and in that spirit I think it would help to accommodate a wider range of browser software, especially since the registration page is extremely simple. I recognize that this page is not hosted on the PASS website and may be maintained by some division of Microsoft, but to me that's even worse if MS can't update their own pages. They've deprecated IE6, so they don't need to maintain support on their own websites anymore.
OK, I'll shut up now.
#sqlpass #24HOP
Print | posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2011 12:12 PM |
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ZPlayer v7.1 Apk is a better richer and more interactive media player. Get album reviews, artist biographi Now with more widgets, fast forward and rewind controls, headset controls home screen customization, equalizer, audio effects. You can start with your own media, and learn about other artists, other tracks and what other people are listening too. Pair this media player with a last fm account and submit likes, now playing status, and scrobble tracks.
Updated: November 28, 2016
Current Version 7.1-release-build-20161125
Requires Android 4.1 and up
Category Music & Audio
Size: 7.9M
Uninstall the application before upgrading to version 3.x some database changes have made the application crash after upgrading, but a new installation (or clearing application data) should fix the issue.
if you use a third party equalizer that controls the output mix for all media playing on the device, disable it before using this application. This application needs to control its own audio effects.
audio effects implemented include Equalizer, Bassboost and Virtualizer based on Android 2.3
- Music album reviews, artist biographies, artist top tracks, top songs, top albums, similar artists, similar albums, artist events*, song lyrics*, last.fm scrobbling, last.fm 'now playing' status updates, last.fm 'likes' submissions
- Video and Audio podcasts streaming and downloads, podcast searching, podcasts subscriptions, podcast resuming.
- Online radio streaming (with metadata), radio searching, radio favorites***
- Music library listening history, Automatic playlists (favorite songs, new songs), playlist creation
- ID3 Tag editing for songs and whole albums, album art editing*, ID3 tag information for songs, cross-playlist adding and removing of tracks,
- Video playback, editable 'music videos', and 'movies' directories
- Music weekly charts featuring top artists, top tracks, and track favorites of community users
- Browse the albums sections not in your library and even get the album prices, 30 seconds audio samples of tracks, and "Buy" links to the albums.
- Audio Equalizer, Bass boost, Virtualizer, Automatic EQ (based on track genre) **
- ZPlayer now fully supports ICS, Status Bar+, and features 5 beautiful widgets, which give different functionality.
- Cool features, including artist background images and panoramas, selectable background images (High memory devices)
- Swiping the homescreen to the left/right shows the 'current playing' song and listening history.
- To jump to the 'now playing' screen, use the volume controls to reveal the music controls, and then tap on the track or artist name.
- supports, English, French, Italian and Portuguese languages
note :
- The Application uses android framework Audio Effect API, this API was introduced since android 2.3. Therefore only devices that have at least Android version 2.3 will be able to take advantage of this feature.
Whats new
- landscape mode on all screens
- bug fixes
Free Download ZPlayer 7.1-release-build-20161125
- zplayer 7 1 apk , zplayer 7 1 apk download , z player 7 1 apk , zplayer 7 1 , zplayer 7 1 apk pro , zplayer apk 7 1 , zplayer v7 1 apk


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Ryan CullenNew York Mets
Pitcher | Ht: | Wt:
|Mets | Cullen assigned to minor league camp
Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:59:48 -0800
USAToday.com reports the New York Mets have assigned P Ryan Cullen to their minor league camp.
|Comment (0)
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|Mets | Cullen agrees to terms
Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:31:11 -0800
The Associated Press reports the New York Mets have agreed to terms with free-agent P Ryan Cullen (Mets) on a minor league contract.
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|Mets | Cullen demoted to AA
Wed, 24 May 2006 19:28:46 -0700
New York Mets minor league P Ryan Cullen has been demoted to Double-A Binghamton, from Triple-A Norfolk, according to USAToday.com.
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Gap in cliff turning into trail
A gap in a cliff wall, cut open years ago by the former owners of what is now Red Rock Canyon Open Space, is being refined into a passage for a trail from the under-construction 31st Street trailhead to the central part of the open space (in background). City Parks hopes to have both trailhead and trail ready for use in May.
Westside Pioneer photo


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Nooooo!As much as we love throwbacks, we don't love your web browser.Upgrade your browser to get the full experience of the Drake General Store online.
Thanks for visiting the new Drake General Store online.We are working furiously to design the best mobile shopping experience around. These things take time, but it's coming very soon.


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Let's say you've been in a crash or perhaps someone close to you has been injured in one. Now do a little research as though you need an attorney. By the way does anyone know any good lawyer? What you'll find is that a number of firms and practicing attorneys include in their advertisement a portion dedicated to Early Response; if not predominantly then at least a minimum. Much is made of the importance of hiring a firm specializing in early response.
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Parents send their children to school expecting that their kids will be safe. The parents trust that the school's staff will act in their place and look out for their children's welfare in the same way they would. The presence of security guards, school police, or resource officers at the school may even strengthen their trust, but this can be a false sense of safety. Just because guards and school police officers wear a uniform does not always mean additional protection for students. Reviewing and assessing the potential for harm to students and others on school grounds and at school-sponsored events requires careful consideration and proactive initiative to keep students safe, even when the presence of a security guard or school police officer may provide a veneer of safety. Inadequately screening, training, and supervising security guards and school police officers; failing to provide guards and officers with clear instructions for handling special circumstances known to the school; and inappropriately delegating the responsibility for keeping children safe can all be linked to student injury or death.
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A school has a responsibility to protect students from harm. Will arming teachers or placing armed security guards and police in the building make our schools safer and prevent school shootings? There is a great deal of debate as to whether more or different forms of attention to school safety and security will lead to a reduction in school killings, but these ideas don't seem to be showing positive results. Perhaps arming school staff not with guns but with the training needed to relate to students in a positive way will go a long way toward preventing some students from carrying out their deadliest ideas resulting in school shootings.
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Dr. Edward Dragan
Standard of care is a general expression of what constitutes care in professions such as medicine, nursing, education, or child care administration. In schools and other agencies responsible for the care and supervision of children, the professional standard of care is the ethical or legal responsibility of a professional to exercise the level of care, diligence, and skill that other professionals in the same discipline would apply in the same or similar circumstances. This, coupled with statutory requirements and case law, defines the care that an educational professional is responsible for providing to children which includes protection from child sexual abuse.
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Sexual Abuse - Molestation - Harassment
Private School Sexual Abuse and Harassment: Professional Standard of Care
Dr. Edward Dragan
Title IX, the law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in public education programs, is also relevant in application of professional standards within the context of private school sexual abuse and harassment and their response to alleged incidents. Every school that accepts federal funding for any program or service it provides must adhere to Title IX. Most public schools, including charter schools and specialized education service commissions, accept federal assistance and, therefore, must comply with Title IX. Compliance requirements include, among other things, the development of policies prohibiting sexual harassment and assault, prompt and thorough investigation of complaints, training of staff, and the assignment of a person who oversees implementation of the law.
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Professional Standard of Care in the Field of School Administration and Student Supervision
Dr. Edward Dragan
Parents are responsible for the protection and care of their children, and there may be legal consequences if a parent negligently fails to take reasonable steps to protect his or her child from harm. As with parents, entities and agencies charged with the care and supervision of children are responsible for the protection of their health, safety, and well-being. A partial list of such entities or programs include daycare centers, preschools, summer camps, YMCA centers, K–12 private and public schools, private schools that provide residences for students, and residential centers for adjudicated youth. When a child is placed into the care and custody of such an organization, that entity assumes control and supervision over the child comparable to parental care - and is held to even a higher professional standard of care established within the field of education.
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Sexual Abuse - Molestation - Harassment
Title IX: What Constitutes Actual Notice of Sexual Harassment or Sexual Violence in a School Setting?
Dr. Edward Dragan
Under Title IX, for a school to be held liable for denying an educational opportunity to a student who was sexually harassed or abused, the court must be convinced that the school had actual notice of prohibited behavior and that it acted deliberately indifferent to it. Often, it is a challenge to define what "actual notice" is and whether the school had such notice. If the school has no information on which to act to end harassment or abuse, it cannot be determined to be indifferent. In some of the cases we have worked on, however, there has been some level of notice that, if investigated, would have confirmed that harassment or abuse was taking place. Such notice could be a teacher hearing a rumor about a sexual relationship between another teacher and a student, a staff member watching a student speak in a sexually inappropriate way to another student, or the school receiving notice that that an off-campus sexual violence event is creating retaliation at school. Examples such as these may constitute actual notice, depending on the circumstances.
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Education & Schools
School District Liability: Duty of Care Owed to Students, Visitors, Volunteers, Trespassers and Local Agencies
Dr. Edward Dragan
Whenever children are involved in events on school premises, there is always the possibility of school district liability for incidents that happen on school grounds or at school-sponsored events. This foreseeability gives rise to a duty to take reasonable steps to prevent a child from being harmed. Public school districts may find themselves liable for injury - not only for those suffered by their own students, but also for those incurred by children who are invited onto school grounds, who attend separate programs on school grounds, and even those who are considered trespassers.
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Education & Schools
Post-Election Hostile School Environment: Protecting Students from Bullying and Harassment
Dr. Edward Dragan
Schools, including K-12 schools, colleges, and universities, have a responsibility to protect their students from harm. Harm includes the inability to benefit fully from education as a result of being in a hostile school environment. The politically motivated rhetoric and actions seen in schools during and after the presidential campaign can create a hostile school environment for which schools can be held responsible.
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Education & Schools
Student Safety: Screening and Background Checks for School Volunteers
Dr. Edward Dragan
Schools, after-school programs, summer camps, sunday schools, daycares and other agencies that supervise children are responsible for student safety of children in their care. Failing to apply the same attention to ensuring that non-licensed individuals, such as volunteers, meet the same standards as teachers and other paid staff can place students - and ultimately a school, district, or other agency - at risk. When the history of a volunteer or chaperone on an overnight school trip includes something that would raise a red flag but the school is unaware of it, school officials are not able to make an informed decision about whether or not that person should be allowed to interact with children.
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Education & Schools
Recreational and Summer Camp Activity Injury Liability
Dr. Edward Dragan
Protection of the health, safety, and well-being of children who participate in recreational activities at a summer camp, summer school program, or community and private recreation centers should be the standard operating procedure of all those who provide these services. The standard of care owed to children who participate in organized or sponsored recreational activities such as sports, dance, swimming, rock climbing and variety of other activities at a camp or other agency must be consistent with professional standards in the field. Ingraining standardized practices and responsible planning and supervision into the work habits of all employees will help to protect the employees and the agency from activity injury liability and costly litigation.
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Sexual Abuse - Molestation - Harassment
Title IX and Sexual Violence at Colleges and Universities
Dr. Edward Dragan
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program, including in colleges and universities, if those programs or activities associated with the institution receive federal funding. Under Title IX, sex discrimination includes sexual harassment, sexual battery, sexual assault, rape and other sexual violence at school, college or university campuses. Any behavior that disrupts a student's access to an educational opportunity or benefit constitutes a violation of Title IX. Recent media coverage has brought to light the controversy over the six-month sentence for a former Stanford University student for the rape of a student on campus. There has been outrage over the sentence, and that outrage might be justified, given schools' responsibilities in similar cases.
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Education & Schools
In Loco Parentis: Duty of Educators and Professionals in Residential Programs for Children
Dr. Edward Dragan
Some of our most vulnerable children are relegated to a life away from parents, family, and their school to live where other adults take the place of their parents and are responsible for their custody or care - legally defined as in loco parentis. This occurs when children are placed in residential centers for the treatment of mental illness, schools for the deaf and blind, or similar facilities for children who require extensive medical care and management.
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Education & Schools
Student Sports Injury and School Liability
Dr. Edward Dragan
Nationwide, 7.6 million students participate in interscholastic athletics, according to U.S. News and World Report. Keeping them safe is critically important to avoid school liability and sports injury lawsuits. And when sports injury occurs, schools may be found responsible if they failed to take reasonable precautions and supervision of students in order to prevent sports injury. Parents send their children to school with the implicit expectation that schools will do whatever is necessary to keep them safe whether in the classroom or on the football field.
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Education & Schools
Title IX and Sexual Abuse in K – 12 Schools
Dr. Edward Dragan
As difficult as it might be to accept and understand, abuse of children is occurring at an alarming rate in our nation's schools, daycare centers, camps, and other institutions. Even with state laws that require child abuse reporting and institutional policies that address sexual abuse prevention, identification, and reporting, abuse is not going away. More civil lawsuits are filed with each passing year, and schools and other organizations are not always appropriately responding to this epidemic.
Read Article
Education & Schools
School Safety and Security: Responding to Terroristic Threats
Dr. Edward Dragan
In the wake of recent incidences of gun violence, school safety and security has become an increasingly pressing concern in the United States and Canada. Schools, summer camps, daycare centers, and other agencies charged with the safety of children have a duty to protect them, and their ability to do so depends on solid policies, training, and appropriate response to security threats. Laws, regulations, and internal policies designed to shield children from harm may be developed proactively in response to a risk assessment or reactively in response to an event that caused injury to a child. Both are valid options in today's climate of terroristic threats to school safety and security. Inaction is not. Schools and other child-centered programs must consider and develop appropriate responses to this new dynamic.
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Education & Schools
Student Injury and Standard of Professional Care Analysis in Schools
Dr. Edward Dragan
Risk of personal injury to children is reduced when activities, facilities, equipment, personnel, and supervision are brought into compliance with "standards." There are several sources of standards. Some standards are mandated by law through statutes. Additional standards are set forth by oversight authorities, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Camping Association, the National Federation of High School Athletic Associations, or the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, to name a few. Other standards involve the customary professional practice of those conducting such activities. Ignorance of such standards is no excuse for failing to comply and schools and agencies with children have a duty to be proactive about implementing standards in order to prevent student injury.
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Education & Schools
Injury Liability and Emergency Response in Schools for Children with Medical Conditions
Dr. Edward Dragan
Many school-aged children have medical conditions about which teachers, nurses, and others who are responsible for their health, safety, and well-being should know. If not addressed in the right way by administrators, teachers, or other officials, these conditions can result in a catastrophic incident, not to mention costly litigation. A student with a known heart defect, for instance, is vulnerable in a physical education class if the teacher is not informed of the child's condition and does not institute appropriate precautions or prepared to respond in a medical emergency. If cafeteria personnel in a daycare center know that a child has a peanut allergy but fail to supervise the child appropriately, the child can go into shock if she is allowed to sit at a table where another student is eating peanut butter. In situations like these, if a plan for the child's care was either not in place or developed but not communicated to the staff, the child might suffer irreparable harm - or even die.
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Education & Schools
Assessment of Liability: Child Abuse and Injury in Residential Care
Dr. Edward Dragan
In my profession as an education administration and student supervision expert, I have observed that residential schools and boarding schools present a higher duty than day schools to supervise children and a greater opportunity for the school to be found liable for child abuse and injury. When children are living and learning in a program 24/7, staff must demonstrate not only a professional standard of care, but also a reasonable and prudent parent standard of care. Although related, these standards are distinct and must be appropriately and reasonably applied in a setting where staff serves as surrogate parents and others serve as teachers, counselors, and psychologists. When a child is sexually assaulted, administered unnecessary corporal punishment, or is injured or dies in a residential school, both of these standards need to be addressed.
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Education & Schools
Violation of Right to Bodily Security and Student Injury at School Resulting from Seclusion and Restraint
Dr. Edward Dragan
The first responsibility of educators and those who supervise children in residential programs, day care centers, before- and after-school programs, and other settings is to make sure that these programs foster learning and care in a safe environment. Asking third graders to move a cart with a heavy TV on top, inadequate staff instruction in safe techniques to quell disruptive students, not carefully checking that the door to the pool closes and locks the way it is supposed to, excessive discipline, playground aides talking among themselves but failing to pay attention to the children, not providing a sufficient number of nighttime supervisors in a dormitory, and a school police officer not trained on how to interact with children with behavioral disorders - any of these circumstances can lead to student injury at school or death of a child and high litigation costs. The overriding professional standard of care is to protect children's health, safety, and well-being. Under this umbrella fall the development and implementation of policies, adequate staff training, and a level of supervision reasonably calculated to keep children safe.
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Child Welfare
Liability in Child Injury Cases at Non-School Programs
Dr. Edward Dragan
In settings where children are supervised by adults, we often think about traditional settings, such as schools and summer camps. But these are not the only places where children participate in activities that require adult supervision and which can result in child injury cases. Some nontraditional settings include resort and vacation day care programs, community recreation centers, church-sponsored events, and Boy and Girl Scout activities, among others.
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Education & Schools
School Liability for Student Field Trip Injuries or Death
Dr. Edward Dragan
For schools, summer camps, and day care centers, one of the key functions of student supervision is to identify dangerous conditions and then either stop the activity or warn of the danger. The supervisor must take appropriate action for the protection of the children. Duty to warn contemplates both having knowledge of danger (actual or constructive notice) and having time to communicate it. Field trip injuries are very common and there is an equal duty to protect when children are off campus but still under school supervision, such as when children are on a school-sponsored trip. Excursions off school property present special challenges. Careful planning ahead of the trip, knowing about potential safety hazards, and creating a plan to avoid or mitigate them can help to protect a child from field trip injuries and a school from liability lawsuits.
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Education & Schools
School Premises Liability: Maintaining School Grounds to Keep Students Safe
Dr. Edward Dragan
Keeping children safe in schools, preschool and daycare programs, summer camps, on playgrounds, and other locations is a primary responsibility of those who administer such programs. When a child becomes injured and the claim is negligent supervision, a school or other agency will have a greater chance of prevailing when it has clear policies and enforces them. In school premises liability lawsuits plaintiffs are more likely to prevail when a facility fails to maintain its campus and equipment, does not have a regular inspection plan, and does not instruct and supervise students in the safe and appropriate use of equipment.
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Education & Schools
Public and Private School Employment Discrimination Lawsuits
Dr. Edward Dragan
Employment decisions in public and private schools should be based on qualifications, performance, merit, and seniority, rather than race, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability. Teachers and other school personnel can sue for employment discrimination if they are wrongfully dismissed or demoted, if they were prevented from initially obtaining a job, or not appropriately accommodated for a disability or medical condition. Most employment discrimination violates either state or federal law, and legal protections are found in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Additionally, two primary federal statutes prohibit disability discrimination in employment: the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.
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Child Welfare
Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting and School Liability
Dr. Edward Dragan
When child abuse is alleged to have taken place in a school, daycare facility, preschool program, summer camp, or other entity responsible for the supervision and safety of children, there is always the possibility that the entity may be liable if negligence can be established. Schools and other entities with a duty to protect children often become embroiled in lawsuits alleging that breach of this duty was a proximate cause of a child's injuries. Though laws vary, states adopt a broad definition of child abuse, including physical and emotional abuse, neglect and abandonment, incest, sexual molestation, and sexual exploitation. Typically, a child abuse report must be made to a designated state agency responsible for child protective services when a person, in his or her official capacity, suspects or has reason to believe that a child has been abused or neglected, or knows that a child has been subjected to conditions that could reasonably be expected to result in harm.
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Education & Schools
School Liability and High School Hazing
Dr. Edward Dragan
School coaches have a duty to protect athletes from harm, including emotional or physical harm that may result from locker room hazing. High school hazing in athletics has many beginnings - the most prominent being an attitude of superiority among senior athletes and the belief that a weaker or younger athlete must be subjected to harassment to "make the grade" or to be "good enough" to be on the team. This mentality, if left unchecked and if students are allowed to participate in hazing behaviors, eventually can result in even more serious misconduct, such as sexual harassment and serious personal injury.
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Education & Schools
Applying and Piercing Governmental Immunity in School Liability Cases
Dr. Edward Dragan
When a student personal injury in a public school triggers litigation, plaintiff and defendant attorneys must address the concept of governmental immunity. In general, governmental immunity shields public schools from tort litigation and liability. Governmental immunity is not universally applicable, however, depending on how the facts of a specific case accord with state or provincial laws. This article is about how governmental immunity in public school cases might be pierced and how schools can determine whether governmental immunity applies in school liability cases.
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Education & Schools
Child Injury and Daycare Negligence: Liability Expert's Analysis
Dr. Edward Dragan
Millions of children participate in programs operated by daycare centers, nursery schools, and camps across the United States and Canada. The most important aspect of childcare is the safety and supervision of children. When a teacher, recreation leader, camp counselor, or other supervisor is engaged in activities involving young children, there is a duty to protect the child from physical harm, sexual abuse, and other forms of personal injury. A breach of duty to protect the health, safety, and welfare of a child that leads to injury may result in daycare negligence lawsuits.
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Sexual Abuse - Molestation - Harassment
Campus Sexual Assault and Harassment Lawsuits: Title IX Standards and Questions of Liability
Dr. Edward Dragan
In 2011, the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a "Dear Colleague" letter to college and university administrators about implementation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 in regards to campus sexual assault cases. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities in schools that receive federal funding. The letter explains that schools are required to develop and distribute policies regarding sexual harassment, designate a Title IX coordinator to oversee the school's duties, train staff and students in sexual harassment and violence issues, and establish an investigation procedure and an adjudication process. The letter did not articulate specific procedural safeguards, rules for the examination of evidence, or guidelines for the conduct of adjudication or hearing processes for cases of campus sexual violence.
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Education & Schools
Harassment and Hostile School Environment Lawsuits
Dr. Edward Dragan
Harassment in schools can occur when a student is discriminated against on the basis of national origin, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, or other identifiable class. A school district may be found liable for harassment if there is no strong, widely disseminated, and consistently enforced policy prohibiting it and no effective complaint procedure is in place. Schools can also be held responsible for the consequences stemming from a failure to take immediate, appropriate steps to respond to a complaint about harassment or bullying, terminate it, and discipline the offending party, be it an employee or another student. When a school has knowledge that a hostile environment exists but does not act on this knowledge, it can be viewed as giving tacit approval to this activity. In such cases, school districts have been found liable for enabling hostile school environment that prevents students from learning.
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Education & Schools
Private School Lawsuits: Contractual v. Constitutional Standard of Care
Dr. Edward Dragan
The relationship between private schools and their students is very different than the one that exists when a student is in a public school. In private schools, the relationship is contractual in nature. The contract is expressed or implied in written documents, such as promotional literature, student applications, and student and staff handbooks. By contrast, the relationship between public schools and students is governed by federal and state statues, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Title IX. In public schools, students are afforded constitutional, substantive, and procedural protections that are generally not applicable in a private school. In private schools, academic and conduct issues involving students raise contractual, as opposed to constitutional, issues.
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Education & Schools
School Sports Injury Lawsuits and Duty of Care
Dr. Edward Dragan
Injuries are a part of intramural and extramural sports and recreation programs. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, high school athletes account for 2 million injuries, 500,000 doctor visits, and 30,000 hospitalizations each year. There's a certain level of risk assumed by a child who participates in any physical activity, but the school or agency has a general duty to protect children from harm to avoid school sports injury lawsuits. Dereliction of that duty may result in any number of situations that a jury may consider negligent, such as failure to develop and implement appropriate policies and procedures for supervision, poor maintenance of equipment, or inadequate instruction of children about the dangers inherent in their activity.
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Education & Schools
Contributory Negligence Defense in School Liability Lawsuits
Dr. Edward Dragan
Student injury or death often brings negative attention to a school. In fact, the first thing often reported publicly is an injured party's claim that an incident stemmed from the negligence or misconduct of a staff member responsible for a child's safety - a teacher, coach, or bus driver, for instance. But a student injury or death can result from any number of situations. These might range from school-related action or inaction, such as a breach of school security or failure to follow a student's medical orders, to a student's own actions and choices triggering a contributory negligence defense.
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Education & Schools
School Liability and Negligent Supervision of Children with Disabilities
Dr. Edward Dragan
For schools, daycare centers, after-school programs, and camps, children with disabilities often present significant supervisory challenges. If these children's needs are not adequately addressed and a child is seriously injured or killed, negligent supervision may be viewed as a proximate cause. But what constitutes reasonable supervision of children with behavioral or physical disabilities? It depends on the unique needs of the student and a school's standards for protecting that student from harm.
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Education & Schools
Assistive Technology: A Guide for School Districts
Dr. Edward Dragan
This article reviews recent legislation and how that legislation effects compliance with student IEPs in regards to the equipment that can improve a student's ability to learn and interact with teachers, family, and friends. The article details the recommendation of devices and the school's responsibility in regards to their procurement, usage, and maintenance.
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Education & Schools
Disability Harassment
Dr. Edward Dragan
Recently, a Seattle student with cerebral palsy was awarded $300,000 in damages from her school after years of harassment by another student was allowed to take place. Her harasser regularly called her names, blocked her wheelchair's path with furniture and manipulated her chair's electronic controls so it rammed into walls. It was not until the harasser caused his target serious physical injury and property damage that school officials responded formatively to his hostility by suspending him for three days.
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Education & Schools
Disability Law Briefing
Dr. Edward Dragan
Abstract: This special paper introduces the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, describes the school district's obligation to advocate for students with disabilities, reviews student rights created by the law, defines key terms, and takes the reader, step by step, through the procedural protections provided by the regulations.
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Education & Schools
Litigation Support: The Educator Expert
Dr. Edward Dragan
Abstract: Examples of consultations serve as an illustration of how a consulting education expert can assist lawyers who are working on school and education related cases. One example deals with a special education dispute involving inclusion and the other deals with liability for student injury and a settlement of $850,000.
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Education & Schools
Recommendations for Addressing Violence in Schools
Dr. Edward Dragan
The tragic realities of the school killings in Littleton, Colorado, and similar instances of violence involving today's youth, have educators, policymakers and communities searching for causes as well as methods of prevention. Hit lists, posted on Internet sites and plans made by high school students to "get even" when they are teased are symptoms of what we already know: Bullying, teasing and discrimination are big problems for American children.
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Education & Schools
Regular Assessment of School Procedures Can Reduce Risks
Dr. Edward Dragan
Our nation's schools pay millions of dollars annually in damages to school children injured in class, sexually assaulted by teachers, and harassed by fellow students. Unnecessary risks in schools can be controlled to protect the safety of students, faculty and support staffs and to eliminate costly litigation and settlements.
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Education & Schools
School Evaluations Help Swing Custody Cases
Dr. Edward Dragan
Even the most amicable custody arrangements can sour over school choice. As more people move about, the issue of where their children will attend school, and what that school offers compared to their current situation, is becoming more significant in family law. This article examines ways an education expert can assist with objective evaluations of school programs.
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Education & Schools
The Educator as a Consulting and Testifying Expert
Dr. Edward Dragan
The educator as a consulting and testifying expert has become one of the most important tools that an lawyer can use in the dispute resolution process involving schools. When the consultant becomes an expert witness the relationship changes. This article explains how the expert educator assesses merits of a case, and provides consultation to lawyers who are working on education and school related cases.
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Expert Witnessing
The New Landscape of Bullying: Criminal Prosecution, Civil Lawsuits and the Supreme Court
Dr. Edward Dragan
According to a new national survey, there has been a sharp drop in the percentage of America's children being physically bullied or beaten up by their peers.
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Expert Witnessing
Litigation in Schools: How an Education Expert Can Benefit Your Case
Dr. Edward Dragan
Assigning fault and responsibility in a lawsuit involving a school is rarely clear cut.
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Expert Witnessing
Educators as Expert Witnesses and Consultants
Dr. Edward Dragan
Eyewitnesses to the event may only tell what they saw, heard, felt or smelled; they are not allowed to tell what others have said (hearsay) or say what they think of the case.
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Education & Schools
Creating and Maintaining Effective Schools for All Children
Dr. Edward Dragan
The first wave of inclusion has crashed upon the shores of our schools. Now, educators and parents are looking toward the horizon awaiting the next wave to see what it brings.
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Education & Schools
After A Due Process Hearing, Then What?
Dr. Edward Dragan
Now that the administrative law judge ordered Heather into the regular fourth-grade classroom, none of the teachers want to have her, Maybe we shouldn't have filed for a due process hearing against the school. I think it backfired on us.
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Education & Schools
Accountability and Special Education: Planning for Results
Dr. Edward Dragan
Schools seem to have little control over the financial and human resources that are dedicated to special education. How can accountability be achieved?
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Sexual Abuse - Molestation - Harassment
Setting the Boundaries: Sexual Harassment in Schools
Edward Dragan
This article explores common situations regarding sexual harassment in the school setting. It also discusses exploitation of sexual power either by teachers or by students in an inappropriate relationship. Schools and its employees have a duty to train their students on their sexual harassment policies and to report any inappropriate behavior.
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Social Issues
Cyberbullying and the Law
Dr. Edward Dragan
Cyberbullying is one of the fastest-growing problems facing families and the people responsible for protecting our children: school administrators, lawmakers and law enforcement officials. Cyberbullying is such a new frontier, the laws that define and police it are, in many places, weak to nonexistent. Its "sudden" pervasiveness and severity is now shocking people into action as evidenced by the rash of suicides making national news and the resulting public outcry.
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Accident Prevention & Safety
A Worthwhile Investment: A lack of oversight on safety issues can cost you millions in damages if students are hurt
Dr. Edward Dragan
The safety of children is of the utmost concern to school board members, administrators, and teachers. Accidents do happen, of course, but you must do everything you can to make sure that the students in your care are not hurt.
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Education & Schools
What Can You Do to Recognize the Signs That Could Result in Your Students Being Hurt? The Red Flag
Dr. Edward Dragan
People who are passionate about school safety have a vision--a vision we share with concerned parents, educators, and especially with the kids we're obliged to protect.
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Education & Schools
Five Tips for Parents When Your Child Is Being Bullied
Dr. Edward Dragan
All 15-year-old Phoebe Prince wanted was to be liked. But after moving from Ireland to Massachusetts, it wasn't long before Phoebe endured bullying from the "mean girls" at school.
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Education & Schools
Understanding Liability In School Cases
Dr. Edward Dragan
It is commonly accepted that school liability has increased over the past several years, especially in the area of tort liability.
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The Bully Action Guide: How to Help Your Child and Get Your School to Listen
Edward F. Dragan EdD
Bullying used to be thought of as an unpleasant rite of passage, but now psychologists are realizing that it inflicts real harm. As many as 40 percent of children report that they've experienced episodes of bullying at school or online through their school community. School safety expert Edward Dragan argues that parents need to be proactive in looking out for their children's social well being at school. From his many decades as a Board of Education insider, he argues that schools are self-protective entities and reluctant to address bullying themselves.
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Hastak Consulting Services
Prof. Makarand (Mark) Hastak, PhD, PE, CCP
Principal Consultant
West Lafayette IN 47906
phone: 765-430-1981
Prof. Makarand (Mark) Hastak, PhD, PE, CCP
, is the Professor and Head of the Division of
Construction Engineering and Management
as well as Professor of Civil Engineering at Purdue University.
Dr. Hastak has been involved with the construction industry for the past 30 years providing his expertise through consulting, research, teaching, and service to the industry. He is a world renowned expert in the area of construction engineering and management including process improvement, disaster risk reduction, resilience and capacity building, infrastructure management, intelligent planning for the built environment, cost control, project management decision-making, risk management, and strategic planning. Dr. Hastak is a Professional Engineer (PE) and a Certified Cost Professional (CCP).
Prof. Hastak has worked on numerous projects sponsored by the Construction Industry Institute (CII), NSF, State DOTs, and City Agencies. He has authored over 200 publications on process improvement, project controls, capital rehabilitation planning, strategic planning, and decision-making. He has co-authored a widely used book on Infrastructure Planning, Engineering, and Economics (McGraw-Hill 2006 and 2015). Dr. Hastak served on the Education Board of the Association for Advancement of Cost Engineering (2004-2016). He was Editor for two AACE books, the Skills and Knowledge of Cost Engineering (6th Ed. 2015) and the CCP Certification Study Guide (2nd Ed. 2016). He was also the Editor-in-Chief of the ASCE Journal of Management in Engineering (2009-2016).
Dr. Hastak has given over 35 keynotes and invited lectures around the world. As a prominent educator, he also engages in developing training material and workshops as well as regularly teaching professional courses for the A/E/C industry. His services include consultation, on-site investigation, data collection, assessment, and reporting.
Dr. Hastak Lectures at the 2015 International Conference on Building Resilience
Litigation Support
- Dr. Hastak offers expert witness services to attorneys representing both plaintiff and defendant. He served as an Expert Witness on two cases in 2017 and was deposed on one. His services include case reviews, written reports, depositions, arbitrations, and trial testimony as needed.
Areas of Expertise
Construction Engineering
Construction Management
Cost Overruns
Schedule Delays
Construction Safety
Modular Construction
Patent Infringement
Factory Built Construction
Infrastructure Planning
Data Center Construction
Project Risk Management
Disaster Recovery / Disaster Mitigation
Trade Secret Misappropriation
Contracts & Warranties
View Dr. Hastak's Consulting Profile
Dr. Hastak's Curriculum Vitae (Full)
Curriculum Vitae (Short)
Construction Engineering Consultant Bio
Purdue Biography
SPARC Group
Video: Dr. Hastak Lecture - 2015 International Conference on Building Resilience
Video: Dr. Hastak Lecture - RICS School of Built Environment, Amity University
Infrastructure Planning, Engineering and Economics, 2nd Edition
Makarand Hastak, PhD, PE, CCP
Thoroughly revised to address sustainability and the latest codes and regulations, Infrastructure Planning, Engineering and Economics, Second Edition, describes the full range of skills necessary to plan, implement, upgrade, and maintain infrastructure projects in the public sector.
Certified Cost Professional (CCP) Certification Study Guide
Makarand Hastak, PhD, PE, CCP
This edition is designed as a companion workbook to the Skills and Knowledge of Cost Engineering, 6th Edition (S&K 6). In conjunction with S&K 6, this study guide will assist individuals in their preparation for the CCP Certification examination as well as develop the general knowledge a cost engineering professional is expected to have. This study guide offers insight into the key topics found in each chapter of S&K 6 and provides practice questions and exercises to better develop knowledge in individual areas.
Skills & Knowledge of Cost Engineering (6th Ed.)
Makarand Hastak, PhD, PE, CCP
This Education Board publication provides comprehensive and in-depth information on a wide range of cost engineering subjects and will prove to be a valuable resource to any individual seeking professional growth or pursuing an AACE International certification. This publication offers six sections comprising 34 chapters of content on topics such as cost estimating, project planning, value engineering, and strategic asset management, to name a few.
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Municipal Police Institute
David W. O'Laughlin
Director of Training &Use of Force Expert
125 HMS Stayner Drive
Hingham MA 02043
phone: 617-212-8850
David W. O`Laughlin
is an experienced, innovative leader in the world of
Law Enforcement Training
. Having been directly involved in the training of police officers for more than 35 years, he has obtained certifications in a multitude of disciplines and has become a Master Use of Force Instructor and Force Science Analyst.
Mr. O'Laughlin has recently retired from the Brookline Police Department. As President of the Massachusetts Police Training Officers Association, he was appointed to serve on the Executive Board of the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Council by Governor Weld and later appointed to the Committee for Law Enforcement Training and Education by Governor Romney.
As Director of Training for MPI, Mr. O'Laughlin oversees the development and implementation of all training programs and other interests produced by MPI. He is a certified expert in the
Use of Force
and is a recognized consultant in that discipline.
Litigation Support
: David W. O'Laughlin provides expert incident analysis and testifies in both court and deposition in matters of police use of force, up to and including deadly force. His services are available to police agencies, insurance companies, and attorneys representing both plaintiff and defendant.
Areas of Expertise
Use of Force
Deadly Force
Law Enforcement Training
Police Practices & Procedures
View David O'Laughlin's Consulting Profile
David O'Laughlin's Curriculum Vitae
About MPI
Litigation Support
Twitter Feed
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Renegade Learning
Virginia Rhodes
1549 Wittlou Ave. Suite 201
Cincinnati OH 45224
phone: 513-207-2566
Virginia Rhodes, EdD
has an extensive background in public schooling with over 35 years of experience in duty of care: teaching, administrative, hiring, supervision, evaluation and instruction in K-12 settings. Her work in research, and as a school board member in a large district, grounds her expertise in school policy and district and whole-school effectiveness.
As principal and policy-maker, Dr. Rhodes was known for her work in reclaiming failing high schools, including moving an Ohio high school from 8% passage on the state science test to 54.5% in 2 years, collaboratively, within a contractual environment.
Dr. Rhodes provides Expert Witness testimony and preparation services for districts and law firms. She has represented both plaintiff and defense. Dr. Rhodes' services are available nationally and internationally, as she is culturally competent and travels and speaks at conferences regularly. Previous cases have included student injury, student death, religious discrimination, race discrimination, wrongful termination, discrimination in hiring on basis of disability, sexual abuse, administrative supervision, teacher supervision, actions of paraprofessionals including teacher assistants and security guards, as well as school evaluations for domestic cases.
Areas of expertise include
school practices, school district policy & practice,
organizational planning & development, standards of administrative, teacher and school staff practice
teacher training / evaluation, administrative training
school climate, SEL (social-emotional learning), disciplinary methods and standards,
Diversity Issues within Personnel and Student Settings
Urban School Research
Deposition Digests & Document Review
STEM, Environmental, Magnet, and other Specialty Programming
Conditions Affecting Low-income Students: Mobility, Poverty
Urban Schooling / High-risk Settings
Innovative & 21st Century Practices - Domestic and Abroad
Academic Achievement and Program Development
View Dr. Rhodes' Consulting Profile
Dr. Rhodes' Curriculum Vitae
Education & Schools
Kids In The Creek: Using STEM & Green Strategies to Transform Urban Schools
Dr. Virginia Rhodes
What does it take to improve science performance in an inner-city high school? Could a science "immersion" strategy change motivation and interest in science? How can we meet a key strategic goal of our urban district: "All students graduate and are prepared for postsecondary education, successful careers and productive citizenship."
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Education & Schools
Teaching Hiring For Collaboration In Urban Schools: Team Task Interviews for STEM Teacher Candidates
Dr. Virginia Rhodes
Creative professionals in team-based work settings value work communications skills among their colleagues. As public schools create professional learning communities and experiment with teacher-led curriculum and program development, traditional interview processes may prove inadequate for these new collaborative environments. New and creative selection models may be needed to enable teacher or other professional teams to choose candidates with the 21st century skills needed for success. In public sector environments, work rules are often highly developed and professionals are entitled to interview. Qualifications, training, experience and seniority as determinants often get reduced to transfer rights using seniority as the main or only criteria. This trend detracts from creating a competitive environment in which to attract & retain a high-quality teaching staff. Solutions can be found within existing contract parameters, however, if the attributes necessary to teach 21st Century skills are actually required to be demonstrated, not just described, in the interview process.
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Education & Schools
Using De Facto Learning Theory To Understand Urban School Mobility
Dr. Virginia Rhodes
"All children can learn," is a catchphrase currently making the rounds in education circles, particularly in staff development activities (Pankratz & Petroski, 2003). De facto learning theory challenges the underlying assumptions of this phrase by examining how it is that learning in schools takes place. Using theoretical foundations of Dewey, Maslow, and Vygotsky, this essay will explore the fact that all children are, in fact, learning all the time, regardless of the actions of teachers, the content of the curriculum, or educational policy and practice.
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Education & Schools
Rigor Meets Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
Dr. Virginia Rhodes
Critical to a dynamic STEM school is a high level of instructional rigor. While this is true in all STEM schools, it is a particular challenge in those programs that serve populations inexperienced with high levels of rigor in their previous coursework.
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Education & Schools
Urban School Myth Busted by Micro-Experiment: Do Teens Really Hate Healthy Foods?
Dr. Virginia Rhodes
OK, I did learn enough in 35 years of high school teaching, administration, and marriage to know one thing: The way to anyone's heart is through their stomach! Feed them, and they will come.
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Education & Schools
Using STEM & Green School Strategies With Urban Youth
Dr. Virginia Rhodes
Establishing a STEM High School (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics), and the Aiken Environmental, Ohio's first public environmental high school proved to be successful strategies to increase student engagement and raise standardized scores in science. High-poverty urban students from declining academic and disciplinary environments produced significant gains on science test results and credit attainment towards graduation. Using multiple overlapping rigor and SEL strategies, students experienced "science immersion," project-based learning, and a social-emotional curriculum that emphasized personal development and team/community-building skills.
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Richard L. Swanson, Ph.D. Education Consultant
Richard L. Swanson, PhD
785 Tucker Road
Suite G-154
Tehachapi CA 93561
phone: 530-277-9603
Richard L. Swanson, PhD
is a former School Administrator, Principal and Superintendent with over 39 years of experience in
. He earned a PhD in Social /Developmental Psychology from the School of Education at UC Berkeley and has been a driving force in successful negotiations, mediations and several high-profile litigations of key
Educational Issues
which include
Sexual Harassment, Student Complaints, Teacher Grievances
as well as
Discipline, Dismissal and Release
Dr. Swanson has worked directly with the Office of Civil Rights, the Department of Justice, the California Department of Education's Fiscal office, the California State Controller and the California State Attorney General's Offices. He speaks with articulate, persuasive and knowledgeable authority based solidly on his academic training and 39 years of practical experience. His credibility as an
Expert Witness
rests on 9 years as a teacher and instructional consultant, 12 years in the private sector as a manager/planner and financial executive and 18 years in school leadership as a principal and superintendent.
Dr. Swanson has written over 16 teachers' guides, one book on finance and numerous published articles on educational topics. He has expertise in:
School Reform
School Fraud Prevention and Prosecution
School Safety
Title IX Compliance
Teacher Discipline, Dismissal, Release
Special Education Compliance
School Improvement
NCLB and Achievement Gap Issues
Bullying / Harassment
School Facilities
School Finance
Educational Evaluation
Social Development
School Supervision
View Consulting Profile
View Dr. Swanson's Curriculum Vitae
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Snoaspen Insurance Group, Inc.
Paul W. Burkett, JD, CPCU, CIC, ARM,CRM, ALCM
10775 Double R Blvd
Reno NV 89521
phone: 775-682-4380
fax: 775-682-4301
Paul W. Burkett, JD, CPCU, CIC, ARM,CRM, ALCM
is an
Insurance and Risk Management
specialist. President and CEO of Snoaspen Insurance Group, Inc., Mr. Burkett began his career as a Loss Control Representative for SAFECO Insurance Company after serving as an Officer in the United States Air Force. During his career with SAFECO, he served as a Loss Control Supervisor, Loss Control Manager, Commercial Sales Representative, Division Commercial Lines Underwriting Manager, and Regional Workers Compensation Manager.
From Safeco Insurance Company, Mr. Burkett worked for Frank B. Hall & Company as a Vice President in charge of Risk Management Services. He was responsible for design and implementation of alternative insurance programs such as pools, self-insurance, and captives. From Frank B. Hall, Mr. Burkett assisted in establishing the Meadowbrook of Colorado office and focused on developing specialized group programs. Paul assisted in establishing TUITIONGard which specialized in coverage for private student loans provided through banks in the United States.
Mr. Burkett currently provides litigation support services to attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defense. He has been deposed and/or testified approximately 10 rimes in the last five years.
Areas of Expertise
Insurance Company Good and Bad Faith
Agent / Broker Standard of Care
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phone: 816-813-6232
Catherine Witt
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: Ms. Witt and her team have a total over 100 years experience in the
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Catherine Witt provides litigation consulting and expert witness services for legal cases involving fatalities, catastrophic injuries, personal injuries, and workplace safety. She has expertise in Work zone safety and OSHA regulations for construction, utilities, special events, emergency response and maintenance. Ms. Witt's expert witness services are available to attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defense.
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text:
Grain buyer says soybean yields excellent
Corn harvest too early to tell.
On Monday, thunderstorms rumbled and rain poured across Gothenburg and Dawson County.Last Friday, farmers had to brave blustery winds that gusted across fields.
Despite weather conditions and harvest about a week behind usual, this year's harvest looks good so far.
All Points Cooperative grain buyer Steve Costello said soybeans are the best he's ever seen.
Grain producer Doug Peckham agreed and described his crop as dense and weighing in the upper 50-pound range compared to the crop standard of 60 pounds a bushel which is uncommon to reach.
"Usually beans are in the mid 50 range," Peckham said.
So far, he said he's picked a load of yellow corn and has started harvesting his popcorn crop.
Monday's downpours could keep farmers from driving combines in soggy fields, Peckham said, noting that a dry day with low humidity are ideal harvest conditions for soybeans.
He said soybean planting was about a week late this year.
As far as growing conditions, Peckham said beans mature to the length of day while corn develops according to heat units or temperatures that are high enough over a period of time to make corn grow, Peckham said.
Because large amounts of corn haven't been brought to the elevator yet, Costello said he doesn't know about quality but expects it to be good.
Prices per bushel for both corn and soybeans are about $3 dollars less than last year, Peckham said.
"Last year was a bonanza year with good prices and yields," he said. "This year, I hope yields are high to maintain some profit."
As a result of lower prices, he said he'll be more careful with expenditures.
Barring weather, that Peckham described as the "cat in the bag," yields look favorable, he said.
Latest Headlines
- Gothenburg native releases first novel
- We all need help from a friend
- Monsanto hosts 6th annual Safety Day program
- Brady places champ and runner-up at State FCCLA
- Swedes continue conference domination
- Dancing With The Stars changes venues
- Middle-of-the-Pack Finishes For Swede Boys and Girls
- Girls Show Support for Teacher's Cancer Fight


text:
December 29. 2012 10:36PM
Tot's death 'beyond a tragedy'
By MEGHAN PIERCE
Union Leader Correspondent
WILTON - A month shy of his second birthday, Gregory Paul Prince Jr. was bid farewell by family and friends who gathered Saturday to celebrate his life.
The 23-month-old, who was also known by his nickname, Buggie, died of smoke inhalation during a fire at his grandparents' New Ipswich home a week ago.
He was the only child of Kaila Prince and Greg Prince Sr. of Greenville.
Speaking about her son during the service at the Michaud Funeral Home, Kaila Prince said, "I love him to death. I will never stop bragging about my son. I miss my son very much."
Gregory Jr. had a joyous, happy face that allowed him to get away with anything, she said.
"Greg loved everyone no matter what they looked like or who they were, and he taught me that's what you have to do," she said.
"Gregory Jr. defined for the people around him the word 'joy,'?" said the Rev. Mark Brockmeier, pastor of the Second Congregational Church of Wilton, who led the service. "It is a sad day, but we remember the joy and the life that was Gregory Jr."
The death of a child - especially so unexpectedly - is almost unspeakable, Brockmeier said. But to not speak of and remember Gregory Jr. would be a disservice to him, his memory and the effect he had on so many people around him, Brockmeier said.
"Gregory Jr.'s time with us was full and lively," he said. "He loved to be outside at every opportunity and wonder at everything around him. ... He could light up any room simply with his presence. There are so many memories, all qualities not measured by the clock. And I am sure you all have some memories of this precious little boy. Those memories will endure, making sure he is never forgotten."
Nobody knows why such tragedies happen, Brockmeier said, and though Gregory Jr. is now in "God's loving arms in heaven," he remains in the hearts and memories of his friends and family on earth.
"If he were here right now, he'd be smiling just like he'd be in life," Brockmeier said.
About 200 people attended the service was attended by about 200 people. The Princes have a large extended family in the Greenville and New Ipswich area.
Gregory Jr. died in a house fire at 36 Huse Road on Dec. 23. The cause of the fire, which destroyed the home, is still unknown.
The toddler was staying overnight at the home of his grandparents Rich and Beth Prince as part of an early family Christmas celebration.
Rich and Beth Prince lived in their Huse Road home with several of their adult children. The Princes and three of their children were hospitalized after the fire. Their 26-year-old son, Joshua Prince, perished in the fire with Gregory Jr.
Outside the funeral home, family member Missy Drouin of Greenville said Joshua Prince died attempting to rescue his nephew.
His brother Sean Prince had rescued Rich and Beth Prince that night.
"Joshua and Sean, Sean is still with us thank God, but they are indeed beyond heroes. Sean got his parents out, and Joshua went back in to get the baby," Missy Drouin said.
"Kissed his girlfriend and said, 'be back.' He didn't even think twice," said her husband, Richard Drouin.
Drouin said she was very close to Joshua Prince, who was 3 years old when she married into the family.
"I'm beyond proud of him. There are no words to express how proud," Missy Drouin said.
Buggie was exceptional in every way, she said
"He was beyond a comedian. Legit, never really heard that baby complain at all. ... He was always happy, happy, happy," she said. "The whole thing is beyond a tragedy."
- - - - - - - -
Meghan Pierce may be reached at


text:
Otto E. Franzen, 85 - October 31, 2012Otto E. Franzen, 85, of Gothenburg died Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.
A visitation will be conducted at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel at Gothenburg on Friday, Nov. 2, from 1 to 8 p.m. with family present from 6 to 8 p.m.
Services will take place at the American Lutheran Church of Gothenburg on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Tom Wilson and Lonna Grabenstein, PMA, officiating. Interment will be at the American Lutheran Cemetery at Gothenburg.
Franzen was born Jan. 10, 1927, at Gothenburg to Eilert and Gesina Schmidt Franzen. He graduated country school and farmed with his family.
In April of 1952, he was united in marriage to Marie Litchenberg at Gothenburg. To this union, four children were welcomed, Charlotte, James, Wayne and Celeste
He served with the U.S. Army during the Korean War, stationed in Germany.
Franzen's wife passed away in 1968.
On April 1, 1969, he married Lois Hickenbottom at Callaway. Four additional children joined the family, Tim, Steve, Jim and Molly Lange, and born to this union, was a son, Eric.
He was employed with Monroe Auto Equipment from 1970 to 1979, but the majority of his life was spent farming. He was known to believe that once farming gets in your blood, it stays there for a lifetime, said family members.
Franzen didn't fully retire until he and his wife sold the farm and moved into Gothenburg in 2005.
He was a stickler for a beautiful lawn and didn't allow just anyone to help tend to it, according to family members. As his kids grew up, moved on and raised families of their own, he and his wife turned their attention to raising their four-legged kids, Angel, Pebbles and Bobo, loved and spoiled critters, family said.
Franzen was preceded in death by: his parents, Eilert and Gesina; a sister, Bernice Bodtke; his first wife, Marie; granddaughter and grandson—Natasha and Zachary Franzen; numerous in-law family members.
Survivors include: his wife, Lois; children—Charlotte (Tom) Tauche of Colorado Springs, CO, James (Laura) Franzen of Lincoln, Wayne (Duane Woutzke) Franzen of Wymore, Steve (DeAnna) Lange of Callaway, Celeste (Larry) Miller of Cahokia, IL, Jim (Katy) Lange of Healy, KS, Tim (Patty) Lange, Molly Lange and Eric (Tia) Franzen, all of Grand Island; sisters—Lucille Sommers of Missouri, Alvina Krueger of Gilead and Evelyn Waltman of Ord; a brother, Marvin (Jill) Franzen of Gothenburg; 18 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials are suggested to the Gothenburg American Legion or donor's choice.
Latest Headlines
- Gothenburg native releases first novel
- We all need help from a friend
- Monsanto hosts 6th annual Safety Day program
- Brady places champ and runner-up at State FCCLA
- Swedes continue conference domination
- Dancing With The Stars changes venues
- Middle-of-the-Pack Finishes For Swede Boys and Girls
- Girls Show Support for Teacher's Cancer Fight


text:
Tools:File Analysis
From ForensicsWiki
Revision as of 22:15, 15 November 2007 by Frank (Talk | contribs) (Added File Sharing category and P2PMarshal link)
Open Source Tools
- file
- The file command determines the file type of a given file, depending on its contents and not on e.g. its extension or filename. In order to do that, it uses a magic configuration file that identifies filetypes.
- ldd
- ...
- ltrace
- ...
- strace
- ...
- strings
- Strings will print the strings of printable characters in files. It allows choosing different charactersets (ASCII, UNICODE). It is a quick way to browse through files/partitions/... in order to look for words, filenames, keywords etc.
- Galleta
- Parses cookie files. http://www.foundstone.com/resources/proddesc/galleta.htm
- Pasco
- Parses 'index.dat files. http://www.foundstone.com/resources/proddesc/pasco.htm
- Rifiuti
- Examines the INFO2 file in the Recycle Bin http://www.foundstone.com/resources/proddesc/rifiuti.htm
- yim2text
- Extracts the 'encrypted' info in yahoo instant messenger log files. http://www.1vs0.com/tools.html
- Hachoir
- determines the file type using file header/footer (hachoir-metadata --type), able to list strings in Unicode (hachoir-grep), etc. Support more than 60 file formats.
- Cygwin
- http://www.cygwin.com/
- Linux like environment for Windows
- UnxUtils
- http://unxutils.sourceforge.net/
- Common unix utilities compiled for a Windows environment.
File Sharing Analysis Tools
- P2P Marshal
- Tools to discover and analyze peer-to-peer files for Windows.


text:
No Cost Nicole Ferrera Movie Clip from Amazing Nicole on 8thstreetlatinas.com
Marc went to go visit his beautiful pal Ms. Nicole Ferrera. The pair were going to go out to the movies, nevertheless they stayed in to bang. She was looking very sexy and picked up her dress to reveal her delectable butt. Just after, she was sucking that dick and she had her slit licked. He then turned her around and pounded her kitty.


text:
Angel of Light
AbeBooks Seller Since April 16, 2008Quantity Available: 1
Stock Image
AbeBooks Seller Since April 16, 2008Quantity Available: 1
About this Item
Bibliographic Details
Title: Angel of Light
Publisher: Dutton Adult August 1981
Publication Date: 1981
Binding: Hardcover
Book Condition:Fine (F)
Dust Jacket Condition: As New
Edition: First Edition.
About this title
When Maurice Halleck, a minister of justice accused of corruption, dies an apparent suicide in a car accident, his children, believing he was betrayed by their mother and her lover, seek revenge
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Store Description
We guarantee the condition of every book as it's described on the Abebooks web
sites. If you're dissatisfied with your purchase (Incorrect Book/Not as
Described/Damaged) or if the order hasn't arrived, you're eligible for a refund
within 48 hours of the estimated delivery date. If you've changed your mind about
a book that you've ordered, please use the Ask bookseller a question link to
contact us and we'll respond within 2 business days.
Orders usually ship within 2 business days. Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG and with an average shipping distance . If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required. For International shipping they should call for shipping amount.
Payment Methods
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text:
Top dressing is the latest landscape technique to make the jump from sports fields and golf courses to residential and commercial properties.
Bulky, tractor-driven applicators and inefficient, old technology used to make top dressing a prohibitively expensive option for smaller jobs. Contractors rightly reserved this service for the upper crust of landscape customers . . . no longer.
Recent improvements in application technology have finally made it possible for landscape professionals in all sectors of the business to provide this valuable service. Top dressing is already considered essential in the maintenance of athletic fields and golf courses. Daniel Cote, owner of eco Lawn, Norton, Vermont, sees this service growing to assume a place of equal importance in the residential and commercial markets. "Customers want a sustainable substitute for chemicals and fertilizers," says Cote. "The organic matter in top dressing prevents weeds, increases water retention and neutralizes pH." With all of those benefits wrapped up in one ecofriendly bundle, it's no surprise that contractors who offer top dressing have seen an increase in demand.
Top dressing is defined as the direct application of a layer of soil mixture onto grass. The contents of this organic panacea are more mundane than you might expect. Topsoil is the main ingredient in the mixture added to athletic fields and golf courses. For commercial and residential properties, Cote recommends a 75-percent compost mixture. The thickness of this soil layer varies, depending on the needs of the site. A good target range to use as a reference is 1/8 to 1/4 inch.
The restorative powers of top dressing stem from its capacity to increase lawn density. A denser, healthier lawn will naturally retain more water and result in a neutralized soil pH. unsightly weeds get crowded out by thriving grasses, flowers, trees and shrubs, though Cote cautions that top dressing is not 100-percent effective as an herbicide.
On problematic patches of turf, application of pre-emergent herbicides or corn gluten meal may be necessary to supplement the top dressing's effect.
Cote cautions that noxious pesticides and chemicals may still be needed to achieve that perfect, emerald lawn, though top dressing will reduce the amount.
"You always need to fertilize and use pesticide for a perfect lawn," says Cote. "Top dressing is just the first step to minimizing pesticides and chemical fertilizers used." As far as Cote is concerned, every drop of chemical herbicide or fertilizer that landscape professionals keep from entering the food and water supply is a step in the right direction. environmental purists should be able to cope with the inevitable emergence of a few unwanted weeds. ethical pragmatists fixated on that picture-perfect lawn will have to settle for a reduction in the amount of chemical applied to their lawns, rather than its complete elimination.
One layer of compost fulfills between 50 percent and 100 percent of fertilizing needs. In addition to increasing water retention and lawn density, a mixture that includes at least 75 percent organic compost improves soil structure, stimulates microbial activity and breaks down thatch. Over the course of a single season even dilapidated, struggling lawns will see improvement.
Until recently, high margin businesses were the only ones capable of absorbing the costs of top dressing. By foregoing the use of high-capacity, tractor-drawn equipment and limiting site application to once or twice per year, you can make this process affordable and attractive to your residential and commercial customers.
The only measurement you need to prepare a reliable estimate for a customer interested in top dressing is the area of the lawn or site. For turf renovation, the application rate is one cubic yard of soil mixture per 1000 sq. ft. of lawn. For regular top dressing, the application rate is half that: one cubic yard of soil mixture per 2000 sq. ft. of lawn. To generate a price estimate, simply multiply the cost of your compost, including delivery, by four for commercial properties and five for residential.
As environmental concerns continue to occupy an increasing amount of real estate in the minds of the public, organic services like top dressing are bound to occupy larger and larger shares of the market. It doesn't take a prophet to realize that legislation banning phosphorous from fertilizers is the beginning and not the end of government intervention in the field. American landscape professionals need only look a few miles north to Canada to see just how far the regulatory arm of government can reach on environmental issues. Top dressing is a versatile service, well adapted to the coming sustainable age. Any contractor would be wise to add it to his or her company's repertoire.