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Fluid Animate Particle Simulation
Today we examine the fluidanimate simulation program from the PARSEC benchmark suite available at Princeton University.
In this simulation there is a volume filled particles in an initial state. The dimensions of the volume, number of particles and interactions of the particles with each other and external forces (gravity). The initial state is set such that the external force will cause significant disturbance in the fluid and afterwards the fluid transitions towards a stable state. Two of the simulations will be examined in this blog: simsmall with 36,504 particles and simnative with 501,642 particles. A screenshot of the simulation with 36,504 particles follows:
For fluid simulations, the fluid "particle" motion is dependent on the external forces (e.g. gravity) plus forces generated by force differentials which are a function of local density (proximity with other particles). In a full featured simulation there may be multiple properties, each with different force contributions (external force, viscosity flow forces, mechanical, charge, etc…). This simulation program considers only two: external force and a pressure force.
In a perfect simulation the internal forces are a function of the local density, which in turn is a function of the proximity of a particle with all of the other particles in the system. The computation requirements of each particle interacting with all other particles become excessive as the number of particles grow. Therefore, some fidelity in the simulation is traded off against reduction in computation time by considering interactions between particles within a specified radius of each other. The technique employed is to partition the volume into much smaller cells and then only consider particles within same cell and neighboring cells when computing the separation of the particles. In the 500K particle simulation there are 229,900 cells. Using a 3x3x3 array of neighboring cells the volumetric reduction is 27/229900 ~= 1/32842. Due to the external force, the particles are not evenly distributed through the full simulation domain as can be seen in the above screenshot. The vast majority of particles reside in 1/8 the simulation volume resulting in the higher density 3x3x3 array containing ~ 1/4100 particles of the total. The number of permutations is thus greatly reduced by a factor of about 1000.
Prior to my involvement, the fluidanimate simulation contained implementations using a Serial method, a Pthreads parallel implementation, and a TBB parallel implementation. My involvement was to add a QuickThread implementation.
I must state up front that the design requirements of the QuickThread implementation was to show the reader of the code how to write more efficient code in solving the particle simulation problem as opposed to illustrating a different threading model executing a not nearly as optimal solution. While the strategy used to implement the QuickThread solution can be retrofitted into the Serial, Pthreads and TBB implementations, this author will leave this as an exercise for others.
In this blog I outline the strategy differences. The source code of the implementation can be obtained by first obtaining the PARSEC benchmark suite (sans the QuickThread code revisions) then contacting me for the QuickThread extensions ([email protected]). Visit www.quickthreadprogramming.com for additional information about QuickThread. Eventually the QuickThread extensions will be included in the PARSEC benchmark suite for general distribution.
The following is a comparative chart of running the 35K particle simulation on an Intel Core i7 920 system with 4 cores and HyperThreading (total of 8 hardware threads). The best out of 3 runs charted for each threading model.
For those readers not familiar with HyperThreading processors the short description is this system has 8 integer execution units but only 4 floating point execution units (two threads share each floating-point execution unit). The scaling curve will drop when you exceed the number of floating point execution units. Larger core/processor count systems were not explored as of this article.
In examining the chart you can see in the 8 thread run QuickThread has a 30% advantage over Pthreads-w32 and a 38% advantage over TBB. (where as Pthreads has a 6.4% advantage over TBB). The QuickThread strategy has significant advantage over the other strategies. Let's examine the strategy differences to see how this is this advantage is attained.
There are several distinct differences between the implementations. While I do not have the data to quantify the effect of each implementation difference I can generalize them in the following paragraphs.
One distinction is the QuickThread scheduler uses Affinity Pinned worker threads. And when the thread pool under subscribes the number of hardware threads (4, 2, and 1 thread runs on 8 thread system) the default affinity pinning is to separated hardware threads. Therefore QuickThread can take advantage of better cache utilization.
All of the threading models use a similar strategy of starting a team of threads and then having each thread call the frame advance routines with each thread executing on a different slice of the cells. This particular application has less to do with the efficiencies of thread scheduling other than for the Affinity Pinning effect that the QuickThread implementation might exhibit some additional benefit.
In email discussions with Christian Bienia of Princeton University, he mentioned when fluidanimate.cpp was adapted by Intel for use with TBB (Threading Building Blocks), a design change was made which greatly improved performance. This design change was introduced back into the Pthreads and Serial versions. From my understanding of our emails, the original design had each particle allocated from the heap then collected into cells as a linked list. The Intel revision allocated the cells, each with an array of particles, a variable portion of which represented the subset of active particles of the system contained within the cell. Christian later issued an update where when the capacity of the fixed array of particles in the cell is exceeded, that an additional array is allocated and linked in to the cell list of arrays of particles. This is similar in some respect to how TBB implemented its concurrent container.
The above change was made under the (not always true) assumption that an array of items is always faster than a linked list of items. This statement bears some explanation. While the changes from linked list of particles to cell-by-cell array(s) of particles significantly improved performance (Christian said this), and in the process contributes to the truism of arrays being faster than linked lists. This contribution isn't the complete picture. I can confidently state this because the 38% faster QuickThread implementation is using linked lists of particles.
This presents a paradox in which the substantially faster QuickThread code is using a linked list technique that was demonstrated to be slower than an array technique as used by the TBB enhancements. How so?
The explanation of which is the Intel programmer(s) used a generalization of arrays are faster than linked lists rather than looking at why the particular implementation of linked lists was slower. While this programmer, closely examined the linked list, as an opportunity to improve performance over an array implementation.
When looking at the array implementation, and when particles move from cell to cell, the particle data must be copied from cell to cell as well as an accounting for the change of in-use array elements within the cell. Particles contain 13 floating point variables (either float or double) that require copying as they migrate from cell to cell. Exported particles may require squishing of the internal cell array of particles. This is overhead, meaning an opportunity for optimization.
When looking at the linked list implementation, when particles move from cell to cell, a single linked list has a node (particle) unlinked from one cell list and lined to a different cell list. The unlink, relink operation is significantly faster can copy and squish.
When particles do not migrate the array technique has a definite advantage (or so it would seem), when they do migrate, the linked list might have an advantage (or so it would seem). This said, why is the linked list technique as used by QuickThread superior to the array technique used by TBB and Pthreads?
The answer comes from how the oldest form of linked list technique performed its allocations. As stated earlier, each particle has 13 variables which consume 104 bytes of memory (using doubles). Not having the original linked list code I am making a guess as to what occurred. Due to various platforms supported by the benchmark suite, the current code (pre-QuickThead) attempts alignments to 128 bytes for optimal cache line usage. (64 byte alignment would be sufficient for ia32 and Intel64 platforms.) When allocating memory off the heap, each allocation contains a header which is not part of the data to be used by the application. Rather it is use when the object is returned to the heap. For aligned allocations, there is an extended header which permits use of the header as pad to attain requested alignment for the pointer returned to the application. Due to the nature of how this works out, each aligned to 128 byte object (104 bytes actually used) will consume 256 bytes of RAM.
This memory consumption works against the application cache utilization two ways. First, assuming 64 byte cache line, the 104 byte record is not utilizing 24 of 128 bytes sitting in cache (in two lines). 24/104 additional cache utilization is available. Second, most cache systems use a cache paging system (not necessarily the same size page for virtual memory) whereby the virtual memory address space is partitioned into cache pages and where a limited number of pages can be mapped into the cache system at any one time (e.g. 4-way set associative, 8-way, …). With the aligned allocation, cache pages are utilized at 104/256 or 40% utilized. On large datasets (e.g. 500,000 particles) this requires a large number of cache page management operations. And with 60% of the cache page unused.
The solution to the linked list problem, and the direction towards better cache management methods, is to follow procedures that are contrary to commonly accepted programming principals. First, do not align the data and pad the data. Second, allocate the entire linked list in one allocation and then thread the list. These two steps gain ~ 20/108 cache line utilization (4 extra bytes for pointer on 32-bit system), and perhaps more importantly ~60% better cache page utilization. Add this to the reduction in overhead for particle migration and you see significantly better performance.
An additional technique employed by the QuickThead code, and which improves cache utilization, is derived from an observation of how cell(particles) to cell(particles) calculations are performed. When the interactions within a 3x3x3 (or smaller) array of cells is performed, duplicate calculations are eliminated by calculations to be performed with cells in the 3x3x3 array of neighboring cells who's cell address is less than the current cell. This avoids calculations between cell A and B being made together with calculations between cell B and A. The code used by Serial, TBB and Pthreads-w32 drive the current focus cell in the X, Y, Z directions from 0:nX, 0:nY, 0:nZ which means the current cell of focus is migrating away from cells who's particles data have just been read in to the L1 cache. The QuickThread implementation runs the iterations in reverse nX:0, nY:0, nZ:0 an by doing so, some of the cell data from the prior iteration has a better probability of residing in L1 cache and an almost certainty of residing in L2 cache.
In closing, there are questions remaining: Is this the best technique to use, and if not, what technique is better. The answer to these are related and not so simple to state. In running various prototype techniques it becomes apparent that some techniques are superior in the smaller particle count problems, while other techniques are superior in the larger particle count simulations. The general technique used by all threading models in this report advanced the frame in 5 stages with barriers in between each stage. An experimental version seems to show promise on large simulations (500K and larger) which has eliminated the barriers and which permits phase skewing between the 5 stages amongst the various threads. This technique has higher management overhead and therefore payback occurs only on larger simulation models. This technique may be discussed in a future blog article.
Jim Dempsey


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Direct debits - business customers
ANZ Internet Banking for Business customers can use our direct debits tool to draw funds electronically from debtors. It's a fast and efficient way to manage your cash flow and finances.
- To set up the service you'll need to contact your ANZ Relationship Manager.
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- Create direct debits manually
- Upload a file to create direct debits
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Use our faqs to find out more about the direct debit facility for ANZ Internet Banking for Business customers.
|What is the direct debits facility?
Direct debit is a facility that allows you to draw funds electronically from debtors. It's a fast and efficient way to manage your cash flow and finances.
|Do I need to apply for direct debit facility?
Yes. Even if you have registered for an ANZ Internet Banking for Business you must apply for the direct debits facility.
|How do I set up a direct debit facility within ANZ Internet Banking for Business?
A direct debit facility can be activated within ANZ Internet Banking for Business if you are a relationship managed/business banking managed customer with a dedicated ANZ Relationship Manager or ANZ Business Banking Manager to look after your account.
|Are there any fees associated with direct debit facility?
Yes. There is a once-off direct debit user ID establishment fee of $200+GST.
|Is the direct debit limit inclusive of the Pay Anyone limit?
No. The direct debit limit is independent of the daily Pay Anyone limit.
|What is the minimum limit for direct debit facility?
The minimum limit for a direct debit facility is $5,000.
|Do I need to reapply for this facility each month?
No. Once set up the direct debit facility is valid until the specified expiry date; however a direct debit limit is renewed every cycle.
|My limit is $10,000. What happens if I exceed my limit?
If you exceed your direct debit limit for your pre-determined cycle, ANZ Internet Banking for Business will reject the payment.
|Can I see returned items associated with the direct debit payments?
Yes. You can view the returned items associated with the direct debit payments done and the reason the item was returned (e.g. incorrect account or BSB, insufficient funds, etc) on the "Set up business Direct debit" page.
|What are the direct debit return codes and corresponding reasons?
Use the table below to check return codes and reasons.
|Can I make changes to an ABA file I have imported, before requesting authorisation?
Yes. You can make changes to the uploaded payment file before authorising the transaction.
|What is the cut-off time for processing direct debit payments?
The standard cut-off time for processing direct debit payments is 6.00pm Melbourne time on a bank business day.
|Am I able to direct debit Statutory Trust accounts?
No. Statutory Trust accounts cannot be used for direct debits.
|If I send the direct debit batch on a Monday when do I get the funds in my account?
With the direct debit facility you will receive the credit as soon as the direct debits are processed.
|How do I know if a direct debit dishonours on an account?
If a direct debit payment dishonours, it will be debited from your account as soon as ANZ is notified of it.
|What can I do on the "Direct debit" menu?
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Need more help?
For further assistance please call the ANZ Internet Banking team on 13 33 50 (International callers: +61 3 9683 8833) 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

subset: commoncrawl


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Vaughan Furniture Co., current wholesaler and also former manufacturer of bedroom furniture, announced today that it will cease furniture operations and begin to close.
The closing was announced in an internal document and was first covered by the trade website (and magazine) "Furniture Today."
HILLSVILLE — Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced Friday that Thomas Automation Management (TAM), an automation firm that solves industrial IT problems for companies around the world, will invest $1 million to expand its operation in Carroll County, creating 15 new jobs.
It was the fifth economic development announcement for Carroll County this year, officials noted as they spoke of the partnerships that have been developed for the sake of economic growth.
Want to shop local this holiday season and give locally, too?
Prefer to support shops and services who help your favorite organizations?
Here's a list of businesses in Galax who have made donations to, or offer customers a chance to give to, area charities while they search for that perfect gift:
Bogey's Restaurant is collecting for Hope House, the Galax Fire Department's Community Christmas Food Fund, local Angel Trees and private requests.
HILLSVILLE ― Local small businesses created fewer jobs this year and fewer new businesses started up, but more existing companies expanded and jobs were retained.
These figures came from the Blue Ridge Crossroads Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Galax, which works with local entrepreneurs to start and expand their businesses.
Mandy Archer, director of the SBDC, gave a report on this year's figures to the Carroll County IDA at its Nov. 4 meeting.
HILLSVILLE – Now that the Carroll County Industrial Park is 100 percent full, Carroll County leaders will direct their efforts toward Wildwood Commerce Park at Exit 19 on Interstate 77.
Andrews Farming and ANDCO Logistics, a company that reaches from New York to Florida, will expand into the vacant Virginia Produce building, filling the last vacancy in the park.
Keith Andrews, president and CEO, said the company plans to invest $5.6 million and hire 51 people over the next three years.
After last Tuesday morning's press conference at the Carroll County municipal building announcing the creation of 51 new jobs by Andrews Farming Inc. and its sister company ANDCO Logistics, the Carroll County Industrial Development Authority held a called meeting to vote on details concerning the announcement.
During the meeting, the IDA voted unanimously on several motions, including approval to sublease the property to ANDCO and Andrews Farming. The property is owned by Virginia Produce, leased by the IDA, and is now being subleased to ANDCO and Andrews
By LARRY CHAMBERS, Staff
HILLSVILLE – The county filled the last building in the Carroll Industrial Park on Tuesday when Andrews Farming Inc. and its sister operation ANDCO Logistics Inc. announced plans to expand their operation, invest $5.6 million and hire 51 people over a three-year period.
Sheetz will apparently not begin construction on its Galax store until October 2015, to be completed around February 2016, according to Sheetz Engineering and Permit Manager Samuel A. Smith.
Sheetz had initially given the city plans in August stating construction would likely begin in May 2015, according to Galax City Environmental Program Manager Philip Hash.
"That was likely just a guess based on where they were with planning at the time," said Hash. "I don't know what other projects they have in the works."
City Manager Keith Barker says that the new Sheetz convenience store will be coming to Galax after all permits are secured, a process that has taken some time.
Galax City Council voted this summer to allow the rezoning of a portion of 1084 E. Stuart Drive so that Sheetz Inc. can build at the location. However, some people who were eager for the store to open have wondered why there has been no obvious progress at the site.
Virginia's popular sales tax holiday for back to school items is in effect through Sunday.
The sales tax exemption applies to most school and office supplies that cost $20 or less each, as well as clothing items and pairs of shoes priced at $100 or less each.
Qualifying items will be exempt from Virginia's 5.3 percent state and local sales tax.
For example, if you spend $500 on qualifying items during the sales tax holiday, you'll save $26.50 for tax-exempt purchases.
Copyright © 2019
The Galax Gazette is your source for local news, sports, events and information in Galax, Grayson, Carroll, and surrounding areas.


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The Safety Office is responsible for providing advice and support to all of the Schools and Departments within the University to assist them in ensuring a safe working environment for Staff, Students and Visitors.
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The Safety & Radiation Protection Office is situated at University Park in the single storey annex building to the rear of the Pharmacy Building. It is between this building and the L4 Engineering Laboratories at the western end of Coates Building - see map - building 26 (Pharmacy).
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NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A track inspection found problems two days before a train derailed in Connecticut and injured more than 70 people, the National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday.
The May 15 inspection found a rail joint with inadequate supporting ballast and indications of vertical movement of the track near the point of derailment, according to the NTSB. The agency, which has been investigating the crash, said rail sections were shipped to a lab for further examination.
Marjorie Anders, a spokeswoman for Metro-North Railroad, said the ballast is loose stone and the railroad constantly makes sure it's packed tightly so the track doesn't go up and down slightly when a train passes. She said the inspection noted the issue but it wasn't deemed an immediate problem, and the stone wasn't added and packed down before the derailment.
"If they think it has reached a critical point they will not hesitate to order slow speed and immediate repair," Anders said.
The NTSB has previously said a joint bar, used to hold two sections of rail together, had been cracked and repaired. The railroad says it was replaced.
That joint bar is the same one where the inspector noted the lack of stone, Anders said. Metro-North is conducting an inspection and inventory of all joint bars on its main tracks, the NTSB said.
The eastbound train from New York City was traveling at about 70 mph when it derailed during evening rush hour in Bridgeport on May 17. After it stopped, it was struck about 20 seconds later by the westbound train, which had slowed from 70 miles per hour to 23 miles per hour before hitting the train, NTSB said.
The crash injured 73 passengers, two engineers and a conductor. Damage was estimated by Metro-North at $18 million, the NTSB said.


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I thought I'd ask people to describe some area of your life where you were able to apply your experience with food and cooking to a non-food task.
My cooking lesson from my mother: When baking cornbread, you have to preheat the skillet. She makes cornbread in an iron skillet, and she taught me to leave the skillet in the oven while it's preheating. When pouring the batter into the skillet, you should hear it sizzle so you know the skillet was hot enough. This apparently makes the golden, crunchy crust on the cornbread properly. Sometimes, my mother's cornbread didn't turn out too well. I suggested to her that she leave the skillet in the hot oven for a while longer, even after the oven alarm says it's been preheated. My reasoning was that the air in the oven might be hot enough, but it might take longer for the skillet to absorb enough of that heat to be hot enough to transfer the proper heat to the batter. She tried it, and the cornbread turned out better.
Now, I have job vulcanizing rubber in a factory. This means I cook the rubber in a series of ovens. There are many variables in the vulcanization process, but the most significant factor I deal with on a daily basis is heat. One day, the rubber wasn't turning out quite as expected. It seemed that it wasn't getting enough heat. The oven control panel indicated that the ovens were heated to the correct temperature, but they had only reached that temperature a few minutes ago. The rubber moves through the ovens constantly on a series of mechanized rollers, just like a pizza in a Domino's pizza kitchen. I was working with another technician, and his idea was that the rollers weren't yet hot enough, so the heat from the rollers that would normally be transferred to the rubber wasn't there; the rubber was only getting heat from the hot air inside the ovens. So I told him, "it's like cooking cornbread! You have to preheat the pan, not just the oven." But he didn't get it. He said he has no experience cooking cornbread. I haven't noticed any other technician comparing this process to cooking food, but it makes a lot of sense to me. This is especially odd since my mentor claimed to have been a chef.
Cooking knowledge applied elsewhere
Apparently, people like to eat.
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Re: Cooking knowledge applied elsewhere
YES! I do that when I make corn bread, comes out so good! YUM.
Killing it! Cleveland, OH SEO
Re: Cooking knowledge applied elsewhere
Mm, delicious vulcanized rubber.
I've nothing else to add
I've nothing else to add
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Re: Cooking knowledge applied elsewhere
I've noticed that my three favorite activities, baking, pottery and paper making all require proper hydration of some kind of powder and then the correct application of heat.
Materials science is nifty stuff. It's always fun to see how things are interconnected or similar across very different areas.
Materials science is nifty stuff. It's always fun to see how things are interconnected or similar across very different areas.
Don't become a well-rounded person. Well rounded people are smooth and dull. Become a thoroughly spiky person. Grow spikes from every angle. Stick in their throats like a puffer fish.
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Gencom is the largest independent specialised Two Way Radio supplier in Newcastle, the Hunter Valley and Central Coast. Indeed we are the largest radio communications supplier in NSW, with offices in Newcastle, Singleton, Gosford, Mudgee and with the acquisition of Metro Communications - now Sydney. We are proud to support all major industries, services and government organisations operating in the region with world class radio communications.
Since we began operating in 1982, Gencom has been at the coalface, at the firefront, on-site, on time and on top of our game. As Two Way Radio enters it's next evolutionary step into Digital communications, Gencom is once again leading the way with expertise, experience and efficiency. Look to Gencom when your business is serious about communications.
Gencom owns and operates our own radio networks including our DigiNEX NXDN Digital Network and as a founding member of the Orion Network, we provide the Orion Digital Radio Network with coverage from our sites from the Hawkesbury River, the Central Coast, Lake Macquarie, Newcastle and up the Hunter Valley to compliment the partner networks in Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
Gencom have the largest team of service personnel in the state and with over 50 staff to support your business, we believe Gencom is the best, most professional radio communications business in NSW.


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Max B vs ByrdGang Brawl In A Club (Max B & More Throwin Chairs + Security Beatin Crowd With Sticks + Chicks Even Throw Down)(3 Months Old Event)[Clearer Camera Footage][2nd Angle Version]
This took place about 3 months. The first version with another camera been out for 3 months. Wells heres the 2nd camera version not online anywhere of what went down between Max B & Byrd gang members. Courtesy of Da Product DVD
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


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Difference between revisions of "SSPS:Articulation Procedures"
(→Change of Placement)
(→Change of Placement)
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* T//IEP teams may consider change of placement options at any time during the school year, however, to assist schools in planning for the following school year, T/IEP teams are encouraged to consider change of settings as early as possible.
* T//IEP teams may consider change of placement options at any time during the school year, however, to assist schools in planning for the following school year, T/IEP teams are encouraged to consider change of settings as early as possible.
* To best coordinate effective communication, the Change of Placement Plan, should be submitted to the proposed ESE class placement by the established due date (see above) for students who wish to be considered for these programs at the beginning of the following school year.
* To best coordinate effective communication, the Change of Placement Plan, should be submitted to the proposed ESE class placement by the established due date (see above) for students who wish to be considered for these programs at the beginning of the following school year.
* • The following forms can be accessed at the Office for Student Support Programs and Services Wiki in the [[SSPS:Continuum_of_Services#Change_of_Placement_Procedures]]
* • The following forms can be accessed at the Office for Student Support Programs and Services Wiki in the [[SSPS:Continuum_of_Services#Change_of_Placement_Procedures]]
** Request for ESE Support Form
** Request for ESE Support Form
** Observation Summary Form
** Observation Summary Form
Revision as of 11:51, 16 February 2015
Articulation Procedures
- 1 Purpose
- 2 22014-2015 Due Dates / Timeline for Articulation
- 3 Procedures
- 4 General Considerations
- 4.1 Reflecting Differences in T/IEP Services
- 4.2 Supports/Services Needed to Transition
- 4.3 Change of Placement
- 4.4 Pre-kindergarten Students Transitioning to Kindergarten
- 4.5 Therapy Services
- 4.6 Transition Education
- 4.7 Graduation Deferment
- 4.8 Off Campus Option Students
- 4.9 Transportation
- 4.10 School Choice and Charter Schools
- 4.11 Private Schools
- 4.12 Reevaluations
- 4.13 Gifted Students
Articulation procedures promote an organized and efficient exchange of information between sending and receiving schools for students in exceptional student education (ESE), whom are articulating to elementary, middle, high schools, and transition settings. The procedures include: assignment of a primary contact person (i.e., designee) for each school, coordination and transfer of documentation, and special considerations.
22014-2015 Due Dates / Timeline for Articulation
- Designation of articulation designee due to SSPS: Friday, March 13th
- Student Articulation Forms due to receiving school: Friday, April 10th
- Change of Placement Plans due to receiving school: Friday, April 10th
- Update anniversary T/IEPs expiring before August 28, 2015: Tuesday, June 2nd
- Complete re-evaluations due prior to October 9, 2015: Tuesday, June 2nd
Selection of Designee
Administrators for sending and receiving schools shall select a Designee and send the designee's name and email address to the Office for Student Support Programs and Services by completing the Articulation Designee Form. All schools will need both receiving and sending designees.
Sending School Responsibilities
The sending school must:
- Verify the school zone (by addresses) for articulating students with data entry personnel. New schools, school boundaries and program feeder patterns may impact zoning.
- Complete the Student Articulation Form listing articulating students for each receiving school, including recommendations for course delivery models. In cases where placement at a given school or program may be questionable, a school administrator from the sending school should initiate communication with the receiving school administrator to arrange for classroom observations and/or participation in T/IEP planning.
- Provide School Nurse Input Form, if health care needs are identified.
- Collect, organize, and send working/program folders for each student by the end of the school year to the receiving school designee.
- For students with assistive technology (AT) needs, develop a plan in collaboration with the receiving school to ensure transfer or ordering of any AT devices or materials.
- For students with indivdiually designed materials (i.e. picture schedules, social stories, visual communication materials) develop a plan in collaboration with the receiving school to ensure transfer or development of these materials.
- For students with behavioral concerns, review and revise, if needed, the Functional Behavior Assessment/Behavior Intervention Plan (FBA/BIP) in collaboration with the receiving school.
- Consider the need for special transportation to/from the new school and complete Special Needs Transportation Form (MIS #768)
Receiving School Responsibilities
The receiving school shall:
- Distribute information to the case managers including a copy of the T/IEP, recommended delivery models, and any additional information sent from the sending school.
As a reminder, each student is assigned to an ESE case manager that is responsible for coordinating and monitoring students' services, including:
- Having access or developing documentation for T/IEP goals and accommodations
- Having a thorough understanding of how each of the students on his/her assigned caseload is progressing and responding to instruction and support levels
- Identifying essential information that directly impacts learning and developing methods for ongoing dialog with teachers and parents
- Engaging in proactive planning that enhances student engagement in instruction
- Building relationships with colleagues at feeder pattern schools as needed
General Considerations
Reflecting Differences in T/IEP Services
Transitioning between levels can present challenges when ESE service delivery models are structured differently. This is especially evident in the pre-k to kindergarten and 5th grade to 6th grade transitions. School teams are encouraged to create avenues for ongoing dialog between sending and receiving schools so that T/IEPs can reflect the team's intentions and parents have a clear understanding of why the service model may change. For example, in some cases, the services page may have to reflect two sets of services (e.g. the current year in a self-contained prekindergarten and the following year in a general education kindergarten with ESE supports). If T/IEP teams are not sure of how to proceed, please contact the program supervisor for assistance. While the majority of students stay in feeder pattern groups, new students transferring into the county and student mobility may not provide opportunity for preparation. Teachers and case managers should have well documented data on student academic progress, T/IEP goals, observations, conference summaries, and other relevant information available for any student transferring in or out of county.
Supports/Services Needed to Transition
Receiving schools should consider supports that will need to be in place at the beginning of the next school year. In some cases, resources may have to be adjusted to assist students more frequently at the start of the school year. For example, the support facilitation level may need to be more frequent at the beginning of the school year until the student is acclimated to the new environment and routines.
Additionally, receiving schools must ensure that data entry revision forms are completed at the beginning of the school year to reflect changes in time with non-disabled peers or other differences in schedules.
Change of Placement
Change of Placement Plan forms are typically utilized for considering significant changes in educational environment (e.g., student transitioning from basic education into an ESE class placement or transitioning between ESE class placements e.g. Florida Standards to Access Points settings).
- T//IEP teams may consider change of placement options at any time during the school year, however, to assist schools in planning for the following school year, T/IEP teams are encouraged to consider change of settings as early as possible.
- To best coordinate effective communication, the Change of Placement Plan, should be submitted to the proposed ESE class placement by the established due date (see above) for students who wish to be considered for these programs at the beginning of the following school year.
- • The following forms can be accessed at the Office for Student Support Programs and Services Wiki in the Change of Placement Procedures Section
- Request for ESE Support Form
- Observation Summary Form
- Change of Educational Environment Process
- Change of Placement Plan
Pre-kindergarten Students Transitioning to Kindergarten
The BDI-2 exit assessments must be completed within the established test window (March 2rd through April 30th). The assessment information will be helpful to IEP teams in determining supports needed for kindergarten.
For pre-k students who will be entering a general education classroom, the IEP team should set up a transition meeting with the parents/guardians and child's zoned school to ensure the IEP sufficiently captures the student's present level of performance, appropriate goals and level of special education and related services. The intent of this process is that all students leaving pre-k settings have a smooth transition from pre-k to kindergarten.
For pre-k students who are recommended for a self-contained setting for kindergarten, supporting data including Teaching Strategies GOLD and the BDI-2 assessment will be important. When scheduling with the receiving schools, be sure that they are scheduled after the BDI-2 assessments are completed. If multiple placements are being considered, the pre-k IEP team should begin holding meetings with potential schools in April to ensure that kindergarten placement decisions have been made prior to the end of the current school year.
The transition from pre-k to kindergarten can present additional challenges for students with behavioral needs or the need for high levels of adult supervision and support. These students should be carefully considered by the sending and receiving schools to determine the most appropriate placement. These students may need continued placement in an ESE setting. For students transitioning to an inclusive setting, behavior intervention plans and supervision plans must be reviewed and adapted to the new setting before the start of kindergarten.
For students in pre-k ESE programs, it is not a recommended practice to maintain kindergarten-age students in pre-k ESE classroom settings. If the school team feels there are extenuating circumstances to warrannt consideration for an extension in a pre-k ESE classroom, please contact Kelli Boles (ext. 42672 or email@example.com) for procedures.
Therapy Services
It is important for T/IEP teams to take into consideration the scheduling structure of the receiving school when making recommendations regarding the intensity of services to be provided at the next school level. For example, elementary schools will commonly recommend 60 minutes of speech-language therapy, whereas secondary schools will commonly recommend 50 minutes of therapy. The T/IEP team should consider the student's progress and whether the service area(s) continue to be a priority educational need. Consider whether a difference of reducing 10 minutes of therapy outweighs the impact on missed core academic instruction. This occurs because students scheduled for 60 minutes would miss instruction from two classes each week, as opposed to missing just one class if scheduled for 50 minutes.
Transition Education
In addition to sending student information to the receiving transiton teacher, for students who will be graduating with a special diploma, information regarding appropriate transtion programs shall be provided to students and their parents and arrangements made for a visit and/or meeting.
Graduation Deferment
Graduation deferment requires careful coordination between schools. Students may defer graduation to participate in accelerated college credit instruction, industry certification courses that lead to college credit collegiate high school program, courses necessary to satisfy the Scholar designation requirements, or structured work-study, internship, or preapprenticeship program. The TIEP would review the student's qualifications to participate in the identified program and agree that the student needs this continuation of ESE services to transition to post-school outcomes. In cases where students are considering programs at other high schools or education centers, the TIEP meeting must include representiatives from both the potential receiving school and sending school. A plan including courses to be completed, time student will be on campus, and any additional logistical support should be developed if graduation deferment is recommended.
Off Campus Option Students
Schools should follow the same articulation procedures for H/HB students that they do for all ESE students, but it is extremely important to do this properly for H/HB students because they may not be visible on campus. Unless a sending school properly notifies the receiving school that the student is articulating, the receiving school may not even be aware that the student is H/HB, and may withdraw them for non-attendance when they do not show up on site in the fall. To ensure that there is no break in services, the student's current administrator and case manager must work together to collaborate with the receiving school to make sure that the transition is smooth so that the student is set up for success.
It is the responsibility of the sending school's administrator to contact the administrator at the receiving zoned or program school by the district articulation date for all students. Because service delivery for H/HB students differs between elementary, middle and high school depending on the student's schedule, which directly correlates with the minutes of service provided in the home, it is imperative that a T/IEP meeting be held prior to the end of the school year. The administrator or designee of the sending school will contact the receiving school to invite them and any potential services providers to the T/IEP meeting, and provide the following information to prepare for the meeting:
- Student name and contact information
- Date of expiration of current medical report
- Student course selection for the upcoming school year
- Current schedule, service delivery model and actual minutes served
- Current related services provided
- Any other pertinent information regarding the family and student
The sending school nurse is responsible for mailing home a medical update and parent/student agreement if the current medical expires before August 30th of the upcoming school year. The contact information on the forms should include the receiving school nurse contact information.
If the student plans to reenter school because he/she will not continue to meet eligibility for H/HB, or his/her confinement level has changed, a reentry plan should be developed to ensure that the proper accommodations are provided and that all restrictions and limitations have discussed and shared with the new teachers and staff.
A Special Needs Transportation Form (MIS #768) should be completed for each student who will need transportation for the upcoming school year. Sending schools must send completed forms to Lisa Witfoth in Transportation.
School Choice and Charter Schools
For students requesting School Choice to another public school in the district, proceed with the articulation process as if the student will be attending his/her zoned receiving school, unless the school choice request has been approved.
Children in pre-k ESE programs who wish to remain in the current school for kindergarten placement must re-apply for School Choice, if not at zoned school. If a parent indicates that a student may attend a charter school, the T/IEP should still be developed because the T/IEP team remains accountable to develop a T/IEP as long as the student is enrolled in Pasco County Schools. If parents choose not to attend the T/IEP meeting, the team should still meet to develop the T/IEP so the charter school can determine whether it can be implemented.
Private Schools
If a parent indicates a student may attend a private school, proceed with the articulation process as if the student will be attending his/her zoned receiving school. The T/IEP team is still accountable to develop a T/IEP as long as the student is enrolled in Pasco County Schools. If the parent wants their child(ren) to receive ESE services whole enrolled at the private school, they must contact Glennda McCallister in the Office for Student Support Programs and Services at 813-794-2609. Once the request is made, a determination will be made for eligibility for services and a service plan will be developed according to district procedures.
All formal reevaluations due through October FTE need to be completed prior to the end of this school year and sent to the receiving school as soon as possible. This includes students identified as Developmentally Delayed (DD) who will be turning six years of age. Every effort should be made to complete formal reevaluations before the articulation process begins. Special attention should be provided to students articulating to middle and high school levels who have not been formally reevaluated for several years. All reevaluation paperwork must be placed in the ESE Cumulative folder (red folder) for the receiving school.
Gifted Students
A separate memo was issued through the Office of Teaching and Learning for students enrolled in the gifted program.


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The buzz surrounding British MC [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Tinie Tempah[/lastfm] has been immense here in the United States but there are still many things fans don't know about him. In preparation for his Live On Letterman concert happening tomorrow night at the Ed Sullivan Theater we're going to give you an inside look at the man whose fate is "Written In the Stars" plus some photos and video from his performance at Radio 1's Big Weekend!
Check out Tinie as he answers fan questions for Vevo's Ask:Reply web show NOW.
[lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Tinie Tempah [/lastfm]- ASK:REPLY (VEVO LIFT)
Tinie also performed at this past weekend's "Big" show across the pond, Radio 1's Big Weekend. Check out photos and video from his performance right here!
[lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Tinie Tempah[/lastfm] – "Pass Out" LIVE @ Radio 1's Big Weekend
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Tinie Tempah's Live On Letterman concert will be streamed LIVE right here tomorrow, May 17th at 8PM sharp! This epic webcast is brought to you by AT&T-Re-think Possible.
Get More Tinie Tempah:


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Test your knowledge on the traditions, ideals, customs, beliefs, values, arts of America in this DLC pack, BUZZ!: American Culture Quiz! This pack features hundreds of new questions to play in any of your favorite BUZZ! Quiz World game modes for your PSP® or PSP®go system. Download this quiz pack today and turn your party into the ultimate trivia showdown.
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Alumni Honored at 2011 Homecoming Chapelby Jim Amidon • October 1, 2011 Share:
Professor of English Tobey Herzog and Sports Information Director Brent Harris were named honorary alumni of the College at the 2011 Homecoming Alumni Chapel. The event serves as the annual meeting of the National Association of Wabash Men, and allows that body to honor its own — and welcome new members to the alumni ranks.
NAWM President Greg Castanias '87 served as master of ceremonies of the Alumni Chapel, which honors the spirit of the late Byron P. "Barney" Hollett '36.
Castanias also presented the NAWM's Alumni Awards of Merit, including the Clarence Jackson Career Service Award to Tim Padgett '84. Kevin Clifford '77 earned the Frank W. Misch Alumni Service Award for his contributions to the College, while M. Ashraf Haidari '01 received the Fredrick J. Urbaska Civic Service Award for the work he's done for the government of his home country, Afghanistan. Clifford and Haidari were unable to attend the celebration.
When presenting Herzog with his honorary sheepskin as a member of the Class of 2011, Castanias pointed out the Illinois Wesleyan grad's commitment as a teacher, scholar, and involved colleague for more than 35 years.
"In you, our students have a model of a liberally educated man who can easily quote Wordsworth and Sassoon, tour them through the streets of London, and beat them off the dribble in the Noontime Basketball Association, Wabash's own NBA," said Castanias. Your classroom is a comfortable place where young men feel free to learn, grapple with troubling issues, test their theories, and discover what it means to be men of integrity…
"On this Homecoming when we celebrate all that is good and great about Wabash, we lift you up for your excellence as a teacher, scholar, writer, communicator, and servant, and pay tribute to your achievements by welcoming you into the ranks of Wabash Men."
Harris, who became the College's Director of Sports Information and Marketing in 1999, chose to align himself with the guys he came in with — the men in the Class of 2003. Harris said he felt particularly close to the seniors on the record-setting 2002 football team, including Jake Knott, Ryan Short, and Nate Boulais.
Castanias celebrated Harris' dedication, work ethic, and tireless good spirit. "R. Brent Harris, for spending more than half your life in service to Wabash as volunteer and sports information director extraordinaire, for your love of and passion for Wabash athletics, and for so carefully and positively mentoring the young men of Wabash, the National Association of Wabash Men is pleased to name you an Honorary Alumnus in the Class of 2003."
While Padgett was the only Alumni Award of Merit winner able to attend Homecoming festivities, he made the most of his time on campus. He attended Chapel Sing, conducted a workshop with Bachelor editors and reporters, gave an alumni colloquium talk, attended classes, and caught up with many of his professors.
Padgett, who has spent 25 years covering Latin America for Newsweek and Time magazines, has covered the Western Hemisphere's most important events of the last quarter century.
Castanias said of Padgett, "You once said, 'Objectivity is an illusory aim for any chronicler — but fairness, which is really the edifying goal we aspire to, isn't.' The National Association of Wabash Men is proud of your fairness, the integrity with which you've pursued the truth, and for demonstrating for all the world the beauty of the liberal arts in action, and for which we honor you with the Clarence A. Jackson Career Service Award.
Kelly D. Pfledderer '96 received the Young Alumnus Award — presented for only the second time — for his career achievements in Indianapolis. Pfledderer left a position in IT Services at Wabash to start his own firm, Apparatus, which is one of the fastest growing firms in the Midwest. Pfledderer is an active community volunteer, and just finished his first year on the Wabash College Board of Trustees.
In other presentations, Castanias presented Alumni Admissions Fellow citations to Jim Dyer '83 for his work in St. Louis and to John Fox '64 for his recruitment efforts in Lake Forest, Illinois. Fox was unable to attend the Alumni Chapel.
Castanias said of Dyer, "The folks in our Admissions Office pay you the highest possible compliment when they say that if they had only one wish, it would be that they might be able to clone you. For in you, they have discovered the ideal alumni volunteer who is willing to make sacrifices, facilitate alumni communication, and do the heavy lifting of attending college fairs, writing letters, and making phone calls."
Roland Morin '91 was named an Alumni Career Services Fellow for driving the Marketing Immersion Program since its inception, and for directing the College's Summer Business Immersion Program in the summer of 2011.
"Students referred to you as 'fun' and "motivating,' and also 'very serious and insightful,' and said you created the perfect environment for learning — informal, participatory, and instruction based on real experiences," Castanias said in tribute to Morin.
More News
- Robinson '04 Named Distinguished Teacher
- Fiske Guide Cites Wabash as a Top College
- OLAB returns for 47th year
- New Interdisciplinary Major Made Possible Through Walsh Endowment
Photo Galleries
Wabash 49, Kenyon 0 (10-01-11)


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Holiday Inn Sioux Falls-City Centre
Holiday Inn Sioux Falls-City Centre
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The Holiday Inn® Sioux Falls - City Centre hotel is just a few steps from the banks of the Big Sioux River and the unique shops, museums and restaurants that line the streets of downtown.
Are you hosting a professional event in the city? Our Starlite Ballroom, located on the 10th floor, impresses clients and coworkers alike. To help you prepare for your presentations, we offer free Wi-Fi access and a Business Center with copy and print services. Lodging with us in Sioux Falls, SD means you are only seven minutes from the Sioux Falls Regional Airport /Joe Foss Field (FSD).
With more than 100 shops and restaurants in downtown Sioux Falls, our hotel's patrons never lack for things to do. Kids love exploring the Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge Museum, while the entire family enjoys visiting the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science. First-time guests can't miss seeing our city's namesake, Falls Park, and summer vacations require a trip to Wild Water West Waterpark.
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Mid and Long Term Programs Youth Volunteer Organization, Karakol, Kyrgyzstan 2018
- Подробности
- Просмотров: 25684
Marie Bennigsen Belgium
I had an incredible and amazing experience with both Leadership and Eco Trek. Both Organisation have welcomed me from the first day as part of the team. With Leadership I had the chance to give french class, participate in activities with young volunteers... It was a great occasion to be in contact with local population, especially the youth. I really appreciate the work of Leadership, what they do for the young people of Karakol but also for the city. I wish I could participate more in their activities but it is always difficult when you come for a short time. read more>>>
Ariane Eloy Belgium
Experience at Community Based Tourism and Leadership - Kyrgyzystan At first, I started to learn a lot of think about Karakol as a city but also on Kyrgyz tradition and people. About CBT, I worked with a Kyrgyz volunteer. The aim was to develop two brochures about Karakol: for the summer time and the winter. We choose pictures and took the other pictures in the city to have visual brochures and add some comments with each picture. read more>>>
Julie Rode France
During one month, between mid-March and mid-April 2018 - I was part of the long term volunteering program of 'Leadership Karakol' youth organization. I was living in a host family in Ak-suu village, 15min away from Karakol and my goal was to teach English in this village orphanage.
This orphanage gathers children of all age. Nonetheless, I only worked with children from six to around twenty years old. There, the oldest kids went to school on mornings and so, during these times, I had only the youngest kids in my class, and reciprocally during afternoons. next >>>
De Bie Mirjana France
To go with an organization isn't necessarily as we imagine. A lot of people assume than volunteering is synonymous with humanitarian but, actually, it has nothing to do with it. Re-join an association on the spot is a given opportunity to/for build-ing something unique in a particular place during a special time. This time can takes place during a camp (two or three weeks) or a middle/long term (between one month and more than one year). next >>>
Vanessa Gibson USA
I joined the Peace Corps because I wanted to learn more about the world. I wanted to see how other people live their daily lives, and what their reality is. I knew that traveling to a country wouldn't have offered the same insight as moving to a country for two years and living with a local family did. I integrated with the locals and learned their language, their culture, and the nuances of their lives. I started working with Leadership during the second year of my service. During this time, two projects stand out as most memorable.
Next >>>
Stephane Razzo Israel
So… my times here is almost over here in karakol and I really feel like I need to sum things up.Travelling in so many countries and experiencing cultures has really opened up my mind in so many ways and Kyrgyzstan was no different.
Next >>>
Сборник кратких историй молодежи Иссык-Кульской области
Сборник подготовлен по проекту Саиды Ниязовой, молодого лидера Курса обучения молодежных лидеров "Дилгир" Иссык-Кульской области
Практическое пособие по развитию творческих способностей у детей с ограниченными возможностями
ОО ЦГИ Лидер
Фонд "Сорос-Кыргызстан"


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WORCESTER — A proposal to explore putting black and white ads on school buses had one School Committee member seeing red at Thursday's meeting.
"I'm really distressed to see this item on here," said Tracy O'Connell Novick. "We have had a history of keeping commercial activity out of the Worcester Public Schools ... I'm really bothered by the notion we would think transporting our kids could become a commercial enterprise."
Committee Vice Chairman John Monfredo has asked the administration to consider working with the Worcester Education Development Foundation on a pilot program in which ads would be placed on buses as a way to increase revenue for student programs.
Superintendent Melinda Boone said the administration has met with the foundation several times to discuss this.
"The administration has real concerns with this," Ms. Boone said. "We're concerned about safety as it relates to people potentially reading the ads and not paying attention to a (bus's) stop arm that's out."
Mr. Monfredo made a motion for the item to be referred to subcommittee, with committee members Dianna Biancheria and Brian O'Connell in favor on a voice vote and Ms. O'Connell Novick and committee member Hilda Ramirez opposed. Mayor Joe Petty, chairman of the School Committee, and committee member Jack Foley were not present.
Several other items during the meeting were referred to subcommittee, including a request by Mr. Monfredo that the administration review this year's data on chronic absenteeism to determine the impact of an awareness campaign that kicked off last September; a request by the administration to consider amendments to the policy regarding school employees' use of social media; and a plea by Ms. O'Connell Novick to look at how the district's dress code is being enforced.
Regarding the student dress code policy, Ms. O'Connell Novick said enforcement is sometimes overreaching.
"For example, I've had a ridiculous number of conversations (with students) in the spring and summer as to exactly how wide tank top straps have to be" — but there's nothing in the handbook dictating strap width, she said.
Also, she said, implementation can even be sexist. For example, shorts and skirts must be longer than where students' fingers hit when their arms are extended by their sides.
"As far as I know, no one's actually talking to boys about that."
Additionally, she said, "It was pointed out to me by my children that this entirely depends on how long your torso is and how long your arms are.
"There probably is some way we can do this that has a little less to do with body type and a little more to do with what we're trying to get at, which, I think, at the end of the day, is about kids actually being comfortable with being able to pay attention in class."
Also during the meeting, Ms. Biancheria asked that the administration provide a report regarding a state law on suspensions and expulsions that went into effect July 1.
Under the new law, districts will be obligated to provide educational services to students who have been suspended or expelled, and are encouraged to seek alternatives to exclusion.
Ms. Biancheria was concerned that the School Committee has not received information from the administration on the impact of the law locally.
Ms. Boone explained that when the administration was vetting the student handbook, it had been waiting for guidance and regulations from the state, rendering that section unready for School Committee review. When those regulations were finally released, she said, they raised more questions than answers. She added that the regulations, insert to the student handbook and the full language of the law would be presented to the committee in August.
"I'm familiar with the law," Ms. Biancheria said. "My concern is how we're going to implement it, how we're going to be following up on it, and how we're going to be informing all of our staff members that need to know."
Ms. Biancheria also had concerns about the School Committee's role in disciplinary hearings under the new law.
"There are certain offenses that the School Committee will possibly have some visibility on. There are certain offenses that I might not even have the authority to take action on," Ms. Boone said.
"One thing that has been misunderstood is that suspensions aren't allowed under this. That is not the case. Removal from schools for very serious offenses is still allowed."


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Here are websites for our two local funeral homes with Obituaries page:
Here are websites for our two local funeral homes with Obituaries page:
Dorothy, you did not mention the Beaty Funeral Homes in Mineola and Winnsboro which are both less than 25 miles from Quitman. They and all the funeral homes have websites where they list obituaries. They can be located using Google.
Lou Mallory
Lou, Yes, I did not mention other funeral homes in the county, undoubtedly, you did not read the other sentence of my post, that I had the list and if anyone desired to have it, they could e-mail me or the newsletter editor. Thanks, I am truly sorry, but the list was long, even including towns in counties around Wood County. Concerning
the websites, all of them do not have websites, such as maybe, Alba, but my list did give addresses and telephone numbers, if so desired.
Dorothy, the reason I mentioned adding the email addresses for the other ones is that the person reading the link could enter the emai address in their computer and not have to place a phone call. Sometimes when I get queries on misc. historical matters, the party will ask if I could give them the email address so they can contact them direct.


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|photo credit: emills1 Taxicab Beetles
During my time here at the Cockrell Butterfly Center, I've bred and raised several different types of insects, walking sticks, katydids, grasshoppers, mantids, and even some spiders. These insects are relatively easy to breed and have a quick lifespan. I've always wanted to delve into the world of breeding beetles, but for some reason, I've been hesitant to take on such a task. Maybe because of the commitment; some species of beetles can take years to reach adulthood!
Well, I've taken the dive! On Tuesday, September 7, I received a shipment from a wonderful colleague of mine at the Sophia Sachs Butterfly House in St. Louis, Mark Deering. Mark has been raising beetles for years and seemed like the perfect mentor for me. He sent me two small colonies of beetles, one of Eudicella euthalia and one of Pachnoda marginata. These are two types of flower beetles from Africa. Flower beetles are a group of scarab beetles that visit flowers to collect pollen and nectar. Among the 4000 species of flower beetles are some of the most beautiful beetles in the world! Luckily, these two species are excellent for beginners, taking only 7-10 months to complete their life-cycle.
The genus Eudicella is comprised of more than 20 species of brightly colored beetles. These beetles are only found in tropical Africa. They are often referred to as "buffalo beetles" due to the "y" shaped horn found on the male's head. The females' head is shaped sort of like a shovel and used to dig into the substrate and lay her eggs. Beetles in the genus Pachnoda are also indigenous to Africa, and members of their 108 species groups can be found all over the continent. Pachnoda marginata is the most commonly bred species. They are also known as sun beetles or taxicab beetles because of their unique color pattern. The male lacks any sort of distinguishing characteristic such as a horn, so I really can't tell male and female apart!
|photo credit: emills1 A grub
Setting these beetles up for rearing was pretty easy and now all I need to do is wait. The larvae of both species thrive in a substrate made from hardwood mulch and humus or decomposed organic material. They will feed on this mixture for several months until the time comes for them to change. If you didn't know, beetles have complete metamorphosis just like butterflies. The larvae of scarab beetles are commonly called grubs and are fat, white, and shaped like a "c". Most of you are probably familiar with grubs since they are often found in your lawn or garden. Once the grubs are ready to pupate, they will construct a cell from compacted dirt and saliva. This cell acts as a cocoon inside which the grub turns into a pupa.
|photo credit: emills1 A cocoon
A few months later the adult beetle emerges. It really is an amazing transformation and even as an entomologist, it's hard for me to wrap my brain around that! Being able to rear these beetles here is a great advantage for us. Sometimes exotic beetles are hard to come by or they don't make the long trip from our only supplier in Malaysia. I'm so excited to have these beautiful beetles here for display and education! Be sure to stop by the Entomology Hall here at the Cockrell Butterfly Center to see these and other spectacular beetles on display! Happy Bug Watching!


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Sheryl Sandberg has quickly become an icon in the debate over women in the workplace.
At Business Insider's IGNITION conference last year, she said that the most important career decision women make is whom they decide to marry. She also believes that we are in a "stalled revolution" for women.
She talks about these and other controversial issues in her new book, "Lean In: Women, Work and the Will To Succeed," which comes out next month. We've read the advance copy and have highlighted the best points below:
Women need to take more responsibility for their success
Sandberg argues that the biggest barrier between women and success is themselves: "I know some believe that by focusing on what women can change themselves — pressing them to lean in — it seems like I am letting our institutions off the hook. Or even worse, they accuse me of blaming the victim. Far from blaming the victim, I believe that female leaders are key to the solution."
Societal norms and gender stereotypes have influenced how women "should" act for decades, but it's up to women to redefine expectations, says Sandberg. This means actively "sitting at the table" and taking action rather than being observers in their careers. She gives a great example of what happened during a meeting with then-Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner at Facebook a few years ago:
"Secretary Geitner's team, all women, took their food last and sat in chairs off to the side of the room. ... [They] had every right to be at this meeting, but because of their seating choice, they seemed like spectators rather than participants."
Too many women get caught up in the "tiara syndrome," she says, where they expect to get rewarded for good work rather than seizing opportunities. The only way to change the game is by "taking risks, choosing growth, challenging ourselves, and asking for promotions."
It comes down to having more self-confidence
Self confidence is at the heart of what it means to lead, take risks and become powerful.
It also comes easier for men. Sandberg talks about how even "to this day, I joke that I wish I could spend a few hours feeling as self-confident as my brother. It must feel so, so good — like receiving a cosmic flat one every day." The same is true for her husband, Dave Goldberg— even amidst all of her success, she still describes him as more self-confident.
Sandberg says that she observed how acutely gender dynamics can play out during a Q&A session at Harvard Business School:
"A number of men leapt to the microphone and posed thoughtful, big-picture questions like, 'What did you learn at Google that you are applying at Facebook?' and 'How do you run a platform company and ensure stability for your developers?' Then two women rose to the microphone. The first asked, 'Do you think it's OK to work for a company that competes with the company you worked for before business school?' The second asked, 'How can I get a mentor?' My heart sank.
The men were focusing on how to manage a business and the women were focusing on how to manage a career. The men wanted answers and the women wanted permission and help."
At the end of the day, many women need to think more ambitiously and see the bigger picture. "It's hard to visualize someone as a leader, if she is always waiting to be told what to do," Sandberg says.
Women should not ask for mentors
Sandberg says that she's often been put in the awkward position of being asked to be a mentor to near strangers: "If someone has to ask the question, the answer is probably no." Instead, the logic everyone — both women and men — should use is, "excel and you will find a mentor."
Mentors and sponsors are crucial to success. But the relationships should develop more naturally and be more reciprocal than anything else.
Sandberg talks about how Larry Summers become a mentor for her: "During my junior year of college, I took Larry Summers's public sector economics class. He offered to supervise my senior thesis — something very few Harvard professors volunteer to do for undergraduates. Larry has been a major part of my life ever since."
Sandberg says she's had several great male mentors in addition to Larry Summers. She credits Eric Schmidt for telling her years ago "not to be an idiot" and always to take jobs based on potential for growth (not stability), and Mark Zuckerberg for saying that you can't please everyone — that will only hold you back.
Men must be open to change
While women need to take responsibility for themselves, men of course also play a big role in creating a more equal world. Often it simply starts with a conversation. Sandberg shares a story about how she asked Sergey Brin to make a change at Google after a difficult morning running through parking lots while pregnant:
"I found Sergey in a yoga position in the corner [of his office] and announced that we needed pregnancy parking, preferably sooner than later. He looked up at me and agreed immediately, noting that he had never thought about it before."
Marriage should be 50/50
Beyond having male advocates in the workplace, it's crucial to have an equal partnership at home, says Sandberg: "I truly believe that the single most important career decision that a woman makes is whether she will have a life partner and who that partner is. I don't know of a single woman in a leadership position whose life partner is not fully — and I mean fully — supportive of her career. No exceptions."
"Having it all" is a myth
Even with an equal partner at home, "having it all" is impossible, she argues. The "basic laws of economics and common sense" ensure that there will always be tradeoffs. Embracing a healthy lifestyle and accepting a support network is essential to coming as close to "having it all" as anyone can get.
But at the end of the day, Sandberg says one of her favorite mottos is "done is better than perfect" (which is also prominently displayed on the walls at Facebook): "I have tried to embrace this motto and let go of unattainable standards. Aiming for perfection causes frustration at best and paralysis at worst."
There's still a lot of work to do
Sandberg says we've still got an incredibly long way to go. She uses statistics to back this up: While women have made up 50 percent of college grads since the 1980s, they are still paid only 77 cents to the dollar. They also only make up 21 of Fortune 500 CEOs.
"A truly equal world would be one where women ran half our countries and companies and men ran half our homes," she says. "I believe that this would be a better world."


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Sunday, October 30, 2011
* Halloween Crafts for Kids: Yarn Pom-Pom Pumpkins, Owls, and Monsters, Oh My!
The girls and I recently got hooked on making
yarn pom-poms with a fork!
Yes, I remember them from Martha Stewart but when
I saw a mini tutorial over at the Whimsy Love Blog
its been a non-stop pom-pom making whirlwind ever since!
It started with a bunch of different pom-poms for our ice cream sensory box
(that I keep forgetting to post!)
On Friday, "C" asked if we could use some of our orange yarn
to make pumpkins with googly eyes.
The fun part, was that she had the whole craft planned out in her head!
Then she wanted to make an owl with brown yarn.
She picked out felt for the beak and wings.
I love the owl, I think he looks like an Angry Birds character!
Maybe we'll make an Angry Birds pom-pom set next. : )
She used Elmer's glue dots to stick the
googly eyes and mouths to the yarn pom-poms.
The pipe cleaner stems are just stuck into the pom-pom without any glue.
Sticking on googly eyes.
Carefully cutting out felt details.
She also made a green yarn pom-pom monster,
he's hanging out in our miniature Haunted House
right now! I didn't get a photo of him.
Happy Fall Crafting!
For another fun fall game and craft check out my
pink and green mama, MaryLea
Labels: Fall, Pom-Pom Fun, Yarn
Friday, October 28, 2011
* Fall Art Project: Turkeys In Disguise
This project was always a blast to do with the kids
in October or November when I was teaching elementary school art.
We would make "Turkeys in Disguise" out of cut paper
or as a drawing assignment depending on the amount of time
I had with each group of kids.
Feel free to adapt and do however you see fit,
it's lots of fun to see how clever the kids are and see what
they're imaginations come up with!
It makes a cute hallway display
and it's also a fun Thanksgiving day craft for the kid's table!
(Shh... I'm a Lamp Not a Turkey)
I would start by explaining to the class that the Turkeys needed some help
disguising themselves before Thanksgiving.
They aren't the smartest birds so they aren't the best at hiding in their disguises.
You need to come up with a disguise for your turkey that is clever,
but we can still tell it's a turkey.
Then, we would sketch ideas and brainstorm.
Once they had their idea worked out, they'd draw a final copy
on nice drawing paper, or work with construction paper
to make a cut paper collage.
(Psst... I'm a Mummy Not a Turkey)
For the cut paper turkeys, we would start with a basic
bowling- ball-pin-shape cut out of construction paper and build on from there.
For the drawings, we would sketch lightly in pencil,
trace over it in Crayola markers, then color in with
Crayola twistables, colored pencils, or crayons.
It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Super Turkey!
I'm a Cheerleader not a Turkey...
Give Me a "T"!
Gobble, Gobble, I mean... ahem, Meow.
I'm a Cat not a Turkey!
You get the idea.
Happy Turkey-Disguise Making!
Pink and Green Mama
Labels: Fall, Holidays, Markers, Mixed Media, Paper Crafts, School Age, Thanksgiving
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
* Preschool At Home: Halloween Counting and Sorting Games
We have some fun Halloween-themed activities
on our preschool at home shelves this week.
"C" (age 4) has really been enjoying this counting game.
I picked up a couple of bags of mini halloween erasers
in the dollar bin area at Target and they are great little math manipulatives.
I printed out some numbers on card stock and sort them into
this wooden box (I think it's left over from a Melissa and Doug toy)
She loves counting her little erasers and does this in the afternoon
while big sister is working on her homework.
She's also been having fun with the light table.
I stuck some googly-eyed halloween face stickers onto scrapbook paper
and trimmed around them. They're fun little light table manipulatives.
"C" drew this Haunted House to set up all of her little faces in the windows.
"C" drawing her Haunted House on drawing paper.
This little tray has been popular with both of my girls!
It was inspired by the awesome activities from the
(go check it out, she has the cutest games there)
"C"s favorite is cutting the strips of scrapbook paper.
She actually cut out all of the little skeletons
then wrote "Boo!" on the back of them and put them in that little tin candy box.
The hole punch is a bit harder for her but "E" (age 8) really likes it.
We also tried sharpening some Halloween pencils but she likes
the electric sharpener better!
We also have two little buckets of spider rings with a set of tweezers
but I didn't get a photo of it.
"C" likes transferring the spiders back and forth and sorting them by color
(orange and black.)
And, of course, we've been having fun with the Halloween sensory table.
Are you doing any halloween-themed activities
at home or in your classroom this week?
Pink and Green Mama
Monday, October 24, 2011
* Halloween Themed Sensory Box!
Halloween is fast approaching
so I better get the rest of my Halloween posts up this week! : )
Here is a quick peek for you of this year's Halloween Sensory Box
currently being played with in our playroom.
Except the girls dumped out the contents yesterday
from this plastic storage box into our (empty and dry) water table.
(Sorry, I don't have a photo, my camera's battery needs to be re-charged!)
Dry Black-eyed peas, some dry black beans, and a handful of dry orange rice.
We also have some craft foam halloween shapes
(a black tree, owls, tombstones, skeletons, pumpkins)
Pumpkin, spider, and bat erasers.
Tiny plastic skeletons.
Wooden craft store ghost cut-outs.
Ghost cookie cutter, rubber rats, fuzzy spiders,
Orange Yarn/ homemade pom-pom pumpkin.
Pumpkin scoops, and orange bucket.
Happy Halloween Exploring!
Do you have a "spooky" sensory box or table theme going on right now?
Pink and Green Mama
Labels: Color Wheel, Explore, Fall, Halloween, Holidays, Play, Preschool, Sensory Box
Thursday, October 20, 2011
* Easy Fall Kid Craft: Colored Glue Leaves With Watercolor Resist
We've been doing lots of fall crafting around here lately.
This project evolved from our colored Elmer's glue projects.
The girls asked if we could make big fall leaves with our colored glue
and I said, Absolutely!
We started by lightly sketching big leaf shapes on white drawing paper
with pencil, then outlining the pencil lines with colored Elmer's glue.
For directions on how to make your own colored Elmer's glue
see our post here about making your own Rainbow Glue.
The next day, after the glue dried, we went back and started
coloring the leaves in with watercolors.
We like Rainbow leaves around here, can you tell?
"E" painting some leaves.
"C" painting some leaves.
Mom painting a leaf.
While the watercolor was still wet,
we sprinkled some table salt over some of them
for a fun mottled look!
(we keep a salt shaker in the art studio with our watercolors
for this exact purpose!)
Just shake/brush off the excess salt after the watercolors dry.
Now, what to do with our giant colorful leaves?
I think we may cut them out and put them up in the
playroom windows with our sand paper leaves!
I recommend doing this project with ages 3 and up.
For this project you will need:
Colored Elmer's Glue (see our recipe here)
Drawing paper or watercolor paper
Salt (optional)
Happy Fall Leaf Painting!
Pink and Green Mama
Labels: Create, Elmer's Glue, Fall, Leaves, Preschool, School Age, Watercolors
Monday, October 17, 2011
* Easy Fall Kid Craft: Sandpaper and Crayon Leaves
Good morning and happy Monday everyone!
It's cloudy and cool here this morning,
but we had some beautiful October weather all weekend.
Now if we could just get over our fall cold's we could really have some fun!
We're sniffling and hacking but we're still crafting!
The girls and I decided to make some sandpaper leaves
to decorate the playroom windows.
(Pardon their Pajamas in the photos, that's how we roll around here.)
This project is great for preschoolers (ages 2-3) on up!
You will need:
crayons, sandpaper, and scissors
(if you want to cut them out like we did.)
We started out by looking at leaf shapes (collected from our yard)
and drawing the outlines in black and dark blue crayon
on some half and quarter sheets of sandpaper from the Dollar Tree.
Then, we sat down and started coloring the leaves in with crayons
on the sandpaper. The girls really liked how vibrant the colors are on sandpaper.
Coloring on sandpaper is also a great way to sharpen your crayons!
Leaves in progress...
Happy Rainbow Leaves!
Finished leaves cut out and ready to hang in the playroom window!
You can take this project a step further and put your sandpaper and crayon leaves
face down on a t-shirt or piece of paper and iron it to make a melted crayon print!
Alpha Mom blog has a great tutorial here if you want to try making a crayon printed shirt!
We decided to "leave" ours alone, the girls didn't want the colors to run,
I may try one later. ; )
Happy Fall Crafting!
Pink and Green Mama
Labels: Crayon Fun, Create, Explore, Fall, Leaves, Preschool, School Age
Thursday, October 13, 2011
* Sensory Boxes 101 Tips and Inspiration: How To Make A Sensory Box, Theme Ideas, and Frequently Asked Quesitons
because we could all use a little help sometimes and because Play Matters!
We LOVE sensory boxes here.
When I made my first one with Oatmeal for "E" 7 years ago in 2004,
I didn't blog, I only used my computer to write papers and send email.
I did not know to call my first "sensory box" a sensory box.
Baby "E" playing with her first oatmeal sensory box (2004)
I just wanted something fun for "E to play with that was something she couldn't choke on
and something she could safely put in her mouth, hence the dry oatmeal.
It was a great way to entertain her indoors in nasty weather and if she ate some,
it was just some extra fiber. I did not introduce her to the sand table outdoors until this
box had been mastered and I knew the "tasting" stage was over.
She loved it.
So did her friends.
It was the go-to activity for play dates.
A mini indoor sand box made out of a plastic under bed-style storage box,
two canisters of dry oatmeal, some small cups, and some Little People figures and animals.
I was onto something.
We made them as gifts for friends and family - they were a huge hit!
Do you use sensory boxes (or tables) at home or in your classroom?
Are you afraid of them? Don't be.
They are great for hand eye coordination, fine motor development, and
serves as a great sensory processing integration experience.
Both of my girls (and all of their friends) have a great time digging into them!
When they're done, they get a Montessori-style lesson in cleaning up with
small dust pans and brooms. Don't be afraid of a little clean up at home or in your classroom.
It is a great learning tool and a gentle way to teach children how to play nicely together.
I got a great email from one of my blog readers this week and
she inspired me to write this post, thank you Angell.
I figured if she has questions like this, some of you might be wondering the same thing.
Here is some of her email to me:
"I see all these bins but being someone who has never made one,
I don't have all those items to throw in there. It could actually become expensive.
I'm also not crafty, so I don't have craft supplies hanging around. Do you reuse your fillings (beans, rice, etc.)?
How do you keep the cost down? What is your thinking process like?
Do you have sensory bins in the back of your mind? While you are shopping do you think,
"Wow this would be a good item for a bin in the future? What are some things you would use as a bin?"
I'll do my best to answer these questions, so here we go.
Do you reuse your fillings?
Absolutely! I store my "main ingredients" in gallon zip lock bags,
inside a cardboard copy paper box on a shelf in our garage.
I also re-use my boxes. I keep 2-3 sensory boxes going at a time,
then I cycle out the ingredients and store the extra parts in gallon-size ziplock bags.
Right now I have the following stored on my shelves
(in gallon ziplock bags inside a plastic box):
- Dried Green Split Peas (that are seasoned with cinnamon and allspice for Fall)
- White Rice (winter snow & wedding box)
- Silk (faux) Dollar Tree Fall Leaves
- Shredded Paper Easter Grass (green and yellow)
- Oatmeal (dry, uncooked)
- Black Fish Tank Gravel (dry black beans are awesome too!)
- Blue Fish Tank Gravel (you could also just dye rice blue)
- Small Pebbles/Gravel in Earthtones
- Rainbow Rice (homemade)
- Coffee Grounds (Dry)
- Dry Black Eyed Peas
- Rainbow Pom-Poms
- Faux Flowers and Faux Green Leaves (cut off Dollar Tree Vines)
- Moon Sand (make your own with play sand and cornstarch - google it)
You can also use:
- Cotton Balls
- Birdseed (then feed it to your birds when you're done)
- Dry Pasta
- Un-popped Popcorn
- Dry Beans
- Shredded Paper
- Faux Snow (warning: it's really messy)
- Some moms even use real potting soil outdoors (I'm not that brave!)
- Sand
*NOTE*: I also keep a box of goodies for sensory boxes like:
- scoops
- spoons
- cups
- funnels
- ice trays
- egg cartons
- tweezers
- small mirrors,
- tongs
- etc.
How do you keep the cost down?
Great question, my husband asks me the same one all the time! ; )
I don't just go out to the store and buy everything to make a sensory box.
Most of it evolves from stuff we already have here at the house, even if it's from the recycling bin.
I do occasionally have to buy the bulk dry ingredients but they get re-used.
(for example, I had to buy the dry rice, peas and beans at first but now I re-use them all the time)
I re-use/recycle the dry ingredients.
Take the green split peas for example, I've used them for:
two "Fall" boxes, a "Spring Garden" box, a "St. Patrick's Day" box, and the "Apple Box".
I make a lot of the "ingredients"
like my homemade felt toilet paper tube trees for the Apple Box.
Homemade "Fall Trees" by gluing brown felt to TP tubes and gluing fake leaves on top.
For example, we just made an "Ice Cream" sensory box
and I saved tiny gelato cups from Whole Foods and
tiny Blue Bunny Brand single serving ice cream containers from our recycling.
I made ice cream balls by wrapping yarn around forks and making pom-poms.
We made tiny popsicles by gluing felt to popsicle sticks and felt "cones"
Then, I gave the girls some deep spoons and our ice cream scoop.
Homemade (inexpensive) felt popsicles.
Glue a popsicle stick to two piece of felt or card-stock/scrap-booking paper.
How do color rice or noodles?
I use the same technique for both. It's quick and easy and you DON'T cook anything.
Where To Find Ingredients For Sensory BoxesWhile you are shopping do you think,
"this would be great for a sensory bin"?
Sometimes depending on the store.
Especially at "Goodwill,"neighborhood Garage Sales,
the Target Dollar Bins, and Dollar Tree.
And...occasionally at my two favorite craft stores,"Michaels" and "JoAnne's" in their seasonal areas
(they always have coupons and... JoAnne's gives a teacher discount to teachers and home-schoolers).
Goodwill and Garage Sales are great for:
ice trays, cookie cutters, scoops, tongs, small containers,
faux flowers/leaves (you can dismantle a wreath or centerpiece)
Grocery store and big box stores like Walmart have sales and good prices
on bulk dry goods like pasta, rice, popcorn, beans, oatmeal for "filler."
Dollar Tree, Target dollar bins, and craft stores are great for seasonal goodies
and trinkets think major holidays and 4 seasons.
What are some things you would use in a bin?
It really just depends on the "theme"
Small toys, trinkets, and figurines from the playroom.
Goodies from the kitchen like scoops, measuring spoons or cups, and funnels.
Items from recycling like egg cartons, yogurt cups, wine corks, bottle caps, etc.
Bathroom goodies like cotton balls, Q-tips, Toilet Paper Tubes.
Seasonal decorations and do-dads.
Pom-poms, buttons, wooden cut outs from the craft store.
Doll house furniture and accessories.
Sensory Box ThemesWhat is your thinking process like?
I work off of themes like seasons and holidays, they're the easiest to do.
Our "Spooky Halloween" Sensory Box
Our "Winter Wonderland"Box (which turned into a rice table)
Our Easter and Bird Themed Spring Box
Our St. Patrick's Day Box
4th of July/Patriotic Box
I also try to make boxes with stuff I think would be fun to play with and touch.
For example:
The "Coffee Box"
and the "Oatmeal" box is just fun to play in.
Or...I'll do a theme box based on the girls' current interests
or tie it to a unit they're doing at school or with me like:
Our "Outer Space" Box
"Zoo Box"
Our "Farm Box"
Our "Cats" Sensory Rainbow Rice Table for "C"s 4th Birthday Party
was a huge hit with all of the guests.
Sometimes the material sparks an idea for a theme:
White Rice for our "Wedding Box"
Pom-poms for our "Ice Cream Box"
Blue Fish Gravel for our "Ocean Box"
Gravel for our "Under Construction" Box
Some ideas are inspired by other wonderful bloggers,
visit my Pinterest board and check out
my Sensory Box Love! page for tons of great ideas
and get your own inspiration from around blog land!
I hope this helps answer your questions
and helps to spark some fun new sensory box/table experiences
so you can CREATE * PLAY * EXPLORE in your own home or classroom!
Pink and Green Mama,
Labels: Educational Games, Explore, Homemade Toys, Play, Preschool, Round-Up, School Age, Sensory Box
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Youth Ministry – Sunday 6pm
The Crossroads Youth Group is for students in grades 6th-12th and meets Sunday nights from 6:00pm-8:00pm and Wednesday nights from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Youth group is designed as a safe environment that challenges students to grow in their faith in practical ways, encourages them to reach out to their friends, and form friendships within the group that go beyond the walls of the church.
It's a time for games, prayer, worship, and an interactive Bible Study and a Biblical message followed by small groups.