text:
Archive for year: 2016
You are here: Home / 2016
Surge Institute's Second #SurgeForMore Online Giving Campaign Is Well-Received By New Donors
December 9, 2016 /in News /by Varun Gautam
The Surge Institute is pleased to share the success of their second annual #SurgeForMore fundraising campaign. The campaign launched in 2015 to raise awareness about Surge's movement to diversify education leadership and support the Surge Fellowship, the Institute's signature program. #SurgeForMore focused on smaller contributions from individuals, who were also encouraged to share their personal inspiration online. In only its second year, #SurgeForMore increased participation by 34 percent. Donations from around the country — some as small as $5 — culminated in a total of more than $25,000.
The success of the 2016 #SurgeForMore campaign can be attributed to the exemplary response from online donors as well as 100 percent participation from Surge employees, board members, and Surge Fellows and Alumni. Fifty-four percent of this year's participants were new donors. Also, this year's fundraiser garnered $10,000 in support from two anonymous matching-gift donors.
Expressing deep gratitude for the donors, The Surge Institute's founding Board Chair Darryl Cobb stated, "We are grateful to all the donors who made this year's campaign a success. Surge is doing tremendous work in Chicago to ensure that the influential decision-makers of the educational futures of millions of children of color reflect the diversity and lived experiences of the students."
Founded in 2014, The Surge Institute is dedicated to addressing the issues related to race and class in urban education through technical assistance, leadership development and advocacy. The Institute was created in response to a shortage of leadership of color at decision-making levels in education.
The Surge Fellowship, the Institute's signature program, is an initiative to identify and groom emerging talent in education, nurturing leadership skills, ideas, perspectives and solutions to change the landscape of education. Proceeds from the #SurgeForMore fundraising campaign will be used for future fellowship programming and provide need-based tuition scholarships to future Surge Fellows.
Expressing high regards for The Surge Institute, a donor to the #SurgeForMore campaign said, "Surge is first in class for addressing the race and class-related disparities that cripple education in urban communities. It was a pleasure for me to support their fundraising initiative."
Though the #SurgeForMore is over for the year, it is never too late to join this movement by making a contribution at https://www.surgeinstitute.org/donate. For more information, contact Surge at https://www.surgeinstitute.org/contact/.
About The Surge Institute: The Surge Institute was founded in 2014 in response to a dearth of leadership of color at decision-making tables in education. Surge provides leadership development resources to institutions and individuals to create a pipeline of diverse leaders in education while also addressing issues of race and class in urban education through leadership development, technical assistance and advocacy.
https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png 0 0 Varun Gautam https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png Varun Gautam2016-12-09 23:22:522016-12-15 23:23:57Surge Institute's Second #SurgeForMore Online Giving Campaign Is Well-Received By New Donors
Love: The New Wave in Education Reform
November 15, 2016 /in The Blog /by Adria Husband
The intended outcomes of the American public educational system have drastically evolved over the last 400 years. Originally, public schools were designed to prepare poor white students for the labor force. Native Americans, Africans and other immigrants were not considered citizens and as a result were not factored into the construct of the public education system. White families that could afford better options sent their children to private schools to get an education and prepare them for professional careers. The original public educational system was never designed with students of color in mind, nor was it meant to create independent thinkers and entrepreneurs or teach from a culturally inclusive curriculum. Fast-forward to modern day, and educational systems across this nation still operate from the remnants of these foundationally dysfunctional principles. Inequity in educational options has become one of many active and ever-changing social justice fights of our time.
Soldiers on the frontline of education reform have bravely put forth innovative methodologies for delivering instruction and modifying traditional educational environments, school types, programmatic focus, etc. The demand for education reform has largely been born from the glaring disparity in the quality of public educational options provided to impoverished communities, largely communities of color. The results of these approaches have varied, with some excelling but others failing to do much better than provide more subpar options alongside traditional failing schools. However, recent research developments have identified one area that has been lost or is often overlooked in the rush to provide viable options: the development of social-emotional skills in children.
Social-emotional skills, largely known as "soft skills," are not necessarily a new concept. However, there has been a growing awareness around this idea of developing and integrating the development of social-emotional skills throughout a child's development. Stated plainly, how can we expect a 5-year-old child who has experienced a traumatic event at home to stand in line quietly and pay attention intently all day? How do we expect a child that is worried or afraid to learn? In its simplest form, social-emotional learning acknowledges the application of Maslow's hierarchy of needs to our still-developing children. Our children do not come to school as fully regulated adults in little bodies; they require molding and development. That molding will happen regardless of whether their surroundings are loving and nurturing or harmful and degrading. But the most powerful fact in all of this is that social-emotional skills can be developed no matter what environmental factors have shaped a child's foundational beginnings, regardless of the child's age.
So what are social-emotional skills? The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning has defined the five core competencies of social-emotional learning as:
Self-awareness. The ability to effectively identify and express thoughts, feelings and emotions.
Self-management. The ability to regulate emotions, thoughts and feelings. Identifiable as impulse control, discipline and how one organizes themselves.
Social awareness. Awareness of other people's thoughts, feelings and emotions. Showing empathy and respect for others.
Relationship skills. The ability to collaborate, work with a team and establish and maintain healthy respectful relationships.
Responsible decision-making. Evaluating situations, reflecting on responsible responses and thinking through the repercussions of an action.
The development of these core skills across a number of national studies has produced average academic gains of 11 percentile points. Children develop the skills needed to accurately voice what they're feeling, and the adults in the school building create the environment that ensures the child feels safe and respected when expressing thoughts and feelings. Successful SEL implementation in schools directly correlates to a decrease in behavioral infractions, hence breaking the cycle of the school-to-prison pipeline. The implementation of an SEL curriculum teaches children lifelong skills for success by honoring their voices and advocating for themselves and others. For teachers, an SEL curriculum creates the space for relationships, even for those who aren't innately drawn to teaching from a place of love. From this space, learning becomes possible, and outcomes become limitless.
When boiled down, at the core of SEL is the simple concept of love. SEL is how teachers, administrators and school support personnel actively display their vested interest in improving our children's well-being and supporting them in reaching their highest potential. The concept of SEL is so simple, and yet has the capability to be incredibly transformative if and when it is integrated into the entire culture of schools and teaching practices.
Perhaps the most powerful and revolutionary educational reform initiative is, simply, love.
https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png 0 0 Adria Husband https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png Adria Husband2016-11-15 08:36:162016-11-15 08:42:49Love: The New Wave in Education Reform
Education Leadership in Chicago Takes Another Step Forward as Executives Tamara Prather and Rito Martinez Join The Surge Institute
November 3, 2016 /in News /by Varun Gautam
The Surge Institute, founded in 2014 in Chicago in response to a dearth of diverse leadership at the decision-making tables within education, takes another step forward in addressing the issues of race and class in urban education by hiring a Chicago Executive Director and new Vice President of National Programs.
Tamara Prather will join the leadership team on November 18, 2016, as the Chicago Executive Director. Tamara brings to bear over 17 years of combined experience in the education and private sectors, at corporate bodies as diverse as GE Capital, Kraft Foods, Chicago Public Schools and A Better Chicago. Her addition means added focus on brand building and strategy in Chicago, and will allow Surge Founder and President Carmita Semaan to address the broader needs for Surge nationally.
Rito Martinez succeeds Erica Harris, the organization's founding Vice President of Programs, in a new national programs role — setting the expanded vision and direction for the content of the Surge Fellowship as well as the design of the Fellowship's core curriculum. Martinez was an award-winning teacher and founding principal of Social Justice High School before he transitioned into adult learning, leadership development and executive coaching, which has informed his work for the past half decade. He began with the team in early October 2016. "As the founding VP of Programs, Erica Harris's design of the Surge Fellowship created a powerful legacy upon which Rito is well-poised to build," stated Carmita Semaan.
Both Prather and Martinez have personal connections to The Surge Institute's mission. "I have followed the work of Surge and continue to be inspired by the passion and sense of purpose of the organization and the significant progress being made. I am honored to lead the organization through this exciting next phase of growth and impact in Chicago," said Prather. "For black and brown leaders it is imperative that one examine issues of identity, race and ethnicity as a means of understanding both our strengths and areas of development. This vision of The Surge Fellowship resonates with my core," shares Martinez.
Semaan is very pleased with the expanding team, which also includes Program and Development Coordinator Sandra Rush and Executive Assistant Maurae Gilbert McCants. "The impact of our fellows and alums has been tremendous in youth-serving organizations across Chicago, and Surge receives local and national recognition for our work in preparing, supporting, connecting and elevating these emerging leaders of color. We will continue to respond to demand as the need for diverse and connected leaders is great. This growth requires discipline and a commitment to continuous improvement — two of the foundational values of our organization. Our team will continue to Surge forward with these commitments to our community."
About Surge
The Surge Institute broadly addresses issues of race and class in urban education through leadership development, technical assistance and advocacy. The Surge Fellowship develops high-potential talent within education to create the pipeline of influential education leaders of color. This network transforms status quo systems and approaches in education by sharing ownership of the change efforts, engaging communities in defining and working toward success, serving as role models for young people to pursue roles with influence and risk, and accessing financial capital and power brokers to develop new solutions. Learn more about how you can #LeadTheSurge at SurgeInstitute.org.
https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png 0 0 Varun Gautam https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png Varun Gautam2016-11-03 10:35:252016-11-10 06:21:38Education Leadership in Chicago Takes Another Step Forward as Executives Tamara Prather and Rito Martinez Join The Surge Institute
Surge Institute of Chicago Changes the Face of Education Leadership
September 6, 2016 /in News /by Varun Gautam
Surge Fellowship admits third cohort of education leaders of color, and welcomes a new cohort of Fellowship alumni.
Today the Surge Institute expanded the reach of its signature yearlong Fellowship program by announcing the acceptance of a diverse cohort of twenty-two (22) equity-minded, emerging African American and Latino Chicago education leaders. The 2017 Surge Fellowship Cohort, the Surge Institute's 3rd, was selected from a group of 45 impressive applicants and is comprised of Fellows from across the education landscape – including Chicago Public Schools, various charter schools and networks, and non-profit youth-serving organizations.
Over the course of the Fellowship, Surge Fellows meet for eleven (11) sessions during which they receive executive skill training, leadership development and exposure to respected leaders and policymakers in education as they develop their own leadership and advocacy skills. While developing advanced leadership skills as a team, Fellows also complete individual capstone projects to advance the work of a new or existing Chicago education initiative. 2017 Fellowship awardee Jonathan Chaparro, Student Recruitment Manager for the Noble Network of Charter Schools was attracted to Surge because "The Surge Fellowship offers the opportunity to develop the skill-sets and operational excellence needed for executive leadership, while maintaining a clear focus on what matters most- closing the opportunity gap in low income communities."
2017 Surge Fellowship Awardees
– Stephanie Arias, Manager of Charter Support, Illinois Network of Charter Schools
– Andres Avila, Manager of Student Services, Namaste Charter School
– Andrea Black, Principal, Schmid Elementary School
– Julianne Boulware, Founding Director of Culture and Community, Steel City Academy
– Jonathan Chaparro, Student Recruitment Manager Noble Network of Charter Schools
– William Collins, Senior Director of School Partnerships, OneGoal
– Dominique Davis, Director of College Success, Chicago Scholars
– Cesar Dominguez, Data Strategy Manager, Illinois Network of Charter Schools
– Mario Earnest, Director of Special Projects, Intrinsic School
– Alejandro Espinoza, Manager, Partnerships, Teach for America
– D. Nigel Green, Assistant Principal, Muchin College Prep
– Dawn Hicks, Chief Program Officer, Umoja Student Development Corporation
– Tamara Hoff, Adjunct Professor, DePaul University
– Bryan Jackson, Dean of Students, Chicago International Charter School | Bucktown
– Shenita Johnson, General Counsel/Managing Director, Illinois State Charter School Commission
– Halleemah Nash, Executive Director, Chicago, iMentor
– Natalie Neris, Chief of Academic Accountability, Chicago International Charter School
– Jawann Pollard, College Access Program Manager, LINK Unlimited Scholars
– Ashley Richardson, Manager of Special Projects, The Chicago Public Education Fund
– Nina Sanchez, Director of Talent Development, Teach for America
– Andrea Serrano, Individual Giving Manager, City Year Chicago
– Ashlie Tyler, National Director of Recruitment, SAGA Innovations
On August 20, 2016, the 2016 Fellows (The Vanguards), celebrated completion of the Fellowship during a Page 2/3 If you have any questions regarding information in these press releases please contact the company listed in the press release. Our complete disclaimer appears here private graduation ceremony held at McDonald's Hamburger University. New Alum Nicole Beechum describes the Fellowship as a "community" in which Fellows "push each other to step into leadership opportunities that will allow our voices to be heard on behalf of young people who look like us."
"We desperately need more individuals with shared experiences with our young people and their communities in positions of influence and power across the landscape of education in Chicago," says Carmita Semaan, Founder and President of The Surge Institute. Each new Surge Fellowship cohort builds an ever-widening network of capable and driven leaders of color seeking to improve the condition of public education in Chicago. Semaan adds, "Our vision is to dramatically change the face of leadership in education by preparing, connecting, supporting and elevating African-American and Latino leaders across organizations that are seeking to improve education options and outcomes for our children."
The Surge Institute broadly addresses issues of race and class in urban education through leadership development, technical assistance and advocacy. The Surge Fellowship develops high-potential talent within education to create the pipeline of influential education leaders of color. This network transforms status quo systems and approaches in education by sharing ownership of the change efforts, engaging communities in defining and working toward success, serving as role models for young people to pursue roles with influence and risk, and accessing financial capital and power brokers to develop new solutions. Learn more about how you can #LeadTheSurge.
https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png 0 0 Varun Gautam https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png Varun Gautam2016-09-06 00:10:392016-09-06 11:16:25Surge Institute of Chicago Changes the Face of Education Leadership
2016 Surge Fellowship Capstone Presentations and Graduation
August 20, 2016 /in Event /by Varun Gautam
123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354
The 2016 Surge Fellowship concluded the weekend of September 20th. Wrapping up their 10-month Fellowship, the 2016 Surge Fellows—aka The Vanguards—presented their final capstone projects. On Saturday, September 20th, Surge welcomed the Vanguards into the alumni family with a graduation luncheon at McDonald's Hamburger University. The Vanguards enjoyed a private ceremony with their families, their coaches, and the Surge staff in attendance. The ceremony included a speech by 2016 Fellow Marilyn Rhames, who shared moving reflections about the Fellowship experience, and community leader Juan Salgado's address left attendees inspired for change. It was a lovely afternoon!
https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png 0 0 Varun Gautam https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png Varun Gautam2016-08-20 00:36:382018-11-05 16:58:412016 Surge Fellowship Capstone Presentations and Graduation
It's Time to Lean INTO the Discomfort of Transformative Change
July 15, 2016 /in The Blog /by Ana Martinez
I have spent my entire life in the fight for educational equity and 14 years fighting that fight in classrooms and schools across cities like Los Angeles, Miami-Dade and Chicago. For a long time, I believed schools and classrooms were the best spaces to create change for the Black and Brown students we serve. Don't get me wrong – change without transformational leaders in classrooms and schools is impossible. But, the change that is needed today is deeply rooted in historical systems of oppression and racism that – consciously or unconsciously – have resulted in institutions that are well equipped to maintain the status quo. Unless there is transformational change at multiple levels the changes created in classrooms are, at best, short term.
I am the child of an immigrant single mother. I believe the appropriate label afforded to me was "alien" – a very befitting term as I was neither from here nor there. My family left a war-torn country in pursuit of the all-American dream, but little did we know that language, poverty, culture clashes, alcoholism, domestic violence, and sexual abuse would be some of the challenges we would have to overcome in pursuit of such dream. I struggled understanding the world I left behind and the world that stood in front of me, so I embraced the "alien" label and allowed myself to walk in that lane for too long.
Education has transformed my life – but, it didn't happen the day I got into UCLA, or the day I graduated with a Masters from Loyola, and it didn't happen the first day I walked into my 3rd grade bilingual classroom full of immigrant children in South Central LA. Transformational change required building extraordinary relationships, cultivated and nurtured across time and distance.
When we are intentional about creating human connection, we become more open and embracing of diverse people and diverse perspective. More importantly, when we are open to engaging in diverse thinking, we are able to speak and listen in new ways because we then allow ourselves to be stretched in ways that, at first, make us uncomfortable. This discomfort is the birth place of true transformational change – when you begin to see and seek differently because your paradigm has shifted, and you position yourself in the place of most potential.
Enter Surge! I am a 2015 Surge Fellow – one of the 12 "Inaugural InSurgents" as we fondly came to call ourselves. My Surge Fellowship experience was intense, powerful and I often found myself inspired and uncomfortable at the same time. The Fellowship redefined the phrase "Lean in" by teaching me how to lean INTO my own discomfort. It taught me how to listen anew and speak anew so that I could do anew. I see the impact of transformation in my professional work and in my work as a single mother of two toddlers.
We spend too much time surrounding ourselves with what we know, too much time looking for people who look like us, who sound like us, who think like us. We fail to see the value of diverse backgrounds and diverse experiences and so fail to invite those perspectives to the table. We make those who are different feel like "aliens" and we allow fear to be the driver and we become comfortable and complacent sitting on the passenger side and watch while good intentions and new initiatives further polarize the people our educational and social systems should be designed to serve.
From positions of comfort, we engage in unproductive conversations about charters vs district schools, teachers vs administrators, districts vs CMOs, states v. national, etc., while millions of Black and Brown kids across the country watch helplessly as we build walls as opposed to bridges. Having been on both sides of many of these debates myself, I think it's time we stop and we, each and every one of us, lean into our own discomfort, and in doing so, build the strength and the hope required to help ourselves and others emerge…transformed.
https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png 0 0 Ana Martinez https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png Ana Martinez2016-07-15 03:04:212016-07-19 10:42:00It's Time to Lean INTO the Discomfort of Transformative Change
LeadTheSurge 6.7.16 Reception
June 7, 2016 /in Event /by Varun Gautam
On June 7th, 2016 at Nellcôte, over 120 guests and 50 prospective Surge Fellows showed up to support a new pipeline of diverse Chicago education leaders. Over $10,000 was raised for Surge Fellows, and #LeadTheSurge 6.7.16 kicked off the application period for the 2017 Surge Fellowship. Speakers included former Chancellor of DC Public Schools Kaya Henderson, 2016 Surge Fellows Nicole Beechum and Michael Johns, Surge Fellowship Alum Ana Martinez, and Surge founder Carmita Semaan, all of whom moved the crowd.
https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png 0 0 Varun Gautam https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png Varun Gautam2016-06-07 11:27:492018-11-05 16:58:41LeadTheSurge 6.7.16 Reception
SURGE INSTITUTE TO HOST NETWORKING AND RECRUITING RECEPTION
June 3, 2016 /in News /by Varun Gautam
Chicago – June 3, 2016 – The Surge Institute will be hosting #LeadTheSurge 6.7.16, an after-work reception for leaders and supporters of high quality education options for Chicago's youth, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, June 7th at Nellcôte in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood.
The event kicks off the seven-week application period for the 2017 Surge Fellowship which became available on Surge's website June 1, 2016 and must be submitted by July 21, 2016. Chicago education leaders are invited to learn about the Surge Fellowship program. The evening will feature insights shared by current Surge Fellows and Alumni and provide networking opportunities with leaders across the Chicago education reform movement. Drinks and hors d'oeuvres will be provided.
The Surge Fellowship is a one-year program for emerging leaders of color working in education in the Chicago metropolitan area. This fellowship inspires and accelerates the trajectory of these leaders so they may bring new ideas, perspectives, and solutions to change the landscape of education. By training, connecting, supporting and elevating high-capacity African-American and Latino leaders across organizations, Surge aims to dramatically improve education options and outcomes for low-income children.
#LeadTheSurge 6.7.16 will feature remarks by Surge Founder and President, Carmita Semaan, Kaya Henderson, Chancellor of DC Public Schools as well as current Surge Fellows Nicole Beechum and Michael Johns and Alumnus Ana Martinez; to inspire emerging leaders of color within education to apply for the 2017 Surge Fellowship.
"The Fellowship was pivotal – participation made me a more powerful, authentic leader by providing me with access to resources, training, and a larger network to support my efforts to drive change," said Surge Fellowship Alumna Ana Martinez. 2016 Fellow Michael Johns adds, "This is not a sit and get program. The things I learn are immediately applicable to my leadership role, and have allowed me to become an even greater asset to my employer by applying newly acquired skills."
https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png 0 0 Varun Gautam https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png Varun Gautam2016-06-03 10:30:102016-09-16 11:22:05SURGE INSTITUTE TO HOST NETWORKING AND RECRUITING RECEPTION
THE CHALLENGE OF WINNING IN EDUCATION ADVOCACY
May 15, 2016 /in The Blog /by Candace Moore
I went to law school with the hope of helping people. My grand vision of justice includes using the knowledge and privilege I gained in law school to give a voice to those who are never heard in spaces of influence. Education law yields that space for me. As a civil rights attorney focusing on education equity, I work with parents and students who are fighting for access and fairness in educational services. In my work, I feel firsthand the impact that elevating their stories has on their outcomes. In a bureaucratic system charged with serving so many, too often students and parents are silenced behind regulations and protocols without a meaningful opportunity to be heard. It is in this space that I have found that my voice could help so many of our students and families who are silenced in the education system.
However, the adversarial model of the law challenges me as I think about long term solutions for our public education institutions. Simply put, when students, families, and educators are pitted against one another, nobody wins.
STUDENTS DON'T WIN
With respect to the discipline process, it is clear that students, especially students of color, lose big across educational institutions. In the 2009-2010 school year, over 3 million children across the nation lost classroom time because of exclusionary discipline; enough children to fill every major league football and baseball stadium in the country. As an advocate taking on cases one-by-one, I continue to be haunted by a troubling rhetoric that surrounds our young people as we justify cutting them off from educational services:
"We are making this decision because we have to hold our students accountable."
A necessary element of accountability is that people are in relationship with one another and possess self-awareness of how their actions impact others. How does a student develop this self-awareness when they are disconnected and rejected from the school community for mistakes and poor judgment? Is this not precisely what we are supposed to be teaching them?
"We have to think about the other students."
So often in education, we must balance the interests of the many against the interests of the few. However, the danger comes when we narrowly focus our conversations around equality without a deeper understanding of equity. Even when we distribute resources evenly, the reality is that some of our students need more resources and supports just to be able to meaningfully access an equal opportunity for success. This can include the need for more chances to learn from their mistakes or more support to develop strategies for conflict resolution and self-regulation. Unfortunately, too often discipline conversations are centered on separating struggling students from their peers. The effect of this is that we arbitrarily cut off all our students from important lessons of empathy and inclusion for others.
"We can't do anything because this family does not care about their student's education."
It is understandably very difficult to work with students when it seems their parents and families are not supportive. However, lack of parental engagement should not be a mark against the student. Our challenge is to meet students where they are at and hope that we can help them rise above circumstances that are beyond their control.
"This student has forfeited his right to a public education."
This continues to be one of the most unsettling statements that I have heard coming from a school administrator to justify a decision to deny a student educational services. Does a child who is still learning who they are and how the world works possess enough knowledge and understanding to make informed decisions? Instead, the indictment is on us in that we have forfeited our obligation to provide this student with a public education.
What is most troubling about these statements is that they often precede a decision to remove a student from the same space that promised to teach and care for them. For many students, this becomes yet another experience of broken promises and rejection. This experience mangles their prospects for a successful future in such a way that few are able to recover. Instead, many fall prey to the school to prison pipeline which leaves them exposed to the criminal justice system, in a vicious cycle of poverty, and further disengaged from society.
SCHOOLS DON'T WIN
The school community does not win when it makes a decision to remove a student from the educational setting. When students are pitted against their teachers and administrators a relationship is broken. Although there is a popular narrative that strict discipline has a deterrent effect on other students, it also has the residual impact of destroying trust between students and adults. This is the type of trust that is needed for students to open both their hearts and minds to the safety and instruction of adults. Removal from school makes it harder to rebuild trust for students who do have the fortune of returning back to their school one day. The student that returns is inevitably not the same student, because without intentional supports, he is left with the trauma of being rejected from his school community and classified as an outsider. This is one reason why discipline can often be looked to as an indicator of whether a student is at risk of dropping out.
In many ways, my job is to look for the bad actors and protect students from unjust systems and practices. However, this is deeply complicated in the education system, which has multiple layers of competing interest that create unintended consequences for even the most well-intentioned teachers and administrators. Pressures involving increased performance standards, lack of resources, changing political regimes, labor disputes, and much more all underlie the education ecosystem. Add in devastating incidents of school shootings, growing conditions of poverty, rising levels of violence and exposure to trauma, and systemic racial injustices that continue to destabilize communities. In the midst of all of this, how can we definitively point the finger at the source of the problem?
I am challenged by the fact that I believe litigation to be one of the most destructive forms of intervention, and recognize can be a necessary and effective tool to make meaningful change. Litigation firmly pushes people who likely have complex perspectives on any given situation to take a firm position on one side or the other. It is about exposing one another's weaknesses to elevate your own position, which can destroy the very relationships we work so hard to create in education settings. Even still, there are times when the injustice is so great that nothing else will do. After all, it was Brown v. Board of Education that catalyzed the dismantling of racial separation in schools.
HOW DO WE WIN?
As big and impossible as these issues seem, I remain steadfast in my belief that we can and we must win for our children and generations to come. For me, winning is about not only equipping our students with the tools they need to be productive in their careers, but also preparing our young people to join us in carrying the same torch for justice that we inherited from our ancestors and forefathers. Today the challenges in our society are formidable: the wealth gap between blacks and whites has nearly tripled over the last 25 years; minority and low-income students continue to attend and complete college at far lower rates than their peers; this country carries 25% of the world's imprisoned population; Americans with lower incomes and educational levels report higher rates of disease, disability, and poor health; and the list goes on. Addressing these challenges will continue to require intergenerational efforts. We truly lose if our children are so disconnected, disengaged, and skeptical that they can no longer see a community worth fighting for.
Thus, my grand vision of justice has not changed much. Although I continue to be challenged on any given day in the execution, my goal is to empower those who bear the brunt of societal inequities and whose potential may be the most challenging to access. I believe this is the type of advocate our children need and deserve. As I take on the challenge of winning, I ground myself in these core values:
Operate from a fundamental understanding that we are a community. We are inextricably linked to one another and the successes and failures of our students are on us.
Commit to changing hearts and minds. Changing policy and laws is important and necessary work, but along the way, we must invest in the human spirit with the hopes that we are building a community that is committed to seeing the work through.
Do the work in love. As sappy as it may sound, I simply don't see a win without it.
Candace Moore is a Surge Fellowship Alumna and a dedicated civil rights attorney advocating for education equity through a lens of racial and social justice at the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. She was instrumental in the Chicago Lawyers' Committee's re-launch of the Educational Equity Project. Candace's work has focused on organizing legal advocacy resources to address disparate school discipline and barriers to enrollment for students throughout Chicago and its surrounding communities. As a next generation civil rights advocate, she believes that it is imperative for members of the legal community to work in partnership with community-based reformers and institutional policy makers to achieve sustainable and meaningful solutions.
https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png 0 0 Candace Moore https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png Candace Moore2016-05-15 05:23:032016-07-19 03:04:13THE CHALLENGE OF WINNING IN EDUCATION ADVOCACY
The Stories We Miss by Having Too Few Leaders of Color at the Table
February 15, 2016 /in The Blog /by Carmita Semaan
My path to work in education wasn't a traditional one. It wasn't even rooted in a desire to be an educator. But it has been shaped by a belief that my life experiences and personal narrative weren't happenstance or a mistake—they were exactly what were required to position me to do the work I was created to do.
Knowing me begins with knowing my mother, Wanda "Patty" Plump Burnette. She would have celebrated her 68th birthday last month. Wanda's wisdom was often lost on me while she was physically present, but I can now appreciate and comprehend the lessons she instilled in me and I know I wouldn't be half the woman and leader that I am without them.
At 29, four months after having me, my mother suffered a massive stroke. The outlook was initially very bleak and my family honestly had no idea if she was going to make it. But against the odds she powered through.
My parents divorced soon after my mother's recovery and she and I returned to her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. Life for us "was no crystal stair," as she often reminded me. Her medical issues mounted. Life below the poverty line, housing instability, harrowing medical issues and all their associated ills were part of our daily lives.
However, my story isn't a simple one. And I'm aware of the privilege that was as much a part of my life as the poverty. If you had asked me when I was a kid if I was poor, I don't know what I would have said. I was clothed, fed and had a village of family and friends who loved and supported me, which wasn't aligned with my juvenile perceptions of the poor.
Yes, I lived in housing projects. But I was also surrounded by kind people who looked after my mother and me at all times. Yes, there were periods of homelessness after our eviction from the projects. But I wouldn't have thought to call it homelessness at the time.
There was always a place to sleep—a family member's spare room, a family friend's sofa, a motel. I just considered it part of life. My mother's annual income from disability payments was well below the poverty line, but our home was warm and full of laughter, light, love, music and LOTS of books.
Early on, I was taught that education was paramount; it was my ticket to something better. My mother may never have completed her college degree, but four of her siblings had and three went on to receive master's degrees. My father was an engineer and my paternal grandfather received an MBA from the University of Chicago after returning from WWII—no small feat for an African-American man at that time.
So while my reality was steeped in poverty, I was held to expectations that knew no bounds and had aspirational models. That was my version of privilege.
Coaching and care by a village of amazing adults, effort and a lot of luck resulted in me excelling in the public schools I attended. I was told to do whatever I could to make a good living, challenge myself and ensure I would always have a job. That translated into a career in chemical engineering for me and later an MBA.
I was almost seduced into a life of social responsibility and mission-driven work at the start of my professional journey, but a call to my mother during my junior year of college put it on pause. It was a call I'll never forget. I called my mother to tell her that while I was on track to graduate on time (four years in chemical engineering was not easy) and had kept up my grades, I'd had a vision that I was supposed to be in service to others.
Her answer was swift and no-nonsense, as was her way.
"One: You don't have the luxury of doing what those rich kids you go to school with can do—we have bills to pay. And two: The best thing you can do for poor people is never be one of them…ever again!"
After that, she hung up. There was no discussion or debate. I knew what I had to do.
I now know that she was doing her best to guarantee I charted a different course for my life. Though it was soul-crushing at the time, it allowed me to forge a path that eventually led me to exactly where I was supposed to be.
I never lost the nagging feeling that all the privileges I was afforded weren't for me. I knew they were about something bigger. For years I addressed the nagging itch by volunteering, establishing mentorship programs with partner schools and the like, but it wasn't enough.
After living in Chicago and hearing countless stories of the way its—my—children were being underserved, I knew I had to do more. I could no longer sit idly by and think my occasional checks and volunteer efforts were enough.
I dived in, quit corporate America and went to work in Chicago Public Schools and eventually worked my way up to chief of staff of high schools.
Throughout my career, I've been shaken by the fact that the further up the rungs of leadership and influence I climbed, fewer and fewer people around the decision-making and policy-setting tables had any shared experiences with the majority of students we served. I was frequently the only, or one of the few, people of color and very rarely did anyone else around these tables know poverty or unequal educational opportunities.
I found myself all too frequently being the sole voice of dissent, reminding others that a single story could never define our students, their families or their communities.
I am tired of the constant references to the contemporary education reform movement as the civil rights issue of our generation without anyacknowledgement that this "movement" is by and large not of, with or by the people. The people suffering from a lack of access to high-quality education are often invisible in the places where their fates, and those of their communities, are decided.
The Surge Institute is born of my desire to ensure that diverse leaders are appropriately prepared and networked to fill the pipeline of leadership in education that often falls woefully short of representing the populations of children and families served. I dreamed of creating an organization that assists oft-ignored and underrepresented education leaders in accelerating their impact and influence across the field of education.
That dream is now a reality.
I took the leap into education over a decade ago with equal amounts of fervor and naïvete. I will never be an education expert, and it's not my role to be. I have long-lasting relationships with amazing educators throughout the country and have found a place to use my skills to advance their great work on behalf of the students in whom I see myself—and my story.
Reprinted with permission from EducationPost
https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png 0 0 Carmita Semaan https://www.surgeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Surge-Trademarked-Horizontal-Logo-Registered.png Carmita Semaan2016-02-15 06:49:042016-02-17 06:50:29The Stories We Miss by Having Too Few Leaders of Color at the Table


text:
Expose Youngsters to the Big-Time, Says Lee
Beaten Japan Open finalist Lee Chong Wei has joined the chorus of Malaysian players urging the national governing body to send more junior players to major international tournaments.
Lee, beaten by Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the Tokyo final, said he felt envious when he saw the Chinese contingent at the Japan Open last week.
He said that while he was the only Malaysian men's singles player capable of making an impact in the tournament, China boasted some talented youngsters who ably took the place of the country's missing stars.
World number two and Olympic champion Lin Dan, along with leading compatriots Chen Jin and Bao Chunlai, decided to skip the Japan Open to rest after the Olympics.
Lee urged to Badminton Association of Malaysia to follow China and expose the country's back-up players to top-class tournaments.
He was quoted in the Malaysian media as saying: "Just look at China. After the Olympic Games, they decided not to send their top players but they took the opportunity to send several youngsters to the Japan Open.
"They are already planning for the future. This exposure will do a world of good for the youngsters.
"South Korea, Denmark and Indonesia also sent their youngsters to the Japan Open. But for Malaysia, I am here all alone. It would have been good if some of the youngsters were here."
Recently, Malaysia's former Olympic bronze medallist Rashid Sidek, also called for the inclusion of younger players in senior tournaments.
Rashid is coach of the 2010-2012 squad of juniors who are being prepared for the 2010 London Olympics.
He is soon expected to be announced as the new head national coach but said that if Malaysia are to match the major nations such as China and Indonesia, the youngsters must be blooded much earlier than they are now.
Among the China youngsters who took part in the Japan Open were Qiu Yanbo, whom Lee beat in the quarter-finals, and Lu Yi, who also reached the last eight.
Other Chinese players included Zhu Weilun and Gong Weijie. However, where China really made an impact was in the women's singles, with 20-year-old Wang Yihan winning the title.
Return from Expose Youngsters to the Big-Time, Says Lee to Badminton News & Videos
Return from Expose Youngsters to the Big-Time, Says Lee to Badminton Information

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
HBO's The Last of Us Episode 2 sees a historic rise in viewership
HBO's The Last of Us continues to be a major hit!
By Nicolo Manaloto
HBO's The Last of Us episode 2 aired recently, and it got an increase of 22% in viewership – the highest in HBO history for a second episode of any original series.
This data was shared by Game Awards/Summer Game Fest founder himself, Geoff Keighley on Twitter. There, he mentioned how The Last of Us had the largest week 2 audience growth for any HBO original drama series ever thanks to the episode 2 viewership.
For many anticipated shows, the premiere is sometimes one of the most-watched episodes (if not the most-watched). Though it seems that it is not the case with The Last of Us as the show might be on track to increase its viewership. This is possible given how incredible the reception toward it is from both critics and fans.
Episode 2 of THE LAST OF US tallied 5.7 million viewers Sunday night, up 22% from the series debut.
This marks the largest week 2 audience growth for an HBO Original drama series in the history of the network.
Episode 1 is now up to 18 million viewers. pic.twitter.com/qTnPetz1bH
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) January 23, 2023
This new series is a major milestone in the world of live-action video game adaptations. Previously, game adaptations had a bad rap as some movies like Silent Hill or the first Tomb Raider films weren't exactly big hits with critics.
Though now, it seems that there's a lot of promise when it comes to future live-action adaptations. Hopefully that's the case as animated video game adaptations have already seen lots of success thanks to shows like Arcane and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
In related news, The Last of Us Part 1 recently enjoyed a big spike in sales following the HBO show's premiere.
Japan has some questionable octopus earplugs in gacha machines
Nicolo Manaloto
UnGeek's resident editor who is obsessed with anything and everything Death Stranding. He is also a big fan of the Yakuza series, and is a weaboo in denial.


text:
+45 2835 0660 uhj@concrete-experts.com
RapidAir 457
Deterioration Mechanisms
Alkali Silica Reactions in Concrete
Delayed Ettringite Formation
External Sulfate Attack
Acid Attack
Freeze-Thaw
Failure Analysis and Materials Characterization
Optical Microscopy of Concrete and Related Material
Scanning Electron Microscopy of Concrete and Related Materials
Training Courses in Concrete Petrography
About CXI
Automatic test of air void distribution in hardened concrete in less than 10 minutes in your laboratory
The RapidAir 457 equipment provides an automatic system for analyzing the air content in hardened concrete. The analysis time with the RapidAir 457 system is less than 10 minutes, which should be compared to the 4-6 hours normally required for manual analysis with conventional types of equipment.
The system can replace the manual test performed as described in the ASTM designation C457/C457M-16 procedure A, B and C "Standard Test Method for Microscopical Determination of Parameters of the Air-Void System in Hardened Concrete" or the test performed according to EN 480-11 "Determination of air void characteristics in hardened concrete". All methods include specifications for grinding, and polishing a plane section of concrete, and for measuring the air void distribution with the use of a microscope according to the linear traverse method and modified point count.
Operator independent
Excellent repeatability
Excellent reproducibility
Good accuracy
The RapidAir 457 test equipment consists of an automatic analysis system comprising a computerized control unit (PC) with a flat panel monitor, a digital camera, a microscope objective mounted on a moving stage, and a user friendly analysis software operating in a MS-Windows environment. The RapidAir 457 system has a resolution better than 2 microns, a magnification of about 100x, and is delivered pre-configured, aligned, tested, and ready for Plug-and-play use. The interface is user friendly allowing the daily operations to be handled in an easy and logical fashion that minimizes the risk of analysis or reporting errors.
Following the traditional grinding and polishing steps of ASTM C 457, a contrast enhancing technique (described in EN 480-11) is used to obtain a plane section surface where the air voids appear bright white, and the remaining surface appears black. Such a surface contrast facilitates maximum precision, and identification of all air voids present in the concrete sample. The time needed to perform a contrast enhancement is approximately 5 minutes. Since all preparation defects are addressed during the preparation procedure, the advantage of the contrast enhancement is that it eliminates the need for a "split second" human judgment, which is typically encountered during the normal manual type analysis.
Following contrast enhancement, the plane section is mounted onto the moving stage that is positioned under the color digital camera. Choose either the ASTM or EN method and the analysis control unit now automatically moves the stage, and the air void distribution is determined from e.g. a typical ASTM scan of 1364 areas throughout the plane section (1364 areas provide a 2413 mm line of traverse as is required by ASTM C 457 for concrete with a 1″ maximum size aggregate).
The RapidAir software further allows the user to perform a semi-automatic point count according the ASTM procedure B.
Report Generation
After scanning the plane section, a report file (in MS-Excel format) is automatically saved. The operator can choose between compliant calculations according to ASTM C 457 and EN 480, between using SI and US units, and between letter size and A4 paper formats. In addition to the calculated air void parameters notably air content, specific surface area, and spacing factor, the report file also contains tabular as well as graphical presentations of the results of the air void analysis. The report file also contains a worksheet with the raw data in case the operator would like to perform additional user-specific calculations. At any time following the analysis, the report file can be printed or viewed from within the RapidAir user-friendly interface.
VIDEO: See the RapidAir 457 in action
Provided by one of our clients, gcp
RapidAir 457 advantages
Dr. Ulla H. Jakobsen
In cooperation with Danish Technological Institute > we provide the following services
Petrographic services in the field of failure analysis of concrete and related materials as well as in materials characterization in general.
Optical microscopy of concrete and related materials such as aggregates for concrete, tiles, bricks and natural building stones.
Scanning electron microscopy on concrete and related materials such as aggregates for concrete production, cement, metals and fibers.
Pre-defined or tailor made courses to your needs either to be held at your own laboratory or in Copenhagen, Denmark.
"It is a pleasure to recommend you to make use of Concrete Experts International's
services. Their knowledge and experience is outstanding regarding new technology
developments with cement and concrete and related materials as well as for expert
investigations of the durability and deterioration of field concrete. The special, combined scientific-engineering experience makes the company a welcomed, consulting newcomer."
Gunnar M. Idorn, Civil Engineer, D.Sc
"…On my behalf, as well as on behalf of my client, I want to thank all of you for the tremendous effort which you put forth in the case. You all did an excellent job. The work you did in a limited time period was first rate. I was particularly impressed with the high quality reports which you prepared."
"…Thanks for all your help in the case. Your experience, research and testimony were
very important and critical to the successful outcome. These cases are always complex, but by having the right experts, we greatly improved our defense."
Using the same terms makes communication better! We have made this small dictionary which describes some of the terms used in concrete examination and description.
The following small dictionary describes some of the terms used in concrete examination and description.
Agglomerate: 3 or more air voids in close contact
Aggregate: Component of the concrete consisting of a coarse aggregate fraction (more than 4 mm) and a fine aggregate fraction (less than 4 mm)
Alite: Tricalciumsilicate, C3S (3CaO-SiO2), a natural occurring mineral present in ordinary Portland cement.
Alkali silica reaction: Reaction between silica in the aggregates (e.g. chert, flint, micro-crystalline quartz), alkali (from cement, de-icing salt, sea water), calcium hydroxide and water. Alkali silica reaction causes aggregates to expand and cracks are formed radiating out into the ambient cement paste.
Alkali silica gel: A product of alkali silica reaction. Gel is usually clear, transparent and non-crystalline (amorphous), although in some cases it may crystallize. It expands during water absorption. Gel is usually found lining or filling cracks and air voids.
Aluminate phase: Tricalciumaluminate, C3A (3CaO-Al2O3)
Anhydrate: CaSO4
Belite: Dicalciumsilicate, C2S (2CaO-SiO2), natural occurring mineral present in ordinary Portland cement.
Bleeding: Water separation in the concrete. "Bleeding" is the phenomenon where water migrates towards the surface of the concrete and collects on the surface or underneath coarse aggregates. Seen as narrow voids along the interface between aggregate and cement paste. Calcium hydroxide may be deposited in the voids.
Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 , calcite, found as deposits in voids and cracks and on the surface.
Calcium hydroxide: Ca(OH)2, Portlandite, hydration product of C3S and C2S. Appears throughout the non-carbonated cement paste and occasionally as larger crystals in voids and cracks
Carbonation: Transformation of the calcium containing constituents of the concrete by reaction with the carbon dioxide in air. Calcium hydroxide is transformed to calcium carbonate and consequently the paste becomes chemically neutral.
Cement: The visible cement minerals are: C3S, C2S and C4AF. C3A is not visible.
Cement paste: Compound of hydration products from the cement-water reaction and unhydrated cement. Micro silica (MS) and fly ash (FA) is usually treated as part of the paste.
Cracks: Are divided in 3 groups in relation their width: coarse cracks are cracks wider than 0.1 mm, fine cracks varies from 0.01 - 0.1 mm and micro cracks are less than 0.01 mm. Cracks usually run in the cement paste; however, occasionally the aggregates are traversed. Cracks form either in the early (plastic stage) or at a later stage (fully hardened stage) in the life of the concrete .
Delayed Ettringite Formation (DEF): Hardened concrete that has been subjected to high-temperature heat curing or high internal hydration heat temperature may suffer from expansion and cracking during subsequent exposure to moisture. DEF is diagnosed by the presence of gaps around aggregate particles.
Entrained air: Usually defined as the small and medium sized spherical air voids with maximum size 0.5 - 1 mm
Entrapped air: Comprises irregular and angular air voids of all sizes
Ettringite: 3CaO.Al2O3.3CaSO4.32H2O. Needle shaped crystals of calcium sulfo-aluminate hydrate produced by constituents in the cement paste, including gypsum. It is also produced by sulfate attack on the concrete.
Ferrite phase: Tetracalciumaluminateferrite, C4AF (4CaO-Al2O3-Fe2O3)
Filled voids: Air voids with complete or partial filling of e.g. alkali silica gel, ettringite, calcium hydroxide, calcium carbonate or gypsum.
Friedel Salt (mono-chloride): 3CaO.Al2O3.CaCl2.10H2O
Gaps: Cracks observed all the way around aggregate particles in the interface zone between aggregate and cement paste. Gaps can be empty, or be partly or completely filled with ettringite. The width of the gaps is positively correlated with the size of the aggregate. Gaps are evidence of some sort of paste expansion occurring from delayed ettringite formation (DEF), freeze/thaw and sulfate attack.
Gypsum: CaSO4.2H2O, calcium sulfate which is found as a common constituent of cement. It is also produced by acid attack (sulfuric acid) on concrete.
Hydration: Reaction between cement and water, producing cement gel (cement paste, cement glue) serving as an adhesive in the concrete.
Mono-sulfate: 3CaO.Al2O3.CaSO4.12H2O
Plastic shrinkage: Shrinkage caused by strong drying of newly cast concrete. The result is often plastic shrinkage cracks in the concrete surface.
Plastic settlement: Settlement of fresh concrete, often causing plastic settlement cracks.
Re-crystallization: Dissolution of crystals and re-deposition either of the same mineral in a different form or of new minerals, mostly stabilized due to the presence of water.
Segregation: "Segregation" is the phenomenon where the concrete has no internal adhesion, and the mortar (therefore separates from the coarse aggregates.
Thaumasite: CaSiO3.CaSO4.CaCO3. A mineral not naturally present in concrete. Thaumasite may occur in concrete suffering from sulfate attack. The presence of thaumasite depends according to literature on temperature and presence of carbon dioxide.
w/c ratio: The ratio of water to cement by weight of the cement paste. If the cement paste contains fly ash (FA) or micro silica (MS) the addition of these materials can be taken into account using an activity factor and an equivalent w/c ratio can be calculated.
Concrete Experts International ApS
Gøngehusvej 242
DK-2950 Vedbæk
uhj@concrete-experts.com
FaenoDesign.dk


Sep 4, 2013 Also PESEdit.com 2013 Patch 6.0 has new kits for more than 15 team. PESEdit. com torrent file can't download…what the probleme? Reply. 14 сен 2016 . Скачать обновление для PESEdit 2013 Patch 6.0 на 13.09.2016 для UpdateStar is compatible with Windows platforms. UpdateStar has been tested to meet all of the technical requirements to be compatible with Windows 10, 8.1, Windows.
Feb 27, 2014 PESEdit.com 2013 Patch 6.0 adding 600+ new summer transfers to a Patch 5.1 via Torrent in PESPatchs.com PESEdit.com 2013 Patch 5.1. Feb 14, 2013 From Qpes: All players, teams, leagues and competitions are licensed. All kits are in GDB folders. Over 2200 faces and 1850 hairs in faceserver. PESEdit.com 2013 Patch 2.0 RELEASED 12/10/12 - Mediafire & more mirror psp pes 2013 checorners · QPES & PSD PES2013 patch 2013 V4 - 20.11.2012. 2013 -Gamefront,Mediafire,RapidShare ,Torrent, more mirror links 6.0 · PS3. Instantly find where to watch your favorite movies and TV shows. With WhereToWatch.com, you can discover when your favorite movie or TV show is playing Feb 23, 2016 . PESEdit 2013 Patch 6.0 Update Winter Transfers 2016 (2016.02.22) by bedoedeyne . Update transfers and PSD index Sep 5, 2015 PESEdit.com 2013 Patch 6.0 – Update Summer Transfers v2015.09.04 PES 2013 Commentaries Map v4.0 by Omar Ahmed. – PES 2013.


On a recent trip to England, I bought some rather beautiful knee-high suede boots from L.K.Bennett. Upon returning back to L.A., I was eager to show off my new boots in as many outfits as humanly possible. This lead me to wear a whole collection of skirts for pretty much the entire month of January. It was then when I realized my favorite skirt style to wear with my boots: knit skirts. Not only are knit skirts super warm (they keep your legs toasty in the deep throes of winter) but they exude an elegant yet relaxed vibe that makes them versatile enough to wear to work, brunch, or to a fancy dinner. A knit skirt also happens to be the ideal transitional piece that gets you through any confusing climates (hot subways/cold offices).
So if you're looking for a chic way to show off those tall boots or simply want an alternative to jeans, then get your hands on one of the must-have knit skirts below.
Metallic threads add sparkle to this dusty rose pencil skirt.
This ivory alpaca midi skirt exudes sophistication. Pair it with a matching neutral sweater.
Enlarged buttons add a contemporary-chic touch.
Add an air of spring to your wardrobe in next season's must-have lavender color.
We love the high slit on this maxi skirt.
Banish winter blues with these rainbow stripes.
This one is easy to take from work to dinner.
Just add white sneakers for a sporty weekend look.
You can never go wrong with a luxe cashmere knit piece. Keep yours modern with white boots or mules.
Stand out from the crowd in this poppy-red option.


text:
CREATE OR REPLACE TRIGGER emp_au_trg
   AFTER UPDATE OF sal ON emp
   FOR EACH ROW
DECLARE
   PROCEDURE enqueue IS
      l_enqueue_options sys.dbms_aq.enqueue_options_t;
      l_message_props   sys.dbms_aq.message_properties_t;
      l_jms_message     sys.aq$_jms_text_message := sys.aq$_jms_text_message.construct;
      l_msgid           RAW(16);
      e_no_recipients   EXCEPTION;
      PRAGMA exception_init(e_no_recipients, -24033);
   BEGIN
      l_jms_message.clear_properties();
      l_message_props.correlation := sys_guid;
      l_message_props.priority := 3;
      l_message_props.expiration := 300; -- 5 minutes
      l_jms_message.set_replyto(sys.aq$_agent('ALL_RESPONSES', 'RESPONSES_AQ', 0));
      l_jms_message.set_string_property('msg_type', 'RAW');
      l_jms_message.set_string_property('ename', :old.ename);
      l_jms_message.set_double_property('old_sal', :old.sal);
      l_jms_message.set_double_property('new_sal', :new.sal);
      sys.dbms_aq.enqueue(
         queue_name         => 'requests_aq',
         enqueue_options    => l_enqueue_options,
         message_properties => l_message_props,
         payload            => l_jms_message,
         msgid              => l_msgid
      );
   EXCEPTION
      WHEN e_no_recipients THEN
         NULL; -- OK, topic is not of interest
   END enqueue;
BEGIN
   IF :old.sal != :new.sal THEN
      enqueue;
   END IF;
END;
/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I am trying out a new look for the blog. Something a little more Tim Burton Nightmare Before Xmas-ish. I guess this will work from now. So Joey has been off of work the last few days and I have accomplished so much at work. My office is clean, even my desk is clean. I have had a chance to surf the web a little and I checked out a high school friend of mines flickr photos. They were amazing. I went to Moorpark High with this guy. We weren't really friends. I mean we didn't hang out or anything but we did have some mutual buddies. I was so moved by all his pictures today. It was like I was able to see his world and how he views it. It seems like he has a great life with good friends and a rewarding job. Not to mention he works and loves near the beach. Lucky!
Again, thank you for the kind words. I really like the new design; very cool!


text:
15-23 August 2020 National Science Week
Science week event search
Any age Family Children Adults
All topicsArchaeology and antiquityHuman body and movementEnergy and transportEnvironment and natureHealth and medicalSpace and astronomyInnovation and technology
Include private events
Engineering irrigation in our community
Drinking water is so important in our lives, but where does it come from, and how do we use it in our lives – such as irrigation?
Engineers have always had a part in providing clean water to Tasmania's communities, but how do they do it, and will things change in the future?
When: Monday, August 12 2019. 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Download event for your calendar
Where: Engineers Australia offices
Level 5, 188 Collins Street, Hobart, TAS, 7000
Topic: Environment and nature, Innovation and technology
Bookings: https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/event/2019/06/waterworks-tasmania-part-2-irrigation
Other: Wheelchair access
Engineering Heritage Tasmania is presenting a series of Seminars on water supplies in Tasmania, exploring the Past, the Present and the Future.
This seminor will focus on Irrigation Seminar and will explore the historic record of early irrigation. Staff from Tasmanian Irrigation will present the present state of supplies and thoughts for future developments.
Peter Spratt AM FIEAust
Peter is a Heritage Engineer with over 300 heritage projects around Australia. He has designed and managed water supplies and sewerage around Tasmania including Hobart, Port Arthur, Campbell Town, Ross, Sorell, Kingborough, Wynyard, and the National Parks. Peter is a Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Building Surveyor, Municipal Engineer and Hydraulic Engineer. His paper will deal with early water supplies-the history, techniques and the people.
Paul Ellery B App Sci (Ag) Dip PM Adv Dip FM
Paul has worked with Tasmanian Irrigation for the past 10 years as Project Manager for the Winnaleah Augmentation, Kindred-North Motton, Duck and South East Stage 3 Irrigation Schemes which represent four of the 14 schemes Tasmanian Irrigation has built in the past eight years. Over the past two years as the Manager Build Projects Paul has been responsible for the program roll-out of Tranche Two, encompassing five schemes at a capital cost of $167 million. He will talk about the drivers for change in the agricultural sector, the engineering challenges to deliver these schemes and the future opportunities for irrigated agriculture in Tasmania.
Tegan Lovell, Tasmanian Irrigation
Tegan is the Project Manager delivering the $30M Duck Irrigation Scheme at Smithton
David Pointing
Engineers Australia
Email: TasEvents@engineersaustralia.org.au
See more at:https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/event/2019/06/waterworks-tasmania-part-2-irrigation


The key to any successful political debate is to first agree to the terms of the debate. If you can't agree upon the underlying facts and exactly what you're discussing, you're going nowhere.
And a telling exchange between top Donald Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway and late-night host Seth Meyers on Tuesday showed just how difficult that can be when it comes to Trump.
CONWAY: It's not fair that people don't give [Trump] his due. He received that intelligence briefing. He made comments about it afterwards. And I have to tell you, there wasn't very compelling information in terms of the nexus that many people would like to make between alleged hacking and the election results. Vladimir Putin didn't tell Hillary Clinton to ignore Michigan and Wisconsin. She did that all by herself.
CONWAY: She spent more money on Georgia and Arizona than Michigan and Wisconsin. That's how you lose.
MEYERS: I'm not going to sit here and argue with you that the Clinton campaign was a well-run campaign.
CONWAY: Oh, or that the Russians interfered in the election successfully — that they disrupted our democracy. Which is really what we should all care about. Is that true or not. Nobody has proven that.
MEYERS: I agree. But shouldn't we care if the Russians tried to interfere, whether it affected the outcome of the election or not? Isn't that something that — I sometimes fear that the president-elect has no curiosity as to the amount they tried.
CONWAY: That is completely false. He has enormous curiosity. I'm there every day with him.
At this point, some in the crowd audibly expressed their dismay at this comment from Conway. It was clearly a Meyers crowd — or at least not a Trump one.
But I think this, more than just about anything I've seen in recent weeks, explains the disconnect between the Trump team and its opponents. Trump — and increasingly, his staff — see this whole Russian hacking thing as an attempt to undermine him, to prove he's not actually a winner, rather than a legitimate attempt to get at what Russia did. Part of this is posturing, of course -- trying to deflect and claim the politicization of the issue. But there do seem to be some genuine hard feelings.
Meanwhile, Trump's opponents — among whom you can surely include Meyers — say they think this is first about getting at what Russia tried to do (while maybe also believing it could have changed the results or leaving that open as a possibility). They think Trump simply doesn't listen to anything he doesn't want to hear.
Which they have plenty of reason to. Trump has questioned the intelligence on Russia's hacking in a way almost no other Republican has, even suggesting the intelligence community is out to get him for political reasons. His aides insist he's a different man behind closed doors, but we can only go on his public statements, which have been highly skeptical and do suggest he's not terribly curious — or at the very least that he's prejudged the intelligence before it can be nailed down.
We're largely debating past each other here — about two different things. Which is unlikely to lead to a satisfactory outcome for either side.


Past students have included midwives, Therapeutic Massage Therapists and Aromatherapists, Health and Skincare therapists and learners, physiotherapists, spa managers and therapists and sports science learners.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF THIS WORKSHOP?
The workshop furnishes you with the improved skills, knowledge, understanding and techniques necessary for massaging childbearing women.
Imbues you with the necessary confidence to help you expand your career in the delivery of exceptional, compassionate and client-orientated services to pregnant women – thereby adding to your employability.
Provides you with hands-on experience in the side-lying technique, which can also be used for other massages.
Enables second year CIDESCO learners to use this skill as their specialized subject.
The skill can be used as a third year subject for the elective training in Spa Therapies (where applicable).
This workshop enables you to meet the ever-increasing demand for the specialties of pregnancy and postpartum massage therapy, and helps you satisfy the needs of your pregnant clients with greater confidence.
Allows spa managers to offer this specialized massage as part of a "pregnancy package", which could include gift packs, special rates and continuing come-backs.
This is an advanced training workshop. Students must therefore have a qualification, or be a registered learner in Swedish massage.
Upon completion of the workshop students will receive an endorsed Certificate of Attendance.
This Workshop is approved by AHPCSA for 4 CEU's (level one) (Therapeutic Aromatherapists and Massage Therapists). This is double the CEU's for the last cycle.
Note: The workshop is always tailored specifically to the needs of each particular group of students attending.
Designed to provide its students with a strong foundation of knowledge, insight and abilities as well as flexibility, this workshop covers the adaptations of massage for the pregnant woman, who is undergoing structural, physiological and psychological changes. These skills can be used in private practice, spas, clinics and hospitals.
Beyond the hands-on techniques mentioned above, the issues of the therapist's needs, communication with clients and their position as part of a greater network of healthcare providers are addressed.
Although The Ultimate Pregnancy Massage Workshop is based on Swedish Massage techniques and an advanced training in Pregnancy, Post-Natal and Infant Massage, it also integrates features gained from training in Sports Massage and Manual Lymph Drainage.
10% discount for Therapeutic Aromatherapists and Massage Therapists.


I'm organized, meticulous and on time. Except when I'm traveling alone.
The situation got me thinking about some other unspoken rules of flying, from the moment you arrive at the airport to the moment you pick up your bags in baggage claim.
I can attest that Franciacorta the place and Franciacorta the wine are, in some ways, hidden gems and most definitely underrated.
The United Kingdom had just voted out of the European Union, and the Leave campaign had won. It was historic, unbelievable and incredibly disturbing.
For those hesitant to book a day tour when you travel, here are five reasons why you should.
As the travel season gets going, I decided to share my top blog posts that will enable people to travel more.
Hunter Valley is one of Australia's most well-known wine regions and is an area well worth visiting if you find yourself in Sydney with some time to spare.
Before embracing the next chapter — and my next piece of luggage — I decided to list my most memorable travel moments with my trusty sidekick, my carry-on.
Whether it's the restaurants, parks, architecture, ambiance or that certain je ne sais quoi that you can't put your finger on, I love exploring neighborhoods.
Without further ado and in no particular order, here are my favorite brunch places in New York.


Published 04/19/2019 02:32:19 am at 04/19/2019 02:32:19 am in Chandelier Flush Mount.
chandelier flush mount modern glam shaded crystal ceiling light 3 light chandelier flush mounts semi flush mounts youll love wayfair.
top lighting modern style light chrome finish crystal chandelier top lighting modern style light chrome finish crystal chandelier flush mount ceiling light fixture, shop crystorama sterling collection light distressed twilight crystorama sterling collection light distressed twilight chandelierflush mount, smart lightingshupregu light modern crystal chandelier flush smart lightingshupregu light modern crystal chandelier flush mount crystal ceiling light, flush mount ceiling fixture horchowcom quick look, crystal chandelier flush mount crystal modern crystal flush mount crystal chandelier flush mount crystal modern crystal flush mount lighting, shop elegant lighting crystal chandelier flush mount light free elegant lighting crystal chandelier flush mount light, clear crystal ball chandelier flush mount ceiling pendant lamp porch clear crystal ball chandelier flush mount ceiling pendant lamp porch aisle lamp , bubble shade crystal and chrome flushmount chandelier bubble shade crystal and chrome flushmount chandelier liked on polyvore featuring home lighting ceiling lights brown chrome ceiling lights , ceiling lights ceiling light fixtures horchow eightlight crystal flushmount ceiling fixture, top lighting modern style light chrome finish crystal chandelier top lighting modern style light chrome finish crystal chandelier flush mount ceiling light fixture , chandelier flush mounts semi flush mounts youll love wayfair .


Last month's collapse of Prime Minister Emil Boc's governing coalition was unprecedented in the country's post-Communist history. However, the appointment of a new premier could signal continued political turbulence and place added pressure on the new government as it tries to meet IMF austerity guidelines and close Romania's current-account and budget deficits.
Ultimately, the collapse of the Boc government resulted from the frailties of the Romanian political system and party posturing in advance of the upcoming presidential election. After the prime minister failed to win a no-confidence vote in mid-October, members of the outgoing government decided to back Klaus Johannis, the mayor of Sibiu, for the office of prime minister. Many parliamentarians feared the loss of privilege under a proposed referendum to decrease the size of parliament and transition to a unicameral legislature as well as other measures to adopt new pension laws. By supporting Johannis, members had hoped to pull the strings behind the scenes.
This strategy failed when President Băsescu nominated instead Lucian Croitoru, an adviser to the Romanian National Bank governor, for the prime minister's post. However, parliament must still approve the president's nominee. By challenging the majority of Senators and Deputies, Băsescu set the stage for a new political crises.
It is not entirely clear why President Băsescu chose this option. One possible explanation is that Băsescu wanted to demonstrate his political prowess and send a clear message about the strength of his leadership. A second, and more probable explanation, is that the president untimely expects Croitoru's nomination to be defeated. By sacrificing Croitoru, however, Băsescu would prolong the lifespan of the outgoing government until after the presidential election later this month. This would allow key allies currently in government to remain at their posts – a favorable advantage for the incumbent president during an election.
On its merits, this second scenario is not far-fetched. Indeed, the government already used an emergency ordinance earlier this year to change the "legal framework" of the presidential election. This allowed for the creation of 3,500 special ballot stations for the election but deepened suspicions of vote rigging.
Clearly, it is important to put an end to this period of political uncertainty. Romania needs a new government sooner rather than later. While the IMF's Romanian mission chief Jeffrey Franks has stressed that, "IMF programs support sound economic policies of partner countries, not a particular government or political party," the next government will have to meet rigorous austerity measures. Unfortunately, the outgoing government already missed the October 15 filing deadline for next year's state budget. Going forward, it will be extremely difficult to enact other measures, such as a new law on the unitary system of pensions, by the end of the year. Nevertheless, it is still possible to meet the country's macro-economic targets for the deficit and state revenues, provided that Romania has a government which respects economic indicators and sets reasonable goals.
Romanian politicians would do the country a great service by discarding the familiar political games and act quickly to address the country's deeper financial woes. In this regard, they must now choose to sink the country into a deeper political and economic malaise, or set the next government off to a running start.
Dr. Adrian Pop is a Professor with the Faculty of Political Sciences at the National School of Political and Administrative Studies in Bucharest, Romania.


text:
Van Bommel is een Nederlands geslacht, waarvan leden sinds 1815 behoren tot de Nederlandse adel en dat in 1977 uitstierf.

Geschiedenis
De stamreeks begint met Joannis van Bommel (1691-1759), koopman en fabrikeur van laken te Leiden.

Bij KB van 21 augustus 1815 werd een kleinzoon van de stamvader, mr. Gerard(us) Andreas Martinus van Bommel (1770-1832), raad, wethouder en burgemeester van Leiden, verheven in de Nederlandse adel. Een verre verwant werd in 1905 verheven en met een dochter van die laatste stierf het adellijke geslacht in 1977 uit.

Nederlands adellijk geslacht

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


This afternoon the EPA released 'the NZ ETS 2011- Facts and Figures' report which shows what we already knew. That foreign carbon was the credit of choice for emitters in 2011.
International credits comprised a whopping 71% of all units surrendered for compliance within the NZ ETS in 2011, up from 1.6% the previous year. In contrast NZUs from p89 forests only accounted for 13% of units surrendered down from 64% in 2010. NZ AAUs and other NZUs remained relatively unchanged.
Worryingly, the cheapest international units were used in abundance. ERUs and RMUs trade at a discount to CERs and accounted for over 44% of all units retired.
The NZ ETS is the only trading scheme in the world to accept RMUs and last year around 3.1 million RMUs were surrendered for compliance. So far only 3.9 million RMUs have been issued by Hungary and NZ looks to be the home for most of them.
In our view the outlook for domestic carbon market will worsen unless the NZ Government intervenes to limit international.
Find more from Permanent Forests on InfoPages.


It seems like every time I turn around, Enjoy Life has reformulated their snack bars or added new flavors. The most recent upgrade to the Enjoy Life Chewy Bars line includes three new flavors formulated with their new Pure Life Balanced Dry Blend™, which I will discuss below.
All of the Enjoy Life Chewy Bars are relatively low calorie, with about 120 to 160 calories per bar. They range from 5 to 9 grams of sugar and fat per bar, and each have about 2 to 3 grams of fiber and protein.
These "old-timer" flavors are made with Enjoy Life's classic rice, buckweat, and millet flour mix. Overall, they are true to their namesake. Each soft and chewy bite has little bits of crispy goodness randomly scattered throughout. We found them a little sweet for breakfast, but they do provide a nice little afternoon energy hit.
SunSeed Crunch – Of the original flavors, this is the lowest sugar option with just 5 grams. It's also my favorite in terms of taste. It's pleasant and has a nice sunflower seed butter flavor that isn't overwhelming in the least bit. And for a special treat, it works great in DIY Candy Bars.
Cocoa Loco – Although I'm not usually a big fan of chocolate snack bars, these have a nice flavor blend that I quite enjoyed. Both Tony and I would rate these as our second choice.
Mixed Berry – These were surprisingly delightful and not overly "berry." Instead they had a nice pop of flavorful sweetness that works well for a treat or afternoon snack. This was Tony's top pick for the original flavors.
Caramel Apple – It doesn't ooze with caramel, but this flavor has a nice warm sweetness and just the right amount of chewy apple bits.
These newer varieties are made with a mix of sunflower kernels, cassava flour, white pearled-grain sorghum flour, and quinoa flakes. They are indeed tender to the bite, but only lightly chewy with a slightly dry finish.
Lemon Blueberry Poppy Seed – Of the Pure Life bars, this was Tony's favorite. In case you hadn't noticed, he tends to like the fruity ones best. It is bright with bold lemon zest, mild but notable little blueberry bits, and ample poppyseeds for that muffin-ish vibe.
Carrot Cake – My taste buds received a warm kick from the rich spice in this flavor. But alhough the spice is ever-present on its own, the overall flavor of this bar could be a little more well rounded. Perhaps a pinch more salt and some more raisins would perfect it. Nonetheless, I do love the pumpkin seeds though – they add a crunch just like walnuts!
Caramel Blondie – This flavor was just a touch chewier than the other two, but still not sticky. It has deep caramel-like undertones, but isn't very sweet. I liked the bar portion on its own for a pleasant snack, but something about the added chocolate chips just didn't work for me with the underlying flavors. Tony, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind them!
Certifications: Enjoy Life Chewy Bars are Certified Gluten-Free, Certified Kosher Pareve, and Non-GMO Verified.
Dietary Notes: By ingredients, Enjoy Life Chewy Bars are dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, and vegetarian. Select varieties are vegan (some contain honey). Nonetheless, check with the company on their manufacturing processes for all varieties if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. Processes and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company / product.
For More Product Information: Visit the Enjoy Life website at www.enjoylifefoods.com.
Availability: Enjoy Life Chewy Bars are sold in natural food stores and conventional grocers throughout North America. They may be available in some other countries. See www.enjoylifefoods.com to locate a store.
Order Online: Buy these bars on Amazon using the links below.
These pleasantly chewy bars are tender, but not sticky, with a slightly dry finish. The flavors are sweetly pleasant – our favorites were the old-school Sunseed Crunch and Mixed Berry. Truthfully, they aren't something we would crave, but they do fill the hunger void nicely when convenience is needed. Plus, I love that they are a true "snack" size with just around 150 calories each, and are made in a top allergen-free facility.
Our favorite was actually the carrot cake chewy bars. I really thought I'd choose caramel, but in the end, carrot won.
we love everything Enjoy Life, and these new bars are great! they were perfect for road tripping this summer.
I really like all three of the new flavors, but the carrot cake is my fav! So good.
Nice! Thanks for sharing Chrystal.
The new line of Soft Baked Bars from Enjoy Life !!! Woohoo! The one thing that I really missed from my days of eating gluten, were the soft and chewy granola bars I used to love. Now that I am gluten free (and have been for nearly 5 years now!!) and have severe TMJ issues (note: I can barely eat baby carrots without pain and therefore I don't), I barely eat anything that has a crunch anymore. So, these bars were a life saver for me Not only is the texture fantastic, but the taste is on point!
That is so great Shana! Glad you found a new food love.