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ARP-ESSER Plan
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Certification and Agreement for Funding for the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary Education Relief Fund (ARP ESSER)
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Federal Allowable Use Cases
Uses of Funds. —A local educational agency that receives funds from ARP ESSER:
Non-Allowable Use Cases
LEA Application
PROPOSED USE OF FUNDS
1. UNDERSTAND & ASSESS: Student Academic and Social Emotional Needs
2. DESIGN: LEA ARP ESSER Plan and Aligned Budget
A. Plan to Address Accelerated learning:
3. Implementation and Policy
A. LEA Safe Return to In-Person Instruction Commitment
4. GEPA Section 427 (20 U.S.C. 1228a) Compliance
A. LEA Description of GEPA Compliance
Plan Development and Approval Requirements
Programmatic Requirements
Fiscal Requirements
Reporting Requirements for ARP ESSER
General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirements for LEAs
Assurance on Lobbying (34 CFR part 82)
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) 2021 was signed into law on March 11, 2021 and provides an additional $122.8 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP ESSER Fund). ARP ESSER Fund awards to SEAs are in the same proportion as each State received funds under Part A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, in fiscal year 2020.
The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) is distributing these funds by application in alignment with the federal distribution formula. This new funding is intended to help local education agencies safely reopen schools, measure and effectively address accelerated learning, and take other actions to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the students and families who depend on our K-12 schools.
Although the ARP ESSER uses of funds are similar to those for ESSER I and ESSER II, there are important distinctions between the ARP ESSER and other ESSER programs, including the period of funds availability, equitable services to non-public schools, maintenance of effort, and a report on efforts to measure and address accelerated learning. LEAs may plan to use all remaining ESSER I and ESSER II funds before making use of the ARP ESSER funds, given the shorter remaining period of availability, however this is not a requirement. Please consult the accompanying fact sheet to learn more about the ARP ESSER program.
As part of the required state application for the U.S. Department of Education, USBE leaders met with a diverse group of stakeholders to get input on statewide needs in May 2021. USBE identified the following three issues currently facing students and schools across Utah as a result of or in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We urge LEAs to consider these priority areas in designing plans for the use of ARP ESSER funds.
1. Student mental health and social emotional needs including student health foundations and protective factors.
2. Missing or Disengaged Students in K-12
3. Literacy
The ARP ESSER funds require that an LEA engage in meaningful consultation with stakeholders in the development of this plan. The LEA will assure that the public has been provided the opportunity to provide input to the LEA ARP ESSER plan, that the LEA has taken the public input into account, and that the local school board has adopted the LEA's plan for the use of ARP ESSER funds in an open and public meeting.
Generally, in determining whether an activity is an allowable use of funds, a State or LEA must determine:
Is the use of funds intended to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including its impact on the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of students?
Does the use of funds fall under one of the authorized uses of ESSER or GEER funds?
Is the use of funds permissible under the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR Part 200)? In particular, is it necessary and reasonable for the performance of the ARP ESSER award?
The use cases as described in the federal American Rescue Plan legislation is detailed below. In addition, LEAs may consider the following companion guidance that was created by the Hunt Institute to support states and LEAs.
1. Shall reserve not less than 20 percent of such funds to address learning loss through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive afterschool programs, or extended school year programs, and ensure that such interventions respond to students' academic, social, and emotional needs and address the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on the student subgroups described in section 1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(B)(xi)), students experiencing homelessness, and children and youth in foster care; and
Shall use the remaining funds for any of the following:
2. Any activity authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
3. Any activity authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
4. Any activity authorized by the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act.
5. Any activity authorized by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006.
6. Coordination of preparedness and response efforts of local educational agencies with State, local, Tribal, and territorial public health departments, and other relevant agencies, to improve coordinated responses among such entities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.
7. Activities to address the unique needs of low-income children or students, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and foster care youth, including how outreach and service delivery will meet the needs of each population.
8. Developing and implementing procedures and systems to improve the preparedness and response efforts of local educational agencies.
9. Training and professional development for staff of the local educational agency on sanitation and minimizing the spread of infectious diseases.
10. Purchasing supplies to sanitize and clean the facilities of a local educational agency, including buildings operated by such agency.
11. Planning for, coordinating, and implementing activities during long-term closures, including providing meals to eligible students, providing technology for online learning to all students, providing guidance for carrying out requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and ensuring other educational services can continue to be provided consistent with all Federal, State, and local requirements.
12. Purchasing educational technology (including hardware, software, and connectivity) for students who are served by the local educational agency that aids in regular and substantive educational interaction between students and their classroom instructors, including low-income students and children with disabilities, which may include assistive technology or adaptive equipment.
13. Providing mental health services and supports, including through the implementation of evidence-based full-service community schools.
14. Planning and implementing activities related to summer learning and supplemental afterschool programs, including providing classroom instruction or online learning during the summer months and addressing the needs of low-income students, children with disabilities, English learners, migrant students, students experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care.
15. Addressing learning loss among students, including low-income students, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and children and youth in foster care, of the local educational agency, including by—
(i) administering and using high-quality assessments that are valid and reliable, to accurately assess students' academic progress and assist educators in meeting students' academic needs, including through differentiating instruction;
(ii) implementing evidence-based activities to meet the comprehensive needs of students;
(iii) providing information and assistance to parents and families on how they can effectively support students, including in a distance learning environment; and
(iv) tracking student attendance and improving student engagement in distance education.
16. School facility repairs and improvements to enable operation of schools to reduce risk of virus transmission and exposure to environmental health hazards, and to support student health needs.
17. Inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, replacement, and upgrade projects to improve the indoor air quality in school facilities, including mechanical and non-mechanical heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, filtering, purification and other air cleaning, fans, control systems, and window and door repair and replacement.
18. Developing strategies and implementing public health protocols including, to the greatest extent practicable, policies in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the reopening and operation of school facilities to effectively maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other staff.
19. Other activities that are necessary to maintain the operation of and continuity of services in local educational agencies and continuing to employ existing staff of the local educational agency.
The Department generally does not consider the following to be an allowable use of ESSER funds, under any part of section 313:
1. subsidizing or offsetting executive salaries and benefits of individuals who are not employees of the LEAs
2. expenditures related to state or local teacher or faculty unions or associations
The USBE intends to award funding to eligible LEAs based on FFY 2020 Title I-A allocations as directed by the U.S. Department of Education. The USBE has also established a base allocation for all LEAs using the state set aside as we did with the original ESSER I and ESSER II awards.
One-Time Funding
LEAs should note that the ARP ESSER is one-time funding that must be utilized by September 30, 2023 and plan expenses accordingly.
(Please note, due to the federal Tydings Amendment, awardees have an additional 12-months to submit final reimbursement paperwork, which is the 09/30/24 date referenced in the fact sheet. We are encouraging all of our LEAs to make plans to spend by the end of the award period 09/30/23.)
Equitable Services:
An LEA that receives ARP ESSER funds under this grant is not required to provide equitable services to non-public school students and teachers with the ARP ESSER funding. The Utah State Board of Education is administering the new Emergency Assistance for Non-Public Schools (Utah EANS Website) program, which allows non-public schools to seek equitable services directly from USBE.
Maintenance of Records:
Records pertaining to this award under 2 C.F.R. 200.334 and 34 C.F.R. 76.730, including financial records related to use of grant funds, must be retained separately from the LEAs original ESSER I funds awarded in 2020 and ESSER II awarded in 2021.
Application Deadline: September 17, 2021 at 5:00 PM in the Utah Grants Management System
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis through the Utah Grants Management system. Most outcomes are determined within 2-3 business days from submission.
USBE Points of Contact:
Sara Harward
CARES Educational Specialist, USBE
sara.harward@schools.utah.gov
Director of Strategic Initiatives, USBE
sarah.young@schools.utah.gov
Please complete the fields below on pages 5-15 that are highlighted for response and upload to the Utah Grants Management System along with the budget request:
Legal Name: (e.g., Juab School District)
Contact Information for LEA Representative
Name: Jan Searle
Position & Office: Business Administrator
Address: 898 W. 1100 S. Spanish Fork, UT 84660
Email address: jsearle@americanleadership.net
Below we are asking each LEA to provide an explanation of how the LEA intends to use the ARP ESSER funds in alignment with the allowable use cases described by the U.S. Department of Education. We encourage LEAs to prioritize evidence-based practices and call those out in their narrative.
USBE encourages LEAs to complete a needs assessment before determining how their portion of ESSER funds will be used. LEAs should follow existing needs assessment protocols to determine the most valuable and targeted use of ESSER funds. A needs assessment should include a review of the current state as compared to the desired state, the identification of barriers to reaching the desired state, and an analysis of the potential sources of the identified barriers.
A. Impacts of COVID-19 on your LEA: Please describe the areas that have been most impacted by the coronavirus on your LEA. What has been done to determine the strategies that are needed to mitigate the effects of the pandemic? Please provide any baseline data and stakeholder feedback collected to show the impacts of COVID-19.
American Leadership Academy Secondary had a 16.80% drop in attendance even though teachers and administration were very lenient with in person or virtual attendance. Attendance was counted if the student completed assignments instead of "attending" the class whether on line or in person. ALA saw that attendance was a challenge for students even when we had students returning who were previously online. The elementary school did not see a drop in attendance, however some students did still struggle with learning the grade level material as they were not in the classroom and experiencing the benefits of being with their peers for discussions and interactions that help to enhance and solidify concepts. Elementary had 11% of students choosing online instruction during the 4th quarter. This dropped to 3% during the 4th quarter.
Additional technology was essential in our ability to provide instruction to students who were online. It was also valuable for students who participated in person as they could access the instruction online when they were not in class or needed to refer back to the instruction. Also the use of new cameras was critical for us to do contact tracing and monitor student's interactions. We also increased the number of 1 to 1 computers for students which was a great benefit to access the instruction and receive.
Of our 7-12 grade students, currently 49% have been determined to be reading on grade level and only 57% are proficient in math according to school wide benchmarks (NWEA). We have set a goal of increasing these percentages by 5% in each content area and technology will play a critical role in our ability to reach this goal. In addition to this technology increasing student success in these core content areas, it will provide access to advanced coursework, career and college options, as well as opportunities to increase graduation rates and post-secondary outcomes for students.
American Leadership Academy Elementary currently has 41% of students reading on grade level. We don't have the data from 2019-20 as the school closed down for COVID during the time of assessment, however the data from 2018-19 showed 49% of students reading on grade level which left a 8% decrease in the number of students reading on grade level according to end of year Acadience assessments. Last year was the first year we had Acadience data for math and it showed that 38% of students were grade level proficient in math. Our teachers reported that a greater number of students did not have the math skills necessary than in previous years according to benchmarks and other assessments.
In building budgets, please keep in mind that federal funds should be utilized to supplement your state and local funds. The ARP ESSER budget submitted through the Utah Grants Management System does not have to include state and local funds, but their availability and utilization should be considered the foundation for building recovery and acceleration plans. As you are braiding various state and federal funds, be mindful that some funds expire at different times than others. The increased federal funds will enhance the opportunities that you can offer, but we encourage you to think holistically as you assess your LEA's situation and make plans for academic recovery and acceleration.
Please provide a narrative response for how your LEA plans to use at least 20 percent of funds to address accelerated learning through the implementation of evidence-based interventions (e.g., providing intensive or high-dosage tutoring or accelerating learning), such as summer learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive after-school programs, or extended school year programs, and ensure that those interventions respond to students' social, emotional, and academic needs and address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on underrepresented student subgroups.
The ARP Act defines the term "evidence-based" as having the meaning in section 8101(21) of the ESEA. Accordingly, "evidence-based" includes several tiers of evidence. Specifically, "evidence-based," when used with respect to a State, LEA, or school activity, means an activity, strategy, or intervention that:
Demonstrates a statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on—
Strong evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented experimental study ("tier 1");
Moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study ("tier 2"); or
Promising evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias ("tier 3"); or
Demonstrates a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation that such activity, strategy, or intervention is likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes and includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of such activity, strategy, or intervention ("tier 4").
Given the novel context created by the COVID-19 pandemic, an activity need not have generated such evidence during the COVID-19 pandemic to be considered evidence-based. The Department's What Works Clearinghouse (available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/) identifies the tier of evidence that reviewed studies meet, as applicable. As part of the "demonstrates a rationale (tier 4)" level of evidence, grantees may develop and use approaches that are novel, if they are consistent with theoretical and empirical findings from research and the grantee will continue to review the effects of the practice to build the evidence base. Developing a logic model can help to demonstrate a rationale. Logic model resources are available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/elm.asp.
i. Narrative for how your LEA plans use at least 20% of the total ARP ESSER award to address accelerated learning through the implementation of evidence-based outcomes.
American Leadership Academy is offering summer school and after school programs for both elementary and secondary students. These programs will be without cost to parents and targeting student learning loss with targeted student centered interventions. Administrators will use student formative and summative data to determine student needs and work with teachers to create targeted interventions to improve student proficiency. The secondary will offer credit recovery assistance with tutoring to support students. Also they will implement a mandatory Response to Intervention time and resources in all core classes.
ALA is adding para-educators to provide early literacy intervention in grades K-3. The secondary will have a reading class for grades 7-12 and all students will be selected through the use of formative and summative data for those programs.
We have adopted a math curriculum that focuses on concept building and interactive problem solving to improve math proficiency among students grades K-6. Response to intervention time that includes math interventions will also be mandatory for grades K-12. A Response to Intervention specialist will be hired to support teachers in best practices for interventions and remediation/recovery.
ii. Please complete the table below for each of the activities that you will be pursuing to address learning loss.
Evidenced- based Activity Description
Timeframe for Implementation
Estimated Total Budget for Activity
Data Source for Measuring Effect (ex. Attendance, Acadience, RISE, ACT Aspire, local measure, etc.)
Disaggregated by specific student subgroups
Baseline Measure from 2018-2019 or 2019-2020 (as applicable)
Target for measured effect at conclusion of activity
Summer School Secondary
June 2022- August 2022 and June 2023 - August 2023
F report - credit recovery percentages, NWEA
Baseline - 52 credits recovered, 28 students served
Target - 55 credits recovered, 40 students served by August 2022 and August 2023.
August 2021- June 2023
F report, credit recovery percentages, NWEA
193 core class F's and an average of 35% of students are below proficient in language, and 26% of students (7-11) are below proficient in math)
Decrease core class F's to >100 and decrease % of below proficiency to 25% in language, and 20% proficient in math by the end of the 2023 school year.
NWEA report, Teacher Referral, Admin Team Referral
27% of ALA students in grades 7-11 are not proficient in reading
77% of students grades 7-12 will be proficient in reading by the end of the 2023 school year.
F report - credit recovery percentages
This year we had 233 quarters that needed to be recovered by students. Of those 233, 153 quarters of credit were recovered, but we also had 80 quarters that were not completed in the recovery process due to students not continuing once they had started.
Reduce the number of quarters that need to be recovered by students to 125 and increase the completion rate to 115 of those quarters completed by the end of the 2023 school year.
Social/Emotional Behavior counselor and aide
SWSS reports, logged incidents logged in powerschool
No baseline for SWSS as we did not have access last school year, 128 incidents recorded through powerschool
Less than 100 major incidents as tracked in powerschool
Paid time off for COVID
September 2021- June 2023
Faculty and staff records of absences for COVID
For school year 2020-2021 we had 32 faculty staff that were out with COVID
Acadience Reading and Math Assessment
Currently 41% of students grades K-6 are reading on grade level according to Acadience Reading. For math 38% of students grade K-6 are on grade level according to Acadience Math.
The goal is to have 48% of students K-6 reading on grade level and 45% of student on grade level for math by August 2022 and August 2023.
Elementary After School Program
The goal is to have 46% of students K-6 reading on grade level and 43% of student on grade level for math by the end of the 2023 school year.
ELL aide
Currently 14% of ELL students K-6 are reading at or above grade level and 7% of ELL students K-6 are on or above grade level for math.
Classroom Aides
Attendance Reports, NWEA, Acadience
American Leadership Academy had 72.65% attendance grades 7-12 and 93.27% attendance grades K-6
Increase attendance grades 7-12 to 80% and grades K-6 to 96% by the 2023 school year.
iii. What is your process for evaluating the success of the above activities and revising your ARP ESSER plan to reflect improvements?
Success will be measured using nationally normed assessments such as NWEA and Acadience, as well as Low Performance reports and Credit Recovery reports. Office Discipline Referrals and Attendance reports will be used to help identify students who may be acting out or avoiding school, as well as tracking if our supports are helping students improve behavior and engagement. Teachers will be trained in ways to identify students who may be in need of additional support and in the process to refer those students for help. Other evaluations can include, but are not limited to summative and formative assessments on a classroom, school-wide, or state level.
iv. How will the LEA will ensure that the interventions it implements, including but not limited to the interventions under section 2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act to address the academic impact of lost instructional time, will respond to the academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of all students, and particularly those students disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including students from low-income families, students of color, English learners, children with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster care, and migratory students? USBE encourages LEAs to reference their needs assessment to support their narrative.
American Leadership Academy will ensure that the interventions we implement will address the academic impact of lost instructional time through education for parents and students on the importance of attendance, providing afterschool and summer school options, as well as using data to address individual academic loss and needs. This data will be used to help students receive targeted interventions in reading and math, recover graduation credits, and access social/emotional supports. RTI is mandatory in all core classes and all teachers are expected to provide targeted interventions within their classrooms based on student data.
B.Plan for remainder of funds:
Please provide a narrative response that details your LEA ARP ESSER plan for the remaining funds in alignment with the allowable use cases. We recommend you call out the federal use case language and category number in your response, as well as including your budget narrative from the Utah Grants Management System.
An updated HVAC system to increase the rate of exchange of fresh air from outside the building to reduce circulation. Being able to adjust the settings electronically will also help. Instead of shutting down overnight or on weekends, for instance, the HVAC system could run without interruption to increase the replacement of air and minimize airflow speeds.
An outside pavilion for social distancing of students at lunch as our current facilities are limited in space and scheduling for lunch for social distancing reduces the amount of time in classroom learning.
Cameras to increase contact tracing of students who may have been contagious without expressing symptoms during that time period.
An LEA that receives ARP ESSER funds must, within 30 days of receiving the funds, make publicly available on its website a plan for the safe return to in-person instruction and continuity of services by addressing the mitigation strategies described by the federal legislation and interim final rule. Before making the plan publicly available, the LEA must seek public comment on the plan.
We recognize that for most Utah LEAs, schools are already providing this in-person instruction. The requirements outlined below are in in compliance with the ARP ESSER award, and should speak to the plans for school in fall 2021. Please complete the "LEA Response" within the table below for each of the mitigation strategies describing if the LEA has any policies and what those policies are for the given mitigation strategy.
Mitigation strategy
USBE and UDOH Guidance Resources
LEA Response:
Universal and correct wearing of masks
https://coronavirus.utah.gov/mask/
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html
https://coronavirus-download.utah.gov/School/COVID-19_School_Manual_FINAL.pdf -page 105-109
American Leadership Academy will continue to work with our local health department to determine the policies and actions that are necessary to respond to the current status of COVID-19 in our context. ALA's actions and procedures may change depending on mandates and guidance from state and local authorities.
Physical distancing (e.g., including use of cohorts/podding)
ALA will continue to follow the guidelines reflected in the state of Utah's COVID-19 school manual.
Handwashing and respiratory etiquette
Handwashing and respiratory etiquette will continue to be taught through classrooms and posters
Cleaning and maintaining healthy facilities, including improving ventilation
https://coronavirus-download.utah.gov/School/COVID-19_School_Manual_FINAL.pdf -page 75-84
Cleaning and maintaining healthy facilities protocols will continue. Ventilation and safety will be increased through improved new HVAC systems
Contact tracing in combination with isolation and quarantine, in collaboration with the State, local, territorial, or Tribal health departments
https://coronavirus-download.utah.gov/School/COVID-19_School_Manual_FINAL.pdf - page 27-35
Contact tracing will continue through school cameras, in classrooms and sports, etc. Additional cameras are needed to increase coverage of contact tracing.
Diagnostic and screening testing
https://coronavirus-download.utah.gov/School/COVID-19_School_Manual_FINAL.pdf -page 37-43; 46-51; 52-56
School personnel will continue to be trained and administered diagnostic and screening testing for school students, faculty and staff as needed.
Efforts to provide vaccinations to educators, other staff, and students, if eligible
ALA will continue to work with Utah County Health Department to offer vaccinations to school faculty and staff.
Appropriate accommodations for children with disabilities with respect to the health and safety policies
https://coronavirus-download.utah.gov/School/COVID-19_School_Manual_FINAL.pdf -page 106, 109, 114
ALA will continue to provide forms and a process of exemptions for students who had disabilities that requested exemptions from health and safety policies
B. Please provide a link to your website where you will post this plan within 30 days of receiving the funds, to make it publicly available as required in federal legislation and rule. This link will be made available on the USBE website and be provided to the U.S. Department of Education.
https://americanleadershipacademy.org/arp-esser-plan/
Please describe how the LEA will comply with the requirements of GEPA Section 427 (20 U.S.C. 1228a). Comprehensive GEPA requirements are listed under the assurances section of this document. Your description must include information on the steps the LEA proposes to take to permit students, teachers, and other program beneficiaries to overcome barriers (including barriers based on gender, race, color, national origin, disability, and age) that impede access to, or participation in, the program.
Description of GEPA Compliance: All expenditures associated with this grant will address the academic and health needs of all students and assist all teachers in their needs to address learning loss, social /emotional, and health concerns. These needs are not based on gender, race, color, national origin, disability, or age. This is why we are spending funds so that all students will have additional personnel support as well as opportunities for academic support, recovery, and intervention. As well as clean air systems, technology, and access to mental health support. We have done educational research and sought input from teachers and the school community in deciding what expenditures would best address the needs of the school as a result of the pandemic. We will use fiscal control and fund accounting procedures established at ALA that will ensure proper disbursement of and accounting for all ESSER II funds paid to ALA. We will maintain records and furnish any reports required by ESSER II and make this application available to parents and other members of the general public. None of the fund expenditures under this grant will be used to acquire equipment in which such acquisition results in a direct financial benefit to any organization representing the interest of the purchasing entity or its employees or an affiliate of such an organization.
The superintendent or charter school director assures the following:
The LEA must engage in meaningful consultation with stakeholders, including, but not limited to:
i. students;
ii. families;
iii. school and district administrators (including special education administrators); and
iv. teachers, principals, school leaders, other educators, school staff, and their unions.
The LEA must also engage in meaningful consultation with each of the following to the extent present in or served by the LEA:
i. Tribes;
ii. civil rights organizations (including disability rights organizations); and
iii. stakeholders representing the interests of children with disabilities, English learners, children experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster care, migratory students, children who are incarcerated, and other under served students.
The LEA assures that the public has been provided the opportunity to provide input to the development of this plan.
The LEA has taken the public input into account in developing this plan.
The local school board has adopted the LEA's plan for the use of ARP ESSER funds in an open and public meeting.
LEA plans to use at least 20 percent of funds to address accelerated learning through the implementation of evidence-based interventions and ensure that those interventions respond to students' social, emotional, and academic needs and address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on underrepresented student subgroups.
To put a greater focus on social and emotional learning the Utah State Board of Education will be using the term "accelerated learning" in place of "learning loss" and assure that the use of this term is in alignment with the federal use of "learning loss."
The LEA will only use the ARP ESSER grant Coronavirus Relief Fund to cover costs that—
Are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
The LEA will implement evidence-based interventions, as required by section 2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act
The LEAs will address the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on underserved students (i.e., students from low-income families, students from racial or ethnic groups, gender, English learners, children with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster care, and migratory students), as required by section 2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act
LEAs that receive ARP ESSER funds meet the requirements in section 2001(i) of the ARP Act and the requirements relating to the ARP ESSER funds published in the Federal Register and available at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/american-rescue-plan/american-rescue-plan-elementary-and-secondary-school-emergency-relief/ (ARP ESSER requirements) within 30 days of receipt of the funds, develop and make publicly available on the LEA's website a plan for the safe return to in-person instruction and continuity of services.
Before making the plan publicly available, the LEA must seek public comment on the plan.
The LEA ARP ESSER plan includes adoption or the extent of adoption of the policies and strategies that provide continuity of services including but not limited to services to address the students' academic needs, and students' and staff social, emotional, mental health, and other needs, which may include student health and food services in the LEA ARP ESSER plan template.
The LEA will periodically review and revise their plan for the safe return to in-person instruction and continuity of services, no less frequently than every six months for the duration of the ARP ESSER grant (through September 30, 2023) as part of the grant administration and monitoring process.
Each LEA will be required to submit an assurance that this step has been completed during COVID-19 relief funding reporting and fiscal year close out occurs twice a year. This step will be required, and LEA reimbursements will be placed on hold until the assurance and submission of updated link has been provided to USBE.
All posted LEA plans have a point of contact and/or survey form included on the website where the plan for the safe return to in-person instruction and continuity of services is published to allow for public feedback and input throughout the calendar year.
The LEA will consider all public feedback in reviewing and making any revisions to the plan. The plan and any subsequent and substantive changes will be required to be approved by the local LEA school board in a public meeting.
An LEA that receives ARP ESSER funds under this grant is not required to provide equitable services to non-public school students and teachers with the ARP ESSER funding. All non-public schools can seek funding support from USBE through the Emergency Assistance for Non-Public Schools (EANS) program. Please refer them to the USBE website: https://schools.utah.gov/coronavirus?mid=4985&aid=10
When issuing statements, press releases, requests for proposals, bid solicitations and other documents describing projects or programs funded in whole or in part with Federal money, U.S. Department of Education grantees shall clearly state:
the percentage of the total costs of the program or project which will be financed with Federal money;
the dollar amount of Federal funds for the project or program; and
the percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the project or program that will be financed by non-governmental sources.
Recipients must comply with these conditions under Division B, Title V, Section 505 of Public Law 115-245, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019.
Grantees and subgrantees that receive grant funds under programs of the Department are responsible for maintaining internal controls regarding the management of Federal program funds under the Uniform Guidance in 2 CFR 200.302 and 200.303. In addition, grantees are responsible for ensuring that subgrantees are aware of the cash management and requirements in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D.
Local Educational Agency Maintenance of Equity for High-Poverty Schools
Section 2004(c) of the ARP Act stipulates that an LEA, as a condition of receiving ARP ESSER funds under section 2001, a local educational agency shall not, in fiscal year 2022 or 2023—
Reduce per-pupil funding (from combined State and local funding) for any high-poverty school served by such local educational agency by an amount that exceeds—
The total reduction in local educational agency funding (from combined State and local funding) for all schools served by the local educational agency in such fiscal year (if any); divided by
The number of children enrolled in all schools served by the local educational agency in such fiscal year; or
Reduce per-pupil, full-time equivalent staff in any high-poverty school by an amount that exceeds—
The total reduction in full-time equivalent staff in all schools served by such local educational agency in such fiscal year (if any); divided by
The number of children enrolled in all schools served by the local educational agency in such fiscal year.
Exception: The above condition shall not apply to a local educational agency in federal fiscal year 2022 or 2023 that meets at least 1 of the following criteria in such fiscal year:
Such local educational agency has a total enrollment of less than 1,000 students.
Such local educational agency operates a single school.
Such local educational agency serves all students within each grade span with a single school.
Such local educational agency demonstrates an exceptional or uncontrollable circumstance, such as unpredictable changes in student enrollment or a precipitous decline in the financial resources of such agency, as determined by the Secretary of Education.
As described in the Grant Award Notification ("GAN"), USBE will ensure that its LEAs comply with, all reporting requirements at such time and in such manner and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require, including on matters such as:
The LEA will comply with all reporting requirements at such time and in such manner and contain such information as the federal government, state lawmakers, and USBE may reasonably require in the future.
Records pertaining to this award under 2 C.F.R. 200.334 and 34 C.F.R. 76.730, including financial records related to use of grant funds, must be retained separately from the LEAs ESSER I funds (awarded in 2020) and ESSER II funds (awarded in 2021).
How the LEA is developing strategies and implementing public health protocols including, to the greatest extent practicable, policies and plans in line with the CDC guidance related to mitigating COVID-19 in schools;
Overall plans and policies related to LEA support for return to in-person instruction and maximizing in-person instruction time, including how funds will support a return to and maximize in-person instruction time, and advance equity and inclusivity in participation in in-person instruction;
Data on each school's mode of instruction (fully in-person, hybrid, and fully remote) and conditions;
LEA uses of funds to meet students' social, emotional, and academic needs, including through summer enrichment programming and other evidence-based interventions, and how they advance equity for underserved students;
LEA uses of funds to sustain and support access to early childhood education programs;
Impacts and outcomes (disaggregated by student subgroup) through use of ARP ESSER funding (e.g., quantitative and qualitative results of ARP ESSER funding, including on personnel, student learning, and budgeting at the school and district level);
Student data (disaggregated by student subgroup) related to how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected instruction and learning;
Requirements under the Federal Financial Accountability Transparency Act ("FFATA"); and
Additional reporting requirements may be necessary to ensure accountability and transparency of ARP ESSER funds.
The LEA will cooperate with any examination of records with respect to ARP ESSER grant by making records available for inspection, production, and examination, and authorized individuals available for interview and examination, upon the request of (i) the governor; (ii) the Department of Education and/or its Inspector General; or (iii) any other federal agency, commission, or department in the lawful exercise of its jurisdiction and authority.
Section 442 (20 U.S.C. 1232e) Assurances
Any LEA receiving funding under this program will have on file with the SEA a set of assurances that meets the requirements of section 442 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) (20 U.S.C. 1232e).
To the extent applicable, an LEA will include in its local application a description of how the LEA will comply with the requirements of section 427 of GEPA (20 U.S.C. 1228a). The description must include information on the steps the LEA proposes to take to permit students, teachers, and other program beneficiaries to overcome barriers (including barriers based on gender, race, color, national origin, disability, and age) that impede equal access to, or participation in, the program.
The LEA will administer ARP ESSER funds in accordance with all applicable statutes, regulations, program plans, and applications;
The control of funds provided to the LEA, and title to property acquired with those funds, will be in a public agency and that a public agency will administer those funds and property;
The LEA will use fiscal control and fund accounting procedures that will ensure proper disbursement of, and accounting for, ARP ESSER funds paid to that agency;
The LEA will make reports to the governor and to the U.S. Secretary of Education as may reasonably be necessary to enable the governor and the Secretary to perform their duties and that the local educational agency will maintain such records, including the records required under section 443, and provide access to those records, as the governor or the Secretary deem necessary to perform their duties;
The LEA will provide reasonable opportunities for the participation by teachers, parents, and other interested agencies, organizations, and individuals in the planning for and operation of ARP ESSER fund expenditures;
Any application, evaluation, periodic program plan or report relating to ARP ESSER will be made readily available to parents and other members of the general public;
In the case of any project involving construction—
The project is not inconsistent with overall State plans for the construction of school facilities, and
In developing plans for construction, due consideration will be given to excellence of architecture and design and to compliance with standards prescribed by the Secretary under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in order to ensure that facilities constructed with the use of Federal funds are accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities
The LEA has adopted effective procedures for acquiring and disseminating to teachers and administrators participating in each program significant information from educational research, demonstrations, and similar projects, and for adopting, where appropriate, promising educational practices developed through such projects; and
None of the funds expended under ARP ESSER will be used to acquire equipment (including computer software) in any instance in which such acquisition results in a direct financial benefit to any organization representing the interests of the purchasing entity or its employees or any affiliate of such an organization.
The undersigned certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that:
1. No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the undersigned, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of an agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of any Federal contract, the making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan, the entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.
2. If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its instructions.
3. The undersigned shall require that the language of this certification be included in the award documents for all subawards at all tiers (including subcontracts, subgrants, and contracts under grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients shall certify and disclose accordingly.
This certification is a material representation of fact upon which reliance was placed when this transaction was made or entered into. Submission of this certification is a prerequisite for making or entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. Code. Any person who fails to file the required certification shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.


text:
First Phase – Mission Accomplished
Posted in :In the news, Sharks, Super 14 on 18 Mar 2008 at 08:32
Not pretty – but effective. That's perhaps not the most accurate assessment of the season so far for the Sharks as they find themselves with a bye to mark the end of a crucial stage of the tournament.
But the team and coaching staff are the first to admit that while it hasn't always been vintage running rugby, this is not the time to play an expansive style that looks good, but quite simply, is not feasible given the wet conditions the Sharks have played in.
Michael Marnewick at Sharksrugby.co.za writes that three home and two away games have all been played either in terribly humid, or in wet, rainy weather, hardly conducive to playing a running game, and the opposition have been either caught out, our out-thought by the Sharks in each of these five matches which shows that in retrospect, the Sharks have played the conditions to their advantage.
Five games, five wins, second on the log. At the start of the season any team would have taken that. The Blues certainly would have, but have found themselves knocked down a peg or two after three impressive wins and then losing two in a row.
And compared to last year, the Sharks are again on track to continue their march towards a top four finish.
With a number of factors behind the Sharks winning record, with five matches over and a bye ahead, the first phase of the season complete, now is a good time to examine the season so far:
At the end of the round stages in 2007, the Sharks had conceded 18 tries, the fewest of the top four sides and second best overall to the Brumbies who had conceded 16. In 2008, after just five matches, the total tries against is also five, an average of one per game, the best defensive record in the current edition.
Compare this to the current Currie Cup champions [the Cheetahs] who have now conceded 22 tries in their five matches, or the reigning Super 14 champs [the Bulls] who have scored just 5 tries and conceded 19.
Or the Blues who have lost two in a row, and who might have scored 22 tries so far, but have conceded 12, more than double the Sharks' tally.
The Sharks have not quite done the damage to the scoreboard they would have liked, but as mentioned above, conditions have not helped, and they have a similar record to last season when they only started getting bonus point wins in the latter half of the season.
With eight games still to play, three of those at home, the Sharks will target every match from hereon in as a potential five-pointer, mindful of the Crusaders' march and the need to finish on top of the log to secure home ground advantage in the semi and final – should they progress that far – and there is no reason to believe they won't.
Players putting up hands
Every player is doing his bit for the team, and you cannot fault the likes of Brad Barritt and Jacques Botes who are consistently amongst the top tacklers in the team. Add the likes of Ryan Kankowski and Keegan Daniel who have reveled in the new environment the ELVs has created, and have both earned two Man of the Match Awards, a formidable tight five, a captain who leads from the front, outstanding players and back-up players like Ruan Pienaar and Rory Kockott, Stefan Terblanche as a calming, experienced campaigner, and everyone else who has pulled their weight.
Super-Subs are what they have proven to be, and those players who have worn jerseys 16 through 22 have contributed enormously to the Sharks' cause. While it probably isn't a whole lot of fun watching the action from the sidelines, these are the important players who can either swing a game, or replace like with like.
Games have been won and lost on account of a team's bench, and the Sharks' five match winning streak reflects enormously on the quality of the depth Dick Muir has at his disposal.
When last did a team win the Super 12/14 in March? The Crusaders have always started slowly and built up to peak at just the right time, and it's not secret that they have the best record in the tournament.
And for the Sharks, it's the same thing: get the wins under the belt, "keep on trucking along nicely" (as John Plumtree so succinctly puts it) and build up to a peak in May.
The Crusaders have started with a bang, which is interesting given their history, and might actually be a factor no-one has considered, but which could impact on them in the latter stages.
The All Blacks were pulled out of the first half of last year's Super 14 tournament in a bid to peak at the Rugby World Cup. They did not, were knocked out early, and their season ended in early October.
The next competitive game the New Zealanders played was in mid February, four months later in the Super 14. You can imagine how excited and raring to go they must have been.
The South Africans by contrast played to the RWC Final, and then still embarked on an end of year tour, and many of those players are not yet at a level we all expect of them.
The point is that it is a debatable subject of who is, has and will peak at just the right time. Come Saturday 31 May, that question will be answered.
Muir apologises »
« The Other Side of the Sharks!
and for the other side look at the next article to get a nice rounded view. it is a case of make your own mind up.
Comment 1, posted at 18.03.08 08:36:32 by try time
It seems like a repeat of last year – we also started the season winning our games and not picking up bonus points. Waited for the team to start firing on all cylinders …
I know we haven't played in ideal conditions – but how come the teams we have played haven't fumbled and dropped the ball as much as we have? They were playing under the same conditions. Our ball skills are really lacking – that was our problem last year and it remains a problem this year.
Comment 2, posted at 18.03.08 08:42:27 by Nessa
18.03.08 08:42:27 – Nessa
We've won all our games Nessa…so in a way it means we did do some things right…
There isn't much to make of this article and the one by TT because essentially they both say the same thing…albeit from different perspectives.
5 wins from 5 games…I'll take that anyday…
We have tough games coming up…and i think we can truly judge the boys after those perfomances.
So far so good…just not great…
BS – for sure – just can't wait for the day we gel as a team. We can beat anyone – including the Crusaders.
Off to get some lunch – back later.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Researchers Identify Gene That Influences the Ability to Remember Faces
Image credited to Geierunited.
FeaturedGenetics
New findings suggest the oxytocin receptor, a gene known to influence mother-infant bonding and pair bonding in monogamous species, also plays a special role in the ability to remember faces. This research has important implications for disorders in which social information processing is disrupted, including autism spectrum disorder. In addition, the finding may lead to new strategies for improving social cognition in several psychiatric disorders.
A team of researchers from Yerkes National Primate Research Center at Emory University in Atlanta, the University College London in the United Kingdom and University of Tampere in Finland made the discovery, which will be published in an online Early Edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Researchers discover the 'bonding gene', oxytocin, also plays an important role in our ability to remember faces. The research could have vital implications for social information processing disorders such as autism. This illustrative image is a computer generated 3D representation of a female face. Credit provided below.
According to author Larry Young, PhD, of Yerkes, the Department of Psychiatry in Emory's School of Medicine and Emory's Center for Translational Social Neuroscience (CTSN), this is the first study to demonstrate that variation in the oxytocin receptor gene influences face recognition skills. He and co-author David Skuse point out the implication that oxytocin plays an important role in promoting our ability to recognize one another, yet about one-third of the population possesses only the genetic variant that negatively impacts that ability. They say this finding may help explain why a few people remember almost everyone they have met while others have difficulty recognizing members of their own family.
Skuse is with the Institute of Child Health, University College London, and the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, NHS Foundation Trust, London.
Young, Skuse and their research team studied 198 families with a single autistic child because these families were known to show a wide range of variability in facial recognition skills; two-thirds of the families were from the United Kingdom, and the remainder from Finland.
The Emory researchers previously found the oxytocin receptor is essential for olfactory-based social recognition in rodents, like mice and voles, and wondered whether the same gene could also be involved in human face recognition. They examined the influence of subtle differences in oxytocin receptor gene structure on face memory competence in the parents, non-autistic siblings and autistic child, and discovered a single change in the DNA of the oxytocin receptor had a big impact on face memory skills in the families. According to Young, this finding implies that oxytocin likely plays an important role more generally in social information processing, which is disrupted in disorders such as autism.
Additionally, this study is remarkable for its evolutionary aspect. Rodents use odors for social recognition while humans use visual facial cues. This suggests an ancient conservation in genetic and neural architectures involved in social information processing that transcends the sensory modalities used from mouse to man.
Skuse credits Young's previous research that found mice with a mutated oxytocin receptor failed to recognize mice they previously encountered. "This led us to pursue more information about facial recognition and the implications for disorders in which social information processing is disrupted." Young adds the team will continue working together to pursue strategies for improving social cognition in psychiatric disorders based on the current findings.
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience
Alzheimer's Disease and the Holidays
Notes about this neurogenetics and facial recognition research
This study was funded by grants from the U.S.-based National Institute of Mental Health and the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs/OD P51OD011132 (formerly NCRR P51RR000165) as well as the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation and National Alliance for Autism Research.
Contact: Lisa Newbern – Emory University
Source: Emory University press release
Image Source: The image is credited to Geierunited and is licensed Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported.
Original Research: Abstract for "Common polymorphism in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) is associated with human social recognition skills" by David H. Skuse, Adriana Lori, Joseph F. Cubells, Irene Lee, Karen N. Conneely, Kaija Puura, Terho Lehtimäki, Elisabeth B. Binder, and Larry J. Young in PNAS. Published online December 23 2013 doi:10.1073/pnas.1302985111
#neurogenetics, #neuropsychology, #autism
ASDAutismbrainbrain researchDNAevolutionevolutionary neurosciencefacial recognitionGenesGeneticsMemoryneurobiologyNeurogeneticsneuropsychologyNeuroscienceOxytocinoxytocin receptorsocial cognitionsocial neurosciencevisionvisual processing


text:
Women Funding Women Creates Affordable Housing, Green Construction, And Jobs
Geri Stengel 25 February 2021
Menu-Homepage6 min read
The entrepreneurial funding community is not meeting women's needs, especially Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color (BIWOC). When women approach problem-solving, they do so holistically and systematically; Larry Keeley told me when I interviewed him about his book Ten Types of Innovation: The Discipline of Building Breakthroughs.
Vicki Saunders is an example of just such a systemic, thoughtful problem solver. She rethought everything, from who the funders are to how they fund women entrepreneurs. And she came up with SheEO and #radicalgenerosity.
"SheEO is a global community of racially generous women who gift their capital into a fund," she said. "Companies are focused on the world's to-do list." The list focuses on the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, improve health and education, reduce inequality, spur economic growth, and address climate change.
Saunders rethought:
Who funders are—they are women who donate money to women entrepreneurs in their country. SheEO first launched in Canada, followed by the US, New Zealand, Australia, and, soon, the UK.
How the funding decision is made—women entrepreneurs complete a simple application and do a short video. "Women funders vote on the ones they are most excited about," said Saunders. The five top scorers split a $500,000 pool of money. The winners decide how much each gets. No one can get all the money, and the money can't be divided evenly.
Deal terms—women pay no interest. The money is paid back quarterly over five years. If a company hits hard times, like some are during the Covid-19 crisis, the founder can delay payments.
Expertise and connections are shared—it's not just money that women entrepreneurs get. They get advice, mentorship, and are connected to follow-on funders, customers, and other resources and support. "We have many ventures, in the US in particular, that are raising funding [from angel investors and venture capitalists]," said Saunders.
Testimonials from two previous Black SheEO Ventures—Kai Frazier, founder and CEO at Kai XR and Wakumi Douglas, Co-founder and Executive Director SOUL Sisters Leadership Collective—spread like wildfire, motivating many extraordinary Black women entrepreneurs to apply. Nearly a quarter—24%—of applications were Black women. That's close to double their representation of adult women in the US (14%). The US SheEO class of 2021 is entirely composed of Black women. They come from cities outside the venture capital hubs—Atlanta, Chicago, Durham, and Tampa.
No surprise that one of the winners is tackling affordable housing and green construction. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the US needs between 7.2 million to 12 million more affordable housing units. "The conventional construction industry is highly extractive and exploitative in terms of natural resources and labor," said Wanona Satcher, CEO and founder of Atlanta-based Mākhers Studio. The building and construction sector contributes greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions account for approximately 40% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development 2018.
"We use green technologies to address the affordable housing crisis and to create jobs in low-income communities." Even before the coronavirus pandemic, Black and Latinx adults' unemployment rates were higher than their white counterparts. The company addresses three of the UN SDGs:
The company reuses shipping containers, making them into modular affordable housing units and community spaces in half the time and half the traditional construction cost. Mākhers has built its minimal viable product (MVP) and is gaining customer traction.
Satcher found out about SheEO through Ruth Ann Harnisch, a mentor, connector, investor, and SheEO activator. Harnisch is a funder and has steered Satcher to other opportunities, including grant money, among them Visa.
Visa partnered with IFundWomen to support Black women-owned small businesses. IFundWomen is a rewards-based crowdfunding and grant platform that also provides educational resources. Satcher received a $10,000 grant and leveraged the educational resources to raise follow-on angel investment from Ester Dyson and Reed Marill. Marill is also the Mākhers's CFO. As a result of an IFundWomen introduction, Satcher was also listed on the Inc. Magazine's 2020 Top 100 Female Founders List.
Satcher graduated from Dartmouth Tuck School of Business last year. Harnisch provided money to support Satcher's education.
Satcher learned to position and pitch Mākhers. She also built her confidence in asking for money. These new skills were critical to her ability to quickly enter the SheEO competition, which she found out about at the last minute.
SheEO builds the change Satcher wants to see—women supporting women, especially those in marginalized communities. It was a big reason why she applied. "SheEO's community is helping me think differently about my company," she said. It not only provides a safe space for discussing the challenges, fears, and frustrations she faces but is a place to get practical problem-solving advice.
"We're now at a critical juncture," Satcher said. "We're looking for space for our first micro-factory in Atlanta and are in conversations to do the same in DC, Los Angeles, New York City, and Muskegon Heights. These micro-factories will create good-paying jobs in low-income communities. It's no longer just about reusing shipping containers, but also about finding or developing our technologies that create green building materials."
The four other winners from the SheEO class of 2021 are:
Sonja Ebron, Courtroom 5, an automated legal toolbox for people in court without a lawyer.
Arielle Loren Palmer, 100K incubator, the first business-funding app for women in Apple and Google's app stores.
SaLisa Berrien, COI Energy, an energy management platform that detects, prevents, and eliminates energy waste in buildings to improve efficiency and provide marginalized communities with equitable access to clean energy solutions.
Terri-Nichelle Bradley, Brown Toy Box, a children's educational products company that centers on and celebrates Black children to expand ideas of possibilities for their lives.
Geri Stengel
Founder and President, Ventureneer
"A Baby Boomer with the heart and soul of a Millennial describes me best," says Geri Stengel. She grew up believing that dedicated, thoughtful people can change the world by working together. She is still a believer. She is even more committed to the possibility of meaningful change because we have a huge, untapped resource: Women! Her company Ventureneer researches and educates entrepreneurs and small business owners, especially minorities and women.
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The Burden of (Finally) Being Seen
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The Gender Wealth Gap: Why We Need More Women to Invest and to Invest in More Women
Elizabeth Davis 10 March 2021
The Pandemic Disproportionately Impacted Women-Owned Businesses. Here's What You Can Do.
Kim Lawton 11 May 2021
5 Reasons Why Recruiting Talent From Top Schools Is a Terrible Idea
Paolo Gaudiano 27 March 2018
Can You Really Be Authentic at Work?
Danessa Knaupp 30 April 2020


text:
Trump regurgitates British myths in his Saudi Conference speech.
May 21, 2017 May 22, 2017 Churchill's Karma1 Comment
Anyone with half a brain cell knows that Saudi Arabia shares the same ideology as ISIS and al-Qaeda. Anyone knows that only last year candidate Donald Trump rightly condemned Hilary Clinton's proximity to the Saudi Arabian ruling clan while at the same time supposedly being a champion of women's rights. Yet here he was in the capital of jihadism on his visit abroad as President lecturing Muslims on the need to combat extremism in a land were public floggings and executions are a norm. Where campaigners for freedom of speech are met, if they're lucky, with prison sentences.
But for a moment let's put aside Trump's brass-necked and sickening hypocrisy. Early in his speech he regurgitated this myth about the founding of the Kingdom that demands unpacking:
"King Abdulaziz, the founder of the Kingdom who united your great people. Working alongside another beloved leader — American President Franklin Roosevelt — King Abdulaziz began the enduring partnership between our two countries."
Firstly, the notion that AbdulAziz 'founded' the Kingdom is mythic nonsense. The British actually founded the Kingdom and AbdulAziz was merely their puppet. When AbdulAziz expanded into the Ha'il region (in the north) it was because the British drove him there because the then rulers, the Rashidis, rejected the British Empire's advances to be another puppet. The British even sent in reinforcements for AbdulAziz to capture the region. Continue reading →
9/11, al-Qaeda, British Empire, British Imperialism, Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia, United States
Detoxing 'Bretix Britain' with ….Donald Trump
To varying degrees both the Donald J. Trump and Brexit electoral victories were based on scapegoating minorities considered to be a threat to the Western natural order. For Trump, Mexicans and Muslims were the villains of the piece in his "Make America Great Again" campaign for the Presidency of the United States of America. For British Brexiters, scapegoating was encapsulated in the slogan of "Take Back Control". This slogan was largely aimed at the bureaucrats in Brussels who mythically had taken control of Britain and the east European migrants who have legally arrived recently in the U.K. As others have pointed out there were similarities in the two campaigns with both rooted in the new (mostly right-wing) populism sweeping some western nations.
Another similarity was the violence the two campaigns unleashed. Admittedly the tensions at Trump rallies were successfully contained and never reached the level of the British Brexit campaign were a British legislator or Member of Parliament, Jo Cox, was brutally murdered with the assailant yelling "Britain First" and "keep Britain independent" (slogans popular with extreme right) as he shot and knifed his victim 15 times.
This is where the similarities end because as can be seen by the Continue reading →
Brexit, Donald Trump, EU Referendum, Global Britain, Theresa May, United Kingdom


Mouflon (82%), Water, Vegetable Flakes, Potato Starch, Salt, Rice Flour, Tomato Powder, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Spices (ground coriander, ground black pepper), Yeast Extract, Herb (rubbed parsley), Juniper Extract.
Forgot to add:- not an ounce of fat produced whilst grilling. Low calorie with a subtle flavour.
Wondering around Makro passed the frozen section and these caught my eye. I like to try unusual and different foods. Cooked them on my George Foreman grill for approximately 5-6 mins. They were juicy and succulent, lasted like a high quality lamb burger. The herbs and seasoning were subtle and did not take away the mild flavour of the meat. You only live once - so try if you get a chance. I recommend and will try the other products the company produce.


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text:
Francesco Duina's "Broke and Patriotic"
Francesco Duina is Professor of Sociology at Bates College, as well as Honorary Professor of Sociology at the University of British Columbia and Visiting Professor of Business and Politics at the Copenhagen Business School. He is the author of several books, including Winning: Reflections on an American Obsession.
Duina applied the "Page 99 Test" to his new book, Broke and Patriotic: Why Poor Americans Love Their Country, and reported the following:
From Page 99:
Indeed, if anything, the system—the country, the government, and society in general—helps you take advantage of America's opportunities. This, too, is part of the attractiveness of the country. I asked Sam if he felt that the country did enough for him. He replied:
The country does enough.... They feed you, they give you free housing, they give you food stamps ... the country does a lot for their people. The United States do a lot for their people. If you can't make it here, you can't make it nowhere.... If you can't make it here, you ... you ... there's something wrong with you ... there's something terribly wrong with you. ... Yeah, he [my father] taught me that. It's the land of opportunity to be what you wanna be. I helped you so far, and you have to help yourself.
I paused to think about the words "there's something terribly wrong with you" if you don't make it in America. It was as if America really gives people everything they need to succeed. Angie, in the same bus station in Birmingham, stated something nearly identical: "If you check into anything like college, you want a good job ... there's the government, there's funds, there's programs, there's no obstacles if you know how to go get what you want, what you need. There's something always out there to help you." What is necessary on the individual's part is the will to progress. "If you, if you work for it," she added, "you can have what you want here. You go to school and do what you want. Before I had a wreck and broke my back and wound up on disability . . . I was a real estate agent making close to one hundred thousand dollars a year." The help extends even to criminals. In Sam's words, "Even in the prison they, they got programs in the prison. Trying to reprogram them, you know."
Page 99 is one of many where the reader hears the thoughts and beliefs of some of America's economically worst-off people as they describe their intense love of country. This is Chapter 3, where the attention turns to the widely-held conviction that America is great – indeed superior to other countries – because it is so wealthy and because anyone can make it there. When I questioned my interviewees about their own, often very difficult, trajectories in life, the answer was consistently one of personal responsibility: their dire circumstances were the results of their own choices, they told me, not anyone else's – much like wealthy people have become so because they have earned it. So, why blame the country for anything? On the contrary, they expressed gratitude to the many organizations that help them eat and sleep with a roof over their heads.
The other core chapters of the book explore two parallel ideas driving the intense patriotism of America's most impoverished citizens. The first is a sense that America represents hope for mankind in general and, in turn, for themselves individually. When nearly everything else has gone wrong in life, pride in being American can give one a powerful sense of dignity. This is the land where every person counts, every human being is sacred. The second idea involves freedom. America is the land of physical and mental freedom. The extent of that freedom, according to them, is unique. Here, discussions about God (freedom of religion) and guns often came up.
Misconceptions about other countries, and America itself, certainly abounded. The lessons I learned from my travels and conversations, however, made clear to me that those were not really very relevant for my interviewee's devotion to their country. In the end, the most important thing was something else: it was a sense that this country (still) belongs to the people.
Learn more about Broke and Patriotic at the Stanford University Press website.
The Page 99 Test: Winning.
David M. Edelstein's "Over the Horizon"
Lynne Viola's "Stalinist Perpetrators on Trial"
Michael Patrick Cullinane's "Theodore Roosevelt's ...
Rachel Fulton Brown's "Mary and the Art of Prayer"...
Daniel Siemens's "Stormtroopers"
Jeanne Guillemin's "Hidden Atrocities"
Elizabeth L Silver's "The Tincture of Time"
Padraic Kenney's "Dance in Chains"
Stephen R. Bown's "Island of the Blue Foxes"
Kelley Fanto Deetz's "Bound to the Fire"
Helen Fry's "The London Cage"
Cathy Gere's "Pain, Pleasure, and the Greater Good...
Kevin Carrico's "The Great Han"
Randolph Lewis's "Under Surveillance"
Daniel Swift's "The Bughouse"
John Sharples's "A Cultural History of Chess-Playe...


text:
The Future of Democracy: A U.S. and International Perspective
Date & Time: November 4, 2021 •4:30pm – 6:00pm
Location: Performing Arts Center, Concert Hall & Virtual
Alumni and Friends • Lectures
Join us for a conversation between two friends and colleagues who have served the United States domestically and abroad.
Democracy has always been and continues to be challenged both in the United States and around the world. As former Secretary of Homeland Security, General Counsel of the Department of Defense and a distinguished Attorney, Secretary Johnson has been deeply involved in the challenges to democracy in the United States. Globally, democratic values and principles are always at risk. As U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Under Secretary of the Army and Professor of Politics Science, Dr. Westphal has been engaged in addressing these risks.
This event is taking place both in-person and via live stream. Registration is required.
IMPORTANT COVID PROTOCOLS:
Our priority is to ensure the safety of our patrons, artists, staff and the entire Adelphi community against COVID-19. We know that there is a great desire to come together and share the experience of live performance. The science of masks, vaccines, and tests will help make this happen.
Effective immediately, all audience members age 12 and over will be required to show proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Anyone under 12 or who is not fully vaccinated must show proof of a negative test taken within 72 hours of the performance. All guests regardless of age or vaccination status will be required to wear masks at all times while inside the Adelphi PAC.
In addition, capacity will be limited to 50% for many of our events.
These policies will remain in place at least through December 31, 2021 and are subject to change at any time. Feel free to contact the box office with any questions.
Secretary Jeh Johnson '14 (Hon.)
Former United States Secretary of Homeland Security
Jeh Johnson is a partner in the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP and the former Secretary of Homeland Security (2013-2017) and former General Counsel of the Department of Defense (2009-2012). Earlier in his career, Johnson was General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force (1998-2001), and an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York (1989-1991).
In private life, in addition to practicing law Johnson is on the board of directors of Lockheed Martin, U.S. Steel, the Council on Foreign Relations, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City, the Center for a New American Security, and is a trustee of Columbia University. Johnson is also a commentator on national and homeland security matters on ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, MSNBC, CNN, FOX, CNBC, NPR, Bloomberg TV and other news networks.
As Secretary of Homeland Security, Johnson was the head of the third largest cabinet department of the U.S. government, consisting of 230,000 personnel and 22 components, including TSA, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Services, U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and FEMA. Johnson's responsibilities as Secretary included counterterrorism, cybersecurity, aviation security, border security, port security, maritime security, protection of our national leaders, the detection of chemical, biological and nuclear threats to the homeland, and response to natural disasters. In three years as Secretary of DHS, Johnson is credited with management reform of the Department, which brought about a more centralized approach to decision-making in the areas of budgets, acquisition and overall policy. Johnson also raised employee morale across the Department, reflected in the September 2016 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.
As General Counsel of the Department of Defense, Johnson is credited with being the legal architect for the U.S. military's counterterrorism efforts in the Obama Administration. In 2010, Johnson co-authored the report that paved the way for the repeal of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell by Congress later that year. According to published reports, Johnson provided the legal approval for U.S. special forces to enter Pakistan for the bin Laden operation in 2011. In his book Duty, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates wrote that Johnson "proved to be the finest lawyer I ever worked with in government – a straightforward, plain-speaking man of great integrity, with common sense to burn and a good sense of humor."
Johnson is the 2018 recipient of the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Award, presented at the Reagan Presidential Library, for "contribut[ing] greatly to the defense of our nation," and "guiding us through turbulent times with courage and wisdom." Johnson has debated at both the Cambridge and Oxford Unions in England, and in November 2019 was conferred honorary life membership in the Cambridge Union.
Johnson is a graduate of Morehouse College (1979) and Columbia Law School (1982) and the recipient of 11 honorary degrees.
Ambassador Joseph W. Westphal, '70, PhD
Ambassador Joseph W. Westphal is the Chang Sun Term Professor at the Joseph H. Lauder Institute of Management and International Studies at The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania.
He is also a Senior Fellow at the Center for Leadership and Change Management at Wharton, Fellow at the National Academy of Public Administration and Non-Resident Fellow at the International Studies Center of the Catholic University of Chile.
Ambassador Westphal has had a long and distinguished career in government and academia.
Dr. Westphal was the U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from March 2014 to January 2017.
Prior to this appointment, Ambassador Westphal was the Under Secretary of the Army and its Chief Management Officer from 2009 to 2014. He also held the positions of Assistant Secretary of the Army (Head of the Army Corps of Engineers) from 1998 to 2000 and Acting Secretary of the Army in 2001.
Dr. Westphal began his career in 1975 as a professor of political science at Oklahoma State University and later served as a Department Head. In 2002 he became the Chancellor of the University of Maine System and Professor of Political Science. He also served as Director of the Tishman Environmental Center and Provost at the New School University in New York and Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University in Washington D.C.
In government, he worked in both the House and Senate for more than twelve years. In Congress he worked on Committee staff, as staff director of a large bicameral and bipartisan caucus and on Members personal staff.
He has held positions in the administrations of Presidents Carter, Reagan, Clinton, Bush, and Obama, working in the Department of the Interior, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Defense and the Department of State.
Dr. Westphal has served on numerous Presidential Commissions and Task Forces, Non-Profit and Public Boards and Advisory Panels.
Ambassador Westphal received a B.A. from Adelphi University (1970), an M.A. from Oklahoma State University (1973), and his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia (1980).
125th Celebration,
Ambassador Series,
Distinguished Lecture Series,
Global and International,
Global Dialogues Series,
Levermore Global Scholars,


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text:
"And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect."
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Galatians 3:17 Context
14That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 15Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. 16Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. 18For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. 19Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
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Bible Verses like Galatians 3:17
Other Translations for Galatians 3:17
And this I say, that the Couenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the Lawe which was foure hundred and thirtie yeres after, cannot disanul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
- King James Version (1611) - View 1611 Bible Scan
What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise.
- New American Standard Version (1995)
Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect.
- American Standard Version (1901)
Now this I say: The law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, does not put an end to the agreement made before by God, so as to make the undertaking without effect.
- Basic English Bible
Now I say this, A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which took place four hundred and thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect.
- Darby Bible
And this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of no effect.
- Webster's Bible
I mean that the Covenant which God had already formally made is not abrogated by the Law which was given four hundred and thirty years later--so as to annul the promise.
- Weymouth Bible
Now I say this. A covenant confirmed beforehand by God in Christ, the law, which came four hundred thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect.
- World English Bible
But Y seie, this testament is confermed of God; the lawe that was maad after foure hundrid and thritti yeer, makith not the testament veyn to auoide awei the biheest.
- Wycliffe Bible
and this I say, A covenant confirmed before by God to Christ, the law, that came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not set aside, to make void the promise,
- Youngs Literal Bible
Bible Commentary for Galatians 3:17
Wesley's Notes for Galatians 3:17
3:17 And this I say - What I mean is this. The covenant which was before confirmed of God - By the promise itself, by the repetition of it, and by a solemn oath, concerning the blessing all nations. Through Christ, the law which was four hundred and thirty years after - Counting from the time when the promise was first made to Abraham, #Gen 12:2|,3. Doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of no effect - With regard to all nations, if only the Jewish were to receive it; yea, with regard to them also, if it was by works, so as to supersede it, and introduce another way of obtaining the blessing.
People's Bible Notes for Galatians 3:17
Ga 3:17 And this I say. He returns to the argument introduced in Ga 3:15. The covenant . . . the law . . . cannot disannul. He has just shown that this covenant was not only with Abraham, but with his spiritual seed, and hence must continue in effect until Christ came. Hence the law, made over four centuries after the covenant was given, could not disannul it. The covenant made with Abraham is still in force. Four hundred and thirty years. According to Usher's Chronology, the promise was made to Abraham in B.C. 1921; the law was given at Sinai B.C. 1491; the interval is 430 years. But some have held that Paul made a mistake because in Exodus it said that Hebrews were in Egypt 430 years (Ex 12:12). The matter is easily explained. The Septuagint Version of the Old Testament is the one usually followed by Christ and his apostles. Its translators, following the Hebrew copy before them, render Ex 12:12, "The sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, was four hundred and thirty years". Whether this is right, or our Hebrew text, does not matter. Paul gave the usually received statement. His point was simply that the law was given many ages after the covenant with Abraham.
Discussion for Galatians 3:17
Which best represents the problem with the comment?
King James Bible Store


COM_MENUS_ITEM_FIELD_TYPE_LABEL or MOD_MENU_COM_USERS. How do I get the backend to look normal?
"/languages" and "/administrator/languages", it should work.
Hi it still hasn't work i uploaded the language folders.
Can you send me via PM your login data?


Broxtowe Women's Project (BWP) is a local women's aid organisation, which provides outreach support to women who are experiencing or affected by domestic violence.
For people with a range of anxieties from Nottingham and surrounding areas. A friendly group with meetings where people can share their experiences and learn methods to help them cope and overcome anxiety.


You keep hearing me say that LinkedIn is the go-to place for growing your business. Whether you are trying to expand your reach, discover new talent, or stay up-to-date on industry happenings, LinkedIn is your one stop shop for all of it.
But, is there a right and a wrong way to go about growing your business on LinkedIn? There most definitely is! Below, you will find 20 DOs and DON'Ts to keep in mind when creating your LinkedIn growth strategy.
DO share your LinkedIn URL everywhere to encourage connecting with your current customers and business associates. This includes adding your URL to business cards, email signature, live stream broadcast profiles, etc. Authentic connecting is key.
DON'T send connection requests to perfect strangers only because you want to grow your number of connections. Doing so can lead to complaints, and with enough complaints you'll be banned from LinkedIn.
DO send messages to people thanking them for connecting with you. Find something in their profile you can mention so they know it's not a copied and pasted message (even though it likely is, just personalized!) It's a great way to engage quickly with new connections.
DON'T immediately message new connections about YOUR products and services.
DO make sure your profile is "client facing." Let people know what you can do for THEM.
DON'T list your accomplishments just to impress or brag. List them to position yourself as someone worthy of your followers' time.
DO tell your new connections where you first came across them! Build upon that common link.
DON'T use the default connection request when reaching out to someone. Be sure to personalize the message to better catch the attention of the recipient.
DO get written recommendations from past clients or business partners.
DON'T forget to write an engaging summary to include in your profile.
DO post a professional photo of yourself in your profile.
DON'T just list facts and figures about your positions. Describe the work that you did, paint a clear picture of your responsibilities and accomplishments.
DO write an eye-catching headline and insert emojis to standout in the crowd.
DON'T neglect your privacy settings. Make sure you're aware of the settings and change them as necessary.
DO take the time to nurture the connections you make, build upon your commonalities, and grow your network the smart way.
DON'T forget to save all those business cards you collect at conferences and meetups and connect with these people when you get back to the office.
DO join groups and engage with fellow members by posting new discussions or commenting on previous posts.
DON'T miss a chance to communicate with your connections. Comment on updates they make, congratulate them on promotions, and stay in the know on what's happening with your connections.
DO regularly post status updates on your page. Engage your connections, talk about your business, ask questions and encourage interaction.
DON'T forget to add keywords to your profile. Think of the words that people will search for when looking for the service or product you provide. Incorporate these words and phrases into your profile.
Growing a business can take time. But, with the proper LinkedIn growth strategy and tactics in place, your network will grow, opportunities will arise, and you and your business will reap the benefits.
Have any other dos and don'ts to share? Jump on over and join my LinkedIn Group and let us know!
As always Karen, good tips simply stated.


A number of years ago, Wesley Pierce, a geologist with the Arizona Geological Survey, wrote an paper titled "No Rocks - No Ice Cream." The links in the chain of events that makes ice cream possible reveals that rocks, minerals, fertilizers, grains, cows, milk, cream, and machinery are all essential.
Let's play a game. How many objects are in our home, offices or buildings that we can see and touch that do not require rocks as a requirement for their existence? Let's look at the home - car/cars, a refrigerator, stove, freezer, heating and cooling, water pumped via metal/plastic pipes, bath tubs, flush toilets, telephones, television, computers, cell phones, the building we call home, etc. And do not forget the rocks required to generate and transmit our electricity to operate the above necessities. You can correctly assume that our civilization exists only because of rocks: That is - the mining of useful rocks and minerals.
Production of useful rocks is restricted to where they occur. The phosphate mines and fertilizer plants in Central Florida provide the minerals required for the United States to be the world's leader in food production. Without new permits and reserves, the United States shall become an importer of phosphate.
I am sure we can depend on Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and/or China to provide the United States farmers with quality, low-cost, phosphate-bearing fertilizers?
Remember: no rocks, no ice cream.


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