text:
PM's praise for 'Selfie with Daughter' helping the campaign, says Bibipur Sarpanch
Bibipur sarpanch Sunil Jaglan had launched the 'Selfie with Daughter' campaign in Jind in June this year.
Press Trust Of India
Chandigarh: With Prime Minister Narendra Modi terming the 'Selfie with Daughter' an "international movement" during his interaction with the Silicon Valley CEOs, the man behind the initiative, Bibipur village Sarpanch, on Sunday said his words of praise was helping the campaign. "PM praising the initiative on various platforms is definitely helping the entire campaign and the motive it aims to achieve," Sunil Jaglan, the sarpanch said.
Jaglan had launched the 'Selfie with Daughter' campaign in Jind in June this year. "I had launched this initiative to give a boost to Prime Minister's pet initiative of Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao," he said. Speaking before a gathering of Silicon Valley CEOs at San Jose on Sunday, Modi referred to the campaign as "an initiative by a father in Haryana to draw attention towards girl child" that "became an international movement..."
The Sarpanch desires to meet the Prime Minister and share his other initiatives with him. He said the Bibipur Panchayat had recently launched 'Digital India with Laado', a campaign to replace names of family-heads in the nameplates with their daughter's moniker. "We started this campaign in our village and so far we have replaced 50-60 name plates," he said.
Representatives of village panchayat visit households and put up nameplates bearing names and email id of the daughters of the house-head along with the tagline 'Digital India With Laado', he said. "I want this campaign to be taken up nationwide. I am writing to Prime Minister and Haryana Chief Minister also in this regard," Jaglan, a post-graduate in Computer Science, said.
Jaglan said he has put a nameplate outside his house bearing his elder daughter's name 'Nandini (Niwas)'. He also recalled how everyone in his village thought a son had been born to him when he had celebrated and distributed sweets on birth of his first daughter. Many were taken aback when they discovered that it was not a son, he said. "On that day, I decided to do something to change this mindset of people towards the girl child," he stated.
Bibipur
modi in us
Sarpanch
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Kate was also greeted by several young Scouts and had a look at some of their merit badges.
A quick video from Roya Nikkhah of The Times.
The Duchess is a volunteer with the Scouts and has taken part in many engagements with the organization, including a snowy training exercise at Great Tower Scout Camp in 2013, and a Cub Scout meeting in 2016.
The Queen is the royal patron of the Scouts.
The mom of three, who was a Brownie as a young girl alongside her sister Pippa Middleton, paid a visit to the Scouts' headquarters on the outskirts of London on Thursday to see the youth movement's new program for 4 and 5 year olds.
UK Scouting currently reaches 473,000 young people between the ages of 6 and 25.
Kate spent time with parents and leaders and children from three areas of the U.K. who are taking part in trials for a new pilot program for the youngest Scouts.
The pilot has been exploring the potential of providing Scouting to children between the ages of 4 and 6 as research has shown that the first five years of a child's life are more important to the development, and future health and happiness, of a child than any other single moment in their lifetime.
One of the program activities was making balloon rockets.
Then it was time to test them.
Another activity was boat building; I think this young man was working on a sailboat.
Kate looked at a den made by the children, constructed with twigs, sticks, and leaves.
…joking that she hoped it was waterproof as it was doused from above by some of the scouts.
Explorer Scout Tahseen Patel, 17, gave Kate a tour during her visit.
Kate's hand was painted by the scouts during today's session.
The Duchess chatting with a scout.
Today's event was at Gilwell Park, recognized internationally as the home of Scouting. Today a group of Scouts ages 14 to 18 showed the Duchess some of the Park's iconic features.
Among the many points of interest: the famous Gilwell Oak, named UK Tree of the Year in 2017.
Below, a statue at the park of Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scouts movement.
The park is a Scout campsite, training and adventure center, and home to the organization's U.K. headquarters. Gilwell Park is marking its 100th anniversary this year.
To mark the anniversary, the Duchess planted a much smaller oak, a sapling.
Now to our look at what Kate wore.
We'll start with her Barbour jacket.
It is the brand's Defence Jacket, a piece the Duchess has had for many years. It is one of the brand's utility jackets, with a high collar, storm-fly front placket, snap-shut bellows-style pockets, epaulets, and a tartan cotton lining.
Like many Barbour pieces, the jacket has a waxed coating that provides better protection from the elements. That water- and wind-resistant coating can be reapplied. The company recommends doing this every year, although some of us let it go a little longer (cough-cough) than that. Below left, a can of the coating at Orvis ($19) for those industrious enough to reproof pieces at home.
Many of us send pieces directly to Orvis and have it done by the company.
The Duchess also had on her Mockneck Sweater in Supersoft Yarn ($49.99) from J Crew.
The official color name for the piece worn today is 'mahogany.' Kate also has the sweater in the loden green colorway.
It is a nylon/merino wool/alpaca/elastane blend, and available in a wide range of colors. A number of WKWers have purchased the sweater, and their reviews have been very positive. UPDATE: While many have been pleased with their sweaters, not everyone is thrilled with the quality. There is a thread on the Facebook page with input on size, quality and other issues.
I don't have a firm ID on Kate's trousers. I have seen suggestions they are the Zara pair she has worn before, but they do not have the stud on the back pockets the Zara pair has.
Kate wore her See by Chloé Liegi Ankle Boots. The combat-style boots are suede with leather trim and a chunky sole.
She sported the official UK Scouts Adult Scarf (£8.50). It is "…blue with a red, white and blue border and a Union Flag badge on the apex." Our thanks to Elizabeth at Kate's Closet for the scarf information.
The Duchess wore a pair of earrings we've not previously seen.
They look like they might be sterling silver with three tiny segments in a gold tone. At this point they are unidentified.
UPDATE: Because the Defence Jacket is such a popular piece, I have added some options to the repliKate Outerwear page.
This Royal Family Channel piece runs about 4:20.
This PA video runs about 45 seconds.
just love the look and is so outdoorsy and fun. The boots are fabulous and so servicable for such an event, love the skinny jeans and the hip skimming jumper. An elegant and well put together outfit that screams fun, laughter, fitness and outdoor fun.
She is in her element, surrounded by children and in the outdoors. She was so relaxed and seemed to enjoy herself immensely.
Her hair was amazing and her outfit cute and so appropriate for the event.
But what I loved the most was that darling flower arrangement in pink and yellow. What a cheerful arrangement and I think I'm going to try and recreate it this weekend!
Any ID on the earrings yet? Really like them!
I was referring to the ads for their new children's clothing line. Totally agree that our beautiful Kate navigates her sartorial choices superbly.
Ooh, any replikates for those boots?! I can totally see them being a Duchess favorite!
Check out the Taos Crave boot. I'm totally getting it once it's back in stock in my size.
These are all great pieces and Kate looks very put together but casual and relaxed at the same time. Her casual looks are some of my favorites of hers. I really like the colors in todays ensemble, theyre so flattering. She seems to really enjoy this, it does look fun! I never got to participate in girl scouts as a kid, I feel like I missed out so events like this one and other outdoorsy ones really interest me. I'm curious.. do UK scouts sell cookies or something similar like the US scouts?
In the UK, Scouts (formerly Boy Scouts) is now co-ed. UK Girl Guides, which would be the USA equivalent of Girl Scouts, do not sell cookies as a fundraiser. However, Girl Guides of Canada do sell cookies and the spring campaign has just started.
Great question! Also what is the name of the youngest scouts? In the US I guess it would be the Brownies?
Thanks for clarifying it. Cute names! I love hedgehogs!
sue d. Just to be clear, WAGGGS, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, is a totally separate organization from WOSM, the World Organization of the Scouting Movement. In England, Robert Baden Powell, founded Scouts for boys in 1908. In 1909, when girls demanded to be involved, he asked his sister, Agnes to oversee Girl Guides, for girls. In the USA, they call their Guiding members, Girl Scouts. After BP married Olave Soames, she led the girl's organization. Although based on the same principles and values, WAGGGS and WOSM differ, in that initially one was a program for females and the other for males. In recent years Scouting has gone co-ed; they have always had both men and women as leaders. Guiding remains all female, in its membership and its leadership.
Wow! Thank you so much for the wonderful info on the Girl Guides, etc. Fascinating!
The youngest Girl Scouts in the USA are (were) Daisies.
Not sure about now but the youngest USA boys were Cub Scouts when I was growing up.
Brandi, if you missed out on Brownies as a kid you can still join as an adult volunteer. I've recently joined as a Beaver Scout leader and love it. You don't have to lead a group, you can volunteer at different levels. And you get to wear a neck scarf like Kate. It was Kate's involvementvthat made me think about volunteering in the first place.
Always love reading everyones comments – I always learn something, notice something I didnt before and most important feel less silly when i admit I was up till 12:30 last night looking at earrings 🙂 I love when Kate goes casual and this looked like such a fun day. I usually dont care for the legging but this pair looked like a better fit and I thought the whole outfit look great. Now back to looking for those earrings!
Me too! I requested it for my birthday last week. It's funny how it makes the item a little more special knowing I saw it on DOC first – I guess that's the Kate Effect (elevating regular people and making us feel a little more 'royal', more special somehow). It's fickle but I don't care.
The thing I'd let people know about the jumper if they're looking to buy, is that the sizes run large and the torso is quite long. I don't think you can quite get the sense of how long because Kate has quite a long torso herself. But on me – a pretty standard proportion – the jumper sits well below the hip bones. It's also quite fine and soft and has stretch in the fabric, so you could buy a few sizes down.
This is good to know! One of the reasons I love following WKW is that I also have a long torso. It's so helpful to see what works and doesn't work and to find brands or styles that I can work with, too. Thankfully, this jumper is one of those repliKates that is within reach!
There is something reassuring about seeing a nicely dresssed person calmly and happily going about her business naturally without trying to make any statements. I don't like to stray beyond her clothes too much but Kate's cheerful get-on with it attitude is refreshing.
She looks great for the occasion. Well groomed wearing appropriate and approachable clothing. I love those boots. She's made some good shoe investments lately and these are right there at the top.
I agree completely! I think Kate thinks about her clothes, but not too much if you know what I mean. She is well aware of which situations are going to be history photo ops (Christenings, arrivals at foreign countries etc) and takes great care to make sure the entire family is appropriately attired for the event and so that the photos are perfect, but for the rest of time she appears to wear what she likes within the confines of her role. One thing I have noticed is that since Natasha Archer has gone on maternity leave I have liked Kate's day wear much more. Could just be a coincidence of course as it also sort of coincides with her return from maternity leave. She seems to have greater confidence and presence than she did before Louis was born.
The comparisons to the Queen Mother seem very appropriate and are quite a compliment to how hard Kate has worked to develop her role. The Queen Mother came from an aristocratic family and grew up around the royals. Kate had none of that early experience to draw from. Again, her "get on with it attitude" along with what seems to be incredibly in depth preparation for every event makes her a real asset to both the Royal family and her charities.
She looks perfect for a fun day outdoors – I just really hope that the pants are not Zara. I am really disappointed in their recent ad campaign. Not that Kate would be aware of it, but I do think it is best that she does not support that brand in the future.
I would suspect Kate is very aware of her fashion choices, or at least, she has a stylist who has to stay on top of it for her. I know there was some controversy a few weeks ago, but I suspect the Duchess already had the ensembles planned and didn't foresee how sensitive the timing was when she wore those outfits back to back. For someone who has been in the public eye as long as she has now, Kate has really done a superb job navigating her sartorial choices.
I just watched the videos for 2018 and 2019 (Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REypLXTRzl4) and, while they were a little weird, I'm not sure what is offensive about them.
just watched the Zara ad campaign, have I missed something? …..all I can see in the link is a girl in clothes surrounded by curtains.
There's something very outdoorsy and down to earth about Kate and she always seems to be in her element at these types of engagements. I think she looked really nice and I enjoy seeing her with the little ones. She's very natural and relaxed with them. I always think she seems ever so slightly self conscious at formal engagements, but appears totally at ease at more casual events, especially with kids.
I really love the whole outfit, especially the hoop earrings, but just can't stand skinny jeans. I just think straight leg or slim cut are so much more flattering. These look like leggings.
I am a fan of your page and always read kate's updates here and the IDs. Never commented before. Thanks for always giving such a great coverage.
Kate's earrings give me a surprise too as I know she hasn't wore them before but Princess Diana image stick in mind where she wore something like this. Could those be hers? I haven't done any search and I am not really good at that.
She's just so charmingly comfortable with everyone. When she asked the little boy to help her up, I think I melted inside a little. Same when she asked the other little boy what badge he was most proud of.
I like the predictability of her outdoor wear, but that J. Crew sweater looks as pilled as mine does. Something about that blend, I suspect. Also, she doesn't seem comfortable with the length as she tugs on it now and again. I'm obsessed with the earrings; in fact, I spent wayyyyyyyyyy too much time today looking for them only to fail miserably. Either I'm really bad at this game, or those are old or borrowed (from Mom or Pippa) earrings. I love them and was pleased not to see the usuals. If anyone knows what they are or can find them, I'd be so happy, just giddy, really.
All in all, a wonderful Kate-ish type day.
I'm also thinking those earrings are a sentimental gift from someone. They don't look very modern to me or like something she would typically wear, but hoops are making a comeback. 🙂 I think they were a sweet touch that also help to keep the focus on what she was supporting, not what she was wearing (ironic statement given what I'm posting about, I know).
I think this sweater is a little short. I bought it in the green in my normal size and while it fits everywhere else, I'm always pulling it down.
I do love this outfit though! This red color was sold out in my size for both runs and I'm bummed. It's a great shade! I also have the fjallraven sweater in the purple and the j crew sweater is much softer.
I'm dying for those boots!
Kate looks absolutely in her element here, it's a joy to see her having so much fun. I can't get over that she had to get right inside the little kids' den.
The earth tones in her outfit suit her well, especially the lovely J Crew mahogany which is not always an easy colour to find. Her trusty Barbour is a great fit combining style with practicality as do the sturdy combat boots which I'm glad to see on repeat, I think they're a great design of that type with their chunky sole and heels. It's great to see her show off those long slim legs in a skinny pant as well.
Her hair looks simply amazing, so thick and full of body. I'm not so sure about the earrings as I'd be cautious about wearing a sizeable hoop when diving into full-on activity, I have a dread of one of them catching in something and doing my ear some serious harm. Whatever, she looks a million bucks and remains the star of the show as always.
I. Love. Those. Boots. The outfit overall is nice and simple, but I wish she would change it up with her outdoorsy jacket here and there. (Realistically I know there's no reason to, it's perfectly functional and looks great, I'm just selfish and want to see some new/different outdoor fashion pieces on her.) You can tell this is exactly her element and enjoyment. And those legs, wow do they look great in skinny jeans!
Perfect look for this event! I love the photo of Kate inside the den. She is truly full of joy around children and the outdoors. The skinny jeans look perfect today! Somehow they seem more skimming and not skin tight today…or is that just me? I think she looks perfect!
Kate looks fine although once again I think her pants are too tight. She is an awfully good sport and great with children.
Nice that she is wearing the Scout neckerchief, but it would be wonderful for the organization if she, as a volunteer, actually wore the compete uniform. When I served at the National of Girl Guides of Canada, our patron was the Governor General (the Queen's representative) if a woman, or his wife, if the GG was a man. We always gave each lady a uniform and she would wear it to all Guiding events. It was great PR.
Scouting and Guiding do so much to teach children skills and values with emphasis on the environment. I do hope George, Charlotte and Louis get involved. There was once Brownie and Girl Guide Units at Buckingham Palace where the young princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret, were members.
If she is an occasional helper and not a fully appointed leader then she would be a non uniformed member of the Scout Association. Therefore no uniform to wear. People choose to be occasional helper for many reasons but some do so because they don't feel 100% comfortable wearing a uniform. This is unlikely to be Catherine's reason, but it gives an indication of a basic difference between the two roles.
Ceejay, As I said above, GGC gave a uniform to the patron to wear to events. We were not expecting her to be a fully appointed leader working with the girls. Many members of the Royal Family wear military uniforms in an honouary capacity, in regiments where they don't actually serve. It was more this concept that I thought would be nice for Kate to don a Scouting uniform. But of course, she has every right not to be in uniform.
This was the Cambridge trifecta: the outdoors, kids, and fabulous Kate. Terrific engagement and a wonderful look for her. I was not a fan of the boots the first time I saw them, but I think they may be growing on me. Kate wears the hoop earrings well. They're not too big, and maybe that's why they work without looking tacky. Love the Barbour jacket– it's always nice to see it on her. Keep the great posts coming!
Perfect. Just perfect! This post really warms my heart. Kate looks so genuinely engaged and her smart and unfussy casual wear adds to her fitting in brilliantly. It's outings like this that make me (almost) forget that she's not just a "normal" mum. I especially love that she wore the scarf and am curious about the pants as they don't bother me like the usual skin tight ones she normally wears. The jacket is to die for in my book. And the earrings are a wonderful addition to her wardrobe, too!
Lovely. Kate is a natural with those youngsters. She seems like such a good Mum. I do think she'll be a good Queen. She does remind me of the Queen Mother in her ability to get along with people. Smiley, kind lady with a gung – ho attitude.
As far as the clothes go, Kate looks lovely. I'm not a fan of Barbour jackets but that's just a personal thing and it wouldn't matter who was wearing it. It's her thing and is a lovely, appropriate outfit that suits her.
I love the comparison with the Queen Mother. That's very apt.
Thanks Rachael. I've just always had that thought with Kate. I think she has a great sense of duty but she also exudes warmth and kindness.
I love that she wore the Scouts scarf. That is adorable.
And Kate in hoop earrings? I am shocked!! I love it! I would not have guessed that she even owns a pair of hoops.
The Duchess really looked in her element today, what a fantastic organisation, so wonderful for the children, actually for all ages. I love to see the Duchess on occasions like this, she gets in and participates, that is what it is all about . She looked appropriately dressed, and looked terrific.
This J. Crew sweater is great. I think it's the only item of Kate's that I also have in my closet!
Great ensemble for the outdoor activities with the Scouts. And love, love the jacket!
A lovely and practical, if not predictable, outfit for the engagement today.
Thanks for the post. I'm looking forward to seeing the prince in his adorable little uniform on his first day of Scouts, if they decide to release a photo!
Oooo, those boots are giving me life! I love them!
I enjoyed this comfy & cozy look for the duchess. The colors look more Autumn than Spring to me, but the tonal colors blended beautifully with the brown foliage.
That photo of Kate inside the den was so adorable! Looks like she really got involved and interacted with the scouts in such an endearing way.
Any idea on the brand of pants she was wearing?
Full marks for the pretty square knot on the scarf!
Great outfit – perfect for the elements. I love the berry color. (I'm less fond of the green).


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Interactive Field Trips Offered to Educators for Black History Month, President's Day, Women's History Month and Earth Day
eSchool News Staff
The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) Provides New Ways for Teachers to Inspire their Students with Virtual Experiences
In preparation for several upcoming significant historical, cultural and societal events, the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) has curated a list of live, interactive virtual field trips that educators can access to enrich discussions surrounding Black History Month, President's Day, Women's History Month and Earth Day. The diverse list of interactive learning experiences ranges from an immersive underground railroad experience to an exploration of women war reporters who have made indelible marks in the world of journalism. Several of the offerings are free to the public, while others have a fee associated.
Virtual expeditions have gained in popularity in recent years and even more so since the start of the COVID-19 global pandemic. What sets CILC and its content collaborators' programs apart from traditional web-based experiences (prerecorded) is the live interactive aspect. Museum curators, historians, authors, researchers, and other expert instructors engage directly with students during the virtual field trip to create a richer learning environment. The selections below offer an engaging resource to educators who want to expand their curriculum in a unique and authentic manner.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH, FEBRUARY 2021
Whether educators wish to celebrate African-American sports or take a deep dive into the Underground Railroad, educators will find an extensive list of programming experiences to reflect on the significant roles that African-Americans have played in shaping US history. A sampling of the programming available include:
Underground Railroad Immersive Experience, Ohio History Connection
Double Victory: African Americans in WWII, National World War II Museum
African American Artists (free), Smithsonian American Art Museums
It's NOT Black or White: How a Museum Defines 'Race',
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
African American Trailblazers (free), Pro Football Hall of Fame
PRESIDENT'S DAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2021
With interactive field trips, teachers have the ability to bring President's Day to life by enriching the holiday with live programming for their students. A sampling of the programming available include:
America's Presidents (free), Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery
Young Abraham Lincoln, Learn Around the World
The Pursuit of Liberty: the Revolutionary War and the Founding of America, VA Museum of History and Culture
Investigating the Lincoln Assassination with Detective McDevitt, Ford's Theater
George Washington and the French and Indian War (free), Fort Necessity National Battlefield
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, MARCH 2021
Teachers looking for ways to provide fresh content when celebrating the vital role of women in American history can infuse new excitement within their students through well-known historians and experts A sampling of the programming available include:
Women War Reporters: How They Wrote World "Herstory", Authors on Call
Votes for Women, MD Center for History & Culture
Women's History: Dirt on Their Skirts, National Baseball Hall of Fame
Activism in the Suffrage Movement (free), VA Museum of History
Women Who Paved the Way: Exploring Women Homesteaders and Suffragists (free), Homestead National Monument
EARTH DAY, APRIL 22, 2021
Educators can explore outside a school's traditional curriculum setting to experience a day that promotes environmental awareness and calls for the protection of our planet. A sampling of the programming available include:
Earth Day: Preserving Our Most Precious Resource, SOITA
Sustainable Solutions: Bioenergy and Bioproducts (free), Creative Discovery Museum
Exploring Earth Science, Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Planet Earth, Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology
Earth is Worth It!, East Central Ohio Ed. Service Center
Teachers, school administrators, parents and childcare professionals are encouraged to browse CILC's complete library of programs or register for a free membership at cilc.org.
About The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration
The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) was founded in 1994 as a nonprofit organization with a mission to connect K-12 schools to national and international museums, zoos and other cultural organizations. CILC was developed for teachers to easily identify quality educational programs and interactive virtual experiences. To date CILC has nearly 200 content providers, which offer standards-driven authentic, live programs evaluated by teachers for teachers. Through interactive learning and collaboration, providers help to expand opportunities for students of all ages to learn through engagement with more than 1,900 professionally delivered programs. For more information about how cultural organizations are considered for CILC's programming or to incorporate into a school's curriculum, please visit https://www.cilc.org/.
eSchool Media staff cover education technology in all its aspects–from legislation and litigation, to best practices, to lessons learned and new products. First published in March of 1998 as a monthly print and digital newspaper, eSchool Media provides the news and information necessary to help K-20 decision-makers successfully use technology and innovation to transform schools and colleges and achieve their educational goals.
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Tags black, black history, collaboration, day, educators, free, global, history, interactive, interactive learning, learning, month, preparation, virtual field trips, women

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


California is just weeks away from learning whether its test of the test will pass or fail.
For nearly 12 weeks, beginning March 25, more than 3 million students in grades 3 through 8 and 11 will take the computer-based Smarter Balanced field, or practice, test aligned to the Common Core State Standards in math and English. But instead of assessing students' skills, this year only, the exam – which was delayed a week from its previous March 18 start date – will be used to help officials evaluate the quality of the test questions to ensure that they're valid and fair for all students, and it will assess the adequacy of computers and technology linking the state's 10,000-plus schools to the Internet.
A grade 4 math practice question tests how well students understand factoring, divisibility and remainders. (Click to enlarge) Credit: Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium.
Student scores won't matter until next spring, when the online tests officially replace the California Standards Tests and other assessments that formed the state's Standardized Testing and Reporting program, known as STAR, for the past 15 years. Instead of the bubble-in, multiple-choice tests that have been the hallmark of standardized testing in the state, the online assessments will require students to demonstrate a deeper level of knowledge through persuasive writing, problem solving and explaining how they found their answers.
Judging by the numbers, California appears to have at least the minimum technology needed for the test. The latest figures from a survey conducted by the Department of Education show that 88 percent of school districts and 83 percent of schools are connected to the K-12 High Speed Network, a high-speed Internet connection for schools funded by the state Department of Education.
Behind the connectivity numbers, the standard of readiness is imprecise and inconsistent.
What is certain is that just being connected to the K-12 High Speed Network isn't enough. Hundreds of schools don't have sufficient computers, keyboards and headphones for all their students, or have sufficient bandwidth to run the data-heavy test that uses videos, animated graphics and interactive graphs in the questions. Some children will be bused to other schools in their district that have better computer access. Some campuses are leasing mobile computer labs. Still others are testing a few students at a time to avoid a network crash.
During this last mile before the field test, Sigman said the Educational Testing Service, ETS, a state contractor helping districts prepare for the field test, "has a team of people doing site visits and helping schools find creative solutions" to technological challenges.
California had the opportunity to take part in a free evaluation offered by the nonprofit EducationSuperHighway that would have identified schools without the necessary bandwidth to handle the Smarter Balanced field test, but decided against it. Completing the assessment would have taken each school a couple of minutes to log into the organization's speed test site and run the program. Founded by entrepreneur Evan Marwell, the organization received $9 million from the Gates and Zuckerberg foundations for its initiative to connect every school in the country to high-speed Internet.
California Department of Education spokesperson Tina Jung said the department opted out because it was focused on getting schools to complete the department's tech readiness survey, a self-reported inventory to determine if schools meet the minimum requirements for bandwidth, operating systems and available computers and other equipment.
"We were heavily promoting that, at the same time that the EducationSuperHighway came out. So we didn't want to overburden or confuse our schools during this critical time," Jung said.
In San Mateo County, 23 districts took the speed test and found the results helped pinpoint their connectivity needs. The County Office of Education asked the districts to participate as part of a larger project to develop models of teaching using technology. Overall, the county's schools are in better shape than those in most of the country, although only about a third of schools have adequate bandwidth for the field test, according to the EducationSuperHighway.
As a direct consequence of the speed test, San Mateo County districts on the borderline of readiness had time to improve their technology, said Brian Simmons, director of accountability, innovation and results for the County Office of Education.
There are still a few outliers. Simmons said some 5 to 10 percent of the districts will need support during testing, such as using portable computer labs and bringing in mobile hotspots to expand bandwidth.
A number of California districts are making do with MacGyver-like resourcefulness.
Cuyama Joint Unified School District serves about 240 students in a remote farming community surrounded by mountains in Santa Barbara County. As the crow flies, it's midway between Bakersfield, 64 miles to the east, and Santa Maria, 60 miles to the west, which is also the nearest link to the K-12 High Speed Network. As network cables lie, well, fuggedaboutit.
When testing begins, the 101 students in grades 3-8 at Cuyama Elementary School will be bused to the high school over several days to take the field test in Cuyama Valley High's computer lab.
Death Valley Unified School District, which covers 6,000 square miles of the Mojave Desert and has skimpy cell phone service, is going to test its 20 students one at a time, said Cindy Kazanis, director of educational data management at the California Department of Education. The math and English sections are each expected to take three to four hours to complete and districts say they'll spread that out over several days. Fortunately, at nearly 12 weeks, the window for the field test is long enough to do this.
Suburban Sacramento's Natomas Unified School District has limited bandwidth, said Kazanis, and found that it couldn't test classrooms next to each other without crashing the computers, so the district scheduled testing for every other classroom.
Matt Kinzie, chief technology officer for the nearly 57,000-student San Francisco Unified School District, said the district "is feeling pretty confident about the field test." About 15 schools don't have enough computers, so the district ordered laptops that can easily be moved from school to school during the testing period.
One potential pitfall is that San Francisco schools run at least three different operating systems: Apple, Windows and Google Chromebooks. The latter poses the biggest challenge because Chromebooks only operate in the cloud on Google's browser.
"I'm hoping we don't have the same experience as Obamacare," Kinzie joked, a reference to website woes that plagued the roll-out of the health care program.
Kazanis is also advising districts with minimum bandwidth to try to keep the network as open as possible during testing by holding off on some administrative tasks.
"Keep in mind that the networks are already being utilized to a certain capacity and this takes it above and beyond that, so part of the guidance that we've been giving is don't do your payroll Monday morning when getting ready to take the big test," Kazanis said.
The state does have emergency plans for the testing period in the event that a student presses a key and his or her screen goes blank, or the network freezes and there's no tech expert on site. ETS specialists will be on hand through a toll-free number on the California Technical Assistance website.
A common thread linking districts with technology gaps is money; more specifically, not enough of it.
San Francisco Unified has spent $836,000 this year for new computers, keyboards and headsets for testing, and has plans to buy 5,300 Apple computers next year to start standardizing the district on a single operating system.
Cuyama Joint Unified bought 28 new computers this year for the high school lab. Superintendent Roland Maier said he wants to add a lab at the elementary school and make other system upgrades, at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars.
Both districts used their portion of funds from the $1.25 billion one-time Common Core implementation grant that Gov. Jerry Brown put into the May budget revision last spring. That money, about $200 per student, could be used for technology, professional development and textbooks or other instructional materials.
Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, D-Concord, who advocated for the funding last year, said she's heard that appeal from many superintendents, principals and teachers. Earlier this month, she introduced legislation seeking another one-time round of transition funds to implement Common Core State Standards. Assembly Bill 2319 doesn't list a specific dollar amount, but in an interview, Bonilla said she'd like an additional $1.5 billion, which is what she had hoped for last year.
That will only cover half of what schools need to prepare for Common Core, contends Wes Smith, executive director of the Association of California School Administrators. ACSA is calling for two set-asides: $1.5 billion for technology and $1.25 billion for professional development, curriculum development and instructional materials.
He said superintendents told him they're worried that without adequate preparation California will "suffer the same fate as other states" – New York in particular, which caused a backlash against Common Core by testing students before they were ready.
Smith's fundamental concern, however, is the consequences of an unequal distribution of technology for the state's poorest students, and not just on the field test, but also having access to the full potential of the new standards. Technology skills, from basic keyboarding to research, are embedded throughout Common Core.
Low-income students and their schools could feel that deficit next spring when the Smarter Balanced assessment is graded. During the first three years of the actual exam, schools can give a traditional paper-and-pencil version, but those students will miss out on familiarizing themselves with the online version, which will be required in 2018, and they'll lose opportunities for personalized learning. The computerized version of the test is adaptive; it adjusts the difficulty of questions based on students' answers. That gives teachers more information about where their students need help.
"We don't see any world where that's equitable," Smith said.
State officials point out that the purpose of the field test is to get an accurate accounting of each school's technological capabilities before the exam has consequences so there's time to address the glitches.
Thank you for addressing the capacities of schools in providing up-to-date equipment for students. I remember my old elementary school not having the high quality computer tech, which made running online assessments difficult to operate. Thanks to your article maybe come more schools will be subsidized to buy newer computer equipment enabling kids everywhere to learn in the virtual classroom.
interaction with staff the key to successful learning.
for the new breed of employer for whom paper qualifications mean more than experience.
We are kidding ourselves with this "one time" money. Computers aren't one time purchases – they're a permanent commitment. The typical lifespan of a laptop computer is around 3 years, and the way they are being used, I would expect each to need a new $100 battery annually on average.
No one would try to run a private company of 250 computer users without a couple of full time IT staffers on site, but there's no new money to hire IT staff to support kids and teachers.
I appreciate that Ms. Baron went literally off the beaten path to query some of these off-the-network districts. Frankly, there's no excuse for the US to have any schools still lacking broadband access. It's a need not just for testing, but also for everyday operations of the district and for getting those kids as much access to the world as possible. Those districts already are likely doing without rich libraries and local subject matter experts; the least we can do is open a line of communication to places that do have them.


text:
Somebody to Love  is a 1994 American romantic-drama film directed by Alexandre Rockwell. It is inspired by Federico Fellini's Nights of Cabiria.  It entered the competition at the 51st Venice International Film Festival.

Premise
Mercedes (Rosie Perez) is a taxi dancer who wants to be an actress. She's involved with a married man named Harry (Harvey Keitel), who considers himself to be respected actor. Ernesto (Michael DeLorenzo) is in love with Mercedes, but he doesn't dance or have money.

Cast
 Rosie Perez as Mercedes
 Harvey Keitel as Harry Harrelson
 Anthony Quinn as Emillio
 Michael DeLorenzo as Ernesto
 Steve Buscemi as Mickey
 Stanley Tucci as George
 Gerardo Mejía as Armando
 Steven Randazzo as Nick
 Paul Herman as "Pinky"
 Samuel Fuller as Sam Silverman
 Quentin Tarantino as The Bartender
 Sam Rockwell as Polish Guy
 Victor Argo as Santa Claus
 Elizabeth Bracco as Taxi Dancer
 Brie Howard as Band Member
 Yul Vazquez as The Waiter

References

External links

1994 films
American romantic drama films
1994 romantic drama films
Films directed by Alexandre Rockwell
1990s English-language films
1990s American films

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Tying a detached deer hair body mayfly.
Another deer hair tutorial this time for a detached body. This body technique can be used for all types of detached bodies, daddy's, midges, caddis flies etc. So give it a go and put it to good use.
This entry was posted on January 8, 2017 by barryoc. It was filed under Uncategorized .
Thanks Gerard, I'll fix it!
what keeps flys tied with detached bodies, and order hair wings from falling over on the water. the weight/centre of gravity appears high above the hook.
Hi John, on most flies of this design the hook acts as a keel, like on a boat and keeps the fly up-right.
I really enjoy your site but cannot keep up with all your patterns due to a lack of ability (I am a very late convert to the 'gentle art') and materials. Although I am gradually building up a stock.
I was very impressed by your last pattern the deer hair body mayfly,and wondered if you produce flies for sale? I can see this being a really good pattern.
May I also thank you for the series on the "hare's mask", which was really enlightening. Although my wife is a bit dubious regarding the use of the coffee grinder!