The College Prep program at Grace Outreach will award the Darlene Jeris Scholarship, which includes $850 cash, to women ages 18-24 for the summer 2013, June 24 – July 30. This competitive program gears students to enter CUNY in fall 2013.
You must have either a high school diploma or a GED and going to a CUNY Community College in the fall to be eligible to apply. Stipend support is available.
Grace Outreach's College Prep program gives a group of 20 students intensive instruction to prepare for the COMPASS/remedial exams. Students who begin their college work with zero or only one remedial class have a MUCH better chance statistically of earning their associate’s degree within 3 years. Grace Outreach operates this special summer program as a member of the Bronx Opportunity Network (BON) consortium. The scholarship is named in honor of the founding executive director of Grace Outreach.
Apply now! The deadline is May 31 but prospective students are urged to submit their applications as early as possible as there is a huge demand for these seats.
For an application form, contact Lisa DeMun, Grace Outreach office manager, or call 718-328-0580 to receive a mailed or e-mailed copy. With questions, contact Carol Williams at carolw592@gmail.com.
“We believe that education is a right, not a privilege. That’s why we’re here: to empower women like you to exercise your right to continue your education and move towards financial independence.
By deciding to continue your education, you are making an investment in your future. Our program is all about women helping women help themselves, and designed to ensure your success by providing individualized support each step along the way.
Here you learn from each other – without any outside distractions – and leave with the tools and self confidence that translate to your children, your family and your community.”
-- Margaret Grace, Grace Outreach Board Co-Chair
More About the Grace Outreach D. Jeris Scholarship
The scholarship offers you three things:
Payments of $400 as you complete the requirements for a summer prep program and join first semester activities at a CUNY college.
A Grace Outreach college counselor will help you to succeed in your first year at a CUNY college, and you will gain membership in a great peer program.
Training this summer (prep program) to improve Math and Writing in order to master the CUNY Skills ACT/COMPASS Placement Test.
Eligibility
You must be a GED graduate of Grace Outreach or a high school graduate by June 2013
You must be a female within the age range of 16- 24 and a resident of New York State
You must apply to a CUNY College
Entry Requirements
Fill out a GO scholarship application
Attend an interview
Participate in the GO Summer Program and a fall college support/study group
The deadline for the application is May 31, 2013; pick up an application form from Lisa DeMun, Grace Outreach Office Manager, or call 718-328-0580 to receive a mailed or e-mailed copy.
Award of your Scholarship
Grace Outreach is awarding a total of $850 in cash to 18 students
20 hours a week of college prep with a total payment of $400 by the end of the summer
Payments when you meet your first semester college goals
St. John's University Department of Fine Arts presents:
2013 BFA Thesis Exhibition
The Department of Fine Arts is proud to announce the opening of the BFA Thesis Exhibition 2013. This exhibit is organized by the Department of Fine Arts and is presented with the cooperation of Dorsky Gallery Curatorial Programs at their location in Long Island City. This is the third year of this collaboration between St. John's University and Dorsky Gallery Curatorial Programs.
The work of this year’s thesis exhibition embraces diverse creative techniques and strategies that range from photography and video to drawing and sculpture and from the deeply personal to the broadly cultural.
DORSKY GALLERY | Curatorial Programs is pleased to host St. John's University Department of Fine Arts 2013 BFA Thesis Exhibition featuring Brittany Culotta, David Hwang, Minh Dao Nguyen, Kenneth Pizzo, Deanna Rizzi, Jessica Speaks and Raphael Thomas.
DORSKY GALLERY | Curatorial Programs (DGCP) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that presents independently-curated exhibitions of contemporary art. Working with curators, writers, and art historians, DGCP aims to illuminate and deepen the public's understanding and appreciation of issues and trends in contemporary art.
It’s not uncommon to find peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or products consisting of eggs and wheat in the school or summer camp cafeteria, but for many children who suffer with food allergies, these products can raise high concerns. According to The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), 8 percent of U.S. kids have been diagnosed with food allergies and every 3 minutes, a food allergy reaction occurs. With food allergies on the rise, it’s extremely important for parents to inform teachers and staff of their child’s allergies, as well as take precaution into their own hands.
Hope Paige has created new, fashionable, and affordable medical bracelets for children to remain safe when suffering with food allergies when away at summer camp, in the classroom, on a field trip or a play date at a friend’s house. These ID bracelets are stylish and easily blend in with everyday pieces, but during a time of need, will stand out to medical professionals. With fun colors, styles and a personalization option, these bracelets will allow any child to show off their personal style with a one-of-a-kind bracelet while staying safe.
In addition to the bracelets, Hope Paige has created an infographic illustrating the amount of children suffering from allergies who will be attending summer camp this year.
The senseless violence at the Boston Marathon is upsetting to all of us, and it’s particularly painful to watch the videos and see the photos of yesterday’s events. Our hearts go out to those affected by this tragedy, as well as their families and loved ones.
I wish I could tell you how to protect your students from fear and pain — I can’t. They may have learned that some of the victims were children like them, or seen the disturbing images. What I can do is share some thoughts on how to help them process these events in the healthiest way.
It’s important for you to acknowledge the event and give your students an opportunity to express their feelings about it. You should invite, but not force, questions, and answer them as simply as possible, in a developmentally appropriate way. It’s likely that some of your students will be worried about their own safety; you can respond to this by reassuring them that incidents like these are very rare.
Keep in mind that this won't be the last time you talk about this tragedy; coming to terms with this will take time, and can involve transitioning to positive ways your class or school can act to bring comfort to the people in Boston.
If you think that one of your students has been seriously impacted, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Child Mind Institute (212.308.3118). A collection of our trauma resources for parents and teachers can be found on childmind.org here.
Echoes and Reflections is an award-winning, comprehensive and interdisciplinary curriculum on the Holocaust. Provide your teachers with excellent professional development from the leading Holocaust education program. Comprehensive, meaningful, integrated, and convenient, the Echoes and Reflections program offers classroom-ready materials for middle and high school teachers, PD credit, and a copy of the curriculum at no cost.
The program includes everything educators need to teach the complex issues of the Holocaust to 21st century students. Its modular curriculum design features classroom ready-materials — the photographs, artwork, diary entries, government documents and other primary source materials help high school and middle school students build an authentic and complete portrait of the past.
The DVD of Visual History Testimony includes experiences of survivors, rescuers, liberators and other witnesses, thereby individualizing the history of the Holocaust while challenging students to examine their own personal narratives. A comprehensive website provides resources to supplement the materials found in the curriculum and to enhance both teachers' and students' experiences with Echoes and Reflections.
IWitness enables teachers and their students to explore 1,000 video testimonies from Holocaust survivors and other witnesses, including all of the testimonies and video clips in Echoes and Reflections, along with supporting activities and resources that help build literacies needed in the 21st century.
During his sophomore year, Charlie Margaritis learned of gross human rights violations during the ongoing war in Uganda. In that conflict, tens of thousands of children were abducted, enslaved or murdered. He could not remain a bystander. He chose another path – to become an Upstander. He educated his peers about the conflict and reached out to “Invisible Children” in San Diego. He decided to organize a school-wide assembly at which the representative of “Invisible Children” spoke about the crisis in Uganda. A Southampton High School Chapter of Invisible Children grew out of the assembly, spearheaded by Charlie who remains its President. He also founded and is President of Key Club International at his school.
Charlie has widened the scope of his activism to try not only to help the children of Uganda, but to stop the war altogether. He lobbied Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, to keep military advisors in Central Africa. He joined MoveDC last November in Washington, DC to raise awareness about Uganda and to support the President’s ground-breaking legislation identifying Joseph Kony as a war criminal. In addition, last summer, Charlie attended a peace and leadership conference titled “Fourth Estate.”
“Charlie’s activism is an example to us all of how we can effect change from wherever we currently stand,” said Dr. Sarah Cushman, Director of Youth Programs. #
Each month the Center accepts nominations from teachers, civic leaders, family and friends of a Long Island youth that has implemented the Center’s mission by advocating respect for all people. To nominate a student for “Upstander of the Month” or learn more, email Dr. Cushman at sarahcushman@holocaust-nassau.org.
College costs vary in many ways from undergrad to graduate; in-state and out-of-state; private and public. The rising costs of colleges doesn't make the choice of finding an affordable college easier, nor does it alleviate the rise of student debt. However, having the right information on what it takes to finance a college education is a start.
As the
Head of The Windward School, which serves students with language-based
learning disabilities, I am distressed, but not at all surprised, by the
results of a recent survey that was conducted by The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD).
The
Survey of Public Perceptions of Learning Disabilities was conducted in
August 2012 by Lindberg International, which collected data from a
random sampling of approximately 2000 adults across the United States
via an online survey. These are a few examples of the results:
Many respondents (43 percent) wrongly think that learning disabilities are correlated with IQ.
Nearly
a quarter of respondents (22 percent) think learning disabilities can
be caused by too much time spent watching television; 31 percent believe
a cause is poor diet; 24 percent believe a cause is childhood
vaccinations (none are factors).
Over half of the respondents (55 percent) wrongly believe that corrective eyewear can treat certain learning disabilities.
Over a third of respondents (34 percent) believe that students with a learning disability harm the overall classroom experience.
Over a third of parents (36 percent) said that their child's school inadequately measured for learning disabilities.
Over two-thirds of parents (64 percent) said that their child's school doesn't provide information on learning disabilities.
This
sampling is thought to be representative of the American population.
While these results are clearly cause for concern, the experiences of
learning disabled students and their parents with education
professionals are far more troubling.
Over
just the past few years, I have encountered hundreds of cases where
families were given unacceptable responses to children's learning issues
from school professionals who were supposed to be assisting them. A few
examples will illustrate the scope of the problem. One Windward parent
had her child evaluated by her local school district. The psychologist
who conducted the testing reported to the parent that her son could not
be learning disabled because "his IQ scores are too high." Another
parent of a bright kindergarten student confided to her daughter's
teacher at a respected independent school that she was concerned because
her child seemed to be struggling with the alphabet. After being told
by the teacher not to worry and to give the child "the gift" of another
year, the family had the girl evaluated privately and was told that she
was dyslexic. The family was relieved to have identified the problem and
happily shared the results with her school in expectation that the
school would be able to address the girl's learning disability. Instead,
the school told the family that it would be impossible for their
daughter to continue there.
Far
too frequently learning disabled students directly suffer significant
negative consequences due to misconceptions that poorly informed
teachers have about learning disabilities. One Windward student wrote: "At my former school, if I didn't answer a question correctly, the other
students would laugh at me and I would feel very stupid and
embarrassed. Being different felt awful." Another student wrote: "Imagine going to school everyday and praying that you won't be called
up to read.... Imagine knowing that you try your best in school every
day but still have report cards that say you are failing, not trying and
need to start making an effort in school." No child should ever have
these horrible memories of school!
Unfortunately
these are not isolated cases and the damage is not limited to emotional
scars. Between 10 to 20 percent of all students are learning disabled
and dyslexia is the most common of the language-based learning
disabilities. Countless studies confirm that there is a wide gap between
the instructional programs that these students currently receive in
public and private schools and the research-based program that they need
to be successful. Abysmal results on standardized tests of reading
provide stark evidence of the lack of effective instruction for all
disabled students including those with language-based disabilities such
as dyslexia. On the 2011 administration of the National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP) 68 percent of disabled 4th graders and 65
percent of disabled students in grade 8 scored below the basic level.
According to NAEP, "fourth-grade students performing at the Basic level
should be able to locate relevant information, make simple inferences,
and use their understanding of the text to identify details that support
a given interpretation or conclusion." NAEP reports that "eighth-grade
students performing at the Basic level should be able to locate
information; identify statements of main idea, theme, or author's
purpose; and make simple inferences from texts." More simply put, basic
level reading skills are the minimum skills necessary to be successful
in secondary school. Results on the New York Sate English Language Arts
(ELA) exams are equally dismal. On the 2011 version of the ELA 84
percent of all disabled students in grades 3-8 were found to be below
proficient in their reading skills.
The
scope of the problem is enormous. In schools across the country,
bright, capable, learning disabled students face plummeting
self-confidence simply because there is a lack of understanding about
their true capabilities. They are threatened with academic frustration
and outright failure simply because they are not receiving appropriate
research-based instruction. At Windward we have clear, unequivocal
evidence that students with language-based learning disabilities can
succeed. Windward is committed to making research-based instruction the
norm for all students rather than the rare exception that it is today
and to dispelling the harmful misconceptions about learning disabilities
that are so common among the general public and educators. Clearly,
Windward alone cannot accomplish these ambitious goals. We believe that
it is time to elevate the discussion of dyslexia and language-based
learning disabilities to a national level so that the vast potential of
learning disabled students can be realized in every school.
One-third of college students transfer at least once, but often, their credits don't transfer with them. It's an issue that not only prolongs the path to a degree, but sinks students deeper into debt, lessens their chances of successful college completion and spends taxpayer dollars unnecessarily. It can also be demoralizing to the students.
Some state legislatures are taking action in the issue, but the reforms take time to gain support and to implement, and come with their own problems.
"Time is the enemy of college completion," reports Complete College America, based on the advocacy organization's findings that only 61 percent of full-time students seeking a four-year bachelor's degree actually earn the degree in 8 years.
State funding based on enrollment means that universities have no financial incentive to help their students move on, and the transfer credit process itself can be complex and lengthy. Much of it is fueled by a sense of competition, perhaps an unwillingness for colleges to accept that courses outside of their own classrooms are comparable to the quality of the education students could receive elsewhere, some experts propose.
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) welcomed administrators and guests of The Windward School including Head of the School, Dr. John J. Russell, a group of trustees, colleagues and distinguished guests as they rang The Closing Bell to bring increased awareness about children with language-based learning disabilities and dyslexia as well as to highlight the school’s plans to build an additional campus in Manhattan.
Language-based learning disabilities, including dyslexia, affect 1 in every 5 students. These children are faced with serious academic challenges that present barriers to their academic and future success. As language competency is central to all aspects of academic, social and emotional growth, Windward is committed to helping students achieve their full potential. The school’s proven program enables 98 percent of its students to go on to perform in the average to above-average range, when they successfully return to mainstream schools.
The new campus will provide over 350 additional children each year with the opportunity to experience the transformative power of a Windward education. It will also increase the school’s recognition and reputation, firmly establishing it as the preeminent school for children with dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities. Additionally, it will provide educators from the New York metropolitan area and beyond with greater access to Windward’s renowned Teacher Training Institute (WTTI). The institute provides professional development in research-based instructional strategies that are essential to the remediation of language-based learning disabilities as well as scientifically validated research in child development, learning theory and pedagogy.
Windward is a coeducational, independent day school dedicated to providing a proven research-based instructional program to children with language-based learning disabilities. The school’s multisensory curriculum is designed for students of average to superior intelligence who can benefit from the unique educational experience provided. Through direct instruction in small class settings, a highly trained staff assists students to improve their language skills. Academic success, combined with opportunities for social and emotional growth within an intentionally diverse and inclusive setting, enables students to understand their learning styles, build self-confidence, and develop self-advocacy skills. Windward is committed to helping students achieve their full potential in preparation for a successful return to a mainstream environment.
Located in White Plains, New York, Windward has two campuses: a Lower School campus for grades 1-4 and a Middle School campus serving grades 5-9. Windward is nationally recognized for developing instructional programs designed specifically to help children achieve language proficiency and is fully accredited by both the State of New York Education Department and the New York State Association of Independent Schools.
NYSE was proud to help The Windward School elevate the discussion of dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities to a national level.
See the difference Windward makes: watch students’ stories of how they’ve succeeded following their time at Windward.
Early in my career, before “Science Experiments You Can Eat” was published in 1972, I contracted to write a book on how money works for a series called "Stepping Stone Books." I had written a few books called “First Books” for Franklin Watts (now an imprint of Hachette) but this assignment was with a new publisher, Parents’ Magazine Press (which apparently no longer exists). I entitled my book “Making Sense of Money,” and set about creating it. I remember that it was a struggle. I had to educate myself in economics (not my strong suit) and actually read (plowed through) Adam Smith’s “Wealth of Nations.” I labored long and hard before I finally sent it off to my editor (now long deceased). She returned the manuscript with a cover letter so scathing that I destroyed it (now, I wish I hadn’t) but I well remember her searing criticism: “Your manuscript shows little thought or care. Writing for children is a serious business. You have a lot of nerve thinking you can do this.” The returned script was covered with blue pencil. (Daggers to the heart!) My husband was outraged. He thought I should tell her to go do something unmentionable. “But we need the money,” I said.
So here’s what I did. By return mail I wrote:
Dear Lillian:
Thank you for your comments. I’m sorry that I disappointed you. I hope my next attempt comes closer to your expectations.
I couldn't look at the script for three weeks. Then I bit the bullet, took myself by the scruff of my neck, and forced myself to rewrite, paying close attention to every comment, conceding to her language whenever possible. My pain and efforts paid off. The book was published and I went on to write three more for her. A number of other authors, more prominent than I, also worked for her in the Stepping Stone series. When I read their books I noticed that we all sounded exactly alike. Lillian stifled each author’s voice with her heavy-handed blue pencil to create a uniform style in a multi-author series. Clearly, she knew how to shape us up to fulfill her vision for the books. (Now, when I want an example of bad writing to show students, I use the first paragraph of one of those books.)
That was my first clash with an editor, but not the last. Over the years I have fought many battles for various creative aspects for my work; won some and lost some. But I don’t think I’m unique. My personal story is representative of countless editorial skirmishes many other nonfiction authors have also engaged in, initially to gain a place at the table as professionals and then later as we keep pushing the envelope to make our genre a true art form.
In 2009 an editor told me that my submission didn't meet National Education Curriculum Standards and she sent me the link so that I could read them. My first reaction: steam came out of my ears. My book met seven out of eight standards! My second reaction: I can’t do this alone. I’ll bet there’s help out there from other authors. So I founded iNK Think Tank from the wonderful and extraordinarily talented community that is the Interesting Nonfiction for Kids blog (I.N.K.) founded in 2008 and now in its sixth year: a small but mighty band dedicated to bringing the books and wisdom of nonfiction authors into the classroom.
Fast forward to 2013:
The “21st Century Children’s Nonfiction Conference” will take place on the weekend of June 14-16 in SUNY, New Paltz. Bender Richardson White (BRW), a nonfiction book packager in the UK, is the main corporate sponsor. But iNK Think Tank is also a corporate sponsor. (How ‘bout that!) The conference will provide editorial coaching workshops for new authors, networking for established authors, a forum for nonfiction publishers to discuss the changes in the marketplace, and strategies for teachers for using nonfiction in their classrooms as mandated by the Common Core State Standards. Lionel Bender, founder of BRW, asked me to review an editorial he was preparing for “Publishing Perspectives” a British online magazine. (I’m now editing an editor; how ‘bout that!) His editorial, published on March 25, is called “Children’s Nonfiction Publishing Comes of Age." On the Saturday morning of the conference, I will be telling my story of the evolution of our genre, “Winning the Nonfiction War,” as the keynote speaker. Hopefully, it will pull more recruits into our cause. Understanding the real world and the various disciplines that explain and describe it needs more than an encyclopedia (or even a wikipedia) and textbooks. It requires many voices and a subtext of humanity.
The name on my birth certificate is, “Vicki Linda;” it means “beautiful victory.” Hmmmmm…..
Vicki Cobb is the author of more than 85 nonfiction books for children, and a regular blogger with Education Update. Read more from Vicki Cobb, including her complete blog archives, here.
The Hechinger Report published an excellent in-depth article on chapter leaders in the United Federation of Teachers. The piece is part of an ongoing series in conjunction with Gotham Schools. In this installment, Emma Sokoloff-Rubin writes:
The UFT is a politically powerful organization with millions of dollars at its disposal and sweeping campaigns that aim to make change at the highest levels of education policy. But at the heart of all of the spending and lobbying is the union’s contract with the city....
For all of the conflict the contract elicits, it has meaning on the ground only if someone enforces its terms. That job falls to the small army of “chapter leaders.” who represent the union at each school, and who are many teachers’ only contact with their union.
Sokoloff-Rubin explores the role of chapter leaders, their responsibilities and challenges. In a nutshell:
"The first task of any chapter leader is to help his or her colleagues understand their rights and responsibilities."
"They must also ensure that the contract’s terms are respected," by navigating relationships with school administrators, which are especially sensitive in the face of limited resources as they confront issues surrounding class size and teacher evaluations. When a compromise cannot be reached, chapter leaders may file grievances on behalf of their teachers and must offer their unconditional support for individual grievances.
"Chapter leaders are also expected to support broader efforts to safeguard the profession," including the union's substantial political work. Chapter leaders participate and engage their members in activities such as rallies, lobbying and election efforts as well as mediate tensions within the chapter.
"All of the educating, enforcing, and engaging is supposed to get done in just a few hours each week," and though chapter leaders are excused from some of the responsibilities required of their colleagues, the "time to field questions, juggle grievances, and get political," is frequently a substantial commitment.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM EDUCATION UPDATE'S BLOGGERS
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) welcomed administrators and guests of 
