Madison High math team improving scores

A national publication recently compiled nine graphs showing data about problems teachers face, including collaboration time and salaries.( Stephanie Yao Long/The Oregonian) (Stephanie Yao Long)

A report from a national education publication has put many problems teachers face into a collection of user-friendly graphs.

Ross Brenneman,anassistant editor with Education Week Teacher,compiled nine chartsaddressing different issues in teaching last year. The charts pull data from multiple sources, including the National Center for Education Statisticsand the Center for American Progress.

The charts look at why teachers leave, the role of collaboration and salary growth, among other topics. The report compares teachers among states and also places the U.S. in an international perspective.

A few examples of findings featured in the report:

You can find the full reporthere.

--Laura Frazier

lfrazier@oregonian.com

503-294-4035;@frazier_laura

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Report sheds light on why teachers quit, salary growth and other education issues

Published on January 08, 2015 Break-ins, thefts from vehicles and sheds a problem in recent weeks

By KAREN WELLS TC Media Over the last four weeks there have been a number of break and enters reported to the RCMP in Lewisporte.

For the most part the targets have been unlocked vehicles and sheds in the Lewisporte area.

Vehicles in parking lots as well as private driveways have been hit.

They are looking for unlocked vehicles, said Cpl. Larry Turner. They walk along and try the door quickly to see if it will open. If not, they move on to the next vehicle.

Loose change, CDs, phones and other electronic devices such as satellite radios have been stolen from vehicles.

Anything portable is being taken, said Turner.

In two other recent thefts, a truck was stolen and recovered by the RCMP and a dirt bike was taken but located by the owner.

Const. Mark House said tools and gas are being stolen from sheds.

The police say people should be wary if theyre approached by someone selling similar items.

Read more here:
Lewisporte residents advised to take precautions

Chris Angel, 46, put on weight while living in America for 20 years He lived on a diet of takeaways and junk food and did no exercise at all Ballooned to 22st and couldn't walk for more than 15 minutes Woke up one night last January believing he was having a heart attack GP said he had high blood pressure and was on brink of type 2 diabetes Decided to lose weight using a smartphone app which counts calories Lost nearly 9st in a year and can now easily achieve a seven mile walk

By Madlen Davies for MailOnline

Published: 08:10 EST, 8 January 2015 | Updated: 13:12 EST, 8 January 2015

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A father whose weight ballooned to 22st, prompting teenagers to shout fat git at him in the street, has managed to lose nearly 9st in a year thanks to a smartphone app.

Chris Angel, 46, had become so overweight one night he was convinced he was having a heart attack, as his diet of fried foods, takeaways, dessert and beer had left him in poor health.

He suffered crippling back pain from the strain of carrying his large stomach around, and couldnt walk for longer than 15 minutes without getting out of breath.

After doctors warned he was on the brink of type 2 diabetes, had high blood pressure, and faced a lifetime of medication, he decided to lose weight.

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Father called a 'fat git' by teenagers sheds NINE stone in a year using NutraCheck app

The peso weakened against the dollar on Wednesday after the data on US non-manufacturing index in 2014 helped the greenback to strengthen.

The local currency depreciated by P0.115 to 45.045:$1 from 44.93 Tuesday.

"Although the US non-manufacturing index for the month of December revealed a bigger decline than expected, the average for the whole 2014 was the highest in nine years which influenced Dollar appreciation," MetisEtrade Inc. analyst Cherica Vicente said in an e-mailed commentary on Wednesday.

She said the expectation that the Federal Reserve's minutes of the meeting "will reveal policy makers are moving toward raising interest rates" helped the dollar to strengthen.

It is expected to be released Wednesday night.

"The minutes could provide the views that influence the central banks forward guidance," Vicente noted. Kathryn Mae P. Tubadeza/BM, GMA News

See the article here:
Peso sheds 11.5 centavos on favorable US data

TALLAHASSEE Florida environmentalists want lawmakers to steer $80 million a year into protecting Floridas springs and $150 million into buying new environmentally threatened landscapes.

But dividing $757.7 million next year between competing priorities -- such as protecting ecosystems and retiring leaky septic tanks polluting springs in Central Florida could be a months-long political fight.

The green groups including Audubon of Florida, Florida Wildlife Federation and others made their pitch to a Senate panel Wednesday that got updated and higher tallies for how much the amendment will require to be spent on conservation under the Amendment 1 mandate voters overwhelmingly passed last November.

The Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee took up those questions without signaling how policymakers may prefer to divide the massive amount of dollars in play. Thanks to a recovering economy and more real estate transaction tax revenues, Senate staff said Wednesday the amendment would now devote $22.6 billion to water and conservation spending over the next two decades.

Were going to have a lot of room at the table, said Chairman Charlie Dean, R-Inverness.

At the same time, legislature leaders from Metro Orlando have already signaled they plan to pursue a comprehensive water-policy overhaul as part of implementing Amendment 1. That could require substantial new regulations over wastewater-treatment plants, farmers, septic tanks and development projects.

Were not here just to acquire land, said Senate Rules Chairman David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs. The goal of course is at the end of the day to preserve our pristine environment here.

Simmons was one of a cadre of Republicans last year that pushed a plan to do just that.

The Senate plan which died in the House would have required local governments, the Department of Environmental Protection, and water management districts identify the worst leaking septic tanks and require their replacement with the state footing the entire cost. Wastewater treatment plants would have to dramatically cut the amount of nitrogen in treated waters by 2019.

Agricultural operations would have been required to use best management practices instead of just being urged to use them. And water management districts would not be allowed to approve new permits from drawing water from springs, rivers and the aquifer if they have any negative impact on flows.

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Lots of cooks in Amendment 1 conservation kitchen

Back in late December, a sewage leak erupted on the corner of Bonaire Boulevard and South Shore Street in the Bayside subdivision and caused raw sewage to flood Bonaire Boulevard.

It flooded our whole street, said Bayside resident Ben Martin, who expressed concern for his familys health and safety.

That afternoon my daughter came home with her soiled clothes in a bag, he continued. She had to change clothes at a neighbors.

Martin added that the school bus drops off kids at the same corner where the sewage leak occurred, causing some of them to come in contact with the material.

South Walton Utility Co., Inc. in Miramar Beach was contacted shortly after and fixed the sewer leak.

Martin said that instead of cleaning up the sewage, the utility company poured hydrated lime on the street and driveways to treat the sewage that remained.

Since the incident, Martin added that the lime and sewage has become a nuisance for residents on Bonaire.

Kids play every day on the street and people try to walk their dogs. It's hard to believe that this is the appropriate response for a sewage spill, said Martin.

Many residents have tried hosing their driveways and the street, but most of the lime and sewage still remains.

Martin said that some of his neighbors have called to complain about the clean-up but have not received a response.

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Bayside residents dissatisfied with sewage cleanup

Napa, CA (PRWEB) January 08, 2015

Chatterbox Wine Marketing Services, the wine industry leader in relationship-based telesales and tasting room reservation management through VinoVisit.com, has announced multiple new Omni-channel services that will support winery DTC and digital marketing efforts. In addition to Chatterbox Voice, which has assisted wineries in driving relationship-based telesales for over 5 years, new services such as Chatterbox Mail, Mobile, Social, SEO, Direct Mail, and Tasting Room Abandonment will enable clients to utilize marketing best practices for reaching customers in every step of their DTC journey.

Consumers demand a seamless purchasing experience. From social interactions to phone transactions, Omni-channel solutions are the only way to ensure you are reaching the consumer where, when, and how they want to be contacted. We are focused on delivering services that help our winery clients leverage best practices that can immediately improve every area that touches their existing and prospective customers, said Ron Scharman, COO of Chatterbox Wine Marketing Services.

Overview of Chatterboxs New Services:

Availability: All of Chatterbox Wine Marketings Omni-channel solutions are available now exclusively for clients. For information regarding services and pricing contact:

Chris Pappe, VP of Sales at (707)-556-2303 or Chris(at)chatterboxwinemarketing(dot)com

In the Spotlight: Chatterbox will be at the following 2015 trade shows to discuss services in detail to attendees: Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium (Concord, CA January, 14-15, 2015), Oregon Wine Symposium (Portland, OR February, 24-25), Wine Business Monthly Innovation and Quality (St. Helena, CA March, 4, 2015), WIVI (Paso Robles, CA March, 17-18, 2015), and Eastern Winery Expo (Syracuse, NY March 17-18, 2015)

Recap: Who Chatterbox Wine Marketing Services What New Omni-channel Services: Voice, Email, Mobile, Social, SEO, Direct Mail, Tasting Room Abandonment When Available now exclusively to clients Where Services are available to all wine regions in North America How Much Performance based pricing. Contact Chris Pappe, VP of Sales at (707)-556-2303 or Chris(at)chatterboxwinemarketing(dot)com for more details

About Chatterbox Wine Marketing Services

Chatterbox Wine Marketing Services is a Napa-based company founded in 2009 that offers relationship-based wine telesales, visitor reservation and guest management, and other consumer direct marketing services exclusively for the wine industry. The company serves a growing list of well-known established, and up and coming brands, that require high-touch services in marketing their wines to consumers. http://www.chatterboxwinemarketing.com.

Read more:
Chatterbox Wine Marketing Services Launches New Winery Omni-Channel Marketing Services and Website

DECATUR Long-awaited renovations to the Beach House restaurant are slated for completion by early summer.

Restaurant owner Todd Mason said the project is targeted to wrap up by June 1, but Decatur Park District Executive Director Bill Clevenger cautioned that the progress will be very weather dependent.

The project will focus on the restaurant's exterior, including the foundation and aging deck, and will add ramps that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mason said the public could expect to see an outdoor dining and bar area with space for entertainment.

In the big picture, the most exciting thing is that this is just one step towards the greater redevelopment of the entire lakefront, Mason said. The forward movement of this entire plan is so important to this community.

The park district's board of commissioners awarded a $760,000 contract for the work to CAD Construction in October 2013, with the understanding that Mason, the park district and the city of Decatur would split the cost of the work.

However, the end of 2013 was a rough time for the city's finances, with then-City Manager Ryan McCrady forced to eliminate 20 positions by the beginning of 2014 to balance the budget.

Ultimately, the Decatur City Council did not vote to contribute to the project until December of the following year. Officials specified that the city's portion of the money would pay for accessibility needs and improvements to the public area on the lower level.

The park district owns the Great Depression-era building that houses the restaurant. Mason owns the business.

Construction is expected to be staged in such a way that the restaurant will remain open throughout, Mason said.

Clevenger said the park district also plans to spend roughly $50,000 this year to renovate the Beach House restrooms, which also serve as public restrooms for lakefront users. That project is separate from the renovations to the exterior, he said.

Read the original:
Beach House continues wave of Nelson Park work

By Pamela Willis Wednesday January 7, 2015 11:08 AM View Larger

A new strategic plan, a major remodeling project at Tremont Elementary School and continued efforts to trim department budgets are all on the 2015 agenda for Upper Arlington City Schools.

Superintendent Paul Imhoff said the 2015-2018 strategic plan, approved at the Dec. 9 school board meeting, will move immediately into its first phase of implementation this year.

"We are really excited to begin the implementation of our new strategic plan," he said. "We used a new approach to the planning process this time, one that combines the best from both the private sector and the public sector."

He said the district used the traditional public-sector approach of using feedback and ideas from its stakeholders, but also created a private-sector type plan that was "focused and results-oriented with clear, measurable goals."

Five goals of plan

"This plan is really about what matters most for our students," he said. "The five goals provide focus areas that relate to efficiency, accountability and academic results, which are the themes that came through loud and clear during our community conversations last year."

He said the five goals listed in the plan -- performance, personalization, accountability, efficiency and ownership -- resonate with district educators "because they allow us to focus our efforts on what will make the biggest difference in the classroom."

Imhoff said the district will establish an implementation work group and plan; focus on developing a quality profile; and hear feedback about the implementation of the plan during the first six months of 2015.

He said the quality profile will answer the question, "What is the best way for Upper Arlington schools to define, measure and communicate the educational quality and performance of the district?"

Read the original here:
Part of district's strategic plan goes into effect

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