THE PORT ANGELES GLOBE: 10/24/17

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Senator Murray: “Secretary DeVos Needs to Stop These Outrageous Delays and Start Providing Relief” to Defrauded Students

Press release issued 10/ 20/ 17
https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=22C022BB-EBC4-46EA-8CEE-58361D038824
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee released the following statement on Secretary DeVos’ decision to further delay the effective date of the “borrower defense” rule for another two years, which provides relief to students who have been defrauded by predatory for-profit colleges, including Corinthian Colleges. In June, Secretary DeVos delayed implementation of the rule, which was set to go into effect July 1, 2017. Today’s notice delays the borrower defense rule until at least July 1, 2019.

“Given the significant number of former for-profit college executives employed by the Department of Education, it’s no surprise Secretary DeVos is doubling down on her commitment to put corporations’ bottoms lines ahead of students and borrowers’ best interests. Instead of giving predatory corporations the green light to continue to take advantage of students, Secretary DeVos needs to stop these outrageous delays and start providing relief to the tens of thousands of students who have been cheated out of their education and savings.”

Our SCHOOLS 2017...

WH: First Lady Melania Trump to Kick Off the “Week of Inclusion” at Michigan Middle School
Press release issued 10/ 23/ 17
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/10/23/first-lady-melania-trump-kick-week-inclusion-michigan-middle-school
First Lady Melania Trump and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos will visit Orchard Lake Middle School in West Bloomfield, Michigan to kick off the “Week of Inclusion,” part of National Bullying Prevention Month.

During her visit, Mrs. Trump will spend time in the school’s Viking Huddle Class, a 6th grade classroom that focuses on social emotional learning. The First Lady and Mrs. DeVos will observe and participate in lessons about respecting others, kindness, and inclusion.

In addition to classroom participation, Mrs. Trump will visit with 7th and 8th grade students in the school's cafeteria in an effort to bring awareness to “No One Eats Alone,” a concept that seeks to reverse the trends of social isolation by asking students to engage in simple acts of kindness - such as making sure that no one is eating alone and students are making an effort to eat with new classmates and peers.

“As part of my ongoing commitment to the overall well-being of children, I am looking forward to today’s visit,” stated First Lady Melania Trump. “By our own example, we must teach children to be good stewards of the world they will inherit. We need to remember that they are always watching and listening. It is our responsibility to take the lead in teaching children the values of empathy and communication that are at the core of kindness, mindfulness, integrity, and leadership.”

US DEPT. OF EDUCATION: Osso VR Chosen as Winner in EdSim Challenge
Press release issued 10/ 19/ 17
https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/osso-vr-chosen-winner-edsim-challenge

Today, the U.S. Department of Education announced the winner in the EdSim Challenge, a competition to design the next-generation of simulations that strengthen career and technical education.
The EdSim Challenge called upon the virtual reality, video game developer and educational technology communities to submit concepts for immersive simulations that will prepare students for a globally competitive workforce and spur an ecosystem of virtual and augmented reality technology in education.
Five finalists were selected out of an impressive 249 submissions. Each finalist received $50,000 in cash as well as in-kind prizes donated by Oculus and Samsung and refined their submissions during the Virtual Accelerator. Finalists presented playable prototypes to the judges at Demo Day at the end of the Virtual Accelerator phase.
"All five finalists' solutions highlight the potential of virtual and augmented reality for teaching and learning in unique and powerful ways" said Michael E. Wooten, deputy assistant secretary for career, technical, and adult education.

The winner is:

Osso VR: A hands-on surgical training platform that enables users to practice cutting edge techniques through realistic, hands-on simulations, bridging the gap between career exploration and career preparation.
The winner was recommended by a panel of judges with expertise in education, gaming, workforce development, emerging technology and venture capital.
Osso VR will win $430,000 in cash and additional in-kind prizes from IBM and Microsoft.
Wooten added, "Osso VR's immersive environment will enhance the career and technical education students are receiving along their career pathways in the healthcare field."
The EdSim Challenge is part of a series of prize competitions that aim to spur development of new technology, products and resources that will prepare students for the high-skill, high-wage and high-demand occupations of tomorrow. The series is funded by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006.

US Dept. of Education blog: Vocational Rehabilitation Success Story: George (Burt) Petley
Posted 10/ 18/ 17
https://blog.ed.gov/2017/10/vocational-rehabilitation-success-story-george-burt-petley/

Note: In recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA), a State VR agency which receives funding from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services’ Rehabilitation Services Administration, is pleased to share Burt’s success story.

Burt began his path to employment in a sheltered workshop in 2007, where he did packaging and sorting tasks. Burt’s fellow participants and supervisors said he was dependable and with the support of his sister, Christie, Burt had reliable transportation. While Burt sometimes had difficulty with decision-making, repetitive tasks were an area where he excelled.

In March of 2017, Burt and Christie attended a group meeting at the sheltered workshop with GVRA staff, who presented on Vocational Rehabiliation (VR) services. Sherry Harris, from GVRA’s Augusta office, and Janice Cassidy, from the Athens office, explained supported employment and job coaching can be conduits toward competitive integrated employment and greater personal independence. Sherry and Janice explained that, in an inclusive workplace, individuals with disabilities would have the opportunity to earn the same wages as their coworkers and would not necessarily have to sacrifice services they may receive through a Medicaid waiver. Burt also learned about GVRA’s Work Incentive Navigators, who help individuals determine how going to work impacts disability benefits.
After hearing about the big picture and the spectrum of VR services available, Burt left the sheltered workshop program where he had spent the past ten years. He applied for VR services in June of 2017, first enrolling in a program where he learned socialization and independent living skills and took classes like American Sign Language, pottery, cooking, woodworking, healthy living, social skills and employability. That experience not only proved to be a valuable training opportunity for Burt, but it also led to a job offer when he was hired as a Woodworking Associate. Burt now works 13.5 hours/week earning minimum wage refurbishing furniture and looks forward to working more than 20 hours/week by the end of the year.

According to Burt’s family, he is content as a woodworker. Janice Cassidy shared that “Working with Burt has been a collaborative effort, but in reality, he is truly the star of this story. It began with his simple desire to do something other than continue to work at a sheltered workshop where he had worked for 10 years. Yes, he was certainly given information, told of resources and received supportive services from those helping him. Ultimately though, the person who took the necessary steps to move forward toward achieving his work goal was Burt. He exemplifies GVRA’s definition of true success. He made independent choices for his life, gathered necessary information, sought out potential resources and acted on choices made to realize the goal he was working toward. We wish Burt continued success in his work.”

NEWS FROM NASA: International Space Station Crew Invites Public Along for Photographic Trip Around World
Media advisory dated 10/ 20/ 17
NASA astronaut and Expedition 53 Commander Randy Bresnik will spend one full orbit photographing Earth from the International Space Station on Monday, Oct. 23, and he is inviting people around the globe to share images from their Earth-side vantage point on social media.
Bresnik, with help from fellow astronaut Joe Acaba, will begin the “photo frenzy” from the station’s 360-degree Earth-facing cupola window beginning at 8:25 a.m. EDT. Traveling at about five miles per second, the station completes one orbit around Earth approximately every 90 minutes.
As part of NASA’s Year of Education on Station, an initiative to inspire more students and teachers than ever before during the 2017-18 school year, students located in areas Bresnik will photograph are especially invited to join him on the journey and share their photos, including their locations and names of their schools.
“You can’t look at the Earth and not be changed,” Bresnik said. “You realize every experience you’ve ever had and every person you’ve ever known is down on that little blue marble.”
The station’s orbit will begin with a sweep from the United Kingdom across central Europe to Oman, a pass near the Maldives, sunset west of Australia and sunrise over the south Pacific Ocean before concluding with a pass over North America from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to Montreal, Canada. Bresnik will be posting updates of his views on his social media accounts throughout, as satellite communications coverage allows.
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/international-space-station-crew-invites-public-along-for-photographic-trip-around