網頁

星期二, 9月 24, 2013

麻州獲29萬元推廣STEM教育


PATRICK ADMINSTRATION AND CONGRESSMAN KENNEDY ANNOUNCE $292,000 IN FUNDING TO PROMOTE STEM EDUCATION
Secretary Bialecki and Congressman Kennedy announce five new @Scale award recipients to complete the Massachusetts STEM Initiative’s @Scale portfolio

WELLESLEY – Monday, September 23, 2013 – Housing and Economic Development Secretary Greg Bialecki alongside Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy III today announced $292,000 in funding to promote and advance student interest, engagement and educator effectiveness in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education through the funding of five new @Scale projects. The @Scale Initiative endorses statewide STEM projects that demonstrate previous success in areas that directly support the state’s STEM Plan goals and brings them to new areas across Massachusetts to reach more students and teachers. The @Scale Initiative builds upon the Patrick Administration’s strategic plan tying economic and workforce development to educational enhancement in STEM fields.

“One reason our innovation economy is strong and growing is because of our state’s well-trained and skilled workforce,” said Secretary Bialecki. “By bringing successful STEM education and training opportunities to students in every region of the Commonwealth, these grants will help ensure our next generation is equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary for these 21st century careers.”
"Through its innovative partnerships between academia, industry and government, Massachusetts has long led the way in preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow," said Congressman Kennedy. "The @Scale Initiative combines private sector funding with government grants to ensure our students and educators have the resources necessary to stay engaged and interested in STEM education. These five projects have each created an effective approach to early STEM education that will build a pathway to higher education and to jobs in our expanding workforce."
Now in its final phase led by the new honorary chair Congressman Kennedy, @Scale Phase III and IV grant recipients focus on three goals within the STEM Plan: increasing STEM student interest, increasing STEM achievement and increasing STEM educator effectiveness at the Pre-K through middle school levels. The funding announced today will leverage almost $900,000 in non-state funding.
Phases I and II of @Scale projects were approved by the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council in 2011 and 2012, respectively. These first two phases of @Scale projects have been granted approximately $900,000 of state funding leveraging $2.5 million of private sector funding and has reached at least 170 teachers and 8500 students across the state. The success of the commonwealth’s Governor’s STEM Advisory Council’s @Scale Initiative is revered nationally and strengthens the state’s position as a leader in STEM education within the country. 

The Governor’s STEM Advisory Council’s most prominent accomplishment as a result of the STEM Plan’s implementation is the launch and implementation of the @Scale Initiative. With @Scale, the STEM Advisory Council has collaborated with government, academia and the private sector to “scale up” existing programs in Massachusetts, replicating models and best practices to reach more students and adults studying and pursuing STEM education and careers. @Scale has been hailed by STEM advocates as a breakthrough model at delivering a combination of public and private funding to replicate and bring to scale transformative, system-wide improvements in STEM education across the Commonwealth. The @Scale model is a strong example of private-public partnership by requiring each state funded projects to secure at least $3 in outside support for every $1 in funding it receives from the state. This model promotes local partnership building and a pathway toward sustainability that many publically funded projects never attain. 

“We must invest in what we know will have the greatest impact on our students,” said Secretary of Education Matthew Malone. “These grants do just that because we know STEM related content will help prepare the Commonwealth’s youngest citizens for college and the jobs of the future. I’m especially glad these grants will have such a long reach, helping support the innovative work teachers are doing in classrooms across Massachusetts.”
As the new honorary chair of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council replacing former Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, Congressman Kennedy is a member of the House Committee on Science and Technology.  An engineer by training, he is a member of the Congressional Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Caucus. Earlier this summer, he joined Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Paul Tonko in introducing the Educating Tomorrow’s Engineers Act (ETEA), which will help increase student achievement and interest in STEM fields.

The projects were announced during Congressman Kennedy’s first meeting as honorary chair at Mass Bay Community College’s Wellesley Hills campus. The five additional programs that will expand as a result of @Scale III and IV include:

Boston Public Schools’ Strengthening Pre-K Mathematics Teaching and Learning - $58,695
The Boston Public Schools (BPS) will scale up a successful pre-K mathematics program, Building Blocks. This project, “Strengthening Pre-K Mathematics Teaching and Learning: A Boston K1DS Collaboration between the Boston Public Schools and Boston Community-Based Organizations,” will expand from the 2,300 Pre-K students in BPS to eventually serve over 6,500 low-income at risk threeand four-year-olds in over 200 community-based organizations. The project will focus on Pre-K student engagement and educator effectiveness, and plans to contribute to the existence of transformative, system-wide and sustainable improvements that are consistent with the goals described in the Massachusetts STEM plan.

Future City Competition Working Cities Expansion Project - $75,000
Run by the Boston Society for Civil Engineers and The Metro North Regional Employment Board, Future City is a team based transformative educational program designed for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students in which students imagine and design cities of the future and explain the underlying technologies and design principles that would make their city possible. Students create both physical scale models and virtual models (utilizing SimCity software), prepare presentations/Q&A responses and write research documents as part of their engineering design process. This program will scale up to the cities of Chelsea, Everett, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Revere, Salem and Somerville.

Increasing Accessibility to Algebra & Geometry for All Students - $33,549
Increasing Accessibility to Algebra & Geometry for All Students (IAAG) is a teacher professional development project run by the University of Massachusetts’ Medical School in Worcester, which offers foundational math content and pedagogical strategies for general education, inclusion and special education mathematics teachers of grades 5 through 10. This program has proven to be especially helpful for teachers in high needs districts. IAAG strengthens teachers’ understanding of concepts and relationships among concepts within various domains including Operations and Algebraic Thinking; Equations and Expressions; Functions; and Geometry. Teachers learn universal design strategies and techniques to increase accessibility of rigorous mathematics to a broad range of learners. This program serves the greater Worcester area and other high needs school districts, including Springfield, Lowell and Medford. 

Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership’s Zero Robotics Program - $75,000
Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership (MAP) will scale up its Zero Robotics program beyond the Boston area where they currently operate. The program is described as a fun, flexible yet rigorous summer STEM program for middle school students with a key element of targeting under-served and under-represented youth. Over five weeks during the summer, students work in teams to learn about computer programming, robotics and space engineering while gaining hands-on experience working with and coding SPHERES (Synchronized Position, Hold, Engage, Reorient Experimental Satellites). The program culminates in a tournament where each team competes for a spot to operate and race a SPHERE satellite against other teams aboard the International Space Station (ISS).  MAP will also use @Scale funds to develop a comprehensive teacher training program to train perspective Zero Robotics educators and their regional partners across each of the seven Regional STEM networks.

Science from Scientists During School In-Class STEM Enrichment Program - $50,000
Science from Scientists (SfS) will expand its successful “During School In-Class STEM Enrichment Program” to two first-time partner schools in new locations, Winthrop and Plainville. The funding will enable SfS to provide in-class enrichment to 475 new students and allow as many as 16 classroom teachers to enroll in their Professional Development Program. Student goals include improving students’ attitudes in STEM by working with every student in the classroom, using real, charismatic scientists and building mentoring relationships.

“The funding and programs announced today continue the state’s important focus on STEM and commitment to ensuring a pipeline of workers skilled in STEM competencies,” said JD Chesloff, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable and Chair of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council’s Executive Committee. “In order to remain competitive in a global economy, we must continue to invest in Massachusetts’ greatest advantage:  talent.  The state STEM Plan, and the @Scale Initiative, provide a blueprint for that investment so that our workforce is prepared for the jobs of today and tomorrow.” 
These new @Scale projects complete the diverse set of 17 @Scale projects which supports all six goals of the STEM plan. By looking at the @Scale projects as a portfolio, the Patrick Administration through the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council will now undertake the next step of this initiative and accelerate and scale up these promising practices that are evident through all of the @Scale projects to make positive impacts on students, teachers and the number of students graduating with STEM degrees. 

About the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council and the @Scale Initiative
As part of his Administration’s efforts to align education with workforce development, Governor Patrick established the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Advisory in October 2009, to increase coordination and collaboration among existing STEM programs and resources.  Building on the Patrick Administration’s comprehensive education agenda, in 2010, former Lieutenant Governor Murray tasked the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council to develop and implement the state’s first STEM Plan, which outlined the state's first ever strategic plan for tying economic and workforce development to educational enhancement in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. In addition to being rated number one by the U.S. Department of Education on the nationwide Race to the Top Competition, Massachusetts has also been recognized by the National Governor’s Association’s Center for Best Practices, Change the Equation and Innovate+Education as a top STEM state. This week, the Patrick Administration announced that 10th grade students once again achieved record high performance in mathematics and science and technology/engineering (STE), according to the 2013 statewide results of the MCAS exams. 

Since the 2011 and 2012 rounds of @Scale, the STEM Advisory Council and business community have been working with the following projects as part of the @Scale Initiative: Quinsigamond Community College's (QCC) Advanced Robotics Program; Mass Insight Education's Math + Science Initiative; the DIGITS Project; WPI's Project Lead the Way; MassBioEd Foundation's BioTeach; Massasoit Community College's Science Transfer Initiative; the Museum of Science’s Gateway Project; the Broadening Advanced Technological Education Connections (BATEC) initiative based out of UMass-Boston; UMass’ ABLE 4 STEM; the Central Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board’s STEM Power Network; the Western Regional Partnership made up of  four regional vocational technical high schools and three community colleges; and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts’ STEM Pathways Project.

To read the STEM Plan or learn more about the Patrick Administration’s STEM Initiatives and the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council, visitwww.mass.gov/governor/stem.

Bryant大學慶建校150週年 羅州水火節化身中國文化日


羅得島州著名的水火節(Water Fire Festival),九月廿一日晚,飄揚中國味。布萊恩特大學(Bryant)的美中研究所與孔子學院以“中國文化夜”活動,贊助當晚的水火節,作為慶祝該校建校150週年的禮物。
            布萊恩特大學校長梅恪禮(Ronald K. Machtley),新任國際事務副校長楊洪,和數以千計民眾欣賞完該校美中研究所與孔子學院安排的中國文化表演節目後,率領共150名學校歷屆校友,教授,員工,手持火炬,走入水火節會場,沿湖圍繞一圈,並由校長點燃湖中船隻,再輾轉傳播,點燃湖中火炬,場面十分壯觀。
        梅恪禮,楊洪分別在致詞時,說明該校贊助當晚的水火節,藉以慶祝該校建校150週年。該校這些年來發展迅速,各方面都有很多成就,包括孔子學院九月初時,還在中國上海贏得有50個國家參加的國際舞龍比賽第三名。
            布萊恩特大學(Bryant)的美中研究所與孔子學院斥資兩萬美元,取得羅州普域敦斯市(Providence)水火節九月廿一日晚的主辦權,不但安排該校剛贏得殊榮的孔子學院舞龍隊舞龍,邀來邵鹿邑擔任教練的羅州功夫團舞獅,來自中國武漢地質大學的老師徐佳演唱中國歌劇及民歌,張鎮田鼓樂隊擊鼓,還安排該校學生張子勤,與來自中國地質大學的交換學生李雷嫣聯袂擔任司儀。
            一旁的Steeple街上,還在“中國文化之旅”活動中,安排了賴曉春,蒙星宇示範太極,打中國結。
            布萊恩特大學孔子學院副主任謝昆透露,布萊恩特大學自從設立美中研究所和孔子學院後,和中國的關係也越行密切,中國教育部副部長郝平今年四月到該校訪問過,北京理工大學珠海分院正在和該校合作,將在珠海設分校。和中國地質大學合作的該校孔子學院,也將在近期增加企業部分的內容,以更充分利用該校是以商業管理起家的優勢。
 
圖片說明:

            布萊恩特大學的舞龍隊,九月初才在上海贏得國際比賽第三名。(菊子攝)

            布萊恩特大學150名校友,師生持火炬圍繞湖畔,製造出壯觀場面。(菊子攝)

            布萊恩特大學校長梅恪禮(Ronald K. Machtley),新任國際事務副校長楊洪持火炬進場。(菊子攝)

          徐佳演唱中國歌劇。(菊子攝)


            羅德島功夫團打鼓舞獅。(菊子攝)

            布萊恩特大學校長梅恪禮(Ronald K. Machtley)夫婦在金龍相拱中致詞。(菊子攝)

            布萊恩特大學新任國際事務副校長楊洪在金龍相拱中致詞。(菊子攝)

            數以千計的民眾圍觀舞龍等中國文化表演。(菊子攝)

波士頓警察局局長戴維斯宣佈辭職


波士頓警察局局長戴維斯( Edward F. Davis )昨(23)日早上在警察局總部召開記者會,正式宣佈他將辭職,以容許未來的新市長有自己的團隊。
            戴維斯表示自己當警察已35年,來到波士頓擔任警察局局長也已七年,幾乎比任何其
他地區的警察局局長任期都久,他根據自己的經驗判斷,現在是離開的時候(Its time to go),不過他已向波士頓市長萬寧路(Tom Menino)保證,他將留到暑假過後才走。

            早年曾是工會代表的戴維斯認為自己在任上,和波市府,和媒體,和工會的關係都非常良好。他任內發生的幾件大案子,包括一名東北大學女生Rebecca Payne被謀殺案,在團隊合作下,也都處理得讓他驕傲。現在離開,純粹是因為他覺得時候到了。
            他說,當一名市長要離任時,你就必須重新做評估(reassess。他就是那麼做的。
            一名出席記者指稱,有好幾名波士頓市長候選人指稱,戴維斯麾下的警察,有對不同社區回應速度不同的現象。戴維斯表示,他不願涉入市長選舉之中,但關於警察對民眾報案的回應速度,他認為這是有記錄可查的事,他希望心有疑慮的人,可以去查一下記錄。他認為自己在任內已完成了比他預期還多得工作。
            談及未來去向,戴維斯坦言,有好些工作機會在等著他,包括哈佛大學要給他獎學金(scholarship),但他還未做最後決定,相信至少要花幾個月的時間來仔細研究再說。
目前他還沒確定離任時間,但會和波士頓市長商量,估計在三十日內決定。
            戴維斯強調,坊間報章指他不支持多元化,並不是他決定離任的原因,何況波市警察局目前的多元化程度,比他七年前從羅爾市轉過來時好得多。他上任以來也一直都和促進多元化的機構合作,但多元化本身是個相當複雜的議題,包括四年前的一項法庭命令,以及警察升遷的考試辦法等都是因素。波市府甚至還斥資2200萬元,要來解決這一問題。
            在記者會中,戴維斯有部分講詞是照稿宣讀,笑言他決定離任,家人都感到如釋重負。尤其是以前常在凌晨三,四點被電話聲吵醒得他太太。
            波士頓環球報昨日在報導中指出,戴維斯的兒子菲利普(Philip)曾因醉酒駕車,被新罕布夏州警察逮捕,也曾被波士頓警察局警員從TD波士頓球場載回家,兩件事都曾引來許多媒體關注。
            刻正競選波士頓市長的薩福克郡地方檢察官丹康利(Dan Conley)昨日特地出席記者會,他稱許戴維斯是個誠實,正直的人,喂他的接任者留下了一個很高的標竿。他為戴維斯決定離開,感到難過。但他也認為這是戴維斯周到的要讓下一任市長有機會起用自己人。
            談及多元化議題時,丹康利表示,晉用或升遷,往往還得看有多少人選。一旦他當選市長,他將設法讓更多人有當警察,進市府工作的意願。
            波士頓市長萬寧路昨日發出一份聲明,稱許戴維斯穩定了波市,降低了犯罪率,改善了人民的生活品質。
            坊間曾有不少戴維斯可能成為聯邦政府國土安全局局長等的揣測,不過該職位至今還未確定人選。
            戴維斯的發言人Cheryl Fiandaca表示,戴維斯是在上週六十,把辭職信交給波市長萬寧路的。
            波士頓環球報昨日一篇報導中表示,自從萬寧路宣布不再競選連任後,社區內就開始出現,戴維斯是否會隨萬寧路一起卸任的猜測。
            萬寧路將於明年一月六日卸任。

圖片說明:

            波士頓警察局局長戴維斯( Edward F. Davis )昨(23)日正式宣佈辭職。(菊子攝)

            薩福克郡地方檢察官丹康利(Dan Conley)(左一),昨日出席記者會,稱許戴維斯(左二)。波市警察局內唯一的華裔副局長(deputy superintendent)梅志強(Kenneth Fong)( 右一)也列席在側。(菊子攝)

            薩福克郡地方檢察官丹康利(Dan Conley)。(菊子攝)

華美福利會提供在職培訓 龍鳳酒樓員工學英文


時代進步,連中餐館員工也要學英語。波士頓龍鳳酒樓在華美福利會的協助下,成為波士頓市第一家為員工提供英語技能培訓的中餐館。
            華美福利會(AACA)發展部主任張韻寧昨(23)日表示,在麻州中小學教育局(DESE)斥資 15萬元辦理的為期兩年在職學習(Learn At Work)項目補助下,該會從六月五日起,為波士頓龍鳳酒樓員工,提供“給說其他語言者的英語課(ESOL)”,並於最近完成第一期課程。
            波士頓龍鳳酒樓在生意不忙時,每週安排四個下午,讓員工上課。華美福利會表示,在職學習補助項目要求僱主在員工上課時,仍支付半薪,但龍鳳酒樓對員工十分慷慨,在員工們上課時,仍支付全薪。
            華美福利會派了一名會說廣東話的老師嚴兆豐,依照龍鳳酒樓員工的英文程度,分基礎班和高級班,開了兩堂課。
            龍鳳酒樓營運主任梅佩凡表示,該店許多員工英語程度有限,但華埠的人口地理已然改變,可以見到越來越多在美國出生的華人,以及到華埠參觀,體驗文化的美國人在華埠內用餐,該店需要會說英語的員工來為這些人服務。
        梅佩凡還說,該一英語培訓項目,還幫助員工是應美國生活。有些員工在中國時沒機會上學,但上了幾堂課後,說英語的顧客找他們時,他們不再聽不懂,或是突然變成了啞吧。
      華美福利會表示,該會有多年的提供在職教育經驗,最近才為華人醫務中心,塔芙茨醫療中心辦過這樣的服務,和餐館合作,倒還是頭一次。
         華美福利會的在職教育協調員Gillian Burleson表示,該一培訓項目的目的是要讓所有的僱員學生們,在項目結束時,都能在生活上的各方面,以英語和人溝通。

圖片說明:

         波士頓龍鳳酒樓員工上在職英語班。華美福利會派老師嚴兆豐Kenny Yim(右一)任教。(圖由華美福利會提供)