新英格蘭中文教師網 5/14 辦研討會

The New England Chinese Language Teacher Network Seminar

On Saturday, May 14, 2016, the China Program Center and theConfucius Institute at UMass Boston will host the 29th New England Chinese Language Teacher Network Seminar in collaboration withSTARTALK Programs at UMass Boston, CLASS (Chinese Language Association for Secondary-Elementary Schools), and the Fulbright-Hays Chinese Culture Enrichment Program.

The 2016 Spring seminar theme: Recent Accomplishments in Teaching Strategies for Mandarin will report on up-to-date national advancements in the teaching of Chinese language. Presenters will provide numerous examples of delivering instruction to meet the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages. Strategies and materials from Confucius Institute and STARTALK supported programs, and practical classroom application will be shared.

The second focus: Exploring Student-Centered Instruction and Classroom Management Using Technology will continue to emphasize the themes of The China Center’s 2016 programs of integrating technology and assisting Mandarin instructors to produce a student-centered learning environment by employing strategies to shift the focus of instruction from teacher to student.

Conference Agenda

Time	Event
9:00-9:15am	Check-in Registration
9:15-9:30am	Recent Accomplishments in Teaching Strategies for Mandarin Director’s Welcome Wanli Hu, PhD, Director, The China Program Center, College of Advancing and Professional Studies
9:30-10:00am	UMass Confucius Professional Development and Resources Baifeng Sun, Director, UMass Boston
10:00-10:45am	Part 1: National Update for the Teaching of Mandarin in the U.S. Yu-lan Lin, PhD, Executive Director, CLASS (Chinese Language Association for Secondary-Elementary Schools) Report on current nnational advancements in the teaching of Chinese, which will provide numerous examples of delivering instruction to meet the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages.
10:45-11:00am	Break
11:00am-12:00pm	Part 2: Classroom Practices: Testimony of Teacher Preparation Wei Li, Chinese Language Teacher, Sharon Public Schools A 2015 Summer Institute participant reports on learning and implementing theories, practice, and preparation
12:00-1:00pm	Lunch (provided)
1:00-3:15pm	Part 3: Exploring Student-Centered Instruction and Classroom Management Using Technology Yu-lan Lin and Yixing (Star) Lew, Chinese language teacher, Newton Public Schools Demonstrating the themes of the 2016 UMass-STARTALK program of integrating technology and assisting Mandarin instructors to produce a student-centered learning environment by employing strategies to shift the focus of instruction from teacher to student.
3:15-3:30pm	Seminar Evaluation and Closing Remarks

三台灣民俗藝師 5/8~13 訪波士頓

台灣民俗藝師到訪波士頓支援文化導覽教學 5/8-13

三名台灣民俗藝師，王宏隆藝師(團長、中華舞獅技藝、創意書法)，鄭秀花藝師(中華傳統

民俗技藝:捏麵人、吸管編)、洪若崴藝師(中華傳統民俗技藝:彩繪獅頭、子指畫人像速寫、客家貼布)將於5/8到5/13，在大波士頓地區支援各中文學校及美國主流學校傳揚中華文化。

新英格蘭中文學校協會將居間協調，有意邀請藝師們訪問的學校，可洽該會會長陳式儀。

藝師們將於 5/7 在波士頓僑教中心參加 牛頓台灣日活動，在現場製作，展售台灣民俗藝術品。

僑教中心地址為 90 Lincoln St. Newton, MA 02461

波士頓公校總監張欽棠就學校內飲水器發表聲明

Statement from Boston Public Schools Superintendent Tommy Chang:

"We are confident that all active water fountains meet state standards and are fine for students and faculty use. All active water fountains were tested in April, and the results have been triple verified by Boston Public Schools, Boston Water & Sewer Commission and a third-party contractor. There is nothing more important than the health and well-being of our students and staff.

Two BPS Facilities Department personnel have been placed on administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation." 

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAMS TO SERVE NEARLY 12,000 BOSTON STUDENTS

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAMS TO SERVE NEARLY 12,000 BOSTON STUDENTS

Reaches City's Ambitious Goal One Year Ahead of Schedule

BOSTON - Thursday,  May 5, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today joined Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Tommy Chang and community leaders today to announce that 11,976 Boston students are expected to participate in data-driven summer learning opportunities this year, nearly doubling the number of students served last year. Last July, Mayor Walsh and Superintendent Chang set an ambitious citywide goal to expand the Boston Summer Learning Community, challenging program leaders to enroll 10,000 school children in 100 summer learning programs by 2017. With the addition of 41 new program sites over recent months, the city is positioned to surpass this goal one year ahead of schedule. "Summer learning creates brighter futures for our young people and helps us build a stronger city," said Mayor Walsh. "The overwhelming response to our challenge proves that our community sees the need and shares our vision for high-quality learning opportunities for all young people. I thank all of the organizations that have stepped up this year to meet our ambitious goals." Research shows that, on average, students lose knowledge and skills over the summer months, and that this phenomenon - known as "summer slide" - has a disproportionate, cumulative effect on low-income youth. The Boston Summer Learning Community was launched in 2010 by Boston After School & Beyond and the Boston Public Schools, with support from the Boston Opportunity Agenda. Last year the initiative served 5,626 school children in 79 summer programs across the city. The Mayor and Superintendent made the announcement at Berklee College of Music, surrounded by representatives from 120 committed summer sites. A new summer partner for this year, Berklee College of Music operates City Music Boston, a renowned after-school and summer program that provides comprehensive music education to 4th through 12th graders in underserved communities. "Summer learning helps slow the summer slide and helps boost critical skills that are needed for college and career success," said Superintendent Chang. "The depth and breadth of these new programs and offerings is truly inspiring and will bring new opportunities for our students to learn year round. Unlike traditional summer school programs offered exclusively in school facilities, the Boston Summer Learning Community immerses young people in new, exciting, local environments - such as natural preservations, the Harbor Islands, college campuses, and workplaces - with an explicit focus on building skills in addition to academic content. Other new program sites for 2016 include Mass Audubon's Boston Nature Center, Northeastern University's Bridge to Calculus program, and St. Stephen's Youth Programs in the South End. The Boston Summer Learning Community will support specific groups of students, including English language learners, recent immigrants, off-track high school students, youth assigned to mandatory summer school and rising 9th graders. A subset of these programs will participate in the Superintendent's "5th quarter" initiative - an effort to align summer learning to school-year priorities and to strengthen students' college and career readiness skills.  "The Mayor and Superintendent deserve enormous credit for setting this ambitious goal and drawing in the right partners to make this a huge success," said Chris Smith, executive director of Boston After School & Beyond. "Boston has become a model for the state in prioritizing summer learning and our students will see the results." This landmark announcement comes on the heels of recent statewide legislation and rigorous research that shows that high quality summer learning programs can improve student outcomes. In March the Joint Committee on Education reported favorably on H.4033 - An Act to increase access to high quality summer learning opportunities. At the committee hearing, education and municipal leaders from around the state - including Mayor Walsh, New Bedford Schools Superintendent Pia Durkin, and former Education Secretary Paul Reville - advocated for favorable consideration of this bill. Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty and Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll also submitted written testimony in support of the legislation. Aiming to close the persistent achievement and opportunity gaps across the state, this bold new legislation would establish a pilot grant program to expand research-based summer learning in districts across the Commonwealth with high concentrations of low-income students.

Allurion Technologies’ Elipse™ Intragastric Balloon Receives Prestigious SAGES Innovation Award

Allurion Technologies’ Elipse^™ Intragastric Balloon Receives
Prestigious SAGES Innovation Award

New Weight Loss Device Now Available in the United Kingdom, Italy and France

Wellesley, MA, USA, May 5, 2016 -- Allurion Technologies announced today that its flagship product, Elipse, has received the prestigious Emerging Technology Innovation Award from the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES).  Elipse is the world’s first procedureless™ intragastric balloon:  it is placed and removed without surgery, endoscopy or anesthesia.  It is the first intragastric balloon to receive this award.  Elipse received European Union CE marking in late 2015 and is now available at leading weight loss centers in the United Kingdom, Italy and France.  Plans for commercial expansion within Europe and in the Middle East are underway.  Elipse is not yet approved by the FDA and is not available in the United States.

Elipse was one of 13 technologies chosen to present to an expert panel of gastrointestinal and endoscopic surgeons.  The panel voted Elipse the top emerging technology of SAGES 2016 following a presentation by Allurion Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Shantanu Gaur.  “We are honored that our novel approach to weight loss has been recognized by the physicians of SAGES,” said Dr. Gaur.  “This award adds to our momentum as we expand awareness of Elipse among physicians and consumers.”

"The medical community has been looking for innovative tools like Elipse to aid in the fight against overweight and obesity” said Jonathan Wecker, Chief Executive Officer of Allurion.  “Without the cost and invasiveness of surgery, endoscopy and anesthesia, this new option vastly expands access to intragastric balloons.”

Allurion Co-Founder and President Dr. Samuel Levy added that “physicians and consumers involved in our initial European launch have been extremely pleased, and we look forward to continued success as Elipse is rolled out to new weight loss centers and new geographies."

About Elipse

Elipse is a procedureless intragastric balloon:  it is placed and removed without surgery, endoscopy or anesthesia.  It is offered by physicians in conjunction with a medically supervised weight loss program.  The Elipse balloon is made of a thin, flexible polymer film.  The device is swallowed in a capsule and filled with liquid through a thin delivery catheter, which is then detached.  Elipse remains in the stomach for approximately four months after which the balloon opens, allowing it to empty and pass naturally from the body.  A clinical study of Elipse in individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 27 and 40 showed an average weight loss of 10 kilograms (22 pounds), with participants losing 39 percent of their excess weight and eight centimeters from their waist circumference.  Participants also saw improvements in their triglycerides, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and quality of life.  Learn more and see an animation of Elipse in action here.

About Allurion Technologies

Allurion Technologies is dedicated to developing less invasive treatments for overweight and obese individuals. The company's flagship product, Elipse, is an intragastric balloon that resides in the stomach, enabling weight reduction.  Allurion is funded by private investors and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.  Learn more about Elipse and Allurion online at www.allurion.com or on Twitter @alluriontech.

Statement by the President on Holocaust Remembrance Day

Statement by the President on Holocaust Remembrance Day

Today, on Yom HaShoah, we solemnly remember the six million Jews and the millions of others murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

On this day, we honor the memory of the millions of individuals - the mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, friends and neighbors - who lost their lives during a time of unparalleled depravity and inhumanity. We reaffirm our ongoing responsibility as citizens and as a nation to live out the admonition, "Never forget. Never again." And we commit ourselves to preserving the memories of those who lived through the horrors of the Shoah, so that their experiences are not forgotten by our generation or by our children or grandchildren.

We also honor those who survived the Holocaust, many of them spared from death because of the righteous individuals who risked their lives to save Jews and other victims from Nazi persecution. The stories of these survivors and their protectors remind us to confront persecution wherever it arises, and that silence can be an accomplice to evil. They remind us of our duty to counter the rising tide of anti-Semitism, bigotry and hatred that threaten the values we hold dear-pluralism, diversity, and the freedoms of religion and expression.

Today, and every day, we stand in solidarity with the Jewish community both at home and abroad. We stand with those who are leaving the European cities where they have lived for generations because they no longer feel safe, with the members of institutions that have been attacked because of their Jewish affiliations, and with the college students forced to confront swastikas appearing on their campuses. And we call upon all people of good will to be vigilant and vocal against every form of bigotry.

When we recognize our interconnectedness and the fundamental dignity and equality of every human being, we help to build a world that is more accepting, secure and free. This is the best way to honor the legacy we recognize on Yom HaShoah and to fulfill our responsibilities to repair our world from generation to generation.

SALEM MAN CHARGED IN HOME DEPOT FRAUD SCAM

SALEM MAN CHARGED IN HOME DEPOT FRAUD SCAM

 

BOSTON – A Salem man was charged today in U.S. District Court in Boston with a scheme to defraud Home Depot of over $35,000.

 

Robert Dooley, 56, of Salem, Mass., was charged in a criminal complaint with one count of wire fraud.  He was arrested this morning and will appear before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Jennifer C. Boal at 2:15 p.m.

 

The complaint alleges that between January 2016 and February 2016, Dooley engaged in a scheme to defraud Home Depot by “returning” items he never purchased from the store to receive store credit.  On each occasion, Dooley, entered Home Depot stores empty handed and gathered merchandise totaling $500 to $900.  At the returns desk, Dooley falsely claimed that he previously purchased the items, but did not have a receipt.  When he provided this driver’s license number to the clerk, Dooley often varied the number so the “return” would not immediately be detected as fraudulent.  Dooley was then issued a Home Depot card for the fraudulent return.  According to the complaint, Dooley perpetrated the scam over forty times at Home Depots stores in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Maine, racking up over $35,000 in fraudulent returns.

 

In 2007, Dooley was convicted of federal wire fraud charges arising out of a nearly identical scheme in which he defrauded Home Depot in excess of $330,000 from July 2004 through October 2005.  In that case, he was sentenced to five years in federal prison. 

 

The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

 

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Ortiz’s Public Corruption Unit.

HUD MAKES MORE THAN $37 MILLION AVAILABLE TO FIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION

HUD MAKES MORE THAN $37 MILLION AVAILABLE TO FIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION

Grants to support fair housing testing, education, enforcement activities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it is making $37.3 million available to fight housing discrimination under HUD's 2016 Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) Notice of Funding Availability(NOFA). This year's three funding notices support a variety of important fair housing activities, including fair housing testing in the rental and sales market, public education efforts, capacity building, and education and outreach activities.

Each year, HUD makes funding available to support organizations interested in the enforcement of fair housing laws and policies as well as educating the public, housing providers, and local governments about their rights and responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act.

“The work HUD's fair housing partners do every day is critical to our efforts to ensure that every family in America has an equal shot at finding the home that is right for them,” said HUD's Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Gustavo Velasquez. “These grants help to provide the critical financial resources they need to do their work.”

The categories of grants announced today are:

• Education and Outreach Initiative grants (EOI) – $7,450,000 available. HUD awards these to groups that educate the public and housing providers about their rights and responsibilities under federal law or state and local fair housing laws that are equivalent to the Fair Housing Act. This year's funds include $1,250,000 toward a national media campaign; $250,000 toward tester coordinator training; and the rest for general regional, local and community based programs.
   
• Fair Housing Organizations Initiative (FHOI) – $500,000 available. HUD awards these to help build the capacity and effectiveness of non-profit fair housing organizations, particularly organizations that focus on the rights and needs of underserved groups, such as rural and immigrant populations.
   
• Private Enforcement Initiative grants (PEI) – Total PEI multi-year funding is $29,375,000. However, $22,452,542 has already been reserved for FY 2014 and FY 2015 multi-year grantees, making $6,922,458available for FY2016 new awardees. This year's PEI funds also include $975,000 to address lending discrimination. 

Applicants who are interested in applying for funding under the NOFAs should go to www.Grants.gov and search for the three “FHIP” NOFAs, forms, instructions and other application material. Additional information can be found on HUD's website at www.hud.gov, and here.

Applications must be received by June 23, 2016.

People who believe they have been denied a reasonable accommodation request may file a complaint by contacting HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 669-9777 (voice) or (800) 927-9275 (TTY). Housing discrimination complaints may also be filed by going to www.hud.gov/fairhousing.