瘋一夏馬戲體驗營結業 師生同樂

波士頓華僑文教中心指導，『璞石中華文化工作室』主辦的暑期營隊《2015瘋一夏馬戲體驗營》，日前結業，以9項表演，展示學員們結合腦力，體力的學習成果。

            推動成立璞石中華文化工作室，策劃《2015瘋一夏馬戲體驗營》的路永宜表示，坊間有各種以語文，音樂為主題的夏令營，她因而決定藉自己文化大學戲劇系的學經歷，編排更為動態的夏令營，給本地青少年多一個選擇。

            今年該營請到國寶級雜技大師李棠華嫡傳弟子王光華，2009年中正盃扯鈴比賽冠軍簡志祐，以及刻在麻州藝術學院就讀的郭瑞欣，分別教授雜技，扯鈴，工藝文化。

王光華這次再度應邀來波士頓授課，教雜技基本功，還帶來180吋專業大螢幕，教新課程------光影戲。簡志祐教魔幻立方體，扯鈴及日字框。目前在麻州藝術學院任教的郭瑞欣，教中國工藝，文化。

經過為期一週的研習後，學員們在結業式中，分別表演少林連步拳，扯鈴，旗開得勝，以球，單輪車，晃板，高蹺等表演的雜耍會串，黏舞的旋轉乾坤，影子舞，原民疊羅漢等，紛紛說這個夏令營，不一樣。

           

圖片說明：

            路永宜（左一）和簡志佑（左三），李玉英（右一）等教職員慶祝夏令營結業。（菊子攝）

            簡志佑的日字框，以螢光管製做，在黑暗場景中，顯出特殊效果。（菊子攝）   

Governor Baker Highlights Record $11.5 Million for YouthWorks Summer Jobs Program

圖由麻州州長辦公室提供

麻州州長查理貝克（Charlie Baker）昨（七月三十）日和一百名參加麻州“青少年工作（YouthWorks）”項目的青少年們晤談，藉以強調及早獲得工作經驗和長期職業發展成功之間的相互關係。

麻州今年約有4000名年紀在14至21歲之間的青少年參加“青少年工作”項目，進入公家機構，私營企業或非牟利機構做暑期工。

“青少年工作“是由麻州政府資助，管理的半官方機構，代表麻州州長辦公室的勞工及人力發展辦公室辦理服務。麻州州長查理貝克在早前簽署的2016會計年度預算中，編列了1150萬元給“青少年工作”辦理下一年度暑期工項目，數額之高打破歷年紀錄。

麻州州長辦公室表示，全美迄今只有麻州由州政府撥款，為低收入青少年辦理準備就業，及早獲取就業經驗的項目。

從2007年迄今，已有33,000名青少年曾藉由“青少年工作”獲得工作經驗。

查理貝克昨天和麻州勞工及人力發展卿朗納沃克二世（Ronald Walker, II），波士頓紅襪隊營運長山姆甘迺迪（Sam Kennedy），以及波士頓警察局副局長William Gross等人，一起到麥特潘（Mattapan）參觀了辦理這項目的機構之一，波士頓社區發展行動（ABCD）經營的鄰里中心。

波士頓警察局每年雇用大約60名青少年。

波士頓社區發展行動（ABCD）和大約250個雇主合作，今年夏天為大約1,050名波士頓青少年提供了暑期工機會。

根據調查，在上高中期間，每週工作20小時以上的學生，和那些不工作的學生相比，後來大學畢業的比率更高。那些有工作經驗的青少年，在職業生涯後期的職位，一般也較高。

Governor Baker Highlights Record $11.5 Million for YouthWorks Summer Jobs Program

Program provides over 4,000 teenagers invaluable work experience in public, private, non-profit sectors

BOSTON – Highlighting the importance of early work experience and its correlation to long-term career success, Gov. Charlie Baker today met with nearly 100 young people benefitting from the Commonwealth’s YouthWorks summer jobs program.

Approximately 4,000 teenagers across the Commonwealth are participating in the YouthWorks program this summer, which provides summer jobs in the public, non-profit and private sectors to lower-income young people ages 14 to 21.

YouthWorks is a state-funded program administered by Commonwealth Corporation – a quasi-public state agency – on behalf of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. The Fiscal Year 2016 budget signed by Governor Baker earlier this month allocated $11.5 million to YouthWorks – the highest amount ever for the program – for next summer’s programming.

Massachusetts is one of the only states in the nation to invest in state-funded early work experiences and work-readiness programs for low-income young people.

Since 2007, more than 33,000 young people have been employed through YouthWorks.

Gov. Baker on Thursday visited a neighborhood center in Mattapan operated by Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) – one of the non-profit organizations that facilitates the YouthWorks jobs program.

“With YouthWorks, we are aligning what employers tell us they need in future workers with experience, education and skill-building programs,” Governor Baker said. “We need to replicate what works and do more of it so young men and women can find a path that leads them to a job and ultimately a career.” 

Governor Baker was joined by Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ronald Walker, II, and Boston Red Sox’s Chief Operating Officer Sam Kennedy, along with Boston Police Superintendent William Gross. The Boston Police Department employs approximately 60 teenagers every summer. 

“Companies tell us again and again they cannot find enough skilled workers to fill available jobs,” Secretary Walker said. “By supporting young people in acquiring the skills they need to enter and be successful in the workforce, we’re also meeting the needs of businesses for a pipeline of skilled workers.”

“We are tremendously grateful to Governor Baker and our state legislators for their support of state funding for youth summer jobs, including expanded funding for next summer,” said John Drew, president and chief executive officer of ABCD. “That increase is a critical step in serving the needs of thousands of Boston teens from low-income families who are eager to work, learn and succeed.”

ABCD, through its SummerWorks program, partnered with 250 employers to provide 1,050 Boston teens jobs this summer. The young people are working in museums, health centers, and day camps, among other places. The Boston Police Department employs young people every year, offering teenagers mentorship and class discussions in order to strengthen relationships between inner-city teens and police.

The rigors of the program were raised this year with new requirements aimed at ensuring teens leave with a plan to help them find their next job in the private sector. Young people who get jobs this summer must have a résumé, and a portfolio describing the skills they earned when they finish working.

They must also participate in “Signal Success,” a new hands-on work readiness education program overseen by Commonwealth Corporation.

Work experience is critically important for the long-term success of young people. Research shows teens who work have long-term gains in employment, future earnings, and educational outcomes.

Students who work up to 20 hours per week during high school are more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree than students who do not work, research shows. Teens with early work experience also tend to attain work in higher-level occupations later in life, and tend to have jobs with pension plans and employer-provided health insurance.

MassDOT Secretary Announces MBTA Leadership Team

MassDOT Secretary Announces MBTA Leadership Team

Former Marine to serve as Chief Administrator heading up financial reforms; DePaola to handle operations

Boston – Today, Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Secretary Stephanie Pollack announced Brian Shortsleeve will serve as the Chief Administrator for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), working alongside the newly appointed Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB), interim General Manager Frank DePaola, who will continue in his current role focusing solely on operations and Jeff Gonneville, a 14-year veteran of the MBTA who will serve as the permanent Chief Operating Officer.  

Under the MBTA reforms Governor Charlie Baker recently signed into law, the MassDOT Secretary was given the ability to name the MBTA’s General Manager. Given the immense reforms underway at the MBTA, Secretary Pollack has divided the T’s leadership into two positions in accordance with the recommendations of the Governor’s MBTA Special Review Panel. The Chief Administrator will focus on the fiscal health of the organization, enabling the General Manager to focus on improving service for customers.

“Brian is a proven leader with a successful track record fixing and running complex organizations large and small and his expertise is exactly what is needed to get the job done,” said Governor Baker. “The taxpayers of Massachusetts deserve a transportation system they can rely on and together with the Control Board, our new leadership team at the MBTA can implement the reforms outlined by our panel of experts.”

“With the governance and leadership in place, I believe the MBTA is on track for a transformation designed to ensure that customers receive the safest and most reliable, innovative and customer-responsive transit possible,” said Secretary Pollack.“The Fiscal and Management Control Board is moving quickly and with Brian’s intense focus on the financial health of the organization combined with Frank and Jeff’s experience with system operations, we are moving ahead to fix the T.”

The Fiscal and Management Control Board met today for the second time since the Governor signed it into law and swore in its members, and is working toward the required 60-day report to the legislature as well as the immediate service improvements and track upgrades already underway at the MBTA. The MBTA is also currently implementing the $83 million Winter Resiliency Plan which is making investments this summer and over the next five years in snow removal equipment, infrastructure upgrades and operations during harsh weather to improve service reliability.

 About the MBTA Leadership Team:

 Brian Shortsleeve, Chief Administrator, has nearly twenty years of leadership experience in the public and private sector managing change in complex organizations.  He served in our country's Armed Forces as a United States Marine Corps officer and in the business world as an adviser and investor in businesses which were undergoing periods of both rapid growth and operational turnaround.  Serving as an officer for four years in the U.S. Marine Corps after college, Brian led teams of Marines who deployed to the Persian Gulf and Bosnia-Herzegovina.  After serving as the political director for Mitt Romney’s successful 2002 campaign for Governor of Massachusetts, Brian returned to Bain & Company where he focused on working with the management team to develop and implement strategies to improve operational efficiency and increase revenue growth.  As an investor at H.I.G. Capital and General Catalyst Partners, Brian has worked closely with management teams as they managed periods of both rapid-growth and operational turnaround by implementing strategic and operational efficiency plans, and more effectively allocating capital.  Brian received an MBA from Harvard Business School and lives with his wife and three sons in Wellesley where he is a Commuter Rail rider.

Frank DePaola, Interim General Manager, has served in his current role since February, and brings over 30 years of design and construction experience from the public sector, including the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) where he is the Chief Operating Officer and formerly the Administrator for the Highway Division. DePaola joined MassDOT in 2009 as the Assistant General Manager for the MBTA’s Design and Construction Directorate. He previously served as Senior Project Manager for Infrastructure for Harvard University’s Allston Development Group and Director of Construction for the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). DePaola is a licensed, registered Professional Engineer in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and holds a Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Northeastern University and a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Jeffrey D. Gonneville, Chief Operating Officer, has been with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) for nearly 15 years, dutifully working toward improving the agency, and as a result, rising through the ranks. A graduate of University of Massachusetts Amherst with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Mr. Gonneville has been deeply rooted in public transportation for decades, responsible for administration, efficiency, contract management, and maintenance. Mr. Gonneville became the Acting Chief Operating Officer in May and most recently served as the Chief Mechanical Officer of the MBTA, responsible for the maintenance, oversight, long term strategic planning and all other related tasks for maintaining a state of good repair for the Authority’s 210 light rail, 432 heavy rail, 1,000 bus, and 1,100 non-revenue fleet.

AG HEALEY SECURES ADDITIONAL $2.3 MILLION FOR STUDENTS MISLED BY FOR-PROFIT SCHOOLS

AG HEALEY SECURES ADDITIONAL $2.3 MILLION FOR STUDENTS MISLED BY FOR-PROFIT SCHOOLS
Hundreds of Students Affected by Alleged Deceptive Practices of Kaplan Career Institute and Lincoln Tech; Settlements Part of AG’s Ongoing Review of For-Profit School Industry

BOSTON – For-profit schools Lincoln Technical Institute and Kaplan Career Institute will pay hundreds of their former students more than $2.3 million to resolve allegations that they inflated job placement numbers and employed unfair recruiting tactics to persuade prospective students to enroll in their programs, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

“We allege these for-profit schools lured hopeful students into enrolling in their vocational programs by promising certain careers, but only left them with substantial debt,” AG Healey said. “Many of these students paid their tuition using federal loans, so not only have these schools taken advantage of students, they’ve taken money from taxpayers. Students trying to better their lives through education are instead being left financially ruined. These settlements will provide the relief these students deserve and prevent deceptive practices that put taxpayer dollars at risk.”

Today’s announcement is part of AG Healey’s ongoing and comprehensive review of the for-profit education industry, which includes urging the federal government to cancel student loans tied to predatory for-profit schools as well as an outreach program and resources for students seeking educational opportunities. The AG’s Office is currently in litigation with for-profit schools Corinthian Colleges andAmerican Career Institute for alleged unfair and deceptive practices. The AG’s Office reached settlements worth more than $4 million with two additional for-profit schools in Massachusetts – Sullivan & Coglianoand Salter College.

The settlements with Kaplan and Lincoln, both filed in Suffolk Superior Court, stem from the AG’s allegations of misleading job placement rates for its vocational programs, both reporting above 70 percent when in fact the actual rates were materially lower, along with high-pressure sales tactics.

Kaplan Career Institute

Under the settlement with Kaplan Higher Education, LLC – which owned Kaplan Career Institute schools in Massachusetts – a total of $1.375 million will be distributed to eligible graduates of the school’s medical vocational programs, through paying off a portion or all of the students’ federal student loan debt. Kaplan has closed the school and no longer operates any Kaplan Career Institute schools in Massachusetts.

Students who attended these programs largely entered them in hopes of obtaining employment in the medical field. According to the AG’s investigation, Kaplan induced enrollment of students at the school with harassing sales tactics and misleading representations in its recruitment materials concerning its educational program and employment.

Students reported to the Attorney General’s Office that the job listings provided by Kaplan were from publicly available resources and that Kaplan did not provide any special services or programs to assist students and graduates in their job search.

As part of the settlement, Kaplan is also required to give notice to the AG’s Office before attempting to open or re-open any for-profit school campuses in Massachusetts. 

Lincoln Technical Institute

Under the settlement with Lincoln Technical Institute and its owner Lincoln Education Services, Inc., $850,000 will be used to pay down federal student loans for eligible graduates of the school’s criminal justice program at its Somerville and Lowell campuses. The school will also forgive an additional $165,000 in private student loans.

Despite the school’s website stating that students would “[b]uild the foundation for a career in law enforcement and private security with Criminal Justice training at Lincoln,” the AG’s Office alleges that many students could not find work in these fields. Lincoln improperly counted temporary jobs, part-time jobs, and jobs outside the students’ field of study – such as general retail positions – toward its placement statistics.

Lincoln also allegedly used an admissions manual that instructed recruiters to “bring out the pain” in potential students so that they would feel pressure enroll. Lincoln’s recruiters used scripted questions to “establish unhappiness, create urgency.” The AG’s complaint alleges that the school’s recruiters steered students away from other ways to further their education and training, including the military and community college.  Recruiters were required to make at least seven attempts to contact the student within the first three days in order to persuade them to enroll. 

The settlement with Lincoln requires the school to accurately calculate placement statistics going forward. Lincoln must also make disclosures to prospective students regarding job placements and refrain from making misleading representations regarding the transferability of credits. 

These cases were handled by Assistant Attorneys General Peter Leight and Tim Hoitink, Division Chief Glenn Kaplan, Legal Analyst Diana Hooley and Paralegal Erica Harmon, all of the Attorney General’s Insurance and Financial Services Division.

The AG’s Office has an extensive consumer protection campaign along with tips online for prospective students to use when determining the best way to achieve their education and career goals and how much they can afford to borrow in student loans.

Students with questions can call AG Healey’s Insurance & Financial Services Division hotline at (888) 830-6277. 

Governor Baker Introduces New Procedures for Public Records Requests

Governor Baker Introduces New Procedures for Public Records Requests

Guidance aims to increase transparency by reducing costs, streamlining responsiveness

BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker today announced for the first time administration-wide measures to improve transparency and public access to government records and information, including a reduced and streamlined fee structure and more efficient communications and responses to requesters. The new procedures announced today and outlined in a memo to Cabinet Secretaries will be implemented over the coming weeks.

“We are proud to undertake this important step towards increasing the public’s access to information and shedding further light on the government that their tax dollars fund,” said Governor Baker. “These new measures reduce costs and make the public records request process more uniform and timely, increasing government’s public accountability, openness and transparency.”

The procedures being implemented by the Baker-Polito Administration in accordance with best practices from around the nation, seek to comply with and exceed the requirements under the existing public records law to more diligently respond to the number of public records requests while reducing delays and costs to requesters and continuing to protect the personal information of taxpayers and service users.

MassIT is additionally in the process of implementing over the next year, e-mail search capabilities for Executive Branch agencies to ease the fulfilling of broad based email searches.

Improving Government Transparency:

·       Secretariats and agencies will designate a Records Access Officer (RAO) to receive and coordinate requests and establish an internal tracking system to ensure compliance with the administration’s public records policy and existing law. RAO’s contact information will be posted on an agency’s website along with helpful instructions for submitting public records requests.

·       To improve communications with the public, secretariats and agencies through their RAO will notify a requester within 5 days if the records they are seeking may take more than 10 days and/or $10 to produce. Requests should be fulfilled in no more than eight weeks, with any extension being explained to a requester in writing.

·       Secretariats and agencies will regularly make available frequently requested information and/or records on their website and provide information as able, in electronic, searchable formats.

·       The administration will waive search and retrieval fees for standard public records requests, provide at no cost the first 4 hours of work required for more complex requests, and charge no more than $25 per hour for additional time required and notify the requester of those costs in advance.

·       The administration will implement standardized production costs in response to public records requests, and in the interest of cost savings and environmental purposes, fulfill requests electronically as able.

o   Electronic Copies:                                     No charge for duplication*

o   1-4 precisely defined documents:           No charge**

o   Black and White Hard Copies:                10 cents per page for single- and double-sided copies.

o   Color Hard Copies:                                   50 cents per page

*Costs for discs, thumb-drives or other storage devices necessary to transmit requested documents still apply.

**To be provided within 3-9 days of receipt of the request.