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Tag: education

  • WyoTech President Emphasizes the Value of Trade Schools in a Post-Pandemic Economy

    WyoTech President Emphasizes the Value of Trade Schools in a Post-Pandemic Economy

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    Automotive trade schools such as WyoTech provide students with the building blocks for success while preparing employees to thrive in high-demand industries.

    Press Release
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    updated: Aug 12, 2021


    LARAMIE, Wyo., August 12, 2021 (Newswire.com)
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    WyoTech, a Laramie, Wyoming-based diesel tech and auto mechanic trade school, is one of many institutions that have been invaluable to the American economy since the COVID-19 outbreak. WyoTech has been actively providing students with the building blocks of success to help them achieve career growth at a fraction of the price of a four-year institution.

    According to analysis by staffing leader PeopleReady, most in-demand skilled trade jobs are remaining unfilled for extended periods of time due to the shortage of qualified workers. This is an increasingly concerning reality, as the major pharmaceutical companies producing the COVID-19 vaccine rely on trade workers to manage the packing, temperature monitoring, and transportation of these essential substances.

    “America was built on the trades and depends heavily on them to this day. The transportation industry is hitting an all-time high for both personal and commercial use. As a result, the demand for technicians serving dealerships, agriculture, transportation companies and factories, is also at an all-time high,” said Jim Mathis, President of WyoTech. “Whether they know it or not, Americans rely on truck drivers, diesel semi-truck drivers and other skilled workers for their groceries, vaccines, package deliveries and  much more.”

    “America needs trade education more than ever and WyoTech is focused on delivering the best education for automotive technology, collision and refinishing and diesel technology,” said Mathis. 

    While major universities work to prepare students for entry-level positions, trade schools’ goals are the same, but with a specialized interest. The primary goal of trade schools is to get graduates ready for an entry-level position as a technician. A common misconception is that trade schools and diesel tech schools are meant to produce perfect workers. This is inaccurate. The truth is, trade schools aim to provide students with the fundamentals to succeed within a technician role, not mass-produce experts within the field. 

    “Students and their families should really think about what their long-term goals are. If you are seeking the all-around collegiate experience, then a four-year university is for you. If you are passionate about the trades and interested in earning a paycheck sooner than later, spending time with people in the field, contacting local business owners in the trades you want to pursue and learning about the professional behaviors desired by employers, then trade school is the hands-on experience you need,” said Mathis.

    “At WyoTech, we strive to offer the best student experience and the best training to give them the foundation for the best possible outcome. I truly believe WyoTech prepares its students for an entry-level job; it is the individual’s responsibility to show up and put in the work. WyoTech is not a walk-in-the-park type of training. We are in school five days per week, eight hours per day, with a strict attendance policy. It is all meant to prepare students for the real world, with real-world experience,” Mathis said.

    WyoTech holds quarterly job fairs for students, during which companies from across the country come to recruit candidates for technician roles in a variety of industries. Every WyoTech student is unique in terms of their background, skillset and interests. Regardless, the WyoTech instructors make it a priority to give each individual student a chance to succeed and secure a job after graduation. 

    “WyoTech loves to see its graduates doing well in their field, taking care of their families and living the life they choose. We know that if we keep our vision of building a school with the best experience, the best training and the best outcomes, our students have all the tools they need to be successful. Ultimately, it is their attitude and commitment that determine the end result,” added Mathis.

    Another misconception that seems to be associated with trade schools and diesel technician programs is that the value of the education is inferior when compared to a four-year college. In reality, trade schools offer students a comprehensive curriculum designed to help them secure a position in a prosperous and recession-proof job market.

    “Somewhere along the way, America has created a ‘less than’ story about people entering the trades in lieu of a traditional university path. I believe COVID exposed the reliance we have on skilled workers in this country and brought awareness to the earning potential available in the trades. Parents need an education on the different paths that their kids can explore with career outcomes in high-demand fields,” said Mathis.  

    “The truth is, whether it is a four-year university, a diesel mechanic school, or automotive schooling, students are being prepared for entry-level positions in the field of their choice. The difference with WyoTech is that we are doing it in nine months with full time days versus 12-15 hours a week for four years,” said Mathis. 

    For more information about WyoTech, please visit https://www.wyotech.edu.

    About WyoTech

    WyoTech, formerly known as Wyoming Technical Institute, is a for-profit, technical college founded in Laramie, Wyoming in 1966. WyoTech provides training programs that prepare students for careers as technicians in the automotive and diesel industry with nine-month training programs that focus on hands-on experience.

    Contact Information

    Mike Albanese: Mike.albanese@newswire.com

    Source: WyoTech

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  • Bible in the Schools Presents $1.8M Community Gift to Hamilton County Schools

    Bible in the Schools Presents $1.8M Community Gift to Hamilton County Schools

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    Press Release
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    updated: Aug 3, 2021


    CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., August 3, 2021 (Newswire.com)
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    Local nonprofit Bible in the Schools presented Hamilton County Schools (HCS) with its annual community gift of almost $1.8 million as reimbursement for the 2020-2021 countywide Bible History elective program. Bible in the Schools Board Chairman Tom Glenn and President Cathy Scott presented Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson with the $1.8 million gift. Also present was Bible in the Schools’ board member Mike Harrell.

    Dr. Bryan Johnson stated, “It is an honor to once again accept the gift of Bible History on behalf of Hamilton County Schools. This gift sponsors the education of thousands of public school students in our district. The countywide Bible History elective program encourages students in grades 6-12 to recognize the rich cultural connections between an ancient text and our modern world. Hamilton County seeks to graduate students who are future-ready and prepared for success in college and career. By thinking critically and engaging in historically rich conversations, HCS is preparing students to become global thinkers and responsible citizens.”

    Founded in 1922, Bible in the Schools provides Bible History elective courses for public school students in Hamilton County. Entering its 100th year, Bible in the Schools now reaches 29 public schools and over 4,600 students in grades 6-12. Demand for Bible History continues to grow, as 2021 recorded the highest Bible History enrollment numbers yet. HCS data reveals that, of the 19,006 students in the county who had access to Bible History elective courses in 2020-2021, one in four students completed a Bible course for graduation credit.

    Bible History courses are funded entirely by the generous supporters of Bible in the Schools. Board Chairman Tom Glenn stated, “As we approach our 100th school year, it is an honor to present this gift to our public schools, as it represents the heart behind so many donors in this community. Such generosity makes the gift of Bible History available to so many young lives.” Because of the generosity of the community, Bible in the Schools provided the largest community partner donation to Hamilton County Schools given in the 2020-2021 academic year.

    President Cathy Scott stated, “The Hamilton County public school Bible History program has been a daily dispenser of hope in this community and reflects the generosity of so many committed partners. Studying Bible History in our public schools helps ground and awaken students to the rich cultural footprint that the Bible has had on history while offering students hope, values, and life lessons relevant to the tough issues they wrestle with daily. We believe that a knowledge of the Bible is a key component to a well-rounded education that encourages students to not just be passive observers of society, but active contributors in a global world. Thank you to all who have donated generously to enrich Hamilton County Schools with a text that crosses all cultural, socioeconomic, and racial barriers while still touching lives each day.” 

    Bible History classes follow guidelines established by a 1980 federal court ruling which affirmed that the teaching of for-credit Bible History elective classes in Hamilton County’s public middle and high schools is constitutionally permissible. The Bible History curricular framework is court-approved and aligns with the Tennessee Department of Education’s state academic standards. The Hamilton County-based program also leads the nation with the largest concentration of public school students in any one school district studying the Bible. The program is entering its 100th year.

    More information regarding participating schools and courses offered is available at www.bibleintheschools.com.

    Please direct any inquiries to info@bibleintheschools.com.

    Photo Credit: Rachel Douglass

    Source: Bible in the Schools

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  • Wyoming Automotive and Diesel Trade School Receives $500K Donation to Fund Scholarships

    Wyoming Automotive and Diesel Trade School Receives $500K Donation to Fund Scholarships

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    WyoTech’s WTI Foundation is creating scholarships for students to pursue a top-notch education and training in the automotive technical trade.

    Press Release
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    updated: Aug 3, 2021


    LARAMIE, Wyo., August 3, 2021 (Newswire.com)
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    WyoTech, a diesel and automotive trade school for those seeking diesel, automotive and collision refinishing careers, received a $500,000 donation to its foundation from The Todd Family.

    “The Todd Family has always valued education including vocational education,” said Mick Todd. “We see this donation as furthering the development of technicians who will keep our economy moving.”

    The Todd family has a long-standing history of community involvement and philanthropy, having made several charitable donations in both Colorado and Wyoming in the name of education. A first-time donor to the WTI Foundation, Todd is continuing the family legacy of community service through this generous donation.

    “These trades are essential to our economy,” Todd said. “They are also high-paying jobs. Many kids have a natural aptitude for these skills and they should be encouraged to follow their dreams and seek out careers where their strengths are best put to use.”

    WyoTech was founded in Laramie, Wyoming, in 1966. The goal of the school has always been to provide a high-quality education and training programs for students. WyoTech prepares them for success in the diesel and automotive industry, where the demand for qualified technicians is growing steadily.

    WyoTech provides one of the best hands-on training experiences in the nation, providing nine-month training programs for diesel and automotive repairs. The WyoTech mechanic program offers seven industry certifications, including ASE certification, to advance students’ knowledge and careers as diesel and automotive service technicians.

    “Traditional higher education is not for everyone and vocational education offers a viable solution for employment and career improvement for many young people in this country. It should be a focus of education strategy. Providing funding for a vocational education, especially private funding, is essential,” said Todd.

    To learn more about WyoTech and its specialized programs, please visit https://www.wyotech.edu. To donate or learn more about the WyoTech | WTI Foundation visit https://www.wyotech.edu/l/foundation

    About WyoTech

    WyoTech is a family-owned technical school founded in Laramie, Wyoming, in 1966. WyoTech provides training programs that prepare students for careers as technicians in the automotive and diesel industry with nine-month training programs that focus on hands-on experience.

    Source: WyoTech

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  • New Tech Network Completes Its NTN College Access Network Recruitment With 49 Total Participating Schools

    New Tech Network Completes Its NTN College Access Network Recruitment With 49 Total Participating Schools

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    Press Release
    –


    updated: Jul 29, 2021


    NAPA, Calif., July 29, 2021 (Newswire.com)
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    New Tech Network expanded the NTN College Access Network initiative to 24 additional high schools, to a total of 49 schools, in Texas, Arkansas and California, with an aim to improve college access outcomes for Black, Latino, and low-income students by utilizing improvement science practices. The multi-year initiative is supported by a Networks for School Improvement (NSI) grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The NTN College Access Network welcomed new schools in Clint ISD, Fabens ISD, Manor ISD, Blytheville School District, Cross County School District, Socorro ISD, Terrell ISD, and expanded in Montebello USD and Comal ISD. School teams will work together to identify and address common challenges that impact students in pursuing and succeeding in college.

    New Tech Network, a national nonprofit organization and leading design partner for comprehensive K-12 school change, will continue to support school teams in their work and convene the teams to facilitate learning. “We’re eager to welcome our new schools into the College Access Network. The focus of this Network is to help schools develop new skills and processes that will improve outcomes for students,” says Lydia Dobyns, President and CEO of New Tech Network. “Building a vibrant network has been integral to improving postsecondary outcomes for all students, and we’re looking forward to supporting these new schools in this work.”

    Improvement Science is a disciplined approach to education innovation and improved practice (from “Learning to Improve: How American Schools Can Get Better at Getting Better” [Byrk, Gomez, Grunow, Mahieu]) and pioneered by the Carnegie Institute for Teaching. School teams in the NTN College Access Network collect and analyze data, explore the current system, identify change ideas, and implement and study specific changes to determine whether the changes have the intended impact.

    Among the 49 schools within 15 districts, this work will impact more than 33,000 juniors and seniors over the next year.

    About New Tech Network

    New Tech Network, a national nonprofit organization, is a leading design partner for comprehensive K-12 school change. NTN has successfully guided over 200 schools and districts in 28 states with a whole school, systemic approach where student skills are valued as much as test scores. New Tech Network provides professional development and coaching for teachers and school leaders to inspire and engage all students through authentic and challenging work. The New Tech school model features multiple student learning outcomes combined with pervasive project-based learning, an inclusive school-wide culture and the real-world use of technology tools and resources.

    Media Contact: Danielle Gates
    dgates@newtechnetwork.org
    925.435.3201

    Source: New Tech Network

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  • Under New Leadership, WyoTech Is Setting a Gold Standard by Providing First-Rate Training to Students

    Under New Leadership, WyoTech Is Setting a Gold Standard by Providing First-Rate Training to Students

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    Leadership is bringing back the school’s initial legacy of giving students first-class training, preparing graduates to achieve great success in their careers.

    Press Release
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    updated: Jul 13, 2021


    LARAMIE, Wyo., July 13, 2021 (Newswire.com)
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    WyoTech, a Laramie, Wyoming-based diesel- and automotive-related training school for those seeking diesel, automotive and collision refinishing careers, is operating under a new ownership team that is committed to moving the school in a positive direction — a commitment it has proven over the last three years.

    WyoTech, now led by former president, teacher and alumnus Jim Mathis, saw an opportunity to revive the school and its positive impact for students and the economy. When Mathis led the purchase of WyoTech in July 2018, the school had 12 students. Now, WyoTech boasts nearly 500 students from all 50 states and expects to have over 1,000 by 2023.

    Mathis, a graduate of WyoTech’s diesel program, sought to reinvigorate the school that gave him an excellent education and training. After the state of Wyoming approached him in early 2018, Mathis submitted a proposal to acquire WyoTech operations in hopes of restoring the school’s legacy of providing well-trained technicians to the United States workforce and beyond.

    Mathis took over as CEO in July 2018, and, driven by his conviction that WyoTech fully prepares students for a career in their desired industry, he and his team have funneled their passion for providing effective, well-rounded training into WyoTech and its students.

    The family-owned business with small-town roots is now back on track with rising enrollment and, most importantly, stronger graduation rates. 

    “Yes, WyoTech has experienced its share of challenges with different owners. Moving forward, our vision is simple. We strive to be the best in training and to provide the best student experience with the best outcomes. We understand the history of the school. We also know the positive power behind the WyoTech brand,” said Mathis.

    WyoTech’s curriculum goes beyond mechanical skills. In addition to the programs in diesel, automotive and collision refinishing, it emphasizes soft skills such as interview skills and personal appearance along with a heavy emphasis on attendance. Students are required to follow dress codes regarding facial piercings, hairstyles and uniforms. WyoTech has these standards to prepare students for the professionalism and soft skills expected of employees in the workforce. 

    Mathis said that these skills, along with a school day that is structured as a standard workday, enhances the appeal of WyoTech students to job recruiters nationwide. This allows graduates an opportunity to secure positions at reputable companies. Nearly 70 nationally recognized companies visit campus several times a year to recruit the school’s most recent graduates. 

    “Our philosophy is rooted in our desire to fully prepare students to launch their career in nine short months,” said Mathis. “A technical education alone does not deliver these results. Skills that focus on professional development and personal conduct are essential to our students’ success, which is why we focus on these aspects of the job in addition to the core education and training. In the end, we do this to help our students jump-start their careers and land positions that they might not obtain otherwise. That is the WyoTech difference.”

    To learn more about WyoTech and its specialized programs, please visit https://www.wyotech.edu.

    Source: Wyotech

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  • Lesley University and The Ohio State University partner to accelerate national early literacy learning post pandemic

    Lesley University and The Ohio State University partner to accelerate national early literacy learning post pandemic

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    Powerful new tutoring training program delivers educator training to sustain long term student success


    CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 29, 2021 (Newswire.com)
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    A new collaboration between Lesley University and The Ohio State University has resulted in the launch of the Leveled Literacy Intervention National Tutoring Scale-up Model, an evidence-based intervention that provides teacher training for implementation of intensive instruction to students who are performing significantly below grade level in reading and writing.

    The Leveled Literacy Intervention National Tutoring Scale-up Model is designed to help students in grades K-2 make accelerated and sustained literacy progress. It includes University trainers, based jointly at Lesley University and The Ohio State University, and tutors who are based at the school or district level.

    Leveled Literacy Intervention National Tutoring Scale-up Model is featured on the ProvenTutoring.org website, a coalition of organizations founded by Robert Slavin and Nancy Madden of Johns Hopkins University that features highly effective tutoring programs to support students across the U.S. In addition, the model is backed by rigorous independent research, including What Works Clearinghouse™ who found positive effects for beginning readers in Fountas & Pinnell’s Leveled Literacy Intervention system. 

    “Leveled Literacy Intervention is effective, engaging and efficient. Children’s results have been remarkable,” said Gay Su Pinnell, Professor Emerita in the School of Teaching and Learning at The Ohio State University. “Thousands of children have made tremendous gains because of their opportunity for this powerful early intervention. Now, with the Leveled Literacy Intervention National Tutoring Scale-up Model, we are able to create equitable literacy opportunities for all students with a coherent systematic implementation of an intensive intervention.”

    The Leveled Literacy Intervention National Tutoring Scale-up Model is specifically designed to lift the literacy achievement of students and turn struggling readers into successful readers with engaging leveled books and fast-paced, systematically designed lessons.

    “Student success cannot be left to chance. Schools must rely on proven resources, proven instruction and proven tutoring models to assure equitable student outcomes for every child,” said Irene Fountas, Director for the Center for Reading Recovery & Literacy Collaborative at Lesley University. “Leveled Literacy Intervention National Tutoring Scale-up Model is not only an investment in student success, but it is a long-term investment in teacher expertise that will power your scale up for many years to come.” 

    For more information about training tutors by Lesley University and The Ohio State University, please join us for a complimentary webinar, July 22nd from 3:30-4:30pm EST, to learn more about how your school/district can benefit from this exciting program. To register, visit https://bit.ly/lliscaleup. 

    —

    PR contact:
    Rebekah Kapfer
    rkapfer@lesley.edu
    617.349.8424

    Source: Lesley University and The Ohio State University

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  • ACT Scores Improve for Juniors at Kemper County High School

    ACT Scores Improve for Juniors at Kemper County High School

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    ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, and ACT Science scores show improvements over prior best scores, with 44% of students improving their ACT composite by an average of 1.53 points

    Press Release
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    updated: Jun 22, 2021


    BROOKHAVEN, Miss., June 22, 2021 (Newswire.com)
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    Jumpstart Test Prep recently released the ACT® improvement results from Kemper County High School, whose junior class used the program to prepare for the state-administered February 2021 ACT® exam (American College Testing). Following completion of Jumpstart’s complete ACT prep review, the school had 65% of its students improving their best prior English subscores by an average of 2.8 points and 38% improving their Reading sub-scores by an average of 3.46 points. Additionally, 32% of students improved their Science sub-scores by an average of 3.54 points and 47% improved their Math subscores by an average of 2.18 points.

    Students who showed significant gains were excited to provide their thoughts about the review program. On her first ACT® attempt, Kemper County junior Kaylan Clayton achieved a 21 on her English subscore. She says Jumpstart made the difference because, “It helped me to gain knowledge in new areas and to refresh my memory. Jumpstart also taught me how to best use my time when taking the ACT.” Anderiah Rush agrees, as her English subscore improved 5 points over her prior attempt. “The many tips and flashcards helped me to remember things I learned years ago. The mark and move strategy for time management helped me to finish the ACT completely.” Rush continued, “I think other students in Mississippi need to know about Jumpstart and use it because the review will help them to remember everything they’ve forgotten.” Another student, Kaylah Hearn, who improved her English subscore by 3 points over her last attempt commented, “Jumpstart gave me a refresher of things I had completely forgotten about and the flashcards taught me a lot of tips that I didn’t know. I would say that Jumpstart works!”

    Kemper County junior Illyana McClendon improved her English subscore by 4 points, going from a 14 to an 18. She shared, “Jumpstart gave me so many tips and tricks to help me succeed on the ACT. It was a refresh from elementary school until now and that made all the difference for me!” Reslyn Ramsey agreed with McClendon, “The tips and tricks that Jumpstart shows you are really amazing and it is also a great program to teach time management.” Reslyn achieved a 45% increase in her English subscore, improving by 5 points.

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 50 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR teacher hall of fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now through our online, on-demand video review, students in Kemper County classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table, or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    All juniors at Kemper County had access to the following resources:

    • Expert content review and practice, along with test-taking tips and strategies delivered in the classroom via streaming video
    • Online, on-demand, 24-hour review (36 modules, approximately 40 minutes each) of English, Math, Reading, and Science content tested by the ACT® that could be led from the classroom or used individually by students
    • Consumable student workbooks for each subject area to be completed in conjunction with lecture content and later used as a student study guide
    • Online assessments for the Math and English review areas which linked students back to their weaker areas reviewed in the Jumpstart module content

    School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com.

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • energyware™ Encourages School Leaders to Learn About the Benefits of Energy-Efficient Technology in Classrooms

    energyware™ Encourages School Leaders to Learn About the Benefits of Energy-Efficient Technology in Classrooms

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    The nation’s premier energy efficiency provider is raising awareness in school districts across the country for the betterment of generations of students in the years to come.


    SUNRISE, Fla., June 21, 2021 (Newswire.com)
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    energyware™, a leading national provider of energy-efficient technology, is encouraging school administrators and leaders from across the country to learn the important role that energy-efficient technology can play in modern classrooms. Efficient lighting has been proven to have a positive impact on school environments, as increased student performance has been found to have a direct correlation with proper lighting configurations.

    With energy-efficient technology in place, school districts in the U.S. have been able to cut down on student eye strain and headaches while increasing overall focus in the classroom. Studies have shown that environments with light-emitting diode (LED) lighting instead of fluorescent and/or incandescent lighting have enhanced students’ circadian rhythm, the internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. This cycle also plays a significant role in student performance and allows them to be alert throughout the academic school year.

    “This initiative is all about creating an environment that gives students the best chance of success in the classroom,” said Jake Jacques, CEO of energyware™. “By providing an environment where students have the greatest advantage in achieving success in academics, we are setting them up to prosper as they progress through life.”

    Jacques added, “Although proper lighting may seem like a small aspect to a physical school environment, the truth is that the benefits of proper lighting and energy-efficient technology extend not only to students’ academic performance but also to school district budgets. Schools can take the cost savings they get from energy-efficient lighting and reinvest them into educational resources and hiring more teachers. This can make a tremendous difference in the lives of students over time.”

    The cost savings accrued from the implementation of energy efficiency technologies have allowed schools the opportunity to reinvest into their infrastructure, teacher pay and education. The funds that have been saved from energy-efficient investments can be repurposed for campus improvements, funding new faculty positions and new programs within the curriculum.

    LED lighting systems have become a popular choice for thousands of schools in the U.S., as these components do not contain any harmful contaminants. Some compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) lighting products contain mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), these components can be detrimental to the health of children and cause long-term side effects if exposed over time.

    In addition to the safety benefits, LED lighting has been proven to achieve consistent lighting performance compared to alternative options. Glares or flickering issues that are commonly associated with legacy lighting can negatively impact students and teachers, causing visual discomfort, pain and negative behavior. When students are unable to see the study material, find it difficult to concentrate, or have difficulty navigating the building, performance often drops across the institution as a whole. LED lighting resolves these issues entirely, while simultaneously improving focus.

    As the understanding of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other studying-related medical issues grows, student concentration becomes more and more critical in relation to academic achievement. LED lighting has shown to assist students during classes as it allows them to focus more effectively on their work. Increased concentration in the classroom ultimately results in increased levels of memory recall and full information comprehension.

    Learning environments that utilize LED technology reap the benefits of increased productivity. With studies having shown that cooler temperatures (4100K-5000K) can help with concentration on certain tasks and projects, teachers can take advantage of the flexible nature of LED technology by controlling the color temperature and dimming capabilities for optimal learning environments.

    To learn more about energyware™’s educational initiative regarding energy-efficient technology and the crucial role it plays in classrooms, please visit http://www.energywarellc.com.

    About energyware™

    A national provider of energy-efficiency technology, energyware™ eliminates the guesswork of energy efficiency by bringing engineers, designers, best-in-breed manufacturing and trained energy technology installers all under one umbrella.

    Contact Information
    morgan@newswire.com

    Source: energyware

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  • Summit Educational Group Launches New, Innovative 1-1 Peak Academic Math and Writing Courses

    Summit Educational Group Launches New, Innovative 1-1 Peak Academic Math and Writing Courses

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    NEWTON, Mass., June 7, 2021 (Newswire.com)
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    Summit Educational Group is pleased to announce a new suite of advanced math and writing courses designed to elevate students’ understanding of concepts and strengthen their skill set and confidence level. The customized courses, 1-1 Peak Academic Math and 1-1 Peak Academic Writing, will be taught online or in-person by highly qualified tutors who are experts in their field. The courses serve to extend the company’s tutoring expertise into essential programs for core academic subjects.

    The courses, designed for students who are looking to accelerate their learning in math and writing, will provide each student with a way to stand out academically, as well as foster an in-depth understanding of topics that cut across the span of their scholastic and professional careers. The 1-1 Peak Academic courses will also help bolster each student’s skill set after a challenging year in education due to the pandemic.

    With Summit’s established expertise in 1-1, individualized test prep and academic tutoring, the Peak 1-1 programs are a natural next step for the company.

    The new courses will result not only in an increased understanding of topics but also in the development of an instinct for problem-solving and the writing process. “As a result of Summit’s 1-1 Peak Academic Courses, our students will learn how to meet tasks with more confidence and less frustration, conquering the fear and stress that often accompanies even starting math problems or writing assignments,” said Summit Founder and CEO, Charlie O’Hearn.

    “Each student possesses specific goals, a unique learning style, a distinct personality, and personal strengths and areas for improvement,” O’Hearn said. “Only through one-on-one tutoring can a student’s needs be fully assessed and a customized plan be created.”

    Peak Math Courses

    Summit offers six different math courses: Grade 4 Math, Grade 5 Math, Pre-algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry. The goal of these courses is to bring the student immersive, engaging content that will help ensure success now and in future math classes. The skills and strengths developed in these courses will lead to eager engagement with math, and the development of transferrable skills such as perseverance, confidence, and creative problem solving.

    Peak Analytical Writing Course

    Our Peak Analytical Writing course focuses on teaching students to master analytical writing, the most important, and most frequent type of writing that students encounter in high school and college. In this engaging program, students will learn to structure their essays, deepen their analysis, develop their arguments, and create quality supportive examples that showcase their true writing skills. This level of skills development will help students prepare for honors, advanced placement (AP), and other higher-level English classes as well as other subjects requiring strong written communication.

    To learn more about Summit Educational Group’s 1-1 Peak Academic Courses, visit:

    1-1 Peak Math Courses: https://mytutor.com/math-courses-grades-4-10/

    1-1 Peak Writing Course: https://mytutor.com/writing-courses-for-teens/

    About Summit Educational Group

    For over 30 years, Summit has helped students realize their potential through customized, 1-1 test prep and academic tutoring programs. Our commitment is to each student’s academic success on their terms, a commitment to find the right tutor, to customize the optimal program, to create a test plan that works for each student, and to help students realize their score and academic potential.

    61R Chapel St, Newton, MA 02458

    237 Elm St, New Canaan, CT 06840

    611 West Hartsdale Ave, Suite 201, White Plains, NY 10607

    CONTACT: Drew Heilpern, Chief Brand Ambassador

    dheilpern@mytutor.com | (617) 831-4381 |www.mytutor.com

    Source: Summit Educational Group

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  • ACT Scores Improve for 60% of Juniors at Leland High School

    ACT Scores Improve for 60% of Juniors at Leland High School

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    ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, and ACT Science scores show improvements over prior best scores, with 60% of students improving their ACT composite by an average of nearly two points

    Press Release
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    updated: Jun 3, 2021


    LELAND, Miss., June 3, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Jumpstart Test Prep recently released the ACT® improvement results for Leland High School, whose junior class used the program to prepare for the state-administered February 2021 ACT® exam (American College Testing). Following completion of Jumpstart’s complete ACT prep review, the school had 73% of its students improving their prior Science subscores by an average of 2.72 points and 67% improving their English subscores by an average of 2.6 points. Additionally, 46% of students improved their Reading subscores by an average of 2.5 points and 33% improved their Math subscores by an average of two points.

    Students who achieved notable improvements in their scores were happy to provide their thoughts about the review program. On her first ACT® attempt, Leland High junior Jermya Summage achieved a 21 on her English subscore. She says Jumpstart helped her to succeed because “it provided me with an in-depth review, thorough explanation of concepts, and great tips that I could easily remember. Jumpstart really helped me to reach a good score on the ACT.” Donal Washington agrees, as his English subscore improved three points over his prior attempt. “Jumpstart gave me a lot of good advice and helped with my time management and cognitive thinking skills. It presented a lot of information that I really needed to review so I could succeed. Washington continued, “I would tell other students to use Jumpstart, it will help them to go far in life.”

    Another student, Kason Shead, improved his Science subcscore by five points over his last attempt, increasing from a 16 to a 21. Shead commented, “Jumpstart helped me because I was able to learn at my own pace and not be rushed. It was an in-depth review of things I had forgotten about. Jumpstart worked really well for me.” Kemper County junior LaDarius Pratt also achieved improvements in his Science subscore, increasing four points going from a 17 to a 21. He shared, “Jumpstart is a quick, fast, and easily accessible review that helped me refresh on materials I had forgotten about. It also greatly assisted me with time management skills. Jumpstart really helped me increase my Science score and I am thankful for it.” Eriana Murphy agreed with Pratt, “Jumpstart helped me significantly in English, the review of grammar rules made the difference for me. The Jumpstart review helped me to remember things I learned in middle school and also taught me things I hadn’t learned before. It was extremely helpful.” Murphy achieved a 31.25% increase in her English subscore, improving by five points.

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 50 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR teacher hall-of-fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now, through our online, on-demand video review, students in Leland High classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    All juniors at Leland High had access to the following resources:

    • Expert content review and practice, along with test-taking tips and strategies delivered in the classroom via streaming video
    • Online, on-demand, 24-hour review (36 modules, approximately 40 minutes each) of English, Math, Reading, and Science content tested by the ACT® that could be led from the classroom or used individually by students
    • Consumable student workbooks for each subject area to be completed in conjunction with lecture content and later used as a student study guide
    • Online assessments for the Math and English review areas which linked students back to their weaker areas reviewed in the Jumpstart module content

    School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com.

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • New Tech Network Receives Grant to Support Rural and Town School Districts in Texas

    New Tech Network Receives Grant to Support Rural and Town School Districts in Texas

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    Education Nonprofit Granted Funding From Bezos Family Foundation to Expand Project-Based Learning Model to More Rural Schools and Districts in Texas


    AUSTIN, Texas, June 2, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    New Tech Network (NTN), a leading design partner for comprehensive K-12 school change, has been awarded a grant from the Bezos Family Foundation (BFF) to expand and support education innovation in Rural and Town districts and schools in Texas.

    The new Texas initiative aims to reach 11 new schools by 2025, serving approximately 11,000 students in communities classified as Rural or Town by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). These multi-year grants will provide each school with support and services to implement the New Tech school model, with a portion of annual costs covered through other funding sources. Priority will be given to schools with student populations higher than 40% Free and Reduced lunch. NTN is currently supporting 34 schools in 13 Texas districts, serving over 15,000 students in the state.

    “More than ever, families want their local schools to provide relevant preparation for success in college and career, and we are thrilled that the financial support provided by the Bezos Family Foundation will enable New Tech Network to form new Texas partnerships,” said Lydia Dobyns, President and CEO of New Tech Network. “All too often, philanthropic support does not extend to rural communities.”

    While many school innovation and reform efforts seek to improve student outcomes by focusing on programmatic changes in instruction and curriculum alone, NTN takes a holistic approach and works to align all parts of the school system, without operating schools. Districts who partner with NTN gain the advantage of building classroom and administrator professional capacity in making instructional and culture changes. NTN’s systemic approach centers around four key pillars:

    • Outcomes that matter for postsecondary success
    • Culture that empowers students and adults
    • Teaching that engages learnings in complex-thinking and problem-solving
    • Technology that enables student-centered learning and collaboration

    NTN will be announcing details later this summer about how eligible districts can apply for aid. To learn more about NTN’s work in Texas, please visit newtechnetwork.org/texas.

    About New Tech Network 

    New Tech Network, a national nonprofit organization, is a leading design partner for comprehensive K-12 school change. NTN has successfully guided over 200 schools and districts in 28 states with a whole school, systemic approach where student skills are valued as much as test scores. New Tech Network provides professional development and coaching for teachers and school leaders to inspire and engage all students through authentic and challenging work. The New Tech school model features multiple student learning outcomes combined with pervasive project-based learning, an inclusive school-wide culture and the real-world use of technology tools and resources. 

    Media Contact:
    Danielle Gates
    dgates@newtechnetwork.org
    925.435.3201

    Source: New Tech Network

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  • 75% of Juniors at Newton County High School Improve Their ACT® English Scores

    75% of Juniors at Newton County High School Improve Their ACT® English Scores

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    Following the classroom implementation of the Jumpstart Test Prep ACT English Review, 75% of students with a prior score improved an average of 3.48 points over their best prior score on the English subsection of the ACT® exam administered recently.

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Jun 2, 2021


    DECATUR, Miss., June 2, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Newton County High School has a mission of pursuing perfection by providing a challenging education, as well as developmental guidance for their students. A prime example of this guidance was displayed in the recently announced ACT® exam score improvements for their junior students utilizing the Jumpstart Complete English ACT prep review to prepare for the state-administered February 2021 ACT® exam (American College Testing), 75% of the students with a prior English ACT® score improved an average of 3.48 points above their best prior attempt. Furthermore, 67% of the students improved their overall composite score by an outstanding average of 3.28 points. The program was provided by a 2020 legislative grant administered through the Mississippi Department of Education.

    Newton County High School’s Principal, Dawn Hollingsworth, shared, “We are immensely proud of the results that our students achieved after preparing with Jumpstart Test Prep. An average increase of 3.48 points for 75% of those with a prior score in English is remarkable! We look forward to implementing Jumpstart’s Complete ACT Prep during the 2021-22 school year. We are confident that the results benefitting from the use of Jumpstart will give students scholarship opportunities that they otherwise may not have been able to achieve. We are happy to make this investment into the future of our students.” Missy Johnson, an English teacher at Newton County who implemented the Jumpstart review program in her classroom, was appreciative of the resource: “I enjoyed Jumpstart Test Prep so much. It was easy to implement; the kids were able to do the review themselves with me just simply reinforcing the materials. I really loved using Jumpstart in my classroom!” Johnson had one student comment about Jumpstart: “I’m going to be honest, I’ve learned more in the last two days than I have in the last 12 years.” Johnson is very proud of the improvements that her students realized this year on the ACT.

    Several students, who achieved outstanding results in the English subsection of the ACT®, were eager to provide their thoughts about the Jumpstart review program. Marilyn Martinez, who had the highest percentage improvement at Newton County and improved her English score by 7 points, said, “I really liked the videos and different presenters that the Jumpstart review program uses. They reviewed grammar rules that I had forgotten and that helped me a lot.” Cameron Gressett achieved a remarkable score of 25 in the English subsection on his first attempt and he agreed with Martinez. “Jumpstart had a variety of presenters who taught with positive energy. The review simplified and brought back English tips I had forgotten.”

    Another Newton County junior, Jacob Duncan, scored a 20 in English on his first attempt. Duncan added, “Jumpstart helped me because it reminded me of details I had completely forgotten about. Also, I am a highly visual learner and being able to watch the videos and see the presenters really made a difference for me.” Makenzie Sessions realized a 22 in the English subsection of the ACT on her first attempt, “Jumpstart helped me significantly in English because it reviewed the basics of grammar and punctuation.” John Graham doesn’t necessarily enjoy studying but because his school implemented Jumpstart in the classroom, he had a forced study and he was proud to achieve a 22 in English on his first attempt. “If I would not have had Jumpstart Test Prep at school, I would not have done as well. I am thankful for it.”

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 50 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR teacher hall-of-fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now through our online, on-demand video review, students in Newton County classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table, or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    All juniors at Newton County had access to the following resources:

    • Expert content review and practice, along with test-taking tips and strategies delivered in the classroom via streaming video
    • Online, on-demand, 5-hour review (8 modules, approximately 40 minutes each) of English content tested by the ACT® that could be led from the classroom or used individually by students
    • Consumable student workbooks for each subject area to be completed in conjunction with lecture content and later used as a student study guide
    • Online assessment or the English review area which linked students back to their weaker areas reviewed in the Jumpstart module content

    School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com.

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • After Reviewing With Jumpstart Test Prep, ACT Scores Improve in All Four Subject Areas for Juniors at East Marion High School

    After Reviewing With Jumpstart Test Prep, ACT Scores Improve in All Four Subject Areas for Juniors at East Marion High School

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    ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, and ACT Science scores show improvements over prior best scores

    Press Release
    –


    updated: May 28, 2021


    COLUMBIA, Miss., May 28, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    East Marion High School (EMHS) thrives on the motto of “Inspiring Excellence.” However, it is not just a motto: the school puts it into practice by investing in the future of their students. This year, EMHS provided their high school juniors with Jumpstart Test Prep (Jumpstart), an online, on-demand Complete ACT Review Program developed by 19-year STAR teacher, Dot McClendon. The investment in Jumpstart made a difference for their juniors. Jumpstart recently released ACT improvement results from EMHS. The junior class used the Jumpstart Complete ACT prep review to prepare for the state-administered February 2021 ACT® exam (American College Testing). Following completion of Jumpstart’s complete ACT prep review, 43 percent of the students had an average ACT English and ACT Reading score improvement of +2.33 points over their best prior attempt. The school also had 29 percent of its students improving their Science scores by an average of +3.5 points and 14 percent improving by an average of +2 points in Math test sub-scores.

    Several students were recognized for their improvement results and shared their thoughts about the Jumpstart review program. Shamyah Sims, who had a 27 percent improvement over her prior best score, commented, “Jumpstart Test Prep really helped me because it gave great tips and tricks, the presenters were very energetic and they gave an overall recap of things I learned in previous grades. Jumpstart is very useful to reach a high ACT score.” Nicholas Colvin achieved a +5 improvement in Science and in Reading. Colvin said, “Jumpstart helped me the most with my time management. It provided very useful strategies I hadn’t thought of before and the recap of content from grades ago – that made all the difference.” Steven Robbins shared, “Jumpstart made the difference because it reviewed materials that I had completely forgotten about. Jumpstart is so helpful for reaching high ACT scores.” Robbins achieved a 23 composite score on his first attempt. Terry Lisenby, whose score increased +2 points in English and in Math, agreed with Robbins: “Jumpstart is a recap of content from late elementary and junior high. Reviewing in that way really helped me to achieve a higher score.” Destiny Brown emphasized the feelings of Lisenby: “Jumpstart makes the difference because it reviews things from several grades ago.” Brown increased +2 points in the Science sub-section, going from a 20 to a 22. Alexis Lott scored a 21 in the English sub-section on her first attempt. Lott commented, “Jumpstart Test Prep helped me because it had very useful tips and tricks and the young presenters really helped to keep me focused. The best part about Jumpstart was the review of things I have not seen in a long time.”

    Kylia Baldwin, a teacher at East Marion who implemented the Jumpstart review program, provided her thoughts about how Jumpstart helped her students excel. “The whole Jumpstart review program is absolutely amazing. It starts at the foundational basics and explains everything in a thorough manner while giving students a refresher on materials learned throughout their entire academic career. I am very proud of the results that my students saw after using this review program.” Baldwin continued, “I hope to see Jumpstart continue to be implemented here at East Marion and also across Mississippi. I think Jumpstart would be a tremendous help to our state and raise our ACT scores.”

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 50 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR teacher hall-of-fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now through our online, on-demand video review, students in East Marion classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table, or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    All juniors at EMHS had access to the following resources:

    • Expert content review and practice, along with test-taking tips and strategies delivered in the classroom via streaming video
    • Online, on-demand, 24-hour review (36 modules, approximately 40 minutes each) of English, Math, Reading, and Science content tested by the ACT® that could be led from the classroom or used individually by students
    • Consumable student workbooks for each subject area to be completed in conjunction with lecture content and later used as a student study guide
    • Online assessments for the Math and English review areas which linked students back to their weaker areas reviewed in the Jumpstart module content

    School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com. For press information, contact hannah@jumpstarttestprep.com 

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • ACT Scores Improve in All Four Subject Areas for Juniors at Mississippi School of the Arts

    ACT Scores Improve in All Four Subject Areas for Juniors at Mississippi School of the Arts

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    ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, and ACT Science scores show significant improvements over prior best scores, with 64 percent of students improving ACT composite by an average of +2.81 points

    Press Release
    –


    updated: May 3, 2021


    BROOKHAVEN, Miss., May 3, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Nestled in historic downtown Brookhaven, Mississippi is a hidden educational jewel – the Mississippi School of the Arts (MSA). The school is filled with students from all over Mississippi who have big dreams and with faculty who strive to help them reach their goals. For some, a big hurdle is achieving an impressive ACT score so that scholarships and dreams of free college tuition become a reality. This is where the implementation of Jumpstart Test Prep (Jumpstart) aids students. Jumpstart recently released ACT improvement results from MSA, whose junior class used the Jumpstart Complete ACT prep review to prepare for the state-administered February 2021 ACT® exam (American College Testing). Following completion of Jumpstart’s complete ACT prep review, over 60 percent of the students had an average ACT English score improvement of +4.81 points over their best prior attempt. Similarly, the school had 56 percent of its students improving their Science scores by an average of +2.85 points and more than 60 percent improving by an average of +3.81 points in Reading and +2.4 points in Math test sub-scores.

    ACTUAL

    COMP

    Math

    Science

    English

    Reading

    % of Group IMP

    64%

    60%

    56%

    64%

    64%

    Ave IMP for that group

    2.81

    2.40

    2.85

    4.81

    3.81

    Debra Henderson, principal at MSA, said, “We at MSA really like the Jumpstart Test Prep program and believe that it helps our kids succeed on the ACT. If the kids put in the work and do the program, they will see great results.” Director at MSA, Dr. Suzanne Hirsch commented, “Jumpstart is a great program that offers a very succinct review for students to prepare for the ACT exam. Our teachers worked hard to deliver the program as prescribed by Jumpstart co-founder and former MSA teacher Dot McClendon. It was used as a review of content and practice within the few weeks before our juniors re-tested on the ACT in February. The online, on-demand ACT review Dot has created gets results,” Hirsh affirmed. All juniors at MSA received subject area preparation through Jumpstart within their classes or after school through an individualized schedule around a rigorous school day. Hirsch continued, “We are proud of the efforts of our students and teachers to prepare for this important test. These scores will be life-changing for college acceptance and scholarship offers. MSA students traditionally have extraordinarily high scholarship offers to college and receive career training through a seminar format and college preparation. Jumpstart Test Prep is an exceptional addition to our programming. Together, we know our students will be given the best chance for success!”

    Multiple MSA students were recognized for their improvement results and shared their thoughts about the program. Sydney Knotts, who saw a +8 improvement in her English sub-score, commented, “Jumpstart Test Prep made the difference for me by going over small things I haven’t seen in a while. The program did a really good job of encompassing all of the necessary aspects of each subject and that helped me succeed.” Molly LeBlanc shared, “The biggest difference about Jumpstart was that it helped me significantly with my time management skills. Because of Jumpstart I was able to completely finish the ACT this time and I think that really helped my score improve.” LeBlanc achieved a +8 improvement on her English sub-score, going from a 15 to a 23. Ashley Charles, who reached a +5 improvement in Math, agreed with Leblanc, “Jumpstart helped because it taught me time management and it also went over a lot of things I had forgotten from several grades ago.” Madison White had significant improvements and was the highest achiever at MSA, raising from a 26 to a perfect score of 36 in Reading and a 22 to a 28 on her overall composite score. White said, “Jumpstart basically helped me re-learn Math. It taught me things I had completely forgotten and hadn’t seen in a very long time.”

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 60 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR teacher hall-of-fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now through our online, on-demand video review, students in MSA classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table, or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    All juniors at MSA had access to the following resources:

    • Expert content review and practice, along with test-taking tips and strategies delivered in the classroom via streaming video
    • Online, on-demand, 24-hour review (36 modules, approximately 40 minutes each) of English, Math, Reading, and Science content tested by the ACT® that could be led from the classroom or used individually by students
    • Consumable student workbooks for each subject area to be completed in conjunction with lecture content and later used as a student study guide
    • Online assessments for the Math and English review areas which linked students back to their weaker areas reviewed in the Jumpstart module content

    School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com. For media information, contact hannah@jumpstarttestprep.com

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • Houston High School Achieves Notable Improvements in 54% of Their Juniors’ ACT® English Scores

    Houston High School Achieves Notable Improvements in 54% of Their Juniors’ ACT® English Scores

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    Following the classroom implementation of the Jumpstart Test Prep ACT English Review, 54 percent of students with a prior score improved an average of +2.83 points over their best prior score on the English sub-section of the ACT® exam administered recently

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Apr 28, 2021


    HOUSTON, Miss., April 28, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    When visiting Houston High School (HHS), one will quickly realize the commitment and devotion that the faculty invests into the lives of their students. A prime example of this investment was displayed in the recently announced ACT® exam score improvements for their junior students utilizing the Jumpstart Complete English ACT prep review to prepare for the state-administered February 2021 ACT® exam (American College Testing) — 54 percent of the students with a prior English ACT® score improved an average of +2.83 points above their best prior attempt. The program was provided by a 2020 legislative grant administered through the Mississippi Department of Education.

    Alisha Spencer, an English III teacher at HHS who implemented the Jumpstart review program in her classroom, was appreciative of the resource, “I absolutely loved the Jumpstart program for our juniors because it went back to things they hadn’t seen in quite some time. I feel that the different presenters and the review from years ago is what really made the difference on their ACT® English scores.” As a teacher, Spencer recommended that Jumpstart Test Prep be implemented in schools across the State of Mississippi and has hopes that it will be continued at Houston High School in the coming years. Principal William Cook commented, “I appreciate the faculty who worked hard to implement this program into the students’ schedules and am very proud of our students’ ACT® English improvements.”

    Several students, who achieved outstanding improvements in the English sub-section of the ACT®, were eager to provide their thoughts about the Jumpstart review program. Jackson Laster, who saw a +5 improvement on his English score, said, “Jumpstart made a big difference because I was able to go back and review topics from earlier grades before the test. The tips and fabulous fact flashcards were great reminders and really helped me succeed.” Angel Renfroe achieved a +7 improvement in the English sub-section and agreed with Laster. “The biggest help to me was reviewing things I hadn’t seen in several years.” Another HHS junior, Tim’mara Lee, saw a +5 improvement on her English score and a +4 improvement on her composite score. Lee added, “Jumpstart made a huge difference in my ACT® scores. I hadn’t seen a lot of things since middle school and the review of older topics made all the difference for me.” Gibson Cauler achieved a +4 improvement on his composite score and agreed with Lee. “The simple breakdowns of topics helped a lot. Jumpstart taught me many things I hadn’t previously learned.” Jonathan Fowler realized a 43 percent improvement of +6 points over his prior best English score and was the student with the highest percentile improvement out of the entire junior class at HHS. He commented, “Jumpstart helped me time myself better and not be as nervous when I took the ACT® because, after I finished the review, I knew what I was doing.”

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 60 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR teacher hall-of-fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now, through our online, on-demand video review, students in HHS classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    All juniors at HHS had access to the following resources:

    • Expert content review and practice, along with test-taking tips and strategies delivered in the classroom via streaming video
    • Online, on-demand, five-hour review (eight modules, approximately 40 minutes each) of English content tested by the ACT® that could be led from the classroom or used individually by students
    • Consumable student workbooks for each subject area to be completed in conjunction with lecture content and later used as a student study guide
    • Online assessment or the English review area, which linked students back to their weaker areas reviewed in the Jumpstart module content

    School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com.

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • High School Juniors at Loyd Star Attendance Center Achieve Major ACT® Score Improvements in February

    High School Juniors at Loyd Star Attendance Center Achieve Major ACT® Score Improvements in February

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    70 percent of students with a prior score improved an average of +3.07 composite points


    BROOKHAVEN, Miss., April 22, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Jumpstart Test Prep recently released the ACT® improvement results from Loyd Star Attendance Center, whose junior class used the program to prepare for the state-administered February 2021 ACT® exam (American College Testing). Following completion of Jumpstart’s complete ACT prep review, 70 percent of the students with a prior ACT score improved an average of +3.07 composite points above their best prior attempt. The school reported big gains in Math with 80 percent of its students improving their prior Math sub-scores by an average of +3.81 points, 65 percent improving their English sub-scores by an average of +3.23 points, while the same percentage of students improved their Reading sub-scores by an average of +4.7 points. Additionally, 55 percent of students improved their Science sub-scores by an average of +2.55 points.

    Kristin King, an English teacher at Loyd Star who taught the Jumpstart program, says, “As a teacher, I really liked the Jumpstart program and think it’s a great review where students could write down basic stuff that they might have forgotten or may have never heard.” King continued, “The program was really well-organized and flowed from one skill to the next. It really helped the kids.” Dena Ford, Principal at Loyd Star, shared, “Our team strives to help students perform their best and we are very proud of our teachers and students for their efforts and results.”

    Several students also provided their thoughts about the Jumpstart ACT review program they completed before the state-mandated February test date. On her second ACT® attempt, Loyd Star junior Madison Falvey improved her English sub-score +11 points and her composite score +9 points. Falvey commented, “Jumpstart made the difference by helping with the small details.” Falvey offered that she has really bad test anxiety that the review helped to alleviate. “Jumpstart helped me with time management skills and to calm down and focus on what I had to do. Instead of taking it as one more thing I had to do at school, I just really paid attention and it helped me a lot.” She tells future students, “It might seem like it’s just another thing to do, but it really will help you.” Loyd Star junior Hunter Williams, who achieved a 20-composite score on his first ACT® attempt, commented, “Jumpstart made the difference because it went over a lot of stuff from the past.” Junior Haley McCullough agrees, as her Math sub-score rose +5 points over her prior attempt. “What really helped was going over some of the things I hadn’t seen. With COVID, last year was cut short and we didn’t have a lot of Geometry and the Jumpstart program went back over a lot of that and I saw it on the ACT®.” Riley Easterling, another junior at Loyd Star who saw a +8 improvement in his Reading sub-score, agreed. “Jumpstart really helped because it went over stuff I haven’t seen since several grades ago.” Wednesday Warren, who saw an increase of +9 points in her Reading sub-score, commented, “The presenters really explained everything well. Jumpstart made the difference because it helped improve my time-management skills.”

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 60 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR teacher hall-of-fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now, through our online, on-demand video review, students in Loyd Star classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    All juniors at Loyd Star had access to the following resources:

    • Expert content review and practice, along with test-taking tips and strategies delivered in the classroom via streaming video
    • Online, on-demand, 24-hour review (36 modules, approximately 40 minutes each) of English, Math, Reading, and Science content tested by the ACT® that could be led from the classroom or used individually by students
    • Consumable student workbooks for each subject area to be completed in conjunction with lecture content and later used as a student study guide
    • Online assessments for the Math and English review areas, which linked students back to their weaker areas reviewed in the Jumpstart module content

    School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com.

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • Equinox Launches New Website Featuring Open Source Library Products, Services, and Education

    Equinox Launches New Website Featuring Open Source Library Products, Services, and Education

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    Equinox Open Library Initiative celebrates 15 years as a small business delivering ‘Extraordinary Service. Exceptional Value’ to libraries worldwide

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Apr 20, 2021


    DULUTH, Ga., April 20, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Equinox Open Library Initiative, Inc. proudly announces the launch of its newly designed website https://www.equinoxOLI.org, featuring open source library products, services, and educational resources. Equinox Open Library Initiative, the successor to Equinox Software, Inc., celebrates 15 years as a small business delivering “Extraordinary Service. Exceptional Value” to libraries worldwide. Equinox provides innovative open source software for libraries and consortia of all types, serving academic, public, school, corporate, cultural, and government organizations. The new website serves as the central place for current news from Equinox, information about open source library software, including Evergreen, Koha, Fulfillment, and CORAL, and details and announcements regarding Equinox’s grants, programs, and community events.

    “When you choose Equinox, you’re choosing a mission-driven small business with a proven record of technical expertise and outstanding service,” said Lisa Carlucci, Executive Director. “As we launch the new website and celebrate this important milestone, we are deeply grateful to the libraries, consortia, and community partners who have trusted Equinox to provide best-in-class library technologies.” 

    In addition to open source products, Equinox offers library consulting, training, and technology services. Consulting topics include workflow analysis, process improvement, consortial policy evaluation and management, web design, custom training sessions and workshops, IT services and support, and data services.

    “Our new website highlights our services and programs contributing to library open source software and infrastructure,” said Galen Charlton, Implementation and IT Manager at Equinox. “We hope that libraries and community members find it useful as a hub for finding open source resources and learning more about Equinox.” 

    Follow Equinox Open Library Initiative on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Vimeo for the latest updates. 

    To receive news directly in your inbox: https://www.equinoxOLI.org/#signup

    For more information:

    Laura Barry
    Communications Coordinator
    Equinox Open Library Initiative, Inc.
    laura.barry@equinoxOLI.org
    877.OPEN.ILS (877.673.6457)

    About Equinox Open Library Initiative

    Equinox Open Library Initiative provides innovative open source software for libraries of all types and delivers extraordinary service at exceptional value. As the successor to Equinox Software, Inc., Equinox Open Library Initiative builds upon more than a decade of trusted service and technical expertise, providing consulting services, software development, hosting, training, and support for Evergreen ILS, Koha ILS, and other open source library software. To learn more, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.org. For Equinox Library Services Canada, please visit https://www.equinoxOLI.ca.

    Source: Equinox Open Library Initiative

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  • Petal High School Juniors Achieve Major ACT® Score Improvements in February

    Petal High School Juniors Achieve Major ACT® Score Improvements in February

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    62 percent of students with a prior score improved an average of +3.10 points in the English sub-section


    PETAL, Miss., April 19, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Jumpstart Test Prep recently released the ACT® improvement results from Petal High School (PHS), whose junior class used the program to prepare for the state-administered February 2021 ACT® exam (American College Testing). Following completion of Jumpstart’s Complete English ACT prep review, 62 percent of the students with a prior English ACT score improved an average +3.10 points above their best prior attempt.

    Karla Lefan, an English teacher at PHS who taught the Jumpstart program, says, “It was extremely beneficial for our students. With the completion of the Jumpstart program, my students have grown so much; one student beamed as his score showed he could potentially grow by as many as 12 points!” Natalie Sumrall also led the review from her classroom and had similar comments: “I really liked that it covered all the skills that are on the ACT® English section because for me to review all those things in class is impossible. There are too many standards for me to go over that they learn at the lower grade level, yet they needed the review.” She says that one of her students, with a 504 Plan due to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), significantly improved by being able to “watch the modules and re-watch the modules,” and that Jumpstart really is “something special.” Jamie Sproles is another teacher who led the Jumpstart Review and says Jumpstart is most beneficial because of, “The fact that it’s lessons and then questions, and that once they learn a rule, they review it with an ACT-style multiple choice question which helps them directly apply that knowledge.” As teachers, they highly recommend that Jumpstart Test Prep be implemented in schools across the State of Mississippi and have hopes that it will be continued at Petal High School in the coming years. Sproles says, “It’s one of the most successful ways for our students to review for their ACT and it proved to be a win.”

    Students also provided their thoughts about the program. On his second ACT® attempt, PHS junior Sam Bullock improved his English sub-score +12 points and his composite score +7 points. He says, “It helped out a lot. I wasn’t really good at English but Jumpstart made it seem a lot easier and helped me improve. I wasn’t as stressed – I knew how to time myself. Jumpstart was most beneficial because it reviewed things I hadn’t seen in a while and didn’t go over as much.” PHS junior Jewel Alexander agrees, as her English sub-score also rose +12 points, and she improved her composite score +8 points over her prior attempt. “Jumpstart helped me understand the questions on the ACT® and it introduced topics to me that I didn’t really know before.” She tells future students to “Pace yourselves and just do it because once you see the difference it’s going to be worth it.”

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 60 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR teacher hall-of-fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now through our online, on-demand video review, students in PHS classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table, or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    All juniors at PHS had access to the following resources:

    • Expert content review and practice, along with test-taking tips and strategies delivered in the classroom via streaming video
    • Online, on-demand, 5-hour review (8 modules, approximately 40 minutes each) of English content tested by the ACT® that could be led from the classroom or used individually by students
    • Consumable student workbooks for each subject area to be completed in conjunction with lecture content and later used as a student study guide
    • Online assessments for the English review area which linked students back to their weaker areas reviewed in the Jumpstart module content

    School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com. 

    All media Inquiries should be directed to hannah@jumpstarttestprep.com

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • Jack Ma makes rare public appearance in China | CNN Business

    Jack Ma makes rare public appearance in China | CNN Business

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    Hong Kong/Beijing
    CNN
     — 

    Jack Ma, the billionaire founder of Alibaba

    (BABA)     and once one of China’s most prominent entrepreneurs, has made a rare public appearance in the country.

    Ma visited the city of Hangzhou and was seen meeting with students and teachers at the Alibaba-funded Yungu School.

    “Jack Ma came to Yungu School and discussed the future of education with the campus directors,” the school said on its WeChat account Monday, adding that the purpose of Ma’s visit was to discuss “the challenges and opportunities” that “new technological change brings to education.”

    Ma, who has a fortune of nearly $33 billion, has kept a very low profile since the Chinese government began a fierce crackdown on the tech sector more than two years ago.

    One of the most dramatic opening salvos of the offensive came in November 2020, when Ant Group — a financial affiliate of Alibaba also founded by Ma — was forced to pull its $37 billion IPO at the last minute. That intervention by regulators followed a speech from Ma in which he criticized China’s banks and financial regulators.

    In recent years, Ma has reportedly spent time in Japan, home to his friend and Alibaba investor, SoftBank CEO Masa Son, and in Hong Kong.

    In a statement to CNN about the trip, the Jack Ma Foundation said the Alibaba founder “travels very often in China and overseas.”

    “Mr. Ma travels very often in China and overseas. He has been in Hangzhou recently. He paid a visit to Hangzhou Yungu School today and had a chat with teachers there on education,” a spokesperson said.

    In recent months, Beijing has signaled that its onslaught on the internet industry may be coming to an end. As the economy struggles to pick up speed after years of Covid lockdowns and a real estate crash, the ruling Communist Party needs the private sector to boost jobs and growth.

    New Premier Li Qiang has adopted a softer tone towards businesses since taking office, in what many see as an attempt to bolster China’s economic recovery. Investors have rushed back in.

    But the outlook for the sector remains uncertain. Confidence took a knock last month when Bao Fan, the CEO and chairman of Beijing-based China Renaissance, disappeared without explanation. Ten days later, the investment bank and private equity firm said he was cooperating in an investigation by Chinese authorities.

    Bao is a veteran deal maker in Chinese tech — he helped to broker the 2015 merger between two of the country’s leading food delivery services, Meituan and Dianping. His team has also invested in Chinese electric vehicle makers Nio

    (NIO)     and Li Auto, and helped Baidu

    (BIDU)     and JD.com

    (JD)     complete listings in Hong Kong.

    And while Beijing may have dialed back on its overt pressure, it has been quietly tightening its grip on household names, including Alibaba, by acquiring so-called “golden shares” that allow government officials to be directly involved in their businesses, including having a say in the content they provide to hundreds of millions of people.

    The future of Ant Group remains unclear. Ma relinquished control of the company in January as part of a shakeup of its shareholding structure. His voting rights have fallen to about 6% from more than 50% prior to the restructure.

    In a statement, Ant said the move would make the company’s shareholder structure “more transparent and diversified,” but would not result in any change to the economic interests of any shareholders.

    Ant said its 10 major shareholders, including Ma, had agreed to no longer act in concert when exercising their voting rights, and would only vote independently, and thus no shareholder would have “sole or joint control over Ant Group.”

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  • Biden’s student loan forgiveness program was rejected by the Supreme Court. Here’s what borrowers need to know | CNN Politics

    Biden’s student loan forgiveness program was rejected by the Supreme Court. Here’s what borrowers need to know | CNN Politics

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    Washington
    CNN
     — 

    The Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program Friday, blocking millions of borrowers from receiving up to $20,000 in federal student debt relief, just months before student loan payments are set to restart after a yearslong pause.

    Biden had announced the student loan forgiveness program last August, but it never took effect, having been tied up in the courts for months.

    Later Friday, the president announced that his administration will pursue another pathway to providing some student debt relief, which is based on a different law than the one the now-defunct student loan forgiveness program was linked to.

    This pathway requires the Department of Education to undertake a formal rule-making process, which typically takes months. Details were not released Friday on who might benefit if that process is successful.

    Biden also announced that the administration will take steps to ease the transition period for borrowers when monthly student loan repayments resume in October. This “on-ramp” period will help borrowers avoid penalties if they miss a payment during the first 12 months.

    The Biden administration has made it easier for many borrowers to seek federal student loan forgiveness from several existing debt cancellation programs.

    New rules set to take effect in July could broaden eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which is aimed at helping government and nonprofit workers.

    And a new income-driven repayment plan proposal is meant to lower eligible borrowers’ monthly payments and reduce the amount they pay back over time. The administration said this plan was finalized Friday and borrowers will be able to take advantage of it this summer, before loan payments are due.

    The Department of Education has also made it easier for borrowers who were misled by their for-profit college to apply for student loan forgiveness under a program known as borrower defense to repayment, as well as for those who are permanently disabled.

    Altogether, the Biden administration has approved more than $66 billion in targeted loan relief to nearly 2.2 million borrowers.

    Regardless of the way the Supreme Court ruled on the one-time forgiveness program, the Biden administration had said that student loan payments will be due starting in October.

    Most student loan borrowers have not been required to make payments on their federal student loans since March 2020, when Congress passed a sweeping aid program to help people struggling financially because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Since then, the pause has been extended eight times – under both the Trump and Biden administrations.

    A law passed in early June that addresses the debt ceiling prohibits another extension of the pause.

    But the Biden administration said Friday that it will provide a 12-month on-ramp period for borrowers reentering payment.

    “Borrowers who can make payments should do so as payments will resume and interest will accrue,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement.

    “But the on-ramp to repayment will help borrowers avoid the harshest consequences of missed, partial, or late payments like negative credit reports and having loans referred to collection agencies,” he added.

    Borrowers will not be reported to credit bureaus, be considered in default or referred to collection agencies for late, missed or partial payments during the on-ramp period, according to a fact sheet from the White House.

    Student loan experts recommend that borrowers reach out to their student loan servicer with any questions about their loans as soon as possible.

    After such a long pause, many borrowers may be confused about how much they owe, when to pay and how. Millions of borrowers will have a different servicer handling their student loans since the last time they made a payment.

    Borrowers should also reach out to their servicer if they are worried they will not be able to afford their monthly payment. They may be eligible for an income-driven repayment plan, which set payments based on income and family size, but require borrowers to submit some paperwork.

    Federal student loan borrowers can check the FSA website for updates on resuming payments.

    Borrowers will also have to reauthorize the automatic debit from their accounts to pay their monthly loan bill even if they authorized the withdrawals before the pause began.

    The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators warns that borrowers may need to have patience when contacting their student loan servicer, which might be overwhelmed with a high volume of inquiries at this time.

    “It is possible you may not reach your servicer via phone the first time you call, and you may need to call a few times before getting connected,” the group says.

    No debt had been canceled, even though the Biden administration had received about 26 million applications for relief last year and approved 16 million of them.

    The forgiveness program, estimated to cost $400 billion, would have fulfilled a campaign promise of Biden’s to cancel some student loan debt. But a group of Republican-led states and other conservative groups took the administration to court over the program, claiming that the executive branch does not have the power to so broadly cancel student debt in the proposed manner.

    Critics also point out that the one-time student loan forgiveness program does nothing to address the cost of college for future students and could even lead to an increase in tuition. Some Democrats joined Republicans in voting for a bill to block the program. Both the Senate and the House passed the measure, but Biden vetoed the bill in early June.

    Under Biden’s student loan forgiveness proposal, individual borrowers who made less than $125,000 in either 2020 or 2021 and married couples or heads of households who made less than $250,000 a year would have seen up to $10,000 of their federal student loan debt forgiven.

    If a qualifying borrower also received a federal Pell grant while enrolled in college, the individual would have been eligible for up to $20,000 of debt forgiveness.

    Pell grants are awarded to millions of low-income students each year, based on factors including their family’s size and income and the cost charged by their college. These borrowers are also more likely to struggle to repay their student debt and end up in default.

    The administration estimated that roughly 20 million borrowers would have seen their entire federal student loan balance wiped away.

    An independent analysis from the Penn Wharton Budget Model found that about two-thirds of the student debt cancellation would have gone to households making $88,000 a year or less.

    This story has been updated with additional information.

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