Monday, June 15, 2015

Fwd: [New post] In Summer, Pittsburgh Becomes a Citywide Campus for Learning


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Remake Learning <donotreply@wordpress.com>


Sarah Jackson posted: "Pittsburgh schools closed their doors last Monday, but the city got a running start on summer opportunities the weekend before. At the Cities of Learning (COL) launch party, on the sunny lawn at the Carnegie Library, local kids and teens learned about the"

New post on Remake Learning

In Summer, Pittsburgh Becomes a Citywide Campus for Learning

by Sarah Jackson

Pittsburgh schools closed their doors last Monday, but the city got a running start on summer opportunities the weekend before. At the Cities of Learning (COL) launch party, on the sunny lawn at the Carnegie Library, local kids and teens learned about their dizzying array of options for discovery and exploration.

Sound familiar? It isn't Pittsburgh's first conversion into a living campus, but it is the largest. After a trial run last summer, and armed with a new grant from the MacArthur Foundation, the Sprout Fund tweaked and expanded COL to ready the initiative for 2015.

Whether a budding filmmaker or an amateur bike mechanic, a Pittsburgh child or teen will find a slew of (mostly free) activities in the Cities of Learning roster that will help build on his or her passions. The more than 40 participating organizations help youth develop expertise in their interest areas, figure out links to academic and professional pathways, and document their accomplishments with digital badges.

http://www.pghcityoflearning.comPittsburgh, which joins Chicago, Dallas, and Washington, D.C., in the national initiative, was an ideal candidate for COL.

"There are many things happening in summertime but they can seem kind of fragmented, disconnected," said Sprout Fund Executive Director Cathy Lewis Long. "It definitely takes a network approach to begin to gather and collect and lift up the incredible opportunities."

The organizers capitalized on Pittsburgh's existing network of formal and informal institutions and educators to present a cohesive "campus." This year, the community is further integrated, with Pittsburgh Public Schools serving as a major COL partner. The schools' Summer Dreamers Academy is participating, awarding badges to students.

"We're interested in creating a more connected environment between their formal school life and things they're doing outside of school," said Dustin Stiver, Sprout program officer. "So the Summer Dreamers opportunity was a great chance to sort of test the notion of badges in a school environment but also during the summer."

Over the past year, Sprout convened a diverse group of educators to determine the core competencies important to the community, and to create badges and curricula to reflect them.

"One of the things we learned from last year is it's important to provide educators with the proper support to implement this kind of initiative," Stiver said. "It was a starting point for educators to think about their badge design very critically."

Badges are meant to acknowledge that learning happens throughout the summer—at libraries and museums, in parks—but might go unrecognized, Long said. Whether they have learned to laser-etch a light switch cover, tend to a lawn, or plan and budget a trip, kids now have a standardized means of demonstrating their accomplishments—to future employers, for example.

The activities and partner organizations are all searchable on the new Pittsburgh COL website.

"To borrow an analogy from [Sprout program associate] Tim Cook, it's like taking all the brochures and pamphlets off the coffee shop shelf and putting them all online where parents and students and others can find the things they're interested in," Stiver said.

Head over to the site now, where participants can sign up, build a profile, and start navigating the City of Learning right away.


Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser:
http://remakelearning.org/blog/2015/06/15/in-summer-pittsburgh-becomes-a-citywide-campus-for-learning/



Saturday, June 13, 2015

Missed you


Staff and Community Swim & Water Polo:

5-8 pm on Fridays at the indoor Thelma Lovette YMCA.

6-7:30 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays at Northside's Citiparks' Sue Murray Swim Pool, outdoors.*

6-7:30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Mt. Washington's Citiaprks' Ream Swim Pool, outdoors.*

* Citiparks pools are outdoors so practices are weather permitting. Feel free to get a yearly pool pass for the Citiparks fee of $30 per individual for adults. Kids get a better deal.



Tune! Or more like an anthem.

https://youtu.be/5Ug_vpIk1jc

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Fwd: Pools and racism with Pittsburgh mention. Headline: Who gets to go to the pool?


Subject: Pools and racism with Pittsburgh mention

Good read. Thought of you. 




Recruitment for Learn & Earn workers

If you love to swim, love to run, love to exercise. And, if you love to work with kids and play sports yourself.


Or, if you love TECHNOLOGY,


Then your job placement can be with Swim & Water Polo Camp with Pittsburgh Public Schools' Summer Dreamers.


You can send me an email or call any time: Mark@Bloomfield-Garfield.org

My cell: 412-298-3432. More at CLOH.org.


Seeking young men and women who want to swim every day this summer. We also run and exercise. We compete in the Liberty Mile on Friday evening, July 31. If you can't swim well, yet, we will work on that and improve this summer. We might be able to get you a lifeguard job by the end of summer (if you are old enough). Or, get you set up so you can be a guard in NEXT summer.


We are also going to play water polo. Both boys and girls too. We meet various times with sessions in mornings, afternoons and evenings. (some flexibility) We gather at PPS Langley, PPS Brashear, Citiparks Sheridan pool, Citiparks Sue Murray on Northside, Citiparks West Penn (Polish Hill), Citiparks Ream (Mt. Washington).


For technology, our efforts with DIGITAL BADGES is going to rock the city. We are getting 7-inch Android tablets to use with our camper kids and community. Our staff makes wiki pages, trades lesson plans with email, and does multi media coverng exercises, swim videos, yoga and more.


Our Tech Literacy fun is going to be HIGH -- and we'll be learning that on the job too.


The best and brightest, those that want to be successful engineers, doctors and writers – and those that want to go far in life – do so with a sports background. Learn about your environment by stretching your limits with athletics. Physiology, biomechanics, psychology and education lessons are woven into everything we do. Understand physics by mastering a dive and underwater streamline. Learn teamwork and cooperation by scoring a goal on a counter attack in water polo.


Get to deal with, on a moment to moment basis, with the two most precious assets of Pittsburgh – without a doubt. We are working with our children. And, we are working on ourselves. Our city kids need your leadership, your spirit, your attitude that dives in and provides safety yet confidence.


Our team is working to change the city for the better. Help us. These recreational and coaching opportunities are going to make drastic improvements long-term, thanks to the work we do in the weeks to come. We are the pathfinders. The pressure is on us. We teach how to play well with others – and prove it all summer.


If you are responsible, with vigor and zest, and know how to raise your voice at the right times to cheer on a mate, sign up. You can build your career with education, health sciences, sports, recreation, life-long fitness and technology with us. Or, become a leading professional in those other fields later, after getting personal strength with us in 2015. Swim & Water Polo has been a proving ground for working the next summer in the White House as an intern in Michelle Obama's office. Trust me: Our kids go places, and I will help you beyond this summer's camp.


Hope you want to play hard. Make contributions. Be treated fairly. And inspire the youngsters.


Prime Time, Noon to 4 pm, M-F with Summer Dreamers Swim & Water Polo!
PPS sites for Swim & Water Polo is at Brashear HS & Langley K-8 (plus Faison/Homewood in east). First day of classes is Monday, June 29. Last day is Wednesday, August 5. We supervise about 200 students, grades 2 to 7. We coach the kids from noon to 4 pm, Monday to Friday.

+ + +
Open invites, no cost, casual, swim lesson and rookie water polo play:


Fridays, 5 pm to 8 pm, Thelma Lovette YMCA, 2114 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (412) 315-0990

(indoors, rain or shine)


Mondays & Wednesdays, 6 to 7:30 pm, Lower Northside's Citiparks Sue Murray Pool, 301 Cedar Avenue, Pgh. 15212. (412) 323-7914

(weather permitting)


Morning practices at West Penn (Mondays and Wednesdays), Sheridan (Tuesdays & Thursdays), Homewood (Tuesdays & Fridays).

(weather permitting)


Check out our 30+ DIGITAL BADGES at CLOH.org.



Thanks for the consideration:

Mark Rauterkus Mark@Rauterkus.com

PPS Summer Dreamers' Swim and Water Polo Camp Head Coach

Varsity Boys Swim Coach, Pittsburgh Obama Academy

Recent Head Water Polo Coach, Carnegie Mellon University Women's Club Team

Pittsburgh Combined Water Polo Team


http://CLOH.org

http://CLOH.wikia.com

http://www.Bloomfield-Garfield.org

412 298 3432 = cell

Thursday, June 04, 2015

Working on the Masters Level for the Digital Badges for Goals

With the Digital Badges for Goals, there are six levels, #1 to #5 and then the Masters level. Goal setting is an important skill and those that take on these challenges get to learn about themselves. 

Kay Atman, Ph.D., retired professor at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Education has helped construct these badges. She has plenty of experiences working with kids, to say the least.



If the link above is broken, sorry. The video was just uploaded and the file is being processed by the YouTube server.

Tuesday, June 02, 2015

Fwd: Final Reminder-Job Fair Thursday-90 employers--Employer Listing


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <RFlanag@aol.com>


 

   Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center

5321 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224 • (412) 362-8580

__________________________________________________

 

Job Fair-over 90 employers

 

Eastminister Presbyterian Church

250 N. Highland Avenue

(Across the street from East Liberty Home Depot)

Thursday, June 4th

2 PM to 6 PM

 

Sponsored by: City of Pittsburgh, Neighborhood Allies,  BNY Mellon, Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center and Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation.

List of Employers and Resources:


·         1-800-GOT-JUNK

·         AARP Foundation SCSEP

·         ACTION Housing, Inc.

·         ALDI

·         Allegheny Conference

·         Allegheny Co. Dept. of Human Resources

·         Allegheny Health Network

·         Allegheny Intermediate Unit

·         Allegheny Valley Bank

·         Allegiance Staffing

·         Alorica Co.

·         American Carpet South

·         Americare Staffing

·         Bidwell Training Center

·         Black Knight Security

·         Burgatory

·         C.L.A.S.S.

·         C.C.A.C. – Allegheny

·         Cement Mason's Local 526

·         CISP Program

·         Citizens Bank

·         City of Pittsburgh Commission on Human Resources

·         City of Pittsburgh D365

·         Clean Water Action

·         Commonwealth of PA Civil Services

·         Community Options, Inc.

·         Communteinfo.org

·         Coro Leadership – Public Allies

·         Dept. of Veteran Affairs/Vocational Services

·         Dollar Bank

·         Duquesne University

·         Enroll America

·         FedEx SmartPost

·         FifthThird Bank

·         First Commonwealth Bank

·         Forms & Surfaces

·         Full Service Network

·         Garfield Jubilee Association

·         Goodwill of Southwestern PA

·         Greater Pgh Food Bank

·         Green Mountain Energy

·         HCR Manorcare

·         Home Depot

·         Home Health Services (Thorne Group)

·         Housing Authority of Pgh

·         InVision Human Services

·         Iron City Workplace Services

·         Iron Workers Apprenticeship – Local #3

·         Kaplan Career Institute

·         LGC Associates

·         Life's Work of Western PA

·         Lots and Lots of Tots Childcare

·         ManPower

·         Mistick Construction

·         Neighborworks of Western PA

·         Omni William Penn Hotel

·         PA Army National Guard

·         PA Career Link

·         PA State Police

·         PA Office of Vocational Services

·         PA Women Work

·         PHEAA

·         Pgh Career Institute

·         Pgh Job Corps

·         Pgh Public Schools Human Resources

·         PNC

·         Port Authority of Allegheny County

·         Presbyterian Senior Care

·         Prudential Financials

·         RAS Logistics

·         Safe Link/Elite Marketing

·         Schenley Gardens

·         Sears

·         Securitas Security Services

·         Small Seeds Development

·         Star Transportation Group

·         Starbucks

·         Superior Home Care

·         Target

·         The Builders Guild of W. PA

·         The Village at Penwood

·         Tri-State Petroleum Corp.

·         Triangle Tech

·         Uber

·         US Air Force

·         University of Pgh.

·         UPMC Talent Acquisition

·         UPMC St. Margarets Family Center

·         Urban League of Greater Pgh

·         US Army

·         US Liner Co

·         Walmart

·         Wendy's

·         Western & Southern Life

·         W. PA Operating Engineer

 

 
ALL WELCOME!


Sunday, May 31, 2015

Fwd: Check out this attachment!


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: John Hemington <jehemington@verizon.net>


I don't have any idea how many of you who receive my e-mail missives actually bother to read them, but in this instance I urge you to read the attachment; or, at least, watch the videos below.  It is a post in support of Bernie Sanders' campaign, but that is not why I think you should read it.  In fact I'm not even convinced that I could support Bernie; which, at the moment, leaves me with no one to support in the next presidential farce.  However, the posting is still worth reading and more importantly it contains links to two videos (found at the end of the post) and an additional link which follows from the second video link (also at the end).

Early this month I sent you an e-mail urging you to check out the Move to Amend organization in its efforts to overturn the Citizens United vs. FEC Supreme Court decision by developing sufficient support to pass a Constitutional amendment to that effect.  After some more investigation I began to question the methodology of the Move to Amend folks (but not their zeal and sincerity) as they were generally uninterested in any effort to communicate or cooperate with conservatives who might also share their goal.  My disagreement with them was tactical and not strategic – but I believe that the tactic of ignoring conservative support will prove to be fatal to this important effort.  I came to the conclusion that Public Citizen, which has the same goal, is better positioned to have impact on this issue; but I don't in any way dismiss the efforts of Move to Amend.

This evening, as a result of one of the videos in the attached posting, I have become aware of another organization the tactics of which I believe are much more likely to result in substantive change in the current political morass.  It is known as Represent.Us (www.Represent.Us)  I find it particularly interesting because its strategy is long-term, grass-roots based and focuses on building up from local action to state and finally to the national level.  As most of us understand, the level of corruption of the current political process at the national level is almost total and is not likely to be altered by a direct assault as the forces of corporate neoliberalism infused and backed by big money interests has gained effective control of all of the levers of political power in this nation.  As the group's Director, Josh Silver, says in the video link (see below and in the post) the ideas and policies enforced by BIG money interests does not represent the interests of the great majority of Americans, including a majority of conservatives.  And Represent.Us wants to galvanize American citizens (we are not just consumers as the neoliberal mantra would have us be) to establish anti-corruption laws first in the cities, then in the states and finally at the federal level.  As he states in the video this can all be accomplished without a constitutional amendment and has already succeeded in Tallahassee, Florida with active campaigns in numerous other cities around the nation.

I strongly urge you, if you do nothing else, to watch the videos and, if it intrigues you, check out Represent.Us to see what you think.  The video of Elizabeth Warren is really interesting.  It's obvious that someone, prior to the commencement of the video really set her off – a rare show of outrage with the status quo that wonderfully refreshing in the languid world of power politics in America.

Elizabeth Warren fired up!!!                            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEGghXD0gLo
Corruption is Legal in America video:             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tu32CCA_Ig
Represent.Us video:                                         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXsf3ICgy50
Good night and Good luck!

John

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Fwd: join the 30 day flexibility challenge




#TheStretchProject begins in...
View this email in your browser
Hey Rauterkus,

I am so happy to be writing you right now!! How are you doing? I hope you're having a very relaxing weekend.

So...guess what!!?? June is almost here and I decided that we should switch it up for the new month and do a FUN 30 day challenge! This one is very special though. You ready?
Wow. That's a lot of Cassey's in leotards.

Ok no but for real now.

I present to you...THE STRETCH PROJECT.

For all 30 days in June, I want you to join in on increasing your flexibility, bettering your posture, and releasing tension from your hard-working muscles. Too often we focus solely on fat loss and muscle gain, and forget the reason why we can move fluidly at all! Let's get bendy this June :)

There will be prizes every single day...and one GRAND PRIZE at the end! All you have to do is post your stretch pic for the day using the hashtags #thestretchproject and #blogilates. You can see all the prizes here.

For the deets on this challenge, follow @Blogilates and @PopPilatesOfficial on Instagram. Also...follow your fellow POPsters! I cannot wait to start this with you guys on Monday!
The Stretch Project - join the 30 day flexibility challenge!
Oh yeah, and here's my latest vlog! I haven't vlogged in forever, so it felt really good to sit down and talk to you. I think you will enjoy :)

Watch out for the new June Calendar soon! *kisses*
YouTube
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest


Friday, May 29, 2015

Goals. Let's talk about them at my home office on Wednesday


Hi Staff and Friends,


All are invited for a friends and staff overview and video shoot to cover the pending Digital Badges that focus upon Goals at 10 am on Wednesday, June 3, 2015.

Our special guest is Kay Atman, Ph.D., retired professor from Pitt's School of Education.

We'll ask her questions and get her insights into why goals are so freaking important to youngsters. She's devoted much of her career to this area of study and how it all ties together in a person's mind, personality, and general being.

We have made six goal specific badges. Steps for each of those will be put under examination and discussion.

Your presence and feedback is welcome.

Athletes and coaches are great goal setting individuals, usually. Sadly, these skills are not universal and there are few tools to lead people along the process, until now.

If you have a camera and video camera and tripod, please charge it, make some room for the data and bring it along. Come casual. You might want to read up on Kay and the GOI. Use Google and hit the wiki pages.

http://CLOH.wikia.com/Digital_Badges/Goals

No need to RSVP, but it would be nice. I'm at 108 South 12th Street, South Side, Pittsburgh, PA 15203.


Doping

Video for 19 minutes.

Doping to Win by JovaniJory