The ASRC focuses on CUNY initiatives in five dynamic fields of applied science: Nanoscience, Photonics, Structural Biology, Neuroscience, and Environmental Sciences. Through its innovative architectural design, the center reflects a uniquely collaborative culture, where scientists work across disciplines to take on some of global science’s most vital and tantalizing challenges.
The school — along with six others in New York City — is part of a new Education Department initiative aimed at maintaining a racial and socioeconomic balance at schools in fast-gentrifying neighborhoods. For the first time the department is allowing a group of principals to set aside a percentage of seats for low-income families, English-language learners or students engaged with the child welfare system as a means of creating greater diversity within their schools.
The continuing segregation of American schools — and the accompanying achievement gap between white, middle-class students and poorer minority children — has become an urgent matter of debate among educators and at all levels of government. Last week, President Obama lent his weight to the issue when he included in his budget a $120 million grant program for school integration aimed at de-concentrating poverty.
Principals at these schools say they know that middle-class families often bring with them higher test scores, making the schools look better on paper. But several added that chasing test scores was not what had drawn them into education.
Administrators at the seven pilot schools say they are all motivated by their belief that classrooms that are racially and economically diverse are good for students, according to recent research, maybe even making them brighter.
Emily Cowan, a freelance artist and social worker, said she was willing to even sacrifice her own kindergartner’s slot next year to “preserve that diversity,” though it would mean sending her son to a different school next year.
With many educators pushing for students to use resources on the Internet with class work, the federal government is now grappling with a stark disparity in access to technology, between students who have high-speed Internet at home and an estimated five million families who are without it and who are struggling to keep up.
The school system tapped borrowed money to make a $634 million, state-mandated fiscal 2015 payment to the Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund by a June 30 deadline. It also announced $200 million in spending cuts last month that include the elimination of 1,400 jobs.
Talks with the retirement fund over giving the district a $500 million break on its fiscal 2016 pension payment ended without a deal.
Designers at Valencia-based start up Closca design have made a meaningful first impression with the debut of Closca Fuga, an urban bicycle helmet that resolves the unfortunate clash between self-protection and self-expression. The clever design, a result of the company’s collaboration with the renowned Polytechnic University of Valencia and Culdesac, is made of 3 rings hinged together for a light, portable, and compact alternative to the traditionally cumbersome style. On top of its unprecedented convenience, Fuga has made a fashion accessory for commuters from what was previously an annoyance and compromise to personal style – unless the subject is a “Tour de France refugee.”
This is a premium and responsive theme, absolutely suited for all your web-based needs.
City riders need this simple precaution when on their way to work, to run errands, and to meet with friends; Closca has made it so that the necessity of a helmet can be fluidly incorporated into your routine and your look without weighing you down or spoiling your style. The perfectly minimal design is available in a range of materials and simple colors to suit a variety of tastes, with interchangeable accessories like visors, aviator-style ear flaps, and woolen caps to keep you looking your best. While a large part of Closca’s focus was on the aesthetic, Fuga is safety certified just like its overtly utilitarian counterparts, with fibreglass reinforced EPS, a multisize elastic system for optimal fit, and ventilation for superior air flow. It comes as no surprise that the Indiegogo project – created a mere two days ago – has already met it’s $20,000 goal. Read more, watch the video, or contribute now to claim your own.
