Changes To Operational, Financial, And Organizational Structures Of School Districts During Mayoral Takeovers

The focus of this research was to examine the effects of mayoral control on operational and financial structures within school systems. Furthermore, this study focused on the public perception and political implications of the mayor’s position on local education. The four systems chosen for this study were: Boston, Chicago, District of Columbia, and New York City. All four systems were total control districts, which allowed for each mayor to appoint a majority to the school board and appoint a superintendent or chancellor to oversee the day to day operations of the school district. This study focused on operational and financial structures, which make up a sizable portion of the larger organizational structure. These indicators often drive how services and expenditures eventually affect the core business of these school systems. From an operational perspective, this study was focused on expenditures, both in aggregate form and for instructional related services, pre and post takeover. From a financial perspective, this study focused on changes to revenue sources, return on investment, interest on school debt, and capital outlay. From a political perspective, this study examined the data from the various State of the City addresses over the last four years in each of the four cities, along with polling data available for New York City and the District of Columbia. This study was concluded with a summary of findings, and implications for future research, policy, and practitioners. The research showed that New York City and Boston generally outperformed the District of Columbia and Chicago in the operational and financial metrics used in the study. Furthermore, the number of years a city had been iv under mayoral control and operational and financial indicators had no significant relationship. It was recommended that future researchers should continue to study the benefit of benchmarking metrics of organizational performance to ensure mayors are held accountable for the reforms they espouse during election cycles. Ultimately, mayors’ success in managing their school systems will be based on where they prioritize. This research offered a cross section of metrics by which mayors can benchmark their effectiveness as they change operational, financial, and organizational structures to bring about better, overall organizational performance from their school system

Low-grade extraskeletal osteosarcoma of the chest wall: case report and review of literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Low-grade extraskeletal osteosarcomas (ESOS) are extremely rare.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present the first case of low-grade ESOS of the chest wall, which occurred in a 30-year-old man. Because of initial misdiagnosis and patient's refusal of surgery, the diagnosis was done after a 4-year history of a slowly growing mass in soft tissues, leading to a huge (30-cm diameter) calcified mass locally extended over the left chest wall. Final diagnosis was helped by molecular analysis of <it>MDM2 </it>and <it>CDK4 </it>oncogenes. Unfortunately, at this time, no surgical treatment was possible due to loco-regional extension, and despite chemotherapy, the patient died one year after diagnosis, five years after the first symptoms.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We describe the clinical, radiological and bio-pathological features of this unique case, and review the literature concerning low-grade ESOS. Our case highlights the diagnostic difficulties for such very rare tumours and the interest of molecular analysis in ambiguous cases.</p

Playing-related Injuries and Posture Among Saxophonists

Musicians encounter a high prevalence of playing-related injuries, and within the literature there is little research specifically on saxophonists. The purpose of this thesis project is to explore Playing-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (PRMDs) and posture among saxophonists through a large sample survey, and to gather information on PRMDs, playing posture, and injury prevention both through the sample survey and through interviews with five expert pedagogues. Topics covered through the survey and interviews are prevalence, location, and history of PRMDs; perceived risks; postural habits; playing posture; injury prevention; and information on treatments that participants have sought or were mentioned by interviewees, in addition to evidence-based treatments for musicians. Results from the survey show that 83 (76.15%) participants reported ever having a PRMD, 54 (50%) participants reported having a PRMD in the past year, 30 (27.52%) reported having a PRMD in the past month, and 23 (21.10%) reported having a PRMD in the past week. Top rated areas of pain were right wrist, neck, mouth/jaw, and left wrist. The most common self-reported postural habits were forward head position and rounded upper back, and these postures were significantly higher than all other reported postures. Postures correlated with higher pain ratings were rounded upper back and backward pelvic tilt. Results from the interviews provided six overarching themes, which are discussed throughout: unnecessary tension, the relationship between breathing and tension, awareness, ground-up model for building ideal posture, interconnectedness, and individuality.D.M.A