Perceptions of Elementary School Principals: Turning High Poverty Elementary Schools In South Carolina Into High-Performing Elementary Schools

There is no question that economic deprivation has an adverse impact on student achievement. In the United States, the gaps in achievement among poor and advantaged students are substantial. Through multiple studies, the United States Department of Education (2006) indicated results that clearly demonstrated that poverty adversely affected student achievement. Closing the achievement gap and achieving success for all students presents a challenge for schools, particularly those located in high-poverty areas (Brock & Groth, 2003). Current research illustrates that some schools, often referred to as high-performing, high-poverty schools, have led their low-income student populations to high levels of achievement, matching their more affluent peers (Ambrose, 2008). Hypothesizing that some schools were doing quite well with students from low-income families, the director for the Center for Urban Studies at Harvard University, Ronald Edmonds and other researchers looked at achievement data from schools in major cities around the country where student populations were from high-poverty areas. Nationwide, these researchers found schools where poor children were learning but were puzzled as to why certain schools made a difference and others did not. Researchers began to document the characteristics of effective schools. During the 1980s a list was developed that identified common characteristics that were present in effective schools. These traits became known as the Correlates of Effective Schools because they correlated with high levels of student achievement. These correlates appeared repeatedly in high-performing schools, despite the schools\u27 demographics or socioeconomic levels (Effective Schools, 2012). Research regarding high-poverty, high-performing elementary schools specifically located in South Carolina is limited. The purpose of this research is to learn how principals of high-poverty, high-performing elementary schools in South Carolina promote high levels of student achievement. The results of this study will identify the primary correlates that principals perceive are present in high-performing, high-poverty schools. This descriptive study, hopefully, will generate recommendations that lend support to low-performing, high-poverty schools in South Carolina

Autoethnography, Feminisms And The Outdoor Industry: A Theoretical Approach To Practice

Women are underrepresented in the outdoors from participants to top-level executives. In addition, there is a divide between feminism (theory) and the outdoor industry (practice). Seeking to bridge this gap, female life experiences will be situated using autoethnography within a poststructural feminist lens. These experiences will be analyzed through the writings of Michel Foucault, power and poststructural feminism; Gayatri Spivak, marginality and postcolonialism; and Sara Ahmed, materiality and material feminism. The second portion of this research project moves from the perspective of a female working in the outdoors to the male-identifying position. There are men in the outdoor industry who are disinterested in the gender gap; however, some are interested, have been left out of inclusion discussions, and are fearful about implementing strategies for change. A survey was constructed and administered seeking male practitioners’ perceptions, practices, and strategies in regards to inclusion. An analysis of the survey data and a literature review, which sought inclusion strategies and ideas from other industries, resulted in the outlining of specific and practical strategies for men who wish to make the outdoor industry more inclusive

UAS Literary & Arts Journal

Proof copy provided by Tidal Echoes.Tidal Echoes is an annual showcase of writers and artists with one thing in common: a life surrounded by the rainforests and waterways of Southeast Alaska.Davy Josh’s Note -- A Note from Chalise -- A Note from Emily Wall -- Brain Bucket -- Cephalic index -- A Gift of Fat for the Fire -- Our heroes have always been... -- Colorful Clouds -- Role Model -- Anchors -- Out My Window -- Adaptation -- Bookshelves -- In the Flow -- It’s a Small World Parade Float -- Sexy -- Death by Algebra -- Friend -- mirabile visu -- Exchange II -- F A D E -- Borne Alone -- Continuum -- The Week Before St. Valentine’s -- Bottled Up -- Untitled -- Early Morning Conspiracy Theory -- Westport -- Boulder Creek -- Jumping Off Rooftops -- Staying in the Room With Ernestine Hayes -- Blueberry -- After Neruda By Way of Bly (Tenure) -- Magic of Water -- Old Tom Steals the Light -- Old Tom Finds a Whale -- Research Project -- Guppy (boat) -- Arizona Spyder -- From Anthropomorphism to Zoomorphism -- Bus Stop -- December 1, 1955 -- Between Tides at Twilight -- Dementia -- Winter Ferry -- Coming into Auke Bay -- The Search for Jane Rogers -- Inlaid Tea Cups -- The Big Melt -- Kingsmill Reef -- Despite Man’s Best Efforts to Ruin It -- Roberts from Flume -- India Scarf -- Painted and Petrified -- Medicine Bag -- Merrill Field -- Deadly Kites -- Brazilian Ghetto -- Seattle Riff -- The Gospel Truth of My Gay Bird -- Signing the Divorce Papers -- Red Shades -- Holey Cow -- Untitled -- Series of Cedar Baskets -- A Conversation With Ranunculus -- Deconstruction -- Sandy Beach -- Threshold -- Oil and Honesty: An Interview with Artist and Professor David Woodie -- Mitkof #3 -- Still Life -- First Day of Fall -- Falling in the Garden -- After Finishing an Activities Report for the Dean -- Homage to Po Chü-I -- Nunc Dimittis -- Do Wise Men Have Bad Days? -- To the Plain Land -- Flood of ‘69 -- How a woman makes her own wine -- Untitled (translation from Russian) -- Existential Sestina -- It’s the knowing -- Blood and Guts -- Sometime Walking on the Beach -- Untitled -- Connecting the Pieces -- Hemlock -- Klawock Island -- Driven By the Tides -- Lunch -- The People -- Howling Dog -- Winter Cabin Lullaby -- Chain Gang -- A Review of Social Groups in Female Homo Sapiens as Exemplified by Mammary Restraint -- Apparatuses -- Douglas Island Bridge -- Going Home -- Author and Artist Biographie

FEEDING DPS READING: A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM TO ENHANCE THIRD-GRADE READING PROFICIENCY IN DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Early education is associated with long-term health outcomes. The suboptimal third-grade reading proficiency in Durham Public Schools (DPS) warrants immediate public health action. Low reading proficiency in elementary school is associated with a greater likelihood of dropping out of school, fewer career opportunities, and a negative impact on overall health and wellbeing. We recommend Feeding DPS Reading, which is a public health initiative to improve low reading scores in DPS through a nutrition-focused intervention. The program will assist elementary schools in collecting and submitting data for Community Eligibility Provision qualification, which provides free meals to all students regardless of individual eligibility. In parallel, students will participate in a reading program led by Duke University undergraduate education students. The program’s goal is to increase third-grade reading proficiency by providing healthy meals and targeted reading interventions, with the long-term goal of improving the health and wellness of Durham County residents.Master of Public Healt

Klebsiella , a Hitherto Underappreciated Zoonotic Pathogen of Importance to One Health: A Short Review

Members of the genus, Klebsiella , are becoming increasingly challenging to control due to the recent convergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) and hypervirulent (hv) phenotypes in some species of concern to One Health . This short review will provide an introduction to this bacterial genus in the hospital and other settings, update Klebsiella taxonomy, and comment on recent findings describing the prevalence of Klebsiella species in the food chain, a hitherto infrequently recognised ecologic niche. The paper will also consider this bacterium in the context of the One Health paradigm and its importance to food safety and security

Lean body mass associated with upper body strength in healthy older adults while higher body fat limits lower extremity performance and endurance

Impaired strength adversely influences an older person\u27s ability to perform activities of daily living. A cross-sectional study of 117 independently living men and women (age = 73.4 9.4 year; body mass index (BMI) = 27.6 4.8 kg/m2) aimed to assess the association between body composition and: (1) upper body strength (handgrip strength, HGS); (2) lower extremity performance (timed up and go (TUG) and sit to stand test (STS)); and (3) endurance (6-minute walk (SMWT). Body composition (% fat; lean body mass (LBM)) was assessed using bioelectrical impedance. Habitual physical activity was measured using the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (MLTPA) and dietary macronutrient intake, assessed using 24 h recalls and 3-day food records. Regression analyses included the covariates, protein intake (g/kg), MLTPA, age and sex. For natural logarithm (Ln) of right HGS, LBM (p \u3c 0.001) and % body fat (p \u3c 0.005) were significant (r2 = 46.5%; p \u3c 0.000). For left LnHGS, LBM (p \u3c 0.000), age (p = 0.036), protein intake (p = 0.015) and LnMLTPA (p = 0.015) were significant (r2 = 0.535; p \u3c 0.000). For SMW, % body fat, age and LnMLTPA were significant (r2 = 0.346; p \u3c 0.000). For STS, % body fat and age were significant (r2 = 0.251; p \u3c 0.000). LBM is a strong predictor of upper body strength while higher % body fat and lower physical activity are associated with poorer outcomes on tests of lower extremity performance

Obstetric fistula in Burundi: a comprehensive approach to managing women with this neglected disease.

BACKGROUND: In Burundi, the annual incidence of obstetric fistula is estimated to be 0.2-0.5% of all deliveries, with 1000-2000 new cases per year. Despite this relatively high incidence, national capacity for identifying and managing obstetric fistula is very limited. Thus, in July 2010, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) set up a specialised Obstetric Fistula Centre in Gitega (Gitega Fistula Centre, GFC), the only permanent referral centre for obstetric fistula in Burundi. A comprehensive model of care is offered including psychosocial support, conservative and surgical management, post-operative care and follow-up. We describe this model of care, patient outcomes and the operational challenges. METHODS: Descriptive study using routine programme data. RESULTS: Between July 2010 and December 2011, 470 women with obstetric fistula presented for the first time at GFC, of whom 458 (98%) received treatment. Early urinary catheterization (conservative management) was successful in four out of 35 (11%) women. Of 454 (99%) women requiring surgical management, 394 (87%) were discharged with a closed fistula, of whom 301 (76%) were continent of urine and/or faeces, while 93 (24%) remained incontinent of urine and/or faeces. In 59 (13%) cases, the fistula was complex and could not be closed. Outcome status was unknown for one woman. Median duration of stay at GFC was 39 days (Interquartile range IQR, 31-51 days). CONCLUSION: In a rural African setting, it is feasible to implement a comprehensive package of fistula care using a dedicated fistula facility, and satisfactory surgical repair outcomes can be achieved. Several operational challenges are discussed

Associations between regular cannabis use and brain resting-state functional connectivity in adolescents and adults

Background/aim: Cannabis use is highly prevalent in adolescents; however, little is known about its effects on adolescent brain function. Method: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was used in matched groups of regular cannabis users (N = 70, 35 adolescents: 16–17 years old, 35 adults: 26–29 years old) and non-regular-using controls (N = 70, 35 adolescents/35 adults). Pre-registered analyses examined the connectivity of seven major cortical and sub-cortical brain networks (default mode network, executive control network (ECN), salience network, hippocampal network and three striatal networks) using seed-based analysis methods with cross-sectional comparisons between user groups and age groups. Results: The regular cannabis use group (across both age groups), relative to controls, showed localised increases in connectivity only in the ECN analysis. All networks showed localised connectivity differences based on age group, with the adolescents generally showing weaker connectivity than adults, consistent with the developmental effects. Mean connectivity across entire network regions of interest (ROIs) was also significantly decreased in the ECN in adolescents. However, there were no significant interactions found between age group and user group in any of the seed-based or ROI analyses. There were also no associations found between cannabis use frequency and any of the derived connectivity measures. Conclusion: Regular cannabis use is associated with changes in connectivity of the ECN, which may reflect allostatic or compensatory changes in response to regular cannabis intoxication. However, these associations were not significantly different in adolescents compared to adults.</p