School Community

FLINT, Michigan — A coalition of Flint congregations is hosting members from a nationwide parent-involvement initiative in the area this week in hopes to get local schools involved in a new program.

The group Flint Area Congregations Together, or FACT, this week is hosting leaders from the Parent Teacher Home Visit Project, a California-based program which provides training and resources to help teachers work more closely with students’ parents and visit families in their homes.

“These are home visits that happen afternoons, evenings, weekends,” said Carrie Rose, executive director of the Parent Teacher Home Visit Project, during a public presentation at Flint’s Sarvis Center Tuesday.

Typically, the home visits last 30-40 minutes and there are usually two per year, one in the fall and another in the spring.

Adopting the program would come at a cost — the amount depending on to what degree it’s implemented — mostly to reimburse teachers for time spent working in homes after school hours, FACT officials have said.

Paul Lumpkin, a Massachusetts father who now serves as a parent educator for the group, told of his early experiences with the group.

Lumpkin had just received custody of his two young daughters. The three lived in a shelter and a hotel room before finally getting an apartment, he said. Then a note came asking him to participate in a home visit from a teacher.

“You can imagine how shocked I was,” Lumpkin told the crowd of several dozen parents, teachers and community members gathered at the Sarvis Center.

But the home visit was one of the best things to happen for his daughter’s education, he said.

“That was the beginning of a flourishing relationship with that teacher that continues to this day,” Lumpkin said.

Nancy Fong, a teacher who works with the Parent Teacher Home Visit Project, said her involvement with home visits has been incredibly helpful as a teacher.

“It brings you back down to where you understand what you came into the profession for,” Fong said. “Quite frankly, you don’t become jaded.”

In her visit to Flint, Fong said she sees a city where the program can work.

“You have the Mott Foundation, you have FACT, you have the community. … You can not fail … I’ve never seen so much support.”

The initiative is part of FACT’s ongoing efforts to improve education here.

Members of the group have embarked on fact-finding missions in which they observed practices from school districts across the country with demographics similar to Flint.

For example, parents, teachers and others traveled to California, New York and Virginia districts in 2009 that mirror Flint in poverty and minority population, but have higher academic achievement.

The trips were funded by a $166,000 Charles Stewart Mott Foundation grant.

FACT has been working to bring innovative ideas into local schools, especially the Flint School District, but have had mixed reactions from leadership there.

For example, the results of trips to other schools were shared with school leaders, though FACT officials shared concerns that their proposals weren’t being considered.

Accidents and injuries happen almost every day. People may be injured due to negligence, product defects or even a car accident, to name a few. Many times a day, a person can just go on their way and be totally fine but what if that isn’t the case? What if you are severely injured, then what?

Personal injuries are big business in the society. The economy is not stable in the present times and even missing just a day of work in a week, or having one doctor’s appointment to pay for can cause severe financial hardship for a family. It just makes good business sense to get personal injury lawyers to be sure that you, your family and your assets are protected. Here are a few tips to help you find a personal injury lawyer that is right for you.

• FINDING A LAWYER: You will want to research lawyers carefully. It is possible to get recommendations from co-workers, family or friends, but a website such as injury lawsuits at Totalinjury.com can also help you find a right fit. Be sure to investigate more than one potential lawyer to investigate your case. However, it is best to meet with a personal injury attorney within the first few weeks after an injury occurs so do not delay your search.
• QUESTIONS TO ASK:  Be sure the attorney you choose is at a minimum and registered with the bar association in their state.  Check bureau reports to be sure there are no complaints. Ask the attorney how many successful personal injury cases he or she has handled successfully.
• EVIDENCE FOR YOUR CASE: A personal injury lawyer should be able to give a client a good estimate of what their injury is “worth” and be experienced in investigative tactics. The attorney should handle gathering medical records, police reports, etc.
• SETTLEMENT GOALS: Be sure that before you sign on the dotted line or hand over a hefty retainer fee that you have discussed settlement goals with a potential attorney. Be sure you agree on at least a ballpark figure or stipulations such as an open ended medical settlement.

No one wants a personal injury to occur, but if you experience a personal injury of some sort and experience a loss from that injury, it is smart to know your rights and further investigate if you are due some sort of compensation. It is better to investigate and be told you have no case than be left to wonder and suffer unpleasantries.

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Some people are destined to own a home and others are perfectly happy renting an apartment. There is no right or wrong choice between buying a house and renting an apartment, but there are some things to consider before you make your final choice.

There are a lot of advantages to owning your home such as complete privacy, financial equity and the freedom to remodel it in any way you want. However, the list of advantages for renting an apartment is a long one as well.

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Close to Work

People who work in the Seattle or Tacoma area benefit from renting Tacoma apartments because most apartments are close to work. Seattle and Tacoma are rapidly growing cities in the state of Washington and downtown employment is becoming popular. The same can be said about renting an apartment in any big city. There is no long commute to work, and you are always close to your office.

Repairs

The subject of maintenance can be tricky when trying to compare buying a home with renting an apartment. Homeowners will say that when something goes wrong with their home, they fix it immediately. But we all know that is not the case. Expensive major repairs can sit for some time until the homeowner can afford it.

With an apartment, the guidelines for repair response time can be outlined in the lease and it becomes the landlord’s problem to pay for the repairs and get them done quickly. The cost of repairing an apartment building is something that most tenants never have to worry about.

Maintenance

It does not take a super sleuth to find a nice apartment complex that keeps the lawn mowed, the landscaping trimmed and the snow shoveled in the winter. People who live in apartments can wake up in the morning and not have to worry about shoveling out the driveway to get to work. Unless a homeowner plans on paying someone to mow the lawn and shovel the snow, then he is going to spend a lot of time maintaining his grounds.

Moving On

If a homeowner decides that he wants to move to a new house, he has to go through the process of selling his home first. The homeowner has to hope that he finds a buyer for his home at the same time that he finds a new home to buy or else everything is on hold. It can often be an extended and frustrating process.

When an apartment renter wants to move to a new place, he gives his landlord sufficient notice and then moves out. Nothing simplifies the process of finding a new place to live more than being an apartment renter.

Renting an apartment can be beneficial to people who are always on the go due to the nature of their work and for those who do not have the capacity to buy their own place yet. With apartment rentals available, you can have a place you can temporarily call home while saving for your own dream home.

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Online Degree Programs: A Different Form of Education

Teaching careers are highly valued in today’s society. It takes a special person to teach others how to do something. However, earning your degree does take a good effort on your part. There are some things that may deter a person from going back to school. The hours of the classes don’t fit your schedule, the need to go to another location after work, and dealing with the younger generations currently attending school – these can be some of your reasons. But now, because of the internet, you don’t have to be present in a classroom to take courses. Here are some suggestions when looking for an online degree program to take.

1. Is the school you chose accredited? There are thousands of online degree programs for a master’s in education. But, you have to make sure that the school of your choice has the accreditation you need. The reason is that employers will not recognize online schools that offer low-quality degree programs. You can check out any online school’s accreditation with the six regional organizations. Also, be aware that even though a degree program is less expensive, that does not mean it is the best choice.
2. Is the degree program supportive? Good schools offer great support for their current and prospective students. If a school is overcrowded with students, you’re likely to get over-looked during online classes. Alternatively, too many students to one teacher can cause other damaging effects, such as little to no availability for questions regarding assignments. Check the teacher-to-student ratio. You may also want to look into the student mentors and career services. These extra options are set to help you succeed and should be available when you need them.
3. What are my payment options? The first method of paying for online schools is usually done by applying for FAFSA. Some of the best online masters in education programs will accept FAFSA. Others may not, so you have to be aware of your qualifications. On the FAFSA website, they can determine whether you are eligible to receive aid from them. The application doesn’t take long to fill out, and you will generally receive an answer within 24 to 72 hours. Other payment methods include personal loans and scholarships.

Going back to school to receive your master’s degree in education is an exciting time. Since it is online, you are granted the flexibility of your classes. This allows you to work and pursue other agendas while you succeed in your class.

A row has erupted between Northern Ireland’s two main universities over how to stop student riots engulfing the Holylands area of Belfast on St Patrick’s Day.

The University of Ulster has accused Queen’s University of encouraging a “four-day party” by giving its students two extra days off to mark March 17 this year.

But Queen’s has hit back saying the UU alternative approach of warning trouble makers they will be expelled “will be extremely hard to execute”.

The deep disagreement has emerged as the universities attempt to reduce the potential for street disorder on St Patrick’s Day which falls on a Saturday this year, raising fears that the long-running problems will escalate.

The universities have adopted radically different tactics in their efforts to prevent any repeat of the mayhem that has marred March 17 celebrations in the Holylands area over the past three years. Alcohol-fuelled street disorder has plagued the area for years but St Patrick’s Day 2009 saw a serious deterioration in anti-social behaviour when riots erupted and 33 people were arrested.

Last St Patrick’s Day, around 14 people were detained by the PSNI for a variety of offences including possession of drugs, disorderly behaviour, criminal damage, excess alcohol and assault.

Queen’s, which traditionally takes the public St Patrick’s Day holiday, is encouraging its students to “go home” and has given them an extended weekend break with Friday, March 16 designated as a reading day and Monday, March 19 as a day off.

However, UU is staying open on both days. UU chiefs — who have posted video messages from its pro-vice-chancellor, the PSNI and residents warning students against getting involved in anti-social activities — are also warning that roll calls will be taken and students who fail to turn up could face disciplinary action.

UU chiefs have accused QUB of adopting a “laissez-faire” approach that could “facilitate a four-day party.”

“We do not want to be seen to facilitate a prolonged party,” said Una Calvert, UU’s community relations officer. “Queen’s have decided to give its students a reading day in the hope that they will go home but what we have found is that reading days do not work — students use them as a holiday.

“Given the events of 2009 which are seen as a ‘game changer’, we believe that giving students an extra day on either side of St Patrick’s Day may only prolong the party. But the reality is that nobody knows what is going to happen on the day. We also have four campuses to think of and we cannot have one rule for students in Belfast and another for those in Coleraine or Magee.”

Meanwhile, QUB said it acted on wishes of beleaguered Holylands residents and expressed disappointment that the UU had not followed suit.

A spokesman said: “We have a smaller number of students in the Holylands area and we are encouraging them to go home.

“The UU decision to potentially expel troublemakers on the day will be extremely hard to execute.

“It is a risk but we are hoping that QUB students will take the opportunity to have a long weekend out of Belfast. We do not anticipate that the Thursday will be the start of a long weekend of partying right through to the Sunday. We believe we are right to tell students to go home and the anecdotal evidence shows that they do go home at the weekends.”

Around 60% of the students living in the Holylands attend the University of Ulster compared to around 28% who go to Queen’s.

To date, no student has been expelled from university because of anti-social behaviour associated with St Patrick’s Day. However, it is understood a number have left voluntarily before being formally disciplined.

Last year, 42 complaints were reported to both universities about student behaviour around St Patrick’s Day. Of those, 19 complaints involved students from QUB and as a result 30 students received formal warnings while seven were fined. The UU said it did not collate information specifically related to St Patrick’s Day but said that 111 students had been reprimanded during 2010/11 — 41 of whom were fined and given a written reprimand.

Ray Farley, who represents residents in the Holylands, said they favoured the QUB approach. “In fact, we would have liked them to give them the whole week off to encourage students to leave the area,” he said.

Mr Farley has called on the Justice Minister David Ford to introduce new legislation to make it illegal for students to drink in the front gardens of their homes.