Penn State York honored student-athletes during a Zoom presentation with plenty of Penn State pride.

It's not too late to register for Virtual Spring Open House at Penn State York. Discover what the campus has to offer and how to become a part of the blue and white.

There’s still an opportunity to take classes this summer with Penn State York. The two six-week summer sessions, offered remotely, give students a chance to get ahead for fall, catch up on classes, or just get started.

At a roundtable discussion in Washington, D.C., leaders advocated for states to play a stronger role in championing science-backed instruction and translating research into practice, focusing on levers like teacher training, certification, and system-wide professional learning.

The Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee will on Thursday (5 March) question the Secretary of State for Scotland regarding the Withdrawal Agreement and the future relationship between the European Union and the UK.

Come May 18, College of Education student Gabriela Marsh will commission as second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. She graduated from Officers Candidate School in August 2019, completed her senior year at Penn State in the Navy ROTC program and commissions with the Marines in mid-May.

Synchronous and asynchronous education on Zoom and other platforms are the new normal, and student teachers Kristen Krause, Lexi Principe, Gabriela Marsh and Carley Cassandro have rolled with punches delivered by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent K-12 school shutdowns.

If Virginia's proposal is approved, it will become part of a trend: states that are taking a stronger role in helping teachers find high-quality curriculum materials.

Tim Benally, a junior majoring in psychology at Penn State, has been awarded a Udall Undergraduate Scholarship.

You don't need a comprehensive No Child Left Behind waiver to get a reprieve from some of the law's accountability requirements.

The National Governor's Association wants Congress to give states lots of running room when it comes to crafting their accountability plans, according to an interim proposal outlining NGA's priorities for reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

The U.S. Department of Education continues to quietly approve and negotiate over states' teacher-evaluation systems as part of its No Child Left Behind Act waiver process.

Rome Newsroom, Apr 22, 2020 / 12:00 pm (CNA).- For Iraqi Christian and Yazidi communities still recovering from the destruction wreaked by the Islamic State, the coronavirus poses significant risks, NGOs have said in a joint statement. 

“The public health system in Sinjar and the wider Nineveh Governorate was decimated by ISIS during its brutal occupation and genocidal campaign in Iraq, beginning in 2014,” the letter stated.

“An impending humanitarian and security disaster looms large in Iraq. … There is a significant attendant threat to global security if ISIS uses this opportunity to regroup and return, but it does not have to be this way. Iraqi authorities and the United Nations must act now,” it continued.

Twenty-five NGOs working in northern Iraq issued a joint statement April 16 calling on the World Health Organization to undertake an assessment mission in the area, where testing has been limited, and urging Iraqi authorities to prevent the Islamic State from regrouping.

Signed by the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, Free Yezidi Foundation, Genocide Alert, and the Religious Freedom Institute, the statement described how the pandemic is exacerbating existing security, humanitarian, and health risks among displaced and rebuilding Iraqi minority communities. It highlighted, in particular, the global risk of a potential resurgence of the Islamic State.

Security threat

“COVID-19 and the precipitous drop in oil prices have caused the Iraqi economy to collapse, leaving a dangerous security vacuum for ISIS to exploit. Indeed, the resultant political turmoil and social strife recall the very conditions that earlier incarnations of ISIS and its supporters capitalized on during its initial surge almost a decade ago,” it stated.

“According to International Crisis Group, ISIS in its weekly newsletter Al-Naba called on its fighters to attack and weaken its enemies while they are distracted by the pandemic,” it added.

U.S. military officials have expressed concern that the Islamic State could use adverse conditions to its advantage in it recruitment efforts.

“COVID-19 has also hastened the departure of some coalition forces from Iraq, weakening counter-terrorism operations, while some ISIS detainees have recently escaped prison in Syria,” the letter stated.

On March 30, Islamic State fighters imprisoned in northwestern Syria revolted. The rioting prisoners took over one wing of the prison before Kurdish forces intervened.

“There is an urgent need for reform in the civilian security sector, in order to integrate regional militias into a unified Federal Police that upholds the rule of law and protects all citizens, regardless of religion or clan affiliation,” the letter said.

Health infrastructure needs

The economic strain has also hindered Iraqi minorities’ efforts to rebuild their communities, including medical infrastructure needs.

“Many Yazidis (Ezidis/Yezidis) want to return to Sinjar, but security, reconstruction and basic services are still lacking to allow a dignified return. There are currently only two hospitals and just one ventilator to assist the current population of around 160,000 people in the region,” the NGOs’ statement explained.

Iraq’s healthcare system, which has suffered for decades from the effects of sanctions and war, currently faces a critical shortage of doctors and medicine, according to a Reuters investigation. Hospitals in Iraq are already overcrowded and doctors overworked, while the healthcare situation is slightly better in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, which has its own health ministry.

There have been at least 1,600 cases of COVID-19 documented in Iraq, which is under pressure to reopen its border with Iran, which has had more than 85,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.

Humanitarian workers have also had trouble reaching those in need due to movement restrictions, and have raised concerns about the risk of an outbreak in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.

Social distancing is very difficult in these high-density IDP camps in Iraq, where 1.8 million people remain displaced due to insecurity and reconstruction needs, according to the UN.

The 25 NGOs called for the government of Iraq and the United Nations to provide testing capacity in the IDP camps in Sinjar, Tel Afar and the Nineveh Plains.

“At present, it is impossible to apprehend the extent of the spread of the virus because no testing for the disease is taking place in the camps, while restrictions of movement impede the work of humanitarian actors who provide basic essentials such as food, water and medicine,” they stated.

Psychological risk for trauma survivors

Genocide survivors with trauma also face increased personal risk of psychological harm amid isolation imposed by coronavirus measures.

As in much of the world, authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan have ordered people to stay home, imposed a curfew, and have closed places of worship, schools, restaurants, and most businesses. 

“Another alarming corollary of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iraq is the psychological impact on at-risk communities, including Yazidis, Turkmen and Christians, such as Assyrians,” it said.

This is a particular concern for the Yazidi communities in which thousands of women were victims of sexual violence by the Islamic State.

“Prior to the outbreak, Médecins Sans Frontières reported on a debilitating mental health crisis among Yazidis in Iraq, including a rising number of suicides,” it stated.

Suicides in this community have already been reported since social distancing measures were put into place, the NGOs reported. They called on the World Health Organization to address this “acute mental health crisis.”

In their appeal to the WHO and Iraqi government, the NGOs insisted that the stakes were high: 

“COVID-19 is a pandemic the likes of which we have not seen before. Survivors of genocide and other mass atrocity crimes are now waiting for this silent death to pass through the camps and their homes, unable to fight back.”

Education Week catches you up on the week gone by with a thoughtful look at recent news in K-12 education.

Everyone's thinking about the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and wondering if there are any cases near where they live. I recently used SAS Software to create a dashboard with a world map showing which countries had reported cases. And now that the virus has spread around the world, a world/country-level [...]

The post Tracking the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States appeared first on Graphically Speaking.

Now that COVID-19 is spreading in the US, I thought it might be helpful to view the data at a more granular level. Follow along as I plot the county data on a map and discuss how the color-binning can influence people's perception of the data. Maps like this can [...]

The post Tracking Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the US at the state/county level appeared first on Graphically Speaking.

Loans for Heroes, which provides veterans with reduced mortgage rates, has funded $3.3 million in mortgage loans since it launched in May of 2012.

The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA), in partnership with five local housing counseling agencies, is hosting “Keeping Your Home Afloat”, a Statewide Foreclosure Prevention Open House, on Monday, July 22nd from 5:00pm to 7:30pm. Attendees will learn how the Making Home Affordable Program may be able to help them reduce the amount they owe on their mortgage. Homeowners who are “underwater”, or owe more than their homes are worth, are especially encouraged to come get more information about the MHA Program’s Principal Reduction Alternative.

Delaware’s State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP) received national attention last week when it was honored with an Award for Program Excellence during the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) 2013 Annual Conference & Showplace in New Orleans, LA. This year’s conference was attended by more than 900 affordable housing industry professionals.

The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA), in partnership with The Money School and the Delaware Federation of Housing Counselors, held its annual Homebuyer Fair on Saturday, April 5, 2014, at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Delaware. The Fair – geared toward providing prospective homebuyers with the opportunity to learn about the steps in purchasing a home – was a great success for the fourth year in a row.

The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) honored students in the DSHA housing community for achieving academic excellence by making the honor roll and having perfect attendance, with a luncheon and awards ceremony at Polytech High School in Woodside, Delaware.

Governor Jack Markell today joined Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) for the release of the Delaware Housing Needs Assessment 2015-2020. The report, prepared by GCR Incorporated of New Orleans, Louisiana and The Reinvestment Fund (TRF) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will drive planning for housing resources at DSHA and in communities around the State. With this new analysis of housing needs and market conditions in the state for years 2015-2020, DSHA will be identifying priorities for the next five years and evaluating its programs and strategies.

Funding also allocated to clean up and maintain vacant or abandoned homes WILMINGTON – Nine projects statewide will receive $5.5 million from Delaware’s Strong Neighborhoods Housing Fund to address vacant, abandoned or foreclosed properties, Governor John Carney announced today, joined by Delaware State Housing Authority Director Anas Ben Addi and elected officials and community leaders […]

Seven affordable housing projects statewide will receive a total of $1 million from Delaware’s Housing Development Fund (HDF), Governor John Carney announced today joined by Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) Director Anas Ben Addi, New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer, elected officials and community leaders from across Delaware.

During a Transform outreach in Germany, a short-term team enjoys God’s provision of good weather as they facilitated outdoor children’s programmes for refugees.

A district in Washington state has halted all international field trips over concerns students in the country illegally wouldn't be able to get back in.

In response to the growing coronavirus pandemic, orders from the state government and recommendations from global public health organizations, Penn State will hold its spring 2020 commencement ceremony via livestream on May 9. The virtual ceremony will recognize all Penn State undergraduate students and all graduate students in the Penn State Graduate School.

Penn State Scranton recently donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to two local hospitals, Geisinger Community Medical Center and Commonwealth Health Moses Taylor Hospital, to help them during the growing coronavirus pandemic.

Given the continuing challenge and uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic and to protect the health of students, faculty and staff, Penn State has made the decision to extend virtual delivery of courses into the summer. Further, the University will adjust tuition for the summer sessions in light of the ongoing pandemic and the persistent fiscal strain it is causing across Pennsylvania and the country.

In the face of severe financial impacts to the University brought on by the global coronavirus pandemic, on April 23 Penn State President Eric J. Barron announced some salary adjustments; a 3% across-the-board cut to university budgets in the next fiscal year; and his intention to work with the Board of Trustees to freeze tuition for the 2020-21 academic year to limit student costs.

Due to the economic challenges facing Pennsylvania and the nation, Penn State President Eric J. Barron announced plans today (April 23) to freeze tuition rates for all students University-wide for the 2020-21 academic year. The plan, which will be presented to the University’s Board of Trustees for final approval at its July meeting, would mark the third consecutive year that Penn State has held tuition rates flat for Pennsylvania resident students.

On Wednesday, May 13, Penn State Scranton will hold a Virtual Open House for students considering applying to Penn State Scranton from 5 to 6 p.m.

Just 16 states require incoming teachers to provide evidence of successful prior job performance, a National Council on Teacher Quality analysis found.

There could be an 8.4 percent reduction in the U.S. teaching corps, and some states could see reductions as large as 20 percent, according to a new analysis by the Learning Policy Institute.

States don't routinely collect information on districts' materials purchases. If they plan to use curriculum as a lever to improve student learning, they should, a new brief argues.

Students of color don't need to get "grittier," writes New America's Jenny Muñiz. They need us to fix institutional racism.

A breakdown of high-profile news stories you may have missed during the week.

Bank Audi proposed using government assets as collateral to offset the losses of the Central Bank and commercial banks that were the result of lending to the state.

Attorney General Kathy Jennings on Tuesday released the following statement regarding Kili Mayfield’s conviction in Superior Court: Justice was served today. A man who raped three women, including beating and strangling one victim until she lost consciousness, has been convicted of his crimes. I am proud of the work of our prosecutors, paralegals, and social […]

The Department of Justice on Tuesday released the following statement: Beatriz Fana-Ruiz recklessly started a fire in the basement of the home where she lived, resulting in the tragic deaths of three Wilmington Fire Department Firefighters and serious injury to another. While her motivation in setting the fire was a reaction to her living conditions, […]

Other defendants sentenced on kidnapping, manslaughter, assault, and weapons charges Malcolm Casson, a Dover man who stabbed another man to death on the grounds of a state museum, has pleaded guilty to a 2018 murder. In February 2018, State Police were called to the John Dickinson House off of Kitts Hummock Road in Dover after […]

Witness intimidation sends man to prison A 30-year-old Seaford man who tried to flee from a traffic stop with a state trooper holding on to his moving vehicle pleaded guilty in Superior Court. Deputy Attorney General John Donahue secured the plea to Assault Second Degree, Reckless Endangering, and Resisting Arrest from Brandon Showell. In June […]

Delaware, along with other states, is issuing the following additional statement on a settlement offer by Purdue Pharma: A majority of states rejected the settlement proposed by Purdue and the Sacklers. We have heard the voices of families across the country calling for justice.  Purdue’s proposal does not provide anything close to the $10-12 billion […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings today released the following statement after a jury returned a guilty verdict against Clay Conaway for Rape 4th Degree: “The message today is no means no. I am grateful for the jury’s decision, for the work of our excellent trial team, for the investigative work of the Delaware State Police, and […]

Delaware Attorney General Kathleen Jennings announced Thursday a multistate settlement with Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary, Ethicon, Inc., for their deceptive marketing of transvaginal surgical mesh devices. A multistate investigation found the companies violated state consumer protection laws by misrepresenting the safety and effectiveness of the devices and failing to sufficiently disclose risks associated […]

Captives reduce taxpayer burden Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro announced data showing a strong year of captive insurance formations in Delaware, with 56 licenses provided in 2019, outpacing previous years. “The success of Delaware’s captive insurance program is reflective of the hard work of Delaware’s captive staff in applying firm but fair regulations and finding innovative […]

Play features Dr. Who, the time traveler, who brings William Penn back to Dover.

Programs on Delaware's Lenape and Nanticoke Indian tribes to be featured.