News - Sacramento Tree Foundation

News - Sacramento Tree Foundation:

"With summer ending and the rain soon upon us, October is a great month to get out and get dirty!

To celebrate National NeighborWoods Month, the Sacramento Tree Foundation will host a series of tree related trainings, awareness events, and plantings. These events are some of more than 100 regreening, educational, and training efforts throughout the country being promoted during October as part of NeighborWoods Month. NeighborWoods Month is a national campaign of the Alliance for Community Trees (ACT). The Sacramento Tree Foundation is a member of ACT’s NeighborWoods Network."

Appleseed President Joins Duncan

Appleseed President Joins Duncan:

"National Leaders in Educational Philanthropy Meet
Chicago Student's Death Underscores Reform Urgency

Duncan's St. Louis Visit Caps 'historic moment'

CHICAGO, IL - Following an 'emotional meeting'' with a dozen Chicago Public School students, Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education called for a 'national conversation'' about values and teen violence and said he will visit other cities 'to talk with people and find ways to protect our children'. Secretary Duncan told more than 400 of the nation’s leaders in educational philanthropy - including Project Appleseed President Kevin Walker - gathered in Chicago that reforming education is a collaborative effort of schools, funders and his department."

First 5 California: First 5 California Invites You to a Special Screening of Sid the Science Kid

First 5 California: First 5 California Invites You to a Special Screening of Sid the Science Kid

Join First 5 California at Kidspace Children’s Museum for a special sneak-preview of an upcoming episode of “Sid the Science Kid” on the importance of vaccinations. The episode – “Getting a Shot: You Can Do It!”– explains how vaccinations keep people healthy and teaches kids how to prevent the spread of germs during flu season. At the event, children can meet and take photos with Sid, as well as participate in educational activities. Healthy snacks will be served and event participants will receive goodie bags filled with fun items for kids and resources to keep the whole family healthy this flu season.

Festivities begin at 3 p.m. and the show starts at 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

3 – 5 p.m. (40% off admission cost)

Sid-related activities are FREE

Kidspace Children’s Museum 480 N. Arroyo Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91103

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... Sweetwater Teachers Reach Tentative Deal

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... Sweetwater Teachers Reach Tentative Deal:

"Under a tentative deal struck this morning, Sweetwater teachers will trade larger student-to-teacher ratios for the promise not to cut salaries or give newly hired employees a different set of benefits than current employees.

The two sides had grappled over a contract since last June. Tensions had escalated in the South Bay district, with teachers cutting back on work beyond the school day, toting signs to protest and even calling for the ouster of Superintendent Jesus Gandara.

The agreement was reached around 12:30 a.m. today after a full day of bargaining in front of a 'fact-finding' panel, a stage of bargaining that followed months of unsuccessful meetings. According to a press release from the school district, the agreement includes:


Staffing ratios of 30 students per teacher for this year, which have already been in place, compared to 28-to-one last year. That ratio will grow to 31-to-one for the next three school years."

Sacto 9-1-1: Sacramento PD helps two school districts land security grant

Sacto 9-1-1: Sacramento PD helps two school districts land security grant:

"The Sacramento Police Department wrote a successful grant application that will bring more than $460,000 for security improvements in the Sacramento City Unified and Robla school districts.

The $463,699 grant required a law enforcement agency to apply although the funds are being used for the purchase of cameras, lighting and door hardware at eight schools in the districts, a police spokesman said.

The grant is provided through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, according to a Police Department news release.
'We are in tough economic times and are grateful that we have received several grants to help make our schools and community safer,' Police Chief Rick Braziel said."

Oklahoma Abortion Law: Details To Be Publicly Posted Online

Oklahoma Abortion Law: Details To Be Publicly Posted Online:

"A new Oklahoma law requires physicians to disclose detailed information on women's abortions to the State's Department Of Health, which will then post the collected data on a public website. The controversial measure comes into effect on November 1 and will cost $281,285 to implement, $256,285 each subsequent year to maintain.

Oklahoma women undergoing abortion procedures will be legally forced to reveal:"

1) Date of abortion

2) County in which abortion is performed

3) Age of mother

4) Marital status of mother

5) Race of mother

6) Years of education of mother

7) State or foreign country of residence of mother

8) Total number of previous pregnancies of the mother

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/08/oklahoma-abortion-law-det_n_313779.html

Vote Yes--Or Else - California Progress Report

Vote Yes--Or Else - California Progress Report:

"On October 5, the governor suggested to the Senate President Pro Tem that the Legislature withdraw nearly 700 bills now on his desk awaiting signature. The clear inference is that if they are not withdrawn, the governor will make good his threat to veto them because he has not yet gotten his way on water.

The veto power overrides the work of the Legislature which represents the will of the people. It is an extraordinary power and should not be exercised capriciously or casually. This governor, however, has repeatedly abused his veto power and threatens to do it again.

Last year, the Governor vetoed over 400 bills, 136 of them with a generic veto message, because he was unhappy after protracted budget negotiations."

ACLU: Teachers abuse kids with LD - Quality teaching | GreatSchools

ACLU: Teachers abuse kids with LD - Quality teaching GreatSchools:

"Landon K., an autistic 6-year-old, was a first-grader in Mississippi when an assistant principal administered an approved punishment: striking the child on his bottom with an inch-thick paddle.

The incident terrified the child, causing him to lose control. 'He was screaming and hollering,' Landon's grandmother Jacquelyn K. later told the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). 'It just devastated him.'

Landon was so upset by the paddling he had to be sedated by ambulance workers.

Sound like one of those random but rare cases of abuse that grab headlines but are basically unprecedented? Unfortunately, the facts are a little more disturbing."

Read the report: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/12813872/Impairing-Education-Corporal-Punishment-of-Students-with-Disabilitiesin-US-Public-Schools

Education Week: States Face Budget Hurdles on Testing, GAO Says

Education Week: States Face Budget Hurdles on Testing, GAO Says:

"Congress’ investigative arm is spotlighting the challenges states face with their testing systems, from recession-driven budget pressures to ensuring the validity and reliability of statewide student assessments.

A new, wide-ranging report by the Government Accountability Office on state testing under the No Child Left Behind Act finds that although most states today spend far more on assessments than in 2002, when the federal law was enacted, 19 reported recent cuts in their testing budgets because of fiscal constraints. Ten others expected future reductions in such spending."

U.S. GAO - No Child Left Behind Act: Enhancements in the Department of Education's Review Process Could Improve State Academic Assessments

U.S. GAO - No Child Left Behind Act: Enhancements in the Department of Education's Review Process Could Improve State Academic Assessments

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLBA) requires states to develop high-quality academic assessments aligned with state academic standards. Education has provided states with about $400 million for NCLBA assessment implementation every year since 2002. GAO examined (1) changes in reported state expenditures on assessments, and how states have spent funds; (2) factors states have considered in making decisions about question (item) type and assessment content; (3) challenges states have faced in ensuring that their assessments are valid and reliable; and (4) the extent to which Education has supported state efforts to comply with assessment requirements. GAO surveyed state and District of Columbia assessment directors, analyzed Education and state documents, and interviewed assessment officials from Maryland, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Texas and eight school districts in addition to assessment vendors and experts.

States reported their overall annual expenditures for assessments have increased since passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLBA), which amended the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), and assessment development was the largest expense for most states. Forty-eight of 49 states that responded to our survey said that annual expenditures for ESEA assessments have increased since NCLBA was enacted. Over half of the states reported that overall expenditures grew due to development of new assessments. Test and question--also referred to as item--development was most frequently reported by states to be the largest ESEA assessment expense, followed by scoring. State officials in selected states reported that alternate assessments for students with disabilities were more costly than general population assessments. In addition, 19 states reported that assessment budgets had been reduced by state fiscal cutbacks. Cost and time pressures have influenced state decisions about assessment item type--such as multiple choice or open/constructed response--and content. States most often chose multiple choice items because they can be scored inexpensively within tight time frames resulting from the NCLBA requirement to release results before the next school year. State officials also reported facing trade-offs between efforts to assess highly complex content and to accommodate cost and time pressures. As an alternative to using mostly multiple choice, some states have developed practices, such as pooling resources from multiple states to take advantage of economies of scale, that let them reduce cost and use more open/constructed response items. Challenges facing states in their efforts to ensure valid and reliable assessments involved staff capacity, alternate assessments, and assessment security. State capacity to provide vendor oversight varied, both in terms of number of state staff and measurement-related expertise. Also, states have been challenged to ensure validity and reliability for alternate assessments. In addition, GAO identified several gaps in assessment security policies that were not addressed in Education's review process for overseeing state assessments that could affect validity and reliability. An Education official said that assessment security was not a focus of its review. The review process was developed before recent efforts to identify assessment security best practices. Education has provided assistance to states, but issues remain with communication during the review process. Education provided assistance in a variety of ways, and states reported that they most often used written guidance and Education-sponsored meetings and found these helpful. However, Education's review process did not allow states to communicate with reviewers during the process to clarify issues, which led to miscommunication. In addition, state officials were in some cases unclear about what review issues they were required to address because Education did not identify for states why its decisions differed from the reviewers' written comments.

Read report here: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/12812895/No-Child-Left-Behind-Act-Enhancements-in-the-Department-of-Educations-Review-Process-Could-Improve-State-Academic-Assessments

Or go to the GAO web site: http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-911

GAO-09-911 September 24, 2009
Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 58 pages) Accessible Text Recommendations (HTML)

Where is Data Driving Us?

Living in Dialogue

Where is Data Driving Us?

Many of our schools these days are guided by a business school practice known as Data-Driven Decision-Making (DDDM). This approach means that we do not base decisions on whim or convenience, but rather rely on actual student achievement outcomes to guide us. The first step in this process is determining which data we actually care about. That key decision has been made for us in the public schools by the mandates of NCLB. The data that matter most are student test scores in language arts and math. Data-Driven Decision-Making means we then must make choices that will increase those scores.

The term "Data-Driven Decision-Making" has a sort of value-neutral, rational sound to it. It means we are basing our choices on facts, that we are willing to make tough choices in the interest of student achievement. That should be good news, right?

But the choices that are made actually do carry value judgments, and I am not sure that we are considering all the relevant data when we make these decisions.

Teacher Magazine: More Ind. Teachers Take Nontraditional Path to Class

Teacher Magazine: More Ind. Teachers Take Nontraditional Path to Class:

"INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An increasing number of teachers without traditional education degrees are poised to enter Indiana's classrooms.
Supporters argue that such teachers bring expertise in subject areas that education schools don't always provide. But critics question whether they're equipped to handle special cases such as helping children who struggle with reading.

The programs are enjoying strong political support from Gov. Mitch Daniels, a Republican, and President Barack Obama, a Democrat."

Teacher Magazine: Why Good Teaching Matters

Teacher Magazine: Why Good Teaching Matters:

"“Mrs. McDowell was the kind of teacher whose influence permeated everything—my quest for knowledge, my understanding of history, my place in the world,” Jennifer shared with me recently. “She helped teach me to question what I thought I knew as well as what others told me. She inspired my curiosity. She believed in me, which pushed me to always strive to be the best student and person I could be.”

What better testimony to quality and effectiveness could any teacher hope for? Though we saw each other infrequently, Polly stayed in my heart and mind. I considered her a kindred spirit. I hoped my students admired me as much as Jennifer admired Mrs. McDowell."

Teacher Professional Development Sourcebook: The Online Option

Teacher Professional Development Sourcebook: The Online Option:

"Between the ringing bells and the regimented class periods, teachers have among the most structured of all careers. Their time for professional growth is equally prescribed, often being set by contracts, district policies, and even state law.

But imagine a teacher who finishes grading some papers, puts the children to bed, and at 9:30 p.m. logs on to an online module to learn new practices for differentiating instruction for his or her English-language-learner students."

Dianne Linderman -- Un-teaching Teachers

Dianne Linderman -- Un-teaching Teachers:

"When will we realize that all of our kids start out as passionate entrepreneurs, explorers, and adventurers who teach themselves how to walk and talk? What makes us believe that they are not capable of discovering education at its finest without the written rule that our teachers have been unknowingly harnessed with and have brought into America’s classrooms because they have been in a long line of teachers who have been taught by the same rule forever and ever."

Rally for labor pact

Rally for labor pact - SignOnSanDiego.com

CHULA VISTA — Hundreds of South County educators rallied outside Sweetwater Union High School District headquarters yesterday in an effort to pressure officials to settle an impasse in labor talks.

While district and union representatives met with a mediator in the boardroom, about 400 teachers, students and supporters chanted outside.

“What do we want?” they asked. “A contract!” the group yelled. “When do we want it? Now!”

The Sweetwater Education Association's 1,800 teachers have been working without a contract for about 15 months, prompting picketing and limiting work to contracted hours. Last month, nearly eight out of 10 teachers at Chula Vista Middle School called in sick in what a district official alleged was a “concerted activity” meant to put pressure on the district in its negotiations with the union.

Class sizes are at the heart of the dispute.

Teachers Sue District Over Layoffs - D.C. Wire -

Teachers Sue District Over Layoffs - D.C. Wire -:

"The Washington Teachers Union sued today to block last week's teacher layoffs, charging that District public school principals improperly targeted educators for dismissal on the basis of age or their willingness to speak out against administrators, union president George Parker said late this afternoon.

Parker said the suit, filed in D.C. Superior Court, asks that DCPS be enjoined from firing the 388 teachers and other staff, who are scheduled to be dropped from the payroll on Nov. 2.

'This was a RIF (reduction in force) that was done in entirely a loose fashion,' said Parker, who briefed teachers this afternoon at the Metropolitan AME Church on M St. NW. 'It allowed principals to get rid of teachers regardless of their performance. Outspoken teachers, strong union advocates, they were targeted. 'That's the bottom line.'"

D.C. Teachers Stunned by Their Dismissal - washingtonpost.com

D.C. Teachers Stunned by Their Dismissal - washingtonpost.com:

"A neat row of X's stretches down Eve McCarey's performance evaluation, showing that in category after category, she is someone who 'exceeds expectations.' With three years of experience as a special education teacher at Anacostia High School, she is hardworking, well-spoken and now unemployed."

McCarey seems to be the sort of teacher any hard-charging, reformist schools chancellor would want in a classroom. But despite layoff rules designed to help the system retain high-performing teachers, McCarey found herself out of a job Friday, along with other educators who range from idealistic Teach for America newcomers to a 32-year guidance counselor who is praised by parents as uncommonly effective.
"It just feels like my heart has been broken," said counselor Sheila Gill, 57, of McKinley Technology High School. "I have been trying to process all of what's going on. It happened so quickly and so suddenly."

Attorney General, in Chicago, Pledges Youth Violence Effort - NYTimes.com

Attorney General, in Chicago, Pledges Youth Violence Effort - NYTimes.com:

"CHICAGO — Trying to spark what he called “a sustained national conversation” about youth violence, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. met with public school students and elected officials here Wednesday, pledging a heightened crime-fighting commitment from the federal government toward vulnerable children."

Mr. Holder, joined by Education Secretary Arne Duncan, the former head of the local public schools, said the Obama administration was dedicated to being a full partner in the fight against youth violence, in part, because “too many of today’s victims become tomorrow’s criminals.”

“Youth violence is not a Chicago problem any more than it is a black problem, a white problem or a Hispanic problem,” Mr. Holder said at a morning news conference, flanked by Mayor Richard M. Daley and other city officials. “It is something that affects communities big and small and people of all races and all colors. It is an American problem.”

San Fernando Valley Sun - Census Becomes Point of Contention for Latinos

San Fernando Valley Sun - Census Becomes Point of Contention for Latinos:

"It's still six months away, but the U.S. Census 2010 has become a controversial issue in the Latino community, with some groups advocating for a boycott, while others are gearing up campaigns to push immigrants to get themselves counted.

'If we cannot count on the government, why are we going to get counted?,' asked Nativo Lopez, president of Hermandad Mexicana Latinoamericana who along with Rev. Miguel Rivera, chairman of the National Coalition of Latino Clergy, are asking undocumented immigrants to abstain from participating in the census as a way to pressure the Obama administration to pass an immigration reform.

Lopez said Latino participation was very high in the past two censuses, in 1990 and 2000 because there was an incentive for immigrants to participate."

Capitol Briefing - School Lunch Funds Get a Boost

Capitol Briefing - School Lunch Funds Get a Boost:

"The debate over health care has largely eclipsed talk of school lunch reform. But there's good news for advocates of healthful school food in the House Agriculture Appropriations conference report: $135 million worth, to be precise.

The bill, which passed 263 to 162 late Wednesday, provides, among other things, $85 million for pilot projects to expand summer feeding programs, $25 million to increase access to low-income children and $25 million to help purchase kitchen equipment necessary to store, prepare and serve healthful meals."

California Chronicle | Get Schooled: The Gates Foundation Launches a New Education Program to Help Students Succeed

California Chronicle Get Schooled: The Gates Foundation Launches a New Education Program to Help Students Succeed:

"Every 26 seconds a student drops out of high school. Every day 7,000 students walk out on their educations. One-third of all students fail to graduate from high school. And most low-income students who start college never finish.

These are some big issues. And on Sept. 8, big names from business, entertainment and politics gathered to help solve these problems at a conference held at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, California. The event centered on the launch of Get Schooled, an initiative started by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The five-year program is dedicated to helping more high school kids graduate so that they can succeed later in life."

Obama: 'The Power Of Free And Open Inquiry' Is At The Heart Of America | TPM LiveWire

Obama: 'The Power Of Free And Open Inquiry' Is At The Heart Of America TPM LiveWire

The White House issued the following transcript of remarks today by President Obama at the National Medal of Science and National Medal of Technology and Innovation Ceremony. Here's the full text:

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much. Thank you. Everyone please have a seat. Before I begin the ceremony to introduce these extraordinary innovators, let me just mention a few people who are in the audience today. First of all, we've got some outstanding members of my Cabinet: Secretary Locke, Secretary Sebelius, Secretary Chu, and Administrator Jackson. We are very grateful for all the outstanding work they're doing.
We've got some wonderful partners in Congress that I want to mention: Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon; Senator Jim Risch of Idaho; Senator -- Representative Rush Holt. Rush, I almost gave you a promotion there -- (laughter) -- or a demotion, depending on how you look at it -- (laughter) -- of New Jersey; Representative Anna Eshoo of California; and Representative Zoe Lofgren of California. I also want to mention my science advisor who is doing outstanding work, Dr. Holdren is here, as well as NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. And we want to thank some of the people who helped to organize today's event -- the National Science Foundation and its director, Arden Bement; the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and its director, Dave Kappos; and Linda Katehi, the chair of the National Medals of Science and Technology and Innovation Committee. So give all of them a big round of applause. (Applause.)

Now, it's also a real pleasure to have so many distinguished researchers and innovators joining us, although I must admit that I have an ulterior motive for presenting these awards today. You see, Sasha has a science fair coming up. (Applause.) And I was thinking that you guys could give us a few tips. (Laughter.) Michelle and I are a little rusty on our science. (Laughter.)

In all seriousness, it is a privilege to present these medals, our nation's highest honor for scientific and technological achievement, to the folks who've come here today from all parts of our country and all areas of scientific investigation. The scientists in this room have plumbed the furthest reaches of the universe and the deepest recesses of the human mind; they've sequenced the human genome and stimulated the workings of the atom; they've developed technologies that have greatly improved our understanding of the human body and the natural world; and they've fostered innovations that have saved millions of lives and improved countless more.
So this nation owes all of you an enormous debt of gratitude far greater than any medal can bestow. And we recognize your contributions, but we also celebrate the incredible contributions of the scientific endeavor itself. We see the promise -- not just for our economy but for our health and well-being -- in the human capacity for creativity and ingenuity. And we are reminded of the power of free and open inquiry, which is not only at the heart of all of your work, but at the heart of this experiment we call America.

Because throughout our history, amid tumult and war and against tough odds, this nation has always looked toward the future and then led the way. It was during the darkest days of the Civil War that President Lincoln established the land grant colleges and the National Academy of Science. It was during World War II that President Roosevelt requested that Vannevar Bush -- his science advisor and a future recipient of the National Medal of Science -- outline a set of policies to maintain our scientific and technological leadership in the 20th century.

And it was in the years that followed the Soviet launch of Sputnik, the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth, that the United States would create DARPA, NASA, and the National Defense Education Act, which helped improve math and science education from grade school to graduate school. In fact, the National Medal itself was established just two years after that launch, as a sign to the world and to ourselves of how highly we valued the work of the nation's scientists.

Today, we face more complex challenges than generations past. A medical system that holds the promise of unlocking new cures -- attached to a health care system that has the potential to bankrupt families and businesses. A system of energy that powers our economy but endangers our planet. Threats to our security that seek to exploit the very interconnectedness and openness that's so essential to our prosperity. And challenges in a global marketplace which link the trader on Wall Street to the homeowner on Main Street, and the office worker in America to the factory worker in China -- we all share an opportunity, but we also all share in crisis.

At such a difficult moment, there are those who say we can't afford to invest in science, that it's a luxury at a moment defined by necessities. I could not disagree more. Science is more essential for our prosperity, our security, and our health, and our way of life than it has ever been. And the winners we are recognizing only underscore that point, with achievements in physics and medicine, computer science and cognitive science, energy technology and biotechnology. We need to ensure that we are encouraging the next generation of discoveries -- and the next generation of discoverers.

That's why my administration has set this goal: by investing in education, funding basic and applied research, and spurring private innovation, we will devote 3 percent of our gross domestic product to research and development. That's more than at any point in recent history. (Applause.)

And as part of this effort, we're putting in place policies that will move us from the middle to the top of the pack in math and science education over the next decade. We are challenging states to dramatically improve achievement by raising standards, by improving the use of technology, and by making it possible for professionals like our honorees to bring a lifetime of experience and enthusiasm into the classroom. And we've also launched a Race to the Top fund to encourage states to compete for the most innovative programs in math and science, as part of a broader effort to foster new ways of engaging young people in these fields.

The White House is participating, too. Tonight, in fact, we're bringing children to the South Lawn for a night of astronomy. I am really looking forward to this. (Laughter.) This is going to be fun. They'll peer through telescopes, wander through exhibits, and hopefully feel a sense of wonder that might one day lead them here to receive a medal themselves.

And my administration has set another goal to compete for the jobs of the future and to encourage the scientists and engineers of the future. By 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. We used to be number one. We have fallen behind. We are going to regain our position. (Applause.)

To meet this goal, we've increased the Pell Grant and passed legislation through the House -- which we're working to pass through the Senate -- to end more than $80 billion in wasteful subsidies to lenders and use that money instead to help students.

Beyond the classroom, the Recovery Act that we passed is funding the largest single boost to biomedical research in history. My budget makes the research and experimentation tax credit permanent to help companies afford the often high cost of innovation. I've proposed eliminating the capital gains tax for investments in startups and small companies -- because countless big ideas begin in small businesses. And we are doubling our capacity in renewable energy, even as we seek to create a system of incentives to make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America.

For at our best, this nation has never feared the future. We've shaped the future. Even when we've endured terrible storms, we haven't given up or turned back -- we've remain fixed on that brighter horizon. That's how we've led in the pursuit of scientific discovery; and in turn that's how science has helped us lead the world.

There's no better illustration than what took place at the close of World War II, when the United States transported dozens of captured V-2 rockets from Germany to New Mexico. These were among the most sophisticated weapons in the world, a reminder that much of World War II was fought far from the battlefield -- by Alan Turing in Bletchley Park, and Oppenheimer in Los Alamos, and by countless others who developed radar and aircraft and antibiotics.

The military wanted to understand this new missile technology that the V-2 represented; but scientists were also invited to use these tests to take measurements of the atmosphere. And then one engineer had an idea: to rig a camera and attach it to one of the rockets. And so in this brief moment between the end of a world war and the start of a cold war, a group of scientists erupted with joy as they discovered that they had captured the very first photos of our world as seen from space. Their work would continue as the Rocket and Satellite Research Panel. And after the launch of Sputnik in 1957, the work of this panel would be assumed by a new agency, called NASA. The research into these weapons of war would lead to the missions of Mercury and Gemini and Apollo.

That's the incredible promise of the work scientists do every day -- like the scientists, researchers, and engineers, and innovators we honor with these medals. Yes, scientific progress offers us a chance to achieve prosperity and defend our nation. It has offered us benefits that have improved our lives and our health -- improvements that we often take for granted. But it also gives us something more. At root, science forces us to reckon with the truth as best as we can ascertain it, and to reckon with the power that comes from this knowledge -- for good and for ill. With each new discovery brings new responsibility to move past our differences and to address our shared problems; to embrace a sense of wonder, and our common humanity.

Carl Sagan, who helped broaden the reach of science to millions of people, once described his enthusiasm for discovery in very simple terms. He said, "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." (Laughter.) Thank you all for the incredible discoveries that you have made, the progress you've invented, and the benefits you've bestowed on the American people and the world.

So it is now my honor to ask the recipients to come forward to receive their medals, and as their citations are read I will -- you'll just have to bend down a little bit -- (laughter) -- and we will bestow on you the highest honor that our nation can give you for your science, technology, and innovation.

So, do we have someone here for the citations?

MILITARY AIDE: Dr. Berni Alder. (Applause.) 2008 National Medal of Science to Dr. Berni Alder, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, for establishing powerful computer methods useful for molecular dynamic simulations, conceiving and executing experimental shock-wave simulations to obtain properties of fluids and solids at very high pressures, and developing Monte Carlo methods for calculating the properties of matter from first principles, all of which contributed to major achievements in the science of condensed matter.
(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

Dr. Francis S. Collins. (Applause.) 2008 National Medal of Science to Dr. Francis S. Collins, National Institutes of Health, for his visionary contributions to the fields of genetics and genomics through the work of his own laboratory and his leadership of multiple international genomics initiatives, including the Human Genome Project.
(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

Dr. Joanna S. Fowler. (Applause.) 2008 National Medal of Science to Dr. Joanna S. Fowler, Brookhaven National Laboratory, for her pioneering work in chemistry involving the synthesis of medical imaging compounds and her innovative applications of these compounds to human neuroscience, which have significantly advanced our understanding of the human brain and brain diseases, including drug addiction.
(The medal is awarded.) (Applause.)

Dr. Elaine Fuchs. (Applause.) 2008 National Medal of Science to Dr. Elaine Fuchs, The Rockefeller University, for her pioneering use of cell biology and molecular genetics in mice to understand the basis of inherited diseases in humans and her outstanding contributions to our understandings of the biology of skin and its disorders, including her notable investigations of adult skin stem cells, cancers, and genetic syndromes.
(The medal is awarded.) (Applause.)

Dr. James E. Gunn. (Applause.) 2008 National Medal of Science to Dr. James E. Gunn, Princeton University, for his brilliant design of many of the most influential telescopes and instruments in astronomy, and in particular for the crucial role those technological marvels played in the creation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, which has cataloged 200 million stars, galaxies, and quasars; discovered the most distant known quasars; and probed the epoch of formation of the first stars and galaxies.
(The medal is awarded.) (Applause.)

Dr. Rudolf E. Kálmán. (Applause.) 2008 National Medal of Science to Dr. Rudolf E. Kálmán, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, for his fundamental contributions to modern system theory, which provided rigorous mathematical tools for engineering, [econometrics], and statistics, and in particular for his invention of the "Kálmán filter," which was critical to achieving the Moon landings and creating the Global Positioning System and which has facilitated the use of computers in control and communications technology.
(The medal is awarded.) (Applause.)

Dr. Michael I. Posner. (Applause.) 2008 National Medal of Science to Dr. Michael I. Posner, University of Oregon, for his innovative application of technology to the understanding of brain function, his incisive and accurate modeling of functional tasks, and his development of methodological and conceptual tools to help understand the mind and the development of brain networks of attention.
(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

Dr. JoAnne Stubbe. (Applause.) 2008 National Medal of Science to Dr. JoAnne Stubbe, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for her groundbreaking experiments establishing the mechanisms of ribonucleotide reductases, polyester synthases, and natural product DNA cleavers -- compelling demonstrations of the power of chemical investigations to solve problems in biology.

THE PRESIDENT: He had to practice that. (Laughter.)

(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

MILITARY AIDE: Dr. J. Craig Venter. (Applause.) 2008 National Medal of Science to Dr. J. Craig Venter, J. Craig Venter Institute, for his dedication to the advancement of the science of genomics, his contributions to our understanding of its implications for society, and his commitment to the clear communication of information to the scientific community, the public, and policymakers.

(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

Dr. Forrest M. Bird. (Applause.) 2008 National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Dr. Forrest M. Bird, Percussionaire Corporation, for his pioneering inventions in cardiopulmonary medicine, including the medical respirator; devices that helped launch modern-day medical evacuation capabilities; and intrapulmonary percussive ventilation technologies, which have saved the lives of millions of patients in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other conditions.
(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

Dr. Esther Sans Takeuchi. (Applause.) 2008 National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Dr. Esther Sans Takeuchi, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, for her seminal development of the silver vanadium oxide battery that powers the majority of the world's lifesaving implantable cardiac defibrillators, and her innovations in other medical battery technologies that improve the health and quality of life of millions of people.
(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

Dr. John E. Warnock and Dr. Charles M. Geschke. (Applause.) 2008 National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Dr. John E. Warnock and Dr. Charles M. Geschke, Adobe Systems Incorporated, for their pioneering technological contributions that were central to spurring the desktop publishing revolution and for their role in changing the way people create and engage with information and entertainment across multiple mediums including print, video, and the Web.
(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

Mr. Samuel Palmisano, accepting for IBM Corporation. (Applause.) 2008 National Medal of Technology and Innovation to IBM Corporation for the IBM Blue Gene supercomputer and its systems architecture, design, and software, which have delivered fundamental new science, unsurpassed speed, and unparalleled energy efficiency and have had a profound impact worldwide on the high-performance computing industry.
(The medal is presented.) (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Well, that -- the ceremony is over, but I think it would be appropriate for everybody to, again, to stand up and give these recipients a big round of applause. (Applause.)

The Bay Area Reporter Online | Religious right gunning for safe schools czar

The Bay Area Reporter Online Religious right gunning for safe schools czar:

"Conservative pundits and organizations, including the American Family Association and Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, are seeking to oust Kevin Jennings from his job as assistant deputy secretary of the national Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools.

The calls for him to resign have intensified in the aftermath of Fox News commentator Glenn Beck's leading the charge to force the resignation of Obama administration green jobs czar Van Jones."

Capitol Alert: EdSource report lays out California's school conflicts with feds

Capitol Alert: EdSource report lays out California's school conflicts with feds:

"While a flap over using student test scores to evaluate teachers' performance has gotten most of the ink, it's just one of several significant changes in education policy that California would have to make to qualify for a new surge of federal aid, EdSource, a Mountain View-based education think tank, says in a new study.

President Barack Obama, both personally and through his education secretary, Arne Duncan, has criticized California for not aligning itself with the administration's new education goals, focusing on its reluctance to use test data for teacher evaluation.

With billions of federal dollars"

California gains stimulus funds for broadband Internet - Sacramento Business, Housing Market News | Sacramento Bee

California gains stimulus funds for broadband Internet - Sacramento Business, Housing Market News Sacramento Bee:

"California will receive some of the first federal stimulus money to close the so-called digital divide, but it's angling for much more.

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration awarded the first four grants under its State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program."

Lustig: A jury selection to revamp constitution? - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Lustig: A jury selection to revamp constitution? - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial Sacramento Bee:

"The deepening failure of California politics has led many to call for a new constitutional convention. Major state groups, leaders and mayors are backing the idea, which will be the focus of a meeting in Sacramento on Oct. 14.

One of the thorniest but most important questions surrounding a convention is deciding how to pick its delegates. One current proposal, which has led to some confusion, is to pick convention delegates the way we do jury panels. In that way, the thinking goes, citizens could escape the influence of special interests and wealth in the convention proceedings."

St. HOPE board names new schools superintendent - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

St. HOPE board names new schools superintendent - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"Ed Manansala has been named the new superintendent of St. HOPE Public Schools.

The board of directors of the public charter school system that operates Sacramento Charter High School and PS7 Elementary School announced Wednesday that it had made Manansala's position permanent.

Manansala had been serving as the interim superintendent since former executive director Rick Maya officially left in June."