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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Dec 14, 2010 |
"That's what our community has to have: families who will fight for those schools. But I don't want to leave it at 'I'm disappointed. I think it's incumbent on us to earn the students back." Top students fleeing public schools http://matr.net/articl ... .html
"Missoula education officials applaud relevant parts of "Waiting For Superman" Movie" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
21st Century Initiative - "You Should Care..."
Montana Department of Commerce
- Adults blame parents for education problems
An Associated Press-Stanford University Poll on education found that 68 percent of adults believe parents deserve heavy blame for what's wrong with the U.S. education system _ more than teachers, school administrators, the government or teachers unions.
- What Works in the Classroom? Ask the Students
How useful are the views of public school students about their teachers?
- Personalities of the Year - The kids of "Waiting for 'Superman"
"If your blood is not boiling by the end of this film, then there is no blood pumping through your heart." Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
- Stress and the High School Student
The film is hitting a nerve among parents across the country who are worried about the levels of stress that their children are experiencing, beginning even in elementary school. What can schools -- and parents -- do to turn down the heat?
- What international test scores really tell us: Lessons buried in PISA report
Federal and state policymakers continue to embrace reforms that have little positive effect (if not downright negative effects) while ignoring reforms that make a difference. Buried within the PISA report is an analysis of educational systems that registered high test scores. Here are some of the less-reported findings:ยท
- What U.S. schools can learn from abroad
After mediocre ratings, experts say the U.S. must look to Asia and re-structure its education investments
- Ryan Hurley turned his classroom into a paperless learning community using a wide variety of free online resources.
His students use writeboard.com to discuss literature and share ideas and books.google.com to access libraries full of free, public-access digital documents and literature.
- "How the World's Most Improved School Systems Keep Getting Better"
How does a school system with poor performance become good? And how does one with good performance become excellent?
- Missoula education officials applaud relevant parts of "Waiting For Superman" Movie
How do we make our failing schools good, and our good schools great?
Come Home Montana
- If California Is Doing So Great, Why Are So Many Leaving?
The deficit may now be as much as $28 billion this year, and over $20 billion for the foreseeable future. This is more than a nuisance. There's a reason, after all, why California has among the worst credit ratings of any state.
- The Montana Board of Research and Commercialization Technology is accepting proposals for funding.
The emphasis of the program is on projects that lead to marketable products or processes.
Developing Tech Jobs in Rural Communities
- Montanans, let's Google our way back to respectability
I'm embarrassed. Here we are in the Big Sky State, in one of the most magnificent places on earth, and on Google our name is most often associated not with mountains, rivers, Glacier National Park or even a football team. No, it's associated with a celebrity-daughter porn star.
- Missoula, Montana leads nation in per-capita Peace Corps volunteers
When it comes to peace, Missoula walks the walk.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Computer Software Engineer/Applications II - Montana State University -Bozeman
Excellent benefits including tuition waiver.
- 10 more reasons Great Falls, Montana really is spectacular
Here's a list of another 10 ways in which Great Falls is unsurpassed, including some that made the "Guinness Book of World Records."
- There's nothing like living in grizzly country
There, in a small patch of mud, was the unmistakable fresh paw print of a grizzly bear.
Cleantech
- Younger Crowds are Right in the Middle
The middle of the country is slowly becoming hot place to be.
- Rural Communities Should Focus on Clean Energy, Job Creation
Leous predicts that it won't be long before Americans, both rural and urban, come to the realization that "China is eating our lunch when it comes to creating a clean energy economy - an economy that creates jobs that can't be shipped overseas."
Montana Business
- Northwest Energy Angels Winter Showcase Highlights 7 Up-and-Coming Local Cleantech Companies
It's a chance for the growing organization to benchmark its success in facilitating relations between cleantech entrepreneurs and potential investors looking to provide early-stage capital to up-and-coming cleantech companies here in the Northwest.
Montana Economic Development
- Growing Montana family finds harmonious way to pass on growing business
It took nearly two decades, but the expanding Gainan family has worked out the tricky personal and financial challenges to turn over the family business to the third generation and, in a few more years, start training the fourth generation.
- CEO: Tough times at MSE Technology Applications in Butte, Montana
"We feel an obligation to the company and the community to make it successful."
- Life After Smurfit-Stone: One Year After the Company Leaves the Company Town of Frenchtown, Montana
More than 400 people lost their jobs last December when the mill in Frenchtown, Montana, shut down. Here, two stories about trying to pick up the pieces.
Regional Economic Development
- Swiss philanthropist, Hansjorg Wyss, buys $35M in Plum Creek Timber land in western Montana
Backers say the deal - which included $35 million in donations from Wyss - could shield an estimated one million acres from future development.
Careers
- Michigan might struggle for years because its work force is ill-equipped to fill knowledge jobs. What are the statistics in your state? What are you doing about it?
An estimated 1.7 million Michigan adults -- one of every three -- don't have the basic skills or credentials to land a job that pays enough to support a family
- For Cities, It's Not Coolness That Matters - The issue is whether their economy is based on exports or imports.
Since those spending money are not dependent on the local economy, their affuence is likely to create nothing more than a two-tier economy, with many low-paid workers servicing them.
Funding and Building your Business
- War for Tech Talent Hits 'White Hot' New York Startup Scene
It's a good time to be a software programmer in New York City.
- Job seekers: Stop saying "extensive experience" and "innovative"
If you have words like "extensive experience," "results-oriented" and "innovative" on your online resume, start hitting the delete button.
Incubators and R&D
- The Dealmaker - Andrew Mason of Groupon
"To live with ourselves, we've got to mix business with art."
- How Salesforce.com puts managers at the center of internal communications
"Using internal social media breaks down silos, encourages collaboration, and connects people in a meaningful way."
- HOW TO: Make a Successful Marketing Video for the Web
A great video will pay off ten-fold.
- the Art of the Elevator Pitch
The mighty Elevator Pitch could actually save us from the forces of fear, obfuscation, and delusion that savage our culture.
- How I Built It - An Ad Man's Foray Into 'Green' Media
What had started as a small group of experts, scientists and activists had turned into a mainstream audience.
Montana Education Excellence
- University of Wyoming scientists help spearhead genome research
The interdisciplinary approach that links mathematical modeling to biological mechanisms "can yield great advances not only in understanding basic biology but bio-medicine and numerous diseases, from cancer to infectious diseases, as well"
- Implanted medical devices: Rocky Mountain Laboratories researchers look at biofilm infections
Researchers affiliated with Rocky Mountain Laboratories have identified the mechanism causing staph infection to grow on and spread from catheters and other implanted medical devices.
University TechTransfer
- College of Technology in Missoula improvement bonding bill gains support
State Senator Carol Williams says her top priority in this year's upcoming legislative session is to get a bonding bill passed to improve the College of Technology in Missoula.
- University of Montana Mansfield Center Announces $12,000 In Pat Williams Scholarships
The center's Public Policy and Leadership Initiative offers the Pat Williams Scholarship for internship and research awards in the areas of public policy and leadership to both undergraduate and graduate students.
Idaho Business
- Rutgers teams with Seattle venture fund, Intellectual Ventures, to commercialize new technology
The partnership wants to see new ideas in such areas as alternative energy and the Web, Nag said. "Research related to cutting-edge networking solutions are of great interest to both Rutgers and Intellectual Ventures."
Oregon Business
- Idaho's business model isn't working
Idaho is creating the wrong kind of jobs: low-paying jobs that do not pay enough to support families.
Wyoming Business
- Oregon in 'death spiral,' Gov.-elect John Kitzhaber tells business leaders
Oregon is headed for a fiscal catastrophe unless its leaders make dramatic changes in the way the government spends its money and delivers services, business leaders told state officials Monday.
Education
- Yellowstone-Grand Teton tour: At home on the range
Instead of faux cowboy food, we got gourmet meals. And instead of a bunkhouse, we got cozy log cabins with heater blankets, front porches and rocking chairs.
- Gov. Freudenthal: Data centers eye Wyoming - He wants to use $14.5M left over from flooding costs to recruit businesses
"We're in a good position to attract these facilities because of our resources like abundant, low-cost power and the Wyoming climate with its low humidity and low temperatures, but that's just not enough," Freudenthal wrote. "This funding will make Wyoming more competitive and improve our position as we compete to recruit mega-data centers to the state."
Other Economies
- Idaho begins new data system to track students
"Idaho lags behind other states," Melissa McGrath, an education department spokeswoman, told the Post Register. "We are the last state to institute a longitudinal data system."
- Top students fleeing Oakland public schools
"That's what Oakland has to have: families who will fight for those schools. But I don't want to leave it at 'I'm disappointed. I think it's incumbent on us to earn the students back."
- Early foreign language ed could end in Wyoming - Funding, staffing hinder quality instruction
State-mandated early foreign language instruction could end next year because facilitating the instruction has become a burden on school districts throughout the state.
- Teachers' dim future: budget cuts, cramped classes
When Jay LaViolette tells people he's a public school teacher, the reactions range from disinterest to sympathy.
- The Value of Higher Education Made Literal
Higher education is no longer conceived of as a public good -- as a good the effects of which permeate society -- but is rather a private benefit, and as such it should be supported by those who enjoy the benefit.
Energy and Climate Change
- Lessons in economic survival from Turin, Italy
An Italian auto center could have gone the way of Detroit, but it has built on its legacy and concentrated on changing its transportation system.
Legislative Newsletters
- U. S. Coastal Communities Swallowed by Rising Sea
Louisiana wetlands are disappearing at a rate of up to 25 square miles per year -- and taking centuries-old communities with them.
- Using Waste, Swedish City Cuts Its Fossil Fuel Use
Kristianstad has already crossed a crucial threshold: the city and surrounding county, with a population of 80,000, essentially use no oil, natural gas or coal to heat homes and businesses, even during the long frigid winters. It is a complete reversal from 20 years ago, when all of their heat came from fossil fuels.
- Google has unveiled an online technology that allows scientists and researchers to track and measure changes to the environment using 25 years worth of satellite data.
Google says it will offer 20 million CPU hours free to developing nations and scientific organizations to utilize the platform.
Government Technology
- Montana's federal legislators embrace social media tools
Here's a summary of their social media efforts:
Transportation
- North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue Wants Privatized IT
Technology isn't the only privatized service in the proposal. A vendor would also manage procurement and save money through bulk purchasing and coordinated bids.
- Montana Signs New eGovernment Contract with Montana Interactive to Continue mt.gov Website
"Each and every day NIC employees work to deliver innovative results, make online government services more convenient, and provide secure payment processing solutions. We look forward to continuing to do this on behalf of Montana's citizens and businesses."
- Cycling Super Highways
Rachel Smith of AECOM says that seven-meter wide cycling "super highways" are the X-factor to transform our cities, our lifestyles and our health and revolutionize the way we travel.
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