Kati Elliott | KEH Communications | 410-975-9638 | kati@kehcomm.com
Katherine Russo | KEH Communications | 410-975-9638 | katherine@kehcomm.com

PublicSchoolWORKS Adds New Attachment Feature
To Reporting Systems

Feature allows for evidence in the form of pictures, documents and emails to be attached to safety reports for more detailed reporting

Cincinnati, Ohio – February 6, 2012 – PublicSchoolWORKS, a Cincinnati-based company that offers the one and only comprehensive, fully-automated risk management system available for schools, has added an Attachment Feature to its Staff Safety Reporting Systems, part of the award-winning EmployeeSafe Suite. EmployeeSafe is an automated online safety program that facilitates timely and consistent administration of safety training, compliance task management (drills, inspections, IAQ, etc.), accident management processes, MSDS compliance, hazard/near miss reporting and more.

The Attachment Feature allows school staff to attach documents, pictures and images to efficiently provide and communicate all relevant information to address staff safety reports and incident investigations helping quickly resolve safety issues. This quick action in turn can reduce injuries and damage to property along with workers’ compensation and other insurance costs.

With the new PublicSchoolWORKS’ Attachment Feature, staff can now add attachments to:
• Accident Reports
• Hazard Reports
• Near-Miss Reports
• Safety Suggestions
• Pest Reports

The Award-Winning EmployeeSafe Suite Staff Safety Reporting Systems improve safety by addressing concerns to prevent injuries or property damage, thereby helping to reduce the amount of money districts spend on staff accidents.
With the added Attachment Feature, safety managers can also look forward to a reduction in the time required to track, resolve, and document reported safety concerns.

According to Tom Strasburger, vice president of PublicSchoolWORKS, “It is imperative that administrators and staff have more time to focus on student education and still have a way to effectively manage, communicate and address safety concerns. Our system can reduce the time spent managing safety and compliance issues, thus providing more time for focusing on student learning. It gives teachers and administrators the peace of mind that safety concerns are being resolved. “

About PublicSchoolWORKS
Since its founding in 2000, PublicSchoolWORKS has been committed to providing top-quality, practical and cost-effective solutions to the constantly changing environmental, health and safety requirements affecting the nation’s educational systems. The company has gained an exemplary reputation for the innovation and technical superiority of its comprehensive and integrated safety and compliance management systems, which combine administrative software tools and resources to dramatically reduce the time and cost required to develop, implement, and sustain safety compliance programs. For more information visit us on the web at www.publicschoolworks.com.
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Time To Know Users Cite High Satisfaction with Digital Teaching Platform
76 percent reported the program made a substantial difference in their classrooms

NEW YORK (February 6, 2012) – Based on a recent customer survey by Time To Know, teachers in New York and Texas using the company’s Digital Teaching Platform in their classrooms are satisfied with the program and have seen improvements in student engagement and academic progress.

The majority of survey respondents (80 percent) expressed overall satisfaction with Time To Know. In addition, 76 percent of educators noted the program made a substantial difference in the classroom, highlighting improved student engagement and academic progress.

In other findings, 80 percent of educators cited high satisfaction with the math curriculum breadth and depth, and 85 percent want to continue using the Time To Know solution next school year.

“We are pleased educators are reporting that Time to Know is making a substantial difference in the classroom,” said Joshua Behar, Time To Know senior vice president and U.S. general manager. “The Time To Know solution facilitates great classroom teaching by providing teachers the latest technology and best curriculum resources to enhance student achievement.”

In addition, 96 percent of respondents recorded high satisfaction with the overall professional learning and technical coaching support received from Time To Know.

“My instructional consultant always has a positive attitude and supplies a great deal of support,” said a teacher who participated in the survey. “She offers different approaches to problems I encounter, which I appreciate.”

The Digital Teaching Platform allows teachers to choreograph a student-centered learning experience that engages students with interactive multimedia lessons, enables differentiated instruction, and generates ample data for more effective teaching. The survey was conducted in November 2011, using questionnaires completed by 77 respondents.

About Time To Know
The Digital Teaching Platform from Time To Know is a complete cloud-based learning and teaching solution including core curriculum. In addition to the Digital Teaching Platform, Time To Know includes comprehensive professional learning and technology support to maximize teacher effectiveness and student achievement. The Time To Know math and language arts curriculum is fully aligned to the Common Core Standards as well as the New York State and Texas standards. Time To Know is implemented in 150 classrooms in Texas and New York, with additional international installations. It is also used in New York City’s Innovation Zone (iZone) program. For more information, please visit http://www.timetoknow.com or call 888.559.6560. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

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ORLANDO – Jan. 24, 2012 – As the number of jobs requiring scientific thinking skills and knowledge continue to escalate, Frey® Scientific, a division of School Specialty®, is furthering its support for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education by featuring its uLog USB Data Collection devices at FETC 2012. With these innovative dataloggers, Frey Scientific introduces a whole new way to collect data without barriers or expensive logging devices. uLog sensors are an all-in-one solution for classroom data collection.

Using uLog sensors, students tap into the power of existing classroom computers to track scientific data such as pH, light, sound, temperature, distance and motion. A breadth of sensors is available – more than 40 – to capture and measure this data. With the device’s powerful SensorLab Data Analysis software, students can track and graph data on their computer in real time using a program such as Microsoft Word or Excel. Students’ observations about the natural world are immediate and engaging, furthering their interest in scientific analysis and reporting.

Frey’s uLog Sensor Reference Guide provides teachers with a wealth of resources, including STEM-based investigation activities and guidance on integrating technology into the science laboratory curriculum. This special guide helps educators understand the uLog sensor technology they’re introducing to their students.

“With our uLog data collection sensors, every classroom computer, laptop or tablet becomes a powerful data analysis tool. ” said Steven Korte, President, Accelerated Learning Group of School Specialty. “Even more importantly, the ability to easily record and manipulate the data they collect will help students develop the scientific inquiry and critical thinking skills that they will need to be academically successful, particularly when studying for careers in the high-demand STEM fields.”

uLog Sensors Feature:
 A 5-foot cable that allows students to place the computer at a safe distance from lab work
 Built-in cable storage that keeps workspaces clear and makes uLog easy to store.
 Sensors that lock together for ease of handling and safer storage.
 A multicolor LED that matches the sensor with graph trace.
 The ability to control logging from the sensor or computer.
 SensorLab software that auto detects sensor type and units when plugged in.
 Device can be free-standing, handheld or mounted on a ringstand.
 Durable plastic housing that is splash proof for use in labs.

For more information, visit http://www.FreyScientific.SchoolSpecialty.com.

About School Specialty
School Specialty is a leading education company that provides innovative and proprietary products, programs and services to help educators engage and inspire students of all ages and abilities to learn. The company designs, develops and provides preK-12 educators with the latest and very best curriculum, supplemental learning resources and school supplies. Working in collaboration with educators, School Specialty reaches beyond the scope of textbooks to help educators, guidance counselors and school administrators ensure that every student reaches his or her full potential – www.schoolspecialty.com.

The session on ‘emerging trends in K-12’ was moderated by Arun Kapur, Director of Vasant Valley School, and included among panelists Rosemary Sagar, chairman of The Sagar School, Dr. D.R. Saini, Principal of Delhi Public School RK Puram, Kaye Annette Jacob, Associate Director and Head of International Schools Division at The Heritage Schools, and Goldie Malhotra, Director, Guru Harkishen Public School.

Emphasizing on the need for project based approach to education in schools, Kaye Annette Jacob, Associate Director of The Heritage Schools said, “The new generation of parents do not want their children to undergo what they went through. Few schools have already started introducing experiential learning models where students work on real-life projects so that education is less theoretical and more practical.” Citing an example where young students of Class VI were asked to dismantle and re-assemble a bicycle to write a manual, she said that promoting such innovative educational models on a large scale requires collective risk-taking by parents, teachers and family members alike.

Panelists at the One Globe conference agreed that school education needs to be broad-based and holistic. Rosemary Sagar, Chairman of The Sagar School noted that while accumulation of knowledge was a key earlier, but in the new world, where knowledge is already abundant, schools now need to shift their focus on teaching students how to access and apply it. Dr. D.R. Saini of Delhi Public School felt that physical growth is as important as mental and intellectual development. Importance must be given to imparting social skills that help students express themselves and learn from others.” He said that Indian students are geniuses in mathematics and sciences, but parents must participate and also learn and teach themselves to help students compete in a global world. However, Goldie Malhotra of Guru Harkishen Public School stressed on the need for teacher training, and added, “While classroom, curriculum, syllabi and methodology have all changed today, my biggest fear now is whether the teachers themselves are being trained accordingly to be able to impart the vast and in-depth knowledge available today.” Addressing the students attending the One Globe 2012 conference, she said, “Today’s times call for multi-tasking when you as school students should do as much as you can to stay competitive. Don’t just keep other activities as hobbies but make them your passion because sometimes passions are more important that profession.

The interactive panel saw an interesting round of questions from the audience including parents and school students. Salil Pande, who studied at IIT Kanpur and University of Chicago, asked if we have the ecosystem that helps students take sufficient amount of early risk to choose preferred career paths, and if the enormity of content and emphasis on research can impede development of problem-solving and critical skills. Rosemary Sagar responded that in order to help students take risks, we need to inculcate in students the spirit of self-confidence and self-esteem in a positive way. Earlier systems were based on the glass half empty paradigm which highlighted where students were lacking. Stressing the can-do attitude is more of an art in education than a science, felt Rosemary Sagar.

Neena Bhasin, a Supreme Court advocate, who was a delegate at the One Globe 2012 knowledge conference noted that for school students, examination still is a synonym for stress, fear and tension. Advocating for the need of having open book examination and research papers at the school level itself, Bhasin said that these should be conducted as knowledge tests and not memory tests. As a parent, she applauded abolishment of Class X board exams and demanded for getting rid of the Class XII Board exams too.

Answering a question from the audience on whether teaching in India is a neglected and under-paid profession, Arun Kapur, Director of Vasant Valley School cited the example of Finland as the “rockstar of education” where teachers are not the highest-paid professionals but are still the brightest.

Goldie Malhotra of Guru Harkishen Public School said that the adoption of CCE as a scheme of continuous and comprehensive evaluation was a big and welcome step. However, she cautioned that any reforms in the educational system need to be planned and implemented carefully as they impact not just the schools in Tier-I cities but even in far-flung villages. She felt that while career counseling was picking up in larger cities, there still remains an unaddressed need to guide school students in remote areas on the new careers and courses available today. Professor C. Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor of OP Jindal Global University observed that overlapping regulations pose a challenge to internationalization of education in India.

WHAT: StudySync’s Bubalo will explore how technology, from smartphones to tablets and computers, can increase student engagement and promote social learning. In his presentation, “Reading, Writing, and Collaborating with Mobile and Social Technology,” Bubalo will discuss the ways in which today’s tech tools facilitate collaboration and foster critical thinking in diverse learning environments. Drawing upon the experiences of educators now deploying StudySync, Bubalo will offer examples of how leveraging thoughtful social networks and providing access to models of rich academic discourse can encourage students to read and write more and at higher levels.

WHEN: TCEA 2012 Convention & Exhibition
February 8, 2012 [8 a.m. Room 2]
Austin Convention Center
500 E. Cesar Chavez Street
Austin, Texas 78701

HOW: To speak with Ryan Bubalo, please contact:
Ken Greenberg
Edge Communications, Inc.
ken@edgecommunicationsinc.com
818.990.5001

About BookheadEd Learning, LLC
BookheadEd Learning connects high school and middle school students to the great ideas of mankind through technology, multimedia, and a rich library of classic and modern texts. StudySync, its award-winning flagship product, uses web-delivered educational tools – including broadcast-quality video, digital media, mobile platforms and social networking —to help teachers inspire higher levels of students’ reading, writing, critical thinking, academic discourse and peer-to-peer collaboration. StudySync is the recipient of the EDDIE Award from ComputED Gazette and District Administration Magazine’s “Readers’ Choice Top 100 Products of 2011.” Based in Sonoma, Calif, BookheadEd is comprised of educators and experts who believe “Together We’re Smarter.” To learn more about BookheadEd Learning and its StudySync educational platform, visit www.studysync.com.