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Articles by Lucy Hood
How an Essex AV company is using AI to rethink live event production.
Warnings about artificial intelligence replacing jobs continue to circulate across UK industries, but one Essex-based audio-visual company says the reality is more nuanced, with AI reshaping how work is done rather than removing roles.
One in three UK SME owners near breaking point as founder burnout climbs
For many entrepreneurs, starting a business is supposed to be the ultimate path to personal and financial freedom. The reality, however, is often very different. According to recent research, one in three UK SME owners admit their business is pushing them to the brink of exhaustion.
Surrey homeowners turn to online auctions as demand builds
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Indwelling urinary catheters at the end of life are associated with less breakthrough medication use
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Team grows by 50 percent for Spotlight Sound
Following the appointment of Tom Anstey and Aurora Harrington in June this year Spotlight Sound is expanding once again with a new hire. It means the team has increased by 50% this year as demand for their services grows. The event production and AV installation company has welcomed Chloe Richardson as marketing executive this month. Chloe has many years of experience in marketing having joined Acclaim Handling after three years.
SEO Marketing is key for small business success
On average 20% of small businesses in the UK fail within the first year. This needs to be addressed because SMEs account for around 60% of employment and 52% of turnover in the UK private sector. We know the pandemic, the subsequent economic downturn and the European wars are causing supply chain issues and a less agile market.
Spotlight Sound continues its expansion with two new hires
With the appointment of Tom Anstey and Aurora Harrington, the founder of event production and AV installation company Spotlight Sound Sam Dimond takes his growing team to eight. Aurora Harrington joins Spotlight Sound as a service and installation coordinator. Aurora comes from a facilities background having worked for Stonegate.
Spotlight Sound appoint Ashton Gold as account manager
Event production and audio visual Installation company, Spotlight Sound has announced that Ashton Gold will join the team as account manager. Ashton is part of Spotlight Sounds’ ambitious growth plans which have already seen the company grow from two employees to six in the last year. Ashton brings with her an impressive customer care record of over a decade and comes to Spotlight Sound from The Lion Inn in Boreham where she was the event planner.
Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Ella Henderson join speakers at motivational business event
A new year is a chance to take stock and make resolutions for the year ahead. For some, including many business owners, a new year can be a daunting and anxious time. An event at the Birmingham Symphony Hall at the end of January aims to motivate us and help us with a clear path forward for 2024. Did you know that: 9.2 million UK adults describe themselves as drained and desperate. 16-24-year-olds suffer from loneliness more than any other age group. Only 15% of employees worldwide feel engaged.
Would an image change entice more people into accountancy?
Should the UK accountancy industry be worried about its image? The public perception of accountants often sways towards middle-aged white men in suits. It is also fair to say that it is not a career which many people would perhaps initially describe as exciting, although few jobs or careers could be described as exciting. However, some within the industry are worried that not enough young people are being enticed into accountancy due to its image issue.
Thomas Speed Steps Down from State Board of Ed
Thomas Speed bid adieu to the State Board of Education Thursday, ending nearly a decade representing the northwestern part of the state on a panel that promises to become much more contentious in the upcoming months. Speed, an attorney from Boone, was named to the board in May 2003 by former Gov. Michael Easley. His term expired in March 2011, but Republican lawmakers failed to approve Gov. Bev Purdue’s nominations for his seat and two others, including the one held by Chairman Bill Harrison.
Education CFO talks about the impact of budget cuts on NC schools
Our story about budget cuts is on the NC Policy Watch main page. To accompany that piece, here is a Q&A with Philip Price, chief financial officer for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Policy Watch: With three years of budget cuts now amounting to nearly $700 million, what has been the impact on schools throughout the state? Price: They’ve been challenged. They have to come up with ways of addressing the large negative reserve that’s in place. They’ve had to increase class sizes.
Atkinson to Ed Committee: Pre-K Crucial to Academic Achievement
Making the case for pre-K programming, state Superintendent June Atkinson told lawmakers on Tuesday that early childhood education is critical to closing the achievement gap for economically disadvantaged students. She highlighted statistics showing that 60 percent of students who are on the federal free and reduced lunch program are proficient in reading. In contrast, more affluent students are 90 percent proficient.
Interim Superintendent Gainey Up to the Challenge
Stephen Gainey likes a challenge, whether it’s teaching high school math, running a school, or acting as interim superintendent of Wake County Public Schools. He also likes working with the much divided Wake County school board. “They’ve been good to me,” he said. Gainey started out in education as a math teacher at Apex High School. Over the years he worked his way up to assistant principal and principal before he was tapped nearly four years ago to be the director of human resources.
Asylum processing suspended as travel restrictions increase
by Lucy Hood Posted March 29, 2020 The United States has implemented travel restrictions on an unprecedented scale in recent weeks that immigration experts say are riddled with loopholes and devised in a way that puts vulnerable populations at risk. Migrants in crowded shelters on the Mexican side of the border who are pursuing asylum in the United States may be stuck there indefinitely.
More states requiring mental health education
When three students in Virginia's Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) noticed how stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues were affecting many of their peers — and having an impact on their own lives — they didn’t just push through and wait for graduation. The trio took their concerns to state lawmakers, who were among the first in the country to pass legislation requiring state-mandated mental health education in K-12 schools.
More states requiring mental health education
When three students in Virginia's Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) noticed how stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues were affecting many of their peers — and having an impact on their own lives — they didn’t just push through and wait for graduation. The trio took their concerns to state lawmakers, who were among the first in the country to pass legislation requiring state-mandated mental health education in K-12 schools.
Open house: District leaders invite realtors for inside view on what schools offer
Jeffrey Ramnytz, superintendent at Barberton City Schools outside of Akron, Ohio, has an open-door policy for realtors and clients who want to visit the schools in his district and find out what lies behind the numbers that go into school ratings. He knows from experience that once he shows parents what his schools have to offer, the vast majority — roughly 85% — choose a Barberton school instead of a nearby charter school, private school or another district.
Open house: District leaders invite realtors for inside view on what schools offer
Jeffrey Ramnytz, superintendent at Barberton City Schools outside of Akron, Ohio, has an open-door policy for realtors and clients who want to visit the schools in his district and find out what lies behind the numbers that go into school ratings. He knows from experience that once he shows parents what his schools have to offer, the vast majority — roughly 85% — choose a Barberton school instead of a nearby charter school, private school or another district.
Philadelphia schools adopt outdoor education as a graduation strategy
Dive Brief: The School District of Philadelphia has adopted a new strategy to boost graduation rates that has very little to do with reading, writing or arithmetic. Instead, it has everything to do with leadership skills, team building, character development and other byproducts of Outward Bound’s outdoor expeditions. . The district's top administrator views the strategy as a no-brainer.
School turnaround chief: Collaboration - not forced takeovers - effective in saving failing schools
While state takeovers of failing districts and schools have gained momentum in recent years, student performance indicators show that the results are, at best, mixed. A recent study of Tennessee’s Achievement School District, for example, found that student indicators in math, English and science parallel those of students in non-ASD, or district-run, schools.
School turnaround chief: Collaboration - not forced takeovers - effective in saving failing schools
Dive Brief: Georgia’s top school turnaround expert says the key to salvaging failing schools is collaboration, not compulsion or a state-mandated takeover of those schools. Formerly a chief support officer with the University of Virginia’s school turnaround program, Eric Thomas had this to say to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC): “If we ever get to the point of taking over schools, that means we failed. That means we didn’t do our job very well.”.
SEL Assessment Guide a one-stop shop for real-world examples of how progress is being measured
Done well, SEL programs associated with better test scores, higher graduation rates and improved social behavior, according to a study by the Learning Policy Institute. SEL has also gained more attention since 2015 when the Every Student Succeeds Act added a provision that allows schools and state education agencies to expand the definition of student success beyond academics.
SEL Assessment Guide a one-stop shop for real-world examples of how progress is being measured
Dive Brief: A new guide from the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) provides educators with assessment tools for gauging social emotional learning (SEL) as well as guidelines for collecting data on student progress and using that data to inform instruction, practice and policy implementation. The SEL Assessment Guide includes a catalog of assessments as well as real-world examples of how practitioners are using the data.
'Walking school bus' boosts attendance at Milwaukee school
Dive Brief: The Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service describes it as a “sidewalk parade,” one in which neighbors smile and say hello to the young elementary students walking to school on Monday and Friday mornings in an effort to boost attendance. They’re called walking school buses, and this one consists of adult volunteers and a group of select students from Lincoln Avenue Elementary School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who walk to school two mornings a week – rain or shine.
Nevada district to initiate random student search policy
As the paper reports, the CCSD policy “has sparked debate among parents, students and educators over the proper balance between privacy and safety.” Such is the case with similar practices in other school districts throughout the country, including a longstanding student search policy in the Los Angeles Unified School District. One study found that in the 2013-2015 school years, LAUSD administrators confiscated many more school supplies than weapons (zero guns, 37 knives).
Nevada district to initiate random student search policy
Dive Brief: Responding to a sharp increase in the number of guns confiscated from students so far this year, the Clark County School District (CCSD) in Nevada announced that in the next few weeks it will start conducting random searches of middle and high school students, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. The policy comes after a series of gun scares and violent acts on campuses throughout the school system, which includes Las Vegas and surrounding areas.
Hurricane-ravaged Bay County schools to provide teachers with child care
While Hurricane Michael may have forced the hand of Bay District Schools when it comes to providing child care services to their employees, they may have stumbled upon an effective tool for recruiting and retaining teachers for the long haul. Today’s teaching force is increasingly made up of younger teachers with growing families, prompting some school districts to take note of the 14% who say they leave their jobs because of pregnancy or family issues.
Hurricane-ravaged Bay County schools to provide teachers with child care
Dive Brief: The Bay District Schools, which serves students in and around Panama City, Florida, has been closed since Hurricane Michael struck the region on Oct. 10. One of the obstacles faced by the school district is that many of the child care centers that teachers and other employees typically use were damaged by the hurricane, according to 1011now.com. To address the problem, the district will provide teachers and other staff members with on-site child care services.
Analysis: Voucher program favors students from wealthier, higher-performing schools
Dive Brief: In next week's election, Arizona voters will decide on a statewide expansion of a voucher-like program known as the Empowerment Scholarship Account — which currently provides public funds for private schools to a potential pool of 30,000 public school students — to all of Arizona’s 1.1 million public school children, The Arizona Republic reports.
Report: Almost 16% of America's young people are overweight
A key factor in reducing obesity is physical exercise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other leading experts recommend 60 minutes every day, but for public schools that can be a challenge when time constraints and budget cuts come into play. In addition, with the onset of cell phones, computers and social media, young people have become increasingly sedentary.
Report: Almost 16% of America's young people are overweight
Dive Brief: Nearly one out of every six young people in the U.S. is obese, and if current trends continue, more than half of today’s children will be obese by the age of 35. These are among the findings published in a report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. These youngsters, the report says, face increased chances of having diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. The report looks at children between the ages of 10 and 17 and finds that 15.8% are obese.
Student engagement, supports among key elements of successful school redesign
Less than half of all U.S. students who took the 2017 ACT failed to show enough mastery in English or math to do well in college. Furthermore, 40% to 60% of first-year college students require remediation in English, math or both, according to a separate CAP report on remediation.
Student engagement, supports among key elements of successful school redesign
Dive Brief: A new report released this week by the Center for American Progress (CAP) details four key elements for successful high school redesigns: student engagement, career and college ready coursework, student supports and a tracking system for student success. More specifically, the report recommends career and technology classes, dual-enrollment college programs, project-based learning, social-emotional learning and grading systems that accurately gauge student success.
District leaders question merits of dual administrative, coaching roles
Athletic directors have demanding jobs. They hire coaches, prepare budgets and take an active role in scheduling games, all the while making sure that athletic facilities are in good shape and the sports program is in compliance with the rules and regulations of multiple conferences, leagues and associations.
West Virginia district leaders question merits of dual administrative, coaching roles
Athletic directors have demanding jobs. They hire coaches, prepare budgets and take an active role in scheduling games, all the while making sure that athletic facilities are in good shape and the sports program is in compliance with the rules and regulations of multiple conferences, leagues and associations.
District leaders question merits of dual administrative, coaching roles
Dive Brief: The Harrison County Board of Education in West Virginia is considering a change to its coaching policy that would prohibit athletic directors and other administrators from coaching sports teams, according to The Exponent Telegram. At issue is whether additional coaching duties will distract athletic directors and school administrators from fulfilling the demands of their leadership positions. School board members also raised conflict of interest and fairness concerns.
Leader sees cross-generational value in a nationwide education corps
A combination of factors including low salaries, high student loans and substandard teaching conditions have contributed to a critical teacher shortage throughout the U.S., especially in math, science, special education and English as a second language. The problem is particularly acute in low-income, high-minority schools where the teacher attrition rate far exceeds the national average of 8%.
Leader sees cross-generational value in a nationwide education corps
Dive Brief: An estimated 10,000 baby boomers retire every day, creating a vast pool of highly skilled professionals with extra time on their hands, Pace University President Marvin Krislov writes in a column for Forbes. Research shows that one-on-one and small group interventions can provide at-risk youth with the assistance and motivation they need to stay in school.
Civic leaders tell civil rights committee that municipal fees burden low-income, minority communities
Nevada’s advisory committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights heard a consensus from civic leaders Wednesday: municipal fines and fees applied statewide adversely burden low-income, minority communities. In a daylong hearing, panelists from the commission’s Nevada Advisory Committee learned, among other things, that administrative fees for traffic violations can easily exceed the original fine, and in many instances, failure to pay leads to incarceration.
Civic leaders say municipal fees burden low-income, minority communities
Nevada’s advisory committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights heard a consensus from civic leaders Wednesday: municipal fines and fees applied statewide adversely burden low-income, minority communities. In a daylong hearing, panelists from the commission’s Nevada Advisory Committee learned, among other things, that administrative fees for traffic violations can easily exceed the original fine, and in many instances, failure to pay leads to incarceration.
Las Vegas police: Focus is crime, not immigration enforcement
Striving to allay the fears of many local immigrants, a Metropolitan Police Department representative said Monday that his agency will continue to focus on fighting violent crime, not on immigration enforcement. Jacinto Rivera, an officer with Metro’s Office of Community Engagement, tried to reassure a crowd of about 60 people gathered at the East Las Vegas Community Center, 250 N.
Las Vegas police official says focus will stay on crime, not immigration enforcement
Striving to allay the fears of many local immigrants, a Metropolitan Police Department representative said Monday that his agency will continue to focus on fighting violent crime, not on immigration enforcement. Jacinto Rivera, an officer with Metro’s Office of Community Engagement. tried to reassure a crowd of about 60 people gathered at the East Las Vegas Community Center, 250 N.
DREAMers anxious about status
For nearly 2 million so-called DREAMers — undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children or young teenagers — the initial weeks of Donald Trump’s presidency have been anxious ones. “Everything I hear puts me on edge,” said Brenda, 22, of Las Vegas, one of the nearly 13,000 Nevada residents who received work permits and a temporary reprieve from deportation by signing up for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
Young, undocumented in Las Vegas wait as Trump weighs DACA
For nearly 2 million so-called Dreamers — undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children or young teenagers — the initial weeks of Donald Trump’s presidency have been anxious ones. “Everything I hear puts me on edge,” said Brenda, 22, of Las Vegas, one of the nearly 13,000 Nevada residents who received work permits and a temporary reprieve from deportation by signing up for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
LOCAL DREAMER CHALLENGES TRUMP
Responding to president in Spanish, Silva again speaks for immigrants Taking the national stage for the second time in less than a year, local DREAMer Astrid Silva said Tuesday that President Donald Trump had used his first weeks in office to take the country back to some of the darkest times in its history. He has taken actions, she said, “that focus specifically on hurting immigrants and refugees. He is spending resources on targeting working immigrant families for deportation.
Nevada DREAMer criticizes President Donald Trump’s first weeks in office
Taking the national stage for the second time in less than a year, local DREAMer Astrid Silva said Tuesday that President Donald Trump had used his first weeks in office to take the country back to some of the darkest times in its history. He has taken actions, she said, “that focus specifically on hurting immigrants and refugees. He is spending resources on targeting working immigrant families for deportation.
DREAMer from valley will deliver Democrats’ Spanish-language response to Trump’s address to Congress
Calling hometown DREAMer Astrid Silva someone who “embodies the exact principles on which our country was founded,” Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi announced that Silva would deliver the Democrats’ Spanish-language response to President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress next week. “America has a grand and proud tradition of welcoming immigrants and families like hers with open arms,” Schumer said in a statement Friday.
ICE pickups at Clark County jail increase, but no one is saying why
U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement agents rarely appeared at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas to pick up inmates subject to deportation proceedings before the beginning of the year. Now they’re there almost every day.
New federal rules on enforcement of US immigration laws draw mixed reaction locally
New federal rules on enforcement of U.S. immigration laws issued Tuesday echoed across the Las Vegas Valley, with undocumented immigrants and their advocates expressing fears of widespread roundups and supporters of President Donald Trump’s applauding his get-tough policy. “Today is a very sad day,” said U.S. Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., adding that Trump “made no bones about what he thought about immigrants.
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