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Vergennes Phys Ed Teacher Named Vermont Teacher of the Year | Education | Seven Days

Vergennes Phys Ed Teacher Named Vermont Teacher of the Year | Education | Seven Days

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, 2022-09-29 20:08:03,

Hundreds of students gathered in the Vergennes Union Elementary School gym on Thursday afternoon for their first big assembly since before the pandemic.

They had good reason to get together: Robyn Newton, a physical education teacher at the school for 27 years, was recognized as the 2023 Vermont Teacher of the Year.

The Vermont Agency of Education has been honoring outstanding educators with the award since 1964. During Newton’s tenure as the title-holder, which begins on January 1, she’ll travel the state as an advocate for education and will be Vermont’s candidate for National Teacher of the Year.



A press release from the Agency of Education outlined some of Newton’s accomplishments over the course of her long career. In 2008, she secured a grant of almost $1 million for the school to create three ropes courses and purchase sports equipment such as snowshoes, ice skates, disc golf equipment and elliptical trainers. She developed curriculum centered around the Olympics to teach students about sportsmanship and world affairs. And she started a program based on brain research to help kindergarteners develop their motor skills. She’s also active in the local community as a member of the Vergennes Parks & Recreation committee, where she led a project to renovate the community’s ice rink and basketball facility.

“She’s a teacher who believes that learning can take place anywhere — in the classroom, in this gym, on the playing field and out in the community,” Education Secretary Dan French said in a short speech before bestowing the award. When French finally said Newton’s name, the gym erupted — with students clapping, jumping up and down, and even throwing their hats in the air.

“I’m as excited as you are,” French told them. 

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  • Courtesy of the Agency of Education ©️ Seven Days

  • Students do a balance activity during the assembly …

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Outside and loving it: Pandemic jump in park use appears here to stay | Local Government

Outside and loving it: Pandemic jump in park use appears here to stay | Local Government

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, 2022-05-14 07:30:00,

As birds flew overhead on a warm spring day in early April 2021, about 100 people lounged, laughed, played and exercised in James Madison Park.

Dozens lay or sat on blankets with friends on the expansive grassy field. Others walked along the lakeshore, rode bikes, played volleyball or basketball, balanced on a slackline, threw a football, walked their dogs, listened to music or swung back and forth on swings.

The scene was just one day in one park in 2021 — the busiest year yet for both Madison and Dane County parks. Park use had already skyrocketed during the first year of the pandemic in 2020. But new figures show that popularity continued to grow the following year, and the trend is expected to continue.







Stinson




“The pandemic just put parks and outdoor…

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UNMC survey of perceived health effects related to AltEn continuing | National News

UNMC survey of perceived health effects related to AltEn continuing | National News

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Researchers from the University of Nebraska and Creighton University are continuing to assess individuals’ perceptions living in proximity to the AltEn ethanol plant near Mead.

A survey designed by the University of Nebraska Medical Center to measure the perceived health risks related to AltEn has been put online to help reach a greater number of people living in Saunders County.

Smaller funding package for AltEn research study advances

Dr. Eleanor Rogan, the interim chair of the Department of Health Promotion in UNMC’s College of Public Health, said the questionnaire is modeled on the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response created by the Centers for Disease Control.

“This is a common way to get some insight into what kinds of health problems people are experiencing, to narrow down the search for adverse health effects that may actually be caused by the exposure, or an event,” Rogan said.

It’s also “much faster and less expensive than actually medically examining everyone for everything,” she added.

The 40-question survey, which takes about 15 minutes to complete, asks for basic household information, the level of awareness and feelings residents may have about AltEn, as well as physical and mental health conditions they have experienced since the plant started operating in 2015.

Residents who respond to the survey will also be asked to identify when any symptoms may have started, and if they believe their health conditions could be connected to the biofuel plant’s activities.

AltEn used seeds coated in pesticides to manufacture ethanol, leaving behind toxic solid and liquid waste products. The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy ordered the plant to shut down in February 2021 for numerous violations of state environmental regulations.

More than 215 people of the 1,000 who received the survey by mail earlier this year have returned it, Rogan said, and more than 150 people have signed up to provide a blood or urine sample to be analyzed for any of the chemicals found in high concentrations at AltEn.

The samples will be taken at the Saunders County Medical Center in Wahoo and analyzed at the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory in Omaha.

The survey will remain active through the end of May, Rogan said. UNMC plans to analyze the data and make the aggregated, non-identifiable information public at a later date.

Individuals whose blood or urine samples show the presence of toxic compounds will be provided specific advice for contacting a physician, Rogan added.

No funding for AltEn study in state budget packages; researchers say work could end prematurely

If an ongoing funding source can be secured, individuals will also be asked to participate in a medical registry which will track any health issues they develop for years to come.

The massive project to study AltEn’s affect on air quality, surface and groundwater, and the health of humans, wildlife and pollinators was first proposed a year ago.

At that time, UNMC pegged the cost of the study at $1 million per year for 10 years. Earlier this year, the cost of the study was reduced to $7.8 million.

Private donors helped get the project moving forward last year as the research team sought other funding to keep it going, and Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue introduced a bill (LB1048) this year appropriating $10 million in federal funds to put toward the research.

The Legislature’s Appropriations Committee did not include Blood’s bill in any of the budget packages it forwarded to the floor for debate.

But last week, lawmakers advanced another bill (LB1068) with an amendment from Blood attached appropriating $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to continue the study over the next year.

LB1068, introduced by Sen. John Stinner of Gering, will need to pass two more rounds of consideration in the final seven days of the 60-day session before it can be sent to Gov. Pete Ricketts’ desk for his signature.

Meanwhile, Rogan said a town hall in Mead is being planned to communicate next steps in the research study, which includes ongoing sampling of soil, surface and groundwater, and air to study their movement in the environment.

The perceived health risk survey can be found at www.unmc.edu/env-pollution.

KB Home Announces the Grand Opening of Lily at the Seasons, a New-Home Community in Chino, California | News

KB Home Announces the Grand Opening of Lily at the Seasons, a New-Home Community in Chino, California | News

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CHINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apr 1, 2022–

KB Home (NYSE: KBH) today announced the grand opening of Lily, a new community of paired homes situated within the highly desirable Seasons master plan in Chino, California. The new community is located at Tanzinite Lane and Bickmore Avenue, just east of U.S. Highway 71, providing easy access to U.S. Highway 91, U.S. Highway 60, Interstate 15, Ontario International Airport and the major employment centers and attractions in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Lily at the Seasons is close to shopping, dining and entertainment at Chino Spectrum Towne Center and minutes away from Prado Regional Park, which features a dog park, walking and biking trails, disc golf, archery, picnic facilities and play equipment. Homeowners will enjoy the community’s proximity to outdoor recreation, including several golf courses and horseback riding, hiking, biking and camping at Chino Hills State Park.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220401005120/en/

KB Home announces the grand opening of Lily at the Seasons, a new-home community in Chino, California. (Photo: Business Wire)

The new homes at Lily at the Seasons showcase desirable design characteristics like spacious kitchens overlooking large great rooms, expansive bedroom suites with walk-in closets, ample storage and private outdoor living spaces. The community’s floor plans feature up to four bedrooms and three baths, and range in size from approximately 1,600 to 1,900 square feet. The master plan offers stunning mountain views as well as future amenities like a pool, children’s play area and sports courts. Additionally, Lily at the Seasons is zoned for the highly ranked Chino Valley Unified School District.

“Our new homes at Lily are situated within a highly desirable master-planned community in Chino, California, and convenient to Interstate 15 and Highways 60, 71 and 91. The community will feature several future amenities and is close to shopping, dining, entertainment and outdoor recreation,” said John Fenn, President of KB Home’s Inland Empire division. “As with other KB Home communities, Lily at the Seasons will offer home shoppers the opportunity to purchase a new KB home that can be personalized to reflect their lifestyle and needs.”

KB Home stands out from other homebuilders as the company gives homebuyers exceptional choice and control. KB Home starts by offering a wide variety of homes at an affordable price. From there, the builder gives buyers the ability to personalize their home by selecting from a wide range of design choices. The KB Home team works hand in hand with homeowners every step of the way, so they have a real partner in the process.

Every KB home is designed to be ENERGY STAR ® certified thanks to the quality construction techniques and materials utilized that ultimately deliver significant savings on utility bills compared to used homes. Additionally, all new KB homes are designed to deliver an enhanced indoor environment and include high performance ventilation systems, low- or zero-VOC products and other features guided by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Indoor airPLUS standards.

The Lily at the Seasons sales office and model homes are open for walk-in visits and private in-person tours by appointment. Homebuyers also have the flexibility to arrange a live video tour with a sales counselor. Pricing begins from the mid $600,000s.

For more information on KB Home, call 888-KB-HOMES or visit kbhome.com.

About KB Home

KB Home is one of the largest and most recognized homebuilders in the United States and has built over 655,000 quality homes in our more than 65-year history. Today, KB Home operates in 47 markets from coast to coast. What sets KB Home apart is the exceptional personalization we offer our homebuyers—from those buying their first home to experienced buyers—allowing them to make their home uniquely their own, at a price that fits their budget. As the leader in energy-efficient homebuilding, KB Home was the first builder to make every home it builds ENERGY STAR ® certified, a standard of energy performance achieved by fewer than 10% of new homes in America and has built more ENERGY STAR certified homes than any other builder. An energy-efficient KB home helps lower the cost of ownership and is designed to be healthier, more comfortable and better for the environment than new homes without certification. We build strong, personal relationships with our customers, so they have a real partner in the homebuying process. As a result, we have the distinction of being the #1 customer-ranked national homebuilder in third-party buyer satisfaction surveys. Learn more about how we build homes built on relationships by visiting kbhome.com.

View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220401005120/en/

CONTACT: Craig LeMessurier, KB Home

925-580-1583

clemessurier@kbhome.com

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ARCHITECTURE CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY ENVIRONMENT FAMILY URBAN PLANNING CONSUMER INTERIOR DESIGN RESIDENTIAL BUILDING & REAL ESTATE

SOURCE: KB Home

Copyright Business Wire 2022.

PUB: 04/01/2022 08:00 AM/DISC: 04/01/2022 08:01 AM

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