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RALEIGH -- School choice advocates squared off against the N.C. Board of Education Monday, continuing the debate on whether an online charter school program should be allowed in the state.

Back in May an Administrative Law Judge ruled the online school could begin operation in August after the Board of Education declined to act on the matter. They say that ruling wasn't proper procedure and now it's up to a Wake County Superior Court judge to decide.

They're already in a few dozen states across the country and if a prior judge's ruling stands.. an online charter school could be an option for parents and students in the Tar Heel state.

Last year, the Cabarrus County Board of Education approved the school but when the matter came to the North Carolina Board of Education they never responded. It's a move supporters of the online charter school say allows them to move forward.

"The administrative law judge supported this argument, agreed with this argument, and said you know what, state Board of Education you waived your right, you're stopped from raising the issue," said Anna Baird Choi from PublicSchoolOptions.org. "So it's more than dropping the ball, they chose not to act."

But the Board of Education and 90 state school districts opposing the ruling say the school set to open in Cabarrus County would accept students from across the state, which means they need to be a part in the process.

"It's their role and the state board's authority and responsibility to the state of North Carolina to make sure that this system runs as smoothly and as well and everything else as traditional public schools," said Laura Crumpler from the N.C. Department of Justice.

For each registered child, the virtual charter center could receive more than $6,000 in public money, paid for by the state and local school districts. Which is why the state board of education says they need to be involved.

"I think it's critical that the state Board of Education have a decision on this," said Eddie Speas from the N.C. School Board Association. "At this point they did not have the opportunity."

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School choice advocates spar with Board of Education over online charter school

SAN ANTONIO, June 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Game-based learning has forged its way to the forefront of 21st century education practices.* PCI Education, the premier provider of resources for students with specialized instructional needs, announces Algebra City Interactive Activities. The new online module constructs an online space in which students choose their own adventures to practice key algebra concepts.

A web-based component of the blended intervention program Algebra City, Algebra City Interactive Activities provides fun and motivating practice to correct the 28 most common algebraic misconceptions. Students engage in an online story completing activities and solving specifically targeted algebra problems, earning stars along the way.

"Upwards of 60 to 70 percent of students struggle with algebra. It's imperative these students receive the intervention they need before repeated failures escalate to frustration and lack of motivation," said Lee Wilson, president and CEO of PCI Education. "Often students need a fresh approach to get back on track. Algebra City Interactive Activities engages students in a way that makes algebra an adventure."

Algebra City, the print companion to the Interactive Activities, aims to keep students on target by using pinpoint assessment to identify where a student is struggling conceptually and providing multiple approaches to correcting the misconception. The blended intervention may be used with any core Algebra I curriculum. The Student Edition uses graphic novel-style characters to encourage students to re-engage with algebra in novel and exciting ways, making the new online component a natural fit for Algebra City's contemporary style.

"Students often fail to see the relevance of algebra, and this disconnect from classroom instruction to the real world reduces students' interest in learning," said Wilson. "Algebra City Interactive Activities is specifically designed to infuse relevance and fun into algebra instruction and prepare students for future school and career success."

Aligned to the Common Core State Standards, Algebra City is a four-part program: Algebra Essentials, Equations & Inequalities, Graphing, and Polynomials & Factoring. Each book covers seven algebraic misconceptions. The ExamView Assessment Suite included in Algebra City provides ready-made pretests and posttests at the program, book and unit levels, an item bank and test generator, and robust reporting.

About PCI EducationPCI Education offers more than 7,500 educational materials for a wide range of students with specialized instructional needs. The company's products are used to help students performing below grade level, students with learning differences, and students with significant or developmental disabilities such as autism. In addition, PCI programs are used in English language learner and adult literacy classes. Based in San Antonio, PCI Education has been helping educators lead students to success in school, at home and in the community since 1991. For more information, visit http://www.pcieducation.com.

*Reference: 2012 Horizon Project Short List published by the New Media Consortium

For more information: Emily Embury, C. Blohm & Associates, 608-216-7300, ext. 19, emily@cblohm.com, http://www.cblohm.com Denise Jacks, PCI Education, 800-594-4263, ext. 123, djacks@pcieducation.com

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PCI Education Unveils Online Adventure for Algebra Intervention

HERNDON, Va., June 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --K12 Inc., the nation's leading provider of proprietary curricula and online education programs for students in kindergarten through high school, today announced that it has expanded its course catalog available to school districts for the school year 2012-2013. The company's catalog, the most extensive in the K-12 industry with more than 550 unique online courses and titles, includes over 85 new or enhanced courses and titles, including world languages and expanded electives.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110113/PH29436LOGO )

More than 2,000 school districts in all 50 states have chosen K12 to provide curricula, services and support for online and blended learning programs. Over the past decade, the company has delivered over 4 million online course enrollments from its award-winning portfolio, including full-time online programs, credit recovery, core K-12 courses, world languages, AP, and high school electives. New courses for the 2012-2013 school year include:

"Successful online learning begins with world-class curricula, developed by curriculum experts, cognitive scientists, and instructional designers who create courses that are highly effective and engaging to students of all ages and skill levels," said John Olsen, Executive Vice President of Operations for K12. "We are pleased to offer our newly expanded catalog to school districts as they continue to broaden their use of online solutions to provide their students highly individualized educational experiences in any learning environment from full-time virtual, to blended, to traditional classrooms."

K12 provides the industry's most complete continuum of online learning solutions, including award-winning curricula and education support services for full-time online learning, online courses, world languages, credit recovery, remediation, assessment, and test readiness. MDR's market research service EdNET Insight recently reported that K12 is the leading provider of online curriculum to school districts across the United States.

For comparison purposes, K12 counts each full, year-long course as a single, unique course; these courses, which are available over two semesters, are not counted as two, unique courses. In addition, any course that is available in more than one curriculum in the K12 family of brands is only counted as a single, unique course. When counted using methodologies commonly seen within the industry, the K12 catalog has over 850 courses.

About K12 Inc.K12 Inc. (LRN), a technology-based education company, is the nation's largest provider of proprietary curricula and online education programs for students in kindergarten through high school. Using 21st century tools to prepare 21st century students, K12 provides the broadest array of options for students to learn in a flexible and innovative way, at an individualized pace. K12 provides curricula and academic services to public and private schools and districts, traditional classrooms, blended school programs, and directly to families. K12 is accredited through AdvancED, the world's largest education community. Additional information on K12 for schools and districts can be found at http://www.K12.com/educators.

2012 K12 Inc. K12 is a registered trademark, and the K12 logo is a trademark of K12 Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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K12 Inc. Expands Online Course Catalog for School Districts

MIAMI (Reuters) - Alberto Perez started out as a street performer and then an aerobics teacher in Colombia, making extra cash on the side teaching the wives of businessmen how to dance in nightclubs in his hometown, Cali.

Today, he stands at the center of the Zumba exercise craze, having helped transform Zumba Fitness, a private company, into a rapidly growing fitness empire with heavyweight investor backing.

"I'm not a businessman, but I knew this had the potential to be something special," said Perez, who along with two Colombian associates founded the Miami-based company.

Zumba, a Latin dance-inspired aerobic workout, has exploded from a Miami gym phenomenon to infomercial and DVD smash hit into a global craze with some 12 million people taking classes every week in at least 125 countries. Zumba Fitness now boasts being the largest branded fitness program in the world.

Started on a shoestring budget in a Miami garage nearly 11 years ago, Zumba Fitness now has more than 200 employees, and a pair of New York investment firms are betting the craze has staying power.

What began as a company focused on fitness has evolved into a lifestyle and entertainment brand combining e-commerce, apparel and music, and a sought-after outlet for stars like hip-hop artists Pitbull and Wyclef Jean and reggaeton singer Don Omar who have turned to Zumba to promote their music.

THE ACCIDENTAL INSTRUCTOR

Zumba got its start by chance in the 1980s.

Perez, who is known as Beto, was eking out a living as a street performer and salsa and merengue nightclub dancer known for his boyish model looks and muscular physique.

One day the owner of a nearby gym called and asked if Perez could stand in for an injured aerobics teacher. He agreed - but didn't mention he had never done aerobics and rushed out and bought a copy of Jane Fonda's Workout Book.

See original here:
The big business of Zumba

The restored bronze elephant at the Saigon zoo and botanical garden in HCMC

A projectto restore the famous bronze elephant at the Saigon zoo and botanical garden in HCMC was completed on June 22.

The one-year project, carried out by the zoo, the office of theRoyal Thai Consulate General in the city, and the SCG Group, also worked on the landscape surrounding the statue, which is a gift given to the cityby Thai King Rama VII after his first visit to the city in 1930.

The statue, which weighs over one ton and is 1.5 meter tall, was transported and installed at the zoo in 1935.

The king also gifted two statues to Singapore and Indonesia the same year.

The restoration project in HCMC was conducted by Thai artists Arak Sunghitkul, former director of Thai Department of Fine Arts, and Songkran Kunarop of the Departments Traditional Fine Arts Office.

Ranked eighth among the oldest zoos in the world, the 133-year-old Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden is located on 2B Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

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City restores Thai King’s bronze elephan gift

Authors note: Im an adventurous soul. Ill try just about anything once. I blame my mother. She told me over and over again, You dont know if you like something until youve tried it. You cant be afraid to try. And although Ive regretted my propensity to agree first and consider later more than once, it does add interest to my life.

We were sitting in a newspaper planning meeting one day, and the idea of covering the non-ball sports came up. As in, all the sports that arent the major ones (football, basketball, volleyball and baseball). Before I could apply the correct filter to my mouth, it declared but you cant write about them unless you understand them. And to understand them, you have to play the game.

My editor looked at me, cocked his eyebrow and asked, Whos going to try them? and my subconscious must have thought my life was lacking in new experiences because before I could stop it, it held hostage my common sense and said, I will.

Youre going to do Cross-fit or rock-climbing?

It was at this point I realized what I had done, but as the saying goes, in for a penny, in for a pound.

I had agreed myself into a corner. So here it is, my attempt to broaden my recreational horizons and share my experiences with you, our readers. I hope you learn from my (inevitable) mistakes and also possibly get inspired to try something new, or at the very minimum get a laugh or two.

Red Hot Yoga

There is only one place I found in Casper that offers hot yoga. Lifetime Health and Fitness has a specially-equipped yoga studio thats heated with infrared lights. The lights heat all surfaces of the room, including your body. Each class is 75 minutes long and classes are taught by a variety of instructors.

The benefit of hot yoga is the heat. It not only loosens muscles and improves circulatory response, sweating flushes out toxins in your system. People with chronic issues such as arthritis and fibromyalgia have shown improvement in their systems after practicing hot yoga. Any skill level is welcome in the class. If its your first hot yoga class, or if you have any chronic issues, its advisable to tell the instructor so that they can keep an eye on you.

Ive attended several classes over the past few weeks. Initially, I was nervous that I would be out of place in the class. The Monday evening class I attended was full of a mixture of ages, gender and skill levels. Anyone would feel welcome and comfortable.

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yoga story II

It's a moment Jillian Troth recalls whenever she's having a bad day at school, not getting along with a friend or simply not feeling her best.

Earlier this year, the 10-year-old stood in the Warrior II pose, arms outstretched parallel to the floor, one thigh extended outward, the other leg bent at the knee, with her mother, Johanna Frank, behind her. As Frank placed her hands on her daughter's upper arms, Marianne Impal's words floated around them, conjuring up a day where Jillian woke up and didn't feel like going to school. She'd done badly on a test the day before, none of the clothes she tried on fit well, and her friends were being mean to her. ... As Impal layered one challenging scenario atop another, she encouraged Jillian to feel how much she disliked herself in those moments, then asked her mom to push down on her arms. They collapsed effortlessly at Jillian's side.

Impal, a certified yoga instructor, then created a different scenario as Jillian again adopted the pose: This time, she woke up excited for school with just the right outfit to wear. As the day wore on, everything kept going right, from the many friends who made her feel included to the good reviews she got from her teacher. When her mom finally pushed down on her arms, they wouldn't budge, lowering only slightly the more pressure Frank applied.

"I usually think about that class and how good I felt and I just feel good about myself," says Jillian, of the lessons she took from the mother-daughter empowerment workshop taught by Impal.

"It was amazing how much strength it took to push down on her arms when she had a positive outlook as opposed to a demoralizing outlook," says Frank, of Doylestown. "It really enforced the idea of what a powerful outlook can do in terms of strength and self-esteem."

The message is part of a broader mission that Impal, a yoga teacher for more than 12 years, says she wishes she could bring to girls everywhere.

For now, the Doylestown resident is starting in her backyard. On Saturday, she will launch Y.E.S. Yoga, a training she developed specifically for teens and pre-teens to give them tools to live a positive and healthier lifestyle through the mind-body discipline.

While she has been teaching workshops incorporating empowerment themes and tools for years, Y.E.S. (Youth Empowerment 4 Self-esteem) is now her exclusive program. Impal will offer a Y.E.S. Yoga workshop for girls ages 10 through 15 at Cornerstone's TreeHouse Studio in New Hope on Saturday, the first of several she plans to bring to the area, while also certifying other yoga instructors to teach the confidence-boosting class.

"Yoga itself is known as a practice. When you practice something over and over, when you start to get it, when you feel like you're finally achieving something, that's where the empowerment comes from," says Impal, who also teaches vinyasa and hatha yoga at Cornerstone in Doylestown. "This is about practice makes possible. I want girls to get rid of practice makes perfect ... to know instead that practice makes anything possible."

Beyond incorporating strategic yoga poses with Fierce Pose, for instance, one of the more strenuous postures, she encourages girls to think of a particular challenge in their lives as they go deeper into the pose, using their ability to hold it for longer than they imagined as a metaphor for the strength to take on life's struggles rather than run from them Impal also includes self-esteem activities, journaling and stress-relief tactics. And she sends each girl home with her signature Y.E.S. Kit, a red keepsake box featuring a meditation CD for kids and teens, positive affirmation cards and a gratitude journal, among other items, that she initially designed for her own daughters, Nicole, now 13, and Renee, 15, as they approached their teenage years.

Continue reading here:
Using yoga as a gift of empowerment

THE poor turnout from Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) employees at the local authoritys aerobics session to kick off a two-day carnival has irked Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman.

The carnival, held at the Kelana Jaya lake over the weekend, was part of MBPJs celebration of the citys sixth anniversary.

Maybe people are staying up to watch the Euro 2012 matches, but the turnout of council employees should have been higher.

All of us could always do with a little bit more exercise, he said.

Even from the health department and director Dr Chitra Davi N. Vadivellus participation, only a handful of the department staff turned up to exercise, said Roslan.

With 1,700 council staff, it should not be impossible to get at least 500 to take part in the morning exercise.

Compared with the usual turnout in Taman Jaya, this mornings participation was poor. I hope to see more staff coming for the aerobic sessions, he added.

Roslan said he usually walked in the evening but when his schedule did not permit outdoor exercise, he worked out on the treadmill.

As part of the effort to get more people to take part, he was mulling over the possibility of getting more celebrities, such as actor Remy Ishak, to lend support in the morning aerobics sessions.

The council had also organised other activities for the carnival such as an action song competition among Petaling Jaya schools, an auto show and sports competitions at the MBPJ sports facilities in SS7.

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Roslan: Staff participation at carnival’s kick-off event should be higher

MIAMI: Alberto Perez started out as a street performer and then an aerobics teacher in Colombia, making extra cash on the side teaching the wives of businessmen how to dance in nightclubs in his hometown, California.

Today, he stands at the centre of the Zumba exercise craze, having helped transform Zumba Fitness, a private company, into a rapidly growing fitness empire with heavyweight investor backing.

"I'm not a businessman, but I knew this had the potential to be something special," said Perez, who along with two Colombian associates founded the Miami-based company. Zumba, a Latin dance-inspired aerobics workout, has exploded from a Miami-gym phenomenon to infomercial and DVD smash hit into a global craze with some 12 million people taking classes every week in at least 125 countries. Zumba Fitness now boasts being the largest branded fitness programme in the world.

Started on a shoestring budget in a Miami garage nearly 11 years ago, Zumba Fitness now has more than 200 employees, and a pair of New York investment firms are betting the craze has staying power.

What began as a company focused on fitness has evolved into a lifestyle and entertainment brand combining e-commerce, apparel and music, and a sought-after outlet for stars like hip-hop artists Pitbull and Wyclef Jean and reggaeton singer Don Omar who have turned to Zumba to promote their music.

THE ACCIDENTAL INSTRUCTOR

Zumba got its start by chance in the 1980s. Perez, who is known as Beto, was eking out a living as a street performer and salsa and merengue nightclub dancer known for his boyish model looks and muscular physique. One day the owner of a nearby gym called and asked if Perez could stand in for an injured aerobics teacher. He agreed but did not mention he had never done aerobics and rushed out and bought a copy of Jane Fonda's Workout Book. His fitness career was born.

Then a technology entrepreneur, Perlman lost his job in the dot-com bust two years later and was struggling with what career move to make next. Perlman said growing instructor and student base is the firm's top priority, with a goal of reaching 100 million students. The company has also launched its own line of brightly colored clothing, Zumba footwear and a glossy magazine named "ZLife", all designed in its Miami office.

Read more from the original source:
Zumba no longer just an aerobics workout, it means big business

Yoga is an exquisite form of exercise, but you need to know how to perform poses (asanas) to participate. With electronics being so popular, a great way to learn yoga poses is by getting excellent apps for your electronics. I will highlight the best apps for numerous electronics, including the iPhone, Kindle Fire, and Nintendo Wii.

iPhone: Free to $9.99

If you have an iPhone there are numerous apps you can get to teach you the correct yoga postures. Hatha Yoga: your portable Yoga studio is a supreme selection that you can easily download for $9.99. This app allows you to take a yoga class wherever you want, and voice instruction is included. For free you can get the Yoga Relax app that comes with calming music and high quality video. Other apps for the iPhone include the following:

Yoga Trainer Pro: $9.99

Long Deep Breathing: $0.99

A Prenatal Yoga: $0.99

Yoga Weight Loss: $0.99

Yoga at Home: Learn Beginner Yoga: Free

iPad, MAC and Kindle Fire: Free

If you own an iPad, Mac or Kindle Fire, you can get All-in Yoga HD free of charge. This is an awesome app that includes instructional photos for 250 yoga poses. It also includes a timer, music and voice instruction. This app is also available for the Android and Samsung mobile phone.

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Top Yoga Apps for Electronic Devices