Research Shows Schools Start Too Early; Some South Windsor Students Begin at 6:30 AM

A national publication, highlighting policies that school districts around the country are experimenting with to “make schools better for kids,” suggests starting classes after 8:30 a.m.  Some schools in Connecticut and across the nation are doing so, moving high school start times from earlier hours.  In South Windsor, however, the experiment is in the opposite direction, with a select group of high school students beginning weekday classes at 6:30 a.m. It's part of a new pilot plan called "zero period," created as a temporary relief for some students until the school can transition from a seven-period to an eight-period school day, Principal Daniel Sullivan recently told The Hartford Courant.

"It's not for everybody and it's not a requirement for the kids that are doing it," Sullivan said. "It's going to be tough … but they chose it because it's what they want. They're doing what they want to do and we're glad to give them that opportunity."

In other schools, the pendulum is moving the opposite way.  “In order to stay healthy, adolescents need at least eight hours of sleep each night; deprivation can lad to weight gain, focus issues, lower academic performance and other problems, the article in TIME magazine points out.

“Biologically, adolescents are hardwired to stay up late, often until 11 p.m. or midnight.  That’s why federal official and medical experts are calling for middle and high schools to start after – at or after 8:30 a.m.,” the magazine indicates.  The Portland Press Herald recently reported that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC),  the American Academy of Pediatrics and numerous studies recommend later start times for secondary education – preferably 8:30 or later. 

In more than 40 states, at least 75 percent of public schools start earlier than 8:30 a.m., according to the CDC’s report. But those numbers are changing.  The idea is to improve the odds of adolescents getting sufficient sleep so they can thrive both physically and academically. Among an estimated 39,700 public middle, high, and combined schools in the United States, the average start time was 8:03 a.m., the CDC reported. In Connecticut, fewer than 5 percent of middle and high schools started at 8:30 or later, one of the lowest rates in the country.

The CDC’s recommendations in August came a year after the American Academy of Pediatrics urged schools to adjust start times so more kids would get the recommended 8.5 to 9.5 hours of nightly rest. Both the CDC and the pediatricians’ group cited significant risks that come with lack of sleep, including higher rates of obesity and depression and motor-vehicle accidents among teens as well as an overall lower quality of life, The Atlantic recently reported.

At South Windsor High School, two "zero period" courses begin at 6:30 a.m. and end at 7:15 a.m., allowing students about 10 minutes for breakfast before the start of first period at 7:25 a.m. The school day concludes at 2 p.m.

In South Windsor, the early classes are aimed primarily at sophomore intervention, special education, AP science and music and art students, according to school officials. About 25 students are participating in the pilot program as the school year gets underway. The Courant reports that similar programs have been implemented in schools on the West Coast, with mixed reactions.

In Guilford, school officials were considering revised start times in discussions late last year.  But the schedule for the new school year shows the high school start time as 7:25, with middle schools beginning at 7:50 and 8:00 a.m.

This fall, students can choose from a photography and a health class. In the spring, students will have the option of business communications and physical education. Bus transportation is being provided for the students, the Courant reported. "These kids are committing to getting up early, getting here early and taking care of business,” Sullivan said, indicating that the experimental zero period is not a substitute for an eight-period school day.

Primary School Teacher is Connecticut’s Most Common Job; Secretary Was For Most of Past Three Decades

What was the most common occupation in Connecticut in 2014?  Primary School Teacher. That’s according to data analyzed by National Public Radio, using U.S. Census data.  NPR checked the most common occupation in each of the 50 states, every two years from 1978 and 2014.

One of the key findings?  Farmers have virtually dropped off the map.  In only two states – North Dakota and South Dakota – were “farm managers” the leading occupation in 2014.  That compares with 8 states in 1978.

Primary school teachers were the most prevalent job in 2 states – New Hampshire and Alaska – in 1996. In addition to Connecticut, the other states in which Primary School Teacher was the leading job in 2014 were Alaska, Florida, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and West Virginia.

In 2014, the most common job in 4 states was “computer software developers” – Colorado, Utah , Virginia and Washington State.  The leading occupation in Washington, D.C.? Lawyers.

NPR points out that “through much of the '80s, as the U.S. economy shifted away from factories that make goods and toward offices that provide services, secretary became the most common job in more and more states. But a second shift — the rise of the personal computer — reversed this trend, as machines did more and more secretarial work.”

Connecticut’s most common occupation through the years:

• Secretary             1978, 1982-1994, 2004, 2008, 2010
• Foreman              1980
• Bookkeepers     1998
• Truck drivers      1996, 2000
• Nursing Aide      2002
• School Teacher 2006
• Primary School Teacher 2012, 2014

The NPR report points out that “driving a truck has been immune to two of the biggest trends affecting U.S. jobs: globalization and automation.”  The prominence of truck drivers is partly due to the way the government categorizes jobs, the report points out. It lumps together all truck drivers and delivery people, creating a very large category.

Other jobs are split more finely; for example, primary school teachers and secondary school teachers are in separate categories, as evidenced by Connecticut’s most common jobs – school teachers in 2006, primary school teachers in 2012 and 2014.

Newman’s Own, Wholesome Wave Collaborate to Further Nutrition, Access to Healthy Food

As part of a $10 million three-year commitment to support food access and nutrition initiatives, Newman’s Own Foundation is forming a Nutrition Cohort of six nonprofits and a research university. The goal of the Nutrition Cohort is to help to improve health among children and families in under-served communities through fresh food access and nutrition education. Among the six organizations selected is Wholesome Wave, located in Bridgeport, which has been awarded a three-year $900,000 grant.

Newman’s Own Foundation will work with the Nutrition Cohort to share practices, coordinate efforts, and brainstorm ideas for improving nutrition during an annual in-person convening and subsequent discussions, official said. The grant to Wholesome Wave will be used to expand its Double Value Coupon Program and Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program, as well as study the collective impact of these programs.

“Our support for these nonprofits represents an investment in the value of collaboration,” said Bob Forrester, President and CEO, Newman’s Own Foundation, based in Westport. “Working together, these organizations can combine their collective knowledge, experience, and networks. We look forward to seeing if we can move the needle on issues like food insecurity, childhood obesity, and the related costs to individuals and community health.”

In addition to Wholesome Wave, the cohort organizations are: Fair Food Network (Ann Arbor, MI), FoodCorps, Inc. (New York, NY), The Food Trust (Philadelphia, PA), National Farm to School Network (Chicago, IL), and Wellness in the Schools (New York, NY).  The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston will provide research support by evaluating the Cohort’s impact.

Wholesome Wave strives to create a vibrant, just and sustainable food system, according to the organization’s website. “By making fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables affordable and available,” they “enable underserved community members to make healthier food choices.”  Officials point out that “innovative initiatives are improving health outcomes among low-income families, generating additional revenue for small and mid-sized farm businesses and bolstering local and regional economies.”

In addition to Bridgeport, Wholesome Wave operates in two dozen states and Washington, D.C.  Nationwide, the organization works in collaboration with more than 70 community-based partners, reaching 40,000 underserved community members and their families, as well as thousands of farmers, according to data provided by the organization.  Wholesome Wave focuses in four areas:

• Increase Affordability and Access to Healthy, Locally Grown Food
• Improve Health Outcomes
• Bolster Local and Regional Economies
• Generate Revenue for Small & Mid-Sized Farms

“We are incredibly grateful to Newman’s Own Foundation for this three year grant, and for the opportunity to work with a cohort of organizations whose missions align with ours. This funding will allow Wholesome Wave to continue its work to increase affordable access and improve health for all consumers, regardless of income,” says Wholesome Wave CEO, Michel Nischan, noting that qualitative and quantitative data collected through rigorous evaluation is used by Wholesome Wave to advance local, state and federal policy that increases affordable access to local and regional foods and improves health.

Newman’s Own Foundation will work with the Nutrition Cohort over a three-year period to coordinate efforts and brainstorm ideas for improving nutrition. More information about the Nutrition Cohort is available at www.newmansownfoundation.org.; about Wholesome Wave at www.wholesomewave.org

Top 10 State in U.S. Patents, Connecticut To Help Innovators Go for More

The number of patents issued to Connecticut residents by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has been climbing steadily, from 1,384 in 2007 to 2,168 in 2013, the most recent year available.  That places Connecticut at #8 in the nation, according to the state Department of Economic and Community Development. The state is not resting on its laurels.

A number of federal and state agencies, led by the Office of Secretary of the State, are collaborating in offering a day-long seminar, “Meet the Experts: Patent and Innovations,” on February 7 in Hartford, walking participants through the ins and outs of the patent process. 

Officials say that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and partners “will offer a comprehensive seminar that deals exclusively with various types of intellectual property, as well as safe-guarding methods to protect your products. This seminar will also deliver valuable information such as patent processing and global intellectual property protection. Having an understanding on how to safeguard your intellectual property will allow your firm to freely innovate, grow, and prosper.”

A 2013 report by the Brookings Institution found that most U.S. patents—63 percent—are developed by people living in just 20 metro areas, which are home to 34 percent of the U.S. population. Reflecting the advantages of large metropolitan economies, 92 percent of U.S. patents are concentrated in just 100 metro areas, with 59 percent of the population.

The report also indicated that “inventions, embodied in patents, are a major driver of long-term regional economic performance, especially if the patents are of higher quality. In recent decades, patenting is associated with higher productivity growth, lower unemployment rates, and the creation of more publicly-traded companies.”

Nationwide, the 10 most inventive years in U.S. history, measured by patents per capita, are 1916, 1915, 1885, 1932, 2010, 2011, 1931, 1883, 1890, and 1917, according to the Brookings study. Two of these years came just after the Great Recession; the others were in the midst of the Industrial Revolution and post-Civil War America.

The nation’s top 10 states, according to Business Insider, are Idaho, Vermont, Massachusetts, California, Washington, Minnesota, Oregon, Connecticut, Delaware and Colorado, based on 2012 data.  A similar list compiled by CNN Money that year placed Connecticut at #9.  For patents applied for from 2007 to 2011, the metro areas with the highest number per capita are San Jose; Burlington, VT; Rochester, MN; Corvallis, OR; and Boulder, CO, the Brookings review found.

Two centuries ago, in 1809, a Connecticut resident received the first US patent issued to a woman, but it would not be until after 1840 that women’s patents made their mark in the United States Patent Office. Between 1790 and 1930, Connecticut residents were issued the most patents in the US per capita, according to ConnecticutHistory.org  

The Feb. 7 program will include sessions on intellectual property, what to expect after filing requirements for a provisional patent, international patent protection and the value of branding inventions with a trademark.  U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and other elected officials are expected as well.

Sponsoring agencies include the U.S. Commercial Service, Connecticut District Export Council, University of Connecticut, Department of Economic and Community Development, and Office of Secretary of the State.  It is being held at the Hartford Public Library.   Registration is available at https://emenuapps.ita.doc.gov/ePublic/event/editWebReg.do?SmartCode=5Q2D

CT Ranks in Top 10 for Lowest Total Carbon Emissions, Lowest Per Capita Emissions

Connecticut ranks in the top 10 among the states in both the lowest total state energy related carbon dioxide emissions and emissions per capita.  The state ranked second, tied with California and just behind New York, in the lowest emissions levels per capita.  In total state energy related emissions, Connecticut placed in a tie for tenth place. Greenhouse gas emissions for all sources were considered in compiling the data, according to Bloomberg.com, which published the rankings last month, based on 2011 U.S. Census population estimates and statistics from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.  Sources of emission include electric power production, industries, residential heating and transportation.

The lowest state emission levels per capita, in metric tons of carbon dioxide, are New York (8.1), Connecticut (9.2), California (9.2), Oregon (9.3), Vermont (9.6), Massachusetts (10.0), Washington (10.1), Idaho (10.1), Rhode Island (10.5) and Maryland (11.0).  The highest levels per capita were in Wyoming (112.6), North Dakota (79), Alaska (52.7) and West Virginia (51.7).

In total state energy related carbon dioxide emissions, by million metric tons, the states with the lowest emission levels are Vermont (6), Rhode Island (11), Delaware (12), South Dakota (14), New Hampshire (16), Idaho (16), Maine (17), Hawaii (19), Montana (32), Connecticut (33) and Nevada (33).

The states with the highest emission levels were Texas (656 metric tons), California (346), and Pennsylvania (245).

Familiar Business Logos Coming to a Highway Near You, Promoting Tourism

The logos of Taco Bell, Starbuck’s and Georgie’s Diner are among 10 business logos and 7 tourist attraction logos that will be appearing on a total of 27 state highway signs in Connecticut this year, under a state program just underway.  The highway signs, part of the state’s ongoing efforts to promote tourism, will appear on I-95, I-91, I-84, I-395 and Routes 8 and 9.

Administered by the state Department of Transportation, the 10 business logos that will be appearing on 13 signs across the state include A-1 Diner, Dunkin Donuts, Georgie’s Diner, Mobil, Starbucks, Comfort Inn, Taco Bell, Residence Inn, Guilford Suites, and Chili’s.

The seven tourist attraction logos that will appear on 14 roadway signs include the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, The Griswold Inn, the Tanger Outlet Center, The Adventure Park at Storrs, Niantic Bay Boardwalk, Sailing Ship Argia Cruises, and Antique Center (at exit 8 on I-95).  Among the attractions, four attractions will be having signs posted for the first time, with each to have a sign in each roadway direction (northbound and southbound, or eastbound and westbound).

The largest number of logos appearing will belong to Taco Bell, with four roadway signs, on I-395 at exit 93, I-91 at exits 16 and 47E, and Route 9 at exit 19.

According to the DOT, the Specific Information (Logo) Signing Program is intended to provide the motoring public with information on essential travel services (gas, food, lodging, camping) that are available at qualified interchanges on expressways in Connecticut.

The program allows qualified businesses to apply and erect their business sign or logos on specific information (logo) signs. Businesses must meet minimum qualification criteria specified in the regulations governing the program. There are no exceptions or waivers. A non-refundable $2,000.00 application fee per business, per interchange must accompany the application.

Installation of business signs is permitted only after field review of business and sign feasibility is conducted by the Department and certain concurrences and permits are completed or obtained.

All costs for fabrication and installation of signing by a contractor is the responsibility of the initial business on an interchange approach. Subsequent businesses are required to reimburse the initial business a percentage of the initial business’s installation cost as indicated in the regulations. Subsequent businesses are also responsible for all costs for the installation of their business signs. Businesses must continue to meet minimum qualification criteria as long as the business sign is displayed or signing will be removed.

The Connecticut Tourist Attractions Sign Program is intended to create a predictable and recognizable system to help travelers locate places of interest that will make their experience in Connecticut more enjoyable. Participating businesses must indicate how many potential visitors they hope to attract at various periods during the year.  Those accepted into the signage program must annually update DOT on their visitor-traffic counts and provide related information.

In another project promoting Connecticut sites and attractions for highway travelers, I-95 will soon see signs posted by DOT promoting the University of Bridgeport, Housatonic College, Barnum Museum, Webster Bank Arena, Harbor Yard Ballpark, Shoreline Star Greyhound, Connecticut Audubon Center, Silver Sands State Park, Westfield Post Mall, PEZ Visitor Center, West Haven Beaches, University of New Haven Yale Bowl.  Three of the signs are new (Yale Bowl, Silver Sands and CT Audubon); the others are replacing existing signs.

From West Hartford to Widespread Acclaim, Local Talent Resonates

On back-to-back nights, an indie/roots rock band and a singer/songwriter, each gaining increasing notoriety, performed just a stone’s throw from the West Hartford – Hartford town line.

Bronze Radio Return, a six member band that was formed when the musicians were students at the University of Hartford only a handful of years ago, returned to their roots in West Hartford just after completing a 15-city tour that brought them through the West and Southwest, including dates in California, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.  A special performance at their alma mater, as part of the university’s homecoming weekend, was also a precursor to upcoming performances in Portland, Burlington and Boston.

Just a day earlier, singer/songwriter Kate Callahan, fresh from being selected as Best Singer/Songwriter at the Connecticut Music Awards, performed with her band Echo Joy.  The evening performance at the Hartford Seminary was highlighted by songs from her recently released third album, Two Doors, which evokes folk sound with textures of indie, country, and soul.

Callahan took top honors at the 2^nd annual Connecticut Music Awards that were held last month at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford.  Shehas been named the Hartford Advocate’s “Best Solo Performer” three times.  Next on her performing schedule is a trip to New York City, followed by local performance dates in Connecticut early next month.

Bronze Radio Return has clearly been on the ascendency, as FOX Sports recently selected their recent single “Further On” for use in the network’s NFL, college football and NASCAR game-day coverage.   During the summer, the band’s “Shake, Shake, Shake” surpassed 500,000 views on YouTube, and their latest album, Up, On & Over reached the Billboard magazine “Heatseekers Albums” list at number 17.

They have performed at music festivals nationwide, and their music has also proven extremely popular for television commercials and programs, among them a worldwide Nissan Leaf commercial and a national Behr Paint/Home Depot ad. In addition, HBO, ESPN, NBC, MTV, the CW, American Idol, ABC Family, USA, and more licensed their music for shows, promos and bumpers.

The band’s website noted that “their story starts in Hartford, where members orbited each other at The Hartt School, one of the country’s top music conservatories. After finding each other and solidifying their line-up in 2008, they began writing music and found that their surroundings played a huge part in their creative energies.”   The band includes lead singer and guitarist Chris Henderson, drummer Rob Griffith, lead guitarist Patrick Fetkowitz, keys player Matthew Warner, bassist Bob Tannen, and harmonica/banjoist extraordinaire Craig Struble.

 Kate Callahan, acoustic guitarist as well as singer/songwriter, has opened shows for folk legends Judy Collins and Noel Paul Stookey (Peter, Paul & Mary), and troubadours Aztec-Two Step, Mustard’s Retreat, the late Bill Morrissey, and Rachael Sage. Callahan says a defining element of her music is innocence and she’s unapologetically optimistic in concert.  From West Hartford, and now Hartford, she has been recognized by the Hartford Courant as a "Woman of Character," and has a longstanding relationship with the West Hartford Public Schools as an  Artist in Residence.

In 2011, Javier Colon, also of West Hartford, trying for a second shot at a recording career that had stalled, won the first season of "The Voice," the NBC singing competition.   Colon is a graduate of the University of Hartford's Hartt School of Music, and returned to his alma mater to perform later that year.  Since winning “The Voice,” Colon has released an album, “Come Through For You,” and has performed at concerts and charitable events around the nation, including locally at the Travelers Championship last year.

Mapping of Introduced Legislation Shows Subjects of Most Interest

Wondering in which subject areas the greatest volume of proposed legislation was centered during the 2013 Connecticut General Assembly session?  There’s a map for that.

Data compiled and presented in a brightly colored, multi-layered, interactive display by the website Readily Apparent illustrates the leading legislative areas of focus, based on the number of bills introduced by lawmakers during the five-month session that concluded in June.

Leading the way in 2013 was Government Administration and Elections with 458 proposed bills, followed by Criminal Justice and the Courts with 320, Education with 248, Public Safety & Security with 194 and Public Health with 181.

In each of 23 subject areas, Readily Apparent “drills down” to break each subject into subcategories – visible with the click of a mouse.

In Government Administration & Elections, for example, the breakdown, also visually displayed, is 246 bills related to state government operations, 93 dealing with elections, 62 focused on the legislature, 29 on government contracts, 24 on municipalities, and 4 on regulated activities.  Each of those categories is subdivided further.  The “state government operations” category, for example, includes six distinct sub-categories.

In addition to the three levels of breakdowns, the website also provides a listing of all the bills introduced in each category, forming a comprehensive list of bills introduced to be considered by lawmakers during the legislative session.

The site describes the “What’s Getting Lawmakers Attention” tree-map interactive data display as providing a “30,000-foot view” of activity by policy area in the 2013 CGA session.

Readily Apparent co-founder Brendan Hanrahan’s primary interest, according to the website, “is in conveying new insights that can be gained with the use of relational data designs and dynamic graphics.  He has been exploring, designing and developing web-based applications for data management, analysis and visualization since 2004.

Photos of Vietnam Fallen from Connecticut Sought for New National Memorial

It has been a year and a half since the effort began, and the Veterans History Project at Central Connecticut State University is closing in on the halfway point in their effort to collect a photograph of every member of the armed forces who was killed in Vietnam, to be displayed as part of a new national memorial to complement the Vietnam Memorial in the nation’s capital. The national Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), in partnership with the National Park Service, is working to build an Education Center near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. Using the faces, stories, and remembrances attached to the names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Center will educate visitors about the Vietnam War and its impact on every community in the United States.

The Center will also provide information about the history and the significance of the Wall and preserve the legacy of the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. The Education Center will tell the stories of those who served and died in Vietnam through programming that will include interactive exhibits, primary source information, and educational programs.

One initiative under way is the national “Call for Photos” campaign, which endeavors to attach faces to the 58,272 names memorialized on the Wall. The Education Center will create a Wall of Faces exhibit to display all collected digital photographs once the Center is constructed. Meanwhile, the VVMF has created an on-line Virtual Wall at www.vvmf.org.

To ensure that 100% of Connecticut’s fallen are remembered , the Connecticut Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Veterans History Project at Central Connecticut State University are working with volunteers and teachers to collect photos and remembrances of Connecticut’s 612 fallen who do not yet have photos on the VVMF’s Virtual Wall.

As of this month, 301 photos have been collected, and efforts continue.  Photographs and related information can be submitted electronically, or by mail.

In 2010, Connecticut became the second state in the nation to pass legislation designating March 30 as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day -- the date the last combat troops withdrew from Vietnam.  Additional information on the Call for Photos and the Veterans History Project is available from Eileen Hurst at CCSU at (860) 832-2976.

Rounding Up Connecticut Legislative Voting Data Reveals Like-Minded Patterns

A picture is worth a thousand words, the saying goes.  The website Readily Apparent proves that once again, with interactive infographics for every state legislator – showing who among their colleagues voted in similar patters during the 2012 session.  The site is easy to use, and full of often-revealing comparisons displayed in concentric circles.  Visitors to the site elect their local legislator from a pull down menu, and see who is in orbit around them, as it were.  While the red-blue divisions are clearly evident for many, there are some surprises along the way. The Similarity Graphic used by Readily Apparent shows how similar Connecticut legislators are based on their 2012 voting, crossover rates, and introduced and sponsored bills. The closer others are to a selected lawmaker in the center circle, the more similar their records; the further away the less similar.