Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Bronx Academy for Software Engineering



   The Department of Education is looking to open a Career and Technical Education high school in the Bronx in the fall, called the “Bronx Academy for Software Engineering. This school’s curriculum will focus on preparing students to enter the field of software engineering. In order to spread the word and garner attention for this school there will be two open houses held for interested parents family, and students.

Thursday April 4th, from 5pm to 8pm, at Sunshine Bronx (in the Banknote Building in Hunts Point, 890 Garrison Avenue)

Wednesday April 10th, from 5pm to 8pm, at Facebook’s midtown east office (335 Madison Ave, between 43rd and 44th Streets)

Each open house has three sessions which last one hour each. Student and families should RSVP by going through the website at http://bronxsoftware.org/

Bronx Academy for Software Engineering (BASE)
Opening fall 2013

Quick facts about BASE
•             Opening with 115 ninth graders in fall of 2013 in the Grace Dodge campus near Fordham University
•             Unscreened intake: any eight grader can apply and get in
•             Students take four years of computer science, including programming, application design and software development
•             Four-year CTE program – graduates will be ready for college or entry into the industry
•             Students build portfolios to show mastery of key skills and content
•             Advisory class lets students get to know each other, teachers and themselves
•             Clubs include 3D printing, art, sports, and manga.
 
 

Gun Violence Presentation at CAB Meeting - April 3rd



PLEASE JOIN US
The Joint Community Advisory Board of Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx Hospital Present

"Gun Violence: An Ongoing crisis"

Wednesday, April 3rd, 5:30 p.m. Refreshments - 6 p.m. Presentation
Jacobi Corporate Conference Center (Building 4, 2nd Floor) Jacobi Medical Center

Featuring Two Presentations:

Gun Violence: A Trauma Surgeon’s Perspective
Sheldon Teperman, M.D.
Associate Professor of Surgery, Director of Trauma and Critical Care Services, Jacobi Medical Center
Board Member of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.

“Guns Down, Life Up” Including a compelling video
Erik Cliette, Director of Injury Prevention, Harlem Hospital Center


Over 1,057,000 people have been
killed by guns in the U.S.A. since
John Lennon was shot and killed
on December 8, 1980.


John C. Doyle
Associate Director, Department of Marketing, Public and Community Relations
North Bronx Healthcare Network
1400 Pelham Parkway South, Building 4 - Room 7N21, Bronx, NY, 10461
Visit us on the web- http://www.nyc.gov/hhc/jacobi/
 
 

Free Mammography Screenings--this Friday, March 29th


 Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda of the 87th A.D. sent this to us.

In Celebration of Women's Health Month, my office has partnered with St. Barnabas Hospital to conduct FREE mammography screenings (first come, first served).

The event will be held in front of my office (1973 Westchester Ave.) This coming Friday March 29th from 9AM to 1:30PM. 
 
We're targeting women over 40 whom are either uninsured or under insured.
Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda-87th District
1973 Westchester Ave
Phone: (718) 931-2620
Bronx, NY 10462
 
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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Save the Putnam Trail Song


  The Save the Putnam Trail campaign, based in the Bronx, now has an anthem written for them by the amazingly talented musician/songwriter Patryk Larney and posted on YouTube.  The original lyrics go like this:

Hail, Hail The Putnam Trail!
Don't cover up what's left of the old railroad.
Let her people carry through.
Save the pavement for Madison Avenue.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk9yXbBxne4&feature=youtu.be

The musician, Patryk Larney, originally hails from New Jersey and is widely appreciated for his lyrical content and congenial storytelling in the tradition of James Taylor, Paul Simon, and Tom Petty.
His discography includes soul-infused rock with his band Naked Underneath and with his younger brother in The Larney Brothers.  "Fifty Miles from Hope," 2004; "Larney Brothers," 2009; "Hello to Farewell," 2010. 
 
Save the Putnam Trail Campaign
www.savetheputnamtrail.com
 
 

First Drone Legislation Bill in the NYS Assembly


This comes in from Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda 87th A.D. Bronx.

I just had my first piece of drone legislation published (#A06244); it focuses on limiting how law enforcement can utilize the technology to conduct surveillance.
I conducted a survey recently in my district to ascertain how the general public feels about drone activity. Most of the data suggests that the public is not fully aware of the technology and its implications, domestically. Only 18% of those surveyed knew what drones were. Though once they were informed, over 96% had concerns about their use, with a similar percentage feeling that drones could infringe on their privacy. Nearly 97% suggested that there be clear restrictions placed on drones.
This bill is the first of a series of comprehensive pieces of legislation initiated to address the lack of information on drones, and their attendant activities. Succeeding bills will focus on: Banning drones from being armed; clearly defining what constitutes a drone; restricting the use of drones by private citizens; and streamlining the mechanisms to secure permits for responsible drone usage concerning its commercial applications.
I have been at the forefront of pushing for more transparency and regulations concerning this phenomenon; assessing the trends, I feel it's incumbent upon the NYS Legislature to seize this issue before it takes on a life of its own. I don't want the technology to get ahead of the law, and hopefully, the legislation that I am putting forth, will be the catalyst for us as legislators to take hold of this issue.
 
Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda-87th District
1973 Westchester Ave
Phone: (718) 931-2620
Bronx, NY 10462
 

Monday, March 25, 2013

Councilman Koppell Reacts to DOE Decision on Clinton High School


KOPPELL DEPLORES LACK OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN SELECTION OF SMALL HIGH SCHOOLS AT CLINTON
In speaking to Chancellor Walcott at a meeting of the Education Committee, of which he is a member, on March 21, 2013, Council Member Oliver Koppell deplored the lack of community involvement in the selection of the two new high schools to be co-located at DeWitt Clinton High School.
After DOE decided on the concept of co-location in spite of  community opposition, Koppell said, “It would have behooved the Department to consult with the Community Education Council  parents ,and local community  and educational leaders before deciding on what type of school was appropriate for the area.”
According to Koppell, he had not been apprized of the nature of the new schools nor was there a description of the type of schools to be selected in the Impact Statement or at the public hearing held about Clinton’s fate on February 21, 2013   Marvin Shelton, Chair of the District 10 Community Education Council, said, “We were not consulted or given a description of the new schools prior to their being selected. Everyone was kept in the dark.  I believe that not even the Panel for Educational Policy was aware of the nature of the new schools when they voted on the co-location.” Koppell said, “Our students in the Northwest Bronx would have benefitted from a school similar to the Ellis School on the Kennedy Campus devoted to the needs of newly arrived immigrants. One of the reasons Clinton received an “F” on its Progress Report is that it had a disproportionate number of English Language Learners without the resources necessary to meet their needs.”
Koppell said it was unclear why the description of the two new schools at Clinton was kept such a secret and why our community was excluded from having any input into this important decision.  “However,” he said,   “we probably should not have been surprised since this behavior is in keeping with the “top down” philosophy of the Bloomberg  administration.”

Bronx Health & Wellness Summit: Register today!


  The Bronx Health & Wellness Summit

Register for the Bronx Health & Wellness Summit!

On Saturday, April 6, at Fordham University, we will host our first ever Bronx Health & Wellness Summit. We have worked hard to put together a comprehensive agenda, one that we feel offers something for everyone. 

At our summit, you can learn how our health coverage will change with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, how to effectively continue medical care for our adolescents, how mental health issues are handled to ensure public safety or what classes college students should take to pursue a career in healthcare, the borough's number one employer.

The main goal of this summit is to begin to set our work plan for the coming years, a work plan that will reverse our health indicators and ultimately lead to a better overall quality of life for those that live, work and raise their families in the Bronx.  The agenda for the summit has been finalized, so please take a few minutes to register for our Health & Wellness Summit if you haven't already, and sign up for your preferred breakout sessions.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Ruben Diaz Jr.
Bronx Borough President 
Bronx Borough President
851 Grand Concourse
Bronx, New York 10451
718-590-3500

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Sen. Klein Hosts 18th Annual Easter Bunny Breakfast


   State Senator Jeff Klein joined over 300 children and their parents for his 18th annual Easter Bunny Breakfast. The breakfast included activities for children, including a magic show, face painting, a “build-a-bunny” station and photos with the Easter Bunny. Families from Senator Klein’s district were invited to attend. 
Below left - Senator Klein's aides hold up Build a Bunny children received. 
Right -  Jalyssa, Joel, and Seiss take a photo with the Easter Bunny.

 






 













Left - Senator Klein, the Easter Bunny, and children with their parents.
Right - The crowd of children who watched magician Candini The Great.

Left - Candini pulls a rabbit out of his hat.
Right - The rabbit wants to go back into the hat.








Left & Right - Are a few children who came up to help Candini do his magic tricks.




Left - After the magic show children came up to see and pet Candini's rabbit Harvey.
Right - Candini, Harvey (in the hat), and the Easter Bunny wish everyone a Happy Easter.