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Bipartisan Education Funding Legislation Aims to Improve Student Success in More Minnesota Schools

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3 years ago

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MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — BARR Center (Building Assets, Reducing Risks) announced legislation today to provide funding for additional Minnesota schools to implement a system focused on addressing the academic, social, and emotional needs of students.

HF 3378/SF 3539, authored by House E-12 Finance Committee Chair Rep. Cheryl Youakim (Hopkins) and Sen. Aric Putnam (St. Cloud) asks the Minnesota legislature to allocate $10,000,000 for 36 additional Minnesota schools to implement the BARR system. More than 48 Minnesota schools and 350 others nationally are currently using the BARR system to improve their schools’ cultures and students’ outcomes. With this new funding, 36 geographically distributed (urban, suburban, and rural) Minnesota schools serving Black, Indigenous, and students of color, and those experiencing poverty, would benefit from the results the BARR system brings, too.

“Armstrong High School’s graduation rate has increased by 4% since 2018, our first year of BARR. Our students of color report feeling more of a sense of belonging due to the stronger relationships they have with adults and teachers in our building. BARR has permanently changed Armstrong High School for the better in four years.”
— Erick Norby, Principal at Armstrong High School

Now more than ever, in this challenging, post-pandemic period, educators need support addressing school climate and student mental health issues. Using existing resources, the BARR system focuses on building meaningful relationships – capitalizing on the strengths of every student – and leveraging student data to truly transform a school’s culture. In every school implemented it has proven to be a successful way to meet the social and emotional needs of all students while simultaneously increasing student achievement and teacher satisfaction and effectiveness.

“From starting the BARR model in 2019 until now our MCAs have grown an average of 10.2% just in math which is huge considering the state we are all in and all of the challenges we have overcome in the last four years. This year focused on literacy and our most recent scores indicate that students are meeting and exceeding their growth goals.”
— Kelly Hoskins, Fifth Grade Teacher and BARR co-coordinator at Lake Elmo Elementary

“I’ve been teaching for 31 years and for a lot of those years I felt like I was on
an island when dealing with students who struggled. I tried to figure it out by myself, there was nothing set up for me to communicate with other teachers. I’d throw something out there and hope it worked, oftentimes it did not. With BARR, teachers communicate and share strategies about how to meet the needs of these students. We have far more collaboration and direction with helping students.”
— Kalan Malchow, Social Studies Teacher at Detroit Lakes High School

The BARR system stands alone as the most consistently proven school improvement model in the country. Through rigorous studies conducted by the American Institute for Research (AIR), the BARR system has demonstrated statistically significant results in 20 areas, including increasing math and English achievement scores, improving student credit attainment, reducing course failure, closing the achievement gap, and reducing chronic absenteeism all while improving the school environment for both students and staff.

“BARR’s mission is to create equitable schools where every student, regardless of race, ethnicity, or economic status, has access to high quality education where adults know them, recognize their strengths, and help them succeed,” explains Angela Jerabek, founder and executive director of the BARR Center. “I developed the BARR system while serving as a school counselor here in Minnesota then spent 20 years rigorously testing its effectiveness because that is what educators deserve – to know that the programs they’re using are vetted and a proven-effective way to positively impact the students they care so much about.”

About BARR Center

BARR Center (Building Assets, Reducing Risks) delivers the expertise and resources required for a school to implement the BARR system, an evidence-backed system designed to nurture a collaborative and strengths-based culture of support and success for every student through intentionally deepening relationships and improving use of data. For more information, visit, https://barrcenter.org/.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bipartisan-education-funding-legislation-aims-to-improve-student-success-in-more-minnesota-schools-302070136.html

SOURCE BARR Center

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America’s Largest Political Group Is Getting Its Own Election Night

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39 minutes ago

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October 26, 2026

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A record 45% of Americans identify with neither party. On November 3, they get the first nationally televised Election Night built around the independent voter bloc, presented by United Independents, the organization behind the Independent National Convention, in partnership with DeFiance Media.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Can the country’s largest bloc of voters turn identity into representation? Independents now make up 45% of U.S. adults, a record high in Gallup’s 2025 data, yet partisan coverage continues to dominate mainstream mediums. On November 3, one broadcast will cover the election from the Independent point of view.

Broadcast live from the National Press Club’s television studio in Washington, D.C. Election Night 2026: Independent Edition is an eight-hour program hosted by Christopher Life, founder and CEO of United Independents, and Macy Gunnell, NewsForce’s White House correspondent. DeFiance Media will be producing and streaming the broadcast.

Built on live election data from The Associated Press (AP), the program will call the national races as the returns come in. Then it goes where other broadcasts don’t: race-by-race coverage of independent candidates in consequential congressional contests, and guest conversations with the strategists and organizers behind them.

Built for the Voters Both Parties Are Chasing

Two generations of Americans have come of age as independent voters, and in 74 years of nationally televised Election Night broadcasts, not one has been built around them. This one is: national results and the balance of power, dedicated coverage of the independent candidates who could tip the next Congress, and a live chat with selected viewer questions put to the hosts and guests on air.

Open to Every Newsroom

Television pool feed. U.S. television outlets, including local stations, can carry the program live, in full or in part, separate from DeFiance Media’s full-program streaming.Social streaming. The broadcast streams through participating social media partners. Channels that want to carry it can sign up at Election2026.live.Live clips and excerpts. Newsrooms, commentators, and creators can pull portions of the program for reporting and social distribution while the broadcast is underway.

Request access through the Media & Distribution Access Form at Election2026.live.

Free and Accessible Nationwide

Going live Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026, from 6 PM- 2 AM ET. Updates, guest announcements, and viewing instructions: Election2026.live.

Media Contact

Shaun Saunders
shaun@graffiticreativegroup.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/americas-largest-political-group-is-getting-its-own-election-night-302919753.html

SOURCE DeFiance Media

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Pianist Michael Weinstein Wins Best Social Media Music Collaborations at the 2026 Vega Awards

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39 minutes ago

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October 26, 2026

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With more than a million followers across social media, Weinstein’s piano collaborations bring together vocalists from around the world to create unique musical performances and reach new audiences.

SOUTH SALEM, N.Y., Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Pianist, entrepreneur and social media creator Michael Weinstein has been recognized at the 2026 Vega Digital Awards in the Social Media Collaboration category for his music collaboration series, Piano Sessions: Bringing Voices Together Through Music.

“I love collaborating with talented singers including building friendships that have become just as meaningful as the music itself.”

Weinstein has built a social media audience of more than a million followers across TikTok, Instagram and other platforms by sharing piano performances and collaborations with singers from around the world. His videos feature vocalists performing alongside his piano accompaniment, creating intimate musical performances that showcase each artist’s individual talent and style.

While Weinstein has spent much of his professional career building businesses and marketing consumer brands, music has always remained one of his greatest passions.

“Music has always been a huge part of my life and one of the things I enjoy most is collaborating with other musicians,” said Weinstein. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many incredibly talented singers and I love being able to play alongside them and create something special together. It’s also rewarding to introduce these artists to new audiences while building relationships and friendships that have become just as meaningful as the music itself.”

An accomplished pianist and keyboardist, Weinstein has collaborated with an impressive range of vocalists, including artists who have performed and recorded with Maroon 5, Sting, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Usher, Lauryn Hill and Jill Scott. He has also collaborated with standout performers from American Idol, America’s Got Talent and The Voice.

Weinstein is also planning a live concert in New York City in 2027, bringing together several of the talented vocalists featured on his social media channels for a special collaborative performance. Additional details will be announced in the coming months.

Outside of music, Weinstein is the Founder and CEO of JAM Direct, a marketing and advertising agency, and former Chief Marketing Officer of Allstar Products Group, where he was responsible for marketing some of the most successful products in “As Seen On TV” history, including the Snuggie, ShamWow and Shake Weight.

Watch Michael Weinstein’s performances here:

https://linktr.ee/mweinsteinmusic

About the Vega Digital Awards

The Vega Digital Awards is an international competition recognizing excellence in social media, digital marketing and brand strategy. Judged by the International Awards Associate (IAA), the competition honors work that demonstrates innovation, effectiveness and measurable impact across the global marketing landscape.

Media Contact

Michael Weinstein, JAM Direct, 1 9146610053, mw@jamdirect.com, https://michaelweinstein.me/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/pianist-michael-weinstein-wins-best-social-media-music-collaborations-at-the-2026-vega-awards-302919551.html

SOURCE JAM Direct

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Landis+Gyr Secures Major Contract with Leading US Utility

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2 hours ago

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October 26, 2026

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CHAM, Switzerland and ALPHARETTA, Ga., Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Landis+Gyr Group AG (SIX: LAND), a global energy technology leader driving intelligent innovation across the grid, today announced that it has secured a major contract with a leading US investor-owned electric utility. The agreement covers more than 3 million advanced metering endpoints.

Under the agreement, Landis+Gyr will provide Revelo meters and associated network and head-end system technologies, complemented by advanced security solutions, premium support, and software maintenance and services. The deployment is expected to advance the utility’s grid modernization objectives by enhancing security, grid visibility and operational performance.

“This important win reflects the strong momentum of our Grid Edge Intelligence portfolio and the trust customers place in Landis+Gyr to support large-scale grid modernization programs. By combining advanced metering, integrated technology, security and support capabilities, we look forward to helping this utility enhance grid visibility, reliability and operational performance,” said Peter Mainz, Chief Executive Officer of Landis+Gyr.

About Landis+Gyr

Landis+Gyr is a global energy technology leader, delivering intelligent solutions that connect devices, data, and decisions across the grid. Trusted by more than 2,000 utilities worldwide, we transform traditional devices into intelligent, networked sensors, giving utilities real-time grid visibility and system control. With these combined insights, electric, gas, and water companies can anticipate demand, optimize operations, and deliver energy that’s more reliable, resilient, accessible, safe, and sustainable for everyone. For more information, please visit our website www.landisgyr.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/landisgyr-secures-major-contract-with-leading-us-utility-302919687.html

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