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Equal Opportunity Schools Releases Pivotal “Belonging: The Pathway to Student Engagement Report, Emphasizing the Important Links Between Belonging, Student Engagement, and Academic Success in High School

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The nationwide “Belonging: The Pathway to Student Engagement” report, available as of today, Monday, June 10th, 2024, delves into the critical role of students’ feelings of school belonging in promoting student engagement, especially in advanced coursework.

WASHINGTON, June 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Equal Opportunity Schools (EOS), a leading non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring equitable access to advanced academic opportunities for all students, has released a new report aimed at highlighting the connection between student belonging and academic adjustment particularly for those student groups historically underrepresented and underserved in this coursework.

EOS collaborates with high schools nationwide to boost enrollment of underrepresented students in advanced courses like Advanced Placement (AP)™ and International Baccalaureate (IB)™. Through extensive data collection and innovative research, EOS has consistently sought to understand and enhance the educational experiences of these students.

Report’s Key Findings: “Cues and Conditions of Belonging”

The report reveals insightful findings based on data from over 200,000 students of color and lower-income students enrolled in advanced courses, supplemented by focus groups involving 114 students from diverse high schools across the United States. The research identifies five critical indicators associated with student success that EOS has termed the “Cues and Conditions of Belonging”:

Expectations, Feedback, and Assessments (EFA)Classroom CommunityCulturally Relevant CurriculumCulturally Relevant TeachingConversations About Race

These indicators, EOS summarizes, are significantly associated with students’ feelings of belonging and their academic outcomes, such as GPA in AP/IB courses.

“Student belonging, defined as feelings of being accepted, appreciated, and included in the school community, is vital for academic achievement and engagement,” explains Dr. Alaina E. Boyle, EOS’ Director of Research and one of the report’s authors. “The report emphasizes that fostering a strong sense of belonging among students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, is essential for equitable inclusion in advanced coursework and preparation for college and beyond.”

Research Methodology

EOS utilized a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative analyses of student-reported survey data and qualitative insights from student focus groups. The surveys, completed by nearly two million students to date, offer a robust dataset for examining the conditions that foster belonging. The focus groups provided a deeper understanding of students’ experiences of belonging through students’ discussion, and diagramming of classroom climate.

Implications and Future Directions

The findings underscore the importance of creating learning environments where students feel psychologically safe and valued. Key implications include:

Nuanced Assessment of Belonging: Moving beyond one-time measurements to capture the dynamic and varied experiences of students throughout the school day.Subject-Specific Belonging: Addressing the unique challenges in STEM courses, where students often feel less belonging, through targeted strategies and continuous improvement.Tailored Professional Development: Providing educators with clear, practical methods to enhance belonging and engagement, tailored to the needs of underserved students.

“Creating learning environments where students feel psychologically safe is key to fostering a sense of belonging,” said Dr Erin Bogan, Senior Director of Impact and Research. “Our research provides educators with concrete steps to develop equitable learning environments where all students can flourish. We hope this report serves as a roadmap for creating conditions that ensure students feel connected, supported, and ready to thrive.”

For more information and to access the full report, please visit the Equal Opportunity Schools’ website.

About Equal Opportunity Schools

Equal Opportunity Schools (EOS) is dedicated to ensuring that students of all backgrounds have equal access to rigorous college and career-prep high school courses. By working closely with school districts across the country, EOS identifies and enrolls students who are ready for advanced coursework, thereby closing the opportunity gap and preparing students for success in college and beyond.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Tomika Anderson
Publicist
Equal Opportunity Schools
C-646-387-1865
378923@email4pr.com 

 

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SOURCE Equal Opportunity Schools

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Sesame Software Named Fastest to Implement and Best Estimated ROI in G2’s Fall 2026 Reports, Previews Sesame Software 7.0

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October 27, 2026

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Mid-market recognition from verified users caps a strong 2026 as the company announces the beta of its biggest platform release in years

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sesame Software, the Enterprise Data Management leader, today announced it has earned two mid-market badges in G2’s Fall 2026 reports, Fastest Implementation and Best Estimated ROI, based on verified user reviews. Heading into 2027, the company also previewed Sesame Software 7.0, its biggest platform release in years, with a beta opening this winter.

Recognized by G2 Users

The badges reflect what users say about Sesame Software: it’s up and running in minutes, needs no coding or data mapping, and pays for itself quickly. Teams use it to replicate data in near real time, build pipelines into warehouses like Snowflake, back up and archive records, and run verified migrations between systems.

“Customers don’t want a data project. They want their data where they need it, working as soon as possible,” said Joshua Demumbreum, Director of Product Operations, Sesame Software. “Hearing that back from users, in their own words, is a great way to close the year.”

Coming Soon: Sesame Software 7.0

What’s new in 7.0:

New interface: fewer clicks, easier navigation, clearer logs, and reporting on which records each job movesRebuilt engine: faster jobs, bigger data volumes and fewer failures, with data cleanup built into every jobRewritten connectors: simpler templates that behave the same across every connectorSimpler upkeep: Java 25 support, embedded Tomcat, and one-step upgrades

“After 30-plus years in enterprise data, 7.0 is our biggest step forward yet,” said Nathan Lugert, Senior Software Engineer, Sesame Software. “We can’t wait to get it into users’ hands.”

About Sesame Software

Sesame Software is the Enterprise Data Management leader, delivering data rapidly for enhanced reporting and analytics. Sesame Software’s data platform offers superior solutions for data warehousing, integration, as well as backup, and compliance to fit your business needs. Quickly connect to SaaS, on-premise, and cloud applications for accelerated insights. With over 30 years of expertise, Sesame Software helps businesses take back control of their data, access it from anywhere, ensure security and compliance, and unlock its power to grow.

Media Contact:
Kristen Besselsen, Director of Marketing
kristen.besselsen@sesamesoftware.com
www.sesamesoftware.com

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SOURCE Sesame Software

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RS earned three awards at the 2026 Moxa Global Distributor Summit

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October 27, 2026

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The three awards recognize RS for demonstrable leadership in small to medium-sized business sales, energy sector sales, and regional sales.

FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — RS, a high-service global product and service solutions provider for industrial customers, earned three top awards at the 2026 Moxa Global Distributor Summit. Held in Nashville, Tennessee, September 8–11, this exclusive summit welcomed Moxa team members and partners from all over the world to “Collaborate to Lead” and discuss business and strategy updates, emerging industrial infrastructure trends, secure OT connectivity, and next-generation technologies like AI data centers and energy storage.

RS combines immediate access to Moxa products with deep technical expertise to solve complex operational challenges.

During the event, Moxa — a global leader in industrial networking, computing, and edge connectivity solutions — presented RS Americas with its:

2026 Top Global Sales Award for small to medium-sized businesses2026 Top Global Sales Award for energy businesses2026 Platinum Award for top sales in the Americas region

These awards recognize RS for outstanding sales achievements and exceptional partnership in three key market segments. Together, RS and Moxa deliver secure network deployments and reliable edge connectivity for industrial automation customers across the manufacturing, energy, and commercial sectors.

“Partnering with Moxa enables us to provide industrial customers with the high-performance networking technologies they need to advance their digital transformation and build resilient operations,” said Marie Dawson, Sr. Director of Strategic Supplier Engagement at RS. “Earning three top honors at the 2026 Moxa Global Distributor Summit validates our approach — combining immediate access to quality Moxa products with deep technical expertise to solve complex operational challenges and keep critical infrastructure running across industries.”

“RS continues to demonstrate outstanding leadership in advancing edge connectivity and network reliability across key industrial sectors,” said Mat Stewart, Vice President of Sales at Moxa. “We are proud to recognize the RS Americas team for their exceptional global and regional performance over the past year and look forward to building on this momentum together.”

To learn more about the RS portfolio of Moxa products and solutions, visit the embedded links.

PR Image Download:
RS Moxa Awards PR.jpg

PR Image Caption:
The RS Americas team accepted three top sales performance awards at the 2026 Moxa Global Distributor Summit. Pictured from left to right: Moxa Americas Vice President of Sales Mat Stewart, RS Americas Product Director Chris Cole, RS Americas Eastern Regional Sales Manager John Allen, RS Americas Senior Director of Strategic Supplier Engagement Marie Dawson, RS Americas Supplier Manager Evie Hooper, RS Americas Category Manager Megan Shaw, Moxa Americas Director of Channel Sales Pat Sweeney, RS Americas Product Portfolio Manager Gary Guess, and Moxa Americas President Chad Chesney.

About RS
RS is a high-service global product and service solutions provider for industrial customers, enabling them to operate efficiently and sustainably. We operate in 33 markets, stock over 875,000 industrial and specialist products, and list an additional five million relevant for our industrial customers, sourced from over 2,500 suppliers. This extensive range supports our customers across the industrial lifecycle of designing, building, and maintaining equipment and operations. We enhance their experience through a tailored service model, leveraging our efficient physical, digital, and process infrastructure sustainably. We combine a technically led and digitally enabled approach with an exceptional team of experts; ultimately, it’s our people that make the difference. Our purpose, making amazing happen for a better world, reflects our focus on delivering results for people, planet, and profit.

RS Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange with stock ticker RS1, and in the year ended March 31, 2026, reported revenue of $3,871.07 million. For more information, please visit https://www.rsgroup.com/ or connect with us on LinkedIn or X (Twitter).

About RS in the Americas
In the Americas region, RS stocks more than 250,000 industrial and electronic products from more than 700 trusted suppliers. These solutions cover categories extending from automation and control equipment to interconnect, passive, active, and electromechanical components and include more than 90,000 high-quality, competitively priced RS PRO products. For more information, please visit https://us.rs-online.com or connect with us via social media on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.

Editorial Contact & Media Inquiries:
Laurie Tortorello, Director of People & Culture Communications, RS Americas
Laurie.Tortorello@rsgroup.com

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Union Home Mortgage Selected for USDA Rural Development Delegated Authority Pilot Program

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12 minutes ago

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October 27, 2026

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One of six lenders chosen nationwide to deliver an enhanced USDA loan experience for eligible rural borrowers

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Union Home Mortgage (UHM), a high-growth independent mortgage banking company with a world-class culture, announced today that it has been selected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development to participate in the expanded Delegated Authority Lender Interactive Test Environment (LITE) Pilot Program for the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program, further strengthening the company’s ability to serve homebuyers in rural communities across the country. UHM is one of six lenders nationwide chosen to join the initiative, which begins on December 1, 2026.

The pilot program grants participating lenders greater authority in the loan approval and closing process, allowing qualified borrowers to move through the mortgage journey more efficiently while maintaining rigorous underwriting and compliance standards. By reducing pre-closing approval requirements from USDA, the program is designed to accelerate loan processing timelines and expand homeownership opportunities for eligible families in rural communities across the country.

“We are honored to partner with USDA Rural Development to help rural borrowers access more opportunities to achieve the dream of homeownership, which is one of the most powerful ways to build financial stability and strengthen communities,” said Bill Cosgrove, CEO of Union Home Mortgage. “Being selected for this pilot program reflects our commitment to providing world-class service and innovative solutions to our borrowers, and we thank USDA for entrusting us with this increased responsibility.”

Through the USDA Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program, eligible low- and moderate-income borrowers can access affordable financing options, including 100% financing for homes in qualifying rural areas. According to USDA Rural Development, homebuyers can buy existing, build new, or cover the cost of rehabilitating, improving, or relocating a home with a Single Family Housing loan guarantee. As a participant in the Delegated Authority LITE Pilot Program, UHM will be positioned to deliver these benefits with greater speed and efficiency while continuing to provide personalized guidance throughout the homebuying journey.

The selection further underscores UHM’s reputation as a trusted lending partner and aligns with the lender’s focus on responsible growth, operational excellence, and expanding access to affordable mortgage solutions in communities of all sizes.

For more information about Union Home Mortgage, visit www.uhm.com. For information about USDA Rural Development housing programs, visit www.rd.usda.gov.

About Union Home Mortgage
Union Home Mortgage Corp. (UHM) is a high-growth, full-service retail, wholesale, and consumer direct independent mortgage banking company with branches across the U.S. in 49 states + D.C. UHM is an in-house loan servicer offering world-class customer service through high touch communication & technology. A privately held family business, with a collaborative culture that stands out in the mortgage industry, UHM Partners (employees) are guided by a Code of Conduct that emphasizes respect, open communication, and accountability. All these principles translate to industry-leading customer retention and satisfaction. Some honors include being a Six-Year USA TODAY Top Workplace and a Twelve-Year Northeast Ohio Top Workplace. Learn more at www.uhm.com.

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SOURCE Union Home Mortgage

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