This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks
The action you just performed triggered the security solution
There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase
You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked
Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page
In this episode of the Strides and Vibes podcast
host Mario Buchs speaks with podiatrist Alessya Oreb about the impact of running on foot health
and how to prevent issues like plantar fasciitis and black toenails
Alessya shares insights on fungal infections
and the significance of foot hygiene for runners
The conversation emphasizes the need for prevention and care to maintain healthy feet for running enthusiasts
Running places significant stress on our feet with each step
Calf muscles play a crucial role in running efficiency and injury prevention
Proper shoe fitting is essential to avoid injuries and discomfort
Black toenails are a common issue for long-distance runners
Preventive measures are key to maintaining foot health for runners
Regularly check and maintain your shoes to prevent fungal growth
Understanding the anatomy of the foot can help in injury prevention
Consulting a podiatrist can provide tailored solutions for foot issues
"The big toe is crucial for running."
"Prevention is key for foot health."
"Your feet carry you everywhere."
00:00 Introduction to Running and Podiatry
17:00 The Dark Side of Running: Black Toenails
23:48 Preventing Foot Injuries and Proper Shoe Fit
36:08 From Fungus to Fabulous: Prevention and Treatment
45:04 Choosing the Right Shoes and Fitting Techniques
51:05 Honoring Traditions and Community Engagement
https://www.instagram.com/alessyaoreb?igsh=MTRmeTIwOWszejhpdw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
https://gotfungus.com.au/contact/
https://healtheticacoaching.com/
1);}.css-4hf0t5:focus{outline:none;}.css-4hf0t5:hover{border-color:rgba(215
https://www.instagram.com/alessyaoreb?igsh=MTRmeTIwOWszejhpdw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
https://gotfungus.com.au/contact/
https://healtheticacoaching.com/
powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations
Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free
or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne
Join me on this podcast as I navigate the murky waters of human behavior
and personal anecdotes through in-depth interviews with incredible people—all served with a generous helping of sarcasm and satire
After years as a forensic and clinical psychologist
I offer a unique interview style and a low tolerance for bullshit
quickly steering conversations toward depth and darkness
I honor the seriousness while also appreciating wit
I’m your guide through the twisted labyrinth of the human psyche
Nick Buchs was hired by Georgia State in September of 2016
As the Director of Facilities and Operations
Buchs assists with various construction and renovation projects
as well as in the management of all athletic facility maintenance and event operation
Prior to coming returning to Georgia State
Buchs served as the Assistant General Manager for Event Services at Indiana University for nearly two years
and supervising of 400 staff members across all major university venues
and was a Guest Services Administrator for home football and basketball games
Buchs served as a Facilities/Operations/Grounds Graduate Assistant and received a Master’s Degree in Sport Administration in December of 2014
he was responsible for the daily maintenance of athletic fields and grounds as well as the coordination with contractors for renovations and new construction projects
Buchs received his undergraduate degree in mathematics education from Indiana and served as the Assistant Academics Advisor for the Hoosiers’ athletics department
Thanks for visiting
The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy
We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here
Please select what you would like included for printing:
Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application
Deborah graduated from West Branch High School
She was raised on her family farm and was a farmer
Those left to cherish her memory are her mother
Dianna Bandy and Greg Bandy; and granddaughter
Visitation will be held at Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral Home on Sunday
Interment will be at Highland Memorial Park
Add to Calendar
Cassaday Turkle Christian Funeral And Cremation
Add to Calendar
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
A ski tourer died in an avalanche accident in Arolla VS on Friday afternoon. The victim was orienteering squad member Pascal Buchs.
A 27-year-old ski tourer was swept away by an avalanche in Arolla VS on Friday. It is now clear that the victim is orienteering squad member Pascal Buchs. "Our thoughts are with Pascal's family and friends, to whom we express our deepest condolences," wrote the Swiss Orienteering Federation in a post on Instagram.
Pascal Buchs had been a member of the Swiss Orienteering elite squad for six years, regularly competed in the World Cup and won various medals at Swiss championships. In the fall, he ran to silver in the relay at the World Military Championships.
According to a statement from the Valais cantonal police, Pascal Buchs was out skiing with a companion in the Arolla region when the accident occurred at around 1.30 pm. The mass of snow came loose from under the skis of one of the men and swept him away.
The rescue teams were able to quickly locate the orienteering squad member under the mass of snow. After resuscitation measures were initiated and he was transferred to hospital in Sion, Pascal Buchs succumbed to his injuries. His companion remained unharmed.
Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an Ein Beitrag geteilt von Swiss Orienteering (@swissorienteering)
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on YouTube
Follow us on Instagram
Find us on LinkIn
UNH Today RSS feeds
Manage Your Subscription Contact Us
Laura Buchs will join UNH as the new director of the Affirmative Action and Equity Office and Title IX coordinator beginning Aug
an equity and inclusion specialist with advanced Title IX and non-adversarial investigation training
has more than 10 years of professional experience in higher education and comes to UNH from Loyola University Chicago
where she served as deputy Title IX coordinator and equity investigator
“I am looking forward to getting to know the community and learning the ways in which I can be of the most service,” Buchs says
“Every university in the United States has a unique opportunity to rethink and reshape how equity and compliance interplay with its mission and goals
Coming into closer alignment with who we want to be is challenging and enriching work
and I welcome being part of these ongoing efforts at UNH.”
While completing graduate studies in international training and education
Buchs served as the assistant and interim international student coordinator for the Washington semester program at American University and directed recruitment and admissions activities within her academic program
She later directed living-learning communities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and circumnavigated the globe with Semester at Sea
In a Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) post law school
she received an award from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs for her work on training VA employees in the assessment of claims for benefits based on military sexual trauma
she has worked in higher education responding to and investigating discrimination and sexual misconduct complaints
Some of her prior roles have been EEO compliance manager at the University of New Mexico
manager and investigator for equity and diversity compliance at California State University Northridge and attorney for the U.S
You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience
You have accessed https://www.emdgroup.com, but for users from your part of the world, we originally designed the following web presence https://www.merckgroup.com
Merck is a vibrant team of specialists in Electronics
We share a love of science and a passion for technology
Merck ideas are everywhere – they can be life-changing
or be integral to the objects we rely on every day
Research is at the heart of everything we do
At Merck we translate science and technology into internal innovation and external partnerships that have the power to changes lives
we’re keeping digitalization at the forefront of it all
Smart Manufacturing: Transforming the Factory Shopfloor
Explore the latest news from the Merck media center and stay up-to-date with our upcoming events
Contract Manufacturing Brings Us Closer to the Sci-Fi Reality of mRNA
The investors' section of Merck provides everything shareholders and potential investors need to know about the company
Full-year 2024: Merck Delivers Profitable Growth
Switzerland to support the company’s rapidly growing reference materials business
The company anticipates that about two dozen jobs will be created
"Researchers in testing labs around the world use Merck’s reference materials every day to help generate accurate
reliable analytical results in pharmaceutical
environmental and food and beverage analysis,” said Jean-Charles Wirth
“This new laboratory will allow us to continue to drive innovation in diagnostics and testing and expand our research and development of analytical standards.”
1,125-square-meter Buchs building is scheduled for December 2021 and the move is planned for early 2022
is aimed at fostering a collaborative environment for its 40 employees
The new facility will offer a more efficient way of working for current and future employees in research and development
The laboratory area can be adapted to new requirements in the future
the Buchs location is one of the Life Science business’ most important research and development centers
around 450 people are employed at the site
building blocks and bioanalytical reagents are produced for Merck’s global academia
industrial research and quality control laboratory customers
The site also develops and manufactures raw materials for pharmaceutical manufacturing under Good Manufacturing Practices
as well as active pharmaceutical ingredients
The location serves as a main down-filling hub for the Life Science business of Merck
All Merck news are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the Merck Website. Please go to www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online
change your selection or discontinue this service
Around 57,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live
From advancing gene editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere
Merck generated sales of €16.2 billion in 66 countries
Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Merck’s technological and scientific advances
This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668
The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company
Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand
The only exceptions are the United States and Canada
where the business sectors of Merck operate as EMD Serono in healthcare
Merck and biopharmaceutical company SpringWorks Therapeutics
have entered into a definitive agreement for Merck to acquire SpringWorks
While the victim from the Sept. 19 fight declined to press criminal charges against deputy James Buchs, the episode launched the internal investigation.
“We will always hold our members accountable for their actions and, in this case, Dep. Buchs did not uphold the standard expected for our members,” said Amanda Hunter, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Office, in an email.
Buchs did not return multiple calls this week requesting comment.
The fight happened after several deputies from the same squad went to the International Beer Garten in Lutz for drinks, records show. Buchs, 27, and a stranger brushed by each other, then got into an argument, according to Buchs.
In an interview with investigators, Buchs said he felt the person hit his back, so he turned around and swung. But video surveillance shows Buchs initiated the physical contact, according to investigative documents.
Footage shows after the initial brush-by, the two walked toward each other and Buchs slapped a glass out of the bar patron’s right hand. The victim remained still with their hands down even as Buchs moved toward them, investigation documents detailed.
Buchs pushed the person’s chest with both his hands, according to the investigation. The stranger moved toward Buchs, who then struck them in the face.
In an interview with investigators, Buchs said he did not remember slapping the glass out of the person’s hand.
“I’m not an aggressive person,” Buchs said. “I had to have felt threatened for me to even get that far.”
He also told investigators that he drank a few beers and three shots at the bar, but did not feel out of control.
One of the deputies from Buchs’s squad helped break up the fight. That deputy later told investigators that Buchs called them numerous times after that night, saying he was “probably gonna go to jail,” according to documents.
Two women later approached Buch and other deputies at the bar to ask about the fight, investigative documents state, which escalated into another argument. Buchs called one of the women a “whore” and gave her the middle finger before walking away, the women told investigators.
When investigators asked Buchs if he felt he violated the Sheriff’s Office’s conduct policies, Buchs said he was provoked but his actions were a “disjustice” to the office.
When questioned during the internal affairs investigation, Buchs, who has been with the Sheriff’s Office since 2018, said stress had impacted him and his memory of the night.
“I’m stressed the f--k out,” Buchs said in internal affairs interviews.
Subscribe to our free DayStarter newsletter
You’re all signed up!Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.
Stress among law enforcement officers can be especially pronounced in Florida, the state with one of the highest rates of law enforcement suicide and PTSD, said Lorie Fridell, a professor of criminology at the University of South Florida.
The pandemic and heightened scrutiny of police officers surrounding the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in the last year only adds to that stress, she said.
“We know that in any profession, in any person, that stress can reduce short- and long-term performance and impact decision making,” Fridell said.
Hunter, the spokeswoman from the Sheriff’s Office, said they take a multi-pronged approach to the wellness of deputies, which includes offering family support, chaplain services and mental health resources. Deputies have access to peer support teams and other programs, she said.
Romy EllenbogenTallahassee Correspondent
Expensive gift for the children of the gods: an internet order from SVP politician Marc Jaisli caught the eye of customs
The mayor of Buchs AG was convicted of violating the Weapons Act
A child's toy is costing the mayor of Buchs Marc Jaisli dearly: The SVP politician ordered two pink water pistols from the Chinese online platform Temu and now has to pay a hefty fine
He was also sentenced to a conditional fine
Jaisli, president of the local council in Buchs AG, ordered the toys in August 2024, according to the "Aargauer Zeitung" newspaper
He had wanted to give his godchildren a present
customs inspected the shipment and Jaisli received a penalty order for "negligent unlawful import of weapons into Swiss territory without a permit"
as the public prosecutor's office is quoted in the "Aargauer Zeitung": "These imitation weapons are weapons according to the Weapons Act
as they can be mistaken for real firearms due to their appearance." In fact
real weapons in bright colors are very popular
he did not know that buying the toy would make him liable to prosecution
The politician should have informed himself about the applicable import regulations
argues the public prosecutor's office
His failure to do so cost Jaisli a fine of 1,300 francs
the public prosecutor's office imposed a conditional fine of 20 daily rates of CHF 260 each
"Ignorance is no defense against punishment," admitted Marc Jaisli
He therefore accepted the penalty order and paid it
Jaisli is not the only person from Aargau to fall into the Temu trap
public prosecutors issue several penalty orders relating to fake firearms
We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.
Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. Please use the button below to manage your account.
Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading.
Sorry, no promotional deals were found matching that code.
Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. Low 47F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
Amy Buchs is a local artist who has taught art at Angola and DeKalb High schools and painted murals for various community locations in Angola, Waterloo, Auburn and Hudson. She painted the new mural featured in the lower level of Carnegie Public Library and is currently working on one on the main level with fellow local artist Janelle Slone.
Janelle Slone is a local artist who teaches art classes at The Relic Emporium, which she owns, and in Fort Wayne. She is currently working on a mural at Carnegie Public Library with fellow local artist Amy Buchs, who she studied under at Angola High School.
The first mural that Amy Buchs painted for Carnegie Public Library stretches along the wall on the lower level and features bright, colorful marbles.
ANGOLA — Amy Buchs has left her artistic touch in multiple places around the northeast Indiana area. Her latest work is now featured permanently at Carnegie Public Library — directly on the wall in fact.
Since December, Buchs has been working on two murals in the lower and upper levels of the recently renovated library. The lower level-mural, which she finished mid-January, is a blast of light, vibrant colors that features translucent marbles.
“It just suited itself for that area because it has depth,” Buchs said. “In a hallway, it gives depth, and it’s bright. It was fun to paint because you could be freeform-ish.”
Buchs often worked during the day when people would pass by and observe her while she painted. One little girl and her father stopped to admire her work and leaped at the opportunity when Buchs offered to let her add a few strokes.
“It’s so fun to see kids paint,” Buchs said. “They get so excited.”
Now, Buchs has moved to the main level of the library where she is working on a mural at the entrance to the children’s section featuring a child gazing in wonder at a book and butterflies.
Buchs is completing the new mural with fellow local artist Janelle Slone.
Slone teaches art lessons at The Relic Emporium and in Fort Wayne, so sometimes the two must work separately at different shifts. Often, though, they are able to coordinate joint sessions and collaborate directly as they work.
“When I learned that she’s living and working as an artist in Angola, I asked her if she’d be interested in helping, and she said yes,” Buchs said.
Buchs taught art at Angola High School from 1985 to 1995 where Slone had been a student of hers.
Slone has done a few larger projects of her own before, and Buchs appreciates the opportunity to work with her on an equal level.
“We are really able to critique it out really well, and that’s important. To get a partner to do honest, productive critiques with, that’s really a big part of it. I really appreciate the way she can do that so well.”
After Angola, Buchs went on to teach art at DeKalb High School until she retired in 2017.
While at Angola, she painted the crest over the high school library hall, and at DeKalb, she was commissioned to paint the school mascot, a baron, on the gym wall.
Even after retiring, Buchs continues to paint and has done multiple murals in Waterloo, Auburn and Hudson.
“People just ask me to do stuff, and it’s fun,” Buchs said.
It will be another week or two until Buchs and Slone finish the upstairs mural, and those who are interested in seeing them work are encouraged to stop by Carnegie Library.
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
Happy Birthday to Donald Buchs who will celebrate his 90th birthday on September 26th. If you would like, please send cards to 214 West River Street Edgerton, Ohio 43517
Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );
Hindenburg’s report suggested that Madhabi Buch and her husband held interests in the same obscure offshore Bermuda and Mauritius funds used by Vinod Adani, the brother of Gautam Adani
The report also implied that Adani’s apparent confidence in avoiding regulatory scrutiny might be connected to his relationship with the SEBI Chairperson
the Buchs categorically denied these claims
calling them “baseless” and “devoid of any truth”
They emphasized that their finances are transparent and have been fully disclosed to SEBI over the years
The couple expressed their willingness to share all financial documents
even those predating Madhabi Buch’s tenure as SEBI Chairperson
“It is unfortunate that Hindenburg Research against whom SEBI has taken an Enforcement action and issued a show cause notice has chosen to attempt character assassination in response to the same,” the statement from the Buchs read
A more detailed response from the Buchs is expected later in the day
as they continue to address the allegations head-on
Hindenburg Research said it has made the new allegations based on documents provided by a whistleblower and investigations carried out by other entities
“Madhabi Buch and her husband Dhaval Buch first appear to have opened their account with IPE Plus Fund 1 on June 5
signed by a principal at IIFL states that the source of the investment is “salary” and the couple’s net worth is estimated at USD 10 million,” the report stated
Hindenburg published a report accusing the Adani Group of financial irregularities
leading to a significant drop in the company’s stock price
The group at the time had rubbished these claims
The Hindenburg report alleged stock manipulation and fraud by the conglomerate
The case is related to the allegations (part of a report by Hindenburg Research) that Adani had inflated its share prices
there was a sharp fall in the shares of various Adani group companies’ stocks
reportedly to the tune of over USD 100 billion
The US short seller’s report in January was published two days before a USD 2.5 billion follow-up public offering was issued by Adani Enterprises
The Adani group has repeatedly denied all the accusations in the Hindenburg Research report
India’s service sector showed strong growth in April
with the HSBC India Services Business Activity Index rising to 58.7 from 58.5 in March
This indicates a significant expansion in output
with the reading above the long-run average of 54.2
A reading above 50 signals sector expansion
while a reading below 50 indicates contraction
Jul 12, 2023 | Entertainment | 0 comments
Ashley Buchs and Joe Ferrara are The Music People Duo
the word got out that Ashley Buchs and Joe Ferrara of the Lorain
The pair started out by performing for friends
wineries and restaurants in need of quality stage talent came a-knocking
they’ll be The Music People Duo on the big District Stage in Port Clinton for a RiverFront Live
with Ashley playing violin and Joe strumming his guitar
If all of their kids in their separate families were there they’d fill the front row
Ashley and Jake Buchs have four children and live close to where Ashley grew up in Vermiliion
Joe and Debora Ferrara not only have six children
While the playlist for their duo used to be some country and classic rock
these days they play and sing an eclectic blend of covers from great artists we all know from the last few decades
That includes such all-time favorites as Dolly Parton
Apr 29, 2025 | Featured, Entertainment
BY SHERI TRUSTY OTTAWA COUNTY - Two years ago
local organizations collaborated to create Ottawa County Community Day
Apr 29, 2025 | Entertainment
Have your events listed in our Calendar through Paid Advertising or https://info.thebeacon.net/eandesubmission THURSDAY MAY 1 74th Annual National..
PORT CLINTON - Advance ride tickets for the 2025 David W
Leonard Fraternal Order of Eagles #2295 Walleye Festival are now available
Lake Erie Marine Forecast
ODNR Fishing Reports
Powered by Webify
The driver who caused a six-car pile-up in Elyria in January 2017 resulting in the death of a 6-year-old girl was sentenced on Wednesday
Donald Buchs was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular assault, vehicular assault and OVI in June 2017. Police say Buchs was under the influence of marijuana at the time of the crash.
Alia Bailey, the 6-year-old who died, and her mother Nancy Burnett were in their red Ford Explorer at the Route 57 and Cleveland intersection in Elyria when a truck, driven by Buchs, plowed into them. The Ford F-350 hit with such force, Ali and her mom went flying into the intersection, hitting other cars.
Buchs was sentenced to 11 years in prison and a 15-year driver's license suspension upon release, according to a bailiff from the Lorain County Common Pleas Court. Buchs also has to pay $14,284.54 to Burnett for funeral expenses for her daughter. Burnett will also receive an additional $765 for medical expenses.
These findings suggest that the inclusive program contributed to reducing status-related problems and promoting more equal-status participation.
Volume 14 - 2023 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1257372
This article is part of the Research TopicParadoxes of Diversity and Inclusion: From the Lab to the Social FieldView all 11 articles
Introduction: The inclusion of students with diverse heritage languages is an emerging issue in all OECD countries due to the global rise in international migration
With regard to their large cultural and linguistic heterogeneity
primary school classes in the French-speaking region of Switzerland are extraordinary grounds to develop inclusive teaching in context of high diversity
This research-action aims to enhance students’ status among their peers and promote equal-status participation in academic activities in such classes
The research perspective focuses on valuing diversity within classes and emphasizing students’ linguistic competence through cooperative activities
Methods: The tested inclusive program places value on linguistic diversity and proposes multilingual cooperative activities that involve students’ family languages and require the contributions of all students
The research was conducted over the course of a school year
It compared the evolution students’ status among peers (being chosen as a groupmate for play and work) from the beginning to the end of the school year in four classes with the inclusive program (N = 77) and four control classes without the inclusive program (N = 62)
Results: The results indicated expected changes in status: status increased in classes with the inclusive program
while it decreased in classes without the program
the intervention specifically supported the status of vulnerable pupils
students with initially low status experienced the greatest improvement
there was no correlation between initial status and changes in status
students with low status participated passively
experiencing higher levels of exclusion and displaying more discrete behavior
highlighting potential initial status-problems issues
This pattern persisted in control classes without the inclusive program
where low-status students were more likely to remain passive
while initially high- status students were more likely to become leaders
the relationship between status and participation diminished by the end of the year
Discussion: These findings suggest that the inclusive program contributed to reducing status-related problems and promoting more equal-status participation
This definition of inclusive education is broader than one that focuses exclusively on students identified with special needs
The classroom environment must support positive experiences for all students
teachers implemented cooperative activities in Grade 3–4 that required multiple linguistic skills and acknowledged students’ competence based on their contributions related to their heritage language
The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of this inclusive program on the changes in students’ social and academic status
and regarding the way their participation is related to their status
Each student approaches learning in a specific way. Success and failure in the classroom contribute to determining students’ academic reputation and impact their social status (Hymel and Katz, 2019)
Some students possess personal characteristics that are valued to varying degrees
while others receive specialized support that can influence their social standing
Class diversity encompasses a wide range of differences among students
including individual and social characteristics
which addresses social norms and peer interactions at the classroom level
In order to support the participation of all students, teachers need to reinforce students’ competence expectancies, especially for students who are at risk (Cohen, 1994; see Lotan, 2022 for a review)
this can be achieved by highlighting the competence of specific students who have a lower status
Teachers can design activities that allow students to showcase their specific skills and abilities
providing them with opportunities to demonstrate their competence
When students are able to showcase their abilities and make meaningful contributions
and teachers publicly acknowledge their accomplishments providing specific feedback
Cooperative work provides teachers with the chance to observe students’ abilities and recognize their valuable contributions
Teachers can also assign specific roles during group work that align with these abilities
The frequency with which teachers employ these two strategies aimed at reinforcing students’ competence expectancies has been shown to decrease status problems (Cohen and Lotan, 1995). Lotan (2022) offers a comprehensive review of the impacts of complex instruction on learning outcomes
The findings emphasize the significance of social interaction in the learning process
and students’ disciplinary discourse
Providing instruction focused on heritage languages during the early years of schooling has a positive impact on learning outcomes (UNESCO, 2009). It helps students establish meaningful connections between the curriculum and their personal experiences, which facilitates learning (Gay, 2002)
This approach also demonstrates institutional recognition of the value of heritage languages by placing them on an equal footing with the language of instruction
The objective of the program tested in this study is to provide students with equal opportunities to contribute while considering their backgrounds
particularly their competence in heritage languages
To ensure students’ comfort and contributions
a questionnaire was sent to families to inquire about the specific language or dialect students would like to use in classroom activities
their proficiency levels in this language (for reading
and whether someone could assist with homework designed to prepare students for their contributions
Some students indicated multiple languages
while others identified languages spoken by relatives beyond their immediate family (e.g.
the program encompasses family languages in a broad sense
Even when teachers recognize the importance of addressing status disparities in their classes, they may feel daunted by the task (Pescarmona, 2015). Furthermore, teachers in the context of the study have reported difficulties in conceptualizing and designing cooperative activities (Buchs et al., 2017) and may not feel comfortable introducing linguistic diversity into their teaching (Akkari et al., 2011)
it was crucial to provide teachers with specific activities that they can implement and support them throughout the process
a set of activities was collaboratively constructed in partnership with primary teachers before this study
These ready-to-use activities were introduced to the inclusive program tested in this study
The research team took responsibility for documenting the family languages/dialects that students could work with in the classroom
Teachers had previously received training in structuring cooperative activities (provided one year before the study at the school level)
they received one additional day of training to participate in the research
This training focused on the program’s objectives
the significance of students’ status for their participation and learning
and the issue of status disparities and status problems
Teachers were provided with all the necessary materials
including required translations when needed
To transition smoothly into multilingual cooperative activities
preliminary activities were proposed from September to February
followed by the implementation of cooperative multilingual activities from March to June
the program was structured into three stages presented below
The inclusive program materials are available upon request by contacting the corresponding author
Next, activities dedicated to promoting openness to linguistic diversity were introduced from December to February. These activities were derived from regular teaching methods employed in the French-Swiss area to foster language inclusivity in schools (Perregaux, 1998; Sanchez-Mazas et al., 2019)
While these methods are available to all regular teachers
the implementation of related activities in mainstream classrooms is relatively uncommon
The inclusive program introduced some of these activities
These activities were specifically designed to cultivate positive attitudes toward plurilingual students and enhance learning in the language of instruction. Some activities focused on linguistic diversity in a general sense, while others emphasized and celebrated the actual linguistic diversity within the targeted classrooms (Perregaux et al., 2003; Sanchez-Mazas et al., 2019)
The approach to embracing other languages involved listening
and comparing oral or written texts in different languages during classroom activities
This provided opportunities for students to engage with the language of instruction through other languages and develop metalinguistic skills
students were equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to welcome new and unfamiliar languages
a total of 22 multilingual cooperative activities were conducted
ensured that each student’s contribution was crucial in achieving the common goals of the team
Some activities utilized dual-language printed materials
with each student receiving materials in their family language and French (the language of instruction)
while others involved words provided by family in their respective languages
They actively incorporated the participation of students’ and parents’ cultures in classroom activities
The nature of the activities required students to draw upon their unique resources
such as specific linguistic skills for students who spoke a language other than French
or different types of contributions for students who only spoke the language of instruction
For students who had no foreign language background at home or in their relatives (2 to 6 students in each class)
various alternative contributions were introduced
or assuming different necessary responsibilities
ensuring that every student’s contribution was essential during multilingual cooperative activities
fostering diverse interactions and contact with different languages
The linguistic diversity in these classes was substantial
ranging from 10 to 14 additional languages alongside French when taking into account students who spoke French at home with their parents but had a foreign language background (3 to 7 students in each class)
there were 27 different languages represented
parents did not speak French at all (1 to 6 students in each class)
requiring the translation of parental authorizations
For students who spoke two different foreign languages (3 to 6 students in each class)
they were given the choice of which language to use in school activities
Around 8 to 10 different languages were utilized in each class for the activities
The research team managed the relationship with translators to provide all the necessary materials for the activities
along with the French version for the teachers to identify different passages
while the multilingual cooperative activities provided an opportunity to value students’ skills in their family languages
allowing each student to showcase their abilities
The inclusive program targeted all students
with special attention given to students at risk without explicitly identifying or naming specific individuals or groups to avoid stigmatization or categorization
The overarching hypothesis is that this inclusive three-stage program will (1) enhance students’ status among their peers
particularly for those who initially had low status
and (2) contribute to more equitable and equal-status participation in classroom activities
The first series of hypotheses pertained to the effect of the inclusive program on the evolution of status
H1a: It was expected that the inclusive program would enhance the status of students
with greater improvements observed in classes that implemented the program compared to classes without the program
it was hypothesized that the inclusive program would have a particularly positive impact on students who initially had low status
This hypothesis suggests a stronger negative relationship between initial status and the evolution of status with the inclusive program
The second series of hypotheses aimed to investigate the role of the inclusive program in the evolution of status problems
Status problems were examined through the relationship between students’ status and their type of participation during the unstructured activity
Status problems could be identified through: (a) positive relationships between status and assertive types of participation (e.g.
high-status students being more likely to endorse leadership and engage in co-construction)
and (b) negative relationships between students’ status and passive types of participation (e.g.
low-status students being more likely to be discrete and excluded)
This approach to status problems implies the following hypotheses:
H2a: At the outset of the academic year (pre-test)
students in highly diverse classrooms may exhibit a pattern of status problems
the relationship between students’ initial status (pre-test) and their type of participation at the beginning of the year (pre-test) was examined
it is hypothesized that if status problems were present during the pre-test
they may persist in classrooms without the inclusive program
it is expected that such problems would be diminished
participation should not be associated with any specific status with the inclusive program
the relationship between students’ final status (post-test) and their type of participation at the end of the year (post-test) was examined in the two conditions
the inclusive program is expected to disrupt the connection between initial status (pre-test) and participation at the end of the year (post-test)
the inclusive program should facilitate equal-status participation across different status levels
and initial status should no longer be linked to distinct types of participation with the inclusive program
the success rate at the end of the 4th grade’s cantonal exams in French was 87.3% for French-speaking pupils and 77.3% for students who spoke another language at home during the 2018–2019 academic year
when children arrived from foreign schools without proficiency in French
they spent half of their time in a specialized class dedicated to learning French and the other half in a mainstream class with peers of the same age
This arrangement typically lasted for one to two years
All students involved in the study were regular students in the classes included in the research
All students with parental authorization from the 8 classes were included in the study
The inclusive program was implemented by four regular teachers in their mainstream class from one school (referred to as School A)
with a total of 77 students whose parents provided authorization and participated in the pre- and post-tests
Four control classes were also included in the study
with one in School A and three in School B
comprising a total of 62 students with parental authorization present during the pre- and post-tests
Both schools were located in the same area
with 37.4% of pupils coming from modest backgrounds and 57% of students speaking a language other than French (the language of instruction) in 2019
49% of pupils spoke another language at home in 2016
and 39% were from modest backgrounds (compared to 55 and 48%
All participating teachers had prior training in cooperative learning and volunteered to participate in the study
This paper focus on equal-status participation in classroom
students’ participation was coded based on video-recorded interactions during a non-structured activity conducted in triads at the beginning and end of the school year
Only students with parental authorization for video recording were videotaped and included in the analysis
The triads consisted of heterogeneous groups with one student of low
the remaining dyads were excluded from the analysis
interactions from 17 trios with 51 students in classes with the inclusive program and 14 trios with 42 students in control classes were analyzed
including those present at both the pre-test and post-test
We have conducted a pre-post test intervention in order to test the impact of the inclusive program by comparing 4 classes with the inclusive program to 4 control classes without the inclusive program
Although the study design was not preregistered
it received approval from the ethics committee of the host university and the heads of the teaching departments
This approval allowed the collection of data in the schools based on the study’s description prior to implementation
Written informed consent was obtained from the parents
The main independent variable is the introduction of the inclusive program as described in section 1.5
Teachers from the control and treatment classes were all trained to cooperative learning before the intervention
Status was measured using a sociometric instrument inspired by Cohen and Lotan (1997) at the beginning and end of the school year. In determining status among peers, local characteristics, such as academic status and popularity are significant factors (Lotan, 2022). In the study by Cohen and Lotan (1997)
students were asked to indicate the names of those in their class who were considered the “best at math and science” for academic status and those who were considered their “best friends” for social status
based on the quintiles of the classroom distribution
The scores for academic and social status were then combined to create a “co-status score.”
A pilot study conducted in our specific context revealed that the original measure was problematic
Students found it uncomfortable and strange to indicate who the “best students” or “best friends” were
In order to avoid a competitive framing of the question
we provided a list with the names of all students in the class and asked students to indicate (a) the students in the class with whom they liked to work in groups (either a lot or a little) for school status
and (b) the students with whom they liked to play during free time like recess
lunch break (either a lot or a little) for social status
These measures allowed us to calculate a weighted status score
assigning 2 points for the highest intensity (liking a lot) and 1 point for the lower intensity (liking a little)
while students who were not chosen received 0 points
The correlation between the scores of academic status and social status was high
with r = 0.83 for the pre-test and r = 0.85 for the post-test
we calculated the co-status by summing the two weighted scores
Min pre-test = 13.00 and Max pre-test = 64.00; Mpost-test = 39.83
Min post-test = 0.00 and Max post-test = 74.00
To explore different types of participation that reflect a potential continuum related to status expression
categorizing students’ participation into four categories:
(a) Exclusion: The student’s contribution is disregarded
(b) Discrete participation: The student observes and follows the actions of groupmates without actively engaging
or is prompted by a groupmate to contribute
(c) Co-construction: The student actively participates in verbal discussions related to the task content
or promotes an inclusive environment that encourages the involvement of all students
(d) Leadership: The student exhibits behaviors that limit others from participating
questions or negotiates others’ contributions
gives insight concerning the severity of problem status; the two extreme categories being more severe
The video recordings were divided into 10-s segments
and each student’s actions were coded for each segment
As some groups completed the activity more quickly
the first 60 segments of 10 s each were coded for all groups
and after achieving satisfactory agreement (97% average agreement over 220 segments)
The coding process was blind to the condition
timing of the video (pre-test or post-test)
The inclusive program was expected to enhance the status of students, with greater improvements in classes with the program compared to classes without the program (Hypothesis H1a). Additionally, it was hypothesized that the inclusive program would have a particularly positive impact on students’ status with low initial status (Hypothesis H1b). Table 1 indicates the evolution of students’ status among peer in the two conditions
Evolution of students’ status from pre-test to post-test regarding the intervention (with and without inclusive program)
it was hypothesized that the inclusive program would have a particularly positive impact on students’ status who initially had low status (Hypothesis H1b)
a regression model was employed to examine the relationship between the evolution of status (dependent variable) and the initial status (centered)
the intervention (coded as −1 for without intervention and + 1 for with intervention)
and the interaction between the two as predictors
The results indicated that the effect of the inclusive program was significant
b = 5.60 t = 9.00
the interaction between the intervention and initial status was found to be significant
The model accounted for 50% of the variation in the evolution of status among peers
Figure 2 illustrates the interaction effect
there was a significant negative association between the evolution of status and initial students’ status
indicating a noteworthy positive evolution of status for students with low initial status
the relationship between status evolution and initial status was not significant
This suggests that in the absence of the program
students have maintained their status whether initially high or low
Students’ status evolution in fonction of the initial students’ status regarding the intervention (with and without inclusive program)
For students with high initial status (+1SD)
the effect of the intervention on their status evolution was less pronounced
p < 0.001 compared to students with average status
p < 0.001 or low initial status (−1SD)
This finding suggests that the inclusive program specifically benefits students with low initial status in terms of improving their status over time
the status evolution turned negative for students who had a score higher than 50 in their initial status
Due to the non-normality of the data regarding the types of participation (i.e.
correlations are reported for both the original data and the transformed data
the correlations observed across all classes suggested the presence of status problems
as indicated by negative correlations between initial status and more passive forms of participation
Students with lower initial status were more likely to experience exclusion
p = 0.01 and rtransformed = −0.25
Negative correlations were also found for discrete participation in the original data
but these correlations were not significant with the transformed data
rtransformed = −0.15
Initial status showed no significant relationship with co-construction
This initial pattern was consistent with a dynamic of exclusion experienced by students with lower status among their peers
but would be diminished in classrooms with the inclusive program
the students’ status at the end of the year was not correlated with the type of participation in the classes with the inclusive program
The correlations observed with the original data ranged from −0.09 > roriginal < 0.10
the correlations ranged from −0.03 > rtransformed < 0.19
These findings illustrate an equal-status participation in the classes with the inclusive program
the correlations between status and participation were higher
The correlations with the original data ranged from −0.32 > roriginal < 0.10
while the correlations with the transformed data ranged from −0.23 > rtransformed < 0.25
At the end of the year in the control classes
the pattern observed is consistent with the expectations in the case of status problems
There were negative correlations between status and passive participation
indicating that lower-status students were more likely to be excluded and adopt discrete participation
There was a positive correlation between status and assertive participation
indicating that higher-status students were more likely to participate in co-construction and assume leadership roles
it is worth noting that correlations with the transformed data were not significant
The final hypothesis examines whether students retained any trace of their initial status from their initial status (pre-test) when working with their classmates at the end of the year
The pattern of correlations appears consistent with persistent marker for lower-status students in the control classes
Negative correlations persisted between initial status and passive participation
Lower-status students were more likely to remain excluded at the end of the year
p = 0.01; rtransformed = −0.26
p = 0.04; rtransformed = −0.29
students with higher initial status continued to demonstrate more leadership at the end of the year
p = 0.04; rtransformed = 0.35
There was no relationship found between initial status and co-construction in either classes without the program
no significant relationship was found between initial status and any form of participation
and the correlation coefficients were very weak
ranging from −0.13 > roriginal < 0.03 and from −0.02 > rtransformed < −0.08 for transformed data
This suggests that students in these classes were more engaged in equal-status participation
Considering sociolinguistic diversity in classrooms
the objective of the program tested in this study was to provide students with equal opportunities to contribute
taking into consideration their competence in their family language
This program included activities that promote openness to others
Multilingual cooperative activities were designed to necessitate the contribution of all students while acknowledging their specific linguistic skills
This one-year inclusive program was expected to (1) enhance students’ status among their peers
and (2) contribute to more equal-status participation in classroom activities
The results demonstrated that this inclusive program moderated the evolution of students’ status
There was a significant increase in status with the implementation of the inclusive program
with students being more cited as play and work partners at the end of the year
considering that the students had spent a school year together in the same class
in classes where the inclusive program was not implemented
the inclusive program had a positive impact on students who initially had low status
students with low as well as high initial status experienced a similar stagnation in their status
The negative relationship found between initial status and changes in status with the inclusive program could lead to concerns about high-status students being penalized
results showed that the negative change in status for high-status students occurred only for a few students
those who had an initial status above 50 (4 students on 51)
This result can be explained by the measurement method: since the students could name many classmates they wanted to play and work with
The second hypothesis proposed an additional step toward equity in highly diverse classrooms
specifically whether students’ status determined their participation
The initial pattern at the beginning of the year illustrated a status problem
with low-status pupils more likely to participate passively
Results suggested a dynamic of exclusion experienced by students with lower status
The correlations suggested that this pattern remained present at the end of the year without the inclusive program
The correlations in these classes were negative with passive participation types and positive with active participation types
This pattern was found for both pre-test status and post-test status
Caution is needed because the correlations were weak and non-significant for transformed data
this pattern contrasted with the absence of correlation between status and type of participation at the post-test in classes where the inclusive program was implemented
Neither initial status nor status at the post-test were related to students’ participation in classes with the inclusive program
which evoked equal-status participation in these classes
From a methodological aspect, this analyze of status problems is original and more precise than in previous studies. Previous research has examined average rates of peer task-related talk (Cohen and Lotan, 1995, 1997) and some types of participation (Buchs et al., 2018)
we refined the types of participation by examining qualitative types of participation that were supposed to have differentiated relationships with status
The pattern of results aligned with this proposition
In situations where status problems were expected
students with low initial status participated passively
experiencing higher levels of exclusion and displaying more discreet behavior
highlighting potential initial status-related issues
while initially high-status students were more likely to become leaders
Even if they bring a new light on status problems
this methodology and associated patterns should be tested in future research to further validate their significance
One major challenge in our results was the non-normality of the data
Results indicated that with the required statistical transformations
Additional research is needed to investigate the potential of this structural approach in order to sustain participation of students with low initial status
This could be an opportunity to sustain the quantity of cooperative implementation while ensuring equal-status participation
which is also often perceived as challenging or even impossible to implement
To address the second paradox requires a high quality of implementation for sustaining equal participation (Abramczyk and Jurkowski, 2020). According to our results, it is essential to train teachers regarding the consequences of status problems and to empower them with tools able to create equal-status interactions that enhance all students’ learning experiences and outcomes (Lotan and Holthuis, 2021)
Our study bring knowledge about the status problems and develop an effective tool to foster equal-status interaction in context of high diversity classroom
This can accelerate teaching language learning which is crucial for rapid inclusion of migrant students in mainstream classrooms
addressing actively students’ status problems within diverse classrooms is not only a key factor for classroom social interactions
it is also a way to accelerate the inclusion of migrant students in schools
and to develop coexistence in our multicultural societies
The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors
The studies involving humans were approved by Ethics committee from University of Geneva
The studies were conducted in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements
Written informed consent for participation in this study was provided by the participants’ legal guardians/next of kin
NM: Writing – review & editing
The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research
This study was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation under grant number 100019_173025/1 « L’intégration des élèves en contexte hétérogène
De l’accueil des primo-arrivants à la coopération plurilingue et interculturelle dans les classes ordinaires »
The inclusive program was supported by the Olang Grant “Activités plurilingues dans une perspective coopérative” of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministries of Education
supported by the Federal Office of Culture
Open access funding by Haute école pédagogique du canton de Vaud (HEP Vaud)
Margarita Sanchez-Mazas collaborated to the global project
Eleftheria Lamarina coded all the video and Ngoie Gacond was a second coder for ensuring inter-judge reliability
Diego Zinetti monitored the implementation of the program and took part in data collection
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations
Any product that may be evaluated in this article
or claim that may be made by its manufacturer
is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher
2. The Swiss Federal Statistical Office, https://www.bfs.admin.ch
3. Genevan office for research in education, https://www.ge.ch/organisation/service-recherche-education
Cooperative learning as an evidence-based teaching strategy: what teachers know
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Teacher motivation to implement an educational innovation: factors differentiating users and non-users of cooperative learning
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Promoting inclusion and equity in education: lessons from international experiences
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
From accommodating to using diversity by teachers in Switzerland
Google Scholar
Effective teaching strategies for middle school learners in multicultural
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
and the relation between research and practice
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
S’ouvrir à la langue de l’Autre et à la diversité linguistique
Google Scholar
Changes in grouping practices over primary and secondary school
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Preparing schools for a multicultural learning society: report of the first project year
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Cooperative learning in intercultural education
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Benhaïm-Grosse
Premiers résultats de l’enquête sur les pratiques d’enseignement des professeurs des écoles
Google Scholar
Accommodating cultural diversity and achieving equity
An introduction to psychological dimensions of multiculturalism
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Influence of group processing on achievement and perception of social and academic support in elementary inexperienced cooperative learning groups
Dual effects of partner’s competence: resource interdependence in cooperative learning at elementary school
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Challenges for cooperative learning implementation: reports from elementary school teachers
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Fostering equity in a multicultural and multilingual classroom through cooperative learning
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Des activités plurilingues dans une perspective coopérative pour favoriser l’équité dans les classes caractérisée par une forte diversité linguistique
“Social interdependence and the promotion of cooperative learning” in Social psychology in action
Evidence-based interventions from theory to practice
Google Scholar
Cañabate
Cooperative learning to reduce inequalities: instructional approaches and dimensions
L’éveil aux langues à l’école primaire
Google Scholar
Relationships among cooperative learning experiences
A multi-ability approach to the integrated classroom
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Designing groupwork: Strategies for the heterogeneous classroom
Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Producing equal-status interaction in the heterogeneous classroom
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Working for equity in heteregeneous classrooms
Google Scholar
“Can expectations for competence be altered in the classroom?” in Status generalization: New theory and research
Foschi (Stanford: Stanford University Press)
Google Scholar
Complex instruction: equity in cooperative learning classrooms
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Les langues au coeur de l'éducation
Google Scholar
Studies towards a common European framework of reference for language learning and teaching
Google Scholar
Pioneering perspectives in cooperative learning
Google Scholar
Google Scholar
French teachers’ general attitude toward inclusion: the indirect effect of teacher efficacy
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
A review of flipped classroom and cooperative learning method within the context of Vygotsky theory
PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Gender integration and the promotion of inclusive classroom climates
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Promoting inclusive communities in diverse classrooms: teacher attunement and social dynamics management
Ferguson-Patrick
Cooperative learning in Swedish classrooms: engagement and relationships as a focus for culturally diverse students
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Ferguson-Patrick
Cooperative learning for intercultural classrooms: Case studies for inclusive pedagogy
Google Scholar
Understanding motivation for implementing cooperative learning methods: a value-based approach
Forslund Frykedal
Student collaboration in group work: inclusion as participation
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Preparing for culturally responsive teaching
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
“Structuring co-operative learning experiences in primary schools” in Co-operative learning: The social and intellectual outcomes of learning in groups
Google Scholar
Cooperative learning: review of research and practice
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
“Cooperative group work” in The encyclopedia of child and adolescent development
Jewell (Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons)
Google Scholar
Co-operative learning: The social and intellectual outcomes of learning in groups
Google Scholar
Teachers' reflections on cooperative learning: issues of implementation
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Contemporary global perspectives on cooperative learning
Google Scholar
“Cooperative learning and the state of the field: an introduction” in Contemporary global perspectives on cooperative learning
Google Scholar
Some issues for cooperative learning and intercultural education
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement
Google Scholar
Influence of segregation versus mixing: intergroup contact and attitudes among white-British and Asian-British students in high schools in Oldham
Fifty-odd years of inter-group contact: from hypothesis to integrated theory
Designing classrooms for diversity: fostering social inclusion
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Institute for Economics and Peace (2020)
Ecological threat register 2020: Understanding ecological threats
Google Scholar
Understanding advantaged groups' opposition to diversity
and inclusion (DEI) policies: the role of perceived threat
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
An educational psychology success story: social interdependence theory and cooperative learning
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Cooperative learning in middle schools: Interrelationship of relationships and achievement
Google Scholar
The relationship between motivation and achievement in interdependent situations
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Special issues on learning to learn together: cooperation
Google Scholar
Teachers’ concerns about inclusive education and the links with teachers’ attitudes
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Promoting social inclusion in educational settings: challenges and opportunities
“The structural approach and Kagan structures” in Pioneering perspectives in cooperative learning: Theory
and classroom practice for diverse approaches to cooperative learning
Google Scholar
Google Scholar
The three block model of universal Design for Learning (UDL): engaging students in inclusive education
Google Scholar
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
A cooperative learning intervention to promote social inclusion in heterogeneous classrooms
"Effect of think-pair-share in a large CS1 class"
9th annual international conference on international computing education research
Google Scholar
A meta-analysis of the effects of face-to-face cooperative learning
Do recent studies falsify or verify earlier findings
Teaching teachers to build equitable classrooms
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
“Equitable classrooms: a compelling connection between theory and practice” in Unequals: The power of status and expectations in our social lives
Google Scholar
“Complex instruction for diverse and equitable classrooms” in Pionnering perspectives in cooperative learning
Davidson (New York: Taylor & Francis)
Google Scholar
Talk and development of reasoning and understanding
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Think and pair before share: effects of collaboration on students’ in-class participation
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Ethnic diversity and inclusive school environments
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Avec les approches d'éveil aux langages
l'interculturel est au centre de l'apprentissage scolaire
Bulletin suisse de linguistique appliquée 67
Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Learning to participate through complex instruction
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Status problem and expectations of competence: a challenging path for teachers
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
“Giving voice to diversity: cooperative strategies for intercultural citizenship” in Contemporary global perspectives on cooperative learning
Google Scholar
Generalized intergroup contact effects on prejudice
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
A Meta-analytic test of intergroup contact theory
PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Opportunities to learn in America's elementary classrooms
and sharing to improve learning and engagement in a data structures and algorithms (DSA) class"
in: Proceedings of the international conference on learning and teaching in computing and engineering
Google Scholar
Intergroup contact fosters more inclusive social identities
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal Design for Learning
VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Google Scholar
Promoting early Adolescents' achievement and peer relationships: the effects of cooperative
Sanchez-Mazas
“De la reconnaissance des langues à la reconnaissance par les langues: acquis de la recherche et pistes pédagogiques” in Psychologie interculturelle en pratiques
Google Scholar
Cooperative learning for academic and social gains: valued pedagogy problematic practice
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Cooperative learning: a diversified pedagogy for diverse classrooms
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
“What cooperative learning contributes to the intercultural classroom” in Intercultural education and competences for the global world
Google Scholar
Cooperative learning in elementary schools
CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Effective peer learning: From principles to practical implementation
Google Scholar
UNESCO (2009)
Policy guidelines on inclusion in education
Google Scholar
UNESCO (2019)
"Les 25 ans de la Déclaration de Salamanque de l’UNESCO sur le Développement de systèmes éducatifs inclusifs et équitables "
Google Scholar
United Nations (2019). International Migrant Stock. Department of Economics and Social Affairs. Available at: https://www.unmigration.org
Google Scholar
Cooperative learning in middle school: a means to improve peer relations and reduce victimization
Effects of cooperative learning on peer relations
Van Ryzin
The longitudinal relationship between peer relations and empathy and their joint contribution to reducing bullying in middle school: findings from a randomized trial of cooperative learning
Implementation of cooperative learning: differences in teachers’ attitudes and beliefs
Classroom climate and children’s academic and psychological wellbeing: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Productive patterns of interaction during collaborative problem solving
Margas N and Hascoët M (2023) Evaluating an inclusive program for promoting equal-status participation in classrooms with high sociolinguistic diversity: diversity valuation and multilingual cooperative activities
Received: 12 July 2023; Accepted: 30 November 2023; Published: 18 December 2023
Copyright © 2023 Buchs, Margas and Hascoët. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY)
distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted
provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited
in accordance with accepted academic practice
distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms
*Correspondence: Céline Buchs, Q2VsaW5lLkJ1Y2hzQGhlcGwuY2g=
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations
Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher
94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish
We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us
Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription
Your current subscription does not provide access to this content
Please use the button below to manage your account
or sign up for a new account to continue reading
no promotional deals were found matching that code
Amy Buchs of rural Waterloo designed this mural for a barn owned by her neighbors
WATERLOO — Amy Buchs’ neighbors had talked with her about painting a quilt on their barn for quite a while
“We have passed that big blank canvas every day for 35 years,” said Buchs
16 from Don and Betty Hammans’ farm north of Waterloo
Buchs has been leaving her mark on DeKalb County with three murals in downtown Auburn
plus wall graphics inside the gymnasiums at DeKalb Middle School and DeKalb High School and at the new Warm A Heart mission building in Waterloo
she finished her latest creation in her own corner of the county
“I never expected something that grand,” Betty Hamman said
Buchs and Betty Hamman collaborated on the design
“She leads a group of quilters who make a quilt for every baby baptized at church
she teaches quilting and keeps busy quilting professionally with her upstairs quilting machine.”
and she did the rest,” Betty said about Buchs
A motto arched across the top of the mural reads “Peaceful Hours,” the name of the quilt block Betty selected and the message she wanted to convey
You get a lot of peaceful hours” on the farm
She found the star-shaped quilt pattern in a book about women quilters from the 1920s
The Hamman farm’s history goes back even farther than a century
Don Hamman’s grandparents acquired the land in 1900
His grandfather built the main barn in 1947
Buchs painted Don Hamman driving a tractor modeled after a Farmall model that Buchs’ family owns
“We wave at our neighbors,” Betty Hamman said
and that’s what the mural shows her husband doing
In the background are belted cattle the Hammans used to raise
a tree line that stands south of the Hammans’ farm house and a setting sun
One of Betty’s beloved marigolds occupies the lower right corner of the mural
Before Buchs and her helpers could begin painting
the site had to be made safe for her lift device
Don Hamman hauled in dirt to level a hill beside the barn
built a floor to support the lift out of thick planks Hamman cut in his sawmill
“With the height the lift needed to take us
so they had a challenging task before any paint was applied,” Amy Buchs said
“Into the second week it became a neighborhood project,” Buchs said
The steering wheel and some quilt pieces were painted by six young kids — Wyatt
Good community and good memories were made.”
and a lot of people came by and took pictures while she was doing it,” Betty Hamman said
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community
Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed
Champagne Superchillin's Beach Deep comes out July 20
When the French expat Juliette Buchs was homesick for her country
she'd sing French-pop songs to her friends karaoke-style
In the increasingly diverse Nashville scene
some of those friends (Fly Golden Eagle's Ben Trimble and Clear Plastic Masks drummer Charles Garmendia) were convinced to start a band — not a throwback to classic country or Americana
Now based in Brooklyn, Champagne Superchillin' is getting ready to release its second album in as many years, Beach Deep.* It still mines the yé-yé and New Wave of yesteryear, with nods to Françoise Hardy and Serge Gainsbourg
but Champagne Superchillin' has now been dipped in bombastic surf riffs
haunting electronics and a syrup-thick production that coats it all in a psychedelic glaze
It's intoxicating pop music for the dark corners of the dance hall
That beauty and darkness twists into "Amor Fati," the album's strange
Juliette Buchs tells NPR Music it was inspired by Nietzsche's concept of the eternal return:
a theme that comes back identically and that you have to listen
This repetition of the same theme is what Nietzsche calls the eternal return
like the back and forth motion of ocean tides I felt through the writing of Beach Deep
I found the necessity of beauty and love in this ill-designed world
not like a spirit of surrender to a perhaps after
but an acceptance of my path with what it is
because the light can be actually quite dark
The night is a different way of seeing life
I feel like this entertainment is the tide to our eternal question of existence
The music video, by Film Lies
filmed at the Pocono Palace resort — a champagne-soaked hedonistic romp in heart-shaped jacuzzis and ceiling-mounted mirrors
Its deep shades of pink and red will put you in the mood for love
or at least a very deep desire for a sharp-cut bangs and a glittery dress
Beach Deep comes out July 20 via Soft Junk / Broken Circles
*We know that Champagne Superchillin' is kind of an obnoxious moniker
so we imagine the band-naming session maybe going something like this
perhaps after a few bottles of wine:"What if was like an Oasis song
That meme's played out.""Got it: Champagne Superchillin'." "Oh là là
Become an NPR sponsor
Showers and thundershowers this evening will give way to steady rain overnight
Artist Amy Buchs will arrive in LaGrange on Tuesday to start an 11 day project to paint a new mural in town
pause while working on a recent mural they completed in Auburn
LAGRANGE — Artist Amy Buchs is ready to go
Buchs was commissioned to create a new mural in downtown LaGrange at the corner of S.R
Buchs and her team will arrive in LaGrange on Tuesday morning with brushes and paint in hand
Buchs will be painting a new mural on the side of the former Clothes and Food Basket of LaGrange County building
Her canvas measures an impressive 83 feet long by 25 feet high
she’s no stranger to working on big projects
having already created several area murals
including two large projects in downtown Auburn
The key to any large project like the LaGrange mural starts with good planning
visiting LaGrange County and working with members of the LaGrange County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau to create a new large scale project reflective of the community
Buchs won’t say what the finished mural will look like
The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership wants to keep that a secret until Buchs starts painting
Buchs said the secret to successfully creating large projects like a mural actually starts at one small point
a dot she’ll place in the center of her canvas
That dot acts as an anchor and allows Buchs to carefully plot out preliminary key points of her planned painting
she and an assistant start expanding out across the wall
plotting other reference points until her entire canvas is completely mapped out
I just can’t wait to get painting,” she explained
“We’ve learned if you start painting before you get everything mapped out
The LaGrange mural is just one part of a larger public art program created by the Regional Partnership
in collaboration with Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne
Eleven artists will be working in 11 different communities across northeast Indiana for 11 days painting murals
The Regional Partnership calls the event “Make It Your Own Mural Fest.” It kicks off on Tuesday and runs through Sept
The regional mural festival concept is the first of its kind in Indiana
vice president of marketing and strategic communications at the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
The event was created to help showcase regional talent and help spur tourism in the area
The festival is taking place in all 11 communities that make up the Regional Partnership’s territory and is sponsored by nearly a dozen regional businesses and foundations
including the Fort Wayne Public Art Commission
Buchs said she’ll be using simple tools to create the mural
just a handful of trusty brushes and several gallons of outdoor paint
She’ll bring nine different gallons of tinted outdoor paint with her as well
the same kind of paint used to paint houses
she’ll mix and match paint creating all the colors she’ll need to finish the project
Buchs said she expects to work several long
Buchs said she worked several 17-hour days just to get finished on that
she said once a project like a large mural is underway
“When you’re working on something like this
it just gets more fun every day,” she explained
“When you start to really see your progress
You quickly get to point where you just don’t want to quit
Large public projects like murals draw spectators
Buchs said those people help to give her energy to keep painting
“We’d rather paint someplace where people are watching because those people give you energy,” she said
this positivity … I taught school for over 30 years and it’s the same kind of positivity you try to get going in the classroom
Students always outperformed their own expectations when you have this positive vibe going
and that happens to me too when people stop to talk to me while I’m working.”
Buchs will be joined on this project by her painting partner
a young artist Buchs will mentor on this project
Buchs will be available to meet people and talk during a Meet the Artist event scheduled Tuesday
at Fireside Craft Burgers and Brews in downtown LaGrange
When you’re working on something like this
it just gets more fun every day When you start to really see your progress
Email notifications are only sent once a day
Brady and Kelly Buchs of Belmont announce the birth of their son
26 at Southwest Health Center.Kolby weighed 8 pounds and was 21 inches long.Grandparents are Brian and Stacey Buchs of Belmont and Steve and Sherry Brunker of Cuba City.Great-grandparents are Robert and Nelly Meyer of Hazel Green
DeKalb County artist Amy Buchs recently completed a Norman Rockwell-themed mural on the side of the Workers World building in downtown Butler
She described this as her most difficult mural to date
BUTLER — DeKalb County artist Amy Buchs brought her talents to Butler once again
creating a Norman Rockwell-themed mural on the side of the Workers World building at 240 S
“This was the most difficult painting so far,” Buchs said
shared his vision to have a Norman Rockwell-themed design
I was instantly excited but I knew it would involve a lot of detail.”
“Norman Rockwell was able to make images that evoke emotional responses,” she said
“His paintings not only celebrated work and everyday simple joys but also patriotism and family loyalty
“They are nostalgic and an excellent choice by the decision makers in Butler for a town mural
The luck I have to be the one to paint it is much appreciated
It was a difficult design but I felt ‘Rockwell Nostalgia’ every day and hope viewers can do the same.”
At the far left is a lineman strapped on a high electrical pole bundled with warm clothes and tools
Next to him is a welder in action under a full helmet reaching far above his head to do his job
“The pounding metal smith is from a painting where two strong men are in competition to pound out horseshoes,” Buchs said
“His leather apron and the anvil were fun to paint but Rockwell was much better at making him look sweaty than I did.”
An iconic figure from the World War II era is Rosie the Riveter
“Rosie the Riveter is the choice for this mural design but not painted by Rockwell,” Buchs explained
“Rosie represents the women war workers of the 1940s
She became the feminist touchstone of blue collar women workers
Howard Miller painted this 1942 design for a poster for Westinghouse Electric Corporation.”
is a Rockwell farmer sifting his soil through his hands
Buchs said she added a little personal flavor with this one
“I took some liberties with this figure by adding a Marvin name badge
Marvin was my dad who farmed and was one of the hardest workers I’ve ever known,” she said
“Dad identifies with this Rockwell figure also because he appreciated soil
He would call soil money so in the soil falling to the pile from his hands
Taking these minor liberties with designs is not only fun but adds interest and meaning.”
Completing the mural at the far right is an architect or engineer holding the blueprints and rolling up his sleeves as a symbol of “The plans are finished
Buchs said she was often greeted by curious passersby who enjoyed watching her work
“While painting in public nice passers-by offer encouraging words that are helpful and appreciated,” she said
“Many remind me to appreciate my God given gift
There were specific seeing and thinking techniques taught and practiced in college and beyond that enabled me to make art
Fixed mindsets hold us back from learning,” Buchs said
“An objective when teaching art in high school was to teach the same seeing and thinking techniques that I learned to enable students
“Student learners who believed that there is an ‘art gene’ and they did not get it struggled unnecessarily
there are key concepts that can be learned and practiced by everyone
“My hope is the same as all educators out there
It is that no one struggles unnecessarily or dismisses opportunities due to a belief that they did not get the gene,” she said
“God did gift us all with wonderful and enjoyable abilities to learn.”
her first thought was: I don't even know who this is
"She didn't look anything like how I had pictured
biblical moment where the mother looks at her child and praises God
She'd been in labor for nearly 24 hours - first
in the cramped bathtub of the house she and Josh rented in Germantown
then at Einstein Medical Center Montgomery
with a Pitocin drip that made her contractions erratic and fierce
Evelyn understood pain; she'd run a marathon and endured shoulder surgery after a surfing accident
"But I felt like someone was taking a chainsaw to my lower half
I felt like my mind was three dimensions away."
The previous nine months had been another rough surprise
Even though Evelyn and Josh were trying to get pregnant
she was shocked that it happened so quickly
let's go for it" conversation and about 18 months after they'd first met in a Chicago bar
Josh managed the Logan Bar & Grill; Evelyn was visiting her family and wandered in with a friend
She ragged Josh about the worn Puma sneakers he was wearing and Googled pictures of the Dansko clogs she insisted would be more comfortable
They saw each other one more time before Evelyn headed back to Philadelphia; her mother was giving away some house plants
and she invited Josh to come over and collect a few
Frequent texts and phone calls led to another Chicago trip for Evelyn a month later; by the fall of 2012
They were sure about each other - a friend remarked
after they'd been dating just a few months
that they seemed like a longtime couple - but they were less certain about kids
a nurse-practitioner at a community health center
could picture herself playing with a toddler or guiding a teenager; she just couldn't envision herself pregnant
Not even on the day she ducked into the employee restroom
I wrapped it up in paper towels and put it at the bottom of the garbage can." Between seeing patients
she delivered the bulletin to Josh: " 'I took a pregnancy test
nothing felt in sync with the popular images of pregnancy
Some wondered why she and Josh weren't married
Others offered opinions about the baby's name
"It's a weird thing that this very private part of yourself is suddenly on display," Evelyn says
And her medical knowledge only ramped up the anxiety
she convinced herself that her persistent nausea might indicate a baby with Down syndrome
she grilled the technician: "Can you check and make sure it's just one baby
Are you sure there's not another one hiding behind it?"
but also the enthusiastic father of a toddler girl
The brothers-in-law liked the idea that their children would be close in age
were having kids - nearly all of them girls - and Josh had figured there was no perfect time
"We're only getting older," he remembers telling Evelyn before they began trying
"And we're not going to have more energy in a couple of years."
she and Josh used female pronouns to talk about the baby - "So when she goes to school" - and they soon learned their hunch had been right
but wondered whether it might sound unprofessional for an adult; finally they settled on Skylar
who proffered sage advice when Evelyn was growing up
The couple chuckled at their private joke of putting the two names together: Skye
they vaguely remember the details of their childless days
There were daily visits to the gym; there were movies and bike rides and uninterrupted baths
But now their world orbits around a baby who mimics their expressions
knowing she'd be yanked from sleep every two hours
and Josh partners on the nighttime feedings
changing the baby's diaper and coaxing her back to sleep
such as a recent day when Skylar was crying
and Evelyn hurried upstairs to comfort her
Evelyn sometimes thinks back to her own childhood
It wasn't perfect - the neighborhood was rough; her parents separated but continued to live on separate floors of the house - but she had one enduring anchor
"There was never a shortage of love," she says
Milena Buchs receives funding from UK Research and Innovation, and from the European Union H2020 programme. She has signed the @flyingless in academia petition, and a pledge not to fly with the https://www.flightfree.co.uk/ campaign
University of Leeds provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation UK
View all partners
Universities play a role in this with a high and rising air travel footprint
Academics are frequent air travellers – to present at international conferences
“International recognition” forms an important criterion for academic job descriptions and promotions
and universities increasingly benefit from international student fees and international research funding
Many academics see travelling to far-flung places as the perk of the job – to compensate for long hours and performance pressures
Some might argue that extensive academic travel is justified by the positive contribution that academic research and teaching make to society. But in a world which needs to reduce emissions down to net-zero by 2050 at the latest to stay within planetary boundaries
the sector will need to engage in a more open debate about its air travel carbon footprint and options to reduce it
The problem starts with a lack of precise data on the air travel footprint of the higher education sector. In the UK, the first port of call should be data collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)
UK universities are asked to submit data on flight emissions to HESA
either based on destinations or on spending on flights
This is not obligatory – in the past three years only 43% have done so
the data show likely errors which compromise their usefulness
the database records extremely high figures for a small number of universities which skew the calculation of mean emissions
This may be because calculating carbon emissions from expenditure is not very reliable
The database also does not distinguish between flights taken by academic and non-academic staff
even though their flight behaviour is likely to be different
Clearer reporting standards and data checks are urgently required so we can examine the sector’s flight carbon footprint more precisely
To create an estimate, let’s instead cautiously assume that the average academic in the UK attends just one international conference or meeting per year by plane, for instance one in the US, with a CO₂ emissions footprint of about five tonnes. Based on one of my earlier studies
this is over ten times as much as the average UK person’s carbon footprint from leisure flights
and nearly 20% more than the average UK person’s total annual carbon footprint from travel and home energy combined
With 211,980 academic staff in UK higher education in 2017/8, this would add up to a total of nearly 1.1m tonnes of CO2 emissions per year – equivalent to the average total annual consumption-based carbon footprint of over 120,000 people in the UK
Since most academics fly multiple times per year
Add to this the carbon footprint of international student air travel. In 2017/18, 458,490 international students were enrolled in UK higher education institutions. Of those, nearly 70% came from outside of the EU
If each student takes just one return flight per year to visit home, this would add up to around 1.8m tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year (assumed averages based on the atmosfair calculator of 0.8 tonnes per return flight for EU, 5.4 tonnes for China, five tonnes for the rest of the world). Both staff and international student numbers in the UK have been rising over the last few years
the carbon footprint from academic air travel is also likely to increase
But university management and academics can do various things to reduce flying
Environmental assessments of travel and research project plans should become a requirement as part of already existing ethics and risk assessments
For every suggested flight, it would be important to assess a number of things. Is the journey really necessary, or can a meeting be held online instead? Can fieldwork abroad be conducted by remotely supervised local teams? If the journey is necessary, can it be made by train (which emits about a seventh of the emissions per passenger compared to air travel)
Every journey booking should be submitted to a carbon calculator to raise awareness and collect better data
Academic job application and promotion criteria would need to be amended such that environmentally conscious academics are not punished for reducing or giving up flying
The need to reduce air travel also raises very difficult questions in relation to student internationalisation agendas
Online teaching for students abroad would need to expand considerably to minimise travel emissions
this would have the lamentable effect of removing the beneficial experience of living abroad and immersing oneself in a new culture
In many ways, structural incentives for air travel have become established within the higher education sector. This means neither university management nor academics will show much appetite for reducing flights. But if it wants to lead by example, the sector – like many others – urgently needs to collaborate globally to agree on reducing its impact from business travel
The Swiss chocolate manufacturer Chocolat Frey
a subsidiary of the large Swiss retailer Migros
completed an upgrade of its Buchs facility in December 2004
which (2008) holds a 37% share of the domestic Swiss chocolate market and 8% of the export market (exporting many premium products to the US)
aimed to increase productivity and save costs by installing new high-speed robotic packaging equipment
The force behind the modernisation was a need to maintain product quality and save costs in a declining market
Swiss chocolate sales had declined by 2.4% and production declined by 1.8% from 2003 figures (figures have since recovered)
The investment in the new equipment at the Buchs facility
which is one of the largest chocolate production plants in Europe
The company had been accused of replacing jobs with machines but defended this position by pointing out that short run seasonal products would not be packed by machines since this was not cost effective and manual packing would still be a large part of the company’s processes
Chocolat Frey employs around 900 people and manufactures over 1,500 different products (they are the sole manufacturer of chewing gum in Switzerland)
Chocolat Frey is also well known in the UK market as they have produced and packaged the ‘Finest’ range of Swiss chocolates for Tesco since 2004
project manager at Chocolat Frey commented: “One of the main arguments for choosing Sigpack Systems was the simplicity of the software changes needed to accommodate new packaging formats
this simplicity allows us to react quickly and securely to new demands from the market.”
The new line consists of eight Delta robots to reduce manual handling at the factory by placing chocolates into blister packs and blister packs into cartons
The robots are able to load chocolate into an assortment of up to 40 different plastic packaging formats including blister packs of various dimensions
The new line is expected to operate at two-and-a-half times the speed of the previous packaging machinery and will increase productivity by up to 30%
The equipment uses optical vision technology which has the ability to recognise unique product packaging formats and specifically selects them to be filled with the correct product
Adept Technology supplied the vision system and motion controller
The new equipment was integrated with existing equipment at the plant and operates alongside the older cartoners and closers
After the blister packs are filled they must then be placed in boxes
The boxes are supplied by an existing cartoner and placed in position for handling by a robot module
The filled blister packs are then identified by optical processing and placed in the box by the robot using a specially developed tool
Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights
View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network
FORT STEWART - With most of the 3rd Infantry Division's 20,000 troops heading to Iraq for another yearlong combat tour
sees the deployment as just one more challenge in his 20-year Army career
I'll never forget the soldiers that remain here but my priority will be the family members," he said
"That's the only way we're going to be able to continue this long war - by taking care of our family members."
Buchs holds a position similar to that of a small city mayor
services and facilities at Fort Stewart and is one of the local public faces of the U.S
With previous assignments in Germany and a war college in Pennsylvania
They arrived last June and Buch's assignment will keep them here into 2009
"We absolutely love it down here," Buchs said
"You get down here and there is that Southern hospitality that is just untouchable."
Even with most of Fort Stewart's population heading to war
Buchs said there are encouraging signs that the exodus of family members this time around may not be as severe as the division's previous two tours in Iraq
Fort Stewart's housing occupancy rate still hovers around 95 percent despite the deployment of more than 5,000 soldiers so far this year
"The indicators tell us the families are not leaving," he said
"We as an Army have gotten better and better at taking care of our families during deployment."
Fort Stewart will cut the ribbon on a new chapel
new headquarters building and new buildings for the division's newest brigade
He'll also keep vigil over the expansion of Warriors Walk
a memorial of 320 Eastern Redbud trees that stand for each division soldier killed so far in Iraq
The deployment will give the Army an opportunity to upgrade Fort Stewart's motor pools
which weren't designed to house the Humvees and other armored vehicles in use today
Soldiers' dining facilities will also get a $6 million makeover
There are plans to upgrade Fort Stewart's Wright Army Airfield to accommodate both military and private civilian flights
giving Hinesville's economic leaders a new way to attract corporate investment
Buchs is moving forward a plan to allow Liberty County schools to build a new middle school on Fort Stewart for 550 children who now must travel 14 miles to a school in Midway
The new school would free up space for students as Midway's population grows while accommodating students on Fort Stewart and in neighboring Hinesville
said Liberty County School Superintendent Steve Wilmoth
"We've been working on this for a few years now
It's an opportunity for us to do something for them
the Department of Defense school system will allow its sixth-graders to enter the Liberty County system so they don't miss out on sports and extracurricular activities when joining middle school
that's what we talk about: How we can develop win-win situations between our communities," Buchs said.