Expanded site features online differentiated instruction solutions for literacy and science as well as extensive content and resources on Common Core, RtI, and ELL

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LAKEWOOD, N.J., March 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ — Achieve3000, the leader in differentiated instruction for grades 2-12, today launched a fully-redesigned website at www.Achieve3000.com. The site provides extensive information about Achieve3000′s popular and widely-used differentiated online literacy solutions, including KidBiz3000®, TeenBiz3000® and Empower3000®.  The revamped website also highlights significant enhancements to these offerings, bringing them into even tighter alignment with the Common Core State Standards and individual state standards.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120321/CG74406)

Importantly, the site makes available to educators a growing suite of Achieve3000 differentiated instruction solutions, including AchieveLanguage for English language learners, AchieveIntervention for struggling readers, and AchieveEnrichmment for advanced learners. Achieve3000.com now also features the company’s first core curriculum product, eScience3000® for grades 6-8. Developed in partnership with National Geographic, eScience3000® combines differentiated instruction with rich, comprehensive content for the first time, making science accessible and achievement attainable for all students.

Other noteworthy website features include a video entitled “BelieveAchieve” that vividly reinforces Achieve3000′s belief that differentiated literacy and core content instruction is the key to enabling students to make the necessary Lexile®/reading level gains to meet the more rigorous standards of the Common Core, and to stay on track for college and career.

“Our online visitors will now experience a more vibrant and seamless view of Achieve3000′s growing array of differentiated instruction solutions,” says Michael Fleischner, Vice President of Marketing.

More Content, Easier Accessibility
The new website is organized to provide quick and direct access to valuable information and resources for educators. Among its many new features is the homepage “Product Finder” that provides access to Achieve3000′s solutions based on grade level and student group. In addition, the site features a deep repository of research on the efficacy of differentiated instruction, as well as new white papers on Common Core curriculum migration and literacy’s role in science instruction. Achieve3000 partnered with Stein + Partners Brand Activation, a New York-based agency, to develop the site.

“This new site was created to convey the essence of Achieve3000′s ability to meet the needs of every learner — to help all students reach higher with differentiated instruction,” says Stein + Partners President and Chief Creative Officer, Tom Stein.

About Achieve3000®

Achieve3000 is the leader in online differentiated instruction, serving over one million students across the United States. Our Web-based literacy solutions have been proven to increase reading comprehension and fluency, vocabulary, and writing proficiency for students in grades 2 through 12, as well as adult learners. Importantly, they enable all students — mainstream, struggling, advanced, and English language learners — to master the content area literacy skills needed to meet more rigorous Common Core State Standards and to be prepared for college and career. Our differentiated core science curriculum solution provides greater student engagement and a significantly enhanced ability to succeed in science. Based on decades of research, Achieve3000 solutions deliver engaging, non-fiction content that supports core curriculum, Response to Intervention, Special Education, and other instructional models. KidBiz3000® (grades 2-5), TeenBiz3000® (grades 6-8), Empower3000™ (grades 9-12), and Spark3000® (for adult learners) are all aligned with Common Core State Standards for English language arts as well as individual state standards. Achieve3000 supports 21st century education initiatives across content areas and has been raising student performance across the country for over a decade. The company is based in Lakewood, N.J. Learn more about Achieve3000 online at www.achieve3000.com.

Media Contact: Michael Fleischner Achieve3000, 732.367.5505 x119, michael.fleischner@achieve3000.com

News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com

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TAMPA, Fla., March 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — This week, doctors and nurses at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital handed over their white coats and stethoscopes to a group of very special caregivers – hospitalized kids.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120321/DC74451)

Becoming “Doctors for a Day,” pediatric patients switched roles with their caregivers and treated pretend illnesses and broken bones. Their patients (hospital team members) were treated on gurneys positioned in the hospital’s lobby, which became a waiting room and clinical area for the afternoon. The young doctors even had the opportunity to give “shots” with needle-less syringes.

“We want our patients to feel comfortable while staying at our hospital,” says St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Child Life Supervisor Leah Frohnerath. “By allowing patients to play the part of the doctor, they may be less anxious about the procedures that will be performed on them at the hospital.”

Each year, Frohnerath and other Child Life Specialists at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital coordinate the “Doctors for a Day” activities to celebrate national Child Life Month. Child Life Specialists use play, education and self-expression to help sick kids adjust to the hospital experience. From interactive story time to psychological preparation for surgery, and from holiday crafts to play with a special medical procedures doll, the Child Life team helps patients view their illnesses and hospital stay as secondary to enjoying the thrills of a normal childhood.

To see photos from the “Doctors for a Day” event, visit St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/stjosephschildrens.  

About St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital
As Tampa‘s first dedicated children’s hospital, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital is designed to meet the unique needs of children and their families by providing high-tech pediatric health care in a family-centered, child-friendly environment. Part of the BayCare Health System, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital is the third largest children’s hospital in Florida, providing more acute medical and surgical pediatric care than all other hospitals in Hillsborough County.

About BayCare Health System
BayCare Health System is a leading community-based health system in the Tampa Bay area. Composed of a network of 10 not-for-profit hospitals, outpatient facilities and services such as imaging, lab, behavioral health and home health care, BayCare provides expert medical care throughout a patient’s lifetime. With more than 200 access points conveniently located throughout Tampa Bay, BayCare connects patients to a complete range of preventive, diagnostic and treatment services for any health care need. For more information, visit BayCare on the Web at www.BayCare.org.

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WAYNE, Pa., March 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – International Commercial Television, Inc. (OTCQB: ICTL) a premier multi-channel distribution company utilizing highly profiled infomercial campaigns to market and brand exclusive products to international consumers, is announcing the following: On March 14, 2012, the Company completed the execution of an agreement with Hutton Miller LLC for the production of one and two minute direct response television commercials to be aired on major US children’s cable channels, featuring the wholly Company owned construction toy, Glo-B’s.

Glo-B’s is a toy building block system that bends, moves, shapes and curves.  Solidly made of quality glow-in-the-dark neon colored plastic, the blocks glow in their respective colors. Glo-B’s are designed for children 3 + years and will connect with and enhance other popular building block sets. Recent years have seen the “construction toy” segment of the toy market in the USA on a sharp increase, with actual “building and doing” once again enjoying a resurgence of popularity with both children and parents alike. The Glo-B’s system is based on the Glow-In-The-Dark BetterBlocks toy system that was a huge success 15-20 years ago.

The production agreement calls for “best efforts” completion of the TV spots by 5/31/12 and the Company expects to begin testing the commercials on kids’ cable stations during the summer months, while children are home from school on summer vacation. The goal is to be in a good position for a profitable DRTV, internet, and live television home shopping for a 2012 Christmas promotion, with a continued DRTV push through 2013. We plan to begin a progressive retail rollout beginning May 2013, climaxing in an anticipated full Christmas retail placement later in that year.

Kelvin Claney, CEO and the person responsible for Company product development stated, “In recent years some of the most successful DRTV to retail items have been toys e.g Floam, Bendaroos, Happy Nappers, CuddleUppets and Kids Snuggies to mention a few. The creative behind all these successful DRTV spots was either John Miller or his new company Hutton Miller.  John Miller was also the major factor in the past successes of Better Blocks, Glow-In-The-Dark BetterBlocks and Magic Color Change Better Blocks. We firmly believe that given the current fast growing sales in the children’s building block market, this is a perfect time to be launching the Glo-B’s project and we look forward to building a profitable children’s toy business.”

International Commercial Television trades publicly on the OTCQB under the symbol ICTL. The OTCQB is a dynamic electronic stock exchange consisting of SEC fully reporting companies. OTCQB stocks may be easily traded through most major brokerages such as E- Trade, Scottrade and TDAmeritrade.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: International Commercial Television, Inc. Kelvin Claney, Investor Relations 1-206-780-2921 Email Contact: Claney@ictvonline.com Website: http://www.ictvonline.com

SOURCE International Commercial Television, Inc.

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Subscription Service Ships Themed Activity Boxes to Consumers

CHICAGO, March 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Parents face a daily challenge searching for enriching, engaging things to do with their kids.  They know it is important, but many don’t know where to begin or lack the time to gather all the materials.  That’s where the BabbaBox comes in.

Arriving in the mail each month, the BabbaBox is a new, subscription service providing activities, materials and instruction for enriching engagement between parents and their 3- to 7-year-old children.  BabbaBox contains hands-on projects, books and online adventures – all revolving around a theme-of-the-month.  All materials are included in the box, making it one-stop shopping for child engagement.

Like so many children’s products, the BabbaBox is a mother’s invention, born out of need.

“I’m a busy working mom, but nothing is more important to me than spending quality time interacting with my children,” explains Jessica Kim, inventor of the BabbaBox.   “I want to spend my limited time engaging with them, not searching for ideas and shopping for supplies.”

“The BabbaBox helps create memories,” Kim explains. “In the end, it’s not the things they got that they’ll remember:  They’ll remember what we did as a family.”

Each BabbaBox revolves around one theme or life lesson — such as gratitude, feelings or sun/moon/stars — and incorporates four main ways children engage and learn:

• Create: Hands-on craft projects
• Explore:  Adventures, activities and a tool or instrument — such as a camera, or binoculars — to engage children with the world
• Story Tell:  A theme-related book, selected from scores of award-winning volumes
• Connect:  Prepaid downloads, selected by child development specialists to reinforce each month’s theme

Monthly memberships are available for $29.99 per month and annual subscriptions are $25 per month, delivering 12 BabbaBoxes for the price of 10.  Gift subscriptions are available for one, three, and six months or a year. 

BabbaCo, maker of the BabbaBox, began in 2008 to provide simple, functional baby products, including the BabbaCover, a stylish baby carrier cover to shield infants from the elements. In the fall of 2011, BabbaCo introduced the BabbaBox, a subscription membership service born of parents’ desire for quality engagement activities for their children and the company’s interest in connecting directly with customers.

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By Zorianna Kit

LOS ANGELES |
Wed Mar 21, 2012 8:14am EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – After last starring on television in the short-lived series “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” Amanda Peet (“The Whole Nine Yards,” “Syriana”) returns to television once again in the new comedy “Bent,” which premieres Wednesday night on NBC.

The 40-year-old actress plays a newly divorced, high-strung lawyer and single mom looking for a fresh start by renovating a new home. She hires a reckless, womanizing, recovering addicted gambler as her contractor, and finds herself attracted to his charming ways even though he is everything she cannot stand.

Peet, who is married to Hollywood screenwriter David Benioff, with whom she has two daughters, Frances, 5 and Molly, 2, sat down with Reuters to talk about her new show, being a mother and how married life has changed her.

Q: What made you return to television?

A: “I like the idea that she’s a single mom trying to keep it all together. I think most working moms have this sinking feeling that they’re failing, so I related to that. And I like the idea of an adult dating show that’s sexy and not just for gags – that kind of romantic suspense where you’re like, ‘Are they going to have sex or not?’ I love that she despises the fact that she’s attracted to (her womanizing contractor).”

Q: Is the show meant to be realistic or a fantasy?

A: “I’m not sure yet, actually. We definitely want to make people laugh. We have J.B. Smoove and Jeffrey Tambor so we want everyone to escape and laugh. But hopefully it’s more on the realistic side.”

Q: Later this year, you will star with Ben Affleck and Jessica Chastain in a new Terrence Malick movie. How do you figure in to the plot?

A: “I don’t know what I’m allowed to say, but I’m a love interest of Ben’s. We shot it in Ohio. I was breastfeeding at the time, so my memory of it is very, very foggy. I didn’t have the normal amount of brain cells.”

Q: Your husband is the executive producer of the HBO hit series ‘Game of Thrones’ which shoots in Europe. How do you guys make it work?

A: “Everyone packs up and goes. For the last three summers we lived over there. In season one I came back with the girls and did a play in New York. This past year I shot ‘Bent,’ so David commuted from Belfast to L.A. He’d make little videos for (daughter Frances) so at breakfast she’d see David on a glacier in Iceland and all the actors were in costume saying ‘Good morning Frankie!’”

Q: Would you and David ever work together?

A: “I really hope so! I’ve only been sleeping with him for seven years now! What am I gonna get out of this? (laughs)”

Q: Do you have rules about working or not working together?

A: “We don’t have rules about much of anything. We don’t have rules about how long we’re going to be apart or about working together. We tried to have a rule about getting off the computer at a certain time each night. It didn’t work.”

Q: How has motherhood changed you?

A: “I’m fatter, I’m saggier. And I’m still a jealous, ambitious person. (laughs) I think my perspective on things was changed more by being with David than having children, in terms of work. I used to do projects thinking it would be a launching pad to something, but when I met David, he was like, ‘Stop doing that, do it only if you want to do it.’”

Q: What do you consider your big break?

A: “‘The Whole Nine Yards,’ hands down. It was a great role – a contract killer who was obsessed with being an expert contract killer. The movie did really well and at the time, I didn’t realize how special and rare it was. So rare that it’s never happened again! (laughs) If that ever happened now, I would be drinking champagne and doing cartwheels. At the time, I just didn’t even know.”

Q: Innocence can be a good thing.

A: “Oh, I was very innocent and took the role very seriously. Matthew Perry and Bruce Willis would be going out and having fun in Montreal. I was like, ‘I need to figure out what my objective is in this scene tomorrow!’”

Q: Television is such a precarious and fickle business. Will you be disappointed if the show doesn’t get renewed?

A: “Yeah, but I’ve been doing this for a long time. I feel like I’ve been around the revolving door and spit out the other side and come back around again. I’m used to this feeling and I’m used to being in this position. I have my health, my children’s health and my husband’s health. The older I get, the more I feel if I have (those three things) then we’re doing really well.”

(Reporting By Zorianna Kit; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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