The Council for American Private Education

The Council for American Private Education

The Council for American Private Education nominates private schools.  All schools will be honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., November 18 and 19.  In its 31-year history, the program has bestowed this coveted award on nearly 7,500 of America’s schools.

CAPE’s Board of Directors

President
The Rev. Daniel Heischman
Executive Director
National Association of Episcopal Schools
Vice President
Richard Ungerer
Executive Director
American Montessori Society
Secretary
Sr. John Mary Fleming, OP
Executive Director
Secretariat of Catholic Education
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Treasurer
Dan Egeler
President & CEO
Association of Christian Schools International
Member
Rabbi David Zwiebel
Executive Vice President
Agudath Israel of America
Member
Martha Rolley
At-Large Member
Director, K-12 Marketing
Apple, Inc.
Member
R. Jay Nelson
Executive Director
Association of Christian Teachers and Schools
Member
Virginia McHugh Goodwin
Executive Director
Association Montessori Internationale, USA
Member
Beverly Amico
Leader of Association Outreach and Development
Association of Waldorf Schools of N.A.
Member
Charles Glenn
At-Large Member
Professor Administration, Training and Policy Studies
Boston University
 
 
Member
David Koetje
Executive Director
Christian Schools International
Member
The Rev. Mark N. Wilhelm, Ph.D.
Associate Executive Director for Educational Partnerships Vocation and Education Unit
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Member
Terry Schmidt
Director, LCMS Schools
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
Member
John E. Chubb
President
National Association of Independent Schools
Member
Bro. Robert R. Bimonte, FSC
President
National Catholic Educational Association
Member
Philip Patterson
Executive Director
National Christian School Association
Member
Donnie Peal
Executive Director
Oral Roberts University Educational Fellowship
Member
Mark Siegel, Esq.
At-Large Member
Executive Director
Oregon Federation of Independent Schools
Member
Dennis Plubell
Associate Director
Seventh-day Adventist Board of Education, K-12
Member
Gregg R. Schmill
Director, Commission on Lutheran Schools
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Schools
Member
Gary Arnold
Representative
Arkansas State CAPE
State CAPE Network Representative

JOB: NSA Civil Liberties & Privacy Officer

Every US citizen should apply.
A mass-application from every US citizen will yield one of two positive outcomes.
Either you get to ask interesting questions at an interview, or you get to prove the appointments system a whose your daddy affair.
https://www.nsa.gov/psp/applyonline/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL?Page=HRS_CE_HM_PRE&Action=A&SiteId=1
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: NSA Civil Liberties & Privacy Officer
 Please ensure your spam filters are configured to accept emails from no*****@*sa.gov
Salary is commensurate with experience and education. 
Salary Range: Up to $173,000
Job ID:  1039797
Location: Fort George G. Meade, MD
Occupational Group: 0905 General Attorney
Full-Time –  Pay Plan: GG
Responsibilities  
This position will be located at the National Security Agency (NSA) at Fort Meade, Maryland.   The NSA is a Component of the DoD Intelligence Community with combat support responsibilities. The work force is composed of both military assignees and civilian employees located worldwide, to include military members of the Central Security Service (CSS). The NSA’s core missions are to protect U.S. national security systems and to produce signals intelligence information.  The Information Assurance mission confronts the formidable challenges inherent in preventing foreign adversaries from gaining access to sensitive or classified national security information and in protecting national security information systems from unauthorized intrusion.  The Signals Intelligence mission is to collect, process, and disseminate signals intelligence in response to intelligence and counterintelligence information requirements and to support military operations.  NSA also supports U.S. Cyber Command.   The NSA Civil Liberties & Privacy Officer (CLPO) is conceived as a completely new role, combining the separate responsibilities of NSA’s existing Civil Liberties and Privacy (CL/P) protection programs under a single official. The CLPO will serve as the primary advisor to the Director of NSA for ensuring that privacy is protected and civil liberties are maintained by all of NSA’s missions, programs, policies and technologies. This new position is focused on the future, designed to directly enhance decision making and to ensure that CL/P protections continue to be baked into NSA’s future operations, technologies, tradecraft, and policies.  The NSA CLPO will consult regularly with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence CLPO, privacy and civil liberties officials from the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice, as well as other U.S. government, private sector, public advocacy groups and foreign partners.    Specific Duties:   a. Provide advice and guidance to the Director and the NSA senior leadership team to ensure that all agency activities appropriately protect privacy and civil liberties consistent with operational, legal, and other requirements.  b. As the senior architect for CL/P, ensure that protections are addressed as part of all internal strategic decision processes related to the agency’s operations, key relationships, tradecraft, technologies, resources or policies. c. Represent the Agency on CL/P matters and serve as a liaison to other department/agencies/boards and, as appropriate, the Congress. d. Responsible for broadly and, to the greatest extent possible, proactively explaining how NSA protects CL/P to the internal workforce, within the IC, to USG partners and to the public. e. Manage CL/P policy, and advise on related assessment and compliance programs.  f. Ensure adequate procedures are in place to receive, investigate, respond to, and redress complaints from individuals who raise CL/P concerns. g. Ensure that appropriate CL/P offices within ODNI, DoD, and DoJ remain apprised of all significant CL/P issues arising from NSA activities.  h. Provide CL/P reviews and assessments as required of the NSA support to the U.S. Cyber Command.  i. Provide testimony at Congressional hearings and special briefings to Members of Congress and their staffs concerning any CL/P questions relating to NSA, as appropriate. j. Ensure that NSA leadership is informed of significant developments or changes in CL/P related statutes, policies, best practices, or technologies affecting the NSA enterprise, its people or its resources.  k. Build partnerships with the public and private sectors and within the national security community to advance mission objectives.  l. Perform such other duties as the Director may prescribe.
Qualifications
Applicants must have significant, senior executive level CL/P protection policy setting and program management experience and an authoritative knowledge of related best practices, norms, policies, statutes, and regulations.  The successful candidate will be well known and highly regarded by U.S. privacy and civil liberties protection professionals. Must have demonstrated the ability to perform complex analysis, develop innovative solutions, give effective oral and written presentations, and forge working relationships with senior level officials.  Must also possess the administrative skills to effectively oversee an office and manage other professionals.  Substantive knowledge of CL/P issues as they relate to telecommunications and internet privacy is required.  Experience with and knowledge of the CL/P issues related to surveillance in national security and law enforcement environments is a plus.  Legal education or experience is preferred.
Evaluation Criteria:  The applicant selected must meet all the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) listed below.  Applicants should provide a brief narrative (no more than one-half page) to support each ECQ.  In addition, each applicant must submit a resume.  Fully qualified applicants will be reviewed by a Panel.
ECQ 1: LEADING CHANGE   This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization to meet organizational goals.  Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.
Competencies:
– Creativity & Innovation – Develops new insights into situations; questions conventional approaches; encourages new ideas and innovations; designs and implements new or cutting edge programs/processes.
– External Awareness – Understands and keeps up-to-date on local, national, and international policies and trends that affect the organization and shape stakeholders’ views; is aware of the organization’s impact on the external environment.
– Flexibility – Is open to change and new information; rapidly adapts to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles.
– Resilience – Deals effectively with pressure; remains optimistic and persistent, even under adversity. Recovers quickly from setbacks.
– Strategic Thinking – Formulates objectives and priorities, and implements plans consistent with long-term interests of the organization in a global environment. Capitalizes on opportunities and manages risks.
– Vision – Takes a long-term view and builds a shared vision with others; acts as a catalyst for organizational change. Influences others to translate vision into action.
ECQ 2:Leading People
This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization’s vision, mission, and goals.  Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.
Competencies:
– Conflict Management – Encourages creative tension and differences of opinions. Anticipates and takes steps to prevent counter-productive confrontations. Manages and resolves conflicts and disagreements in a constructive manner.
– Leveraging Diversity – Fosters an inclusive workplace where diversity and individual differences are valued and leveraged to achieve the vision and mission of the organization.
– Developing Others – Develops the ability of others to perform and contribute to the organization by providing ongoing feedback and providing opportunities to learn through formal and informal methods.
– Team Building – Inspires and fosters team commitment, spirit, pride, and trust.  Facilitates cooperation and motivates team members to accomplish group goals.
ECQ 3: RESULTS DRIVEN
This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.
Competencies:
– Accountability – Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost effective results.  Determines objectives, sets priorities, and delegates work.  Accepts responsibility for mistakes. Complies with established control systems and rules.
– Customer Service – Anticipates and meets the needs of both internal and external customers. Delivers high-quality products and services; is committed to continuous improvement.
– Decisiveness – Makes well-informed, effective, and timely decisions, even when data is limited or solutions produce unpleasant consequences; perceives the impact and implications of decisions.
– Entrepreneurship – Positions the organization for future success by identifying new opportunities; builds the organization by developing or improving product or services. Takes calculated risks to accomplish organizational objectives.
– Problem Solving – Identifies and analyzes problems; weighs relevance and accuracy of information; generates and evaluates alternative solutions; makes recommendations.
– Technical Credibility – Understands and appropriately applies principles, procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise.
ECQ 4: BUSINESS ACUMEN
This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, material and information resources strategically.
Competencies:
– Financial Management – Understands the organization’s financial process. Prepares, justifies, and administers the program budget.  Oversees procurement and contracting to achieve desired results. Monitors expenditures and uses cost-benefit thinking to set priorities.
– Human Capital Management – Builds and manages the workforce based on organizational goals, budget considerations, and staffing needs.  Ensures that employees are appropriately recruited, selected, appraised and rewarded; takes action to address performance problems.  Manages a multi-sector workforce and a variety of work situations.
– Technology Management – Keeps up-to-date on technological developments. Makes effective use of technology to achieve results. Ensures access to and security of technology systems.
ECQ 5: BUILDING COALITIONS
This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other federal agencies, state and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.
Competencies:
– Partnering – Develops networks and builds alliances, collaborates across boundaries to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals.
– Political Savvy – Identifies the internal and external politics that impact the work of the organization.  Perceives organizational and political reality and acts accordingly.
– Influencing/Negotiating – Persuades others; builds consensus through give and take: gains cooperation from others to obtain information and accomplish goals.
ECQ 6: LEADING THE INTELLIGENCE ENTERPRISE
This core qualification is comprised of the Intelligence Community (IC)-specific “joint” competencies of Collaboration and Integration, Enterprise Focus, and Value-Centered Leadership.
Competencies:
– Collaboration and Integration – Share information and knowledge to achieve results by creating an environment that promotes employee engagement, collaboration, integration, information and knowledge sharing, and the candid, open exchange of diverse points of view.
– Enterprise Focus – Demonstrate a deep understanding of how the mission, structures, leaders, and cultures of the various DoD and IC components interact and connect.
– Values-Centered Leadership – Advance and reinforce DoD and IC core values: A Commitment to selfless service and excellence in support of the IC’s mission, as well as to preserving, protecting, and defending the Nation’s laws and liberties; the integrity and Courage (moral, intellectual, and physical) to seek and speak the truth, to innovate, and to change things for the better, regardless of personal or professional risk; and Collaboration as members of a single IC-wide team, respecting and leveraging the diversity of all members of the IC, their background, their sources and methods, and their points of view.

Minimum wage and overtime protections extended this week to cover home care workers in the United States

Under the new rule, any home care aides hired different third party employers cannot be exempt from minimum wage and overtime coverage.
U.S. to include Home Care Aides in Wage and Overtime Law
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/18/business/us-to-include-home-care-workers-in-wage-and-overtime-law.html?_r=0
The White House is giving 2 million health-care workers a raise http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/17/the-white-house-is-giving-2-million-health-care-workers-a-raise/
Minimum Wage Extended to Health Care Workers
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/rules-boost-pay-home-health-care-workers-20282093
United States Department of Labor: Press Release
http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/whd/WHD20131922.htm
CDC: Health Care Workers
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/healthcare/
National Association for Home Care & Hospice
http://www.nahc.org/
On Tuesday, the United States government announced that home care workers will be eligible for overtime pay and minimum wage beginning in 2015. This is considered a major step forward, as previously such employees were classified into the same “companionship services” category as baby sitters. Their work is substantially and qualitatively different than the work of baby sitters and the decision was applauded by a number of advocacy groups.

Anonymous outs lawmakers’ ties to intelligence contractors

Anonymous outs lawmakers’ ties to intelligence contractors

OpNSA highlights, without hacking or DDoS attacks, ties between intelligence industry and Washington
BY NATASHA LENNARD
Sep 11 2013
<http://www.salon.com/2013/09/11/anonymous_outs_lawmakers_ties_to_intelligence_contractors/>
For those paying even a modicum of attention to recent revelations about NSA surveillance, it’s been well-established that a vast surveillance apparatus is supported by a network of government, intelligence industry, and Silicon Valley connections.
With its new OpNSA, however, Anonymous is attempting to highlight specific lawmakers as in the pocket of intelligence contractors with a campaign revealing specific campaign contributions. The information is already public, but has not garnered the attention that Anons behind OpNSA believe it deserves. As Global Post reported:
Unlike other Anonymous operations, however, OpNSA does not involve hacking or illegality of any kind.
Instead, the operation aims to bring attention to what Anons have termed collusion between U.S. senators and private contractors, whom Anons allege enabled privacy violations as part of National Security Agency surveillance programs.
The contractors include Northrop Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and others.
Specifically, Anons hope to highlight suspect campaign contributions to several prominent US lawmakers — including Diane Feinstein, Dutch Ruppersberger, Mike Rogers and Saxby Chambliss — by US defense and intelligence contractors.
[snip]