Kentucky Teacher

Commissioner of Education Terry Holliday speaks with kindergarten teacher Bridget Murphy at Ezel Elementary School (Morgan County) Oct. 25, 2010. Photo by Amy Wallot

By Susan Riddell
susan.riddell@education.ky.gov

Deatrah Barnett’s question seemed simple enough. And yet, Ezel Elementary School’s (Morgan County) Principal Carol Rose still can’t come up with an answer.

“I just don’t know,” Rose replied when the Morgan County school district superintendent posed the question recently and again when given a second chance to answer later.

The question? What makes Ezel Elementary different from other schools? Continue Reading

Evan's Orchard employee Leigh Ayres demonstrates the apple sorter for students from Anne Mason Elementary School (Scott County) Sept. 22, 2010. Photo by Amy Wallot

Schools benefitting from Farm to School program

By Susan Riddell
susan.riddell@education.ky.gov

As they took bites of different apples, 2nd-grade students at Anne Mason Elementary School (Scott County) kicked off a science unit without even realizing it.

On a field trip to nearby Evan’s Orchard, the youngsters performed a taste test of three apples to see which one was the class favorite. The trip was put together by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Farm to School program, which is geared toward providing local, healthy and nutritious fruits and vegetables to school children, as well as helping local producers. Continue Reading

Karen Witemyre, a science teacher at Ockerman Middle School (Boone County) was recently named a winner of the Great Science Teacher Video Contest at the USA Science & Engineering Festival.  The contest is sponsored by ENGINEERING.com and Dassault Systemes. Continue Reading

Special education teacher Seth Crisp and curriculum resource teacher Linda Bartrum review test scores with Principal Charles Rowe at Allen Elementary School (Floyd County) Sept. 23, 2010. Photo by Amy Wallot

By Matthew Tungate
matthew.tungate@education.ky.gov

Twenty Floyd County teachers are in the final year of a three-year leadership-focused professional development program established through a unique partnership with Morehead State University. Ten of the teachers will receive a master’s degree in School Administration when they complete the program in May. Continue Reading

Tina Clark offers her son, Kenneth, support while he works with teacher Robin Flannery at Paris Middle School (Paris Ind.) Aug. 26, 2010. Photo by Amy Wallot

By Susan Riddell
susan.riddell@education.ky.gov

As teacher Robin Flannery works with student Kenneth Clark on an algebra lesson, words of encouragement are being whispered in the boy’s ear.

Flannery tries to simplify the task by asking the 8th-grader to pick his favorite number. He pauses to think, but then the voice on the other side of him chimes in. “Tell her what your football number is,” she said.

That voice is Tina Clark, Kenneth’s mother.

Yet, this isn’t an after-school program or an extracurricular activity. Clark is one of many parents in the Paris Independent school district who volunteers their time during school hours in an effort to enhance learning and create a nurturing environment. The mother of nine children said she likes playing an active role in education – and not just with her own children. Continue Reading

Kentucky Jump$tart Coalition Financial Literacy Teacher of the Year Jennifer Allen, left, and runner-up Sandy Maxted were presented with their awards by Kentucky first lady Jane Beshear Nov. 9, 2010. Photo by Brian C. Moore

The Kentucky Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy^® recently honored two teachers who have done an exceptional job of teaching financial literacy concepts to their students.

The 2010 winner is Jennifer Allen, business teacher at Madison Southern High School in Berea, and runner-up is Sandy Maxted, business teacher at Assumption High School in Louisville. First Lady Jane Beshear presented the inaugural Financial Literacy Teacher of the Year award on behalf of Kentucky Jump$tart. Continue Reading

Kentucky has adopted The Lexile Framework for Reading and The Quantile Framework for Mathematics, two measurement systems designed to provide instructional information to teachers, students and parents and enable accurate tailoring of instructional materials and intervention systems to benefit students. Continue Reading

The Kentucky State Parks are looking for young people who like to visit parks and want to tell others about their experiences.

The Kentucky State Park Youth Ambassador Program is a voluntary program for youths who are at least 16 years old, living in Kentucky and enrolled in a Kentucky high school, college or technical school. The parks are looking for young people who are creative, team oriented and enthusiastic about the outdoors. Continue Reading

By Susan Riddell
susan.riddell@education.ky.gov

Nami Stager, science and writing teacher at Northern Elementary School (Fayette County), describes herself as patient, while 4th-grade student Deyna Bonilla calls her caring.

Stager is Kentucky’s newest recipient of the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, which includes an unrestricted $25,000 financial award.

Along with the cash prize, Stager will attend the Milken Family Foundation National Education Conference in Los Angeles next May. There she will meet and collaborate with the nation’s other 54 Milken recipients for 2010. Continue Reading

With the release of the film Waiting for Superman, discussion and analysis of the public school system is growing. Much of what people are talking about is negative – low test scores, poor-quality instruction, unsafe schools, a lack of resources and more.

But there are some bright spots in Kentucky’s public education system, and those should be publicized. Continue Reading