Kentucky Teacher

Cindy Bramble, a 5th-grade teacher at Second Street School (Frankfort Independent), has been awarded the Bruce Stone Educational Merit Award by the U.S. Tennis Association Southern Region.

This award recognizes an individual who has developed an outstanding tennis program that provides leadership and inspiration in junior programs for schools, colleges, parks and playgrounds, and benefits the growth of tennis.

Bramble started an after-school tennis program at Second Street School in 2010 and introduced the sport, including rules of the game and etiquette, to more than 100 students.

Bramble will receive her award in January at a ceremony in Louisville.

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

Education Secretary Arne Duncan speaks during the Improving Productivity in Kentucky Schools and Districts conference in Louisville, Ky. Photo by Amy Wallot, Nov. 10, 2011

Starting next year, Kentucky school districts can make money by saving money as part of a recognition program launched by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE).

Education Commissioner Terry Holliday announced the program, called Performance Efficiencies Recognition for Kentucky Schools (PERKS), during the Improving Productivity in Kentucky Schools and Districts conference in Louisville this month.

The program will recognize up to five school districts that have found innovative ways to improve productivity and efficiency in the areas of finance, transportation, facilities, budget and information systems.

Each recognized district will receive a minimum of $5,000 each, although Holliday said he would eventually like to see the annual PERKS awards reach $25,000 each. Continue Reading

The Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA) is offering a free webinar presented by Brenda McClain, president of McClain Communications.

The webinar is called “Creating the Buzz your Community Needs for the Sake of your Kids.” This session would be valuable to any administrator and is a great refresher course. Click here to learn more.

Quest Education Systems is hosting one-day, anti-bullying workshops Feb. 27 through March 1, 2012 in four Kentucky cities: Owensboro (Feb. 27), Bowling Green (Feb. 28), Corbin (Feb. 29) and Frankfort (March 1).

K-12 teachers and administrators will learn about the five types of bullying, how to identify each type, what to do when they occur, and how to prevent them from happening. This workshop teaches the five main types of bullying: cyber, physical, emotional, resource and relational.

For more information, call (866) 942-4430 or e-mail info@questeducationsystems.com.

The Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) awarded nearly $1.1 million in federal grant funding to improve teacher quality at its meeting last week at Morehead State University.

The funds went to eight education partnerships that will provide professional development for P-12 teachers and administrators.

The Improving Educator Quality (IEQ) state grant program provides grants to partnerships that deliver research-based professional development programs. To be eligible, a partnership must include a postsecondary institution’s school of arts and sciences and its teacher preparation program, as well as at least one high-need local school district. Continue Reading

As a result of elections at this year’s Kentucky School Boards Association (KSBA) fall regional meetings, two local board members will complete unexpired terms and four new regional directors have begun their terms on the association’s board of directors.

At the six regions’ elections this year, participating board members elected included:

• Gene Allen (East Bernstadt Independent) as the new regional director for the Upper Cumberland Region
• Frank McGuire(Pike County) as the new regional director of the Eastern Kentucky South Region
• E. Carolyn Tucker as the new regional director for the Second Region
• Jo Annette Sabol (West Point Independent) as the new regional director of the Fourth Region
• Becky Burgett (Gallatin County) to complete the term as regional director for the Northern Kentucky Region
• Michael Turner (Casey County) to complete the term as regional director for the Middle Cumberland Region Continue Reading

The Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE) is looking for a regional coordinator for the Kentucky NEED project.

This is a full-time contractor position to coordinate regional energy education program and to provide teacher/school district support in central Kentucky.

The position closes Nov. 30. Send cover letter and resume tomailto:jobs@need.org.

For more information, contact Ashley Hoffman.

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking qualified individuals to review mathematics and science partnerships applications.

Partnerships involving science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics faculty from institutions of higher education and high needs schools/districts are eligible to apply for these funds. KDE anticipates funding approximately five applications.

For this review, KDE is seeking people with an in-depth understanding of research-based practices and professional development in mathematics and/or science. A background in teaching, administration, higher education and experience working with P-12 teachers/students also is preferred.

Reviewers will receive applications electronically following a Dec. 13 reviewer training. Reviewers must return all score sheets, including comments, to KDE no later than Jan. 4, 2012.

To apply, send application and a recent resume or vita to Tom Stratton, Kentucky Department of Education, 16th Floor CPT, 500 Mero Street, Frankfort, KY 40601. For more information, contact Stratton at (502) 564-2351.

A listserv dedicated to discussions about autism has been started for the benefit of parents, educators and therapists who are concerned with autism spectrum disorders. Those interested can find the subscription page at www.coe.uky.edu/lists/kylists.php.

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has submitted the state’s application for flexibility under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, which was reauthorized in 2001 as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

The application and related appendices may be seen on KDE’s Unbridled Learning page, here.

To help states move forward with education reforms designed to improve academic achievement and increase the quality of instruction for all students, in September, President Barack Obama and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan outlined how states can get relief from provisions of NCLB in exchange for serious state-led efforts to close achievement gaps, promote rigorous accountability and ensure that all students are on track to graduate college- and career-ready. Continue Reading