Kentucky Teacher

Commissioner Terry Holliday

The 2011-12 school year is over, and summer is here. It is a good time for Kentucky teachers and students to rest, relax and reenergize after a year that was filled with changes. From new standards to a new testing system and an increased focus on college and career readiness, our work was about transforming Kentucky education for the sake of our students and the future of our state. It was an exciting and, at times, stressful year.

A break is in order – but not for long.

While summer is synonymous with carefree fun, it should not be learning free. To succeed in school and life, children and adults need ongoing opportunities to learn and practice essential skills. This is especially true during the summer months.

Unfortunately, mounting research has documented summer slide, a cumulative loss of academic skills over the summer months. All students are prone to summer slide but there is evidence that it disproportionately affects low-income students, contributes to high dropout rates and a persistent academic achievement gap between richer and poorer students. Continue Reading

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

Christine Gish, with the Daviess County Public Library, reads a book about trains while deaf and hard-of-hearing preschool teacher Laurie VanConia signs for students in Connie Johnson's preschool class at Country Heights Elementary School (Daviess County). Photo by Amy Wallot, May 9, 2012

Once a month during the school year, Connie Johnson’s preschool students at Country Heights Elementary School (Daviess County) get a special visit from community librarian Christine Gish.

Recently, Gish introduced a book, Old Black Fly, by Jim Aylesworth, with a special prop: a giant flyswatter.

“It was about  four times as big as a regular flyswatter,” Johnson said. “She surprised them with it at the end of the book. Throughout the book she would ‘shoo’ the fly on each page, and at the end of the story she brought out the giant flyswatter. (She had it hidden.) and swatted the fly in the book. They were surprised, and they thought this was funny. The children loved it.

“The public library is a great community partner,” Johnson added.

It’s also one of many partners the preschools in the Daviess County school district collaborate with throughout the school year.

“Community partners enable us to bring the community into our classroom,” Johnson said. “This helps our preschoolers and their families become more aware of the resources available in the community.” Continue Reading