Kentucky Teacher

Leonel (Leo) Calderón was recently appointed to the Kentucky Board of Education. Photo by Amy Wallot, Aug. 8, 2012

Gov. Steve Beshear appointed two members – Leonel (Leo) Calderón of Edgewood, Ky., and Nawanna Privitt of Lexington – to the Kentucky Board of Education this summer. To give educators throughout the state the opportunity to learn more about the men and women who serve on the board, Kentucky Teacher posed a series of questions to each of the new members.

In this issue we introduce Leonel (Leo) Calderón, who holds one of the board’s at-large seats.  

Calderón has over 26 years of experience at Northern Kentucky University (NKU) and has held numerous leadership roles including his current position of director for Latino Student Affairs. He advises major corporations, schools and non-profit organizations about how to effectively deal with the educational needs of the growing Latino population. Extensive civic involvement has been part of Leo’s career, including board memberships at the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati, Behringer-Crawford Museum, Women’s Crisis Center, BRIDGES for a Just Community and the English Language Learners Foundation.

He holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from NKU and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and an Associate of Continue Reading

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

Krista Chatham reviews a worksheet with her 4th-grade class about how to compare numbers at Cartmell Elementary School (Carroll County). Photo by Amy Wallot, Aug. 21, 2012

Like many adults, Tim Sears, elementary mathematics consultant for the Kentucky Department of Education, was taught the phrase “Don’t ask why, just invert and multiply,” when he was a student learning about dividing fractions.

But according to the Kentucky Core Academic Standards for mathematics, students now must ask why. They also must learn how dividing fractions connects to other content areas and real world applications.

“We were taught procedural rules like that,” Sears said. “The standards now say build more conceptual learning through visual models, drawings and developing fraction number sense. We’re trying to connect fractions to kids’ everyday life and other content areas, especially science.”

Fractions has been a hot topic with state mathematics teachers this summer according to Sears, who facilitated several leadership network meetings prior to the start of the 2012-13 school year, and Seth Hunter, mathematics specialist with the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC) and president of the Kentucky Council of Teachers of Mathematics (KCTM). Continue Reading

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

Christina Hartke Towell laughs with students before a strings lesson at McBrayer Elementary School (Rowan County). Photo by Amy Wallot, Aug. 17, 2012

Parent involvement is important in any successful school, and at McBrayer Elementary School in Rowan County, it has led to sweet music.

It is thanks to parent Christina Hartke Towell, a professional violinist whose passion for music and education helped the school launch what has become a very successful string program.

The program’s success led Towell to be selected as the recipient of the 2012 Governor’s Awards in the Arts Education Award. Towell will be recognized Oct. 9 in Frankfort with the award, which is bestowed by the Kentucky Arts Council to recognize Kentuckians, businesses and arts organizations for outstanding contribution, achievement in and support of the arts.

The idea for the McBrayer string program started in 2006, when Towell was a stay-at-home mom giving private music lessons at her house. Her children attended the school – the youngest was starting kindergarten – and the Rowan County school district did not have a string program. So Towell discussed the idea of starting one at the school with Principal Rhonda Banks. Continue Reading