Kentucky Teacher

In response to Kentucky’s submission request, the United States Department of Education has designated the following areas as teacher shortage areas during the 2014-15 school year.

World Languages

Career and Technical Education                                

English                                                 

• English, middle school
• English, high school
• English as a Second Language

Mathematics

• mathematics, middle school Continue Reading

The next Professional Growth and Effectiveness System (PGES) webcast is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on March 26.

The webcast will share updates on the Model CEP, the Student Growth Goal Setting process and answer frequently asked questions. The live webcast may be viewed at mms://video1.education.ky.gov/encoder3a. This webcast and all archived Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) webcasts can be found on the KDE Media Portal.

Teacher participants in the Student Voice Survey may be assigned in Infinite Campus until March 14.  Regardless of when a district assigns teachers in Infinite Campus, the surveys will not be visible to students until the opening day of the Student Voice Survey window on March 19.

The Student Voice Survey guidance document, located in the Student Voice Survey toolkit, provides direction regarding this process. Technical guidance for assigning administrator permissions and teacher participants in Infinite Campus also is available in the “Administrative How-to” technical document in the toolkit.

The 2014 Bluegrass Indo-American Civic Society (BIACS) will be awarding at least 15 one-time scholarships of $1,000 each. This scholarship is for graduating seniors.

This year at least three scholarships are totally merit based, and the remaining are merit with need based.

Students complete the online application by visiting www.biacs.org. Instructions are on the website. Applications are due by April 1. For more information, e-mail scholarship@biacs.org for assistance.

The fourth annual Kentucky Literacy Celebration week will be March 17-21 and will be marked by a number of activities and announcements. See flyer here.

The week chosen for this event coincides with other literacy related activities that may help inspire participation. February is African-American Read-In month, sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English, and March includes Read across America activities, sponsored by the National Education Association.

This document contains several ideas about how every Kentuckian can be involved in the literacy celebration. Monitor this web link for additional information about this unique statewide event.

The Kentucky Literacy Celebration is a result of collaboration among several literacy/education institutions and Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear. The intent of the event is to highlight literacy in Kentucky, celebrate literacy accomplishments and focus on the challenges we still face as a state.

Please be advised that the Kentucky Department of Education has revised its Consolidated Compliance Plan for Non-Discrimination.

The revised plan has been posted on the Legal and Legislative Services page on KDE’s website and includes a Discrimination Complaint Form that can be filled out by anyone alleging discrimination against KDE staff and/or KDE program areas.

School Improvement Grants under Section 1003(g) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 are grants to state educational agencies (SEAs). SEAs, in turn, make sub grants to local educational agencies that demonstrate the greatest need and the strongest commitment to use the funds to provide adequate resources in order to raise the achievement of students in their lowest-performing schools.

The Request for Applications can be found on the KDE Competitive Grants page.

The deadline for applications has been extended to 4 p.m. (EDT), March 10.

Governor’s school for Entrepreneurs (GSE) is hiring team leaders to help mentor and assist high school student entrepreneur teams develop business models and design products/services. This is a great opportunity to learn entrepreneurial activities and skills to bring back to your classroom. GSE is held at Georgetown College. Room and meals are provided. Pay is hourly with overtime. Applicants may only apply online and must be able to commit to being on campus from June 16 through July 12.

KRS 167.037 requires a Kentucky School for the Deaf Advisory Board be established. The Board is to be composed of nine members appointed by the Kentucky Board of Education upon the recommendation of Education Commissioner Terry Holliday. The purpose of the board is to act in an advisory capacity to assist school leadership and make recommendations to Holliday concerning all areas relating to the effective operation of the school.

The Kentucky Department of Education is accepting at-large nominations. To nominate yourself or someone else for consideration, contact Johnny Collett no later than March 7.

Nominees should also include a resume and cover letter explaining background and interest in serving on the board.

The “Civil Rights Movement in Kentucky” is the first in a series of intriguing topics that teachers can address in their classrooms through KY MEdia Bank, a new online “public scrapbook.” The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) created the website as both an innovative teaching tool for K-12 students and as a place where the public can capture, share and archive stories about the people and events that made an impact on Kentucky’s communities and ultimately helped shape the state.

KY MEdia Bank promises to be another valuable tool for helping students and others learn about and understand the 1964 March on Frankfort, by directly engaging with their own families, friends and communities.

KY MEdia Bank presents the topic, then a class will provide the narrative by uploading images, audio recordings, video recordings or short stories that offer insight, knowledge, awareness of – and perhaps even a new perspective on – the subject. This method allows stories and artifacts that might never see the light of day to be safely and openly shared, while the person whose story is being told need not worry about losing a family photo or heirloom or the rights to what they have shared. Continue Reading