Kentucky Teacher

NASA blends science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) using education resources related to current and future missions in this conference, scheduled for June 20-21 in Richmond and June 26-27 in Corbin.

The summer workshops provided by NASA Aerospace Education Services Project and the Southeast/Southcentral Educational Cooperative (SESC) will explore engineering design challenges, problem-based learning activities, distance-learning modules, inquiry-based lessons, literacy across the curriculum and hands-on projects while targeting the Next Generation Standards.

Register online at https://coetech.eku.edu/registration/Online_PD_RegForm.php or call Sarah Evans at (859) 622-8488 for more information.

More than 6,000 students, educators and parents gathered at the seventh annual Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP) State Championship on March 22 at Rupp Arena and the Lexington Convention Center.

P-12 students from across the state showed what they know and can do with technology in arts, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and many marketable career skills by participating in 42 different STLP learning categories.

The event empowers students to use technology to problem-solve, create content, learn and achieve. Thousands of adults supported this 21st-century learning event as chaperones, mentors and judges. Read stories written by cyber-reporting students about the exciting event at http://jcps.jefferson.kyschools.us/cybergazette/.

Out of nearly 500 projects, three schools were named Best in State in Project Showcase. The three schools will attend the International Society of Technology Education (ISTE) Conference in San Diego, Calif., June 23-26, representing STLP as Student Showcases.

Best in State

• Oakview Elementary (Ashland Independent)
• James E Bazzell Middle (Allen County)
• Woodford County High Read the full story

The Kentucky Arts Council is offering a new grant to provide transportation funding to help students get from schools to arts events and performances.

The TranspARTation grant is open to any school, public or private, that needs transportation funding to attend activities at the following approved venues:

• Actors Theatre, Louisville
• Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center, Covington
• Explorium of Lexington 
• Kentucky Opera, Louisville
• Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, northern Kentucky
• KentuckyLexington Art League
• Lexington Children’s Theatre
• Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington Read the full story

Kentucky Arts Council’s Teacher Initiated Program (TIP) grant is for public or private K-12 schools. Teachers work with professional artists to apply for a residency that they create together based on the needs of their school/classroom. It is a matching grant where the arts council pays 65 percent of the artist fee and the school or district provides the remaining 35 percent

Those interested can find the application link at http://artscouncil.ky.gov/Grants/TIP.htm.

To view the directory of teaching artists, click here.

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

Technical theater teacher Carolyn Greer and theater arts teacher David Walker instruct students in the Black Box theater at Owensboro High School (Owensboro Independent). Photo by Amy Wallot, Oct. 19, 2011

When high schools put on plays or musicals, parent and community support is often a vital ingredient to the productions’ success.

At Owensboro High School (Owensboro Independent), however, while these extra hands are welcomed when it comes to making costumes or working on sets, they are not required.

“Parents are still very supportive,” said Julie Ellis, information officer for Owensboro Independent, “when needed.”

That’s because the school has traded in that need for a class that teaches students how to do all the things usually expected to be outside their knowledge and skill base. Read the full story

Berea Tourism and Berea Studio Artists are inviting teachers to attend “Make It, Take It, Give It: The Twelve Days of Christmas” professional development (PD).

The training is being offered Dec. 1-12. It provides  a fun, hands-on approach to Program Review, and clear strategies for integrating the arts across the curriculum.

One of the educator-only sessions is Studio Pottery for Educators (maximum eight participants). No experience is necessary. Click here to register specifically for this class.

For more information, contact Judy Sizemore at (606) 364-5831.

The College Board, in partnership with the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS), has released two new research reports designed to support the revision of the National Arts Education Standards. 

The International Arts Education Standards: A Survey of the Arts Education Standards and Practices of Fifteen Countries and Regions outlines existing international standards and benchmarks for arts education in more than a dozen of the world’s most educationally advanced countries. The second report is entitled Arts Education Standards and 21st Century Skills: An analysis of the relationship between the 1994 National Standards for Arts Education and the 21st Century Skills Map in the Arts. Read the full story

Gov. Steve Beshear has proclaimed Sept. 12 – 17 as Kentucky Arts in Education Week.

 “Arts education brings a complete and balanced education to Kentucky’s children, which in turn builds a better workforce for tomorrow,” said Gov. Beshear.

 The proclamation acknowledges the value of arts in education to improve critical thinking, problem solving and academic performance as well as reduce dropout rates.

 The proclamation also credits the work of the Kentucky Arts Council in bringing teaching artists to Kentucky schools and working in partnership with Kentucky’s arts organizations to bring the arts and arts education programs to Kentucky’s youth.

 For a copy of the proclamation or more information about Arts in Education Week go here.

The School for the Creative and Performing Arts (SCAPA) (Fayette County) has been named winner of the Governor’s Awards in the Arts’ Education Award. The Kentucky Arts Council and Gov. Steve Beshear will present the award to SCAPA at a public ceremony Oct. 20 in the Capitol Rotunda.

The Education Award is handed out for significant contributions to the arts in education and is awarded to a Kentucky individual, school, school district or organization annually.

SCAPA has provided students who are especially talented and/or interested in the arts the opportunity to develop and enhance their abilities since 1987.

To see more winners, go to the press release on the Kentucky Arts Council website at http://artscouncil.ky.gov.

A State Divided: Exploring the Civil War Through Images includes 15 images related to the Civil War in Kentucky, ranging from medals and photographs to portraits and weapons. This sampler was produced as a partnership of the Kentucky Historical Society and KET. The goal is to provide images of artworks, artifacts, photographs and source documents that can be used to teach social studies and arts and humanities.

This also will go along nicely with the second mission in Mission US, which will be released in January 2012. In Flight to Freedom, students will play the role of a runaway slave, as they explore events leading up to the Civil War. This game is partly set in Kentucky.