Kentucky Teacher

Ten alternative education programs have been selected as Best Practice Sites in an effort designed to recognize the work of educators and programs that serve at-risk students.

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) began the project in 2009 to highlight exemplary practices in A5 and A6 programs in public school districts. A5 programs are school district-operated and -housed instructional programs that provide services to at-risk students with unique needs, and A6 programs are district-operated instructional programs that are located in non-district facilities or schools that serve youth who are considered state agency children through the Kentucky Educational Collaborative for State Agency Children (KECSAC), the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Community Based Services and/or the Department for Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services.

 The programs were nominated in three categories:

• Category 1: Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
• Category 2: Culture, Support and Professional Development
• Category 3: Leadership, Resources/Organization and Planning Read the full story

By Amy Wallot
amy.wallot@education.ky.gov

Science experiments are underway every day in schools across Kentucky. Students enjoy the hands-on activities and teachers like to get in on the fun, too. This is a small collection of science I’ve seen happening over the past few months.

A small group of teachers recently gathered at the University of Kentucky for a climate science workshop. Middle and high school teachers participated in hands-on experiments and group discussions. The workshop was a joint effort between the UK College of Agriculture and the UK College of Education.

Students in Tawnya Boyd’s 7^th-grade science class at Deming School (Robertson County) tried to keep penguins made of ice from melting as part of a lesson on heat transfer, conductors and insulation. Students constructed small, house-like structures to fit the ice cube penguins in and placed them under heat lamps to test how long it would take the penguins to melt.

Egg candling is a favorite experiment of students in Joann Hall’s 6^th-grade science class at Roy G. Eversole Middle School (Hazard Independent). Students use an egg candler to observe the eggs until they turn into chicks as a lesson on life science. This year, students were surprised to find an egg containing two embryos.

North Hardin High School (Hardin County) science teacher Laura Lang checks the temperature difference between air and air enriched with CO2 during a climate science workshop at the University of Kentucky. Photo by Amy Wallot, June 14, 2012

Vint Collins, an 8th-grade science teacher at Leestown Middle School (Fayette County), talks to faculty member George Wagner (not pictured) during the climate science workshop at the University of Kentucky. Wagner led the experiments during the workshop. Photo by Amy Wallot, June 14, 2012

Jerri Dyer, a science teacher at West Jessamine Middle School (Jessamine County), measures melting ice during an experiment demonstrating the affects of soot on icebergs during a climate science workshop at the University of Kentucky. Photo by Amy Wallot, June 14, 2012

Seventh-grade students Dakota Moore and Jimmie King construct a model house for their ice penguin during Tawnya Boyd's science class at Deming School (Robertson County). Photo by Amy Wallot, May 14, 2012

Seventh-grade student David Kennedy places houses for penguins made of ice under heat during an experiment involving heat transfer, conductors and insulation at Deming School (Robertson County). Photo by Amy Wallot, May 14, 2012

Sixth-grade student Gavin Franks examines an egg with two embryos during JoAnn Hall's science class at Roy G. Eversole Middle School (Hazard Ind.). Photo by Amy Wallot, March 28, 2012

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

National Board Certified Teacher Joyce Bruner helps 8th-grade student Sarah Cilinceon work on her digital driver's license at The Providence School (Jessamine County). Photo by Amy Wallot, Jan. 26, 2012

Middle school social studies teacher Joyce Bruner has had her students undertake some pretty deep assignments. For example, they have:

• analyzed the relationships among geography, economy, culture and resources in early American history and today in order to determine how technological advances alter those relationships
• applied the Department of Defense’s current definition of terrorism to the beliefs/actions of an explorer during the Era of Exploration in the Americas to drew conclusions about why “terrorism” is defined differently from various perspectives in a global society
• analyzed a piece of artwork inspired by the events leading to the Revolutionary War to see how an artist can elicit an emotional response from the audience

So it may not be that surprising that Bruner was one of 289 Kentucky teachers to earn National Board Certification last year. What may surprise some is that Bruner teaches at The Providence School (TPS), an alternative school in Jessamine County.

Bruner, who taught in traditional schools for more than a decade, has been at TPS since it opened in 2001 and said she prefers the alternative. Read the full story

Kentucky college professors recently learned about new approaches to teaching public school students mathematics, literacy and writing skills at a conference organized by the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence.

Faculty members from 25 state universities, private institutions and community colleges heard from Kentucky teachers from Kenton and Fayette counties who are working with the Mathematics Design Collaborative and Literacy Design Collaborative, piloting efforts to improve teaching and learning.

The Prichard Committee has worked to coordinate the districts piloting these new mathematics and literacy efforts in Kentucky, which were funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“These new strategies have shown great promise for giving students a deeper understanding of math concepts and connecting writing to challenging thinking in science, social studies and language arts classes,” said Stu Silberman, executive director of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence.

The seminar, funded by the Council on Postsecondary Education and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is part of a state-backed program to update postsecondary leaders and educators on the impact of overhauled academic standards that K-12 students are expected to learn as part of Senate Bill 1. Read the full story

Lu Young

Lu Young, superintendent of Jessamine County Schools, has been selected as the 2012 Kentucky Superintendent of the Year by the Kentucky Association of School Administrators.

Young will now compete for the National Superintendent of the Year Award given by the American Association of School Administrators. She was presented with the award during a surprise ceremony November 30 at the Jessamine Career and Technology Center Multipurpose Room.

Jessamine County Board of Education member said in her letter of nomination that “Lu is a superintendent who is leading the way for education in Kentucky,” and attributed increased student achievement, graduation rates, and community involvement to Young’s leadership.

Since Young became superintendent, the district’s dropout rate has decreased from 7.6% in 2004 to 2.54% in 2010. She has also led her district to increased scores in reading and math, particularly among students with disabilities, and has reduced district spending by over $2.5 million in the last two years.

“I have followed Lu’s career for more than 25 years and have always found her to be totally dedicated and committed to improving the educational opportunities for all children in Jessamine County. I am always proud to call her ‘my superintendent’ when introducing her to my colleagues in Frankfort,” State Representative Robert Damron said in his letter of recommendation. Read the full story

An $8.8 million, three-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will support teachers and students in 12 school districts, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) announced today.

This investment, known as an “Integration Grant,” will support the integration of several critical streams of work – measures of effective teaching, implementation of the Common Core State Standards and the development of innovative tools and resources to help teachers deliver instruction. 

Kentucky is one of three states, including Colorado and Louisiana, to receive an Integration Grant from the foundation.

“The 12 school districts involved in this work will be models for the rest of the state,” said Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday. “Their efforts will be crucial to Kentucky’s implementation of the Common Core State Standards. Students will receive meaningful and rigorous instruction, while their teachers will be supported through high-quality resources and measurement of their effectiveness.” Read the full story

Contest inspires focus on environmental themes through art
The Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (DEP) recently honored the winning 2010 Green Art Contest high school artists. Awards were presented to six Kentucky high school juniors and seniors who created art using the contest themes of natural resources and environmental management. Students were encouraged to submit painting/print work, sculpture, pottery and photographs.
“The purpose of the contest was to encourage high school students to think about the environment and inspire them to include the environment in their artwork,” said DEP Commissioner Bruce Scott, who presented the awards to students. Read the full story

Julie Cheuvront gives her 8th-grade practical living/vocational studies class directions for the Missing game as part of the Web Wise Kids Internet safety program at Lexington Traditional Magnet Middle School (Fayette County) Nov. 17, 2010. Photo by Amy Wallot

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

Zack, a Canadian teenager, used his computer to escape his troubled family life. He formed an online friendship with an online magazine developer named Fantasma, who was soon helping Zack design his own online comic. Zack ultimately ran away to work for Fantasma in California, only to find out Fantasma was a predator engaged in illegal activities – including kidnapping Zack. Read the full story

Erika Webb, an English teacher at East Jessamine High School (Jessamine County), celebrates being named Kentucky Teacher of the Year Oct. 19, 2010 in Frankfort, Ky. At right is Secretary of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet Joseph Meyer. Photo by Amy Wallot

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

Once every nine weeks, East Jessamine High School (Jessamine County) English teacher Erika Webb asks her students to anonymously evaluate her. They tell what’s going well in the class and what isn’t, where they want more help, what they like and what they don’t like. Webb reads the comments and alters her instruction accordingly. It appears to be paying off. Read the full story

Eleven alternative education programs have been selected by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) as Best Practice Sites in recognition of the work of educators and programs that serve at-risk students. Read the full story