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 Susan Riddell
susan.riddell@education.ky.gov

Jessica McPherson helps 4th-grade students Keaton Emmert and Morgan Comer with an assignment on equivalent fractions at Gamaliel Elementary School (Monroe County). Photo by Amy Wallot, Feb. 2, 2012

Gamaliel Elementary School (Monroe County) earned its 2011 National Blue Ribbon School honor for helping students achieve at high levels and for making significant progress in closing achievement gaps.

Despite the recognition and being on the right track, administrators were willing to gamble with a big change in the school’s grading system, not wanting to be complacent with recent success.

Gamaliel Elementary wiped out grades for the 2011-12 school year for grades K-5. Instead, the school has opted for standards-based report cards.

“Our focus is strictly on student mastery of the Kentucky Core Academic Standards,” Principal Christie Biggerstaff said. “Teachers are delivering content and are constantly assessing to ensure student mastery.”

Student- and parent-friendly report cards  focus on learning targets. Mastery of learning targets is reported as mastery, partial mastery or non-mastery.

“Instead of getting a grade in math, all math learning targets are listed to show parents which targets their child has mastered, which are partially mastered and which are  not mastered,” said teacher Felisa Brooks. Read the full story

By Matthew Tungate

matthew.tungate@education.ky.gov

Hope Myatt uses the whole brain teaching method, or power teaching, by having her students use physical activity while learning the stages of magma and lava at Monroe County Middle School. Photo by Amy Wallot, Sept. 13, 2011

North Middle School (Henderson County) doesn’t allow students to fall through the cracks.

The school’s team structure and use of data identify each student’s areas of need, and each child receives individualized interventions – including teachers using their planning time to mentor students.

For these and numerous other reasons, North Middle was one of five Kentucky middle schools recently named Schools to Watch (STW) as part of a recognition program developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform.

The other recognized schools include Belfry Middle School (Pike County), Benton Middle School (Marshall County), Monroe County Middle School and Olmstead School (Logan County).

The schools were chosen based on their academic excellence, responsiveness to the needs and interests of young adolescents, and commitment to helping all students achieve at high levels.  Read the full story

Five Kentucky public schools have been designated as 2011 National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.

The five are:

• North Middletown Elementary, Bourbon County
• W.R. McNeill Elementary, Bowling Green Independent
• Woodfill Elementary, Ft. Thomas Independent
• Gamaliel Elementary, Monroe County
• Southside Elementary, Pike County

Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary School in Lexington also was named a Blue Ribbon School in the nonpublic schools category. Read the full story