Feb. 15, 2008
State scholarship program helps students become teachers
Kentucky students who want to become teachers may qualify for a scholarship from the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA).
Applicants must show financial need and must be enrolled full-time in a teacher education program at a participating Kentucky college to receive a KHEAA Teacher Scholarship. Teachers who are already certified are not eligible.
The amount a student may receive depends on funding and the student's year in school. The most a college junior or above may receive is $2,500 for each spring and fall semester. If funds remain, college freshmen and sophomores may receive up to $625 per semester.
Recipients must teach at schools certified by the Kentucky Department of Education. Recipients who do not finish their teacher education programs or do not teach at certified Kentucky schools must repay the scholarship with 6 percent interest.
Students who wish to apply must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and a KHEAA Teacher Scholarship application.
To complete the application, go to www.kheaa.com and log on through Zip Access. To file the FAFSA, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov. Students may request up to three copies of the paper FAFSA by calling (800) 4-FED-AID. KHEAA must receive the scholarship application and the FAFSA results by May 1. Recipients will be notified in early July.
· To learn how to plan and prepare for higher education and to access the FAFSA, click here.
· For more information about Kentucky scholarships and grants, click here.
· For information about low-cost student loans, click here.
ACT Testing reminder for juniors
The day all Kentucky public school juniors will be taking the ACT is right around the corner. On Tuesday, March 11, it will be time to sharpen those No. 2 pencils and go to work. Testing must begin that day prior to 9 a.m. local time. Make-up day testing is scheduled for March 25. The ACT test is an integral part of the application process for college-bound students. Normally, the test has a basic registration fee of $30, but now it is free of charge for the school-day testing on March 11.
Making the ACT test accessible to all juniors is an additional opportunity to identify potential college-bound students. Additionally, this requirement will provide students who have already taken the test with another opportunity to raise their ACT scores. Familyeducation.com has test-taking tips for students. Parents should make sure their child:
· gathers everything needed for the test the night before. This includes a valid form of identification, several No. 2 pencils and a high-energy snack. On the March 11 test day, teachers will be administering the test. They will check off a student’s name as he or she arrives, but they may also ask for a photo identification if necessary.
· doesn’t cram.
· gets a good night’s sleep.
· dresses in layers. Students need to be comfortable to do their best, and this way, they are prepared if the room is too hot or too cold.
· arrives early for the test.
· is confident. Attitude and outlook are crucial to test-day performance.
To learn more about the ACT, click here or go to www.act.org.
PTA encouraging dads to get more involved
Feb. 16 marks the end of this year’s PTA Take Your Family to School Week. The week was established to build momentum leading up to PTA Founders Day, which is celebrated on Sunday, Feb. 17.
PTA has been using Take Your Family to School Week this year to encourage dads to take a more active role in their child’s education.
According to the PTA Web site, research indicates even when a mother is already involved in the school, a father’s involvement has a significant independent influence on a child. Some of the benefits father involvement has on children are that they:
· learn more
· perform better in schools
· exhibit healthier behavior
· have fewer discipline problems
· are more likely to participate in extracurricular activities
· enjoy school more
For more information about PTA and its commitment to involving more dads in education, click here.
KSBA tracking school bills on Web
The Kentucky School Boards Association's (KSBA) governmental relations team is tracking more than 100 bills and resolutions relating to elementary and secondary education. That follows a review of every piece of legislation by staff of KSBA's legal services team.
KSBA has created a special page on its Web site to track bills. Click here to find the following information:
· language of the original bill
· language of any amendments filed in committee or on the floor of the House or Senate
· name(s) of the sponsoring legislator(s)
· status of the bill in committee or in the House or the Senate within the past 24 hours
Bills are listed with titles covering the major areas of interest to school leaders and are grouped whenever possible. They range from funding issues to banning energy drinks in schools.
This Web site also can serve as a good resource for parents to talk to your children about how the legislature works and what steps are taken in passing a bill on a state level.
Two Title I schools recognized
Second Street Elementary in the Frankfort Independent School District and Millard Middle in Pike County were recognized as National Title I Distinguished Schools during the National Title I Conference held in Nashville, Tenn., recently.
The two schools join approximately 70 others from across the nation honored as National Title I Distinguished Schools.
As mandated under the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, the Title I Distinguished Schools Recognition Program identifies schools that ensure all children have access to effective instructional strategies and challenging academic content and that demonstrate success in ensuring that all children, particularly educationally deprived children, make significant progress toward learning that content.
Click here to view a full press release.
Kentucky students working to get other students reading
Students are encouraging younger students to read.
This year, Youth Leaders for Literacy has awarded 30 cash grants of $500 each to winners, with two of those grants going to students at Northern Kentucky University and West Carter High School (Carter County).
The National Education Association (NEA), which represents 3.2 million teachers and public school educators, partnered with Youth Service America to develop Youth Leaders for Literacy to encourage community service through innovative, youth-designed pilot programs that benefit others in their communities.
The NEA Student Program at Northern Kentucky University has been working with students at Thomas Edison Elementary School (Covington Independent). The students are connecting their campus and communities through reading rodeos, book drives, tutoring sessions and readings with Dr. Suess’ Cat in the Hat.
West Carter High School (Carter County) senior football players are demonstrating the importance of reading to students within the district at Upper Tygart Elementary School. The athletes will try to connect with younger students by hosting weekly read-ins designed to prove reading can be just as much fun as sports. This project will focus on boys in 4th and 5th grades.
Developed in 2001, the youth-led initiatives are launched on NEA's Read Across America Day, celebrated Wednesday, March 3, this year. Additional information on NEA's Read Across America and Youth Leaders for Literacy is available here.
Upcoming days of interest
· Susan B. Anthony Day (Feb. 15)
· National PTA Founders Day (Feb. 17)
· Random Acts of Kindness Day (Feb. 17)
· Presidents Day (Feb. 21)
· Read Across America Day (March 3)
· World Book Day (March 6)
· ACT test day for public high school juniors (March 11)
Links in this issue
Scholarship programs for teacher hopefuls
www.kheaa.com
www.fafsa.ed.gov
About the ACT
www.education.ky.gov/KDE/Administrative+Resources/
Testing+and+Reporting+/District+Support/
ACT+Inc+Assessments/The+ACT.htm
KSBA tracking school bills
www.ksba.org/2008gabills.htm
Title I awards
www.education.ky.gov/KDE/HomePageRepository/
News+Room/Current+Press+Releases+and+Advisories/
08-008.htm
upcoming dates, PTA, ACT
www.winningthevote.org/SBAnthony.html
www.pta.org/
www.actsofkindness.org/index.asp
http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/activity/presidentsday/
www.nea.org/readacross/index.html
www.worldbookday.com/
www.act.org
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