Registration for KVHS courses extended
Registration for 2008 Fall Semester Kentucky Virtual High Schools (KVHS) courses has been extended until July 18. The Kentucky Virtual High School provides online courses for students including Advanced Placement, world language, minimum high school graduation requirements and other electives. A course catalog and registration information can be found at www.kyvs.org. The Fall 2008 semester begins August 11.
Free parents' guide from the U.S. Department of Education
The U. S. Department of Education has developed a publication, "Empowering Parents School Box: A Tool to Equip Parents for the School Year," that it is distributing free of charge. The school box contains:
· “What Parents Need to Know,” “Taking a Closer Look” and “Learning Checklists” booklets
· “Examples of Resources” brochure
· “Empowered Parents Stay Involved with School” poster
· a bookmark
· a door hanger
The school box provides tips on working with children from birth to high school; guidelines for taking advantage of free tutoring opportunities; steps for selecting a high-quality school; ways to get involved in children's schools; information about financial aid and scholarships; and resources for improving learning. It also includes success stories of schools where parent involvement made a difference.
Preschools are ‘Centers of Quality”
Four state-funded preschool programs have been designated Centers of Quality, a new recognition program from the Kentucky Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood Development.
The four are:
· Calloway County Preschool/Head Start
· Fleming County Head Start/Preschool
· Hager Preschool, Owensboro Independent
· Jessamine Early Learning Village, Jessamine County
The Centers of Quality designation was developed this year as a response to stakeholder recommendations for statewide services to students who are deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired. Successful applicants for the designation included the following components:
· state-funded preschool program located in a stand-alone facility with an on-site administrator
· on-site services provided to children with visual and hearing impairments
· services provided within regular early childhood classrooms
· national or regional early childhood accreditation
· Kentucky Early Childhood Standards and Parent Guides implemented
· ongoing assessment data utilized in classroom instructional planning
· professional development individualized for the staff
Early Childhood Centers that achieve this distinction will serve as models of practice for other districts in the region through on-site consultation, mentoring, and presentations at state, regional and national levels. This year’s Centers of Quality were recognized during the RTC Summer Institute.
Preschool teachers recognized
Three public preschool teachers recently received 2007-08 Classroom of Excellence Awards from the Kentucky Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood Development.
The three are:
· Pamela Budd, Jessamine Early Learning Village, Jessamine County
· Barbara Reese, Jessamine Early Learning Village, Jessamine County
· Kristy Marie Smith, Lone Oak Elementary, McCracken County
The voluntary Classrooms of Excellence program identifies high-quality state-funded preschool classrooms, based on a comprehensive review of activities and methodology. Applicants participate in an intensive self-study and also must show that their classrooms meet specific criteria.
In the 2006-07 school year, 23,072 children were served in more than 1,000 public preschool classrooms in Kentucky.
To see press release with more information, click here.
Kentucky schools among Newsweek's best
The Jefferson County school district recently had three of its high schools named in Newsweek’s latest list of Best American High Schools and was recognized in the last issue of Parent Info.
Several other public high schools in Kentucky made the list besides those in Jefferson County. They are No. 685 Henry Clay (Fayette County), No. 715 Fort Thomas Highlands (Fort Thomas Independent), No. 737 Paul Laurence Dunbar (Fayette County), No. 772 Holmes (Covington Independent), No. 866 Bowling Green (Independent), No. 871 Woodford County, No. 1,278 Ryle (Boone County) and No. 1,311 Oldham County.
Public schools were ranked according to a Challenge Index Ratio, which is calculated by taking the total number of Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) tests taken by all students at a school in 2006 divided by the number of graduating seniors. Schools that chose more than half of their students by grades or test scores were not considered because the index is designed to identify schools that challenge average students. The index does not work well with schools that have few or no average students. The schools ranked by Newsweek have the strongest AP or IB programs in the country.
Kentucky Education Issues
Kentucky Education Issues, a television program hosted by Education Commissioner Jon E. Draud, features lively discussion with leading educators and policy makers concerning topics important to students, teachers and taxpayers. See Program No. 9 here.
Fun and learning on the Fourth
Got your sparklers? How about your favorite red, white and blue outfit?
Here’s wishing you all a happy Fourth of July. While you’re enjoying your family cookout complete with burgers and hotdogs, remember the true meaning behind the holiday and your day off work.
July 4 celebrates America’s independence and our freedoms that come with it. Want to test your child’s knowledge of Independence Day and the Declaration of Independence? Click here to go the White House.gov Web site for a quick test. Take the test yourself and see how you do.
Links in this issue
Registration for KVHS courses extended
www.kyvs.org
Free parents’ guide from the U.S. Department of Education
https://ketsmail.us/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/involve/schoolbox/index.html
Preschool teachers recognized
www.education.ky.gov/KDE/HomePageRepository/News+Room/
Current+Press+Releases+and+Advisories/08-045.htm
Kentucky schools among Newsweek’s best
www.newsweek.com/id/137547
Kentucky Education Issues
www.kde.state.ky.us/KDE/HomePageRepository/News+Room/
Kentucky+Education+Issues.htm
mms://video1.kde.state.ky.us/On-demand2008/KEI_09.wmv
Fun and learning on the Fourth
www.whitehouse.gov/kids/dec_indep/quiz/