kentucky general assembly education funding remains a … · tucky government leaders as ... local...

By Faun S. FishbackKentucky Department of Education

Public school funding continuesto be a priority among Ken-tucky government leaders as

the 2002 General Assembly sessionmoves toward completion on April2. In the budget Gov. Paul Patton pre-sented to legislators onJan. 22, spending forpublic schools in fiscal2002-03 would remain atpresent levels and in-crease slightly in 2003-04.

A lean state budgetproposed for the comingtwo fiscal years (2002-04) contains cuts to allareas of government.Across-the-board budgetcuts have affected theDepartment of Educationand other state agencies.However, the governor isprotecting the $3,066base per-pupil funding ofelementary and second-ary education programsthrough SEEK (SupportEducation Excellence inKentucky).

To make pay raisespossible for school per-sonnel, the governor’sbudget asks local dis-tricts to pick up the costof a 2.7 percent salary in-crease ($69 million) in2002-03. In thegovernor’s budget pro-posal, the state wouldprovide for salary in-creases in 2003-04. Atpress time, leaders in

both the House and Senate are look-ing for ways for the state to fund thepay raises in both years of the bien-nium.

The governor also proposed thatlocal school systems pay health in-surance costs for teachers and otherschool employees whose salaries are

paid with federal money. School dis-tricts would pay about $72 millionover the two years for increased in-surance costs.

In addition to wrangling over thebudget, legislators are addressing manyother public education issues. To learnmore about the status of education leg-

Education funding remains a priorityislation, go to the Kentucky Depart-ment of Education’s Web site(www.kentuckyschools.org) and clickon the “General Assembly” link. Thelink will take you to a page of summa-ries and status reports on proposedelementary and secondary education

legislation. This page hasa link to the Legislative Re-search Commission’s “Leg-islative Record Online,” adaily update of bills,amendments and legisla-tive actions.

Another resource, theKentucky LegislatureHome Page (www.lrc.state.ky.us) provides ac-cess to schedules, visitorinformation, educationmaterials about the legis-lative process, and a direc-tory of legislators’ names,phone numbers and ad-dresses.

To check the status ofa bill by phone, call tollfree (888) 829-0021.

To leave a messagefor a legislator, call tollfree (800) 372-7181. TheTTY number for Kentuck-ians with hearing impair-ments is (800) 896-0305.

Mail a letter to anylegislator at (Legislator’sName), Legislative Offic-es, 701 Capitol Ave.,Frankfort, Ky. 40601.Send e-mail to a legisla-tor using this address for-mat: [email protected].

Going for the GoldStevenson Elementary student Seth Washington strives to reach his personal best on a writing assignment relatedto the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was comparing two Olympic events: speed skating andshort track. The Winter Games have been an instructional theme in schools throughout the state, the nation andthe world. At this Russellville Independent school, students followed the Olympic flame’s progress on a hugemap, made artistic signs and banners, discussed the values of Olympic champions, learned the words for “hello”in different languages, and studied the culture and customs of nations participating in the games.

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Kentucky TeacherKentucky TeacherFEBRUARY 2002

Kentucky General Assembly

2 Kentucky Teacher • FEBRUARY 2002 www.kentuckyschools.org

Two national voices speak volumesabout public education in Kentucky

By Gene WilhoitCommissioner of Education

Those of us with the good fortuneto be living and working inKentucky know how far we’ve

come in our efforts to improve ourpublic schools. In the past few months,two thorough and unbiased analysesof the nation’s schools have given highmarks to our efforts – and our results.

One analysis came from TheEducation Trust, an independent,nonprofit organization with a missionto make schools and colleges work forall students. The other came fromEducation Week, independent nationalpublisher of news and informationabout K-12 education issues.

Education TrustIn December, The Education Trust

reported findings from its first state-by-state analysis of high-poverty andhigh-minority schools. The reportidentified more than 4,500 high-poverty or high-minority schools thatscored in the top one-third of allschools on their state assessment inreading or mathematics – or both – inthe year 2000. One hundred and thirtyhigh-poverty/high-achieving Kentuckyschools were on that list, underscoringprogress in our determination to closeachievement gaps associated withsocioeconomic factors. These schoolsadd to the multiple forms ofrecognition our schools are receivingwithin the state and throughout thecountry.

The report, “Dispelling the MythRevisited,” analyzed the reasons whystudents at these schools outperformedmany of their peers, including thosein affluent communities. We can learnmuch from the schools’ commoncharacteristics:

• Extensive use of state and localstandards to design curriculum andinstruction, assess student work andevaluate teachers

• Increased instruction time forreading and mathematics

• Substantial investment inprofessional development for teachers

focused on standards-basedinstructional practices

• Comprehensive systems tomonitor individual studentperformance and help strugglingstudents before they fall behind

• Parental involvement in effortsto get students to meet standards

• State or district accountabilitysystems with real consequences foradults in the school

• Use of assessments to help guideeveryday instruction and allocation ofresources.

To Kentucky educators, this list issure to be familiar, because it isconsistent with our own findings abouthigh-performing schools in Kentucky.

Ed Trust has made its new datauseful to all by posting a searchableonline database. Educators in anyschool can search the database using

Commissioner’s Commentsspecific criteria – the percentage ofstudents of specific minorities, forexample, or the level of poverty – andget a list of successful schools similarin size or demographics to their ownschool. What a resource for low-performing schools looking foranswers!

Education WeekIn January, Education Week

released its annual “report card”comparing public education state bystate. On that report card, Kentuckywas one of only three states to earn anA in learning standards and schoolaccountability. (The others are NewYork and Maryland. Louisiana, Illinois,Florida and Massachusetts came closewith A-minus scores.)

We didn’t score as highly in allareas. We got a B-minus in the level of �

Thinking GloballyExchange student Fan Zhou pauses from his work in a senior English class to chatwith Education Commissioner Gene Wilhoit. The two were comparing schools inKentucky and in Fan’s home town in China. Wilhoit was on a visit to Walton-VeronaHigh School, one of the state’s 67 schools to qualify for rewards in each of the fouraccountability cycles completed since 1992.

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revenue for public K-12 education. Ourscore for district-to-district equity offunding was C-plus, lower than ourgoal but placing us behind only eightother states in that category. I hopeyou’ll skim the report, “Quality Counts2002,” to see how Kentucky fared inother areas. I think you’ll be proud ofwhere we are and encouraged aboutwhere we might be on future state-by-state comparisons.

Both of these national voices echowhat we Kentuckians have been sayingsince 1990: Low-income and minoritychildren can achieve at high levels,and standards-based instruction andaccountability for student performancecan empower every school and everystudent to succeed.

Congratulations, Kentuckyeducators. Even as we have workedtogether to meet challenges and copewith frustrations, we’ve recognized ourown progress. Now the nationrecognizes it, too.

To download a copy of “Dispellingthe Myth Revisited,” including state-by-state school achievement anddemographic data, go towww.edtrust.org on the Internet. Forthe interactive database, click on“Dispelling the Myth Online” on thatsite.

To view “Quality Counts” online,go to www.educationweek.org/sreports/qc02/. To order print copies,check the Web site or phone (800) 346-1834.

CorrectionA story in the December-Janu-

ary issue of Kentucky Teacher abouttwo summer learning camps run bythe Franklin County school districtincorrectly identified Joy Barr of theKentucky Department of Educationas the story’s author. In fact, theauthor was Wayne Dominick, com-munications coordinator forFranklin County Public Schools.Kentucky Teacher regrets the error.

3 www.kentuckyschools.org Kentucky Teacher • FEBRUARY 2002

By Beth Dotson BrownForward in the Fifth

The students agree that Jill E.Bauer’s humanities class atLynn Camp High School in

Knox County is a lot of fun. They getto dance, put on skits, and brainstormideas for props and sets.

As they exercise their creativityand expand their performing talents,they also learn about Shakespeare, theImpressionists and exploration in themiddle ages. The class is both fun andclosely aligned with Kentucky’s corecontent. These students learn aboutimportant areas in the humanities, thenteach others by performing variety-typeshows based on what they’ve learned.

Bauer had been teachinghumanities and chorus classes intraditional ways. However, since theKentucky Core Content for Arts andHumanities requires her to presentmusic, art, theater and dance as well,she decided to take a more creativeapproach to include all of those areas.She planned a new class for 2001-02and named it “Spectrum.” Sheauditioned students last spring andchose students based on their interest,dependability and ability to sing. Overthe summer, she wrote skits that teachthe performers and the audience someof the required core content.

“It’s an enormous amount ofwork,” Bauer said. She coordinates thestudents as they learn their lines andexplore possibilities for sets andcostumes. Lynn Prichard, a full-timesubstitute teacher at West KnoxElementary, has volunteered her timeto teach students the dances they needto know for some of the skits.

One skit, “Tuxedo Timeout,”features four students and their coachas he gives them a pep talk aboutdancing the Cha Cha. The skit takes acomic look at how characters Metal,Bruno, Mastif and Lugnut react as thecoach tries to motivate them tounderstand different sorts ofmovement (locomotive andnonlocomotive) and to dance withtheir female partners. The skit ends

with 10 students performing the ChaCha.

Junior Aaron Mitchell, who playsthe role of the coach in “TuxedoTimeout,” said he finds this approachto be a fun and entertaining way tolearn. Mitchell portrays an artist inanother skit that presents an Emmy-Award-like show that recognizes theimpressionist artist of the year. “Youlearn about how impressionistic artisn’t exactly set by the traditionalboundaries,” he said.

In another skit, “UnsolvedHistories,” fictional character Fernandothe Explorer is a dreamer who decidesto sail off in a ship when his family inItaly still believes the earth is flat andhe could sail right off the edge. Anotherstudent performer, Vicki Sullivan, saidthat students watching the show learnabout different cultures.

The group gave its first fullperformance at the end of Novemberand took the show on the road inDecember, performing for students inthe Monticello Independent district.Other schools and districts can bringthe Spectrum performers to theirstudents. The only charge is for the costof transportation. Spectrum studentsare busy raising funds for costumesand props and adjusting theskits to get their core-contentmessages across to theiraudiences.

Bauer hopes the class willgo well enough to make it anannual offering as an appliedhumanities class. For now, therehearsals continue as thefemale dancers get accustomedto dancing in high heels.

This article appeared in“Fast Forward” and is pub-lished with permission fromForward in the Fifth, an orga-nization that provides educa-tional opportunities inKentucky’s Fifth Congressional District.For details about Spectrum, contact JillE. Bauer at [email protected] (orthrough the KETS global list) or at (606)528-5429.

Learning takes center stage

Lynn Camp humanities students act, sing and dancetheir way through Kentucky’s core content

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In “Plays of Our Lives,”Lynn Camp High Schoolstudents (above) portraystar-crossed lovers whoargue because onesuspects the other ofhaving a dialogue withsomeone else. In “ThePrincess and the B,”Professor Syncopatenarrates as a king andqueen devise a way tofind their long-lostdaughter by using thenotes of the royal staff.Lynn Camp studentsperform 12 humorousskits to teach parts ofKentucky’s core contentin the arts andhumanities.


Elizabethtown business leaders adoptclasses to support district standards

By Marlane YoungbloodElizabethtown Independent Schools

Through months of research, ateam of more than 50Elizabethtown parents,

business leaders and educators learnedthat the brains of young children areenhanced when certain skills such asmusic, foreign language and criticalthinking are introduced.

Armed with new informationabout the way the brain works, andwith strategic planning under way,Elizabethtown Independent Schoolsbegan to shape a new program namedVision in Progress. After just two years,educators and others in the communitycall the program one of the mostinnovative education plans in thedistrict’s 200-year history.

From the start, Vision in Progresscalled for an intensive communityengagement plan. Since so many of thecommunity leaders participated in thedistrict’s strategic planningcommittees, it was easy to includethem in recruiting local businesses tobe partners with local schools. The factthat the businesses were looking forways to give back to the communitypaved the way for a win-win scenarioand successful partnerships.

The district’s education foundationmarketing team began meeting witharea CEOs. Team members includedPaul Upchurch, the school district’ssuperintendent; Marlane Youngblood,the district’s media consultant; and artsand humanities coordinator MarthaYork. They asked the business leadersto come back to school, not withbackpacks and schoolbooks but withbriefcases and medical bags full ofexpertise from the world of work.

Businesses that have committed toclassroom adoptions have been thosein which the employees have a reallove for teaching students. Focusing onlessons that are specific to the business

world from which they come, thepartners provide meaningful activitiesand rich curriculum.

Hardin Memorial Hospital adoptedlast year’s kindergarten class –members of Kentucky’s graduatingclass of 2013 – for a 13-yearpartnership. After the hospital’scommitment, the number ofpartnerships grew quickly. In a matterof months, the district had calls fromfour other businesses. Educators werehesitant to take on that many newpartners in such a short time, but theyhave learned that they were right toproceed.

The school district started out witha plan to recruit one business everyyear with each incoming class ofkindergarten students. Now it has fivelong-term business partners who are

making a positive difference in the livesof students.

Following the hospital’s lead, theother partners – the News-Enterprisenewspaper, Elizabethtown City Hall,Altec Industries and Kentucky NationalBank – adopted classrooms of students.The business community brings to theschools a wide variety of expertise,interest and commitment. Upchurchsaid he believes the community is“witnessing a redefinition of the roleof business in education.”

Students say learning in apartnership setting is fun. Lexy Hazleand her 150 “Class of 2013” classmatesat Morningside Elementary Schoolrecently spent a morning with a five-person team from Hardin MemorialHospital. Lexy said she liked takingpart in their discussion about how

important it is to be happy and healthy.Shortly after Elizabethtown City

Hall adopted this year’s kindergartenclass, Elizabethtown police officerscame to school to talk with thestudents about safety. Using acomputer-based identification programthought to be unique in theElizabethtown area, the officers tooka digital photo and electronicfingerprint of each student. They sentthe identification information home forparents to keep.

The students look forward to visitsfrom all the various city governmentdepartments, including police, fire andengineering. City government’s maingoals for the partnership are to teachstudents citizenship and appreciationfor city government, increase studentinterest in lifelong learning andpromote service to community, whichthese partners are modeling so well.

Teachers say the adoption programauthentically connects students to thereal world, which can be a challengefor educators.

American schools are moving intothe realm of high performance at everylevel. The business partnerships willhelp Elizabethtown Independent’sstudents enter the future with a higherdegree of preparedness. With “gettingto proficiency” echoing from all cornersof Kentucky, business partnerships willhelp Elizabethtown teachers meet thisgoal – maybe a long time before year2014.

�Marlane Youngblood is a community

relations and media consultant forElizabethtown Independent Schools and amember of the Kentucky School PublicRelations Association. For details about thispartnership, contact her at (270) 765-6146or [email protected].

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Kindergartner Patrick Carlisle smiles for the digital camera as Elizabethtown policeofficer Greg Samaras records a photo and fingerprint that Patrick’s parents can haveon file at home. Elizabethtown’s city government and four businesses have adoptedclasses in the Elizabethtown Independent school district to support learning and connectstudents to the community.

Community gives to students in all the right ways


Magnets do more than attractmetal objects. They attractand hold the attention of Mor-

gan Redmond and other 5-year-olds inteacher Nancy Boyd’s science lab atAudubon Elementary in JeffersonCounty.

Boyd introduces entry-level pri-mary students to science by encourag-ing them to satisfy their natural curi-osity about the world. By exploringcommon objects in hands-on ways, thestudents are building a foundation fordoing science, learning how science isused, and understanding how scienceis connected to other things in theworld.

This year’s entry-level primary stu-dents – Kentucky’s high school gradu-ates of 2014 – are getting off to a strongstart in science. Here’s how their learn-ing relates to some of the scientific in-quiry and physical science expecta-tions they will encounter during their

Kentucky’s Class of 2014 A Strong Start in Scienceschool years, as outlined in “Programof Studies for Kentucky Schools”:

Primary: Students will ask simplescientific questions that can be an-swered through observations; usesimple equipment, tools, skills, tech-nology and mathematics in scienceinvestigations; and use evidence fromsimple scientific investigations andscientific knowledge to develop reason-able explanations. Students will under-stand that properties (size, shape) ofmaterials can be measured and usedto describe, separate or sort objects andthat magnets attract and repel eachother

as well as certain kinds of other mate-rials.

Grade 4: Students will design andconduct different kinds of simple sci-entific investigations; communicatedesigns, procedures and results of sci-entific investigations; and review andask questions about scientific investi-gations and explanations of other stu-dents. Students will understand thatelectrical currents move through elec-trical circuits and that electricity in cir-cuits can produce light, heat, soundand magnetic effects.

Grade 7: Students will identifyand refine questions that can be an-swered through scientific investiga-tions combined with scientific infor-mation; investigate characteristic prop-erties of substances; examine chemi-cal reactions between substances andrecognize that the total mass remainsthe same and that substances are cat-egorized by how they react; use sci-ence to evaluate the risks and benefitsto society for common activities; anddescribe the effects of science and tech-nology (such as television and com-puters) on society.

High School: Stu-dents will design andconduct different kindsof scientific investiga-tions for a wide vari-ety of reasons; use

equipment, tools, techniques, technol-ogy and mathematics to improve sci-entific investigations and communica-tions; use evidence, logic and scien-tific knowledge to develop and revisescientific explanations and models;analyze atomic structure and electronicforces; and examine nuclear structure,nuclear forces and nuclear reactions(fission, fusion, radioactivity).

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For more about what this year’s entry-level primary students are learning, re-fer to “Program of Studies for KentuckySchools.” The document is availablefree of charge online. Go to the Ken-tucky Department of Education’s Website (www.kentuckyschools.org) andselect “Program of Studies.” It is alsoavailable for purchase from the KDEBookstore. Select “Bookstore” on thedepartment’s Web site or contactWindy Newton at (502) 564-3421 [email protected].

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Welcome back to “New to the’Net,” a professionaldevelopment series for

teachers who want to use technologyeffectively for teaching and learning.In this lesson, expand your skills inusing the Kentucky Virtual Library.Your guide is Jeanie Fridell, resourcelibrarian with Jefferson County PublicSchools’ Gheens Professional Libraryand Library Media Services.

When you visit the online versionof this lesson, you will discover how itcan help you meet Standard X ofKentucky’s Experienced TeacherStandards.

To locate this lesson online, go towww.kentuckyschools.org/newt, thenclick on “Lesson 2.5.”

Lesson 2.5Kentucky teachers and students

have a unique opportunity to tap thevast resources of the Kentucky VirtualLibrary (KYVL), a great resource forresearch and for teaching referenceand Internet skills. This internet-based tool is available atwww.kyvl.org or via the link at thebottom of the Department ofEducation’s home page atwww.kentuckyschools.org.

Kentuckians can use the virtuallibrary directly from any KETS-networked computer in their schools.They can also enter KYVL from theirhome computers by using the required“ID” and password available from anyschool or community librarian.

The Kentucky Virtual Libraryoffers reference sources includingencyclopedias, magazines andprofessional journals. From theopening gateway you can learn moreabout the site’s rich resources.

The Information Skills Tutorial isdesigned to help the KYVL users de-velop information literacy and formu-late research questions, develop effec-tive research strategies, identify appro-priate information sources, search elec-tronic databases, evaluate information

and respon-sibly and ethi-cally citesources.

Thetutorialb e g i n swith a guidefor individualswho are new tothe World WideWeb. The basicand advancedsearch tech-niques sec-tion providesuseful tipsfor stu-dents anda d u l tlearners.

Teachers can learn howto help students realize the importanceof citing sources in this introductorytutorial.

Many elementary teachers use andenjoy the Searchasaurus search tool.This user-friendly gateway is appeal-ing for young students and fosters cre-ativity. Additional elementary re-sources include the Grolier Encyclope-dia Online, magazines in Spanish andthe Kentucky Digital Library of primaryhistorical documents.

The middle school and high schoolgateways provide catalogs and data-bases from EBSCO, which features ac-cess to more than 120 magazines ofinterest to middle school students. Theschool edition includes full-text articlesfrom more than 460 general-interestand current-event magazines. More

than 159 newspapers with re-gional, national and interna-tional articles are available,plus health information fromother online databases. Biog-raphies and NoveList help stu-dents with school assignments

and free-time reading.The KYVL forTeachers area in-

cludes pages designed to helpKentucky’s K-12 educators locate andevaluate high-quality Web-based re-sources for instruction and professionaldevelopment. Educators working onhigher degrees will be “WOWed” withthe improved features of ERIC docu-ments. Databases available from theteacher’s area include ProQuest,FirstSearch and NoveList.

Web sites with content connec-tions enable teachers in arts and hu-manities, mathematics, practical liv-ing/vocational studies, reading, sci-ence, social studies and writing to ex-plore excellent, content-based Websites. The KYVL for Teachers site en-ables teachers to locate books not intheir own school libraries, select fromKentucky Library Catalogs and locate

books in Kentucky public, business oruniversity libraries.

“New to the ’Net” started in theAugust 2000 issue of Kentucky Teacher.If you need copies of printed lessons,go to www.kentuckyschools.org/newtand click on the link to each KentuckyTeacher issue or send a request to Ken-tucky Teacher, 1914 Capital PlazaTower, 500 Mero St., Frankfort, KY40601; [email protected].

Susan Lancaster of the Departmentof Education’s Division of SchoolInstructional Technology is the mentorfor this year’s “New to the ’Net” series.E-mail your questions, comments andideas to her at [email protected] (or through the KETS global list),or phone her at (502) 564-7168,extension 4542.

The little green mascotfor the “New to the ’Net”professional developmentser ies is leaving theDepartment of Education’shome page on the Web tomake room for newinformation. To locate thecomplete “New to the ’Net”ser ies , go to www.kentuckyschools.org/newt orselect “New to the ’Net” inthe drop-down menu on thehome page.

Newt’s moving!

Let’s revisit the Kentucky Virtual LibraryNew to the ’Net Lesson 2.5

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Students get kicks out of HERO program

Tae Kwon Do classes teach Clark Elementary studentsrespect and self-control

By Joy BarrKentucky Department of Education

Eleven-year-old Justin Garnettused to look at the ground whenhe was asked a question. Now

he confidently looks adults in the eyewhen he answers, “Yes, ma’am” or“Yes, sir.”

The change in behavior came afterhe began taking Tae Kwon Do classes.He and 14 other students at PaducahIndependent’s Clark ElementarySchool are members of the after-schoolHERO club. HERO stands for HelpingEveryone Reach Outcomes. In apartnership between the school and alocal business, chief instructor RayWatkins and assistant Jason Strohkirchof Hwang’s Martial Arts in Lone Oakteach the Tae Kwon Do classes.Funding for the program comes fromthe Kids Company One FamilyResource Center and various localsources.

“You get to exercise and learn newsteps and techniques,” said Garnett, a5th-grader. “It changed the way I actand the way I had an attitude andfought with people.”

HERO club sponsor KarenArmstrong, who teaches 1st grade atClark Elementary, started the programby taking six students to summerclasses at Hwang’s Martial Arts. Ninemore students joined after-schoolsessions in September.

The students had exhibiteddiscipline problems at school, notedArmstrong, who also participates inthe classes. “We’re trying to preventchildren from being suspended fromschool,” she said. “There really hasbeen an improvement. Suspensions inthis group of students have decreasedabout 20 percent, and much credit isgiven to the Tae Kwon Do program.”

She said some people mistakenlyassume “that if the students get goodat kicking, they’ll go to school and kickpeople. However, the program teachesthem self-control and discipline. It isthe ultimate goal to have this self-control carry over at school.”

Sara West, principal at ClarkElementary, and Jay Buckley, assistantprincipal, used behavior referrals toselect the students who participate inthe program. “We wanted to find a wayto keep the students in school,” Westsaid. “It has been noted by some ofthe teachers that student achievementhas increased with this group ofstudents. We also have had fewerdisciplinary problems.”

Most of the students have earnedthe white belt, the first level ofachievement, which means they havelearned respect. Some have achievedyellow (second level) and orange (thirdlevel) belts.

Armstrong believes the beltssignify success for the students. “I wantto keep this going until all of them haveblack belts,” she said. “I won’t let themquit. We’re going to keep it up and addmore students. Other schools haveexpressed interest in it, too.”

In fact, students from the district’sCooper-Whiteside Elementary recentlyjoined Clark Elementary students in theHERO program.

Garnett, who has an orange belt,has even higher aspirations. “I want

to go as far as Instructor Ray,” he said.Ray has a fourth-degree black belt.

The students now have a touringdemonstration team. Each student whoreceives fewer than five marks forinappropriate behavior in school for aone-week period can participate. Theteam goes to various schools to giveTae Kwon Do presentations. Armstrongsaid the students consider participationin this program a reward, “somethingthey can work toward that the otherstudents cannot.”

Armstrong says she sees positiveresults from HERO but wants to berealistic in her assessment. “We asteachers are sometimes asked to giveinstant proof that a program works,”she said. “I can see that some of the(participating) students have madeincredible improvements in behaviorand achievement, while others stillhave a long way to go. We will need tofollow these students for years to cometo see if the martial arts will make adifference over the long term.”

For more information about the HEROprogram at Clark Elementary, contactKaren Armstrong at (270) 444-5730 [email protected] .ky.us.

Gage Owens, a 5th-grade student atClark Elementary in the PaducahIndependent district, kicks a boardduring a “kick-a-thon” fundraiser for theschool’s HERO program. HERO teachesstudents self-confidence and self-control.The program gets credit for a drop indisciplinary problems and suspensionsat the school. (Photo courtesy PaducahIndependent Schools)

Corbin film/video festivalwill showcasestudent work

If your school district’s stu-dents are involved in video produc-tion, the Corbin Independent Filmand Video Festival may be anexcellent way for them to showcasetheir work. The festival will bringyoung filmmakers together topresent their works and competewith other students in their ownage groups (elementary, middle, highschool and college).

Competition categories includenarrative/short story, documentary,music video, informational/promo-tional, abstract/experimental/animation, commercial, and news/sports feature.

The entry deadline is April 5.The festival will present selectedproductions and announce winnerson May 2 at Corbin High School.

Details are available online atwww.corbinreachproject.org orfrom Mark Daniels at (606) 528-1303 or [email protected] addressing e-mail through theKETS global list, be sure to selectthe Mark Daniels with the Corbinschool district.


Here’s how one low-scoring school made a 24.1-point leap in scores on the Kentuck

Test scores at Middle Fork ElemenTest scores at Middle Fork Element

A year ago, Principal Marilyn Ruth Montgomeryand teachers at Middle Fork Elementary cringedwhen they heard the words “Level 3 school.” It

was demoralizing, Montgomery said, to be identifiedas a faculty member at a school that scored in the lowestone-third of all schools taking the 2000 Kentucky CoreContent Tests.

Today, those same Magoffin County educators arebeing identified for a different reason. After hitting whatmost agree was their lowest point as educators, theteachers – and their students – have bounced back witha vengeance.

As the saying goes, they took lemons and madelemonade. The school’s 4th- and 5th-graders posted a24.1-point increase in test scores on the spring 2001state tests, one of the largest increases recorded in thestate.

Montgomery and the teachers at Middle Fork can’tpoint to one reason for the dramatic upswing in testscores. However, they do know that the state’s scholasticaudit process, the audit team’s recommendations andthe help of highly skilled educator Susan Nicholscombined to help the staff and students make changesthat resulted in higher test scores.

“The audit was good for me as a principal,” saidMontgomery, now in her third year as the school’sleader, “and good for the staff. It has made us focus onthe students first.”

As required, every Level 3 school in Kentuckyreceived a scholastic audit last winter. An audit teamobserved and evaluated each school’s teaching practices,learning environment and academic performance. Eachteam recommended “next steps” for improvement.

Nichols, a middle school science teacher from theRussell Independent district, was the highly skillededucator on the Middle Fork Elementary audit team.She remains at the school to help teachers implementthe team’s recommendations and to serve as a resourcefor the faculty.

When she arrived at Middle Fork, Nichols said,teachers were aware of Kentucky’s Core Content andProgram of Studies but used textbooks rather than theKentucky-specific curriculum documents to drive theirinstruction. Most teachers taught behind closed doorsand rarely collaborated on instruction. They also didn’thave high expectations for their students, Nicholsobserved.

By Faun S. FishbackKentucky Department of Education

Intermediate teacher Melinda Owens (standing) and Susan Nichols,the highly skilled educator assigned to Middle Fork Elementary, askstudents about their mathematics computations during a classroomactivity.

Alexis Minix glues pieces of paper into a three-dimensional shape asupper primary teacher Dennita Patrick (kneeling) helps Middle Forkstudent Jenna Patrick work on a different shape.

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Core Content Tests

tary bounce back with a vengeanceary bounce back with a vengeance

Setting priorities for changeThe faculty decided on three priorities

for the 2000-01 school year:1. teaching core content2. setting higher expectations for

students3. making students accountable for

their learning.Teachers began making instructional

changes by looking at what and how theywere teaching, Nichols said. They developedlesson plans using Kentucky’s core contentand program of studies.

Through this process, upper primaryteacher Dennita Patrick said, “I realized Iprobably didn’t focus enough on core contentand how I delivered the concepts to mystudents. This reinforced for all of us whatwe weren’t doing and what we needed to do.”

The faculty rearranged schedules withcommon planning times and found ways toembed professional development in their jobs.Content specialists now provide training afterschool and return the next day to work withteachers in their classrooms and duringplanning periods.

“We’re doing so much,” said MelindaOwens, who teaches mathematics, scienceand writing to 4th- and 5th-graders, “but we’renot working harder, we’re working smarter.The difference is we’re more focused ineverything we do. The whole staff is workingtogether.”

Working together led to other changesat Middle Fork. Teachers opened their doorsand began sharing teaching strategies. Atevery grade level, teachers took responsibilityfor 4th- and 5th-grade assessment. Somebecame writing mentors for 4th-graders.Others asked for new teaching assignmentsthat would put their content knowledge tobetter use in getting students to proficiency.

Rather than feeling overwhelmed,teachers saw the pieces of the puzzle fittingtogether. Nichols said the turning point camewhen groups of teachers visited high-achieving schools similar to Middle Fork —rural, participating in Title I programs andwith high percentages of students eligible forfree- or reduced-price lunches.

“The teachers saw other teachers doingsome of the same things they were doing atMiddle Fork, and that boosted their self-esteem and morale,” Nichols said. “Theyrealized that everything they were doingwasn’t off track. They also were able to bringback a lot of ideas for improvement in otherareas of need.”

Student AccountabilityEverybody talks about it. Middle Fork Elementary makes it happen, with positive results.

A vital factor in an academic turn-around atMagoffin County’s Middle Fork Elementary is howteachers are exciting students about learning at highlevels. Principal Marilyn Ruth Montgomery says thatgetting to proficiency and beyond is now a responsibil-ity shared by everyone, including the students.

Teachers and students alike “talk the talk and walkthe walk.” In class, teachers discuss core content interms of what students are expected to learn. “We werekilling ourselves teaching,” said intermediate-gradesteacher Melinda Owens, “and the students were justfloating along. This makes them more accountable fortheir learning.”

Middle Fork students know what novice, appren-tice, proficient and distinguished work looks like, andthey use that knowledge to set personal goals on as-signments. Teachers show students strategies for achiev-ing at their highest levels, becoming better writers andsharpening their critical thinking skills. Through school-and PTA-sponsored events, parents, too, are learningabout core content, performance categories and aca-demic performance standards.

“We didn’t have high enough expectations of ourstudents,” said primary teacher Dennita Patrick. “Su-san (Nichols, a Department of Education highly skillededucator assigned to assist with the school’s improve-ment efforts) showed us we need to push a little harder.Now students are more excited about learning. Theyhave a goal to reach, and they are striving to keep work-ing toward it.”

Students agree. “You push us more, and we learnmore!” explained 5th-grader Jacob Chiow.

Students want to achieveTo make students more accountable, Nichols sits

down with each student and looks at his or her records.They discuss classroom grades and how factors suchas missing school can affect their grades.

Fifth-grade teachers also talk with each studentabout the previous year’s core content test results andwhat that student must do to get to the next perfor-mance level.Owens said shebelieves thishelps studentsunderstand thattest scores reallymean something.

Owens oftenreads open-re-

sponse answers aloud without identifying the writer.Students hold up cards (marked 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4) to scorethe assignment. They must be able to use a scoringrubric to explain the score they give each piece.

This exercise gives students an opportunity to heartheir open-response answers out loud and get feedbackfrom their peers. “You would be surprised what stu-dents can learn from each other,” Owens said. Evenstruggling students begin to see the difference betweendeveloping an answer and developing a proficient an-swer, she added.

Owens and Lori Salyer, another 4th- and 5th-gradeteacher, use the same approach in writing. After hear-ing a writing piece, students score it and explain theirscores in terms of idea development, audience, pur-pose and word choices.

“We’re really working smarter by making all of ourstudents aware of what they will have to do to reachproficiency,” Owens said. “By the time today’s primarystudents are 4th- and 5th-graders, they will have beenusing these strategies for years.”

Knowing these strategies has paid dividends. Thisfall, 39 intermediate students received trophies for pro-ficient and distinguished work on the 2001 KentuckyCore Content Tests. The school’s “Hall of Fame” liststhe names of high-achieving students. Montgomeryprominently displays distinguished student work on the“Principal’s Pride Board.” Photos of the honored stu-dents accompany their work.

The desire to achieve runs high at Middle Fork El-ementary from the principal’s office to the Head Startclasses, thanks to changes put in motion in response tothe Level 3 designation.

“A lot of the things we’ve done were not big thingsthat teachers couldn’t have done in their classroomswithout direction from a highly skilled educator. Wehad just hit a wall and needed someone like Susan(Nichols) to point out places we could improve,” saidOwens, the intermediate teacher. “Many of the thingswe did to improve our instruction were simple, like re-

focusing theway we taughta concept toaddress differ-ent learningstyles.”

Want to know more about Middle Fork?Contact Principal Marilyn Ruth Montgomery, distinguished educator

Susan Nichols, or teachers Dennita Patrick or Melinda Owens at (606)349-3398 or by e-mail through the KETS global list.

To learn more about the scholastic audit/review process, contactTom Peterson in the Office of Leadership and School Improvement at(502) 564-2116 or [email protected] (or through the KETS globallist).


By Fran SalyersKentucky Department of Education

While education advocates ev-erywhere are sounding thealarm about a dwindling

supply of K-12 teachers, some Ken-tucky schools are taking steps towardmeeting the local demand. They’regrowing their own!

These schools are identifying stu-dents with the potential to become ef-fective teachers and giving them op-portunities to try teaching on for size.Those opportunities often comethrough school-based chapters of Fu-ture Educators of America (FEA).

FEA, sponsored by Phi DeltaKappa International professional edu-cators’ organization, invites middleschool and high school students toexplore careers in education. Many oftoday’s teachers were members of an-other organization, Future Teachers ofAmerica, when they were in highschool. That organization was so ef-fective in recruiting students into theeducation profession that the supplyof teachers began to exceed demand.Without a purpose, “Future Teachers”faded away in 1969. Now that the de-mand for teachers is again larger thanthe supply, the new FEA is gaining mo-mentum.

FEA’s national focus is on twogroups: students who want to becometeachers and those who could becomegreat teachers but haven’t consideredthe profession. Participating Kentuckyschools also focus on a third group:underachieving but capable studentswho can succeed with the right moti-vation and career goals.

Last year, Madison Central HighSchool teachers Ella Campbell and BariConder started an FEA chapter to in-troduce interested students to oppor-tunities in teaching. A high percent-age of the chapter’s participants rep-resent minority populations.

“This is significant,” Campbellsays, “because in Kentucky we have ashortage of minority teachers.”

Some participants are studentswho don’t join other clubs, she said.

“We call ourselves an organization, nota club, because ‘organization’ soundsmore open and inclusive.”

Campbell and Conder encourageFEA students to reach for the grade-point averages they will need to enterteacher preparation programs at Ken-tucky colleges and universities. Thestudents mentor each other in theirquest for higher grades. They visit col-lege campuses and investigate schol-arship opportunities.

Several activities introduce the stu-dents to teaching. For example, in a“book buddies” program at DanielBoone Elementary, FEA members lis-ten to the younger students read andthen discuss the stories with them tohelp with reading skills and readingcomprehension.

“I want them to get a feel for whatteaching is really like so they can de-cide if teaching is for them,” Campbellsaid. “I want to dispel the myth thatso many of themhave: that teach-ers ‘have it easy.’Before they com-mit to a career inteaching, theyneed to knowhow difficult andhow seriousteaching is.”

One ofCampbell’s chal-lenges is settingup opportunitiesfor job shadow-ing. FEA activi-ties are extracur-ricular, so noschool funds areavailable fortransportationand other costs.Campbell andthe students arelooking at fund-raising options.They hope totravel to futurestate and na-tional FEA con-

ferences.“Some of these kids are really gung

ho about teaching,” Campbell said. “Iwant to give them every head start Ican.”

At Clark County’s George RogersClark High School, FEA is now in itssecond year. Students there have op-portunities to shadow teachers for afull school day.

“The ‘shadowed’ teachers havethose students doing everything that ateacher would do,” said teacher andchapter sponsor Sharron Oxendine.“The FEA members love it! At the el-ementary level, they read, they play,they wipe noses and dry tears. Lastyear, a couple of the students contin-ued to help the teachers even after theinitial experience was over. They got agreat look at what teaching is allabout.”

At Pulaski County High School,teacher Jackie Rogers guides a group

Need more teachers? Try growing your own!

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of 10 students in the school’s secondyear of FEA activities. Rogers sees FEAas an opportunity to focus on the quan-tity and the quality of future teachers.

“We need to encourage those whowould be ‘good’ teachers to take upthe torch,” she said. “I want our topstudents to realize that teaching is awonderful profession as worthy of se-rious consideration as any other ca-reer.”

Like most FEA sponsors, Rogerswants more information about chap-ter successes in other schools in Ken-tucky and the nation. For now, shestrives to encourage membership bymaking chapter activities both instruc-tive and fun. She took 40 students toEastern Kentucky University’s FutureTeacher Day last year.

“We are also giving our club Greekletters and putting them on rugby shirtsto give it more of a college feel,” shesaid. “The kids love it!”

Tyesha Jackson, Magan Kenney and Jamie Hislope are three of the students at Madison Central High whoparticipate in Future Educators of America to explore the possibility of careers in teaching.


‘Future Educators’ chapters set out to solve the teacher shortage. Along the way,they’ve become tools for boosting student learning and closing the achievement gap.

Want FEA in your school?According to Jim Fogarty, associate executive director of Phi Delta Kappa International, Kentucky has 47

chartered FEA chapters (13 in middle schools and 34 in high schools) and more than 200 operating clubs that havenot officially joined FEA. Nationally, 2,000 clubs have an estimated 45,000 members.

Want to consider FEA in your school? Start with these steps:• Learn more about Future Educators of America by reviewing information at www.pdkintl.org (click on

“FEA”).• Talk with others locally to generate interest in starting a chapter.• Examine local needs, discuss how a chapter can help meet those needs, and begin to involve students in

planning.• Talk with FEA sponsors and student participants at schools with FEA chapters, or contact Carol Gabbard,

FEA project manager for Eastern Kentucky University, at [email protected] or (859) 623-6339.• Contact Phi Delta Kappa International and request the 175-page handbook for advisors. The cost is $25 plus

shipping. Check the Web site; write to the organization at P.O. Box 789, Bloomington, IN 47402-0789; or call (812)339-1156 or (800) 766-1156.

‘Cheerleader’ Gabbard rallies supportfor future-teacher efforts in Kentucky

In Kentucky, the head cheerleaderfor the Future Educators of Americaprogram may be Carol Gabbard. Attract-ing promising secondary students to theteaching profession is both her job andher mission.

Speaking as a recruiter of educa-tion majors for Eastern Kentucky Uni-versity, a member of the KentuckyBoard of Education and the board’s rep-resentative on the Kentucky P-16 Coun-cil, Gabbard says two things are cer-tain:

• Kentucky’s demand for qualifiedand committed teachers is bigger thanthe supply.

• The supply will shrink even fur-ther unless Kentucky takes immediate and effectivesteps to recruit and train more teachers.

“Local school districts tell me they get only ahandful of applications for teacher openings whenat one time they received as many as 80,” she said.“At the same time, we have the highest number ofteacher retirees ever. One-third of our teaching forceis eligible for retirement right now. Where will weget teachers to replace them?”

Gabbard promotes FEA as an effective tool forstimulating interest in teaching, especially in rural

areas. “When young people in thosecommunities go away to college andwant to return home to work, teach-ing is the best – sometimes the only –professional job option they have,” shesaid.

She recommends a focused se-quence of teacher preparation pro-grams, starting at the middle schoollevel. The sequence would have fourtiers:

• FEA organizations encouragedor required in all middle and highschools.

• Teacher academy or high schoolprograms offering education classesfor future teachers and opportunities

for field experiences, perhaps with provisions for dualhigh school and college credit.

• Kentucky Career and Technical College systemprograms leading to associate degrees in education forteacher aides and substitute teachers.

• College and university four-year education de-gree programs adjusted to build on the experiences stu-dents gain in high school or two-year career collegeprograms.

To contact Gabbard, send e-mail [email protected] or phone (859) 623-6339.

Do the math(Kentucky data for the 2000-01 school year)

Number of public school teach-ers working full-time (orequivalent): 40,790

Number of teachers eligible forretirement: 13,460

Average number of teachers re-tiring each year: 2,500

Number of emergency certifi-cates issued:* 1,432

Number of graduates ofteacher education programs:2,356

Projected number of teachereducation program graduates:

2001-02 – 2,403

2002-03 – 2,451

2003-04 – 2,500

* The Kentucky Education Profes-sional Standards Board issues emer-gency certificates to permit districts tofill positions for which no certifiedteacher is available.

Sources: Kentucky Department ofEducation and the Kentucky EducationProfessional Standards Board

In a FutureIssue . . .

Jefferson County PublicSchools began its MinorityTeacher Recruitment Project in1986 at the college level and ex-tended it into the high schoolstwo years later. In the 2002-03school year, Jefferson County willlaunch a future-teacher magnetprogram offering high schoolclasses in education theory andpractice, teacher shadowing andfield experience. In a future issue,Kentucky Teacher will spotlightthe success of Jefferson County’sproject.


KTLC, March 7-9Conference expands to offer more than 300 sessions

and 220 exhibits on education ideas and issuesThe focus will be on success for all students at this year’s Kentucky Teaching

and Learning Conference, scheduled for March 7-9 at the Kentucky InternationalConvention Center in Louisville. Under the event’s “Pathways to Proficiency”theme, more than 300 sessions and 220 vendor exhibits will offer strategies forteaching and learning in all content areas and all grade levels.

KTLC Program Chair Charlotte Chowning says this year’s event will includesomething for everyone, from P-16 educators and administrators to media andtechnology specialists, school and district office personnel, parents, school coun-cil members and student technology leaders. This year’s agenda will also coverissues such as equity, achievement gaps, reading initiatives and technology-sup-ported learning. One strand will feature “Technology Programs that Work,” spot-lighting heavily researched technology strategies that have been proven to in-crease student learning.

Another plus this year, Chowning said, is a more comprehensive approach toeducation equity and closing the achievement gap. The Department of Education’sDivision of Equity has planned two mini-conferences within KTLC: Title IX Aca-demics, Athletics, and Gender Equity: Looking Toward the Future; and The Eq-uity Environment.

Once again, the conference will feature several nationally acclaimed educa-tion experts plus exhibits sponsored by more than 220 hardware, software andadaptive technology companies; technology and distance learning consultants;curriculum materials developers and other vendors.

Agenda and registration information is available online through the confer-ence Web site at www.kentuckyschools.org/ktlc or from Roseanne Wise at (502)564-7168 or [email protected].

KET program to feature KentuckyTeacher photographer McComb

A segment of KET’s “KentuckyLife” program on March 23 will fea-ture Kentucky Teacher photographerRick McComb and showcase hisaward-winning work. McComb hascaptured images of public educationthroughout the state since 1978.

In the 4- to 5-minute segment,McComb tells why he sometimes“takes pictures” without any film inhis camera and how he selected thephotos for his “Faces of Reform”award-winning exhibit. A KET crewfollows McComb on the job as he pho-tographs students in their classrooms.

KET broadcasts “Kentucky Life”each Saturday at 8:30 p.m. (ET). Checklocal listings to determine the correcttelevision channel in your area.

What’sNew?Get month-by-monthtips and ideasonline

Each month, the KentuckyDepartment of Education’s “What’s New?” Web page offers linksto annual celebrations, historic events and biographical informa-tion on interesting people. “What’s New?” also links to news aboutconferences, education publications, lesson plans and classroomactivities.

The “What’s New?” editor, Faun S. Fishback, updates the pageweekly. To find this resource, click on the “What’s New?” icon onthe department’s home page (www.kentuckyschools.org) or go di-rectly to www.kentuckyschools.org/shared/whatsnew/.

“What’s New?” for March will include links to resources re-lated to these events:

• National Women’s History Month – The National Women’sHistory Project (www.nwhp.org/) offers biographical informationabout famous women. Women in History (www.womeninworldhistory.com/) has biographies, lessons and samplesof curricula.

• National Nutrition Month – This year’s theme is “Start To-day for a Healthy Tomorrow.” Visit www.eatright.org/nnm/nnm02fact.html.

• National School Breakfast Week – The slogan for March 4-8 is “School Breakfast: Join the Club.” Go to www.asfsa.org/meetingsandevents/nsbw2002/ for details. Find nutrition gamesat http://exhibits.pacsci.org/nutrition/default.html.

• National Music in Our Schools Month - The National Asso-ciation for Music Education offers lesson plans and activities, in-cluding the “world’s largest concert” scheduled for 1 p.m. (EST)on March 14 on PBS. Learn more at www.teachervision.com/les-son-plans/lesson-8591.html.

• Read Across America Day – Join honorary chairperson GarthBrooks on March 1 to celebrate reading and the birthday ofchildren’s book author Dr. Seuss. Find information and ideas atwww.nea.org/readacross/.

• National Agriculture Week – The first day of spring (March21) is National Agriculture Day and the anchor for National Agri-culture Week (March 17-24). Go to www.agday.org/ for informa-tion. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Web site links to aposter and essay contest. Find details at www.kyagr.com/enviro_out/education/index.htm.

• St. Patrick’s Day – Learn more at www.historychannel.com/exhibits/stpatricksday/.

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Science Center announcestwo teacher institutes

The Louisville Science Center will offer two summer institutes to help teach-ers teach science content through hands-on labs that stimulate creativity andlearning. Both institutes provide content aligned with Kentucky’s Core Contentfor Assessment and student performance standards.

The Early Childhood Institute, designed for teachers of students in the 4-8age range, will be July 15-19. The Teacher Institute, for teachers of grades 3-8,will be July 22-26.

Teachers can attend as many days as they want and may choose from variouscontent areas in the life, health, physical, space and natural sciences. The insti-tute faculty will include board members of the Kentucky Science Teachers Asso-ciation, local chemists, meteorologists, classroom teachers and science coordina-tors from the Louisville Science Center.

To request more information or register, phone (800) 591-2203, extension6567, and ask for the workshop coordinator. Information is also available atwww.louisvillescience.org.

KET launches dance seriesbased on Kentucky core content

A new instructional series produced by KET explores why people dance, whatdance is and how dances are created. The “DanceSense” series includes 10 pro-grams, each 15 minutes in length, based on Kentucky’s core content for dance ingrades 5-10 and the National Standards for Arts Education in Dance.

“DanceSense” looks at dances of various cultures, ethnic groups and histori-cal periods. Students observe and learn from choreographers, “tappers,” balletdancers, modern dancers, folk dancers, jazz dancers and young dancers just startingout. Also included are people who teach or write about dance or accompany it ontheir instruments.

KET invited schools to tape “DanceSense” from 2:15 to 2:30 p.m. (1:15 to1:30 central time) on Thursdays from Feb. 14 through April 25 on KET Star Chan-nel 703. To serve those who have missed the early programs, KET’s Tape Distribu-tion Service offers the entire series on tape for $37.50 plus $4.95 shipping. Toorder, call (800) 945-9167. Before ordering, check with your school’s KET coordi-nator or library media specialist, who may have taped the series from a block feedin January.

For a list of series topics and a downloadable teacher’s guide, visitwww.ket.org/dancesense on the Internet.

For more information, contact Marianne Mosley at [email protected] or (859)258-7237.

Contest calls for entriesfrom student poets

The Kentucky State Poetry Society invites students to enter this year’s poetrycontest. Each entry will compete in the appropriate grade-level category.

All entries must be the original work of the entrant, unpublished, not enteredin a concurrent contest, and not a winner of a cash prize in previous contests.The entry deadline is June 30. There is no entry fee.

Winners and runners-up will receive small cash awards at the society’s an-nual meeting in October. The society will publish the winning poems in its poetryjournal, “Pegasus.”

For details, visit http://windpub.org/ksps/student.htm on the Internet. Fordirect assistance, contact Carol Scott by e-mail at [email protected] (pre-ferred) or (606) 474-2513.

“Music! Words! Opera!” workshopscoming in July

The Kentucky Opera has set July 22-26 for teacher workshops in its “Music!Words! Opera!” program. This program trains teachers to guide middle and highschool students through the process of creating and performing their own operas.

Teams of two teachers from each participating school receive intensive pro-fessional training at the summer workshop on the campus of the University ofLouisville. They then incorporate opera into their curriculum and guide studentsthrough the creative process. Kentucky Opera provides artist consultants whowork directly with the students. The program culminates each year in a publicperformance showcasing the student operas.

To register for participation in this summer’s workshop, call Mary York, man-ager of education programs, at (502) 561-7925 or (800) 690-9236, or send e-mailto [email protected]. The registration deadline is June 1.

To see the results of the 2001-02 program, attend the culminating perfor-mances starting at 7 p.m. on April 16 at the Brown Theater in downtown Louis-ville. Students from South Oldham High and three Jefferson County high schools– Jeffersontown, Louisville Male and Ballard – will present their original operas.Admission is free of charge. Contact Mary York for details.

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LOOKING AROUND BARDSTOWNBardstown Elementary first-year primary student Makenzie Perry peeks around adoor in a hallway mural featuring scenes of her community. The school’s formerart teacher, Lori McQuery, and teacher Kathy Birkhead (now retired) began themural six years ago. They originally intended to decorate the school’s lobby butextended the project through the cafeteria and library. The art has become a toolfor teaching in many content areas, including local history. Principal Jack Jonessays the colorful, community-focused murals are popular with students and parentsand give visitors a “wonderful first impression” of the school.


Certification recordsnow posted online

Educators and the general public now have online access to certification recordsheld by the Education Professional Standards Board.

Through the board’s new “Teacher Certification Inquiry” (TCI) service, thepublic can search certification records by educator name, school or district. TCIlists valid certificates and endorsements held by a teacher or administrator andwhat jobs those certificates allow that educator to do in Kentucky’s public schools.

Using the new service, parents and others can easily check a teacher oradministrator’s certification record online. While this information has always beenpublic record, citizens previously had to request it by phone or in writing.

The service also simplifies the process for district personnel seeking certifica-tion information for hiring and assignment purposes. TCI lists the subjects andgrade ranges a teacher or administrator has the board’s permission to teach oroversee.

The site does not release to the public any personal information such asaddresses, Social Security numbers, telephone numbers or certification test scores.A secure portion of the site includes details administrators need for hiring andassignment purposes, but that portion is accessible only through a log-in codesupplied by the Education Professional Standards Board staff.

For public access to this new service, click on the TCI link on the board’shome page at www.kentuckyschools.org/otec/epsb.

For access to secured information, school district administrators may requesta log-in code from Paula Kinsolving at (502) 564-9479 or [email protected] is not the board’s official record. To request an official record, contact AllisonWeber at (502) 573-4606 or [email protected].

An educator who finds an inaccurate listing may contact Janet Banta at (502)573-4606 or [email protected] to request a comparison with official records.

66 Kentucky teachers earn nationalcertification in 2001

Sixty-six Kentucky teachers took and passed a rigorous process to earn certi-fication by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) dur-ing 2000-01. According to the state’s Education Professional Standards Board,Kentucky now has 145 teachers with NBPTS certification.

Candidates for this credential develop portfolios demonstrating their teach-ing and their students’ work, and they complete a daylong assessment centerprocess. NBPTS evaluates teachers on their content knowledge, effectiveness inteaching, and ability to manage and measure student learning. Candidates gener-ally spend 200-300 hours completing the certification process while continuing toteach full-time.

In 2000, the Kentucky General Assembly provided incentives to support ex-perienced teachers pursuing national board certification. These incentives includea $400 stipend and five release days during the school year for them to work ontheir portfolios and prepare for the assessments and, for successful candidates, a75 percent reimbursement of the $2,300 application fee and a $2,000 annual sal-ary supplement.

Kentucky’s goal is to have at least one NBPTS-certified teacher in every pub-lic school by 2020.

For more information, including state-by-state lists of teachers with NBPTScertification, visit www.nbpts.org on the Internet. (Note: The site lists 141 NBPTS-certified teachers for Kentucky. Four others who now teach in Kentucky are listedwith the states in which they taught when they received national certification.)Information is also available from Kevin Skeeters of the Education ProfessionalStandards Board. Phone (502) 573-4606 or send e-mail to [email protected].

Beijing to host two education conferencesEducation professionals from the U.S and China will gather for two confer-

ences in Beijing in July to exchange ideas and best practices in K-12 education:• The First China–U.S. Conference on Physical Education – July 16-19• The Sixth China–U.S. Conference on Education, July 24-27Deadlines have passed for submitting papers and presentation proposals for

these conferences, but organizers encourage interested professionals in Kentuckyto contact them immediately to inquire about deadline extensions.

For details about the conferences and related travel and lodging packages,contact Global Interactions at (602) 906-8886, check the Web atwww.globalinteractions.org, or send e-mail to [email protected].

Inside Kentucky SchoolsA Kentucky Department of Education Production

30 minutes of news and features about education in Kentucky

Second and fourth Saturday of every month• noon Eastern/11 a.m. Central on KET• 5:30 p.m. Eastern/4:30 p.m. Central on KET2

Please check TV listings for air times on local cable stations

For program information, visit www.kentuckyschools.org/comm/mediasvcs/

[email protected]

(502) 564-3421 or (800) 533-5372 (toll free in Kentucky)

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By Joy BarrKentucky Department of Education

Bulletin BoardBulletin Board New exhibit looks at 200years of fashion

The Kentucky History Center in Frankfort features anew exhibit, “A Dressing Change: Clothing and Fashion inKentucky,” on view from Feb. 23 through June 9. Theexhibit illustrates how fashion has changed over the past200 years and explores the factors that led to those changes,from technological innovations to evolving gender roles.The exhibit includes interactive elements.

To schedule a school group visit, contact Carol McGurkat (502) 564-1792, ext. 4416, or [email protected]. Learn more about the History Centerby visiting the Kentucky Historical Society’s Web site atwww.kyhistory.org.

Stock Market Gametraining available online

The Kentucky Council on Economic Education offers Stock Market Gametraining for teachers through online professional development offered by theKentucky Virtual High School (www.kvhs.org). The game is an investment educationtool that can be integrated into most core content areas for students in grades 5through 12. The cost of the online session is $100.

For information about the training, contact the council at (502) 893-4229 [email protected]. For information about Kentucky Virtual High Schoolprofessional development courses, contact Bob Fortney at [email protected].

KYSPRAspring retreatset for April

This year’s Kentucky SchoolPublic Relations Associationspring retreat will be April 25 and26 at the Marriott Griffin GateResort in Lexington. Deadline forregistration and room reservationsis April 1. A fee of $50 for membersand $75 for non-members coversparticipation and three meals.

To register or request details,go to www.kyspra.com online orcontact Lauren Roberts, JeffersonCounty Public Schools, at (502)485-3357 or [email protected].

Science Center hashealth educationprogram

The After School Physical ImprovementRegional Effort (ASPIRE) invites Kentuckymiddle schools to send up to 100 students eachto the Louisville Science Center to increase theirknowledge about cardiovascular and physicalhealth. A daylong program includes access tothe new life sciences, health and wellness exhibit“The World Within Us”; viewing of the IMAXfilm “The Human Body”; a hands-oncardiovascular laboratory experiment; a physicalactivity of yoga, dance or kickboxing; and ahealthful snack.

For more information, contact LindseyTucker at the Louisville Science Center at (502)561-6100 or [email protected], or visitwww.louisvillescience.org on the Internet.

Arts educationshowcases set forMarch

The Kentucky Center for the Arts hasplanned arts education showcases atseveral sites in March. These one-dayevents familiarize Kentucky educators withperforming and visual artists, artsorganizations and cultural institutionsavailable as resources for schools.Participants will see stage performancesand exhibits and receive an arts educationresource directory. The registration fee is$7 per person.

The showcases will take place at thefollowing sites:• March 6 - Bomhard Theatre, Louisville• March 11 - Singletary Center for the Arts,Lexington

•March 12 - Thomas More College,Crestview Hills

• March 13 - RiverPark Center, Owensboro• March 15 - Ashland Community College,Ashland

• March 18 - Appalshop, Whitesburg• March 25 - Western Kentucky University,Bowling Green

Showcase planners have mailedregistration brochures to all schoolprincipals. For additional brochures,contact Jeffrey Jamner at (502) 562-0703or [email protected]. For information anda registration form, viewwww.kentuckycenter.org/education/artseducation.asp on the Web.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fundis recruiting teacher-ambassadors

In conjunction with the 20th anniversary of The Wall, the national memorialto those who served with the U.S. Armed Forces in Vietnam, the Vietnam VeteransMemorial Fund hopes to recruit two teachers from each state to serve as ambassadorsin their home states. Selected teachers will receive an all-expense-paid trip toWashington D.C. for a four-day conference on creative ways to teach studentsabout Vietnam-era history. The teachers will then share what they learn with otherteachers in their home states.

The application deadline is March 22. For details, visit www.vvmf.org online.To ask questions or obtain an application, contact the Memorial Fund at (202) 393-0090 or [email protected].

Kentucky TeacherEducation funding remains a priority .............................. 1

Two national voices speak highly of Kentucky schools 2

Learning takes center stage at Lynn Camp .................... 3

E-town leaders adopt K-12 classes ................................. 4

Class of 2014 gets strong start in science ..................... 5

New to the ’Net Lesson 2.5:

Let’s revisit the Kentucky Virtual Library ................. 6

Paducah students get kicks out of HERO program ..... 7

Test scores rebound in a big way at MIddle Fork ........ 8

Need more teachers? Try growing your own! ............10

More news and opportunities for teachers .......... 12-15

Kentucky Teacher is published by the Kentucky Department of Education for teach-ers, school administrators, counselors, support staff, parents, students, legislators,community leaders and others with a stake in public education. Please addresscorrespondence to Kentucky Teacher, 1914 Capital Plaza Tower, 500 Mero St., Frank-fort, KY 40601; e-mail [email protected].

The Kentucky Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race,color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or the provi-sion of services. Alternate formats of this publication are available upon request.

Printed with state funds by the Winchester Sun, Winchester, Ky., on recycled paper

ISSN 1526-3584

Commissioner of Education

Associate Commissionerfor Communications

DirectorDivision of Publications and Web Services

Editor

Copy Writers

Photographer

Graphics and Design

Gene Wilhoit

Hunt Helm

Armando Arrastia

Fran Salyers

Faun S. FishbackJoy Barr

Rick McComb

Susie Snodgrass, ManagerBill Davis

Michael GrayBrett Hurst

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In this issue ...

FEBRUARY 2002

Ph

oto

by R

ick

McC

omb

News for the Nation’s Most Innovative Educators

Kentucky Department of Education Gene Wilhoit, CommissionerVisit the Kentucky Department of Education’s Web site: www.kentuckyschools.org

Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDWinchester, Kentucky

Permit No. 7

NATURAL ATTRACTION – Eric Burman explores the mysteries of magnetism atAudubon Traditional Elementary School in Jefferson County. He and his primaryclassmates are getting off to a good start toward learning what they need to know inscience. For details, see Page 5.

“Those of us with the good fortune to be living and working inKentucky know how far we’ve come in our efforts to improveour public schools. In the past few months, two thorough andunbiased analyses of the nation’s schools have given highmarks to our efforts — and our results.”

Education Commissioner Gene Wilhoit on Kentucky’s positive showingin two recent national reports. See Page 2.

Kentucky TeacherKentucky TeacherKentucky Teacher

kentucky general assembly education funding remains a … · tucky government leaders as ... local...

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