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| Issue 46 Volume 4 |
March 2010 | |
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Superintendent's Message
The Kenton County Board of Education has established three main goals that serve as areas of concentration and focus for the entire  school district. The goals are:
Goal 1 - All students will perform at or above grade level in numeracy and literacy at each transition point.
Goal 2 - All 'professional practices' will be based on a common understanding of quality instruction and best practice for every student, in every classroom, every day.
Goal 3 - Beginning in the fourth grade, all students will participate in at least one activity providing a meaningful connection to school beyond the regular classroom each year.
These goals focus our work on preparing students to compete in the global work market. This intensive concentration has resulted in being chosen as one of only six districts in Kentucky to pilot new teaching and testing resources for math through a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the Prichard Committee. This effort is part of a larger nationwide effort by the Gates Foundation to support the development and testing of prototype math and literacy classroom assessments and instructional tools to help educators better prepare all students for life beyond high school. You can learn more about this important work by reading two articles that describe the training in greater detail in the Quality Instruction Report of this month's Excellence Report.
This month's Mileage Report discusses the Educational Planning and Assessment System (EPAS) that includes a high school readiness examination in grade 8, a college readiness examination in grade 10 and the ACT college admissions and placement examination in grade 11. Our Beyond the Classroom feature highlights student participation in the upcoming Global Youth Service Day on April 17. The Innovation Update introduces the concept of the Self- Sustaining House pioneered by J.D. Patton Area Technology students. Our Business Partner Feature highlights our Kentucky Scholars Program and thanks the Bank of Kentucky Nicholson Branch for generous monetary gifts to four schools. Please refer to our Events section for upcoming meetings and activities. Don't forget to refer to our Scholarships link for the latest opportunities as well as our new web page, www.kenton.kyschools.us. As always, if you have any questions or would like to share suggestions about The Excellence Report, please email Dr. Terri Cox-Cruey at terricox.cruey@kenton.kyschools.us.
Tim Hanner
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Educational Planning and Assessment System (EPAS) Educational Planning and Assessment System (EPAS)
In July 2006, Senate Bill 130 was passed by the Kentucky legislature. This bill amended previous regulations to include the provision that "no later than the 2007-2008 school year, and each year thereafter" the Commonwealth's assessment program shall include a high school readiness examination in grade 8, a college readiness examination in grade 10 and the ACT college admissions and placement examination in grade 11. These three examinations (EXPLORE, PLAN and ACT) comprise the EPAS for Kentucky.
Throughout February and March, parents of 8th grade students were asked to attend Kentucky Scholars meetings (see the Business Partnership section of the Excellence Report for more details) to discuss high school planning. Parents attending these meetings were given copies of their child's performance on the EXPLORE, the test that measures a student's readiness to perform well in high school.
The PLAN test, given to 10th grade students is a college readiness test. It serves as a predictor of how well the student may do when they take the actual college admissions examination (ACT) in the 11th grade. Results of PLAN are also available for parents to review.
All juniors will take the ACT test on Tuesday, March 9. These test results are actually used for college admission. Students are able to select up to four colleges to receive their test results. The student's performance on this test serves as a predictor for how well the student is likely to perform in college. At many universities, the results determine if the student is admitted into the school or a particular program of choice and/or whether the student would need to take remedial classes in order to enroll.
All of the tests that comprise Kentucky's EPAS are important in determing the future opportunities and success of our students. As we are nearing graduation it is helpful to reflect on the many opportunities and possibilites that await our future graduates.
Click here to return to the top of The Excellence Report.
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Kenton County School District will pilot math teacher training program
The Kenton County School District is one of only six districts in Kentucky chosen to pilot a math teacher training program, through a grant awarded to the Prichard Committee, and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This honor was given to the district because of its reputation for customized learning for each student through research-based teaching methods and thorough analysis of student performance data. The associate executive director for the Prichard Committee, Cindy Heine, describes why Kenton County was selected as follows. "We know they're good thinkers on teaching, instruction and learning, and have already done a lot on trying to improve instruction. They're seen as leaders in the state."
This innovative teaching method is designed to approach instruction as an interactive lecture with active student participation.
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The Self-Sustaining Model House
Over the last several years the electrical technology program at J.D. Patton has been making a strong push to be the leader in renewable and green technology training at the secondary level. We have been working with solar, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal, trying to keep our students on the cutting edge in this new and exciting field. As the instructors were going to trainings and professional development opportunities, we noted that the presenters lacked models of how these new innovations worked and could be incorporated into a residential setting.
Along these lines presenters often do not demonstrate the interconnection of renewable energy. For example, just installing photovoltaic or passive solar collectors will not have a major impact on the energy usage in the average American home. Instead, renewable conservation is a combination of solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, proper insulation techniques and the proper placement of plants and trees on the exterior of the home that must be part of the energy saving technologies.
Since we were not able to find a suitable model to fulfill this need for our students, the teachers and students are building a Self-Sustaining Model House. Currently students are creating duct work, siding, geothermal heating systems, photovoltaic cells, a wind generator and other models of the mechanics of a self-sustaining model house to scale. When completed the model will be used for instruction for our students and as a demonstration for the E=WISE2 (Education creates Wisdom in Saving Energy and the Environment) Teams.
Click here to return to the top of The Excellence Report.
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Kentucky Scholars Program benefits students and parents
The Kentucky Scholars Program is long standing initiative that encourages middle and high school students to take the types of courses that will best prepare them for the changing expectations of today's higher education and work environments.
For the Kenton County School District, The Scholars Program is introduced by the very business and community representatives who will be making tomorrow's hiring decisions. By joining business and education in the classroom, students have the best chance to know what is expected after graduation.
Kentucky Scholars
If Kentucky is to prosper, we must continue to fulfill our obligation to reach today's emerging workforce with messages about the future. The global economy brings with it incredible opportunities yet, as technology steps in we face extraordinary challenges in the form of competition for tomorrow's very best jobs. The Kentucky Scholars Initiative seeks to prepare students for college and work by engaging community leaders to motivate students toward a rigorous course of study. IT'S THE COURSES THAT MATTER!
What is Kentucky Scholars?
The Kentucky Scholars Initiative, part of the national State Scholars Initiative created six years ago, now in 23 states, utilizes community leaders, influential employers and business owners in motivating students to take a rigorous course of study throughout high school. Its mission is to reach deep into the student body - offering real world connections to the realities of a changing and very competitive job market while providing a road map to students who must understand what skills they will need to secure a job in the global economy and vastly changing work environment. IT'S THE COURSES THAT MATTER!
What does Kentucky Scholars Do?
The Kentucky Scholars Program charts a course of study throughout high school that will help students meet today's workplace and education expectations and help ensure your success, whether or not you go to college. Businesses representatives conduct a classroom presentation where they
· talk about employer expectations;
· describe the course of Scholars study; and
· encourage students to become Kentucky Scholars.
To learn more about the Kentucky Scholars Program, contact your child's principal.
Bank of Kentucky generous donation to four schools
The Bank of Kentucky plays a large leadership role in the Northern Kentucky community. Keeping with its mission, the new, recently opened Nicholson Branch generously donated $250 to Whites Tower, Twenhofel, Ryland Heights, and Kenton Elementary.
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Greater Cincinnati's Global Youth Service Day Celebrates Youth Service
Kenton County School District students will participate in this year's Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) events. GYSD is an annual event celebrated in more than 100 countries around the world that highlights the contributions of youth to their communities. Children, Inc., a local non-profit organization, will be coordinating Greater Cincinnati's GYSD including numerous service projects for youth and a Service Symposium and celebration that will recognize the contributions of youth to our community.
On April 17, youth from around the region will be gathering in downtown Cincinnati to complete service projects for local agencies. Afterwards the second annual Service Symposium at the Duke Energy Convention Center will start at 2 p.m. The Symposium will showcase more than 100 of the region's most outstanding youth projects from elementary, middle and high schools as well as local colleges and universities. Mini-grants will be awarded to the best projects in three categories and recognize all the youth that have done outstanding service in our region. Visit Greater Cincinnati's Global Youth Service Day for more information or to register for a service project and be sure to come down to the Convention Center at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 17 to check out all the outstanding things that youth are doing in our community.
GYSD is held in partnership with Youth Service America, an organization working to increase service opportunities for youth during the years they are developing lifelong habits.
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Tuesday, March 9, 4:00 p.m. Ambassdors Meeting at the Success Academy
Wednesday, March 17, 3 - 5:30 p.m. Student Ambassadors Meeting at the Success Academy
Friday, April 9, Professional Development Schools Closed
April 12-16, Spring Break April Schools Closed
Wednesday, May 12, 4 - 5:30 p.m. Ambassadors Meeting at Turkey Foot Middle School High School Athletics schedule - Click here: http://scoreboard.khsaa.org/
To view individual school web sites, click below.
Simon Kenton High
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