ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE TOGETHER
February 18, 2016
In This Issue
BCEA Teachers of the Year
Rotary Teacher of the Year
#Boone2020
Virtual Zoo
Former Bengal Joe Walter
Elementary
Middle School
High School
Alumni Spotlight
Preschool Screening
Diversity Conference
Movie Screening
GED Changes
Kindergarten Registration
Alumni Registration
Looking for Alumni Success Stories
Quick Links
Boone County Schools




Free/Reduced Lunch Online Form
 
 
Board of Education Meetings
 
 
BCEA TEACHER(S) OF THE YEAR  
             
This year proved to be difficult as two teachers scored equally for the Boone County Education Associations Teacher of the Year award. 
Cooper High School Teacher Karen Wills and RA Jones Middle School Teacher Jennifer Hickey were selected as dual recipients of this years 2015-16 BCEA Teacher of the Year Award.  Normally only one teacher a year is selected but there was so much support behind both Mrs. Wills' and Ms. Hickey's nominations that it was impossible to choose between the two.  Their names will be added to a plaque kept in the KEA-Northern Kentucky Office.  Both will receive a check for $500 each.  In addition Karen Wills was selected as the NKEA Teacher of the Year.   Congratulations to both!

RCHS Karen Wills
RA Jones Jennifer Hickey 


Rotary TEACHER OF THE YEAR Nominations 
The Florence Rotary Club has applications ready for Teacher of the Year awards. The application process has been streamlined this year.  To do the application on line click here.   The application deadline has been extended this year to March 11th, 2016.  The awards will be presented on Monday, April 18th, 2016 at the Airport Hilton at noon. 


The Boone County School District 5-year Strategic Plan is focused on "Career, College, and Life" readiness for all students. The plan was developed using the input of parents, educators, and other stakeholders collected at numerous community meetings. #Boone2020 is an exciting new social media campaign designed specifically to promote dialogue and transparency around the goals and details of the strategic plan. We want to engage in a two-way dialogue with you and give you opportunities to learn more about innovative teaching and learning going on in Boone County Schools. This week we take you to Ockerman Middle School.
 
World Class Education-PBL/STEAM
Virtual Zoo
Ockerman Middle School


We visit zoos to see and appreciate all the beautiful species and exotic animals, mammals and reptiles.  At Ockerman Middle School students are learning a new appreciation for animal life, how to properly care for the animals themselves if it were left up to them. 
Kate Stephenson teaches students from each grade level in her middle school Virtual Zoo Enrichment Class.  Their assignment was to choose a real animal they wanted to study, research it and become an expert about it.  They had to learn how to feed the animal, what its veterinary needs are and how to properly shelter it.   6th grader Emma Gerholt studied the Tiger, 6th grader Alana Olson studied the Giraffe, 7th grader Bethany Michael studied the Cheetah, 8th grader Brynden Perkins studied the Gharial Crockadile and 8th grader Talon Williams studied the Eurasion Wild Pig. 



Each student had to prepare a Power Point with details about how their animals live, eat and sleep as well as what their specific health needs are.  They also had to learn Excel and create a spreadsheet on what the individual expenses are on food, medicine, veterinary care, transportation and enclosures. The final part of the project was to use Mine Craft to create a living space to house their animal.  

Kate Stephenson who also teaches 8th grade Language Arts says Virtual Zoo utilizes STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) as well as Problem Based Learning which teachers students  problem solving, creativity, collaboration and independence. 

Each one of Mrs. Stephenson's students said they now feel more confident about researching and enjoyed packaging their research in creative Power Points and working with Mine Craft.  Some of their research even included calling experts in the field of zoology to get some answers.  The Excel spreadsheet was a bit more challenging for some.  They especially enjoyed the trust and independence that Mrs. Stephenson gave them to complete the project.

Former NFL Tackle
Joe Walter
Superintendent's Student Advisory Council    
     
As part of their Leadership Skill Building session students of the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council were treated to a special guest at their monthly meeting. It was former NFL football tackle Joe Walter who played 13 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.  He and his family live in Florence, Kentucky. Walter speaks to students often about how to prepare for and secure their futures.  He told the students here that he attended Texas Tech but did not complete  his degree after he started playing pro-football.  He said it's one of his regrets and he encouraged students to not only follow their dream but to bring it to completion.  











ELEMENTARY             

New Haven Elementary

Congratulations to New Haven's Archery team. They are Region 8 Champions bringing home 5 individual medals from last weekend's tournament. Special thanks to New Haven Archery coordinator Dawn Padgett for allowing for some great pictures of the event.






Wrestling
Below the Ryle Raider Youth Wrestling Team are Kentucky State Tournament Champions for the 7th consecutive year! Congratulations to the entire team and Dylan Lee a 2nd grader at Erpenbeck Elementary and Cole Thomas a 6th grader at Gray Middle! 


Dylan Lee 1st place 
Cole Thomas with Trophy

















Social Media Monster event at Longbranch Elementary 

Longbranch is sponsoring Dr. Barb Wilson of Atlanta, GA for a student session during the day on February 22nd AND a parent session in the evening at Cooper High School's auditorium.   This is free and open to the public.   Click here for more information.

MIDDLE SCHOOL 

Gray Middle School 

Below are pictures from the Archery tournament at GMS



Special Thanks to Tina Henderson for providing these photos.

Congratulations to the 8th Grade Advanced Gray Middle School Band.  They were one of 2 middle schools in the Commonwealth to be selected to perform at the inaugural Phi Beta Mu Concert Band Festival in Louisville on March 12th.  Phit Beta Mu is an honorary music fraternity that recognizes outstanding music programs and directors across the country. 







Camp Ernst Middle School 

Congratulations to CEMS Spanish Teacher Alaina Post and her 8th grade spanish students.  They were selected for the Jefferson Award honoring them for their achievement in public service. With the guidance of their teacher, Mrs. Post, her students developed an action plan, created lesson plans and tested their teaching project on the pre-school children of teachers at CEMS first before they embarked on student the real mission to teach Spanish to pre-school students in Alexandria. 


HIGH SCHOOL      


Ryle High School 

Congratulations to Ryle's Archery Team earning KY NASP Region 8 runner up with a team score of 3331. 





Individual Medalists include: 

Caitlyn Klaas - HS female champion with 292
Bryson Blake - HS male champion with 291
Mikayla Owen - 4th place HS female with 283
Bryson was also named overall top male shooter. 

Caitlyn Klaas was tied for overall female top shooter with Kennedy Sumpter from Harrison County MS. The two girls had a 5 arrow shoot off to see who would walk away with the title. Kennedy won 49 to 46. 

Special Thanks to Ryle Archery Coordinator Brenda Klass for her help in getting these pictures.

Ryle Wind Symphony Band


L to R: Principal Matt Turner, Band Director Robert Elliott, Superintendent Dr. Randy Poe 

Congratulations to the Ryle Wind Symphony Band.  They were invited to perform at the annual KMEA In-Service Conference at the Louisville International Convention Center earlier this month. Mr. Robert Elliott, Ryle Band Director, was recognized for 30 years of service by the KMEA Board.

Boone County High  

National grocery chain, Kroger, has awarded BCHS Senior Emily Inlow a scholarship to Eastern Kentucky University for her artwork.  Emily works part time at Kroger Marketplace in Florence.  After researching Kroger's history she designed 4 different retro-t-shirts for the grocer.  Kroger liked her work so well they offered to pay her $2,000 for her work. In addition to that they have also offered to pay her college tuition to attend EKU in the fall.  She plans to major in Graphic Design.  In exchange she will work for the company for five years upon graduation from college. Congratulations Emily Inlow!

Conner High 
Kyler Padgett 
Photo Courtesy: CincinnatiEnquirer


Congratulations to CHS's Kyler Padgett.  He is a finalist for the National Football Foundation's "That's My Boy Award."  The "That's My Boy" award is given to the player who accumulates the most points in three key areas: football achievement, academic achievement, and extracurricular/community activities.  Read what Kyler's coach has to say about him in this Enquirer article.






BCHS & CHS 2016 finalists for the Overture Awards 

Congratulations to these students for their individual achievements!

Sam Johnson from Boone County High in Theatre

Presley Hargis from Conner High in Creative Writing
Drake Phouasavanh from Conner High in Dance

BCHS Principal Mark Raleigh says, "This is an extremely competitive program and a great accomplishment by these students."  
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Jenna Noll

Congratulations to 2008 Boone County High School Graduate Jenna Noll.  She was awarded a scholarship to attend the University of Kentucky, and earned degrees in both Math and Mathematical Economics, graduating in 2012. From there, she moved on to the University of Utah where she is currently working towards her PhD in Math.  

Jenna credits her high school Calculus teacher, Mr. Vanover, with helping her gain a solid foundation and deep understanding of the fundamentals of math. 


12TH ANNUAL TRI-STATE DIVERSITY CONFERENCE
Wednesday-Friday February 17th-19th
Allan G. Johnson, renowned White American author and novelist, will open A Healthy Perspective on Diversity: Progress, Partnerships, and Possibilities, the 2016 Tri-State Diversity Conference. Johnson's presentations will address issues of race and gender. 
 
The Tri-State Diversity Conference is held annually for educators, health and social services professionals, community outreach leaders, social marketers, employers and supervisors, human resource staff, government managers, and any others wanting to foster greater diversity and cultural understanding within their workplaces and communities. Hosting the conference are The Ohio State University, Purdue University, the University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University. Click here to learn more.



GED CHANGES PASSING SCORE
You may have earned your GED and not know it.  If you took the GED and received a score of less than 150 but 145 or greater you have passed!  In Kentucky the passing score for high school equivalency is moving from 150 to 145.  Read more about it here.   
kids_with_art_supplies.jpg
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION AND ORIENTATION
              
Parents, please click here if you have children who will be 5-years-old on or before October 1, 2016.
 
ALUMNI REGISTRATION 
We would like to keep you up to date on things happening in the district since you graduated.  If you are a graduate of the Boone County School District please click on Alumni Registration in the 
Quick Links block above on the left and sign up. 
 
CAREER NEWS

We are looking for former graduates of Boone County Schools to tell us their stories of professional career success after graduating from this district. If you are one of those students or if you have a son or daughter with post college graduate successes that should be celebrated, please email your story and a j.peg-only picture of yourself or your former student to bcbe@boone.kyschools.us.  Important: the subject line must read: For Alumni Spotlight.  We will post it in the Alumni Spotlight section of this school district newsletter.