Summer 2012 Update from Great Schools Partnership

Great Schools Partnership

September 2012 Update

The mission of the Great Schools Partnership is to serve as a catalyst, think tank,

incubator and start-up funder for making Knox County Schools globally competitive.

THANK A TEACHER WEEK, September 24-30

Thank a Teacher logo

The Great Schools Partnership is excited to be collaborating with the Knox County Schools, KCEA, Knox County Council PTA, The Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Partners in Education and Knoxville TVA Employees Credit Union on THANK A TEACHER WEEK. This week of support and appreciation will take place September 24-30 and is an opportunity for the Knox County community to show how much we care about the work our teachers do each and every day. So far, there has been an enthusiastic response to THANK A TEACHER WEEK from many businesses and community organizations. Great Schools Partnership hopes that you will find a way to get involved in showing Knox County Teachers how much we appreciate them! Here are just a few ideas:

BUSINESSES:

· Request a "THANK A TEACHER" poster to be displayed in your business. Email vbabb@greatschoolspartnership.com to have one delivered to you.

· Do you have a street sign? Display "Thank you Teachers!" on your sign the week of September 24-30.

· Do you have a restaurant? We can supply 3-sided table tents to be displayed on tables during that week. Email vbabb@greatschoolspartnership.com if you would like to display table tents.

· Do you have an elementary, middle or high school near your place of business? Deliver a plate of cookies or other goodies for the teachers to enjoy.

· If your business would like to offer any type of discount or incentive to teachers that week, let us know and we will publicize it to the Knox County Schools Teachers. Each KCS teacher has an employee badge that can be provided for redeeming specials. Email vbabb@greatschoolspartnerhship.com if you would like something publicized.

· Display a message on your website.

PARENTS:

· Write a note or email to your child's teacher expressing thanks.

· Have your child write a note or draw a picture for their teacher.

· Send in a small goody for your teacher -- an apple, cookie or candy are always greatly appreciated.

· Google "Teacher Appreciation" for great ideas. The website Skip to My Lou has some clever ideas on how to appreciate teachers.

FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS:

· Recognition and public Thank You of teachers during church services

· Recognize teachers in your weekly bulletin

· Adopt a nearby school and take treats to the teachers

· Sunday School Class Teacher and Administrator Appreciation Sunday

· Prayers for teachers and administrators

· Have children in Sunday school classes make notes/cards of thanks

BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR OUR BILLBOARDS AROUND KNOX COUNTY! SEE IF YOU CAN SPOT ALL TEN OF THEM.

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EXPECT MORE, ACHIEVE MORE COALITION LAUNCHED

More than 100 business, community, and education organizations across Tennessee today launched an effort to support high academic standards in K-12 public education. This group, the Expect More, Achieve More coalition, seeks to build statewide and local awareness of Tennessee's ongoing effort to raise expectations in the classroom through the Common Core State Standards.

"One of the most important things we have done to improve public education in Tennessee is to raise our expectations," said former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Chairman of the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) a coalition member. "Far too many students are graduating from high school unprepared for further education or for the workforce. By raising the bar through higher academic standards we help ensure that every student in Tennessee graduates ready for the future."

Standards are the knowledge and skills that students are expected to learn in each grade and subject. In 2010, Tennessee took an important step in raising the bar by adopting the Common Core State Standards. These standards focus on more critical thinking and problem solving skills and students learn important concepts in earlier grades, building on those concepts each year. These higher standards were implemented in grades K-2 (math and English/language arts) in the 2011-12 school year, and are being implemented in 3-8th grade math this school year.

"A good education means better job prospects," said Miles Burdine, President and CEO at the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, a coalition member. "In today's economy, competition for jobs comes not just from across town but from around the world. The skills and knowledge students will learn with these new standards are those needed for success in today's workforce."

Seven of the 10 fastest growing jobs in Tennessee require education beyond high school. Currently, only 16 percent of students in Tennessee meet college readiness benchmarks on the ACT in English, math, reading, and science.

Over the next year, the Expect More, Achieve More coalition will focus on arming parents, educators, students, and community members with the tools they need to ensure all students graduate ready for success. Numerous resources are available, including:

A Common Cause, a five-minute video narrated by education stakeholders in Tennessee, which explains what the Common Core State Standards are and how they fit in with Tennessee's other education reform efforts
ExpectMoreTN.org, an online resource that includes specific information for parents, teachers, and community members
A brochure, which is being distributed across the state, to provide parents and community members with clear information on the new standards

"As an educator, I know that parental involvement is an important part of helping a child achieve more," said Pennye Thurmond, Principal at Ripley Elementary, part of Lauderdale County Schools which is a coalition member. "Engaging and educating parents and communities about academic standards is critical."

"Raising the bar and expecting more is hard work, particularly for students and teachers," said Karen Davis, President of the Tennessee PTA, a coalition member. "New standards mean new ways of teaching and learning in classrooms, and ultimately harder tests. But in Tennessee, we are up to the challenge."
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If you are receiving this update, you are a member of the Great Schools Partnership and its efforts to take the Knox County School System from good to great! Help us by forwarding this email to your friends and colleagues and ask them to also join our organization. At the bottom of this email, there is the ability to forward this update -- we hope you will do so!

Great Schools Partnership

912 S. Gay Street, L210

Knoxville, TN 37902

(865) 215-4501

www.GreatSchoolsPartnership.com

Virginia Babb

VP of Membership Development

vbabb@greatschoolspartnership.com

Click HERE to join the Great Schools Partnership