Last Updated on Saturday, January 05, 2008 at 10:01 PM
News Release 07-045 - June 19, 2007
(FRANKFORT, Ky.) – Twenty-one public preschool teachers received 2006-07 Classroom of Excellence Awards from the Kentucky Department of Education at the Early Childhood Summer Institute in Louisville Monday.
Classroom of Excellence award winners will host visitors, network with other early childhood professionals, serve as mentors to other potential awardees and submit an annual report.
- Calloway County - Crystal Jones, Calloway County Preschool
- Graves County - Carol Elder, Central Elementary
- Graves County - Teresa Hobbs, Central Elementary
- Hopkins County - Laura Petway, Hanson Elementary
- Jessamine County - Natasha Hagen, Jessamine Early Learning Village
- Jessamine County - Cissie Litt, Jessamine Early Learning Village
- Jessamine County - Trisha Manning, Jessamine Early Learning Village
- Jessamine County - Andrea Nielsen, Jessamine Early Learning Village
- Logan County - Janese Campbell, Lewisburg Elementary
- Logan County - Andrea Coleman, Auburn Elementary
- Madison County- Amber Colliver, Silver Creek Elementary
- Owensboro Independent - Julie Weaver, Hager Preschool
- Owensboro Independent - Tamara Williams, Hager Preschool
- Paducah Independent - Dianna Carlson, Morgan Elementary
- Paducah Independent - Penny Hite, Cooper Whiteside Elementary
- Paducah Independent - Freda Osler, Morgan Elementary
- Shelby County - Joanna Hamilton, Heritage Elementary
- Todd County - Joyce Campbell, North Todd Elementary
- Todd County - Robin Cardwell, South Todd Elementary
- Todd County - Colleen Hampton, South Todd Elementary
- Todd County - Georgie Smith, South Todd Elementary
The voluntary Classrooms of Excellence program identifies high-quality state-funded preschool classrooms, based on a comprehensive review of activities and methodology. Applicants participate in an intensive self-study and also must show that their classrooms meet specific criteria:
- use of the Building A Strong Foundation series, which includes preschool standards, parent guides, continuous assessment tools and the Quality Self Study
- a minimum average score of 6.0 on the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS-R)
- an "Exemplary" category score on the Early Learning and Language Classroom Observation (ELLCO)
- compliance with all state and federal statutes and regulations
- IECE certification or Letter of Exemption for lead teachers
- regional or national accreditation, either current or in progress
Kentucky's state-funded preschool education programs are available for all 4-year-old children whose family income is no more than 150% of poverty; all 3- and 4-year-old children with developmental delays and disabilities, regardless of income; and other 4-year-old children as placements are available. The preschool program is designed to be developmentally appropriate for young children. "Developmentally appropriate" is defined by law to mean that the program focuses on the child's physical, intellectual, social and emotional development, including interpersonal, intrapersonal and socialization skills.
In the 2005-06 school year, 24,587 children were served in more than 1,000 public preschool classrooms in Kentucky.
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