Waivers available for AP exam fees
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) announced recently that the state has received the U.S. Department of Education’s Advanced Placement (AP) Fee Waiver Grant. Kentucky will receive $146,274 for the 2008-09 school year.
This federal grant will help defray the cost of AP examination fees for low-income students. Kentucky has received the grant in previous years, and over the last six years, the number of exams paid for by the test fee program has more than doubled.
To see a full press release about the grant, click here.
Students of Kentucky school transportation
staff eligible for scholarships
The Southeastern States Pupil Transportation Conference is awarding two $1,000 student scholarships in Kentucky. The scholarship funds must be used to cover education expenses at a postsecondary educational institution and will be paid to the institution in support of a student’s 2008-09 school year expenses.
To qualify, a family must have a gross taxable income less than $75,000 for each of the past five tax years. A parent/guardian of the student must have been actively employed in public school transportation for the past five years. The local district selection committee may submit one applicant to the state. Applications are due May 15. For more information, contact Kay Kennedy at (502)564-5279.
Earth Day: Go Green for Good
Plans are under way for a weeklong celebration of Earth Day from Thursday until Earth Day on April 22. This year’s Kentucky state government theme – Environmental Leadership: Go Green for Good – encourages Kentuckians to demonstrate leadership by developing environmentally friendly, lifelong habits and influencing others to do the same.
Earth Day educational activities are posted on the Environmental Education in Kentucky Web site at www.eeinkentucky.org.
National Turn off the TV Week
The writers’ strike has ended and all new episodes of your favorite primetime shows like “LOST” and “The Office” are returning. Who's in that coffin anyway, and will Dwight and Angela get back together?
Reality television is keeping you on the edge of your seat. Will Ozzie win Survivor? Will Syesha be the next American Idol? Will Marlee hold the disco ball trophy as the next “Dancing with the Stars” champion?
The democratic primary has you glued to CNN and “The Daily Show.”
Well, maybe it’s time to turn OFF the television.
That’s right. April 21-27 is “National Turn Off the TV Week.”
In a year, the average child spends 900 hours in school and nearly 1,023 hours in front of a TV, according to KidsHealth.org.
Hear are some ways to fill the time without relying on your television set.
· Go for walks or find other forms of exercise.
· Read a book or magazine.
· Play games or do arts and crafts with your children.
· Have friends over for dinner.
· Clean out that closet.
· Write a letter to a friend or relative.
Other upcoming week-long April highlights include: National Playground Safety Week (April 21-25) and National Science and Technology Week (April 26-May 2).
Evaluation gauges long-term impact
of Commonwealth Institute training for parents
"Knowledge is empowering." That was the summary conclusion of an evaluation of the long-term impact of the Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership (CIPL) on the parents trained by the program from 1997 to 2006 to become more effective advocates for education.
The evaluation examined whether participation in the institute spurred the parents' continuing interest in educational advocacy and involvement well after they completed the program.
Nearly 1,400 graduates, or fellows, have completed the institute's intensive training program that gives parents a combination of information, skills and data. Each fellow is responsible for planning and implementing a project at his or her home school that involves other parents in improving student achievement.
As part of their evaluation, the authors contacted 100 CIPL fellows for telephone interviews and mailed surveys to the remaining graduates for whom the program had current addresses. The survey response rate was nearly 40 percent.
The evaluators reported the following long-term effects of the institute:
- Fellows changed their perspective on educational involvement from being concerned primarily about their own children to promoting the best interests of all children.
- Fellows sustained their educational involvement and broadened its scope beyond their children's schools.
- Fellows reported that they felt empowered to act based on their new levels of knowledge and that their activity stemmed directly from the competence and confidence they gained from the institute.
- Fellows became more actively involved and more influential in educational improvement efforts.
The Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership is an initiative of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, a statewide citizens' organization working to improve education in Kentucky.
Click here to download a copy of the full evaluation report.
CIPL seeks parent participants
A $125,000 grant from AT&T to the Prichard Committee will fund the development of a special Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership (CIPL) focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The institute will be Aug. 14-15, Sept. 11-12, and Oct. 9-10 in Bowling Green to provide leadership training and support parents to advocate for improved science and mathematics education in their schools.
The Commonwealth Institute’s curriculum focuses on training parents to better understand Kentucky’s standards-based educational system, accountability system, leadership skills as well as planning and strategic development of a project to implement as a partner with their schools to improve student achievement.
The cost of the program (instruction, supplies, meals and lodging) is covered by the grant. Class size is limited to 30 parents. Application deadline is May 1. To apply or for more information, visit www.cipl.org or call Lou Ann Cavenee-Ramos at (859) 233-9849, ext. 231.
Family fun with Adventure Quest
Planning your spring and summer trips? Consider the Kentucky State Parks “Family Adventure Quest,” which offers something for everyone.
In its third year, the Family Adventure Quest is a scavenger hunt where participants complete “quests” that include anything from answering state trivia and identifying critters to taking part in activities such as caving and hiking. (Quests are completed at your own pace, although some activities required are only offered Memorial Day through Labor Day.) Photographs taken of team members along the way become proof of participation, and of course, a fun addition to the family scrapbook.
The entry fee is $15 and includes a commemorative day pack, a disposable camera and an information packet containing 25 challenges to complete. Teams completing all 25 quests will receive a $50 Kentucky State Parks gift card, and those completing 20 quests receive a $25 gift card. Quest photos submitted digitally might be chosen for future park promotions or displayed on the Kentucky State Parks Web site.
More information is available online or call 800-255-PARK. Entries must be postmarked by Dec. 1.
IBM's free 3D virtual science game
IBM has launched a free multiplayer online game challenging teenagers to help save the planet "Helios" from ecological disaster.
PowerUp can be played alone or with someone else, and is intended to interest students in engineering. The game features a planet in near ecological ruin, where three missions for solar, wind and water power must be solved before sandstorms, floods or SmogGobs thwart the rescue.
IBM said PowerUp aims to use young people's interest in fantasy virtual worlds to encourage them to learn about engineering principles by riding over rugged mountains in buggies to build solar towers or searching through grim junk yards to repair wind turbines. Players will also learn about energy conservation by the choices they make in completing their missions.
Due to harmful chemical pesticides, ospreys failed to nest in Kentucky for about 50 years. Ospreys can now be seen successfully nesting in Kentucky on the Internet. Kentucky Environmental Education Projects (KEEP) has a new improved osprey camera providing excellent new live views of nesting ospreys. This season’s first osprey egg arrived on April 3. The osprey cam nest is at Lake Barkley and provides a unique and educational viewing opportunity.
A fun and educational resource for kids
Does your child dream of being an astronaut? Kids.gov has NASA links.
Is your child a budding Picasso? Kids.gov has links from educational coloring books to Smithsonian art pages.
With links to over 1,300 Web pages, kids.gov is the official kids' site from the U.S. government. Children in grades K-8 can play games, go back in history, sail the seven seas, get homework help and much more.
Kids.gov is loaded with great tips, facts, projects, games and exercises. Let Ben Franklin guide your child through the different branches of government. Read a day-in-the-life diary of a park ranger. Get ideas for science projects.
Kids.gov also has a special section for educators that include lesson plans, group activities and information about resources for the classroom.
Mary Jo Young Scholarship
The Mary Jo Young Scholarship helps with tuition and textbook expenses for high school students enrolled in dual-credit classes at a Kentucky college and/or Advanced Placement courses through the Kentucky Virtual Schools. Award priority goes to students eligible for the free and reduced-price lunch program and to first-generation college enrollees. Students will apply for scholarships and be notified through the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA). Applications are due by May 1. For more information, contact Becky Gilpatrick at (800) 928-8926, ext. 67394.
Louie B. Nunn Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame
Nominations are being accepted for the 2009 class of inductees into the Louie B. Nunn Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame.
The purpose of the Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame is to recognize Kentuckians who have made significant contributions to the teaching profession. Selection is made from individuals, living or deceased, who have spent a significant portion of their professional career in Kentucky and have made noteworthy contributions to the lives of children and youth in P-12 school settings.
The nomination deadline is June 30.
Inquiries and/or additional information may also be directed to Cathie Bryant, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Blvd., #11030, Bowling Green, KY 42101-1030; e-mail cathie.bryant@wku.edu; phone (270) 745-4664).
Kentucky Teacher of the Year Awards
Nominations are now open for the 2009 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Awards, sponsored by the Kentucky Department of Education and Ashland Inc. Any full-time public school teacher in the state with at least three years of experience is eligible. Nominations may be submitted electronically by visiting the 2009 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Web site. The deadline for nominations is May 15.
Reminder: The state testing moratorium begins next week and runs April 21-May 2. Make sure your children don’t need to leave school for outside appointments and that they get a good night’s sleep each night.
Links in this issue:
http://www.education.ky.gov/KDE/HomePageRepository/
News+Room/Current+Press+Releases+and+Advisories/08-029.htm
mailto:Kay.Kennedy@education.ky.gov
http://www.eppc.ky.gov/educationoutreach/earthday/edayky
http://www.tvturnoff.org
http://cl.exactt.net/?ju=fe261577736c0475761173&ls=fdfa12707165057876107971
&m=ff281c72716d&l=fecc17727762007f&s=fdfa1575766d027f
71157675&jb=ffcf14&t=
www.cipl.org
http://www.parks.ky.gov
http://www.powerupthegame.org
http://keepky.org
http://www.Kids.gov
http://www.kheaa.com/website/kheaa/mjyoung?main=1
http://edtech.wku.edu/deans_office/Gov-LBN_KY-THF.htm
http://www.education.ky.gov/KDE/HomePageRepository/
News+Room/Current+Press+Releases+and+Advisories/08-028.htm