Jefferson County Public Schools
May 2012
New Aquatic Center benefits students and the community (page 2)
Community Schools serve the whole family (page 4)
Educators say JCPS is a good place to teach (page 5)
www.jcpsky.net Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Offering Equal Educational Opportunities
September 2013
New Aquatic Center benefits students and the community
Central High School Magnet Career Academy’s (MCA’s) new Aquatic Center will benefit not only students throughout the school district but also hundreds of other community members. The revamped facility debuted with a splash from members of Central’s swim team and even Principal Dan Withers, who took a swim when the pool opened near the end of the last school year. Originally built in 1953, the Central facility was one of the first indoor pools in the JCPS District. It was later managed by Metro Parks before closing in the early 2000s and remaining vacant for years. After much 2
community and school support, the facility was approved for renovation and is now a cutting-edge aquatic center. It features a state-of-theart, 125,000-gallon, 25yard pool that will be used in many ways: • More than 20 local middle and high school swim teams throughout JCPS will use the facility for practices and meets, making it only the second competitive pool in the district. • The center will be available to Central’s physical education (PE), Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC), and Ex-
ceptional Child Education (ECE) Programs for classes. • Area elementary schools will use the pool for swimming lessons. • The center will serve Central athletic teams interested in cross-training, which will reduce injuries throughout the season and shorten rehab time for athletes. • Community classes will include water aerobics and lap swimming. • The athletic complex surrounding the pool will house the practice facility for the Central wrestling team.
Environmental science students are hitting the trail Students at Moore Traditional School are exploring a new nature trail this school year.
educational stations along the trail where students can study water as well as mosses and other plants.
The trail is located along the school’s western property line and was once a dense thicket.
Moore serves students in grades six through twelve and offers environmental science classes at all grade levels.
Moore science teacher Tim Brennan and his daughter, fellow Moore science teacher Erin Brennan, worked with middle school students during three school years to transform the thicket into a nature trail that winds through about two acres of woods, crosses a small stream, and circles a massive tulip poplar.
Moore also offers the Environmental and Life Science Optional Program for middle schoolers. For high school students, Moore offers courses in the Health, Medicine, and the Environment Professional Career Theme.
The route is now a certified wildlife habitat of the National Wildlife Federation. Due to the popularity of the project, Moore’s Nature Club membership grew to more than 40 students. Mr. Brennan hopes to add
Science teacher Tim Brennan and his students worked for several years to create a nature trail on Moore’s campus.
New principals Audubon Traditional Elementary: Tiffany Marshall Bates Elementary: Alecia Dunn Dixie Elementary: Stephen Howard DuPont Manual High: Gerald “Jerry” Mayes Gutermuth Elementary: Laura Mullaney Jacob Elementary: Michael Terry Louisville Male High: David Mike
Newburg Middle: Nicole Adell Valley High: Rob Stephenson Watson Lane Elementary: Joshua Williams Western High: Michael Newman Western Middle: Kymberly Rice Wheatley Elementary: William “BJ” Bunton Wheeler Elementary: Penny Espinosa
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Community Schools serve the whole family Aerobics, basketball leagues, and arts and crafts are just a few of the many activities available to you and your children at Community Schools in the Jefferson County Public School (JCPS) District. Monday through Friday— from the end of the school day until 9 p.m.—Community Schools provide recreational and educational activities for the whole family. The schools are able to offer a range of programs because they have partnerships with such organizations as the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs, 4-H, Dare to Care, Family and Children’s Place, Boy and Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, and JCPS Adult and Continuing Education.
The partnerships allow the Community Schools to offer most activities at no cost. A few charge a small fee for supplies.
• Myers Middle (3741 Pulliam Drive): 485-2316
In all, there are eight JCPS Community Schools.
Each school offers its own assortment of programs. For example, the Myers Middle Community School has offered drama workshops and hip-hop dance and fitness. The Western Middle Community School has offered a walking club, monthly book giveaways, cooking classes, and youth league basketball.
• Cane Run Elementary (3951 Cane Run Road): 776-5998 • Fairdale High (1001 Fairdale Road): 485-8100 • Farnsley Middle (3400 Lees Lane): 448-9799 • Frost Middle (13700 Sandray Boulevard): 9950879 • Iroquois High (4615 Taylor Boulevard): 485-6601 • Meyzeek Middle (828 South Jackson Street): 584-8603
• Western Middle (2201 West Main Street): 4856799
Contact a Community School near you to find out all of the programs it offers this school year. Contact the Parent Connection editor, Thomas Pack, at 485-6315 or at thomas.pack @jefferson.kyschools.us.
Mark your calendar Sept. 21 ������� ACT Oct. 1–31 ����� Advance Program testing Oct. 4 ��������� School not in session for students—ProfessionalDevelopment (PD) Day for teachers Oct. 5 ��������� SAT Oct. 7 ��������� School not in session for students—PD Day for teachers Oct. 8 ��������� School not in session for students—Parent-Teacher Conference Day 4
Oct. 13 ������� College and Career Expo (www.collegeandcareerexpo .com) Oct. 16 ������� PSAT Oct. 19 ������� PSAT Oct. 18–19 ��� Middle and High Showcase of Schools Oct. 21– Jan. 10 ��������� Middle and high school application period Oct. 26 ������� ACT
Teachers report high levels of satisfaction on TELL Survey JCPS teachers reported ers have to collaborate with overall higher satisfaction colleagues. rates with their schools • Teacher satisfaction inand with the district on the creased in all eight sub2013 Teaching, Empowercategories of the Instrucing, Leading and Learning tional Practices and Support (TELL) Kentucky Survey, category. In such areas as which was the second stateProfessional Learning Comwide survey of Kentucky munity involvement and teachers. The first was coneffectiveness, satisfaction ducted in 2011. grew by more than 14 percent. On the 2013 survey, teachers reported higher satisfac- • Satisfaction ratings also tion rates in all eight areas increased in every submeasured: Time, Facilities category of Community and Resources, Community Support and Involvement (8 Support and Involvement, sub-items), Managing StuManaging Student Conduct, dent Conduct (7 sub-items), Teacher Leadership, School Teacher Leadership (7 subLeadership, Professional Deitems), School Leadership velopment, and Instruction(25 sub-items), and Profesal Practices and Support. sional Development dimensions (13 sub-items). Here are some highlights of Eighty-one percent of JCPS the 2013 results for JCPS: educators (5,646 teachers) • Eighty-two percent of teachresponded to the survey. The ers agreed that the district’s results “support our beschools are good places to lief that we are fostering an work and learn. • Teacher satisfaction grew by more than 6 percent in every sub-category of the Time component, which measures areas (including class sizes) that allow teachers to meet the needs of all students. The Time component also measures the degree to which teachers say they are protected from duties that interfere with the essential goal of educating all students, and it measures satisfaction with the amount of time teach-
environment where student achievement is a top priority and removing barriers that prevent teachers from being successful,” says JCPS Superintendent Donna Hargens. “We will use the survey data to support our goal of having all students graduate prepared and having JCPS become the country’s best urban school district.” Stakeholder groups representing teachers, superintendents, community organizations, and businesses worked with the New Teacher Center (NTC) to conduct the TELL Survey. NTC is a nonpartisan group dedicated to supporting the development of an effective and inspired teaching force. The 2013 survey was administered over a fourweek window in the spring. For more information, visit www.tellkentucky.org.
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Board of Education frequently asked questions What are the board of education’s responsibilities? The overall responsibility is to oversee the development, operation, and improvement of JCPS. Specifically, the board’s responsibilities include the following: • Approving high-quality instructional programs • Reviewing student progress
• Reviewing the educational program • Appointing the superintendent • Approving the JCPS annual operating budget • Approving purchases and contracts • Accepting contracts for new construction, renovations, and building additions • Establishing tax rates • Ensuring that practices
Board meetings are now streamed live on the Web During the summer, JCPS launched a new Web-based service that provides both live and archived video of board meetings. To access the site, visit www.jcpsky .net/board/ and click the Board of Education Online Broadcast link on the left side of the page.
Board approves policy to raise dropout age In July, JCBE unanimously approved a recommendation from Superintendent Donna Hargens to raise the compulsory school attendance age from 16 to 18 beginning with the 2015-16 school year. Dr. Hargens and several board members said the new policy will help the district move toward its overarching goal of graduating all students prepared to reach their full potential. 6
and policies are in agreement with Kentucky Revised Statutes • Performing all duties prescribed by the statutes • Board members may not act independently on official matters. They may act only as a group on boardrelated decisions. How do I contact a board member? You can get e-mail addresses, mailing addresses, and phone numbers at www. jcpsky.net/board/. You also may contact board members by writing P.O. Box 34020, Louisville, KY 40232—or by calling 4853566. When and where does the board meet? Generally, the board holds regular meetings at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. Most meetings are held in the Stewart Auditorium at the VanHoose Education Center (3332 Newburg Road). Regular meetings are televised live by Insight Communications and can be seen on Cable Channel 98. An interpreter is provided for the hearing impaired. Special meetings may be called anytime by the chairman or by written request
from three members to the board’s secretary. Notice of special meetings is sent to local newspapers and to radio and television stations. Agendas are available at board meetings. You also can get agenda information by calling 485-3342. All meetings are open to the public, but the board may hold closed Executive Sessions to discuss the purchase of real estate, lawsuits, collective bargaining, or personnel matters. What is the board meeting format? Generally, meetings are
structured like this: • Moment of silence • Pledge of Allegiance • Minutes • Recognitions and resolutions • Superintendent’s reports (People who want to address the board on a specific agenda item will speak when the item is brought forward.) • Action items • Discussion items • Board reports/requests • People who want to address the board on nonagenda items
• Executive Session (when necessary) • Adjournment How do I speak at a board meeting? The board encourages parents and other community members to share their opinions at meetings, but you should be sure that the issue you want to talk about is one that the school board should address. If you have a complaint or an issue concerning a specific school, you first should contact the principal or the (continued on next page) 77
School-Based Decision Making (SBDM) Council. The purpose of the board is to establish policies for the entire district, not to settle disputes that could be resolved through other channels.
speak at a meeting, approach the microphone and say your name and the name of any organization or group of citizens you represent.
To speak at a meeting: • Register with the secretary of the board by calling 4853342, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tell the secretary the topic you would like to address. Or you may register onsite at a meeting before it starts. • You’ll have three minutes to address the board. If that isn’t enough time, write a letter to the board members or call your representative at 485-3566. • When you’re called to
• Explain your concern, complaint, question, or opinion. Give supporting examples or reasons.
• Limit your comments to one item or issue. • End your remarks by telling the board members the action that you want them to take. • If you’re reading from a script, you may want to provide copies for board members and for the superintendent. • Avoid repeating similar views of other speakers. In the interest of time, it’s best to designate a single spokesperson to represent a group. You can show your numbers by asking those present to stand or simply by telling the board how many belong to your organization. • Be polite. Avoid name calling, finger pointing, accusations, or demeaning language.
JCBE vision, mission, and values Vision:
All JCPS students graduate prepared to reach their full potential and contribute to our society throughout life.
Mission:
To provide relevant, comprehensive, quality instruction in order to educate, prepare, and inspire our students to learn.
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Values:
• Our students are cared for and treated as if they are our own. • Children learn differently. • What happens in the classroom matters most. • The differences of each are assets of the whole. • High-quality teaching is the most powerful tool for helping students reach high standards.
• Leadership and innovation are essential to prepare students for their futures. • Talents and resources are used wisely to benefit students. • Partnerships among schools, families, and community are important for the health and wellbeing of our students. • Adults model integrity, respect, creativity, and accountability.
New JCTA contract will provide more resources for schools In July, the board approved a new five-year contract with the Jefferson County Teachers Association (JCTA). This action followed ratification by the JCTA membership, and the new contract became effective immediately.
Parent Portal, a secure Web-based system (www .jcpsky.net/Parent/ParentPortal/). • Making explicit that principals at the district’s 18 Priority Schools have complete autonomy in hiring.
JCBE Chair Diane Porter said the new contract reflects the commitment of the board, the district, and JCTA to addressing the needs of students and the community by directing more resources to schools.
The board also approved employee salary schedules for the 2013-14 school year. JCPS employees did not receive a cost of living increase, and only eligible employees received a step increase.
Key provisions within the contract include: • Revising the transfer process to provide principals and schools with more flexibility in hiring teachers who best meet the needs of individual schools. • Providing parents with the opportunity to access grades and attendance information online via the
Separately from the contract and as part of ongoing efforts to provide more resources for schools, the board committed $5 million in fund balance to provide targeted interventions and extended learning hours for students across the district. “Under the leadership of Superintendent Donna Hargens, the district has been deliberate in identifying and
developing those initiatives that align with our Strategic Plan: Vision 2015 and support our 4 focus areas and 36 strategies,” Porter said. “Moving forward, the board remains committed to putting the needs of students first and fulfilling our responsibility to ensuring the district produces graduates who are college- and career-ready.” According to Dr. Hargens, “The collaborative nature with which the district and JCTA approached [the contract] reflects an ongoing commitment to focus our collective efforts on those initiatives that will boost student achievement and help all students succeed. This agreement will further enhance the systems and structures we have put in place to ensure schools remain the center of our universe.”
District information—however you want it Facebook (www.facebook.com/JCPSKY)—The Facebook page offers district news and alerts. During inclement whether, the page provides school closing information. YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/jcpsweb)—The JCPS YouTube Channel offers news videos, feature stories, and the Our Kids television program. JCPS on Twitter (https://twitter.com/JCPSKY)—The district’s Twitter feed provides school and district news, including school closing information. To follow JCPS tweets on your mobile phone or wireless device, send a text that says follow JCPSKY to 40404. Superintendent on Twitter (https://twitter.com/JCPSSuper)—Tweets from JCPS Superintendent Donna Hargens include information on events and student success as well as brief district news. On your mobile phone or wireless device, send a text that says follow JCPSSuper to 40404. 9
Pilot program will help improve college and career readiness JCPS is implementing a pilot program that incorporates the principles of the Ford Next Generation Learning (NGL) initiative. The program is the result of collaboration between JCPS, Ford Motor Company Fund, the Jefferson County Public Education Foundation (JCPEF), Louisville Metro Government, local business partners, and community organizations that have supported the JCPS 5-Star Professional Career Theme schools. The pilot program builds on the school district’s Professional Career Theme redesign, which was fully implemented in 2010 in most high schools. JCPS and JCPEF began collaborating with the Ford Fund during the redesign process to help engage the community in the overall effort. 10
Using the expertise of the Ford Fund and its Ford NGL resources, the pilot program is being implemented at Fairdale, Jeffersontown, Pleasure Ridge Park (PRP), Southern, and Waggener High Schools in the following ways: • Externships—Teachers from different content areas work with local businesses to develop interdisciplinary projects that engage students and enhance learning. • Cohort Scheduling—The same group of students take classes together in specific content areas, which lets the students work across disciplines and helps teachers closely follow student progress in multiple content areas. • Individual Learning Plan (ILP) Enhancement—Improved technology infrastructure is creating improved access to ILPs.
• Data Enhancement—Realtime tracking of student outcomes within a school of study or major allows for immediate interventions and helps teachers and administrators direct resources. “This initiative aligns perfectly with the district’s Strategic Plan and our mission to provide instruction that inspires,” says JCPS Superintendent Donna Hargens. “Our work with Ford Next Generation Learning, JCPEF, and community leaders means more students will graduate prepared.” The program will expand to all high schools in the 201415 school year. JCPEF is leading the development of a five-year master plan as JCPS seeks to become 1 of 17 school districts in the country to receive the Ford NGL designation.
Quick quiz for parents
Are you as smart as a JCPS fifth grader? 2. Which figure below has exactly two lines of symmetry?
This quick quiz features fifth-grade math questions. The first three parents who send the correct answers to the Parent Connection office via e-mail and the first three who send the answers via regular mail will receive a free JCPS T-shirt. Please include the name of your child’s (or grandchild’s) school. The e-mail address is thomas.pack@jefferson. kyschools.us. The regular mailing address is Thomas Pack, Communications and Publications North, C. B. Young Jr. Service Center, Building 4, 3001 Crittenden Drive, Louisville, KY 40209.
A.
B.
1. Which rule fits the function table below? A. Multiply A by itself to get B. B. Multiply A by 5 and then subtract 4 to get B. C. Multiply A by 3 and then subtract 2 to get B. D. Multiply A by 2 and then add 2 to get B.
C.
D.
3. The mean (average) age of Mary’s scout troop of six girls is 10 years old. If two girls are 9 and two girls are 11, which statement could be true about the ages of the other two girls?
You don’t need to write the questions or the answers. Just send the question numbers and the letters for your answers.
A B
3 7
B. One girl is 8 and the other girl is 12.
Or you may print out this quiz and mail it.
4 10
C. Both girls are 9.
1 1 2 4
A. Both girls are 11.
D. One girl is 9 and the other girl is 15.
Are you getting the e-mail newsletter?
Parent Connection eNews is a JCPS newsletter that offers new, brief articles in a monthly e-mail. You can view the latest issue and sign up for future ones on the Parent Connection Web site. 11
JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
School Calendar 2013-14
First and Last Days for Students
AUGUST MON TUE
8/20, 6/4*
*6/4 will be the last day of school unless there are days to be made up. Inclement weather may alter the school calendar, grading periods, and report card distribution dates.
First and Last Days for Teachers (No School for Students) ................................8/16, 6/5
No School for Students Labor Day ................................................................9/2 Thanksgiving Break ...................................11/27–11/29 Winter Break .................................................12/23–1/3 Martin Luther King Jr. Day .....................................1/20 Spring Break ...................................................3/31–4/4 Primary Election Day..............................................5/20 Memorial Day .........................................................5/26 Professional-Development Days .........10/4, 10/7, 10/8, 11/11, 2/24, 2/25, 5/2
Make-Up Days for Students Missed school days will be made up in the following order: 2/26, 2/27, 2/28, 6/5, 6/6, 6/9, 6/10, 6/11, 6/12, 6/13. If 2/26, 2/27, and 2/28 are not used as make-up days, individual schools will decide whether to use those days to host enrichment activities for some students or to have a no-school day for all students.
Parent-Teacher Conferences Conferences will be scheduled on the following dates: 10/8, 2/24.
5 12 19 26
6 13 20 27
WED THU
1 8 15 22 29
2 9 16 23 30
WED THU
FRI
7 14 21 28
SEPTEMBER MON TUE
2 9 16 23 30
3 10 17 24
4 11 18 25
5 12 19 26
6 13 20 27
WED THU
FRI
OCTOBER MON TUE
7 14 21 28
1 8 15 22 29
2 9 16 23 30
3 10 17 24 31
4 11 18 25
WED THU
FRI
NOVEMBER MON TUE
4 11 18 25
5 12 19 26
7 14 21 28
1 8 15 22 29
WED THU
FRI
6 13 20 27
DECEMBER MON TUE
2 9 16 23 30
3 10 17 24 31
FRI
4 11 18 25
5 12 19 26
6 13 20 27
JANUARY MON TUE
6 13 20 27
7 14 21 28
1 8 15 22 29
MON TUE
3 10 17 24
4 11 18 25
MARCH
MON TUE
3 10 17 24 31
4 11 18 25
APRIL
MON TUE
7 14 21 28
1 8 15 22 29
MAY
MON TUE
5 12 19 26
6 13 20 27
MON TUE
2 9 16 23 30
3 10 17 24
FRI
2 9 16 23 30
3 10 17 24 31
WED THU
FRI
FEBRUARY
JUNE
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Offering Equal Educational Opportunities
WED THU
5 12 19 26
6 13 20 27
7 14 21 28
WED THU
FRI
5 12 19 26
6 13 20 27
7 14 21 28
WED THU
FRI
2 9 16 23 30
3 10 17 24
4 11 18 25
WED THU
FRI
1 8 15 22 29
2 9 16 23 30
WED THU
FRI
7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25
5 12 19 26
6 13 20 27
www.jcpsky.net