Jefferson County Public Schools
May 2013 May 2012
Most students will take state tests this month (page 2)
High school graduation schedule (page 6) Students earn national art honors (page 8) Keep your child learning during the summer (page 11)
www.jcpsky.net Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Offering Equal Educational Opportunities
Most students will take state tests this month
For the second year, Kentucky students will take tests near the end of the school year that include questions based on the new Common Core State Standards in math and English/ language arts (reading and writing). Academic standards determine what students should know and be able to do at each grade level. For instance, according to the math standards, sixth graders should be able to divide fractions and solve such word problems as “How wide is a rectangular strip of land with a length of 3⁄4 mile and an area of 1⁄2 square mile?” 2
The standards have been adopted by more than 45 states, but a national test based on them won’t be available until 2014. In the meantime, Kentucky is using its own tests in math and English based on the new standards as well as new tests in science and social studies based on the old ones. The state’s testing program is called the Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress (KPREP). Testing in grades three through eight State tests in the third through the eighth grades include a combination of “criterion-referenced” ques-
tions (which measure how much students know) and “norm-referenced” questions (which measure how much each student knows compared to others who take the test). The tests include multiplechoice questions as well as “constructed-response” (short-answer and extended-response) items that require students not only to show their knowledge but also to apply it in some way. For instance, a constructedresponse question about fossils might ask the student to describe two ways that fossils form and to explain why fossils help us un-
derstand how living things have changed over time.
do, see, and feel throughout the day.
Tests that focus on the mechanics of writing (such as punctuation and capitalization) are used in grades four and six.
Testing in high school
On-demand writing tests are used in grades five, six, and eight. These tests ask students to write argumentative, informative/ explanatory, narrative, or opinion pieces in response to something they’ve read in the test booklet or to a stand-alone prompt. Here’s an example of a sixth-grade writing prompt: Think about what it would be like to be the first to attend a newly built school. Write a narrative about your first day. Describe what you
Students in grades ten and eleven take on-demand writing tests that ask them to write argumentative, informative/explanatory, or narrative articles in response to a passage in the test booklet or to a prompt. For example, an eleventhgrade test may include a chart with details on different types of jobs and ask the student to write an informative/explanatory article for the following prompt: Decide which type of job is most appealing to you. Write an explanation for your school newspaper about your chosen career
for the future. Support your choice logically and effectively. High school students also take end-of-course exams in English II, Algebra II, Biology, and U.S. History. All students must pass these courses to graduate. End-of-course exams have two parts that include 35 to 38 multiple-choice questions each. Scores on these exams count for 20 percent of the grade for the most recent term completed. Some students will take the end-of-course exams near the end of the school year. Other students already took these tests in February at the end of the first two trimesters.
Which tests will your child take? Grade three: reading and math
Grade eleven: ondemand writing
Grade four: reading, language mechanics, math, and science
Most students will be tested during the last few weeks of school. As in
the past, students’ scores will be labeled Novice, Apprentice, Proficient, or Distinguished. (continued on next page)
Grade five: reading, ondemand writing, math, and social studies Grade six: reading, language mechanics, on-demand writing, and math Grade seven: reading, math, and science Grade eight: reading, on-demand writing, math, and social studies Grade ten: on-demand writing 3
In addition, students will receive a scale score and a percentile ranking.
become more comfortable with the new standards.
Because the standards on which some of the tests are based are more difficult than they were in the past, scores may go down in the short term, but they should go up as students and teachers
In March, all Kentucky high school juniors took the ACT. Last September, tenth graders took the ACT PLAN test and eighth graders took ACT EXPLORE.
The results of these tests, the high school end-of-course exams, and the K-PREP tests are part of the data that the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) will use to calculate overall student performance for the district and for each school.
Six tips for test time • Make sure your child gets at least eight hours of sleep each night. Of course, this is always good advice, but it’s especially important during the testing period. • Provide a nutritious breakfast. • Make sure your child wears clothing that is appropriate for the weather as well as the temperature in the classroom. • Make sure your child isn’t late to school, and unless
he or she is sick, make sure your child attends every day during the testing period. • Tell your child to listen carefully to the test directions and to ask questions if he or she doesn’t understand them. • Too much pressure could be counterproductive, but try to boost your child’s confidence about doing well on the tests.
Does your child have test anxiety? Most students don’t like tests, but some have a deep-seated dread that nearly—or actually—reaches the level of a phobia. These students have test anxiety, and it has nothing to do with how well they’ve prepared. Even students who study hard can have test anxiety. “They are so worried about taking the test that they can’t show what they know,” says the Parent In4
stitute, which points out that it doesn’t help to tell a child with test anxiety to just relax. Instead, the institute says, share these tips with your child: • Don’t cram. A good night’s sleep is more important than an extra hour of studying. Studies show that last-minute cramming doesn’t work. • Look over the test quickly. Before answering any questions, skim
quickly through the test. Figure out how much time to spend on each section. • Don’t be afraid to skip a question. Don’t waste time worrying about a question you can’t answer. Instead, go on to questions you know you can answer. If there’s time, go back to the skipped items. • Remember past tests where you did well. You can do well again.
Answers to the April math questions The answers to the challenging eleventh-grade math questions in the last issue of Parent Connection are 1: C, 2: B, 3: C. To review the questions, click here. The first parent to send the correct answers was Suzanne Bowman, mother of Caroline, a student at Dunn Elementary. (Both are shown in the photo at right.) Other winners were Satish Purushotham (Ballard High) and Sandra Daugherty (Atherton High).
Follow the JCPS superintendent on twitter On your mobile phone, send a text to 40404 that says Follow JCPSSuper. You’ll get brief district news, information on events, and details on student success.
Principals join superintendent internship program Brandeis Elementary Principal Shervita West and Indian Trail Elementary Principal Georgia Hampton will participate in the Minority Superintendent Internship Program. It’s an initiative designed to identify and train a pool of highly qualified and highly effective minority superintendent candidates for Kentucky school districts. West and Hampton will finish this school year and then become superintendent interns for the 201314 school year. They will become superintendents the following year.
5
2013 High School Graduation Schedule
6
School
Graduation Location
Date
Time
Academy @ Shawnee
Durrett Auditorium
June 6 9 a.m.
Atherton High
Kentucky Exposition Center (Freedom Hall)
June 7 1 p.m.
Ballard High
Kentucky Exposition Center (Broadbent Arena)
June 5 8 p.m.
Brown School
Brown School
June 6 12 noon
Butler Traditional High
Kentucky Exposition Center (Freedom Hall)
June 7 9 a.m.
Central High School MCA Kentucky Exposition Center (Broadbent Arena)
June 5 5 p.m.
Doss High
Kentucky Exposition Center (Freedom Hall)
June 5 8 p.m.
DuPont Manual High
Kentucky Exposition Center (Freedom Hall)
June 6 3 p.m.
Eastern High
Kentucky Exposition Center (Freedom Hall)
June 6 6 p.m.
Fairdale High
Kentucky Exposition Center (Broadbent Arena)
June 6 7 p.m.
Fern Creek Traditional
Kentucky Exposition Center (Broadbent Arena)
June 6 12 noon
Iroquois High
Iroquois Amphitheater
June 5 6 p.m.
Jefferson County High
Durrett Auditorium
June 5 4 p.m.
Jeffersontown High
Kentucky Exposition Center (Broadbent Arena)
June 6 9 a.m.
Liberty High
Durrett Auditorium
June 6 3 p.m.
Louisville Male High
Kentucky Exposition Center (Freedom Hall)
June 6 9 a.m.
Moore Traditional School Durrett Auditorium
June 6 12 noon
Phoenix School
June 6 6 p.m.
Valley Auditorium
Pleasure Ridge Park High Kentucky Exposition Center (Freedom Hall)
June 6 12 noon
Seneca High
Kentucky Exposition Center (Freedom Hall)
June 5 5 p.m.
Southern High
Kentucky Exposition Center (Broadbent Arena)
June 6 3 p.m.
Valley High
Kentucky Exposition Center (East/South Hall)
June 6 3 p.m.
Waggener High
Kentucky Exposition Center (East/South Hall)
June 6 9 a.m.
Western High
Kentucky Exposition Center (East/South Hall)
June 5 5 p.m.
Keeping kids safe: teens and parties The following information is derived from a Web site hosted by the JCPS Safe and Drug-Free Schools Office.
If your teen is having a party: • Set ground rules beforehand. • Limit attendance and hours. • Welcome calls from other parents. • Keep guests in the party location. • Never provide alcohol to guests under 21. • Be aware of social host liability laws. • Frequently walk through
the party. Adult presence is important.
If your teen wants to go to a friend’s party: • Talk to your teen about the dangers of underage drinking. • Don’t lecture, but send a clear message that drinking and using drugs are not acceptable. • Set firm rules, and discuss consequences for breaking them. • Keep the lines of communication open. • Tell your teen that you will call the friend’s parents to confirm the location and time of the party.
• Make sure your teen has money and a cell phone. • Have your teen agree to leave a party if it is unsafe because of drinking or drug use. • Have your teen agree to refuse to ride with someone who has been drinking or using drugs. • Encourage your teen to call home if he or she needs help. • Greet your teen when he or she gets home. For more information on how to protect your child from the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, and violence, click here.
PTA receives national advocacy award The 15th District Parent Teacher Association (PTA) has been awarded the National PTA’s Outstanding Local Advocacy Award. Local PTA members accepted the award in Washington, D.C., at the 2013 National PTA Legislative Conference. Here’s an excerpt from the program for the awards ceremony: The “15th District PTA is being honored with the PTA Outstanding Local Advocacy Award for their efforts to educate parents on the Common Core State Standards in Kentucky. “To reach as many parents as possible, the 15th District PTA and partners worked to ensure that families from various ethnic minority backgrounds received information in their native language. Currently, more than 11,000 parents have received training and resources on Common Core.” The 15th District PTA Web site is located at http://15thdistrictpta.org. 7
Liquid Gold
Middle schooler earns national art honors Claire Dozer says art is much more than just something she does in school—it’s “a lifestyle.”
Middle art teacher Tammy Podbelsek push her “to become the artist she knows I can be.”
She made sculptures out of mud in her backyard when she was very young. Now she’s winning national and regional art awards.
Claire is “creative and diligent with her artwork,” Podbelsek says. “She’s always trying to improve her skills.”
Claire’s Liquid Gold earned a national Gold Medal in the Scholastic Art Awards. It also earned a top honor in the National K–12 Ceramic Exhibition (the country’s largest ceramic competition).
Claire needed both skill and perseverance to overcome a few challenges when she was creating Liquid Gold. “Because of the amount of detail, it did take me a while to complete it,” she says. “The clay kept drying out and pieces of the pot would fall off.”
Claire’s work also earned a Gold Key and the Middle School Artistic Excellence Award (a Best in Show honor) in the Louisville Metropolitan Region of the Scholastic awards. “I realized that art is what I really like and what I’m good at,” Claire says. “Getting to pursue this newfound passion in middle school was the one thing that really got me into doing art more and more and what made me a better artist.” She says the comments on her work that she receives from Highland 8
The middle schooler hasn’t decided if she wants to major in art in college, but even if she pursues a career in another field, “art is definitely going to be part of my life,” she says.
Art students throughout district earn Gold Medals Besides Claire, five other JCPS students earned a Gold Medal in the National Scholastic Art Awards. • Sommer Cade (Jeffersontown High), Category: Drawing • Trevor Gibson (Pleasure Ridge Park High), Category: Design • Simon Maness (Atherton High), Category: Drawing • Jerry Smith (duPont Manual High), Category: Drawing
• Bowen Sung (duPont Manual High), Category: Drawing In addition, Eastern High student Alana Keith earned a $1,000 New York Life Scholarship in the Photography category. This scholarship is awarded to only six students. The national award-winning works are included in Gold Key Art Winners, which features works by all of the regional winners. Click here.
Students earn regional and national writing awards JCPS students earned many honors in the National Scholastic Writing Awards Program, one of the most prestigious recognition programs for student writers. DuPont Manual High junior Peyton Walker earned one of only nine national Gold Medals awarded in the Persuasive Writing category. You can read Peyton’s “The Facts About Factory Farming” on the Web here. Manual junior Hellary Zhang earned 1 of only 12 national Silver Medals in Persuasive Writing for “America’s Role in Humanitarian Intervention,” which is available here. National winners and their teachers have been invited to attend an awards ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Fri., May 31.
On the regional level, JCPS students competed against others at schools throughout Kentucky and nine other states. Students at Manual, Atherton High, Butler High, Eastern High, and Louisville Male High earned regional Gold Keys, Silver Keys, and Honorable Mentions in several categories, including Dramatic Script, Flash Fiction, Humor, Journalism, Personal Essay/Memoir, Persuasive Writing, Poetry, and Short Story. Atherton student Jessica Jones and the following Manual students earned Gold Keys: Mariah Barley, Jordyn Barnes, Christopher Bird, Jasmine Browning, Ashley Burkett, Rachel Chance, Samantha Crowder, Sarah Doyle, Anna DuFour, Jenna Farineau, Caroline Folz, Michael Grimes, Samantha Hall, Courtnee Hall, Morgan Hines, Adya Jain,
Jin Soo Kim, Alexandria Pence, Noelle Pouzar, Morgan Redmond, Raymond Robinson, Catherine Sar, Margaret Shanks, Lucas Taylor, Leah Thompson, Peyton Walker, and Hellary Zhang. Many of the winners are students of Manual English teacher Alesia Williams, who says, “I am constantly impressed with the ability of my students to reach and exceed the extremely high standards I set for them. The awards they received from Scholastic are just one more validation of their hard work and willingness to challenge themselves; it helps them realize they truly are ready for the rigors of college writing. It is not just me giving them a grade; it is instead them earning national recognition because good writing is good writing.” 9
Fifteen students receive Vogt Scholarships Fifteen students throughout the JCPS District have each received a $10,000 Vogt Achievement Scholarship. The students were selected based on their SAT/ ACT scores and cumulative grade point averages (GPAs) as well as their community and campus leadership, participation in extracurricular activities, and recommendations from principals and community leaders. The annual Vogt Achievement Scholarship Program was established in 1999 by Henry V. Heuser Sr. to provide scholarships to outstanding JCPS seniors. To 10
date, more than $1.7 million has been awarded to more than 200 students. Henry V. Heuser Jr. hosted an awards luncheon in late March at the University Club to present the 2013 scholarships. He was joined by Lt. Governor Jerry Abramson, Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI) Chief Executive Officer Craig J. Richard, JCPS Superintendent Donna Hargens, many JCPS principals, more than 100 business and community leaders, and several regional university and college presidents who offered additional scholarship incentives for students to attend their schools.
The 2013 Vogt Achievement Scholarship winners are Olivia Utley (Atherton High), Nolan Smith (Ballard High), Stuart Wicke (Brown School), Jacob Morgan (Butler Traditional High), Sravya Vishnubhatla (duPont Manual High), April Hahnert (Eastern High), Destinee Perry (Fairdale High), Paige Anderson (Fern Creek Traditional High), Lindsey Rogers (Louisville Male High), Megan Reesor (Moore Traditional), Ryan Belcher (Pleasure Ridge Park High), Riley Nelson (Seneca High), Diana Lalata (Southern High), Casey Miller (Valley High), and Christopher Lockhart (Waggener High).
Keep your child learning during the summer The summer months are looming. What is your child going to do during all that time when she’s not in school? Without a plan, she’ll probably spend too much time in front of the TV. She’ll probably also drive you crazy by announcing, “I’m bored.” So start planning for the summer months now. Work with your child to set learning goals for the summer: • Read at least four books. Research shows that kids who read just four books over the summer will avoid “summer slide,” or the gap in academic skills, when they go back to school in the fall. Listening to audio books will also build your child’s vocabulary and her confidence. Many public libraries have these available to check out. • Try something new. The child who has never thought of herself as an athlete could spend the summer learning a sport. The kid who feels shy might look for a chance to be in a summer play. Summer is a good time to stretch. • Let your child take a risk. No, you don’t have to let her try skydiving! But try-
ing and mastering hard things is how your child learns. • Don’t let weak areas slide. If there is a subject your child struggles with, don’t let her take the whole summer off. Ask the teacher for some ideas about how she can prac-
tice over the summer so her learning doesn’t slide backwards. Reprinted with permission from the May 2012 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2012 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: “It’s Summer, Let’s Read!” Instructor, Summer 2011.
Booklet lists dozens of summer camps and programs The JCPS Summer Adventures booklet provides information on about 60 summer camps and programs hosted by district schools and many other organizations throughout the Louisville area. A digital version of the booklet is available on the Parent Connection Web site. You can flip the virtual pages and even click the links for instant access to more information on individual camps and programs. JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Sumnmtuer res ve d A
2013
11
Valley High student Derrick Jones was honored at a Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE) meeting for receiving a $180,000 NJROTC scholarship.
Valley senior receives prestigious scholarship Derrick Jones, a student at Valley Traditional High, received a $180,000 Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) Scholarship. It allows him to select from more than 160 top colleges and universities throughout the nation. Derrick had to meet very strict eligibility requirements to qualify for the NJROTC Scholarship Program. He has maintained a 12
3.9 GPA and has been an outstanding NJROTC cadet for four years. This year, he served as Battalion Commander. He plans to attend the University of Notre Dame or the United States Naval Academy.
Three Eastern students accepted into West Point Three Eastern High Army Junior Reserve Officers Training Corp (JROTC) cadets were accepted into the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
“Having three students pursued by West Point in one year is highly unusual, and it may be the only case in the region,” says Col. David P. Schneider, who leads Eastern’s JROTC Program. The students are Amber Mendez, Shelby Turner, and Michael Bryar. Amber also was accepted into the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy. She plans to attend the Naval Academy. Shelby also was accepted into the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. She plans to attend West Point. Michael also has been offered
a four-year Army ROTC scholarship at Western Kentucky University. At this writing, he has not decided where he will go.
sic Educators Association (KMEA).
Weaver was honored at the association’s state convention. The Ballard High Eastern has an impressive Concert Choir performed history of sending graduates for convention participants to military appointments. In at the Cathedral of the As1998 and 1999, the school sumption in Louisville. had three former students Student named nawho were West Point cational finalist in presdets. From 2006 to 2008, two Eastern graduates who tigious science competition are brothers attended the U.S. Naval Academy. CurManual student Naethan rently, there are two EastMundkur was selected as a ern graduates who are West 2013 Intel Science Talent Point cadets. Search (STS) finalist. STS is the oldest and most reCol. Schneider says one of nowned science competition the current cadets visited for high school students. him and told him that his first-year courses are fairly Of the 1,712 students who easy because he took adentered the 2013 competivanced courses at Eastern. tion, 300 were selected as “That told me a lot about semifinalists. Of those, 40, our education here,” Col. including Naethan, were Schneider says. chosen as finalists.
Ballard choral director named Music Teacher of the Year Noel Weaver, director of choral activities at Ballard High, was selected as the High School Teacher of the Year by the Kentucky Mu-
Naethan’s research, a materials science project, explores the thermal conductivity and heat transfer capabilities of nanofluids. Naethan observed nanofluid enhancements never seen before. His research suggests the potential for
increased efficiency and applications at temperatures used in solar thermal energy development. Naethan volunteers as a mentor at the Kentucky Science Center and was the founder of the Manual rocket club. He plans to become a nanotechnology entrepreneur.
Student earns perfect ACT score Jim Miller, a student at duPont Manual High, is one of a small group of students across the nation to earn the highest possible composite score of 36 on the ACT college admissions exam. The ACT includes tests in English, math, reading, and science. Each test is scored on a scale of 1 to 36, and a student’s composite score is the average of the four test scores. The national average composite score for the 2012 test was 21.1. Contact the Parent Connection editor, Thomas Pack, at 485-6315 or at thomas.pack@jefferson. kyschools.us.
Learn more to earn more
Free GED and skill-building classes are available throughout Louisville. For more information, call 485-3400 or visit www.adulted4u.com.
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. 13
Next year’s calendar 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