Jefferson County Public Schools
Nov.-Dec. 2011
Ten ways to help your child meet the new state standards
Also in this issue: • JCPS is accepting middle and high school applications • Atkinson educator named Elementary Teacher of the Year • Are you as smart as a JCPS high school junior?
www.jcpsky.net
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Offering Equal Educational Opportunities
Ten ways to help your child meet the new state academic standards Academic standards determine what students should know and be able to do at each grade level. For instance, third graders learn about weights and liquid volumes, and they should be able solve word problems with them—according to the new Kentucky Core Academic Standards (KCAS) in math. Throughout the school year, JCPS teachers will implement the new math standards as well as new English/language arts standards. They’re based on the Common Core State Standards, which have been adopted by more than 40 states. There are three key things you should know about these standards: • They’re tougher than the old ones. Students learn skills more 2
quickly and study lessons in more • Reassure your child that he or she will be able to handle both depth. homework and classwork once • They’re designed to make sure he or she adjusts to the pace all students are college- and and depth of the lessons under career-ready. the new standards. • They affect all grade levels. • Review the JCPS curriculum There’s a clear progression of maps at www.jcpsky.net/deskills and knowledge from kinpartments/gheens/CurrMaps. dergarten to high school graduahtml. They show what students tion. learn at each grade level throughTo help your child meet the new out the year. When you have a standards: clear understanding of what your • Be patient and understanding child needs to know, you can easif your child complains about ily monitor and support progress. having more homework, quiz• Talk to your child’s teachers zes, and tests than ever before. regularly. Don’t wait for parentShow your child how to set up a teacher conferences. Ask the homework schedule and budget teacher for ideas and strategies to time wisely. You also may need help you work with your child at to check homework and help home on specific skills. more often than last year.
• Encourage your child to ask questions about schoolwork both at school and home. Asking questions helps students learn to think critically. If you don’t know the answers to your child’s questions, do some research together. • Unless your child is sick, make sure he or she goes to school every day—with no tardies. Because students learn skills more quickly under the new standards, they can fall behind more quickly if they miss class. • If your child needs extra help, ask his or her teacher about tutoring or special programs. • If your child just wants to learn more about something, plan a trip to the library or find some good Web sites on the subject. You also could encourage your child to get involved in school programs, projects, or clubs focused on the subject—a math club, for instance, or a creative writing club. • Do simple learning activities at home. For instance, you may want to come up with some real-
life examples of math word problems, such as asking your child to figure out how many cups of milk are in a gallon. • Help your child develop a plan
to reach long-term college and career goals. Review the plan regularly with your child and with a counselor.
JCPS launches standards page for parents JCPS has created a Web page called the Parents’ Guide to the New State Standards. You’ll find general information, specific questions you should ask your child’s teacher, and tips on helping your child adjust to the pace and depth of the new standards. The page is available at www.jcpsky.net/Pubs/ParentConnection/standards.html. Brochures about the standards will be available at all Jefferson County public schools. In addition, the 15th District PTA is partnering with the Gheens instructional staff to offer standards workshops at JCPS schools. For information on scheduling a session for your school, call 4853535.
Parent to Parent
Parent engagement is key to achievement Our school district is fortunate to have so many parents actively engaged in their children’s education. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting 50 schools since August 17, and I see many parents volunteering in classrooms and helping at school events. As a former principal, I know firsthand the difference parent in-
volvement makes. When children see their parents taking time out of their busy schedules to help schools, they know that they should make education a priority too. Of course, many parents stay engaged just by regularly talking to their children about what they are learning, helping with homework, participating in parent-teacher con3
ferences, and providing general support and encouragement. Study after study has shown that parent involvement has a profound effect on student achievement. Good students and good schools become even better students and better schools when parents are engaged. High levels of parent engagement lead to not only higher grades and test scores but also the following: • Higher attendance • More consistently completed homework assignments • Less misbehavior • Higher graduation rates and college enrollment
work together to create a supportive learning environment that extends from the school to the home. Maintaining this partnership will continue to be important throughout your child’s education because the new math and English/language arts standards are just the beginning. Next year, JCPS will implement new science and social studies standards. In 2013-14, the district will implement new standards in art, music, practical living, and world languages. That’s why one of the most important tips in the front-page article is to reassure your child that he or she will be able to handle both homework and classwork under the new standards.
And now parent engagement is even more important than ever before. Kentucky is pioneering A little parental encouragement the statewide implementation of will go a long way toward helping rigorous new national academic standards in math and English/language arts. All JCPS students—like their peers across the state—will have to learn to even higher levels. If you need more information about the new standards, it’s available. Brochures, developed by the National PTA, describing the standards for each grade level are available on the district’s Web site and from your child’s school, courtesy of the 15th District PTA. And the first article in this newsletter lists several tips for helping your child adjust to the new standards. Many of these tips are just commonsense suggestions, but the new standards require parents as well as students and teachers to renew their focus on high-quality work and their commitment to reaching a deeper level of knowledge. The students who will achieve the most under the new standards are those whose parents and teachers 4
your child adjust to the pace of the new lessons. You also can tell your child that more effort now will pay off in the long term because the new standards ultimately will provide many benefits. They’ll ensure lessons progress smoothly not only throughout the year but also from grade to grade. They’ll help your child build the confidence to take on challenging work. And they’ll better prepare your child for college and the most rewarding careers. Sincerely,
Donna M. Hargens, Ed.D. JCPS Superintendent
Superintendent launches new video series
Superintendent Donna Hargens launched a weekly series of video messages last month called Beyond the Headlines. Available on the Web at www.youtube.com/user/jcpsweb, the videos let Dr. Hargens share information about what our schools are doing and why. Look for a new video each Friday afternoon. You can send a question that could become the topic of a future video message. The e-mail address is jcps.generalaccount@jefferson.kyschools.us. Another new feature on the district’s homepage is a set of sliding photos with headlines. Click any photo for the latest JCPS news or a feature article about the district.
JCPS is now accepting middle and high school applications
JCPS is accepting applications for middle and high magnet schools, magnet programs, optional programs, and high school open enrollment for the next school year. The deadline to apply is Fri., Jan. 6, 2012. See the article below for a high school overview. See page 7 for a summary of middle school programs. Detailed information and an application form are available in Choices, the district guidebook. Digital versions of the book are available on the Showcase of Schools page at www.jcpsky. net/Showcase. The application period for elementary schools for the next school year is scheduled to begin on Wed., Feb. 1, 2012. Application forms will be available at elementary schools. The JCPS Elementary School Showcase will be held at the Kentucky International Convention Center on Sat., Jan. 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
5-Star High Schools Courses at most JCPS high schools are organized around one of five Professional Career Theme Programs that offer advanced college and career preparation.
Video overviews of the 5 Star Professional Career Theme Programs are available on the JCPS YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/ user/jcpsweb.
Classes go far beyond lectures. Students participate in hands-on, real-world projects in and out of the classroom. Local companies, community organizations, colleges, and universities partner with JCPS schools to support these programs, so students get expert advice from professionals in the field. Many courses offer college credit as well as job shadowing, mentoring, professional certification, co-ops, internships, or apprenticeships. Students graduate with the kind of diploma that gets noticed—a credentialed diploma representing dual-credit courses, authentic experiences, and industry certifications. JCPS provides transportation for students who are accepted into one of these programs within the net-
work that serves their attendance area. Don’t know which network your child lives in? Call Demographics at 485-3050 or use the SchoolFinder on the JCPS Web site at http://apps.jefferson.kyschools. us/demographics/schoolfinder. aspx.
Human Services, Education, and International Studies This theme offers courses for students who want to prepare for a legal career, learn the art of teaching, or explore the world. Students who take Human Services courses study the law, government, and social issues. Service-learning projects give students real-world skills and experience that make their résumés stand out. JCPS education students learn the foundations of teaching and gain experience by working with elementary and middle school students. Education students also learn about colleges and universities where they can continue their 5
studies and career preparation after high school. Students who take international studies classes develop an indepth understanding of the global community. They learn a world language, and they work with government agencies and international organizations. Through the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program at Atherton, students can earn an IB Diploma that is recognized for university admission at schools around the world. Schools: Network 1: Fairdale High, Network 2: Seneca High, Network 3: Atherton High
and television production, stage and costume design, print media, graphic arts, and performing arts. Students work in well-equipped, state-of-the-art studios. They get many chances to practice their craft and show off their skills. Whether they’re painting murals, acting on stage, creating digital art, writing a short story or novel, editing news articles, anchoring a broadcast, or directing a film, students receive both solid academic instruction and practical experience. Schools: Network 1: Pleasure Ridge Park High, Network 2: Fern Creek High, Network 3: Ballard High
Engineering (Aerospace/ Medicine, Health, and the Architecture/Manufacturing Environment and Construction) JCPS engineering students build problem-solving skills and master a range of tools and technologies (the same tools and technologies that today’s professionals use). Students receive a broad introduction to the field by exploring real-world problems. They study historical engineering achievements ranging from the Egyptian pyramids to the U.S. highway system to the Ohio River locks and dams. Courses are also available for students who want to focus on aviation, manufacturing, energy transmission, or construction.
JCPS health-care students learn about a range of possible careers and develop basic skills in each medical field. Courses provide preparation for both an entry-level job and for additional study in college. Mentoring, real-world healthcare environments, job-shadowing experiences, and internships show students how the pros do it. Many students earn professional healthcare certification before they gradu-
ate from high school. Career opportunities for experts on the environment are expanding rapidly. JCPS environmental students investigate the world in the classroom, the lab, and the field. They explore current issues and study possible solutions to environmental problems. Schools: Network 1: Valley High, Network 2: Moore Traditional School, Network 3: Waggener High
Business and Information Technology JCPS business students learn how to create and run a company. Both business and information technology students learn how to use technology to manage business operations. Courses are available in banking, finance, business applications, marketing, accounting, computer repair, networking, Web design, geographic information systems, and programming. Many of these courses offer both industry certification and college credit. Schools: Network 1: Doss High, Network 2: Southern High, Network 3: Eastern High
Schools: Network 1: Iroquois High, Network 2: Jeffersontown High, Network 3: The Academy @ Shawnee
Communication, Media, and the Arts Communication skills are in demand across occupations. Courses at JCPS high schools are available in public speaking, radio 6
Jeffersontown students work on an engineering project.
Districtwide magnet high schools
The following magnet schools and programs accept applications from students throughout the JCPS District. At most schools, transportation is provided for every Jefferson County address. • The Academy @ Shawnee offers the Aerospace: Flight School Program and the Aerospace: Aviation Maintenance Technology Program. • The Brown School is a self-directed learning school that serves kindergarten through gradetwelve students. (Transportation is not provided for Brown School students.) • Butler Traditional High and Louisville Male High offer traditional education. • Central High School MCA offers business, technology, law, health care, and veterinary magnet programs. • DuPont Manual High offers YPAS students perform.
communications, visual arts, college prep, and math/science/technology programs. • Western Magnet High offers the Early College Program and the Culinary Arts Program. • The Youth Performing Arts School (YPAS) offers dance, theatre, musical theatre, design and production (technical theatre), vocal music, instrumental music (band and orchestra), and piano programs.
Middle school programs Middle school magnet programs let students explore their favorite subjects in depth. The following programs accept applications from students throughout the district, and transportation is provided for every Jefferson County address. • Farnsley, Meyzeek, and Newburg: Mathematics/Science/ Technology (MST)—Students are assigned to one of the three schools based on their address. • Highland: International Studies
• Noe: Gifted and Talented, and Visual and Performing Arts • Thomas Jefferson: Communications • Westport: Montessori Program JCPS also offers magnet middle schools and programs that provide specialized learning environments: • Barret, Jefferson County Traditional, and Johnson are traditional magnet schools. Students are assigned to one of them based on their home address. • The Brown School offers selfdirected learning in a kindergarten through grade-twelve environment. (Transportation is not provided for Brown School students.) • Olmsted Academy North is an all-boys school. • Olmsted Academy South is an all-girls school. • Western Middle is a Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School. Some JCPS middle schools offer optional programs: • Crosby: Liberal Arts Academy • Highland: Fine Art • Lassiter: Environmental Education • Moore Traditional: Environmental and Life Science • Stuart: Health Careers As in a magnet school or program, a student who is accepted into an optional program becomes a fulltime student of the school that offers it, and he or she attends the school for all classes, not just the optional program classes. Unlike magnet programs, however, transportation is provided for optional program students only if they live in the attendance area of the school that offers it. 7
JCPS educator named Elementary Teacher of the Year Elizabeth Ann Fuller, a third-grade reading and writing demonstration site teacher at Atkinson Elementary, has been named the 2012 Elementary School Teacher of the Year in the competition presented by Ashland Inc. and the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE). Fuller is an eight-year teaching veteran who has taught at Atkinson for three years. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Bellarmine University and a master’s degree at Indiana University Southeast (IUS). Fuller also has achieved National Board for Professional Teaching 8
Standards certification, and she has taken Harvard Graduate School of Education Wide World Learning online courses. She serves as an instructional coach and has mentored students and student teachers. She’s a Louisville Foundation grant recipient and was nominated for the 2011 Gheens Innovation and Outstanding Young Educator Awards. Fuller was honored with the Elementary Teacher of the Year Award at a ceremony in Frankfort last month in the State Capitol Building Rotunda. She received $3,000 and a customized art-glass vase.
Two other JCPS educators also were honored at the ceremony. Central High School Magnet Career Academy (MCA) teacher James A. Gilbert was one of nine semifinalists in the Kentucky Teacher of the Year competition. Ramsey Middle teacher Valerie Sue Rueger was one of the 24 Ashland Inc. Teacher Achievement Award winners from which the semifinalists were chosen. This is Rueger’s second Teacher Achievement Award.
Surprised students receive $23,000 worth of musical instruments Students at Western Middle, a Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School, got a big surprise late last month. A group from the Fidelity Investments Louisville Investor Center unveiled a donation of new band and orchestra instruments, including one baritone saxophone, two euphoniums, three trumpets, and four cellos.
Students performed for the Fidelity visitors before and after receiving the new wind and string instruments, which were decorated with green ribbons emblazoned with the Fidelity logo. Valued at more than $23,000, the donation is part of Fidelity’s ongoing efforts to support public school music programs.
The gift was facilitated by the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, an organization established by Michael Kamen, who composed the score for the film Mr. Holland’s Opus. Last year, the foundation presented an award that included a $17,000 French horn to a Butler Traditional High student.
“This gift will greatly improve the student instrument inventory at Western Middle School,” says Principal William Anderson, “and it will contribute to the musical education of many, many students in following years.” Western band director Eric Allen says the gift “has literally put us 10 years ahead in our instrument inventory and development.”
JCPS offers Parent Portal app JCPS parents and students now can access Parent Portal information through a free app for the iPhone and other devices that run on iOS (Apple’s mobile operating system). The app allows users to view the five main areas of Infinite Campus—Daily Planner, Assignments, Attendance, Grades, and Schedule. To download the app, log in to Infinite Campus on the district’s Web site at www.jcpsky.net/Parent /ParentPortal/index.html. Then click the black Available on the App Store button, which is lo-
cated directly below the inbox. For help setting up an Infinite Campus account, send an email to campus.portal@jefferson. kyschools.us. Include your name, phone number, and the student’s name. An app for devices that run on the Android operating system should be available before the end of the year. An app for the full district Web site is also being developed.
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Louisville is one of best communities for young people For the fifth year in a row, Louisville has achieved national recognition as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People, an honor presented by America’s Promise Alliance and ING. The award recognizes communities that focus on reducing high school dropout rates and providing service and support to their youth. Louisville was selected, in part, because of innovative programs and partnerships involving JCPS, Louisville Metro Government, Metro United Way, local businesses, and nonprofit organizations. These collaborations are committed to improving local education by supporting college preparation initiatives as well as helping young readers and promoting youth volunteerism. “In a nation where 7,000 students drop out of high school every day, we hope Louisville’s initiatives inspire other communities across the nation to take action to solve the challenges facing their young people,” said Marguerite W. Kondracke, America’s Promise Alliance president and CEO. “Louisville is especially deserving of this recognition due to their efforts to ensure that their young people graduate high school and go on to lead healthy, productive lives.” 10
Louisville is one of only 22 cities recognized all five times that the awards have been presented. For more information, visit www. americaspromise.org.
Students win oratorical contest
Elliott Kelly, a student at Barret Traditional Middle, won firstplace honors in the Louisville Urban League’s Achievement Matters Oratorical Contest, which was sponsored by Kentucky State University (KSU). Adrein Taylor, a student at Kammerer Middle, won third place. The purpose of the contest is to encourage young people to participate in public speaking and to enhance the development of leadership skills. Contestants are required to choose one of four topics and write a two-page paper on it. The papers were judged on the student’s overall response to the topic as well as grammar and punctuation. The winners were then required to make a three-minute presentation to an independent panel of judges, who evaluated the contestants’ poise, content, delivery, and overall
effectiveness of their speech. Students made their presentations last month at the 2011 Doing the Right Thing Youth Expo.
Indian Trail students featured in national newsletter
A newsletter distributed by the national nonprofit MicroSociety organization featured an article about two students who won Gheen’s Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards because of entrepreneurial ventures they developed as students in Indian Trail Elementary’s MicroSociety Magnet Program. One student, Shelby Ford, created a business repairing bicycles and delivering safety lessons. The other student, Cydney Pepper, developed a day spa that offered hand massages, manicures, nail art, and “perfume squirts.” The article quotes Cydney as saying, “Here I thought I was going to be doing nail art, and I rarely did that. Most of the time I was doing bookkeeping, training my employees, or researching new ways of doing things.” Indian Trail’s program has been featured in a video on the MicroSociety Web site at www.microsociety.org.
Students stay healthy by walking, jumping, and even carrying potatoes Coleridge-Taylor Montessori Elementary kicked off a day of healthy activities last month by participating in International Walk to School Day. “Nearly one-third of our student body walks to school from the surrounding neighborhood,” says Nicole Nash, vice president of the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA).
stadium chanting “left, right, left, right, keep on looking ’til you cross the street.” Nash says the event also helped the students understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle and “how small things like walking every day make a big difference.”
Coleridge-Taylor Principal Yvette Stockwell says, “It was wonderful watching our students walking, skipping, and smiling all day long. Thanks to Central High for the use of their stadium and to our sponsors for creating such a special experience for our children.”
But even the students who don’t usually walk got a chance to stretch their legs. At 10:30 a.m., all 570 Coleridge-Taylor students went on a police-escorted walk of nearly a mile to the Central High Stadium. The students then ran a relay race in which they did jumping jacks and hopped side-to-side across a rope. At one point, they even had to run while wearing an oven mitt and trying to hold onto a potato. The event had several sponsors, including Kosair Children’s Hospital, FedEx, and the Mayor’s Healthy Hometown Movement. Jefferson County Board of Education ViceChair Diane Porter and Louisville Councilman David Tandy talked to the students at the stadium. Tandy said families that walk together get not only exercise but also the chance to spend quality time together and to learn more about their neighborhoods. He also pointed out that it’s important for parents to teach their children how to walk safely—a message that was reiterated when the students walked back from the
Mark your calendar Nov. 23–25: Thanksgiving Break Dec. 3: SAT Dec. 6 : PTA Reflections Awards Ceremony Dec. 10: ACT Dec. 19–Jan. 2: Winter Break Jan. 6: Deadline for middle
and high school applications Jan. 16: No school—Martin Luther King Jr. Day Jan. 28: JCPS Elementary Showcase at the Kentucky International Convention Center Jan. 28: SAT Feb. 1: Elementary application period begins 11
Are you as smart as a JCPS high school junior? The answers to the eighth-grade math questions in the last issue of Parent Connection are 1: A, 2: C, 3: D. To review the questions, visit the newsletter’s Web site at www. jcpsky.net/Pubs/ParentConnection/welcome.shtml and select the October issue. The first parent to send the correct answers last month was Dengzhi Wang, mother of a student at Wilder Elementary. Other winners were Dina Metzger (Field Elementary) and Caroline Reddington (Okolona Elementary). This month, Parent Connection offers a quick quiz with eleventhgrade science 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. You don’t need to write the questions or answers. Just send the question numbers and the letters for your answers. Or you may print out this quiz and mail it. 1. Static electricity happens when electrons pass from one object to another, such as from your hair
to a comb as you comb your hair. If you then hold the comb near your hair, strands of hair appear to move forward and “stick to the comb.” The hair and the comb A. attract each other because they have the same charges. B. attract each other because they have opposite charges. C. repel each other because they have the same charges. D. repel each other because they have opposite charges. 2. Which statement about DNA is correct? A. A child’s DNA will be unrelated to the mother’s or father’s DNA. B. A child’s DNA will show similarities to both the mother’s and father’s DNA. C. A female child’s DNA will exactly match the mother’s DNA. D. A male child’s DNA will exactly match the father’s DNA. Dengzhi Wang and her children, Michael and Amy
3. Which graph best represents the relationship between the density of a substance and its state of matter (phase) for most Earth material, excluding water?