District leaders sought for Ed.D Program
Applications from Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) leaders and innovators are now being accepted for University of Louisville (UofL)/JCPS Urban Leadership Scholars, a cohort that will complete an Urban Leadership Ed.D Program: Educational Leadership and Organizational Development. Interviews for candidates will begin in April. The first cohort will begin studies in the fall.
A team of researchers and practitioners have crafted an innovative and rigorous learning experience to best support school leaders in an urban environment. Research has shown that the most successful university and school district collaborations are founded upon the development of customized programs. Those who are selected to participate as JCPS Scholars will build strong relationships with district leaders, benefit from one-on-one coaching and advising with successful practitioners, and present their work at conferences. Participants will receive a bundled tuition rate to reduce the costs associated with graduate education.
Informational sessions to discuss this effort will be held at JCPS Gheens Academy in Flex Room A from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Sat., Mar. 8, and from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Sat., Apr. 12. There will also be a session from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Mon., Apr. 14, in Stewart Auditorium at VanHoose Education Center. For more information, call Bradley Carpenter at 852-0611, Brian Shumate at 485-7350, or Bob Rodosky or Marco Muñoz at 485-3036.
Aspiring leaders sought for Ed.S. Program
Applications from JCPS aspiring leaders are now being accepted for a UofL Ed.S. program. A review of candidate applications will begin in April, and classes will begin in the fall of 2014.
A team of researchers and practitioners have crafted an innovative and rigorous learning experience to best support aspiring school leaders in an urban environment. The Ed.S. program is designed to prepare school leaders to engage staff, improve the instructional capacity of schools, and deal effectively with today’s educational challenges. The goal of the Ed.S. program is to provide field experience, clinical practice, and conceptual and theoretical knowledge necessary for roles in instructional leadership. The Department of Leadership, Foundations and Human Resource Education (ELFH) maintains a strong collaboration with school districts in preparing exemplary school administrators.
Informational sessions to discuss this effort will be held at JCPS Gheens Academy in Flex Room A from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Sat., Mar. 8, and from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Sat., Apr. 12.
FRYSC Summer Camp Kickoff
The Family Resource and Youth Services Center (FRYSC) Department will host its annual Summer Camp Kickoff from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sat., Mar. 15, at Second Presbyterian Church, 3701 Old Brownsboro Road. This free event offers parents/guardians the opportunity to see what summer programming is available for children. Camps are offered that appeal to sports enthusiasts and creative artists as well as for children with special needs. All families in attendance will have opportunities to sign up for camp scholarships that are awarded as door prizes. Vendors and parents/guardians who seek more information should contact Nicole Clark at 485-7004 or at nicole.clark@jefferson.kyschools.us.
Literacy grants fund summer reading
Each week, the JCPS Resource Development Office provides information about grant opportunities. The department must review all school and department grant applications prior to submission. For information about additional grant opportunities, call 485-3290.
Dollar General offers Literacy Grants of as much as $15,000 for schools that serve students in P1 (kindergarten) through grade twelve. The grants can fund programs and events that promote family literacy, summer reading, and youth literacy. The application deadline is
Science & Engineering Fair
Students from duPont Manual High and Meyzeek Middle will participate in the Louisville Regional Science & Engineering Fair (LRSEF) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sat., Mar. 8, at University of Louisville (UofL). Altogether, more than 600 middle and high school students from 13 counties will present their projects that represent the best of their science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) efforts. Award ceremonies are open to the public, and they will be held at 1:30 p.m. for Meyzeek Middle students and at 5 p.m. for duPont Manual High students. For more information, click here. Participants compete in 17 different categories, including astronomy, animal and plant sciences, electrical and mechanical engineering, chemistry, medicine and health, computer science, and math.
May PD opportunities listed
Employees who are searching for professional-development (PD) opportunities on Fri., May 2, and Tues., May 20, will find the list of new classes on pdCentral. The sessions will be offered at Myers Middle. Classes are expected to fill quickly, and employees are encouraged to register for the classes soon. For more information, contact Linda Johnson at 485-6636.
Social media guidelines for educators
Women in School Administration (WSA) recently hosted a session that focused on social media, the law, and appropriate practices for educators. During this session, Sister Angie Shaughnessy, J.D., Ph.D., offered several suggested guidelines for educators. A brief summary of her remarks is as follows:
• Think carefully about any content you post. • Do not “friend” your students.
• Decline (or ignore) invitations to be a student’s friend.
• Monitor your account. You might be surprised what you will find. • Be aware of what students say about online harassment. Regardless whether you have social media accounts:
• Err on the side of caution. If a student complains of being harassed or humiliated or threatened on social media, inform your principal.
• Remember that educators have no privilege of confidentiality.
• Ask yourself how you might feel tomorrow about what you are thinking about doing today. • Think about a 24-hour rule before you reply to e-mails or texts.
For more information about WSA, click here or follow them on Twitter.
Technoversity Tuesday Go To Meeting
Each week, the Computer Education Support (CES) Office provides information about education technology. The CES mission is to help JCPS employees become proficient users of technology and to support student achievement and technology literacy through the effective integration of technology with learning and teaching. For more information, click here or call 485-3010. Follow CES on Twitter: @JCPS_CES.
How can you increase your technology skills without leaving your desk? Just register for one of the CES Technoversity Tuesday’s Go To Meeting sessions. All you need is an Internet connection and headphones, and you can receive training right at your desk. Here are the March offerings.
• Using Reference in Excel will be from 9 to 10 a.m. on Tues., Mar. 4. To register, visit pdCentral and search for 13-1455598.
• Using What-If Analysis Tools in Excel will be from 2 to 3 p.m. on Tues., Mar. 4. To register, visit pdCentral and search for 13-1455599.
• Enhancing PowerPoint With Pictures will be from 9 to 10 a.m. on Tues., Mar. 18. To register, visit pdCentral and search for 13-1455600.
• Creating Customized Shapes in PowerPoint will be from 2 to 3 p.m. on Tues., Mar. 18. To register, visit pdCentral and search for 13-1455603.
• Using Mail Merge in Word will be from 9 to 10 a.m. on Tues., Mar. 25. To register, visit pdCentral and search for 13-1455608.
• Creating a Form Fill-in Document in Word will be from 2 to 3 p.m. on Tues., Mar. 25. To register, visit pdCentral and search for 13-1455609.
A few days before the session, registered users will receive an e-mail with a link to the Go To Meeting session. Click on the link to join the meeting a few minutes before the scheduled time. New offerings will be available each month. For more information about Microsoft Office training opportunities, contact Sheila Stanton at 485-3647 or send her an e-mail at
Making the Golden Oar
Earlier this school year, Iroquois Principal Chris Perkins approached carpentry teacher Steve Anderson with an unusual and important request.
JCPS Superintendent Donna Hargens requested that his classes create and produce a small wooden award. The award, called a Golden Oar, would be given to employees and supporters of the district who help the district live up to its Core Values articulated in the Strategic Plan: Vision 2015. Those supporters are helping the district row in the right direction.
The specifics of the award were largely left to Anderson and his students. They created a prototype and, based on feedback from Dr. Hargens, altered the design. By the third prototype, Anderson received the green light to produce more.
The process taught students about the real-world experience of working with a customer and using skills to deliver a final product that make the customer happy, Anderson said.
“They learned the customer is always right,” Anderson said. “A Golden Oar causes students to do some critical thinking. I’ve tried to instill in them that no matter what you do, you do it well.”
The first of Anderson’s Golden Oars were awarded to three recipients at the Mon., Dec. 9, meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE), which Anderson attended to see the presentation.
Recently, Anderson delivered a shipment of ten completed Golden Oars to JCPS Materials Production, where they can be prepared for presentation at the superintendent’s request. The superintendent selects the recipients, and they receive a Golden Oar and a certificate that explains their contribution.
With a desire to not just be a wood shop, Anderson said he would enjoy more creative and critical-thinking challenges with his carpentry students.
They already learn construction framing and tool use while making picnic tables, doghouses, and cornhole boards. Student recently completed an impressive 8 by 12-foot storage shed complete with a loft, window, and electrical wiring. They are seeking a buyer and hoping to receive $1,500.
A teacher has contracted with them to create a large octagonal picnic table to fit a specific space in her yard. Deciding the angles and numbers from scratch are challenging but exciting for Anderson and his students. It’s common to find a teacher bringing a broken cabinet door or a chair to be repaired by the carpentry class.
“They realize how much money you can save over the course of your life by learning how to do these basic repairs,” Anderson said. Employers and builders are always looking for summer help, and a student can make several thousand dollars in the summer using skills they learn in class. The employers who approach Anderson do not want expert carpenters, but rather someone who has basic skills and is teachable, he said.
JCPS Career Theme Specialist Debbie Anderson, who is married to Steve Anderson, works with engineering and skilled trades teachers at Iroquois, Jeffersontown High, and the Academy @ Shawnee.
“It gives them a little pride knowing that there are awards they’ve created that the superintendent will bestow upon community partners,” Anderson said.
Anderson and his freshmen offered a demonstration of how a Golden Oar is created on Wed., Feb. 19, which highlighted the following:
• Students trace the Golden Oar design onto segments of a 1-by-4 board. • Students use a mitre saw to cut out the rectangular pieces.
• Students use a band saw to turn the rectangle into a rough Golden Oar.
• Students use an oscillating disc sander and a dual action sander to smooth the edges and flat surfaces. • A hole is drilled in one end to allow for hanging.
• The wood is primed and painted a metallic gold. •••
The following article is written by Jason Hubler, fifth-grade teacher at Carter Traditional Elementary. Hubler and his wife, Crystal Hubler, also a fifth-grade teacher at Carter Traditional, set up a server that allows their students and other students to play Minecraft. The game, immensely popular among students, has great educational potential. The Hublers said the server will allow additional students throughout the district to join, and they are hoping teachers will help them find interested students. For more information, contact Jason Hubler at jason.hubler@jefferson.kyschools.us or click here for the parent letter described in the article.
Building a learning community with Minecraft
By Jason Hubler
If you walk into almost any intermediate-level JCPS classroom, I guarantee several students can tell you all about the game Minecraft because they constantly play it at home. Recently my wife and I set up an educational Minecraft server for our students. If you aren’t familiar with the game or its educational benefits, you can read about them here.
We want to share it with other elementary schools since we have room on the server. We came up with the idea a few months ago as a way to engage our students while they are at home. District information technology employees met with us, and they were very supportive and excited about the idea; however, we were unable to operate it using a district server. We found a generous hosting company that set it up for us. Crystal and I both teach fifth-grade students, and we designed a world full of Common Core content that is appropriate for students in P4 (grade three) through grade five. You can see it in this video. It is a completely closed server, so only students that we allow can get on (no strangers).
The server has been wonderful so far. The students are engaged in content outside of school—it’s only used at home—for hours at a time. Students can visit a historically accurate Old Boston or walk on a coordinate grid to read it, or identify story elements while inside the story. Students have set up shops, started businesses, and rented property. We’ve got students online before and after school every day. On the weekend, students are logged on from 7 a.m. until late at night.
Since it’s a 100-person server—and not everyone will be on at one time—we have space to share and can add students from other schools. Nothing is required of the teachers, as my wife and I manage the server. Students participate after regular school hours from home. I have all the materials about the server already prepared for parents/guardians. Teachers or School Technology Coordinators (STCs) can be involved as much as they want.
As a teacher, it’s not my goal to put more work on other teachers. All teachers need to do is give the parent letter to any students who own Minecraft and would like to join the server. The parents who are interested use the information in the letter to email me and I add the student’s name to the server. It really is the ultimate form of Extended School Services (ESS).
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Frayser celebrates shared love of reading
JCPS employees, community members, and members of the UofL women’s Soccer and Volleyball teams participated in the annual Frayser Elementary I Love to Read Day held on Fri., Feb. 21.
Employees at the school dressed as literary characters, and visitors arrived throughout the day to read books with students and discuss their own experiences with reading and literacy.
Kudos to Don Evans, a video production teacher at Ballard High. Evans was among the members of the 1988-89 Minnesota Golden Gophers basketball team who were recognized at halftime of the Indiana and Minnesota game on Sat., Feb. 8. The team was celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary of the 1988-89 Golden Gopher team that reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. That season marked a turnaround year for the program because the school was coming off consecutive cellar dweller finishes in the Big Ten Conference as well as NCAA probation. The team went on to defeat Kansas State and Siena to reach the Sweet Sixteen, before falling to Final Four participant Duke. Evans also attended a dinner that was held the night before hosted by Golden Gopher Head Coach Richard Pitino. Evans has coached at Western Kentucky University, Idaho State University, and Bellarmine University and was an assistant coach and head coach of Moore Traditional School.
Kudos to JCPS Family Education Program teacher Susan Ward Repisti, Linking Education And Families (LEAF) Program site coordinator Chris Howard, and Family Education Program coordinator Tracy Noles. The three employees were instrumental in the shared success of adult students Antonio and Martha Mora. The couple was selected to speak at the National Center for Families Learning Summit held from Mon., Feb. 17, through Wed., Feb. 19, in Washington, D.C. The Moras exemplify a family dedicated to education. They have three children doing well academically at Carrithers Middle and Tully Elementary. Antonio Mora, an owner of a construction business, recently earned his General Educational Development (GED) certificate. Martha Mora is attending GED classes and parent education classes. While speaking in Washington, the Moras shared their life journey and discussed the value and importance they place on education for themselves and their children in order to secure a successful future. For more information about LEAF, call Noles at 485-6036.
Kudos to Kellie Hicks, secretary at Zachary Taylor Elementary. Hicks coordinated a Valentine’s Day card campaign. Students created valentines to be distributed to patients at Kosair Children’s Hospital. More than 800 valentines were sent to brighten the spirits of the children in the hospital.
Kudos to Darleen Horton, teacher at Cane Run Elementary. Horton is one of ten teachers from throughout the United States to receive a Trailblazing Teacher Award from the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council. The award recognized Horton’s commitment to advancing ecoliteracy and environmental sustainability in the classroom.
Kudos to Henrietta Bald, plant operator at VanHoose Education Center. Bald was nominated for an I Am JCPS! Star Performer Award on Wed., Feb. 5. The nomination included the following narrative: “[Bald] went out of her way to make my move from the second floor to the first floor Application Center to go smoothly. She made sure that I had a desk, hutch, chairs, etc. She fixed my two shelving units because they were broken and she adjusted the lighting because the overhead lights were giving me a headache because of my laser eye surgery. She was just so nice and made sure I had everything that I needed.” This is one of a few customer service awards received in recent years by Bald, who is retiring at the end of February.
Monica Lahkwani
Job title and what I do in 25 words or less: I serve JCPS as the counselor for grades six through ten at the English as a Second Language (ESL) Newcomer Academy. I work in partnership with students, parents, our staff, the ESL Intake Center, transitioning schools, and the community to encourage, support, and empower our students in their academic, career, and social/emotional development.
When friends describe me, they use these words: Dedicated and ambitious
Family: I have been married to a wonderful man for the past 19 years. We have three children together 18, 16, and 4.
Hometown: Born in India and raised in Kentucky. Aside from acquiring English, I maintain Urdu and Sindhi languages
Your first memory: Watching a Charlie Chaplin movie and eating pizza at Noble Romans
The message I would give now to myself at 15: What makes you different is what makes you special.
What Jefferson County residents should know about young people who arrive in the United States: Newcomer students face similar issues to students native to the United States and more. Many have no choice but to resettle and adjust to a different environment, including culture and language. Nevertheless, they journey with hope of a better life and a chance at an education.
You just won airfare to any location in the world. Your destination: Greece
A book that you enjoyed: Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The actress who would play me in the movie about my life: Hannah Simone
Israel Philharmonic to perform
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra will perform on Tues., Apr. 1, at the Kentucky Center. The orchestra is one of the world’s most famous orchestras, and its visit to Kentucky is a rare treat. Tickets for students are available for $15 each, and there is a limit of two tickets for each student identification card. For more information, call 584-7777 or click here.
Exhibits highlight Civil Rights, gender equality
The Muhammad Ali Center will offer guided, curriculum-based tours during March that highlight Civil Rights and the struggle for gender equality. These interactive field trip experiences are aligned with Core Content Standards. Groups will receive 45 to 60 minutes of classroom instruction and 60 minutes of activities and exploration of the Muhammad Ali Center’s exhibits. Students will have opportunities to explore the temporary exhibitions Stirring the Fire and Give Peace a Chance. Stirring the Fire is a photo exhibit that highlights amazing women who have fought for gender equality. Give Peace a Chance highlights John Lennon and Yoko Ono and their “Bed-In” protest for peace. For more information or to schedule a visit, contact Charles Gwinn at cgwinn@alicenter.org or at
992-5340.
PD explores Revolutions
High school teachers will receive free admission for a PD opportunity offered at the Frazier History Museum from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on
Sat., Mar. 1. The Frazier has partnered with the Kentucky Council for the Social Studies to offer Napoleon Bonaparte: The Role of an Iconic Figure During the Age of Revolutions. Participants will examine popular rebellions during England’s Glorious Revolution and the American and French Revolutions that followed. Napoleon’s reign will be explored in the Frazier’s temporary exhibit, The Eye of Napoleon, as well as during a presentation by UofL history professor Dr. Daniel Krebs. Teachers will receive updates about Social Studies Networks and the creation of new social studies standards for Kentucky. Preregistration is required. To make a reservation or for more information, contact Glenn Manns at glenn.manns@education.ky.gov.
Carmichael’s talks basketball
Carmichael’s Bookstore, 2720 Frankfort Avenue, will host Ryan Clark and Joe Cox for a discussion of their new book, Fightin’ Words: Kentucky vs. Louisville, at 5:30 p.m. on Sat., Mar. 8. The authors previously collaborated on the bestseller 100 Things Wildcats Fan Should Know and Do Before They Die. Each chapter contains pregame analysis, game coverage, and postgame
discussion, with firsthand interviews from players involved. Clark and Cox reveal the effects of each game on both teams and on the history of college basketball. A book signing will follow the talk. For more information, click here or call 896-6950.
2014 Education Summit
The Louisville Urban League will host its 2014 Education Summit from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sat., Mar. 1, at Central High School Magnet Career Academy (MCA). The summit offers something useful for all groups. David Johns, executive director for the White House’s Initiative for Educational Excellence for African Americans, will deliver a keynote address. Participants are encouraged to wear school, Greek, church, or other organization colors and logos. Youths will participate in fun and energetic workshops where they will gain knowledge to help them succeed. Workshops for adults will equip them with strategies to assist young people. To register for the free event or for more information, click here or call 566-3383.
Mardi Gras Party
Gheens Science Hall and Rauch Planetarium will host a Mardi Gras Party from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Sun., Mar. 2. Children will have a variety of craft activities, such as mask making, necklace making, and shaker making. Children will get to use these items when the UofL School of Music's Steel Drum Band visits and performs. Perfect Little Planet will show hourly beginning at 1:30 p.m., and the last show will begin at 4:30 p.m. Louisville Family Fun will attend and distribute prizes and gifts, each family will receive a coupon for a future visit to the planetarium, and a free single scoop coupon for Comfy Cow will be distributed while supplies last. The event costs $5 a person.
Customized holiday platters
Louisville Stoneware offers a variety of custom-painted 14-inch platters that incorporate footprints of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. The personalized items require a visit to the Louisville Stoneware retail store at 731 Brent Street, but no reservation is necessary. The platters cost $95. Orders are being accepted now through Sat., Mar. 15, for the Some Bunny Special designs, which should be ready by mid- to late April. For more information, call Louisville Stoneware at 582-1900.
Support for grandparents
A Grandparent Support Group will meet from 12:45 to 2 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at Jewish Family and Career Services, 2821 Klempner Way. For more information about the third Monday group, contact Jo Ann Kalb at 452-6341 or at
jkalb@jfcslouisville.org. Also, a new Grandparent Support Group will meet from 10 to 11 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at the Kenwood Elementary Family Resource Center (FRC). For more information about this new group, contact Kalb or Sallye Pence at 367-9344.
Kent Family Circus visiting area
The Kent Family Circus, with performers ages 8 to 24, will be in the Louisville area and is scheduling performances during March and April. The family performs acts of contortionism, balancing, juggling, stilt walking, trapeze, tightrope, and hula hooping. The family also has trained dogs that perform in the show. For more information, click here or call 530-532-7933. A show at a school costs $600, and the second show at the same location is available for an additional $150. The group is available from Mon., Mar. 10, through
Wed., Apr. 9, and from Mon., Apr. 14, through Mon., Apr. 21.
Two traveling performances
The UofL Repertory Company offers two traveling performances for students in elementary school through ninth grade. Several performance dates are available in March and April. To schedule a performance, call Debbie Hudson at 852-5922. To view a flier, click here. Shows cost about $30 a performance. The performances are as follows.
• The Magic Tree, a Yoruba folktale, runs about 25 to 30 minutes and is appropriate for elementary and middle school students.
• The Tempest, William Shakespeare’s final play, runs about 50 minutes and is appropriate for students in grades five through nine.
