|
Dear Colleagues,
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP) State Championship and see the amazing technology projects that your students are producing across the state.
What an amazing day with students, teachers and volunteers, in addition to many of you supporting your educators and students!
It was another record-breaking year with around 21,000 people in attendance, supporting and seeing these projects in action! From the 574 projects judged at the event, four state champions were selected:
- K-5 Division Best STLP Project in Kentucky: “Spanish Outreach,” Bowen Elementary School (Jefferson County) (STLP Coach: Kelley Radke)
- 6-8 Division Best STLP Project in Kentucky: “Digital Window,” Fallsburg Elementary School (Lawrence County) (STLP Coach: Craig McDavid)
- 9-12 Division Best STLP Project in Kentucky: “Sensory Scriptors: Crafting Braille for 3D Precision,” Bourbon County High School (STLP Coach: Wesley Tipton, Chief Information Officer)
- Dave Sigler Award for Best Technical STLP Project: “3Cs (Creative Community Communications System), Crittenden County High School (STLP Coach: Marlee Lanham)
I want to congratulate all the winners and those who took part in the event.
Throughout the day, I was able to interact with students to learn about their projects as they took part in various competitions like robotics, coding, web design and newscasting.
I want to thank all of you for the support you have shown over the school year to your educators and students. Your hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed in creating a space for your students to grow and excel in these skill sets and encouraging them throughout the process.
I also had the opportunity last week to visit Menifee County and see all the wonderful initiatives and programs they have in place within their classrooms. Throughout the visit I saw lots of hands-on learning with students and staff engaged in their work. I always appreciate the invitations to come visit your districts, and I have a few more in the upcoming weeks!
Once again, thank you for all that you do for your district, and I hope you all have a wonderful week.
Sincerely,
Robin Fields Kinney
Interim Commissioner of Education
STLP in Photos
 Students from Jessamine County play a robot soccer game in the Robot World exhibit at the 2024 STLP State Championship.
 A volunteer in the STLP Robot World exhibit helps a student operate one of the robotic games.
 KDE Associate Commissioner David Couch speaks with students from John M. Stumbo Elementary School (Floyd County) about their project on vaping. This year’s event marked an important milestone for Couch, who has overseen STLP as the associate commissioner of the KDE Office of Education Technology, as he has announced his retirement.
 Students from Ignite Institute (Boone County) show off a game they programmed.
Participation in Illegal Passing Survey
The National Association for State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) and the Kentucky Department of Education will again be conducting the annual Illegal Passing Survey.
KDE will report the total number of passes statewide to NASDPTS. It is very important to have as many districts as possible participate! The participation rate the last couple of years has been very low and does not accurately reflect the issue in the Commonwealth.
We ask that if a district cannot participate with all their buses, please consider having a portion of the buses participate. This information is not only for the national survey, but also for inquiries received regarding stop-arm cameras, research by other agencies such as the Kentucky State Police, considerations for laws by legislators, and inquiries from media and the community.
School buses remain the safest way for students to get to and from school. However, student riders are most vulnerable when they are outside of a bus. Since the pandemic, student and motorist behavior has changed, and collecting a current measurement of illegal passing of stopped school buses is vitally important.
On Wednesday, April 17, 2024, we are asking that volunteers be on each of your district’s school buses and observe and report any instances of motorists illegally passing the school buses using the forms that have been sent to transportation directors. Chosen volunteers should be reliable students, monitors, teachers, parents or other community members.
The survey should be done during each of the runs for the day. Even bus drivers who have no illegal passes on the day of the survey should turn in their forms so we can have accurate data. If your district is unable to participate on that day but would like to choose a different day, please complete it by May 1 and enter the date into the survey.
Once data is collected from each bus, enter the compiled data into the online 2024 Illegal Passing Survey no later than May 1. If you are unable to participate or have concerns about the survey, please do not hesitate to contact Elisa Hanley or call 502-564-5279 ext. 4406.
Fiscal Year 2024 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Grant Awards Announced
The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) program provides academic, artistic and cultural enrichment opportunities for students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools to meet the challenging state academic standards.
The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) mission is to partner with districts, schools, families, students, businesses and communities to provide leadership and support to ensure success for every student. Programs must provide a balance of enrichment opportunities that include active, hands-on engagement, with activities that address the needs of the whole child and help meet local and state academic standards. The 21st CCLC program provides students with homework assistance, evidence-based academic and enrichment activities, and meaningful engagement opportunities for families.
The 21st CCLC Cycle 21 Awards are now posted on KDE’s Competitive Awards website. Please keep in mind that the awards are based on the availability of funding and awarded entities meeting programmatic and budgetary requirements with the 21st CCLC SEA Administrator review, an onsite meeting with the fiscal agent and co-applicant, and other conditions as deemed necessary by the 21st CCLC SEA Administrator, which may include budget amendments based on requirements outlined in the RFA. Posting should not be considered final notice of award.
If you have programmatic questions, please contact Brigette Stacy. If you have budget-related questions, please contact Thelma Hawkins. If you have questions related to the application process, please contact Jennifer Bryant
Western Kentucky University To Host Grow-Your-Own Educator Apprenticeship Summit
Western Kentucky University (WKU) is hosting the 2nd annual WKU Teacher Apprenticeship Summit on April 17.
The summit will provide school districts with an understanding of teacher and principal apprenticeship programs and the step-by-step process to establish a viable program in their own district. The summit is an opportunity to bring people together to learn about the full spectrum of grow your own educator programs in Kentucky.
The summit is open to all school districts and educator preparation programs, and registration is free. Visit the 2024 WKU Teacher Apprenticeship Summit website for more information, including how to register.
Kentucky Writing Project Hosts Summer Writing Institutes
The Kentucky Writing Project will be leading Summer Writing Institutes in Ashland on June 10-14 and in Lexington on June 17-21.
The Kentucky Writing Project Summer Writing Institutes are open to all teachers and administrators in K-12 schools. Participants will be immersed in strategies for teaching writing including on-demand writing, reading like a writer, content-area writing, real-world writing, and student revision and reflection.
You can register by following the Ashland registration link or the Lexington registration link. More information can be found on the Kentucky Education Development Corporation (KEDC) website.
Nominations Open for Kentucky Exemplary Educators Program
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking recommendations of exemplary educators and leaders in the Commonwealth’s public schools to join the 2024 Kentucky Exemplary Educators Program (KEEP). Qualified individuals recommended for KEEP will receive a certificate of excellence from KDE and may be considered for other recognitions and opportunities, including invitations to sit on advisory councils and committees.
District superintendents, district curriculum and professional development supervisors, principals, representatives from teacher training institutions and other education leaders are invited to recommend up to three individuals. Recommended individuals must be certified teachers, teacher specialists, assistant principals and/or principals currently serving in Kentucky’s public schools.
To receive the recognition, recommended individuals should be early- to mid-career professionals with at least five years of experience and whose contributions to education are largely unheralded, yet worthy of the spotlight. Individuals also should demonstrate all of the following:
- Exceptional educational talent as evidenced by effective and innovative instructional practices and student learning results in the classroom and school;
- Exemplary educational accomplishments and leadership beyond the classroom that provide models of excellence for the profession;
- Engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues and the community; and
- Strong long-range potential for professional and policy leadership.
Recommendations for exemplary educators should be submitted via the online KEEP recommendation form by April 15. Refer to the KEEP Information Sheet for required information and additional details about the recommendation process.
For more information, email awards@education.ky.gov or call (502) 564-2000, ext. 4616.
Registration Open for 2024 Continuous Improvement Summit
The Kentucky Department of Education and Cognia™ invite you to the annual Continuous Improvement Summit on Sept. 23-24 at the Central Bank Center in Lexington. Please join us for an opportunity to explore a variety of topics and engage in conversations that will enrich your understanding of continuous improvement.
Keynote speaker Marck Abraham, the author of “What Success Looks Like,” is a transformational leader with a wealth of experience in education. He is committed to providing a world-class educational experience that ensures all students achieve their goals of post-secondary college and fulfilling careers. His mission has been to create environments that assist students in reaching their maximum potential in life.
During this two-day event, you will enhance your professional learning, make new connections and build upon existing relationships with peers across Kentucky, hear up-to-date information from KDE leaders, and learn how Cognia can help address your unique challenges in your journey of continuous improvement.
To receive early bird pricing, please register before Sept. 2.
|
