Message from Stu

Ready to roll

Happy New Year to all and welcome back! I hope each of you had a great break and were able to spend some time with your families. Kathy and I enjoyed the time with our girls and Sam. At the same time, it is also a good feeling to get back. A new year is always an opportunity to move forward with new energy and intensity. My batteries are recharged and I am excited about where we are heading. We must continue on the path that was started back in August with our focus being on teaching and learning.

During the break I had some time to reflect upon our progress. The first thing that jumps out is the wonderful support we are receiving from our community. From our 2020 Vision volunteers to those who have supported the Fayette Education Foundation and the fabulous community partners who work directly with our students and schools, I want to say thanks to everyone for what you do for our kids!

Stu
“It’s About Kids!”

Program teaches students the
importance of recycling

The following was submitted by the staff at Bluegrass PRIDE.

Bluegrass PRIDE would like to recognize the staff and students of Maxwell Elementary and Meadowthorpe Elementary for their efforts to reduce waste. Both schools are participating in a year-long program that consists of conducting a waste audit, a Dumpster Dive and developing and implementing a waste reduction plan.

Maxwell’s Recycling Club, under the direction of third grade teacher, Eliska Schneider, is working hard to reach its goal of 100 percent recycling. Recycling containers are being distributed to every classroom and the recycling club is designing a T-shirt. Maxwell students are writing an article to be printed in the winter edition of Bluegrass PRIDE’s education newsletter, Truffula Times.

Meadowthorpe’s science teacher, Dana Clem, is working with her science classes to also reach the goal of 100 percent recycling. Recycling containers are being distributed, plans are being worked out for collections of recyclables, and students and teachers are becoming more “Waste conscious”. Plans are also underway for the annual phone book recycling campaign. Last year they won third place and are hoping to earn more money for their school this year. In addition, Meadowthorpe students will also be writing an article for Truffula Times at the end of the school year.

Bluegrass PRIDE would like to congratulate Ms. Heather Bell, Principal of Maxwell, and Ms. Phyllis Peters-Ballard, Principal of Meadowthorpe, on their concern for the environment and their leadership in waste reduction in Fayette County Public Schools.

For more information about starting a waste reduction plan for your school, call Maxine Rudder, with Bluegrass PRIDE, at 266-1572.

Paul Laurence Dunbar Marching Band
receives international award

The Paul Laurence Dunbar Marching Band has been awarded “The Sudler Shield,” an international award that recognizes high school and youth marching bands of world-class excellence. The Sudler Shield is administered by the John Philip Sousa Foundation and was voted on recently in Chicago at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. A jury of 15 band directors of national and international reputation in the marching band field reviewed video tapes from 11 nominated bands and awarded the Sudler Shield to only three bands, including Dunbar and two schools from Texas.

The Sudler Shield award is made possible by an endowment established by Louis and Virginia Sudler. The John Philip Sousa Foundation is a publicly supported educational foundation organized for the purpose of sponsoring and administering projects contributing to the excellence of bands and music throughout the world.

Foundation reaches
million dollar goal

The Fayette Education Foundation has reached its goal of raising $1 million to help make the Fayette County Public Schools a world-class system. In May, the leaders of the Foundation set its sights on raising $1 million for the “It’s About Kids” campaign by June 2006 – they’ve reached that goal six months ahead of schedule.

“We have hit the $1 million dollar mark and we are not stopping,” said Steve Byars, chairman of the Fayette Education Foundation. “Thanks to tremendous corporate and individual support in our community, the Foundation was able to accomplish this goal. We want to continue to extend an invitation to every business in Fayette County to partner with us in the efforts to help make Fayette County Public Schools one of the best in the nation.”

The Fayette Education Foundation was established as a private, non-profit corporation to work in partnership with the Fayette County Public Schools to help close achievement gaps and to raise student achievement at all levels. The group is committed to rewarding and recognizing schools that show improvement in closing achievement gaps and raising overall student achievement, supporting innovative, research based educational opportunities and working with school leaders to fund some of the projects recommended through the 2020 Vision initiative.

Major contributors to the Foundation include: Nisource Charitable Foundation, parent company of Columbia Gas of Kentucky, $130,000; Lexmark International Inc., $40,000 cash contribution and $500,000 in-kind contribution; Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Kentucky, $85,000; Keeneland Foundation, $60,000; J.M.Smucker Company, $50,000; Kentucky Utilities Company/LG&E Energy, $32,500; Alltel, $26,000; and National City Bank, $25,000.

“We are truly blessed to have the Fayette Education Foundation working to help our students succeed. I am so thankful to all of our community partners for their help to better educate our kids,” said Stu Silberman, Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent.

The Fayette Education Foundation Board will continue its fundraising campaign along with organizing fund raising activities in the next several months. For more information, call (859) 226-1602.

Oh the places the kids can go, thanks to Walnut Hill Church

The members of Walnut Hill Church have come through once again for the students at Athens Elementary, by collecting approximately $4,000 for 11 students to attend the Washington DC trip in March. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for some of our students who would otherwise be unable to afford the trip. The looks on the parent’s faces were priceless when we informed them that Walnut Hill would be paying for their child’s trip.

Walnut Hill has also supported Athens by providing mentors, judges, and guest readers, and participating in Unity Day, Kentucky Kids Day, and Colonial Day. Last year the church raised $6,000 to give every child the chance to go on the Washington D.C. trip.

“I am truly touched by the amount of love and concern this congregation has shown to our students,” said Carla Jackson, Athens Elementary School Family Resource Center Coordinator. “If you know of someone that attends this church, please let them know how much we appreciate their support of our school. It is a ‘HAPPY NEW YEAR’ because of the folks at Walnut Hill.”

This week's Kudos go to...

SCAPA Bluegrass fourth-grader Ashley Whaley for being awarded an honorable mention in the recent Cricket League national story contest.

The following high school band members for being selected to the Kentucky Music Educator’s Association all-state band and orchestra: from Henry Clay High School: Rajee Aweimrin, Joel Bradley, Melissa Cowan, Michael McGonigal, Laura Stevens, Nathaniel Thomas Stevens, and Ben Survant; from Lafayette High School: Whitney Barker, Robbie Elliott, Melanie Erena, Sara Finnie, Graeme Gardiner, Jenna Howard, Daniel Jackson, Donald Lafleur, Lauren Lackey, Regan Love, Alexandra Mobley, Kellye Natella, Paul Rotramel, Alex Sluder, Mia Wirkus, and Walker Yanarella; from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School: Eric Coriell, Kendall Goffinet, Taylor Hendrichs, Thomas Iorio, Andrew Monroe, Elliott Rosenberg, Vinay Shroff, and Kate Warden; from Tates Creek High School: Caitlin Bright, Anastasia Kruse, Robert Lawson, Andrew Jarvis, Andrew Ruble, and Sarah Timmons.

The following students for being selected for the Kentucky All-State Children’s Chorus: from Cardinal Valley Elementary School: Ambrielle Brown and Hannah Harris; from Glendover Elementary School: Anna Johnson, Shelby Miller, and Trey Grundy; from Morton Middle School: Baesler Fritts, Cecilia Elder, and Shelby Ware; from Northern Elementary School: Ariel Mink; and from the School for the Creative and Performing Arts: Kevin Allen, Emily Arioli, Carrie Baldwin, Natalie Betts, Andra Boland, Beth Bollinger, Brodie Craig, Kelli Crawford, Ellie Day, Nabria Dunn, Haley Fish, Lauren Gardiner, Sydney Jahniger, Aaron Karp, Alix McIntosh, Ryan Oppegard, Olivia Prather, Michael Roach, Coltan Ryan, Kaitlyn Ryan, Samantha Sabad, and McKenna Slone. The chorus will perform in February at the Kentucky Music Educator’s Association Conference in Louisville.

Clays Mill Elementary School, Beaumont Middle School and Tates Creek High School for placing first in the God’s Pantry Kids Helping Kids Food Drive. Second place honors went to Cassidy Elementary School, SCAPA Bluegrass (Middle) and MLK Academy. Third place awards were presented to SCAPA Bluegrass (Elementary) and Morton Middle School. The Most Improved Awards went to Millcreek Elementary School and LTMS.

The following schools who received a 2005 School Activity Funds Audit with no exceptions: Athens Elementary, Lansdowne Elementary, Southside Technical Center, Jessie Clark Middle, Bryan Station Middle, MLK Academy, Squires Elementary, JR Ewan Elementary, Bryan Station High, Northern Elementary, Stonewall Elementary, Southern Middle, Eastside Technical Center, Picadome Elementary, Tates Creek High, Garden Springs Elementary, Rosa Parks Elementary and SCAPA Bluegrass.

Martin Luther King Academy, for being one of 100 schools across the country awarded in $20,000 in products from Samsung and Microsoft in the second annual Hope For Education essay contest, a philanthropic program created by Samsung to benefit children’s education with the latest technology. Prizes were based on essay submissions describing the importance of technology in education.

Lafayette High School band director Chuck Smith, for being selected as one of “50 Directors Who Make a Difference” by School Band and Orchestra Magazine. Mr. Smith, who has 18 years of educational experience, has been the band director at Lafayette for 10 years. The magazine chose one band director from every state in the nation, noting that despite the hurdles facing music educators, they are indeed appreciated. “Many students form lasting bonds with their music teachers, communities take pride in the presence of a strong local band program, and parents appreciate the dedication and focus which musicianship brings to the lives of their children,” the magazine wrote.

Vote early, vote often

Voting for the Keep It Real – Don’t Drink video contest begins on January 4 and runs through January 18. You can cast your ballot for your favorite student-produced commercial concerning the risks involved in drinking alcohol by visiting www.keep-it-real.us.

Winning entries will be announced the week of January 30 and will run on MTV, Comedy Central and ESPN during Super Bowl week.

The contest is part of a campaign to reduce underage drinking sponsored by the Fayette County Agency for Substance Abuse Policy Board and the Mayor’s Alliance on Substance Abuse. It is funded by the Kentucky State Police Highway Safety Program, Central Baptist Hospital and State Farm Insurance.

A Keep It Real middle school poster contest will be announced next month.

Leadership lessons from Sam

Sleep, eat, and be merry!

Everyone was talking about New Year’s resolutions and I had no idea what they were talking about so I asked Dad. Dad said that as the new year comes in we have the opportunity to start fresh and a resolution is a promise to yourself that you will do these new things. Hmmm, that really started me thinking about some new things to do, so I made a list and shared it with Dad:

1. Sleep more;
2. Eat more;
3. Play more.

Well, Dad said I needed to give my resolutions a little more thought and make sure that my resolutions were things that were good for me so he made me a list:

1. Sleep less;
2. Eat less;
3. Pick up my toys when I finish playing.

Wow, Dad is really confused; I think I will stick with mine! Bow Wow and ¡Felíz año nuevo!