Message from Stu

Superintendent’s Message:

First, I would like to thank everyone for the outstanding efforts during this past week of testing. From all indications and feedback, it was a great week and I’m sure the second week of the testing window will be a smooth one as well. Everyone is now excited about getting our results back, and so am I! Our teachers, staff, and students have worked extremely hard this year and I look forward to being able to show our community the tangible results of our increased efforts.

As state testing comes to end, there can be a tendency to feel like the year is over – but it is not – we still have about month a of instruction left in the school year. It is very important to utilize this time wisely and to keep our kids engaged. I am asking our teachers to continue with strong instruction and asking our parents to encourage our kids to stay engaged. Kentucky has one of the shortest school years in the country and we need to utilize every day we have wisely.

This is also the time of the year to celebrate the successes of our students. Every calendar is packed with award banquets, recognition ceremonies, graduations, and celebrations. As you will see in this edition of Stu’s News, there is a lot to be proud of in Fayette County. Many of our students will be off to post secondary schools and many have earned prestigious scholarships this year. The ultimate goal of our school district is to graduate students who are prepared to continue their learning beyond high school and lay the foundation for them to be our future leaders and productive, responsible citizens. The responsibility for helping our kids along that journey is shared by each of us. It begins in our early start and kindergarten classrooms and builds each year from elementary, to middle and finally, high school. It’s a collaboration between teachers, families, support staff, and our community. The success of our seniors is a pre-K through grade 12 effort and all need to be congratulated. I must say that our future is in good hands!

Math meets creativity at Southern Middle School

The following article was submitted by Southern Middle School math teacher Renae Dillingham.

Recently, my sixth grade math classes created 3-D aerial view models of one level of their own houses. This hands-on project assessed students’ knowledge of core content involving how to measure quadrilaterals in standard units as well as how to find the area and perimeter of these quadrilaterals using formulas.

The models were constructed of foam board, cardboard, wood, etc. Students were to include at least two items that might be found in each room. Items were actually designed and constructed by hand, and included everything from a matchbox covered in material for a bed to pretzels hot glued together for wooden furniture. Flooring for the rooms included tile, carpet, Popsicle sticks glued together for wood floors, felt, and sandpaper.

Students spent hours putting in little details such as wallpaper, curtains, pictures, mirrors, towels on towel racks, miniature apples in a bowl, pipe-cleaner hangers in the closets, etc. The students really benefited from this hands-on assessment because they related the math that they were learning to something in real life.

Surplus auction to be held

In the market for a gently used weed eater, lawn mower or food service item? Fayette County Public Schools is holding a surplus auction on Springhill Drive in front of Warehouse B on Saturday, April 29. Registration and viewing begins at 8 a.m. The auction starts at 10 a.m. All sales are final and on “as is” basis. Cash or checks will be accepted with proper identification.

Fayette Education Foundation launches new Web site

If you’re interested in learning more about the Fayette Education Foundation, helpful information is just a click away thanks to a new and improved Web site, developed and designed by Rachel Collins, a senior at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School.

“Designing Web sites is something I enjoy doing and this was a great opportunity to practice my skills for a good cause,” said Collins. “The Web site is colorful and easy to navigate which should encourage the viewer to explore the site.”

The Fayette Education Foundation was founded in December 2003 to work in partnership with the Fayette County Public Schools and is dedicated to promoting world-class achievement for all public school students through public-private partnerships, community collaboration, and effective fund-raising.

To see the new site visit www.fayetteeducationfoundation.org.

Learn how you can help raise your child’s achievement level

The District PTA invites parents of elementary aged children who want to learn more about how they can help raise their child’s achievement level to attend the following information and exchange sessions.

Tuesday, April 25 – Physical Activity and Nutrition. Learn the latest regulations regarding physical activity and nutrition and what parents can do to help. From 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at It’s About Kids Support Services, 701 East Main Street, Conference Room D.

Tuesday, May 9 – Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership. Parents will learn how they can make a difference at their child’s school. From 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., at It’s About Kids Support Services, 701 East Main Street, Conference Room D.

Lexmark scholarship winners announced

12 FCPS students have been awarded a scholarship from Lexmark International, Inc. The program honors academic excellence among children of Lexmark U.S. employees and were chosen based on college entrance exam test scores, grade point average, high school achievement, and leadership qualities. Each student is awarded a scholarship for $2,000 a year, renewable for up to four years over a five-year period. Winning students are:

Michael Barnett – Henry Clay High School
Chris Menard – Lafayette High School
Andrew Monroe – Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Heidi Butler – Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Meena Chelvayohan – Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Jordan Hymas – Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Nick Kiesler – Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Bill Kirk – Lafayette High School
Zachary Kratzer – Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Ben Survant – Henry Clay High School
Sosha Zbrozek –Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Fan Zhou – Paul Laurence Dunbar High School

Paul Laurence Dunbar High School students to attend West Point

Paul Laurence Dunbar High School students Lucas Wilcox and William Wheeler have been appointed to West Point after a nomination from Congressman Ben Chandler.

“The United States Military Academy is an outstanding educational institution where the best of this country go to prepare for a career in military service,” explained Chandler. “This appointment is a tremendous opportunity for these young men, and I applaud their efforts and wish them much success.”

It is no easy feat to receive an appointment to a U.S. service academy. Students must have an excellent academic record, participate in extracurricular activities and be in top physical condition. Both students not only endured a rigorous application process with West Point, but participated in Congressman Chandler’s review process, which includes a final interview by a panel made up of former academy graduates and current or retired officers.

“West Point offers me the chance for a top-notch education, comparable to the best, while giving me the best leadership training and experience possible,” said Wilox. His grandfather, uncle and aunt have all graduated from West Point. Wilcox, who ranks in the top 8 percent of his class, is captain of the cross country team and a member of the varsity track team.

Ranked 16 out of 468 students, Wheeler is captain of the men’s varsity track team and involved in many extracurricular activities. “This country has given me so much and I feel that I owe it and that it is time for me to repay what I have been given,” Wheeler said.

Middle school students shine

Every year, seventh-graders from sixteen states are invited to participate in the Duke University Talent Identification Program by taking either the ACT or SAT, normally used as college admissions tests.  Students are recognized on two levels: grand qualifiers are those who scored in the top 2 percent of all students tested in the Duke talent search pool and state qualifiers scored in the top 25 percent.

Beaumont Middle School

Grand Qualifiers: Arunita Kar, James McClure,

State Qualifiers: Kristina Basham, Marcie Bosworth, Alexandra Cahoon, Sarah Cornett, Chelsey Estes, Benjamin Evans, Troi Fraley, Sarah Goad, Nicholas Goldey, Connor Greenwell, Greg Greywall, Colin Guettler-James, Benjamin Hamilton, Grant Hauss, Emily Hunt, Chongho Jeon, Andrew Johnson, Megan Klein, Katherine Luy, Hannah Masengale, Emily McGillivray, Austin Meek, Patrick Michael, John Moore, Bennett Norris, Taylor Nossokoff, Matthew Puracchio, Laura Saikawa, Gautami Shashidhar, Manahil Siddiqi, Morgan Sizemore, Jared Sullivan, Justin Tallio, David Tooley, Graham Winchester, Katherine Winter, Jacob Yates

Bryan Station Middle School

State Qualifiers: Phaedra Akers, Jordan Chapman, Taylor Chapman, Kasey McMenama, Dylan Mendenhall, Wilder Treadway

Crawford Middle School

State Qualifiers: Nickolas Graczyk, Whitney Scott

Edythe J. Hayes Middle School

State Qualifiers: Melissa Whalen, Nikita Zaytsev

Jessie Clark Middle School

State Qualifiers: Mark Campbell, Jordan Evans, Kathleen Fitzgerald, Dillon Hickman, Maria Kidd, Victor Macrinici, Kelley McCowan, Stephanie Morgan

Leestown Middle School

State Qualifier: Jowandalyn Fields

Lexington Traditional Magnet School

Grand Qualifiers: Victoria Harrington, Sandy Huang, Jay Li, Zachary Porter, Kevin Xie, Jianxiong Yon, Zhou Yu,

State Qualifiers: Abigail Betts, Ryan Bruggemann, Philip Cockriel, Bobby Covert II, Derrick Dankwa, Michael Duncan, Andrew Herring, Wesley Johns, Andrew Lipp, Nishant Patel, Ismaeel Siddiqi, Anton Vinogradov, Kevin Xiong

Morton Middle School

Grand Qualifiers: Michael Bowie, Madeline Mooney

State Qualifiers: Jahyung Bae, Jeremy Bradford, Emma Fleming, Eli Jackson, Davis Meade, Fiona Mowbray, Matthew Powell, Neha Ray, Sam Reynolds, Wesley Stone, Lingtong Sun, Ella Vittitow

School for the Creative and Performing Arts

State Qualifiers: Jacob Brashear, Anna Collins, Benjamin Coyer, John Gonzalez, Stephanie Gray, Ashton Howard, Emma Jackson, Robert Jones, Jonathan Karp, Andrew Miller, Jennifer Rhodenhiser, Anna Thompson, Margaret West, Adela Wilson

Southern Middle School

Grand Qualifier: Michael Druggan

State Qualifiers: Tyler Farquhar, Alexandra Hunter

Tates Creek Middle School

State Qualifier: Dalton Towles

Winburn Middle School

Grand Qualifiers: Faina Matveeva, Taylor Mitchell, Roshan Palli, Christopher Thompson

State Qualifiers: Maxwell Ain, Nur Ali, Nicholas Blackburn, Connor Callaway, Corban Coffman, Anthony Concepcion, Elizabeth Crutcher, Michael Davis, Joseph Ferguson, Orion Fisher, Justin Graff, Paula Sophia Hernandez, Melissa Kastelhun, Lauren Keach, Kevin Kral, Athie Livas, Luke Marshall, Kaitlyn McClain, Julie Niklas, Jenny Patterson, William Richie, Lawrence Rogers, Rebekah Ruth, Christopher Sato, Helen Sauer, James Wang

FCPS employee to receive “Presidential” treatment

Paula Cissell, the instructional coach at Beaumont Middle School, has been selected as a nominee for the 2005 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching by President George W. Bush. The award is the nation’s highest honor for teachers of mathematics and science. Widely considered the Nobel Prize of math and science teaching, the awards recognize exemplary K-12 teachers for their contributions in the classroom and to their profession.

Ms. Cissell has been an educator for 11 years.  She most recently taught sixth and eighth grade math at Beaumont Middle School and has also taught at Winburn Middle School. “I feel incredibly honored to be selected as Kentucky’s representative for this award,” she said.  “We have many superstar math teachers in our state.  I hope to represent them well.  I have been blessed throughout my career to work with wonderful colleagues from whom I learned a great deal.  Teaching has been a fun adventure due to the many wonderful students whom I have taught.”

Beaumont Middle School principal Tom Mowery nominated her for the honor.  “Not only is Ms. Cissell deserving of the award, she will bring honor to the program by being recognized,” he said. “She is an extraordinary young teacher who holds students to a high standard, but she will provide whatever assistance necessary to help her students meet the high expectations.  Beaumont Middle School is blessed to have her on the faculty.”

As part of her nomination, Ms. Cissell will travel to Washington, DC in May for a week of recognition activities, including an awards ceremony honoring 100 exemplary mathematics and science teachers from across the nation.

Middle School students expand their TechKnowledge through Dell TechKnow

The following article was submitted by Greg Drake, Coordinator of Instructional Technology.

Since its inception in 2004, more than 310 students have graduated from the Tubby Smith Foundation’s Dell TechKnow program. This semester, 127 more students will graduate from the program! Middle school students apply and are selected based on grades, attendance, citizenship and need. Students who are accepted in the program spend 40 hours in classes, learning to take a computer apart, put it back together, install software, and use the computer. TechKnow is free and graduating students take their computer home, along with a printer, Internet access, and other accessories.

This semester, classes were held at Tubby Smith Clubhouses throughout the city, as well as Bryan Station, Leestown, Southern, Tates Creek and Winburn middle schools. Students from 11 middle schools have taken part in the program and graduation will be held May 3 at the Kentucky Theater. We’re extremely proud of these 127 students for their accomplishments this semester!

Applications are now being accepted from incoming sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders for the summer and fall 2006 classes. More information is available from all middle school guidance counselors. Fifth-graders entering middle school next year can get information from a child guidance specialist at their current schools. Applications are also available for download at http://www.tcky.org/.

This week's Kudos go to...

To SCAPA Bluegrass eighth-grader Madison Martin. Madison’s book Elizabeth’s Story won first place in the state Young Author’s contest, a writing competition sponsored by the Courier Journal. State winners receive a $500 savings bond and attend a recognition luncheon in May. To read her winning composition, visit http://staff.fcps.net/kcarnes/MadisonElizabethsStory.htm.

To Mary Todd Elementary School Family Resource Center coordinator Karen Conway for being awarded the “You Can Make a Difference” Award at the LEXCARE Social Work Celebration Luncheon. Conway was given the award for her work as a volunteer coordinator.

To Meadowthorpe Elementary School’s K-3 Chess Team for placing tenth in a national competition against students in grades K-9.

To Paul Laurence Dunbar High School freshman Connie Wu. Connie has been selected as one of only two students in the state to participate in the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad.

To Julius Marks Elementary School for raising $1486 for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Logan Dunbar raised the most money and received an MP3 player as a reward for his efforts.

To Bryan Station High School students Brittany Besten and Anna Tussey for their accomplishments during the Key Club District Convention. Brittany was elected Key Club Lieutenant Governor for the state – the first student in Lexington to hold the position in 25 years. Anna received an honorable mention for her impromptu essay on the Hope Center. The school’s club also won first place in the single service project category.

To Southern Middle School student Meaghan Roland for winning the Emilie Szekely Holocaust Awareness Writing Project in the middle school division.

To Beaumont Middle School’s “biggest losers” who have lost a collective 338 pounds so far.

To Tates Creek High School graduate Ester Dittert for being chosen to receive a three-year $120,000 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biosystems and agricultural engineering from the University of Kentucky, where she is currently enrolled in graduate school.

To LTMS teacher Edwina Doyle for winning the Samsung Hope for Education essay contest. As part of the award, Ms. Doyle won $20,000 worth of Samsung electronics for use in the school.

To Meadowthorpe Elementary School students Alice Li, Meghan Waters, AJ Lingireddy, and Mike Yang for placing first in their division in the Middle School Nationals chess competition over Spring Break.

To the Tates Creek High School student council for raising $467.05 in its Pennies for Leukemia Patients collection drive. Mrs. Charmaine Hill’s classes raised the most money, with a contribution of $100.02.

Fayette students win at state competition

Congratulations to the following Eastside and Southside Technical Center students for taking top honors at this year’s SkillsUSA State competition. Each of the students who earned a gold or silver medal will compete at the National Conference in Kansas City in June.

From Eastside:

3D Visualization and Animation

Gold – Brandon Goins and Daniel Moore
Silver – Matt Adkins and Mark Flores

Chapter Display

Gold – Shayne Langdon and Brian Hall
Silver – Chris Hedges, Chris Rivard, and Ben Newman

Diesel

Silver – Austin McKenzie

Extemporaneous Speaking

Silver – Andrew Forbes

Spelling

Bronze – Anna Stepka

Community Service

Silver – Josh Redmon, Katrina Tyree, and Dayle Welch

Chapter Business Procedure

Silver – Stephanie Armstrong, Alex Herring, Travis Cole, Kelli Carmickle, Sean Rosenberg and Charlie McIntyre

Telecommunications Cabling

Gold – Randy Mitchell

Power Equipment

Gold – Nic Jones
Silver – Corie Speake

TV News Anchor/Reporter

Gold – A.J. Stone, Doug Winter, and Ben Owens

Building Maintenance

Gold – Marshall Williams

Pledge

Gold – Yehimy Gabriel

Creed

Silver – Erin Chenault

Internetworking

Silver – Phillip Habermann

Technical Computer Applications

Gold – Brian Mead
Bronze – Tommy Dickerson

Prepared Speech

Silver – Zach Dayton

From Southside:

Commercial Baking (Cakes/Pastries)

Bronze – Rachel Chancellor

Culinary Arts

Gold – Tim Gallaway
Bronze – Ben Lester

Electronics Technology

Gold – Daniel “Wes” Sanders
Silver – Adrien Buenrostro

Masonry

Bronze – Christopher O’Nan

Industrial Motor Controls

Gold – David O’Nan

Job Skills Demonstration B

Silver – David Allen Cannon

Technical Math

Gold – Matthew Hatch

Statesman Awards

were earned by Brittany Seidel, Laurie Stevens and James Olert, Advisor. Brittany and Laurie have also been elected to the State Officers committee representing Kentucky as voting delegates at the 2006 SkillsUSA National Competitions.

Central Kentucky Blood Center urges student donors to give again this summer

FCPS high school students turned out in full force to give blood this school year. Hundreds gave once, twice, even three times to help improve or save the lives of Kentucky hospital patients in need of blood. Now, the Blood Center is reminding those students to return and give again this summer.

Teens who signed a pledge card when they donated at their last school blood drive promised to return to the Central Kentucky Blood Center at 330 Waller Avenue in Lexington to make a summer donation on either Friday, July 7 or Saturday, July 8. Students who return to give blood on those days will receive a free 3-song downloadable music card as well as a cool T-shirt and can register to win an iPod. The center will also hold a block party on Friday, July 7 where donors will be treated to a free lunch.

For more information call 276-2534.

Actor’s Guild Partnership

Under a new and very exciting partnership with Fayette County Public Schools, the Actor’s Guild of Lexington has agreed to remount its smash hit production of Regina Taylor’s Crowns for students from throughout the school district. The Actor’s Guild has slashed its ticket prices for our kids and is performing its show at the school district It’s About Kids Support Services offices. More than 2,000 students will benefit from this exciting opportunity to see a professional stage performance.

In addition to the school performances, the Actor’s Guild will also be performing this gospel musical at three public showings. The original cast and creative team that made Crowns so uplifting and heartwarming have been reassembled for this show. Public performances are on Friday, May 12 at 8 p.m. and Saturday May 13, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

This will be the last opportunity to re-experience this wonderful show or see it for the first time, and seating is limited. Ticket prices for the three public performances are $15 general admission, $13 seniors, $10 for students or Fayette County Public School employees. For tickets or more information, please call the LexArts Box Office at 225-0370 or visit www.actorsguildoflexington.org. Group rates are available.

Leadership lessons from Sam

CATS – meow!!

Dad has been talking about this CATS stuff that is going on in the schools. It really worried me because anything that deals with CATS is pretty scary. I do like little kittens but not CATS, because they can be very scary to little dogs like me. I have been having nightmares where I keep hearing the meow sound. So, I asked Dad why he kept talking about CATS. Well, Dad first had to tell me that he was not talking about CATS with four legs and whiskers, but instead he was talking about the state testing system which is called CATS. Wow, now this was getting pretty confusing. CATS that don’t have four legs and whiskers? What does that have to do with tests? Tests? Does that mean I have to go to the vet again? I was getting pretty nervous about all of this. But Dad told me not to worry – the tests are for kids to see how much they learned during this school year. Hmmm, I have learned that dogs do not need to go into the schools when CATS are there! I also checked Dad’s briefcase to make sure there were no CATS or kittens in there. I’m happy to report that it was all clear.

Bow wow…