Gatton Academy informational sessions
Representatives of the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at Western Kentucky University will conduct informational meetings for prospective students, their parents and educators in various cities and towns across Kentucky throughout November.
The Gatton Academy is a residential program for 120 high school juniors and seniors from Kentucky who have demonstrated talent and interest in pursuing advanced careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
To date, the Gatton Academy has served the needs of students from 81 counties across the state.
Students apply during their sophomore year through a competitive admissions process.
The goal of the Gatton Academy is to enable Kentucky's exceptional young scientists and mathematicians to learn in an environment that offers advanced educational opportunities, preparing them for leadership roles in Kentucky. Instead of spending their junior and senior years in traditional high schools, the students will take courses offered by WKU.
At the end of two years, they will be high school graduates and will have earned at least 60 college credit hours.
The students live and learn with peers who share their enthusiasm and interest in learning. Moreover, tuition, housing and meals are all provided through funding by the General Assembly to make this unique opportunity available to any qualifying Kentucky student. Kentucky is the 14th state to offer a residential program with a focus on mathematics and science supported by the state.
Upcoming informational sessions include the following locations and dates:
· Maysville – Nov. 1, 1 p.m., Kentucky Gateway Museum Center
· Northern Kentucky – Nov. 6, 6:30 p.m., Northern Kentucky University, Student Union, Room 203
· Paducah - Nov. 10, 6:30 p.m., McCracken County Board of Education
· Prestonsburg – Nov. 11, 6:30 p.m., East Kentucky Science Center, Big Sandy Community and Technical College
· Elizabethtown/Radcliff – Nov. 13, 6 p.m., Challenger Learning Center of Hardin County
· Russell – Nov. 17, 6 p.m., Russell High School library
· Harlan – Nov. 18, 7 p.m., Harlan Tourist and Convention Center
Families interested in attending these sessions are asked to RSVP online here. For additional information about these sessions or the Gatton Academy, click here or call (270) 745-6565.
Talking to your child about the election
A historic presidential election is just around the corner, with a record number of people expected to head to the polls and cast their vote for presidential candidates Barack Obama or John McCain. By now, you probably know who you will be voting for.
But how much do you want your children to know about the upcoming election? How much do they need to know? Here's some advice from the editors of Scholastic News.
- Consider your child's age and sensitivity. If your child is 8 years old or younger, wait for him or her to ask questions (rather than initiating conversations) about the news. Respond honestly, but not with a lot of detail. At this age, too many details can lead to confusion or unnecessary worry. If your child is in upper elementary school (grades 3 to 5), take your cues from him or her about what to talk about and to what length. Kids this age can comprehend what's going on and will often seek out additional facts and background information. Middle school and high school students have the intellectual ability to participate in a conversation about current events. Young adults also might be curious to know what your views are in comparison to their own. But don't feel you must impose such discussions on your child — if you bring up the subject and he or she tunes you out, don't press.
- Watch together. Children of all ages have instant access to information and images, so it's up to you to help make sense of it all. If possible, watch TV news and read newspapers, Web sites and magazines with your children so you can answer questions, address fears and provide context.
- Ask questions. When talking about the election and other current events, ask your child what his or her impressions are, what he is curious about or what he might be afraid of. Incorporate concerns, questions and opinions into your discussions.
- Seek out sources for news created specially for kids. You are not required to have all of the answers or know all of the background on a specific incident. At sites like Scholastic News, you can find age-appropriate information, articles and activities on current events topics that are of interest to children.
- Make the school to home connection. Talk to your child's teacher to find out what they are discussing in class. This way you can be prepared to answer questions that your child might have, and you can continue the dialogue at home. It's also important to let your child's teacher know what concerns or sensitivities your child has expressed, as well as any family situations that might make a topic more personal (like a family member in the armed forces, for example).
- Support your child's desire to learn more. Encourage further study by checking out books from the library, watching documentaries or attending museum exhibits.
- Help them get involved. Kids can share their opinions in polls or raise money for their favorite candidates. Tweens and teens can support their favorite causes by joining local groups and volunteering their time.
- Take a break. Depending upon your child's age and temperament, monitor or even limit TV viewing, Internet access and reading materials so he or she doesn't become overwhelmed. This is especially true for preschoolers and early elementary-age kids — and sometimes even parents!
Five tips to help you select a tutor
Tutoring is no longer just for students who don’t have the right study habits. Using a tutor has become a growing trend and a useful tool to assist in the education of children, no matter the reason.
How can you select the right tutor for your child? Follow these five guidelines suggested by James Mendelsohn, author of A Parent’s Guide to Tutors and Tutoring.
- Tutors should not simply teach a child a skill. They should help the child achieve intellectual independence. This is the ability of your children to face the necessary challenges of learning on their own and includes the belief that they can overcome learning challenges.
- Parents should look for tutors who strengthen their children’s ability to learn independently by teaching them how to learn, reinforcing good habits and replacing bad ones. Tutors should make use of any resources available to determine what a child’s learning style is.
- The tutor should gain the trust of the students, who will increasingly reveal what their experience of learning is like, including obstacles they face. The personality and timing of the tutor can be important for establishing a connection with your child. As parents evaluate a tutor, they should observe whether the rapport between the student and the tutor seems to be developing.
- The student should not think of the tutor as either a parent or a teacher. Tutors need to avoid being directly associated with either parents or teachers. They should be more distinctly neutral in their response to a student (unless it involves some success).
- The tutor should help the student adjust to his or her school. This is done by encouraging specific habits and skills that improve the student’s ability to adapt to the challenges of particular subjects or the instruction style of a particular teacher. Tutors should strive to make students able to learn in spite of their difficulties with individual teachers.
Karen Gill named 2009 Kentucky Teacher of the Year
Karen Gill, a science teacher at Henry Clay High School in Fayette County, has been named 2009 Kentucky Teacher of the Year. The announcement was made recently at a ceremony held in the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort by Ashland Inc. and the Kentucky Department of Education.
Gov. Steve Beshear, Secretary of Education Helen Mountjoy, Commissioner of Education Jon E. Draud and Ashland Chairman and CEO Jim O’Brien were on hand to make the presentation.
Lisa Wathen, a teacher at Freedom Elementary School in the Bullitt County school district, was named 2009 Elementary School Teacher of the Year, and Willow Hambrick, a language arts teacher at Royal Spring Middle School in Scott County, was named 2009 Middle School Teacher of the Year.
Click here for more information.
2008 PTA Reflections Program Gallery available
PTA has unveiled the 2008 PTA Reflections Program Online Gallery, displaying the national award–winning artwork from the 2007–08 Reflections Program year.
Nationwide, students in preschool through high school submitted more than 500,000 works of art based on the theme “I can make a difference by . . .”
The PTA Reflections Program offers students across the United States and in Department of Defense schools overseas the opportunity to explore their artistic talents in any of six arts areas: dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography and the visual arts (which include art forms such as drawing, painting, print making and collage). Awards are given at the local, regional, state and national levels.
Click here to check out students’ inspiring photographs, dances, films, poems, stories, songs, paintings, drawings, collages and more, and help celebrate their incredible talents.
Four Kentucky students are among the award winners: Kyle Dolwick, Stephens Elementary (Boone County); Heather Floyd, Woodland Middle School (Kenton County); Andrew Johnson of Buckner Elementary (Oldham County); and Daniel Dressman, Ryle High School (Boone County).
Dolwick won an award of excellence in the primary literature category. Floyd received an award of merit in the middle school/junior high literature division. Johnson won an award of merit in the intermediate photography category, and Dressman earned an award of merit in the high school film/video category.
To learn how your child can participate in the Reflections Program, contact your local PTA. More details about the program can be found by clicking here.
Kentucky Book Fair
The 27th annual Kentucky Book Fair is set for Nov. 15 at the Frankfort Convention Center. More than 200 authors will be on hand to autograph their respective works.
Among the authors will be University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino, former CBS news correspondent Roger Mudd, Emmy Award winner Kathleen Ernst and Joan Medlicott of the best-selling Ladies of Covington series.
Missy Jenkins Smith, who was shot and paralyzed in the Heath High School shooting over a decade ago, also will be autographing her book about the shooting and her time since that day.
The Kentucky Book Fair has three goals:
· to honor the profession of writing in the form of a one-day celebration
· to provide a format for authors to meet their reading public
· to raise money through the sale of books and donate all profits to mostly school and public libraries throughout the state
The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST, but some authors will be available only at certain times during the day:
· Rick Bragg – 9 to 10 a.m. and noon to 4:30 p.m.
· Kathleen Ernst – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
· Lawrence Lew Hewitt – 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
· Patrick Henry Hughes – 1:30 to 3 p.m.
· Robert Morgan – 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
· Roger Mudd – 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 3 to 4:30 p.m.
· Rick Pitino – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
· James Reston, Jr. – 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
· Missy Jenkins Smith – 9 a.m. to noon and 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
· Michael Spradlin – 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
· James L. Swanson – 9 to 11 a.m. and 3 to 4:30 p.m.
· Annie Wedekind – 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
A special look at the book fair’s children’s authors will appear in the next issue of Parent Info.
Upcoming days of interest
Nov. 1 – National Family Literacy Day
Nov. 2 – Daylight savings time ends
Nov. 4 – Election Day
Nov. 7 – Registration due for Dec. 13 ACT
Nov. 11 – Veterans Day
Nov. 15 – Kentucky Book Fair
Nov. 27 – Thanksgiving