Tops in Title I
Beechwood Elementary and Cuba Elementary, in Beechwood Independent and Graves County school districts, respectively, have been honored by the National Title I Association, which annually selects examples of outstanding Title I programs. Beechwood Elementary was recognized for exceeding adequate yearly progress for two or more years, while Cuba Elementary was cited for significantly closing the achievement gap between student groups.
Schools that are honored in the National Title I Distinguished Schools program demonstrate a wide array of strengths, including team approaches to teaching and learning, focused professional development opportunities for staff, individualized programs for student success and strong partnerships among the school, parents and the community.
Representatives from both schools attended the association’s national conference in March for the recognition. The federal Title I program funds supplementary education for at-risk students.
Appalachian award
Three public school educators were among those honored by Forward in the Fifth with a 2014 Appalachian Leaders in Education Award for their efforts to advance education in southern and eastern Kentucky. They are Manchester Elementary School (Clay County) teacher Joyce Bowling; Alicia McClurg, coordinator of Morgan County High School’s youth services center; and Johnson Central High School Principal Noel Crum.
The awards were presented April 16 during Education Leadership Day at the Center for Rural Development in Somerset.
Energy Excellence
Ron Willhite, right, director of KSBA’s School Energy Managers Project, accepts a 2014 national ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award from Elizabeth Craig, a director with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Atmospheric Programs. The award, which recognized SEMP for helping schools reduce energy costs and for building greater energy awareness among local education leaders, students and their families, was presented April 29 in Washington, D.C. The project, established in 2010, has been an ENERGY STAR partner since 2011.
Also honored as a 2014 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year at that ceremony was the Kenton County school district. The school system received the award for reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, along with other energy efficiency improvements. The district’s buildings have improved energy efficiency by more than 30 percent since 2005.
Deadline at the OASIS
School districts have just about a month to submit entries for the 2014 OASIS (Outstanding Achievement in School Information Services) Awards. The deadline is 4 p.m. ET on July 8. The professional development program is sponsored by KSBA and the Kentucky School Public Relations Association. Entry categories range from brochures and news releases to websites and videos.
The program recognizes outstanding products in school information services and doubles as professional development since entries are critiqued by a panel of professionals in the field. As part the OASIS Awards, overall programs in four enrollment categories also are honored for their work with a Sweepstakes Award.
Click here for entry forms and guidelines, go to www.ksba.org and click on “OASIS call for entries” in the flash tabs.