SCHOOLS A6
Alexandria Recorder
March 4, 2010
ACHIEVEMENTS
Editor Michelle Shaw | smhaw@nky.com | 578-1053
|
NEWS
|
ACTIVITIES
|
HONORS
Your Community Recorder newspaper serving the communities of southern Campbell County
N K Y. c o m
RECORDER
Read, white and whiskers for literacy
By Chris Mayhew cmayhew@nky.com
Motivating children and their families to read more was the main dish at Crossroads Elementary School during the “Soup With Seuss” family literacy night Tuesday, Feb. 23. Hundreds showed up to dine, play games centered around Dr. Seuss books, listen to teachers read aloud and meet “The Cat in the Hat” character. The event had been rescheduled after snow canceled the previous date. “I want the kids to rush home and pick up a book,” said Shannon Mann, a staff developer for the school and an organizer of the literacy night. Mann said poems and quotes from Dr. Seuss books were placed on walls all over the place in hopes of generating excitement about reading. In one room, volunteers from Kohl’s helped children make and decorate their own paper “Cat in the Hat” head toppers and in another they played “Bingo with Seuss” using words instead of numbers. Tina Grahm of Melbourne said she brought her 10-year-old son Zane to the literacy night because she likes to be involved in activities at the school and liked the point of the evening. “I try to get him motivated about reading, and he likes Dr. Seuss,” she said. Zane said his favorite book is “The Hair Book” by author Gra-
CHRIS MAYHEW/STAFF
Crossroads Elementary School Principal Kim Visse is dressed as a “Cat in the Hat” for the Feb. 23 “Soup with Seuss” family literacy night.
CHRIS MAYHEW/STAFF
From left, Kristina Fuller of Cold Spring makes a paper hat similar to the ones worn by her sons Mason, 8, and Coen, 5, during the Crossroads Elementary School “Soup with Seuss” family literacy night Tuesday, Feb. 23. ham Tether and illustrator Roy McKee – a part of the Dr. Seuss collection. “It has a lot of rhymes, and it’s pretty funny,” Zane said. When a book is funny it helps make reading easier, he said. The Blue Marble Childrens’ Bookstore set up tables in the library with books for sale. The
bookstore regularly participates not only in school literacy fairs, but goes to parent group meetings and other events where reading is a concern, said Marilyn Smith, an employee of the store . “Anybody who is interested in getting books in the hands of kids, we’re interested in meeting with you,” Smith said.
Principal Kim Visse said family literacy nights have been a tradition each year since the school opened in 2007. Everything is designed to share a love of reading, Visse said. “We have a lot of math and literacy games centered around Dr. Seuss, and families get to spend time together too,” she said.
CHRIS MAYHEW/STAFF
Shannon Mann, left, a staff developer at Crossroads Elementary, and Melissa Donathan, a computer lab coach, wear matching “Cat in the Hat” outfits during the Feb. 23 “Soup with Seuss” family literacy night at the school.
Academic teams make state tourney By Chris Mayhew cmayhew@nky.com
PROVIDED
Bag full of Valentines
Cloe Strickley, a student at St. Mary School in Alexandria, with the bag she made for a class Valentine’s Day party.
Campbell County Middle School’s academic team coach Faye Smith and her students are out to show the rest of the state last year’s fourth-place showing was no fluke. While the middle school is seeking repeat last year’s showing at the March 13-15 State Governor’s Cup Tournament, Campbell County High School’s team is preparing to defend and improve upon their heritage of excellence. Each tournament level features 32 of the best teams in the state. The high school placed seventh overall in last year’s competition and is matched against Shelby County in the first round. Donn Manker, coach of the high school team, said the school’s quick recall team has made it to the state competition in eight of the 13 years he’s been head coach. “Tradition is the key word, whether discussing Highlands football, UK basketball or CCHS academic teams,” Manker said. “We have had a strong team since KAAC (Kentucky Association for Academic Competition) started,
back in 1986.” Back at the middle school, Smith said she knows the team faces a tough first round opponent by drawing perennial contender Lexington Traditional Magnet School. “Our kids know that they have to work really, really, really hard to get through that first day of pool play,” she said. “This year we’re there to show them that this not a fluke.” Last year was the first year they did so well, Smith said. Academic team students practice together constantly just like basketball players have regular practices, only it’s not a physical effort, she said. “The academic team has almost become their sport,” Smith said. Smith said the team practices from September through March together a minimum of five hours a week in addition to their individual study efforts. There’s even a summer day camp to introduce new teammates and get them used to hitting their own quick recall button in response to questions, she said. The academic matches cover all the content students learn in school, but also goes well beyond
what’s taught in the classroom, she said. Middle school member Jennifer Rawe, a seventh-grader from Alexandria, who placed first in the individual test for social studies in the regional competition, said she enjoys what she learns and being with her teammates. Each day Rawe said she repeats different lists and tables to memorize them, especially from www.studystack.com. “I love the practices, we always have a lot of fun and learn a lot,” Rawe said. Brooklee Boots, daughter of CCHS Principal Renee Boots, an eighth-grader on the middle school team, said she and her twin sister Sidney study together and quiz each other. They have a friendly rivalry, but their own study methods, Brooklee said. Brooklee said she enjoys the camaraderie of being on the team, and credits Smith for encouraging and being there for the students and not just the team. “I like that all my friends are on the team,” she said. “Probably they’re my closest friends in the school because they’re who we live with. It’s like a family a home away from home.”
Commonwealth’s colleges and universities take the lead on study Kentucky Representatives from 28 Kentucky colleges and universities joined forces to discuss the creation of Study Kentucky, a proposed consortium aimed at representing the commonwealth to prospective international students. The meeting, which took place Jan. 29 at the University of Louisville and was led by Dr. Ted Farrell, gave participants an opportunity to evaluate the benefits of working together and to hear from organizations within the state that further their goals. Northern Kentucky University was represented by Elizabeth Chaulk, manager of international recruitment and marketing.
Participating institutions included NKU, University of Louisville, University of Kentucky, Kentucky State, Western Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, Murray State, Morehead State, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Jefferson Community and Technical College, Alice Lloyd, Bellarmine, Brescia, Campbellsville, Centre, Georgetown, Kentucky Wesleyan, Lindsey Wilson, Mid-Continent, Midway, Pikeville, Saint Catherine, Spencerian, Sullivan, Transylvania, Union College of Kentucky, University of the Cumberlands and Thomas More College. Farrell outlined three major
benefits to the collective approach: • The consortium would be able to share resources and conduct virtual college fairs, allowing each school to have one-on-one time with a variety of international institutions for as little as $200 per session – far less than the $5,000 - $10,000 fee that schools currently spend on individual recruiting trips. • The collective approach would allow institutions to seek partnerships with universities in other countries that already have strong ties to Kentucky. For example, the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development has offices in China, Japan and Mexico, and some insti-
tutions in Beijing have already expressed a strong desire to send more students to Kentucky. • As a group, Kentucky institutions will be more attractive to organizations like EducationUSA because the commonwealth will be able to host more advising tours, giving the international advisors a firsthand look at the variety of institutions and programs available. The group was addressed by several speakers, each of whom expressed support for the idea. Martin Bennett with EducationUSA and the U.S. Department of State explained that EducationUSA offices are eager to know
more about the U.S. institutions they represent and would also be able to facilitate partnerships with some international universities. Mark Peachey with the Trade Division of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development spoke about the insatiable global demand for U.S. education, particularly in China, and emphasized the growing need to recognize the connection between education and other economic investments. Projects in the first year could include creating collective marketing materials and advertisements; launching an online presence; coordinating virtual college fairs; and hosting an EducationUSA tour.