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A respected middle school librarian has received national recognition for outstanding support of reading education, Renaissance Learning announced recently.
Sharon Hall, Library Media Specialist, at Ridgeway Middle School, was awarded Reading Model Library by Renaissance Learning, a company based in Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. Library certification indicates that Hall’s efforts to support teachers have resulted in measurable improvements in student performance at Ridgeway Middle School.
“This educator’s commitment to reading and reading practice is commendable,” said Judi Paul, Chairman of the Board at Renaissance Learning. “The success Sharon has achieved is a shining example of the difference librarians can make in their students’ lives.”
To receive Renaissance Library certification, librarians must document that their practices encourage student access to a wide variety of books as well as supporting reading practice and self-directed learning. In addition, the librarian must be actively working with individual students to meet Renaissance-recommended standards for reading achievement.
In addition to national recognition, Hall will receive a certification in recognition of their achievement, more opportunities for professional development and other benefits to share with the school.
Renaissance Learning is the world’s leading provider of computer-based assessment technology for K-12 schools. Adopted by more than 72,000 North American schools, Renaissance Learning’s tools provide daily formative assessment and periodic progress-monitoring technology to enhance core curriculum, support differentiated instruction, and personalize practice in reading, writing, and math. Their products help educators make the practice component of their existing curriculum ore effective by providing tools to personalize practice and easily manage the daily activities for students of all ability levels. As a result, teachers using Renaissance Learning products accelerate learning, achieve higher test scores on state and national tests, and get more satisfaction from teaching. Renaissance Learning has seven U.S. locations and subsidiaries in Canada, India, and the United Kingdom.
The goal of the Kids 4 Kids 5k Race is to raise money for the Memphis City School System, particularly to buy library books for many of the inner city school libraries that are in desperate need of books. Last year, the race raised over $40,000, and through it, organizers were able to purchase hundreds of library books for seven elementary schools.
Register online: www.racesonline.com
For more information, contact Tanner Baker at (901) 550-0838 or send an email to:
tanner.baker@gmail.com
Rebecca Edwards, Executive Director of the Cultural Development Foundation of Memphis; Karen Gephart, Orff Music Supervisor, and Gregg Coats, Visual Art & Theatre Coordinator attended the 2008 Annual Meeting of the Partners in Education program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. While there, they served as advocates for arts education in the Memphis community and Tennessee with members of Congress.
The Partners in Education program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is designed to assist arts organizations throughout the nation to develop and expand educational partnerships with their local school systems. The purpose of the partnerships in the arts is to promote the professional development of teachers. In 2005, Memphis City Schools and the Cultural Development Foundation of Memphis were awarded as one of these teams for their efforts in promoting arts education in the Memphis community. The partners program is based on the belief that the professional development of teachers is an essential component of efforts to include the arts in education for young people and the Kennedy Center’s extensive experience with it local professional development program, provides the basis for this national program.
Teams that initiate programs for teachers continue their association with the Kennedy Center through annual meetings of all partnership members. These meetings allow team members to receive additional training related to program and partnership development, reviewing goals and responsibilities along with professional association with other teams and the Kennedy Center. This meeting also provides the opportunity for teams to learn from each other’s experiences, sharing innovation and information.
Memphis Heritage, Inc. and AIA Memphis (American Institute of Architecture) will be celebrating their fourth Youth and Architecture design completion to May 2008 in honor of National Preservation Month.
Architecture and Our Youth Design Competition entries are now open to 4th - 12th grade level youth in Shelby County. Students are asked to explore the historic buildings and spaces around them through an art medium of their choice. In addition, participants must submit a short essay describing why they chose the building/space and how they feel about the historic property they chose. They should also respond to the historic architecture as it relates to materials and design. Winners in each division will receive prizes during the opening reception to be held Thursday, May 22, and will have their artwork on exhibit along with their written responses at Memphis Heritage’s Howard Hall from May 22 thru May 30, 2008. Local architects and designers will serve as the jury for each age group division. The goal of this exhibit is to communicate through images and words how our youth respond to the historic importance of our historic environment.
There is no cost to submit, and artwork will be returned following the exhibition. Individuals as well as classrooms are encouraged to participate.
Deadline for entries is Friday, April 18, 4 p.m., delivered to Memphis Heritage offices at Howard Hall, 2282 Madison at Edgewood, Memphis, TN 38104
For submission forms and additional information, please contact: Heather Baugus AIA Memphis at (901) 525-3818 or info@aiamenphis.org , or June West, Executive Director, Memphis Heritage at (901) 272-2727 or jwest@memphisheritage.org
Buddy Chapman, director of CrimeStoppers, will address the next meeting of the parent Assembly on the issue of School Safety.
The topic of his talk will center on the “Trust Pays” program, which is designed to promote additional security in the schools. The meeting will be held Tuesday, March 25 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. in the Teaching & Learning Academy, 2485 Union.
The parent training program is funded by the No Child Left Behind Act 2001, under Title 1 Part A.
To register, call 416-7264.
A new Newspaper in Education program made available by The Commercial Appeal will provide student supplements designed to help children in grades 4 – 9 learn what they need to know about proper nutrition, food safety, fitness and other health-related issues.
The program starts March 24 and ends May 14. Even though the program starts on March 24, teachers can still take advantage of the program if they act immediately.
By signing up for the program immediately, teachers will receive a classroom set of updated “Healthy Balance: You Can Do It” supplements along with 30 newspapers delivered Monday and Wednesday starting March 24.
For more information and a registration form, please click here:
The Commercial Appeal will begin a new 12-part series next month that teaches students think for themselves rather than supplying them with easy answers. It is aimed at students from sixth grade and beyond.
The series, which will be published in The Commercial Appeal starting April 8, is based on the book “How Good People Make Tough Choices” by Rushworth M. Kidder, president and founder of the Institute for Global Ethics. In addition to excerpts from Chapter 1 of the book, the newspaper will publish 10 of Kidder’s Ethics Newsline® columns.
Students, grades 6-12 and college, will receive 30 complimentary newspapers on Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting April 8 and ending May 15. These papers will include installments of Kidder’s excerpts and columns, along with student activities. The columns focus on ethical questions arising out of such relevant topics as MySpace and suicide, the Virginia Tech killer, cell phone use, a mother and her withdrawn, gothic teenage daughter, and performance-enhancing drugs.
This unique series is made possible thanks to the Center for Ethical Leadership at Christian Brothers University and the M. L. Seidman Town Hall Lecture, in collaboration with Mid South Reads and The Commercial Appeal’s Newpaper In Education (NIE) Department.
Interested teachers should sign up online at http://www.commercialappeal.com/nie. Or complete the form available in The Commercial Appeal and fax to (901) 529-2428. Please do only one of these options. Or you may access the ad and registration form by clicking here.
The author, Rushmore Kidder, is renowned in the field of ethics, and will be speaking in Memphis April 28 and 29 at CBU.
Call (901) 529-2571 for more information.
The Center for Safe and Drug Free Schools provided three four-hour “Training-of-Trainers” sessions, February 20, 21, and 22, to MCS personnel preparing them to train their staffs on the best practices in bullying prevention. All participants who attended one of the four-hour trainings were given a suggested script and PowerPoint, a copy of the MCS Bullying Prevention Policy (6.304), MCS’ Student-to-Student Sexual Harassment Policy (6.3041), and other materials to share with their staffs. This training was provided to insure that all student reports of bullying or sexual harassment are properly handled at our schools and prevention strategies are implemented.
One of the training sessions is pictured below.
Memphis City Schools teachers are invited to bring classroom lessons to life through field trips to a local Malco Theatre. Flexible schedules and concession packages are available.
Upcoming films which could be of interest to students include:
All release dates are subject to change without notice. For groups of 50 or more students, 9:30 a.m. shows are available as well as concession packages. For more information, contact Karen Scott at 761-3480, extension 117, or send an email to Karen@malco.com
Bank of America is offering the Teacher Flex mortgage program for most full or part-time teachers and full-time school employees working in public or private elementary and secondary schools.
As a teacher, your impact on children's lives is tremendous. You influence what they learn, their future and their dreams. Bank of America wants to help you with your dream of home ownership. At Bank of America, we understand buying a home is a huge step. That is why we have developed the Teacher Flex mortgage program. We know you spend time in and out of the classroom helping your students, and your time is precious. With the Teacher Flex mortgage program, we simplified the process and made it more affordable and easier to qualify.
The Teacher Flex Program offers a wide range of benefits:
Little or no down payment required depending on the property
Flexible credit guidelines
No income restrictions
Visit www.bankofamerica.com/loans, call 1-800-900-9000 or visit a local branch. Ask for more information about the Teacher Flex mortgage program.
As part of our commitment to the communities we serve, FedEx Kinko's Office and Print Centers offer an exclusive savings program for educators.
The Educator Savings Program gives teachers, professors, faculty and staff members an automatic 15 percent savings on most products and services they purchase at FedEx Kinko's during the school year. The program is open to teachers and school staff in grades K-12, college and post-graduate programs. What's more, your discount goes with you nationwide-meaning you can still take advantage of FedExKinko's services at a reduced rate when you are traveling on school business.
You MUST sign up for the Educator Savings Card online at psg.fedexkinkos.com/educator to receive your 15 percent discount. Once you sign up, your card will be mailed to you. If you have any questions, please contact a local FedEx Kinko's Service Center.
The Art Center
The Art Center Supply Store located at 1636 Union Avenue offers the following discounts to MCS teachers:
15 percent off purchases $1-$149
20 percent off purchases $150-$350
25 percent off purchases $351-$500
You must Flash Your MCS Badge to receive the discount. If you have questions or want more information, please call The Art Center at 276-6321.
The Retirement Office has scheduled a series of meetings to provide an overview of the retirement plan offered through the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement Systems, to explain Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance as it relates to retirement, and to answer questions about applying for retirement and other issues.
Meetings will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Board of Education Auditorium on the following dates:
• Thursday, April 17
• Thursday, May 15
The meetings are open to all Memphis City Schools employees. Those interested in attending should send a note including their name, work location, and the session they plan to attend to the Benefits Office – Room 158, BOE, or contact the Benefits Office at 416-5464.
Do you know of an educator who defines compassion and promotes respect for the animal kingdom? If so, Animal World wants to hear from you.
The publication is soliciting nominations for the Humane Educator of the Month awards, the first of which will be presented later in the spring. It will be announced during “Be Kind to Animals Week” in the May issue of “Animal World.” Students, fellow educators, parents and principals may submit nominations.
Nominations may be sent to info@theanimalworld.org or faxed to 901-753-0793. Nominations should be 500 words or less.
In addition, The Animal World will visit Memphis City Schools through principal approval on a monthly basis starting in late April. The visits will take place in the latter part of the month and be reported on in the following month's issue of The Animal World. For more information, click on http://www.animalworldusa.org/teacher.htm
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