100 Days/Years

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Many schools celebrate the 100th day of school.  It is an opportunity for students to learn the concept of 100.  It is a great learning tool and it has been expressed in many ways.  With a large number of snow days this year, we had to wait until February 11th to celebrate this year.  The wait and anticipation was well worth it at Lemons Mill Elementary and below we highlight part of their celebration.  I want to thank Jessi Turner for the description of the day and the pictures below.  What an awesome idea!!!

Teachers celebrating 

Lemons Mill Elementary was a building full of celebration as students walked in to celebrate the 100th day of learning! While the students were excited to finally share the shirts, hats, posters, and collections they had worked so hard on, the teachers and staff were just as thrilled for the students to see what they had up their sleeves.  LME staff dressed up like they were 100 years old, which allowed for lots of good times and great laughs! The Kindergarten students paraded through the halls both in the morning and afternoon to show off their shirts and hats to their fellow students. Pictures of the staff were aged and posted in the hallway as a “Guess Who” game for students and visitors. The very first 100th Day of School for Lemons Mill was a special celebration and definitely one to remember!  

Guess Who Game 

Blind Date With A Book

I love promoting ideas that increase student's love for reading.  Tonight's blog highlights a great idea from Scott County 9th Grade and Scott County High School librarians that combines reading with Valentines Day.

 

In order to encourage students to read outside their favorite genres, we are promoting “Blind Date with a Book” for the month of February.  We wrapped books from various genres in paper so that students couldn't see the titles or descriptions.  Then we added stickers such as “If you were words on a page, you’d be fine print.”  Our hope is that students will take the books home and read them – and fall in love with a book they may have never read in the first place.

Blind Date
with a
Book

There are no awkward questions, no forced conversation, no judgmental looks.  Just have a blind date with a book!  Sure, it might turn out to be a dud, or it could be the diamond in the rough you wouldn't have given the chance otherwise.  There’s no knowing until you check it out.

(Don’t worry!  If you don’t like it, you can just bring it back, and nobody’s feelings will be hurt.)

2014 Super Bowl Lines

Super Bowl XLVIII will be played in the tropical weather of New Jersey.  MetLife Stadium will host and hopefully the George Washington Bridge will be open.  It isn't a good sign when there is a snowflake on the  Super Bowl logo. 

Below are my "lines" for the 2014 Super Bowl.  When setting the sheet, create some lines that don't deal with the actual game.  Questions such as "what will be the first advertisement after kickoff? and what will Bruno Mars first song be? will enable more to participate.

Feel free to copy and paste to create your own competition.  Also, if you have unique lines for your competition, send me an email.  

2014 Super Bowl

2 Points for each correct                    answer

1.   Who will win the game?

2.   Who will win the coin toss?

3. Which product will have the               first  advertisement after                    kickoff?

4. (Circle One) Who will score the first touchdown?   Wes Welker, Knowshon Moreno, Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, other

5. Over/Under/Push Total                  Points Scored = 53

6. (Circle One) Super Bowl MVP? Peyton Manning, Richard Sherman, Marshawn Lynch, Julius Thomas, other

7.    Which team will score                  first?

8.Over/Under/Push Manning              touchdown passes = 3

9. Over/Under/Push   Russell            Wilson interceptions = 1

10. Over/Under/Push  Longest           field goal = 45 yards

11.   Over/Under/Push  Total              points at halftime = 26

12.  Over/Under/Push  Number           of Wes Welker receptions = 4

13.  Game time Temperature at kickoff - 25 degrees Fahrenheit  over/under/push  

14.   Final score of game.  Closest team to correct score will receive 5 extra points.

15. What will Bruno Mars first            song at halftime?  

Eastern Elementary Backpack Program

Snow days are celebrated by most students.  Students are able to sleep late, play video games, visit social media and watch TV.   What may be forgotten is that many students get his or her only warm meals while in school.  Students on free and/or reduced meals are often dependent on the school system to not only feed them but to also provide a warm place during extreme cold weather.  

Click on picture to enlarge

Eastern Elementary parents, students and educators have not forgotten these students during this long period off.  

Through generous donations from parents, teachers and Grace Baptist Church, Eastern Elementary send home easy to fix meals to 47 students in a backpack on Fridays.  We have now been out of school for more than a week and have missed two Fridays in a row. The backpacks were delivered by the parents, students, counselors, teachers and principals  anyway.  Students that might have not been fed have received food because Eastern Elementary made this happen.  

I am often asked why I am such a big fan of public education and stories like these are my answer. Stories that rarely get mentioned in the paper.  Stories that show when there is a need, someone steps up and fills the need without expecting credit.  Stories like these show that state test scores aren't the priority with educators and parents, children are.  

Pictured above  are some of the volunteers that made sure students received his or her backpack:  John McDonald, Katie McDonald, Becky McDonald, Ann Shrewsberry, Sadie Kemper, Alexis Campbell, Corrie Kemper, Allie Kemper, P.T. Kemper and Ed Denney

Little Free Library

Today, as we were driving to visit Red Oak Elementary in Jessamine County, a very small library caught my eye.  I read recently about the Little Free Library boxes and had heard of the concept before.  On Kentucky Highway 169, just east of North Central Ave. in Nicholasville, I found my first one.

Richmond Ave. and North Central Ave. 

The concept is a simple one: Bring a Book, Leave a Book.  I believe the message is a powerful one.  What a great project for a school to promote reading not only with students but to promote reading for the whole community.  For a small price and a little work, a school could sponsor a Little Free Library and the whole community could profit.

I want to thank the individual(s) that created the one pictured and encourage others to do the same.

Please visit/click on  this link for more ideas Little Free Library Site .

Also, click link to locate a Little Free Library near you.   Map of Little Free Library

Reindeer Games - 9th Grade Style

Scott County Ninth Grade School's Lisa Fierro had the teachers and staff playing real Reindeer games the day before break.   

Participants received an envelope with a pair of women's hose along with ten balloons.  The objective was to inflate the balloons, stuff the balloons in the stocking, place the stockings on the head of a teammate (resembling antlers) and sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  The team that can complete the task the quickest, wins.  

This is a great team competition that involves team work along with celebrating the spirit of the season.  Thanks to Ms. Fierro for introducing me to this new competition.  

Team Work 

Winning Team 

Great Spirit

Oh My!!!!

ECS Roller Coaster Physics

What better way to apply the fundamentals of physics, engineering and math than to place a roller coaster in the hallway.  The photos below highlight engineering teacher Doug Klein teaching the principles of physics as participants such as Dean of Students John Noll prepare to apply the formulas on an actual roller coaster.  

Students at Elkhorn Crossing School participated in this real world lesson the day before their holiday break.  I hope the students enjoyed this real world application of lessons learned in the classroom as well as enjoy their holiday break.  

Mr. Klein teaching formulas 

Students applying formula after the first run

Where does this end????

Mr. Noll preparing for his maiden voyage

International Holiday Celebration

Being away from home can be difficult during the holidays, being thousands of miles away from home in a completely different culture as a high school student can be very challenging. Christie Bray, Scott County Schools ESL teacher, tried to make this time a little easier on the students as well as teach our staff and other students about other cultures.  This was a great event for all and I want to applaud both Mrs. Bray and the students for all of their hard work.  

Below is the email inviting us to the celebration of cultures as well as pictures from the event.  

Good morning! I hope all of you will get a chance to drop by our ESL Holiday Open House today! The students have done a great job of preparing their stories and today I hope they get a chance to tell you a little bit about themselves. They are also bringing delicious treats from Guatemala (tamales), Ethiopia, Mexico, India, China, and El Salvador~!! 

Holiday Picture Match Game - Scott County High School

Scott County High School celebrated the holiday season with a Holiday Picture Match Game. Teachers and staff submitted pictures of themselves as children in front of the Christmas tree, on Santa's lap, opening presents or other holiday themed shots. 

The pictures were placed in frames and displayed in the library.  The staff's jobs was to guess who was in each shot. Although prizes were given for the most correct, the real fun is watching the staff try to guess and the conversations that ensue from a time gone by.  

Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest - 9th Grade School

The teachers at the Scott County Ninth Grade School  had an Ugly Christmas Sweater competition with a twist - they let the students judge.   The four teams met in the library this morning and had their pictures made with everyone on their team.  The team pictures were posted at lunch and the student's were allowed to vote on their favorite or least favorite group of sweaters.

The ninth grade teachers did a great job of showing Christmas spirit and finding a way to have students participate in the team competition.  Great idea!!

Librarian Lisa Fierro 

Special thanks to librarian Lisa Fierro, who not only leads the competition but dressed up like a Christmas elf herself.

You can click on any of the pictures below to enlarge.

OH MY!!!!

The Real St. Nick

Gingy - The Gingerbread Man

Tonight's blog highlights Scott High School's Twelve Days of Christmas.  The description below is provided by Lauren Feeback, SCHS librarian.  The pictures below are four of this weeks winners posing in his or her own special way with Gingy the gingerbread man.  You can click on any of the pictures to enlarge.  

For the last twelve days of school before Christmas break, Gingy the gingerbread man appears in different classrooms, offices, etc. We use a random number generator app and pick a number each day. Then I count down that many people on the phone list -- that's who Gingy goes to. We "break" into their rooms once they have gone for the day or in the early morning and leave Gingy in their chair, at a desk - somewhere. All the winners then get a free lunch on the last day of "The Twelve Days of Christmas, SCHS style."

Coach of the 6A State Champs - Jim McKee

Kristy Collins - Preparing Gingy in her own Family and Consumer Science way. 

Jennifer Marshall welcoming Gingy to SCHS

Val Pope preparing Gingy for Christmas

Six Additional Great Motivational Ideas

      Today's blog highlights six additional ideas shared by Michelle Cassady.  Michelle is the Director of Instruction for Woodford County Schools and this is her third  addition to the blog.  Her original blog ideas was one of the most viewed and I really appreciate these additional ideas.


      If  you have ideas you would like to share, feel free to send ideas to csworth@windstream.net.


.        Brag and Breakfast Event—fix breakfast for your staff with a huge (chart paper size or SMART Board size) thank-you note from you “bragging” on your faculty

2.       Send an email invitations for a movie date with your staff (for anyone that wants to show up)—name the time and place—Saturday at 12:00, Cinemark Fayette Mall—The Big Wedding

3.       Have a “Shooting for Success” game of HORSE in the gym after school—Invite your superintendent (or other central office staff) to compete

4.       Sundae Showdown—have a contest to see who can make the most creative ice cream sundae.  Take photos and post them.

5.       Take orders from a restaurant (like Roly Poly  http://www.rolypoly.com/  )—each staff member pays for their own—have it picked up prior to lunch blocks.

6.       Have grade level teams/departments design logos to put in the mailroom….prize for the most creative/outrageous/etc. 

Central Office Staff - Good Ole' Days

A great morale booster is to create a poster of employees as a child or teenager.   Lori Weeks created the poster board on the right for the Central Office Staff at Scott County Schools.   She then challenged everyone to match the correct names with the people in the pictures.

During this time, there were many conversations about not only who was in the picture but about memories of times gone by.  We discussed areas such as  clothing styles, traditions and technology of the 50's through the 80's.

The real objective was not to match the name with the picture it was to give a welcome break in a sometimes mundane day. Taking time to create this poster pulled our staff closer and put a smile on our face as we passed it each day.

FFA Food Drive - Happy Thanksgiving

Members of the SCHS FFA

As we celebrate our bountiful harvest this Thanksgiving, I want to thank all of the schools and organizations across America and the World that conduct food drives to help the less fortunate.  In our little part of the world, Scott County High School students and educators donated over 30,000 items to assist the food banks in our community.  Our food drive, like many, is led by the Scott County High School chapter of the Future Farmers of America.  The student's leadership along with their advisers have made such a profound difference in hundreds of lives throughout the year.

Choral Department preparing for assembly

 I am thankful that every day I get to work with students and educators that find ways to help others.  A simple thank you goes to the FFA advisers (Regina Fritsch, Nathan Sewell and Lindsay Wayne), the officers and members of the Scott County FFA that organized the drive.  The FFA have led this food drive for decades in Scott County and their work and generosity is well documented.  I would also like to thank  Mr. Nick Maxwell (counselor) and the students he organized  for  donating over 8,000 items.  

Members of Mr. Maxwell's students 

Donations from Ms. Sunda's class

Students delivering food before the assembly

ECS - The EVENT

This morning at 9:15 sirens went off at Elkhorn Crossing School.  "The Event" had started!!!

Local first responders set up a mock plane crash in which evidence was everywhere to be found.  The students worked collaboratively to assist the wounded, investigate the crash and document the disaster.  

The list below gives  examples of each village's role in the reenactment.  

Health Science - Assist the wounded 

Bio-Medical - Conduct autopsy and collect forensic evidence. 

Law and Justice - Collect evidence and prepare for a court case. 

Engineering - Determine the cause of the crash using physics. 

Media Arts - Document the disaster through video and photography.

Special thanks to all of Georgetown and Scott County EMS/Police/Sheriff and other first responders for making this happen!!

The Event has Started 

Thank you to EMS and other First Responders 

Evidence to be investigated

The Walking Wounded 

More walking wounded 

ECS students investigating 

Student collecting evidence 

Triage 

Special Investigator