Run for a Cause

One of the best ways to increase staff morale is to join forces for a great cause and get fit in the process.  Two great opportunities are coming up in the next month and benefit our children in different ways.

Finley 5K 


The first annual Finley 5K Run/Walk event will take place on September 7, 2013 at 6:00pm in downtown Georgetown, KY. This Run/Walk is being held to raise money for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness to support a local family who recently lost a child suddenly to SIDS. Finley's parents, Crissy and Dwayne Ellison, are very active in our school system in Scott County and Georgetown College Athletics.

More than 4,500 infants die each year due to SIDS, making it the leading cause of death in infants 1-12 months of age. Many of us have been searching for a way to help the Ellison's cope with this tragedy. Although it is unimaginable the pain that they are enduring, we are trying to turn this tragedy into something they can focus on, and be excited about, in honor of their son Finley.

For more information and to register for the Finley 5K click on the link below:
http://www.active.com/page/event_details?event_id=2100922&force_a2=y

Cardinal Hustle Against Hunger

Join us for our 2nd Annual 5k Run/Walk to raise funds for the Backpack program at Scott County High School, Ninth Grade School, and Cardinal Academy!  The event will take place on September 21, 2013 at 8:00 in downtown Georgetown, Ky.  

Many of the students on the Scott County High School, Ninth Grade School, and Cardinal Academy campus have little to eat and often depend on school meals as their main source of nourishment. In efforts to ensure these students have a steady diet outside of school, the schools began a “backpack” food program that allows for a number of students to receive nutritious food donations weekly. Each Friday we provide a backpack to take home stocked with food for each student

For more information and to register for the Cardinal Hustle Against Hunger click on the link below:
https://cardshustle.eventbrite.com/

Welcome Back

Welcome back to another school year.

Click to enlarge

Tonight's blog highlights a great idea for a welcome back gift box for teachers as they start a new school year. Northside Christian Church in Georgetown, Ky. delivered a welcome back gift to our teachers in Chinese takeout boxes.  What a creative way to show support to our teachers and staff from a community partner.

As I walked through the schools, I watched as teachers  looked through the box and found the goodies inside.  The smiles on their faces showed appreciation for  both the gift and the fact members of our community were thinking of us as we enter one of the toughest parts of the school year.

Click to enlarge

I want to thank Northside Christian Church and all of our community partners with our school system.  Education works best when we realize that we all play a role in a student's growth and achievement.

You can learn about other ministries of Northside Christian Church, by clicking on the hyperlink.  Thanks again and welcome back to another school year.

It's Time - Elkhorn Crossing School Opening Day Video

It's Time

After a summer hiatus from the blog, It's Time to start again.

Today's blog is from Elkhorn Crossing School.  It shows the creativity, enthusiasm and the passion of our teachers as we start another school year.  Almost all teachers have certain amount of nervousness as a new year begins.  Taking time to create a video not only helps mentally prepare teachers for a new school year but it also is a wonderful motivational tool for your students.

I watched today as students at Elkhorn Crossing viewed the video.   The students cheered for each teacher  was highlighted on the video.  As the students cheered,

I watched as teachers lose the apprehension for a new school year.

I invite you to watch It's Time by clicking on the link.  Special thanks to students Sarah Baker and Corey Phelps for creating a great opening day video.

As we start a new year, I invite you to share ideas that motivate, compliment and inspire your students and staff.

Have a great school year.

Picture Find

Today's blog is a game that my wife and sons are playing while on vacation.  The game is to simply take a picture of an item/place like the one below and have the others find it.  I started this in the airport during a long layover.  I would text my sons a picture of a item/place from an unusual angle.  I would wait at the location until my sons found me.

The picture below is of a beautiful area my wife and I found during a walk in Rockport, Massachusetts.    It is  my sons' job to find the area and take a picture of it with them in the photo.  If you are really interested in the area below, it even has it's own facebook page Mill Brook Meadow Facebook (click on link to learn more).   

This game can be Team Competition by  taking  multiple pictures of places/items in your school/workplace or local park and have teams find them for a team competition. 

Lucas completing the challenge/Ben documenting completion

Saying Thank You to a Senior's Teachers

My youngest son graduates high school today. Below is a letter of thanks my wife and I sent to  each of his teachers during his 12 years of school.  Writing the letter not only let us show our appreciation to his teachers but it also allowed us to remember all of the wonderful people that has helped shaped my son into a fine young man.  Good luck Lucas, your Mom and Dad are very proud of you and love you very much.

"If a man loses pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured, or far away."   Henry David Thoreau

From the first day of school, Lucas has gone to the beat of a different drummer, and Beth and I want to thank each of you that have both embraced this and allowed him to prosper.  We also want to thank each of you for the role you have played in his life.  Lucas has obtained a wonderful education that we would put up against any school system in the country.   His education has been well-balanced between the core content and the arts, and because of the efforts of each of you, Lucas is ready for the next stage of his life.

 It has been a pleasure to type each of your names into the recipient line.  It has given us time to reflect on all the hard work each of you has done both in and out of the classroom that has benefited our son's life.  Many of you have spent additional hours after school as he has prepared for plays, concerts, academic team meets and all the other extracurricular activities that have made his education complete.  Field trips, AP workshops and review sessions, club activities--none of these efforts have gone unnoticed, and he has been blessed to have each of you in his life.

 As the school year winds down and we all start to become exhausted from all the demands of our profession, we wanted to let each of you know that because of your efforts,  you have made a difference not only in our son's life but in many students' lives.  Thank you again for all that you have done, and have a great end of the school year.

Sincerely,

Chip and Beth Southworth

Seven Questions of Great Significance

We have conducted Team Competitions for 14 years, and the Seven Questions of Great Significance has been the final event every year.  The beauty of this final activity is that it allows teams that are behind in the competition to catch up, and it allows teams that are in the lead to wager wisely and still win.

Team Yellow with the correct answer

Before the competition we create seven trivia questions and create a category for each question. Questions should be considered that are difficult but the teams should have a chance at answering.  I always tried to create questions that teachers at least have an opportunity to answer.  Here are the actual categories and questions from this year's competition. Feel free to answer in the comment box below.

Great teamwork in action

Category	Question
Presidential Trivia	Name the first President born in a hospital.
Kentucky Derby	The winning horse of the Kentucky Derby receives roses, what type of flower does the winner of the Preakness receive?
Infinity	Who was the voice of Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story?
Mad	On April 1st of each year, Alfred E. Newman celebrates this birthday. (Looking for an age).
Over/Under/Push	Joe Pat Covington (Assistant Principal at Scott County High School) has 400 friends on Facebook. Is the real total Over/Under/Push
WWF	How many "s" tiles are there in the game Words With Friends
Georgetown, Ky Economics.	Toyota is the biggest employer with 7,900 employees Scott County Board of Education is second with 1,045 What is the third biggest employer (with over 800 employees)

Teachers can wager 5 points on the first category up to 35 points on the seventh question.  The wagers are made on the category before the team members see the question.  The picture below shows the winning team from this year' competition and the wagers made on each category.  

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner 

Cow Patty Bingo

Successful leaders create a culture that allows for creativity and the desire for employees to take chances.  Too often we get in a "rut" and it is important to have people in your organization that think creatively.  

Lucas Gravitt

Below is a blog from Lucas Gravitt and his "Cow Patty Bingo" fund raiser for the Scott County High School's Project Graduation.  Lucas was willing to try a different slant on fund raising and the blog describes an event that may go down as one of the most original ways to raise money ever.  

Bev - gives cow advice

If you would like to donate to a Project Graduation to help keep our graduates safe and have a great time on graduation night, please contact Mr. Gravitt at Scott County High School.  Any donation of time or money will be appreciated.  

Tonight, Project Graduation made $1,840.00 in donations by hosting Cow Patty Bingo.  We held the event at the county park, had parents to volunteer to use field chalk to line out the grid, paint on the numbers, and we had a cow who volunteered from the local petting zoo.  After all tickets were sold ($20 each), we let the cow loose and let him "go".  It only took about 40 seconds before his tail started to rise.  After he walked around for a bit, he went and we had a winner!  The prize was given by two local businesses, this way 100% of the ticket sales goes straight to Project Graduation

Action Shot 

We have a winner

.  The lucky winner receives 7-night hotel accommodation at any Wyndham Resort (owned or affiliated) in the world.  The winner is a parent of one of our seniors!  

We are quite happy for our first cow patty experience and the spectators in attendance demanded that we schedule another one in two weeks!