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Just Read, Florida!
Just Read, Florida!  |
325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1548 ·
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400 ·
Phone: (850) 245-0503 ·
Fax: (850) 245-9530
News Items
FLORIDA BOOK AWARDS COMPETITIONS NOW OPEN AND INCLUDE A NEW CATEGORY FOR BOOK DESIGN
Tallahassee, Fla.—The Florida Book Awards opened its third year of competitions on July 15. New this year is an eighth category for “Book Design.”
The Florida Book Awards—now the most comprehensive state book awards program in the nation--is an annual program established in 2006 that recognizes, honors, and celebrates the best Florida literature published in the previous year. It is coordinated by the Florida State University Program in American & Florida Studies, and co-sponsored by the Florida Center for the Book; State Library and Archives of Florida; Florida Historical Society; Florida Humanities Council; Florida Literary Arts Coalition; Florida Library Association; “Just Read, Florida!”; Governor’s Family Literacy Initiative; Florida Association for Media in Education; Florida Center for the Literary Arts; Florida Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America; and the Friends of FSU Libraries.
As in past years, submissions will be read by juries of three members each. Jurors are authorized to select up to five medalists (including one winner and one runner-up) in each of the categories, including: General Fiction, General Non-fiction, Spanish-Language Literature, Poetry, Young Adult Literature, Children’s Literature, Popular Fiction, and Book Design.
All awardees are recognized at an Annual Banquet held in conjunction with the Florida Library Association conference in spring. Gold medal winners are recognized at the Historical and Cultural Awards Ceremony sponsored by the State of Florida’s Division of Cultural Affairs at the R.A. Gray Building in Tallahassee, also in spring. Winning books and their authors are featured in the summer issue of FORUM, the state-wide magazine of the Florida Humanities Council. Authors and their books are also featured at book festivals and association conferences throughout the year and across the state.
To learn more about the Florida Book Awards, visit: http://www.fsu.edu/~ams/bookawards/index.html
7/17/2008
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PSL educator named Reading Teacher of the Year
PORT ST. LUCIE — A teacher at Treasure Coast High School was awarded "Reading Teacher of the Year," by the Florida Department of Education on Tuesday. Sandy Southerly was recognized for here promotion of literacy as a member of the "Just Read, Florida!" program. The program, according to DOE's Web site Just Read! "is the statewide reading initiative that prioritizes reading in Florida's pub
7/7/2008
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Just Read, Florida! summer reading list
TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Department of Education today announced the 2008 Just Read, Florida! Recommended Summer Reading List. The list encourages students to continue their reading efforts during the summer vacation months. Research indicates that children who do not continue to read while on holiday breaks and vacations risk losing progress made during the school year.
“The Just Read, Florida! Recommended Summer Reading List is a wonderful opportunity for students to practice their reading skills during the summer while cultivating a love of reading independent of the classroom,” said Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith. “Children who continue to read during the summer months are more successful in maintaining learning gains made during the previous school year and enter the new school year more prepared
7/3/2008
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Schools, libraries and the Web offer summer reading programs
While many students are enjoying a summer free of class work, some are taking advantage of the summer reading programs the district, the Internet and for-profit learning centers are offering.
7/3/2008
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Break away with a book for summer fun
The official commencement of summer, in my world, was marked weeks ago when I settled in to watch "Iron Man," the first big-budget action flick of the season.
have simple demands for enjoying the hot summer months: movies that are heavy on pyrotechnics and light on plot lines, sparklers on the Fourth of July, regular doses of ice cream and a relatively low-brow reading list.
I wish I could say I'm using this summer to work through "Gone with the Wind," or another one of the tomes that have languished on my bookshelf for years, but every year since first grade, summer has been a hallowed time for reading fluff stuff.
6/26/2008
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Hey Kids! Grab A Book
The Tampa Tribune
Published: June 14, 2008
TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Department of Education has announced the 2008 Just Read, Florida Recommended Summer Reading List.
The list encourages students to continue their reading efforts during the summer vacation months. Research indicates that children who don't continue to read while on holiday breaks and vacations risk losing progress made during the school year.
"The Just Read, Florida Recommended Summer Reading List is a wonderful opportunity for students to practice their reading skills during the summer while cultivating a love of reading independent of the classroom," Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith said in a release. "Children who continue to read during the summer months are more successful in maintaining learning gains made during the previous school year and enter the new school year more prepared."
6/26/2008
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Summer reading camps help students retain what they’ve learned in school.
MEDIA ADVISORY
News from Orange County Public Schools
June 26, 2008
WHAT:
Summer reading camps help students retain what they’ve learned in school.
In these tough economic times summer camps may not be something families can afford. Orange County Public Schools offers free summer reading camps to students who did not pass the third grade FCAT Reading exam. Students have the opportunity during reading camp to do well and be promoted to fourth grade. Right now the district is in the final two weeks of third grade summer reading camp. Orange County Public Schools has teachers available to provide helpful information to parents of all students on how to be good teachers at home. We’re asking the media to help get this important information to parents across Central Florida.
WHEN:
To set up an interview for July 1 or July 2, 2008 between 8 am and noon contact:
Shari Bobinski, Media Relations
407.317.3200 x2905
WHERE:
Palmetto Elementary School
2015 Duskin Ave.
Orlando, FL 32839
6/26/2008
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Brevard Public Schools Students Encouraged to Join Innovative Online Reading Program this Summer
VIERA—Brevard Public Schools elementary students have the opportunity to enjoy reading in a fun and interactive way by logging onto the Voyager Expanded Learning’s Ticket to Read program this summer through July 31. Ticket to Read is a free, interactive, Web-based, student-centered learning program that promotes the practice of actual text reading. The program enables students to build, strengthen and reinforce reading skills as they navigate through a self-paced instructional path. Parents and students are urged to take advantage of this innovative program.
The Ticket to Read program provides motivational features to encourage students to practice reading. These features include ticket rewards for completing certain tasks. Tickets can be redeemed to purchase items that the students use to decorate their virtual customizable clubhouse. Students progress through 12 difficulty levels increasing in readability level and complexity.
Brevard Public Schools (BPS) is encouraged by the number of students actively participating in the Ticket to Read program. Many BPS students in kindergarten through sixth grade have already taken the challenge of logging on Ticket to Read. Brevard is well represented daily on the Ticket to Read “Reader Leader Board.” Parents and teachers have also expressed excitement with the level of engagement, motivation and enjoyment their children and students are experiencing with the program as they become more proficient readers. BPS is grateful to Voyager Expanded Learning for providing this wonderful summer opportunity free to students to enjoy during the SOAR program and at home.
Students must have a user ID and password assigned by the program before they log onto the Ticket to Read Web site address at www.tickettoread.com . Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s school to request a Ticket to Read user ID and password.
-BPS-
6/23/2008
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Struggling readers get intensive lessons at summer academy
(Tallahassee Democrat © 06/13/2008)
School isn't quite over for struggling readers who are getting intense lessons through the district's third-grade reading academy and the debut of an academy for first-grade students. On Monday, 185 third-graders showed up for the camp. That's 100 fewer third graders than the number required to attend last summer. Third-graders who scored a Level 1, which is considered failing on the reading
6/15/2008
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Dolphins kick off drive to promote reading
As summer looms, with days scripted in beach-side frolicking and slumber parties, Troy Drayton posed a challenged to the kids huddled inside the North Dade Regional Library Monday:
''Stay away from the video games,'' said the former Miami Dolphins tight end. ``Pick up a book.''
6/10/2008
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Osceola School District Press Release - Grant To Provide Equality-Themed Books
The School District of Osceola County, FL Blaine A. Muse, Superintendent
Press Release
May 28, 2008 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Dana Schafer, Director of Community Relations -- 407-870-4007 or 407-908-8811 (cell)
Zina Schubert, Grant Management – 407-870-4058
Grant Provides Equality-Themed Books for School Library Shelves in Osceola County
In January, the Osceola School District's Grant Management Office submitted an application for the We the People (WTP) “Created Equal” Bookshelf Program, a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) "We the People" Program, through collaboration with media specialists at interested schools. These eleven Osceola school libraries are among the 3,000 libraries that have been selected to receive the award, which is given in cooperation with the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office: Central Avenue Elementary, Harmony High, Kissimmee Charter Academy, Michigan Avenue Elementary, Neptune Elementary, Neptune Middle, New Beginnings, New Dimensions High, Professional and Technical High, Sunrise Elementary, and Thacker Avenue Elementary. The program will provide hardcover editions of 17 classic books on the theme of “Created Equal,” Spanish translations of four of the titles, and supporting materials to the participating libraries.
As part of the grant, the schools devised various methods of promoting the WTP Bookshelf. All schools will inform teachers and students of the books’ availability through standard means, like websites, announcements, bulletin boards, and displays. Media Centers will maintain eye-catching displays and work with public libraries to generate awareness. Media Specialists will help to create teacher guides, lesson plans, and other materials; orient teachers to the resources; and collaborate with teachers to ensure continuous curriculum integration for the books.
Realizing the importance of the theme “Created Equal” (America’s foundation), schools will tie the WTP Bookshelf to history, literacy, character, and related skills through curriculum units and special events. The reading and discussion, plus exploratory researching, writing, and presenting exercises, will allow students to learn from various perspectives and reflect on their own theme-related experiences. Many schools will use milestone dates (Gettysburg Address Anniversary, Martin Luther King Day, etc . . .) to explore the theme and connect it to students’ daily lives. Most schools will approach community agencies (such as historical societies), retired military officers, radio stations, and fellow schools to invite guest speakers/readers. The activities/events and experiences will form a foundation on which to build annually to strengthen this theme as a permanent and prominent part of the school culture.
Each year, NEH identifies a theme important to the nation’s heritage and selects books that embody that theme to build the We the People Bookshelf. The “Created Equal” Bookshelf grants are part of the NEH’s “We the People” Initiative, which aims to encourage and strengthen the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture through libraries, schools, colleges, universities, and cultural institutions. This opportunity promotes discussion in the library, school, and community about this fundamental value, its role in American history, and Abraham Lincoln’s contributions to the understanding of human equality. Since 2003, NEH and ALA have awarded We the People Bookshelves to 9,000 public and school libraries. For more information about the program, visit the website at http://publicprograms.ala.org/bookshelf/.
5/30/2008
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Florida students above average in reading and math scores
The Florida Department of Education released test results on reading and math tests used in national comparisons Tuesday.
Florida students again are above average in all grades, the results showed according to the Associated Press.
Half of this year’s average reading scores are up in grades three through 10 and half are down compared to 2007 on the norm-referenced tests. Only two grades are up in math, five are down and one is unchanged.
Florida students, though, averaged 60 points or higher in both subjects in every grade. Scoring ranges from 1 to 99 with 50 meaning a student did the same or better than half of the children in the nation.
5/29/2008
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Richmond Heights ES Read-A-Thon
WHAT:
Tick-tock-tick-tock. Grab a book and join in on the fun of reading around the clock. Hundreds of elementary students will participate in a reading challenge. Teachers, volunteers and guests will inspire children to become life-long readers by reading some of their favorite books to them. It's a non-stop adventure for everyone involved. Local radio station host Monica May from STAR 94.5 will broadcast live from Richmond Heights Elementary School Friday from 6 a.m. until 8 a.m. May will then read to students. Come join the fun and bring a book to share. The school library is under construction and also needs new books. The principal and teachers are hoping people will drop by and donate two new hardcover books suitable for grade levels kindergarten through fifth. The name of the donor will be placed inside the book in show of appreciation from the school.
WHEN:
Friday, May 16, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
WHERE:
Richmond Heights Elementary School
2500 Bruton Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32811
Media Center
Contact:
Dr. Shelia Windom, Principal
Richmond Heights Elementary School
407.245.1870
5/14/2008
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24 Hour Reading Challenge
WHAT:
Pick up a book and join hundreds of Orange County Public School students in the annual 24 Hour Reading Challenge. The event is a non-stop learning experience that will help inspire children to read. For 24 hours, different groups of children will listen to teachers and volunteers read their favorites stories. Throughout the entire time period, teachers have special activities planned to entice more children to pick up a book and share in the joy of reading even when they are not in school. The event will continue through the night with 50 third, fourth, and fifth grade students spending the night at their school listening to books on tape.
WHEN:
Friday, May 9, 2008 – Saturday, May 10, 2008
9 a.m. (Fri.) – 8 a.m. (Sat.)
WHERE:
Oak Hill Elementary
11 S. Hiawassee Rd.
Orlando, FL 32835
Contact:
Dr. June Jones, Principal
Pak Hill Elementary School
407.296.6470
5/8/2008
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Reading project bonus
By RON HAYES
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
PALM BEACH GARDENS — Read Together Palm Beach County, they call it. One Book, One Community.
This year, that book is The Memory-Keeper's Daughter, a surprise bestseller by Kim Edwards. All over the county, it's hoped, libraries and book clubs, church groups and professional organizations are reading and discussing the novel.
And then there's Marge Keller, an intensive reading teacher at Palm Beach Gardens High School.
Her campaign might be called, Learn-To-Read-Together Palm Beach County, a reminder that there's more than one way to participate in a countywide reading challenge.
Every school day, while most of the students head to lunch, seven girls gather in her classroom.
Keller provides the pizza, they provide the urge to learn, and together they listen to an audio version of the novel, while following along with the printed text.
5/6/2008
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Florida students excelling in reading, math
By Marshall Criser III
Florida's schools should be proud of their accomplishments. A series of national education reports and assessments have ranked Florida near the top of the nation in the performance of its students and the quality of their education.
The most recent of these successes is the announcement of a ninth-place ranking of our eighth-grade students writing at or above the proficient level on the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress writing assessment. Known as the "Nation's Report Card," the NAEP assessments monitor the knowledge and skills of the nation's children. Nationally, Florida has the second greatest number of Hispanic students and fourth greatest number of African-American students scoring at or above the proficient level.
Last fall, the NAEP results for reading and math reported equally good news. Florida is one of only four states in the nation to improve significantly in both fourth- and eighth-grade reading. Only a handful of states showed greater gains than Florida in fourth- and eighth-grade math.
5/5/2008
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Reluctant readers take up book challenge
WESLEY CHAPEL
Rachel Berenguer didn't care for reading much.
It simply didn't hold her interest.
Then the Weightman Middle School eighth-grader picked up one of the books in the Bluford High series. Not by her own choice, mind you. She was enrolled in the school's intensive reading program for low performing readers, and school reading coach Ann Shanks told the students to read at least one of the 13 titles.
One of Shanks' past students boosted his FCAT reading score from Level 1 (the lowest) to Level 3 (grade proficient) using the Bluford books, and she figured others might replicate his success.
Rachel agreed to try, along with nearly 100 other students. And the books were a hit.
5/1/2008
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Orange County Middle School students compete in the annual Battle of the Books
MEDIA TIP
News from Orange County Public Schools
April 28, 2008
WHAT:
Orange County Middle School students compete in the annual Battle of the Books. This year 31 student teams will compete with their peers in this all-day tournament. The teams will earn points by answering questions about the books on this year’s book list. The students will play several rounds, each against a different team. At the end of the morning, points are totaled and the two teams with the most points are invited to a "Grand Battle" after lunch, with the other teams as their audience. The purpose of this voluntary tournament is to encourage students to read good books and have fun while competing with their peers.
WHEN:
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
WHERE:
Congregation Ohev Shalom
5015 Goddard Ave.
Orlando, FL 32804
Contact:
Ms. Susan Michalczak, Library Media Specialist
Oak Ridge High School
407.852.3200 x3275 or x2208
4/29/2008
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Schools put reading first: Federally funded reading coaches train teachers
In a corner of a second grade classroom at Kelly Smith Elementary School, students were being taught how to learn to read Thursday.
Reading coach Alice Ryals gathered about 20 students and their teacher into a circle and began to read “Gator Gumbo,” a different version of the classic tale “Stone Soup.”
Ryals, who taught at the school for 12 years, works with teachers to help improve their students’ reading skills.
“I spend most of my days in the classrooms, either working with the teachers or observing them and giving them guidance,” Ryals said.
“Teachers love it because I can make recommendations in a nonthreatening way. I’m not administration.”
Ryals said her job involves coaching teachers, not working with students individually.
4/28/2008
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Florida Receives International Reading Award
~ Just Read, Florida! initiative recognized with prestigious Five-Star Policy Award ~
TALLAHASSEE - Florida was recently announced as one of only two states to receive a Five-Star Policy Award from the International Reading Association (IRA) this year. The award is part of the IRA’s Five-Star Policy Recognition Program, which encourages states and provinces to adopt and implement policies that support effective literacy instruction for all children. Since the program’s inception in 2001, only eight states have earned the award.
"This award serves as further verification that Florida’s reading initiatives and strategies are making a difference," said Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith. "I commend the Just Read, Florida! team for the unwavering commitment they have shown in providing Florida’s children with the gift of literacy."
4/25/2008
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Study shows math, reading gains in Dade and Broward
Students in Miami-Dade and Broward counties have been posting steady gains in reading and math for the past seven years, according to a new national study.
The study, released Tuesday by the Council of the Great City Schools, found that the percentage of students performing at or above proficiency on the reading and math Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test has been rising steadily since 2001. It also found that the percentage of students performing at the lowest level has been falling.
The trend parallels gains made by students in urban school systems across the country, said Michael Casserly, the council's executive director. Nationally, students showed improvement in reading and math on both the National Assessment of Educational Progress and individual state assessments.
4/23/2008
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Chamber of Commerce links school system’s reading problems to the economy
In a move similar to the development of an urgent and strategic business plan, the leadership of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce is targeting a local educational lapse they believe is preventing new business and industry from locating here and driving away potential residents.
4/7/2008
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State officials to visit Lees top reading schools
Five Lee County public schools that were recently recognized for boosting their students reading skills will receive visits from Florida education officials. These officials plan to see just how the schools did it. They used materials they bought with federal Reading First grant money to accomplish the learning gains, according to the Lee County School District and Florida Department of Education
4/4/2008
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A weekend interview with ...
A weekend interview with ...
... Benjamin Ajak, co-author of "They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky," an award-winning 2005 book about boys caught up in civil war in Sudan.
4/1/2008
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Author's tales from Sudan captivate Lakewood students
"If I go back to Sudan, they might take away my suit, they might take away my shoes. But they will not crack my head and take my knowledge."
Benjamin Ajak, in foreground and on a projection screen, speaking to students
4/1/2008
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Lincoln High School uses new approach to improving reading
In the past, 17-year-old Taylor Thompson would skim over a reading passage so fast that she'd often need to reread it because she couldn't comprehend it the first time. Michelle Kirby, literacy coach at Lincoln High School, said Taylor's problem is not uncommon.
3/11/2008
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Are our kids reading how they should?
MANATEE --Six third-graders surrounded Mercedes Bolduc in her classroom at Palmetto Elementary.
It was the week before the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test and the reading coach went through a reading comprehension exercise.
"To make a bottle hot, the glass goes into a . . .," a student read out loud and his voice trailed off as he looked at his book.
Bolduc asked him to read the question again and instructed him to pause between the words "bottle" and "hot."
"We're working on little things like that," Bolduc explained.
3/10/2008
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Reading academy to open this summer
The likelihood of creating a first-grade reading academy in Leon County was on shaky ground in light of budget cuts, but administrators received a final go-ahead last week.
The summer-reading academy will begin June 9 and it will last six weeks. First-graders will be there six hours a day, four days a week. It's geared toward students who are not reading at grade level or for those who need additional help.
"I think this is the best thing the district has done for students in a long time," said Jo Marie Olk, reading coordinator for Leon County Schools.
She said research shows that students who become better readers at an early age have a better chance of doing well in school. Administrators are hoping the academy will ultimately decrease the dropout rate and the overaged student population problem.
"(The academy) is going to have a fast-paced curriculum," Olk said, which is based on a Florida Center for Reading model. "But it's going to address the five components of reading."
Those components include phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Once a child finishes the first grade, he or she is expected to read 50 to 60 words a minute. Many students aren't able to read when they enter the first grade.
Shannon Lynch, assistant superintendent of curriculum instruction, said it's too early to tell how many students will be in the academy. She said the district should have a better idea in about three weeks.
The district already has a summer reading academy for third-graders, but that's a state mandate for any third-grader who is Level 1 on the reading portion of the FCAT. A child who is not reading a grade level in the third grade will not be promoted.
Beth Freeman, a reading coach at Kate Sullivan Elementary, said the school uses a technique known as "triple iii — immediate, intensive, instruction." She said fewer than 10 percent of Kate Sullivan's first-graders need the additional help.
Contact Reporter TaMaryn Waters at (850) 599-2162 or tlwaters@tallahassee.com.
3/3/2008
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Words have meaning to Gulf junior: Alice Chang will participate in next month's National Vocabulary Championship.
NEW PORT RICHEY - Inside her hefty backpack, loaded down with several pounds of textbooks, Gulf High junior Alice Chang keeps a slim red notebook that she's taken to filling with new words that she has learned.
She neatly pencils in each line, covering the front and back of each page with words and their meanings whenever one piques her interest. It's tough for the 15-year-old to pinpoint a favorite - "There are so many great words," she explains. "How could you pick?"
Since Alice can remember, she's been passionate about reading though not sci-fi or romance. It's how she spends her spare time.
2/29/2008
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Flat Santa makes the rounds: The fictional figure helps Pine Grove students express themselves
BROOKSVILLE - First, there was Flat Stanley. Then came Flat Santa, who began his travels recently in Patricia Doyle's Pine Grove Elementary School fifth-grade class.
But first, a review of Flat Stanley.
"Flat Stanley is a book about a kid who got flattened by a board while he was sleeping," said 10-year-old Caleb McWhinnie, "and he got sent around the world and he got stamps from all over the world."
2/21/2008
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Summer-reading academy still in the works for local schools
Earlier in the school year, Leon County School Superintendent Jackie Pons said the district needs to have a first-grade reading academy for students in the summer.
The school district already has one for third-graders but Pons, along with other school officials; say more needs to be done at an earlier age.
Plans are moving forward to get the academy ready by this summer.
Check back at www.tallahassee.com for more updates.
2/21/2008
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Seminole Community College helps early childhood professionals improve literacy
SANFORD, Fla. (Feb. 14, 2008)--Seminole Community College’s grant-funded program to help county childcare providers prepare kindergarten-bound children has exceeded attendance expectations and garnered positive feedback from participants.
SCC’s Path to Professionalism initiative provides training that participants can apply toward continuing education units. The program, funded by a $65,000 grant from the Early Learning Coalition of Seminole County, allows SCC to offer the classes at no charge, and includes workshops structured specifically for Voluntary Pre-kindergarten and School Readiness programs.
The first training session, held Jan. 26 at SCC’s Sanford/Lake Mary Campus, drew 175 participants from the county’s 300 childcare centers; a second session on Feb. 2 at SCC’s Altamonte Springs Campus had 73 participants.
Dianne Waller, grant coordinator for SCC’s Early Childhood Education program, noted that staff from 10 family childcare providers attended each session, which is presented by SCC professors and other literacy and child development professionals.
“Traditionally, family childcare has not been focused on for professional development,” Waller said. “The grant allows us to address this need.”
Research indicates that although early learning has an important impact on brain development and future academic success for children, many childcare workers lack the resources to pursue professional development.
“It is our goal not to turn anyone away,” Waller said.
The next training sessions are in May and August. For more information about the program, please visit www.scc-fl.edu/childcare/professionalism-paths/ or contact Dianne Waller at 407.708.2550.
2/19/2008
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Chestnut Elementary – Osceola County - Literacy Council Hosts Family Night
Accelerated Reader (AR) Family Night on Tuesday, February 19th, from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM. Students can take AR tests, and parents will be provided with a packet of information to take home that will give them new strategies to help their children become better readers.
Contact: Kathe Weisheyer, Chestnut Elementary – 407-870-4862
2/18/2008
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Lakeview Elementary – Osceola County - Reading Rocks
Lakeview Elementary will present “Reading Rocks” on February 21, 2008, from 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM. Readers and crafts from various countries, such as Japan, Sweden, Mexico, Italy and Russia, will be represented. Volunteers are needed to read, supervise crafts, help with crafts, and present an activity.
Contact: Felicia Edwards, Lakeview Elementary -- 407-891-3220
2/18/2008
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Ward Cleaver was my great inspiration
What was the most important image in your life when you were growing up?" a student asked me last year when I addressed a high school honors class in St. Petersburg.
Not having a good on-the-spot-answer, I fumbled around and told him that water - the ocean, lakes and rivers I grew up around - always fired my imagination. The student came back and said he "really" was asking about the "image or symbol" that shaped my daily life, such as my work and my surroundings at home, as it is today.
2/14/2008
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'Stinky' Jon Scieszka has a read on kids
NEW YORK — America's children aren't reading very much or very well these days, so the nation's finest minds have come up with a Big Idea: Find an author who can tap into the richness of children's literature and persuade kids to drop their idle pursuits — their Facebooks, Nanos and Wiis — for the thrill of a good book.
Last month, the Library of Congress and the Children's Book Council, a trade group, announced the appointment of the USA's first "ambassador for young people's literature," a sort of poet laureate for the Harry Potter set. As the inaugural ambassador, they named renowned author Jon Scieszka.
2/12/2008
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Program aims to build better readers
NORTH PORT -- Wearing a construction belt filled with small books, Jana Sterling read Toledo Blade Elementary students a story, asking them to repeat words that rhymed in "Sam's Sandwich," the book she was holding.
The children, in kindergarten through third grade, loudly echoed Sterling obediently. But their parents in the audience were another story.
"They didn't do very well with the rhyming, did they?" she asked the children.
Sterling was at Toledo Blade to teach the "Families Building Better Readers" program, sponsored by the state through a "Just Read" grant. The program was offered on both Wednesday and Thursday nights from 6-7:30 p.m. in the school's cafeteria.
It was the first time the school has offered the program, which aims to teach
2/4/2008
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Program encourages family readings
PORT ST. LUCIE — Jim Wilder, reading from Where the Wild Things Are, said in his fiercest voice: "They roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes ..."
Pausing, he leaned toward 6-year-old Riley Edwards.
2/4/2008
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Reading gets 'Rock Star' treatment at Sabal Palm
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Originally published January 17, 2008
Reading gets 'Rock Star' treatment at Sabal Palm
By TaMaryn Waters
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER Print Email to a friend Subscribe
Donte Dix, a first-grader at Sabal Palm Elementary School, couldn't help but leap out of his seat and shout that he wants to "read like a rock star!"
He was one of nearly 400 first- through third-graders who were treated to a festive assembly that was a spinoff of the pop song "Party like a Rock Star." But this time, it was Mayor John Marks at the microphone encouraging students to be life-long readers through the "Tallahassee: A City That Reads" program.
1/17/2008
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Students' project helps others learn to read
JUPITER — You probably aren't giving a second thought to reading these words.
For most of you, it's not a problem. More than likely, you got your start reading at home with mom and dad and did fine once you started going to school.
But there are kids who aren't getting an early start. They don't have books at home. Or mom and dad can't read English.
Until about eight years ago, those kids didn't have a lot of options. In 2000, two kids from Jupiter decided to help give other kids a reading, writing and learning chance. Sam and Faren Silverman started Children's Books on Tape, Inc., to help others improve their educational foundation.
"My mom was taking a teacher education course (at Florida Atlantic University) and was substitute teaching," said Sam, now a sophomore at Yale University. "The students were deficient in their reading skills."
1/16/2008
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Reading still hot during holidays
Brevard Public Schools students may be homework- and headache-free this holiday season, but state and district education officials said students shouldn't take a break from books.
Research indicates that children who do not continue to read during holiday breaks and vacations risk losing progress made during the school year, according to the Florida Department of Education.
The department recommended a holiday reading list for students of all grade levels, including books that celebrate the season like "Seven Days of Kwanzaa" by Angela Shelf Medearis and "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.
Brevard's 75,000 students are off until Jan. 7.
Jennifer Cockrell, the district's elementary language arts resource teacher, said it's important for students who are beginning to read or who struggle with it to read every day.
1/3/2008
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Don't Be At A Loss For Words
By MICHELE SAGER The Tampa Tribune
Published: December 19, 2007
TAMPA PALMS - Students will be starting their holiday break from classes this week, but educators say they shouldn't take a break from reading.
Although many students may want to hide schoolbooks during the next two weeks, teachers want parents to encourage leisurely reading at home. No matter the age of the person or the holiday celebrated, there are stacks of selections for any reader.
The Florida Department of Education has made it easy to choose books by releasing its annual list of recommended holiday reading.
Bonny Cable, a third-grade teacher at Riverhills Elementary, said getting children to crack books this holiday break is crucial.
"We want them to keep working on their cognitive and comprehension skills," she said. "If a student goes that entire time without reading, it can be like they are starting from square one when they return in January."
But competing with holiday television specials, visiting relatives and new toys can be tough. Cable suggested that families plan for at least 30 minutes of reading time each day.
The department list includes holiday classics for adults. Cable suggested that parents lead the reading revolution by example.
12/19/2007
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Intensive reading students are said motivated doing ‘anti-smoke’ mural
Jacksonville artist Daniel Wynn, an art consultant to health departments in Baker and Duval counties, was recently in the classroom at Baker County High School to direct a group of students in producing a mural with an anti-smoking message.
The production of the mural with its catchy, health-promoting slogans and colorful images is being produced by a ninth-grade intensive reading class taught by Tiffany Armoreda. The colorful, bright images of planes, football players, wildcats and butterflies are set against a light, airy sky of blue with white clouds.
The messages warn against the dangers of smoking and promote positive alternatives. Some of the slogans are:
Life is like a jet. It goes by fast. Don’t smoke!; Catch the ball-drop the drugs!; Let go of drugs and reach for the sky.
The students worked in groups on the individual board panels which were set up on tables inside the classroom.
12/18/2007
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Students participate in 'Tellabration!' event
BARTOW - Students representing six Polk schools participated in the school district's fifth annual Tellabration! storytelling event held at the Bartow Civic Center.
The event is part of a program that stimulates the love of reading for children through storytelling. Students and professional storyteller Bobby Norfolk were enchanted with their tales at this event.
Tellabration! is the world's largest storytelling event and traditionally held near the Thanksgiving holiday. Polk students simultaneously joined storytellers in living rooms, church halls, theaters, schools, coffee houses and outdoor venues around the world. The worldwide network of listeners and tellers of all ages come together in spirit to celebrate the "joy of the story."
Students participating in Tellabration! are listed below by school:
Davenport School of the Arts: Moriah Armstrong, Jaclyn Magnone, Sage Starkey
Lewis Anna Woodbury(Fort Meade): Breasia Barnes, Ginna Bell, Jacob Bigsby, Amber Cooper, Kamryn Harpe, Ricardo Hernandez, Lynsi Nickerson, Jacob Page, Hunter Williamson
Loughman Oaks Elementary (Davenport); Dennis Mercado, Jordan Nazario
North Lakeland Elementary: Dalila Patricia Sanabria
Rochelle School of the Arts (Lakeland): Maria Probasco
Valleyview Elementary (Lakeland): Kiera Boley, Emma Carter, Alyssa King, Janella Rose.
12/13/2007
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State graduation rates rise
TALLAHASSEE - Florida's graduation rate rose to 72.4 percent for the 2006-2007 school year, an increase of 1.4 percent compared to last year's rate and an overall increase of 12.2 percent since the 1998- 1999 school year. Florida's annual high school dropout rate declined from last year, dropping 0.2 percentage points to 3.3 percent, a decrease of 2.1 points since the 1998- 1999 school year.
12/4/2007
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Central Avenue Elementary – Fancy Nancy
You just might see “Fancy Nancy” walking the hallways at Central Avenue Elementary or have seen her in the media center. It’s just Kim Taylor, media specialist, dressed up.
Fancy Nancy is the title to one of the Florida Reading Associations Award Books. The books are geared toward K – 2 students. Plans have been made to read all the nominated books to K – 2 students, and have them vote on their favorite book. Students will be voting using a real voting booth in March.
Contact: Shelley Audet, Central Avenue Elementary -- 407-343-7330
11/26/2007
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Ideas to build better schools: D.C. official says teaching children to read a priority, especially in urban areas
Want high-performing schools and a healthy community?
Reach children early, some say. Maybe before they are even born.
Part of yesterday's annual Metropolitan Richmond Day explored building healthy, integrated schools. Discussion touched on a range of factors, from who should lead a school system to a regional education system to more parental involvement.
The half-day event, sponsored by the nonprofit Hope in the Cities, started over coffee and breakfast with a speech by former Mississippi Gov. William F. Winter followed by a panel discussion.
A recurring topic was preparing students for academic success at an early age. It's a message carried out nationally as states explore pre-kindergarten programs for all students in an attempt to narrow the preparation gap between children of varied socioeconomic status.
11/9/2007
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School district ranks in top 25% reading first
School district ranks in top 25% reading first
Florida Department of Education Announces
The Florida Department of Education sent congratulations this week to the Suwannee County School District for its increased achievement in reading! According to Cari Miller, Director, Reading First, Just Read, Florida!, the Suwannee County School District is in the top 25% of Reading First districts.
The Reading First schools receiving this recognition and good news are Branford Elementary School, Suwannee Primary School, and Suwannee Elementary School.
11/8/2007
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Who says reading can't be fun?
NEW PORT RICHEY - They land in her class for different reasons. Some are reluctant readers. Others have difficulty with comprehension. Then there are those who simply Christmas-treed last year's FCAT.
A lot of times they start out angry. The Intensive Reading class replaces an elective, after all. That means no drama. No P.E. No band or chorus. No art.
No fun?
Think again.
As an Intensive Reading teacher, Marla Spellman says her main objective is to make sure her students pass the FCAT. Beyond that is a loftier goal - to make reading enjoyable.
10/24/2007
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Booker principal tries grade-school reading methods in high school classrooms
SARASOTA -- Reading labs and coaches are commonplace in elementary schools across Florida. But this year they are popping up in a less typical place: Booker High School.
In an effort to boost Booker's sagging reading test scores, Principal Constance White-Davis is using the same strategies that helped her bring Alta Vista Elementary's grade from a D to an A and sparked a statewide resurgence in elementary school performance.
Now, administrators want her to accomplish the same at Booker, which last year became the first traditional public high school in Sarasota County to earn a D grade.
10/16/2007
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Mayor's book clubs focus on preschoolers
Mayors who want to be on the same page as their constituents — even ones way too young to vote — are launching citywide book-of-the-month clubs to promote reading and literacy.
Dozens of cities have some type of book club or reading initiative, but the latest campaigns by a handful of cities are unusual because they target every preschooler.
10/15/2007
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Finding ways to be better readers - Workshop aims to make literacy more alluring
By JL Watson
jlwatson@news-press.com
Originally posted on September 29, 2007
Someone has stolen the school mascot.
To solve the case, teachers at Caloosa Middle School have enlisted the help of students. The caper involves a missing aardvark instead of Caloosa's real mascot, a cougar, because the case isn't real.
It's part theater production, part teaching lesson, with only one way to solve the crime — become a better reader. Teachers recently performed "Mysteries in the Middle" for students and their parents during an evening reading workshop in the school cafeteria.
10/1/2007
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State reading scores improve on national test
TALLAHASSEE -- Florida posted significant gains in its reading scores over the past two years, joining Hawaii, Maryland and the District of Columbia as the only jurisdictions in the country to show improvement, a new report released Tuesday shows.
Called the ''nation's report card,'' the National Assessment of Educational Progress compares test scores in both reading and math from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The 2007 report showed that Florida's average fourth-grade reading scores are above the national average and above nearly every state in the South. Florida's eighth-grade scores now nearly match the national average as well. The tests were last given in 2005.
9/26/2007
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Students improve in math, reading
Across the nation and in Florida, students are doing better in math and reading, with some of the largest gains being made by blacks and Hispanics, according to national test results released Tuesday.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress, sometimes referred to as the nation''s report card, provides a uniform way to compare student progress across state lines.
The tests measured the reading and math performance of 702,000 students in fourth and eighth grades nationwide.
Florida fourth-graders surpassed national averages in reading and math and improved their average scores in both subjects this year compared to 2005. That was the last year the test was given.
Florida eighth-graders also improved their average reading and math scores this year compared to 2005 and, for the first time, nearly matched national averages in reading.
9/26/2007
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Fla.'s Scores Up Slightly in Reading
Florida's scores on the SAT college entrance examination this year were up slightly in reading and down slightly in math while the national score dropped in both subjects. Florida, though, continued to rank near the bottom nationally in both areas.
Nationally, the class of 2007 averaged the lowest math and reading SAT scores since 1999, the College Board reported Tuesday.
Florida's reading score improved by one point to 497 while its math score dropped one point to 496. Only two states and the District of Columbia had worse math scores, while seven states and the District of Columbia were lower in reading.
8/29/2007
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Florida kids defy dip in SAT scores in U.S.
Flat SAT scores for this year''s Florida graduates wouldn''t seem to be good news, except by comparison to national scores, which dropped, again.
Florida''s 2007 graduates did 1 point better on reading and 1 point worse in math and writing than last year''s cohort, according to data released Tuesday by the College Board, which oversees the SAT.
Their national counterparts fell one point in reading, three points in math and three points in writing. The SAT is scored on a scale of 200 to 800.
Both state and national officials tried to accentuate the positive, pointing to the increased numbers of students taking the test, which is widely used by colleges and universities to help determine admissions.
8/29/2007
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OK, Johnny can read. So why doesn't he? Back to School: The First 'R' / Teens
For years, the question "Why can't Johnny read?" has plagued teachers, students and parents. Another troubling question, especially as students move into their teen years, is: "Why won't he or she read?"
The questions point to two critical problems affecting millions of teenagers: students who can't read at grade level and those who don't want to read, known as "reluctant readers."
More than 8 million adolescents between grades four and 12 are identified as "struggling readers," according to the National Governors Association's Center for Best Practices.
Many others read reluctantly.
8/28/2007
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It's never too early to address reading problems
Bennett Shakoske of Turtle Creek was only in first grade, but he was already beginning to give up on school.
He was having trouble reading.
It was only when he moved to another district, repeated first grade and found a special-education teacher who used his love of Legos to motivate him that he was able to progress. Now, he is starting his senior year at Woodland Hills High School.
Years ago, some advised waiting until third grade to get extra reading help to see whether the child would grow out of it.
Now experts advise stepping in as soon as a reading problem occurs.
8/27/2007
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Reading Camps Help Kids Move On
BARTOW - More than half of the Polk County third-graders who attended this summer's recent reading camps will move on to fourth grade on schedule. Third-grade students must pass the FCAT reading test or risk being held back. Some students even get held back twice, spending three years in the same grade. But those who fail the test have some options...
7/30/2007
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GOVERNOR CHARLIE CRIST NAMES POLLY CORDELL OF PALM BAY AS POINT OF LIGHT
TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today recognized Polly Cordell as this week’s Point of Light for exemplary volunteerism. Through her work with Rolling Readers Space Coast Inc., Polly has dedicated 10 years to improving literacy among the children of Brevard County.
“I am proud to honor Polly for the tremendous impact she has on the children in her community,” said Governor Crist. “By promoting an appreciation of reading, Polly has enriched the lives of many young Floridians.”
5/31/2007
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Diplomat duo sees marked FCAT improvement
When Hunter Andrews and Kyle Daniel learned their FCAT reading scores last week, they couldnt contain their excitement. The 10-year-old Diplomat Elementary third-graders both scored a Level 4, which is considered above grade level, on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test reading exam. (The highest is Level 5.) It was quite a contrast from last year.
5/10/2007
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Guinness confirms Florida pupils broke reading record
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- It's official, 186,054 Florida middle school pupils are world record readers. Guinness World Records confirmed Tuesday that they set a new record for "Most People Reading Aloud Simultaneously in Multiple Locations" on Sept. 28. They read in unison an excerpt from "Peter and the Starcatchers," a book by Ridley Pearson and Miami-based humor columnist Dave Barry.
5/9/2007
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Free books part of summer reading program
Diana Bui, 6, walked out of Allie Yniestra Elementary School's media center clutching a new, bright yellow reading kit and a Clifford the Big Red Dog book.
"I have a new book, and I'm going to read it when I get home," said the kindergartner as she hurried to catch up with her classmates, who were headed to the playground.
Diana was among hundreds of Yniestra students who will receive free books as part of the 2007 Gulf Coast Summer Initiative, a partnership between the U.S. Department of Education, First Book and Scholastic Inc.
Yniestra was chosen as one of five Gulf Coast sites to launch the 500,000-book distribution program because of Escambia County's support to nearly 10,000 evacuees from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. U.S. Assistant Deputy Secretary Kathleen Leos joined other local school and civic officials Thursday in an assembly at the Jackson Street school to stress the importance of reading and hail the project to restore book supplies in the Gulf Coast region.
5/7/2007
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Local school districts take steps to help struggling readers
Through letters, notes on report cards and periodic assessments during the school year, districts along the Treasure Coast try to alert parents of struggling third-grade readers their children may not make it to fourth grade next year. Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores for third-graders could be released as early as this week.
4/30/2007
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Crist/Kottkamp 2007-2008 Budget Recommendations Fund Education at Record Levels
PRESS RELEASE
February 2, 2007
Cathy Schroeder
(850) 245-0413
DOEPressOffice@fldoe.org
Crist/Kottkamp 2007-2008 Budget Recommendations Fund Education at Record Levels
TALLAHASSEE — Governor Charlie Crist and Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp today announced the 2007-08 education budget recommendations to fund Florida’s public schools at record levels. The budget recommendation of $33 billion is a $1.3 billion increase over the current year to ensure Florida’s education system continues to prepare students for academic success, postsecondary education and the workforce.
“Investing in Florida’s education is the wisest investment we can make to ensure a better Florida,” said Governor Crist. “These budget recommendations mean smaller classes, more reading coaches, more opportunities for students to attend college and more money in the pockets of outstanding teachers.”
2/22/2007
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Literacy is the key to success
If students are going to be successful in their educational endeavors then parents must play an active role in helping them overcome learning barriers they are experiencing in the classroom.
Therefore, the Dillard Innovative Zone held their 2nd annual Family Literacy Night on January 24th at Arthur Ashe Middle School located at 1701 NW 23rd Ave in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
In spite of the drenching rain and puddles of water in every direction that you turned, parents – students and teachers showed up to participate in the various instructional workshops.
Reading, math, writing, and science are fundamental skills that students must master in order to complete their basic educational requirements not only to pass the FCAT, or graduate from high school, but also for personal satisfaction in knowing you have accomplished literacy skills that will improve your opportunities in life.
“Our purpose here tonight is not only to teach kids about the FCAT, but we also invited their parents out so they can develop skills to help with their children’s education,” said David Hall, Principal of Parkway Middle School and the Zone Facilitator. “The real key is to educate the parents so they in turn can teach their kids.”
2/2/2007
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Role models encourage younger students to read
Lemon Bay High School student Christina McCullough sat before a group of second-graders at Vineland Elementary School and flipped through the pages of "The Cat in the Hat."
She wore a red-and-white plush striped hat, similar to the one in the movie that is also based on the book by Dr. Seuss. Jamie Stein, also a student at Lemon Bay High School, sat nearby, fidgeting with finger puppets of characters Thing 1 and Thing 2.
1/26/2007
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Program works to ensure literacy
What if every child in Escambia County was reading? What if all children were ready to learn when they entered kindergarten and were reading at grade level when they reached third grade?
Every child then would be better prepared for learning and for life.
Not every child is a reader in Escambia County, but a local coalition of education professionals and caring community leaders hopes to change that unfortunate reality. Last week, they brought in some help.
Every Child a Reader in Escambia, also known as ECARE, welcomed to Pensacola David Lawrence Jr., president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation and university scholar for Early Childhood Development and Readiness at the University of Florida.
1/22/2007
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Mentors impact 'one child at a time'
Once a week, Keyana Mills gets a special visitor. Leon County Judge Judith Hawkins meets with her for about 30 to 40 minutes, all alone, one on one.
They talk, read together, laugh - just have a good time.
Hawkins is Keyana's mentor at Riley Elementary School.
January is National Mentoring Month, spearheaded by the Harvard Mentoring Project of the Harvard School of Public Health and other partnering organizations. Celebrities such as Sting, Quincy Jones (2007 Mentor of the Year), Maya Angelou and Clint Eastwood are heading a nationwide campaign with this message: Become a mentor.
1/9/2007
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Don't give books a break, teachers urge students
Whenever the house gets quiet, Paige Goode said she knows just where to find her 6-year-old daughter: lost in the world of literature. "I like to read every time of the day," said Madison Goode, a kindergarten at Creel Elementary School in Melbourne. Madison's principal, Kathryn Eward, wants each of her 850 students and their families to learn that love of reading this year.
12/22/2006
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Group's mission is simple, teaching children how to read
Imagine setting out on a venture with predictably huge payoffs, but the journey promises to take years, there are multitudes to recruit, and you won't know whether you've reached your destination until 2011 or 2014.
No, this isn't Columbus rediscovering America, but the real-life mapping of Escambia leaders hoping to discover a brighter, smarter future for our county.
With little fanfare, six groups with some 50 initial citizen recruits have embarked on a mission called ECARE ? Every Child a Reader in Escambia. The lead organizations: Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County, United Way, Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Rotary, Florida Black Chambers of Commerce and the Escambia County School District.
12/14/2006
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Lakeview student wins Just Read, Florida! Contest
When school started this year at Lakeview Middle School, Brianna McCoy couldn't stop talking about her favorite book - Peter and the Starcatchers.
Her contagious enthusiasm for the book by Florida authors Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson impressed her language arts teacher, Jillian Aber.
“Brianna raved about the book Peter and the Starcatchers from the minute she entered my class,” said Aber. “In fact, she was so excited about the book that she gave me an autographed copy of Peter and the Shadow Thieves.”
So when Aber learned that Gov. Jeb Bush had made the book the focus of this year's Just Read, Florida! Reading in the Arts Contest, she encouraged McCoy to enter.
“I knew immediately that with Brianna being involved with the school's Drama Academy and her loving the book so much, she would be a perfect candidate for this contest,” said Aber.
12/14/2006
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Card-carrying readers
SPRING HILL - At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary day in the West Hernando Middle School cafeteria, full of chattering and hurried lunch gobbling.
But there was something off, something - literary.
Dangling around students' necks were book titles. Eleven-year-old Katelyn McDow was advertising Can You Feel the Thunder? while her friend Cynthia McDowell sported The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Who started this reading frenzy? Blame reading teacher Kathy Eppley.
12/6/2006
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READING IN THE ARTS CONTEST WINNERS
ORLANDO – Governor Jeb Bush and First Lady Columba Bush recently announced the winners of the Just Read, Florida! Reading in the Arts Contest, Florida’s Journey into Neverland. The announcement was made during a ceremony at SeaWorld Orlando’s Dolphin Cove on Monday The contest was aimed at middle school students and focused on the book “Peter and the Starcatchers” by Florida author Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.
12/6/2006
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Last year’s FCATs available on state education website
News
Last year’s FCATs available on state education website
Posted-Friday, November 24, 2006 4:09 PM EST Email this story
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Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida Department of Education Commissioner John L. Winn announced the release of eight Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests, or FCATs.
The state is releasing the tests to in an effort to prepare parents and students for 2007’s FCATs.
11/27/2006
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Jeb Bush: My legacy to Florida schools
Gov. Jeb Bush Special to the Sentinel November 12, 2006 Thanks to the hard work of our Florida teachers and the philosophy that every child has the God-given ability to learn, remarkable progress has been made in Florida's schools during the past eight years.
11/16/2006
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Reading aloud benefits all ages
According to the Department of Education Commission on Reading, "Reading aloud to children of all ages is the single most important activity for building knowledge and success" a parent can do for their child.
11/6/2006
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The joy of reading
Oviedo High senior gets rewarded for her dedication to helping third-graders read
By Amy K. D. Tobik | October 26, 2006
Danica Dickinson is not a big fan of video games or television. When she needs to escape from schoolwork or seeks a little adventure in her life, she picks up a good book.
"I've always enjoyed reading and going into another world," Dickinson said with a sparkle in her eye. "There are a whole lot of kids out there who don't realize how beneficial it is and how much fun it can be."
10/26/2006
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AOL Latino Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
AOL Latino expands its role as the home of Latino Hollywood celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at http://tuvida.aol.com/especiales/hispanic-heritage-month/. As part of this initiative, the site will run exclusive interviews from today’s hottest Hispanic talent including Andy Garcia (The Lost City), Cristina Saralegui, Mario Lopez (Dancing with the Stars), Judy Reyes (Scrubs), Amaury Nolasco (Prison Break), Sara Ramirez (Grey’s Anatomy), Carlos Mencia (Comedy Central host), and Ignacio Serricchio (General Hospital), among others.
10/10/2006
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Chancellor Yecke Announces Winners of the Middle School Summer Reading Book Challenge
ORLANDO — K-12 Public Schools Chancellor Cheri Pierson Yecke, Ph.D. today announced the winners of the Chancellor Yecke's Summer Reading Book Challenge. The challenge was the second part of the Shoot for the Stars: A Record Breaking Year for Middle Schools initiative. Students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades competed by reading 15 or more books and writing summaries to enter the qualifying round of the challenge.
10/9/2006
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304,888 students read aloud as one in record try
Middle schoolers across Florida took just two minutes Thursday to smash a Guinness World Record.
And they didn’t have to display freakish feats of strength, cover their bodies in tattoos or sprint at the speed of light.
Students simply sat down and read a book at the same time.
At 11:25 a.m., 304,888 students throughout the state read an excerpt of “Peter and the Starcatchers,” by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.
It won’t be an official record until Guinness certifies the count, but state officials are optimistic Florida will crush the record for most people reading aloud simultaneously in multiple locations. The United Kingdom holds the record with 155,528 students who read the William Wordsworth poem “Daffodils” in 2004.
10/3/2006
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Students take part in Guinness world record attempt
DeLAND -- The cafeteria at Southwestern Middle School was filled with the sound of sixth-graders reading out loud Thursday as the campus joined dozens of others in trying to break a world reading record.
Led by Gov. Jeb Bush, an estimated 300,000 students across Florida joined in the 11:25 a.m. attempt to make it into the Guinness Book of Records. The children watched Bush live on a screen as the event was broadcast and transmitted via Webcast. It was part of the Just Read, Florida! program to encourage students to read more and better.
About 650 students in three locations on the Woodward Avenue campus read an excerpt from Peter and the Starcatchers, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, a "prequel" to the classic Peter Pan.
10/3/2006
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Students' reading is world record attempt
Luis Hernandez’s mom and dad didn’t know he was trying to set a world record.
But on Thursday, after the 11-year-old likely succeeded, he figured it might be time to tell them.
Even though his name is headed for the record books, Luis, a sixth-grader at Bonita Springs Middle School, had a little help.
An estimated 300,000 of his fellow middle-schoolers — students from throughout Florida’s 67 school districts — attempted to break a world record for “Most People Reading Aloud Simultaneously in Multiple Locations.”
10/3/2006
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Middle Schoolers Attempt World Record
Approximately 500 students at Roulhac Middle School joined Governor Jeb Bush and nearly 300,000 middle school students statewide Thursday in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record™ for the "Most People Reading Aloud Simultaneously in Multiple Locations."
The record attempt was aired via a live public broadcast and Webcast from Disney-MGM Studios. Promptly at 10:25 a.m., Governor Bush led the students in reading an excerpt from the book "Peter and the Starcatchers" written by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.
10/2/2006
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Middle schoolers read for record
Summary: DeSoto Middle School hopes to set a Guinness world record for the most people reading aloud simultaneously in multiple locations
DESOTO COUNTY -- On Thursday morning, more than a thousand DMS students gathered in the school cafeteria and other classrooms throughout the school to read a short excerpt from the children's book "Peter and the Starcatchers," by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.
DeSoto Middle School students are hoping to be part of a record-setting event that is aimed at encouraging reading by young people.
The idea was to get as many people together as possible -- in this instance -- middle school students -- throughout the state of Florida and read a literary excerpt aloud all at the same time via a live broadcast.
The goal was to have more than 300,000 students involved in the effort and break the current Guinness World record for Most People Reading Aloud Simultaneously at Multiple Locations
10/2/2006
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Novel idea brings schools together to break record
PALM COAST -- When he has some spare time at home, 11-year-old Kaleb Samets often finds himself flipping through his family's edition of the Guinness World Records, and is impressed with the feats he finds inside.
So naturally, Samets was thrilled to participated in Governor Jeb Bush's attempt to break a Guiness World Record Thursday morning.
Samets, a sixth-grader at Buddy Taylor Middle School, was one of about 2,800 Flagler County middle schoolers -- and 304,000 statewide -- who took part in an effort to create the largest number of students reading aloud together at one time.
10/2/2006
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Students Find Thrill In Reading
Getting a classroom of 20 or so students to read a few paragraphs simultaneously can challenge the best of teachers.
Try getting 1,000 to do it.
On Thursday, that's how many Burnett Middle School students joined children across the state in trying to break the Guinness World Record for the most people reading simultaneously in multiple locations.
The countdown to the Florida Department of Education's "Reading Aloud!" began at five seconds to 11:25 a.m.
10/2/2006
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Students try to read way into record book
Gov. Bush leads state middle schoolers in mass reading event; Guinness must verify.
BY STEPHEN MAJORS
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LAKE BUENA VISTA - There could soon be 300,000 world-record holders in the state of Florida. The vast majority of them haven't even gone to high school yet.
There they were Thursday morning with Gov. Jeb Bush - who dreamed of setting baseball records like Willie Mays but became governor instead - trying to earn placement in the Guinness Book of World Records for the "Most People Reading Aloud Simultaneously in Multiple Locations."
10/2/2006
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Only a few days until Florida middle school students attempt to break a world record
TALLAHASSEE
Principals still have time to sign their schools up for the event! Governor Jeb Bush recently reminded principals and teachers across Florida that there is still time to sign their schools and students up for Breaking a World Record: Reading Aloud!
9/27/2006
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Commissioner Winn Announces 2007-2008 Education Budget Request
TALLAHASSEE — Education Commissioner John L. Winn today announced the 2007-2008 education budget request from the Florida Department of Education — the highest request ever approved by the State Board of Education. The budget request includes $21.1 billion for the K-20 operating budget, a 9.87 percent increase over the current appropriation. The State Board of Education approved the budget during its meeting in Tallahassee yesterday.
9/20/2006
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Governor Bush to Attend Read Together, Florida Kickoff
Governor Jeb Bush will attend the Read Together, Florida event, kicking off the state's third annual reading promotion on Thursday in Tampa.
9/14/2006
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Families Building Better Readers Training
On Thursday, October 12, 2006 and Friday, October 13, 2006, Volunteer Florida will be training educators interested in becoming FBBR field trainers at the Doubletree Hotel, Orlando, across from the entrance to Universal Studios-Florida. Thursday’s training, from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m., will focus on the approach to presenting FBBR to parents of elementary school children. Friday’s training, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., will develop trainers to present Mysteries in the Middle, the middle school version of FBBR.
If you would like to attend the October conference, please visit
http://www.regonline.com/106933
9/13/2006
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National Experts Assess Florida PreK-12 Education
ORLANDO, Fla. — After undertaking a rigorous assessment of Florida’s education policies and programs, the Hoover Institution’s Koret Task Force on K-12 Education presents its findings and recommendations to Governor Jeb Bush on Tuesday, September 12.
9/13/2006
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State Board of Education Member Donna Callaway and Just Read, Florida! Director Evan Lefsky to Visit Fairview Middle School
TALLAHASSEE — State Board of Education Member Donna Callaway and Just Read, Florida! Executive Director Evan Lefsky, Ph.D. tomorrow will visit Fairview Middle School in Tallahassee to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Just Read, Florida!
9/7/2006
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Florida students will try to set Guinness record for reading
LAKE BUENA VISTA - More than 200,000 Florida middle school students will try to break the Guinness World Record for simultaneously reading aloud in multiple locations next month, Gov. Jeb Bush announced Friday.
8/30/2006
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Governor Bush and Commissioner Winn Announce FCAT Reading and Mathematics Results for Third Through Tenth Grades - Students statewide continue to make achievement gains
Governor Jeb Bush and Education Commissioner John L. Winn today announced Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) scores for students in grades 3 through 10. Students at the elementary, middle and high school levels all showed improvement compared to scores in 2001.
8/29/2006
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Governor Bush Announces Florida Middle School Students Attempt to Break a World Record
Governor Jeb Bush today announced that 214,686 middle school students in Florida will attempt to break the Guinness World Record™ in reading for the "Most People Reading Aloud Simultaneously in Multiple Locations." The event, Breaking a World Record: Reading Aloud!, overseen by the Just Read, Florida! office, aims to encourage students to read.
8/25/2006
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Governor Bush to Announce Florida Middle School Students' Attempt to Break World Record
Governor Jeb Bush will hold a press conference in Lake Buena Vista on Friday to announce an attempt by Florida's middle school students to break a world record.
8/24/2006
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Commissioner Winn Announces Top Schools for Making Progress - Schools recognized for improvement during 2005-2006
Education Commissioner John L. Winn today announced the top schools in Florida for making progress in student achievement. Schools recognized for progress were honored for the highest increase in total points for school grades when compared to last year.
8/23/2006
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How to Help Our Students - Building on the 'No Child' Law
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 sent an enormously important message to politicians and educators across America: Stop making excuses for low student achievement and start holding your schools accountable for results.
8/14/2006
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Governor Bush and Lt. Governor Jennings Join Floridians in Saving Money During the 2006 Sales Tax Holiday - Florida celebrates another year of savings on school supplies
Governor Jeb Bush and Lt. Governor Toni Jennings today joined back-to-school shoppers at Target to buy books, clothing and school supplies during this year's sales tax holiday. School items purchased by Governor Bush and Lt. Governor Jennings will be provided to their mentees.
7/24/2006
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Commissioner Winn Announces FCAT Reading Scores Challenge Winner
Education Commissioner John L. Winn today announced Somerset Academy Charter Middle School in Miami-Dade County as the FCAT Reading Scores Challenge winner. The challenge is part of the Shoot for the Stars: A Record Breaking Year for Middle Schools initiative launched in January to encourage academic achievement for middle school students in reading.
7/11/2006
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Governor Bush Attends Fifth Annual Just Read, Florida! Leadership Conference - Governor Bush joined by renowned author and screenwriter Antwone Fisher
Governor Jeb Bush today joined more than 3,500 superintendents, principals, reading coaches and district staff for the fifth annual Just Read, Florida! Leadership Conference. During the three-day conference, state and national leaders, reading experts and guests share reading education strategies and best practices. Governor Bush was also joined today by Florida State Board of Education Chairman Philip Handy, Just Read, Florida! Director Evan Lefsky, Ph.D. and renowned author and screenwriter Antwone Fisher, who shared the importance of literacy and his personal struggle learning to read.
7/10/2006
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Governor Bush and Commissioner Winn Announce 2006 School District Grades - More than one third of Florida school districts earn an "A"
Governor Jeb Bush and Education Commissioner John L. Winn today announced the 2006 grades for Florida's 67 school districts. More than one third, or 36 percent, of districts earned a grade of "A" this past school year. Overall, 24 districts earned an "A" up from 15 last year, 29 a "B" up from 27 last year, and 14 a "C" down from 22 last year. No districts earned a "D" or an "F." Additionally, 23 districts improved one letter grade or more.
6/22/2006
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Governor Bush and Commissioner Winn Announce 2006 School Grades - Florida has more "A" and "B" graded schools than ever before
Governor Jeb Bush and Education Commissioner John L. Winn today announced a record number of Florida schools earned "A" and "B" grades in 2006. Since the implementation of the A+ Plan for Education in 1999, the number of schools earning an "A" or "B" jumped from 515 to 2,074 schools in 2006 — four times the number of high-performing schools seven years ago and 231 more than last year (up from 1,843). Three of every four Florida schools were considered high performing in 2006. Additionally, the number of failing schools is on the decline, down to a fourth of the number of failing schools in 1999.
6/14/2006
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Governor Bush Signs A++ Plan for Education - New reforms bring more rigor and relevance to middle and high school
Governor Jeb Bush today signed House Bill 7087, his A++ Plan for Education, increasing the rigor and relevance of Florida's middle and high schools to better prepare students for postsecondary education and the workforce. The Governor was joined by bill sponsor State Representative Ralph Arza, K-12 Public Schools Chancellor Cheri Pierson Yecke, state and local officials, school administrators and members of the Department of Education High School Reform Task Force.
6/5/2006
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Governor Bush Signs 2006-2007 Budget - Florida's K-20 budget of $23 billion is largest in history
Governor Jeb Bush today signed the FY 2006-2007 budget, allocating a record total of funding for Florida's education. The budget allocates $23 billion for K-20 education, an increase of more than 14 percent compared to the current fiscal year. This year's funding includes an operating budget of $19.1 billion, and a fixed capital outlay budget of $3.9 billion, which includes more than $1.1 billion for facilities to reduce class size.
5/25/2006
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FCAT Summary Reports
Attached you will find the state summary reports for Grades 3 through 10 reading and mathematics FCAT results; and district summary reports for grades 4 through 10 reading and mathematics
5/23/2006
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Commissioner Winn Announces Just Read, Florida! K-12 Recommended Summer Reading List
Commissioner John L. Winn today urged Florida families to share the gift of reading during the summer break by visiting the Just Read, Families! website for a list of recommended books. Research indicates that children who do not continue to read while on vacation risk losing any progress made during the school year.
5/15/2006
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Chancellor Yecke Launches Middle School Summer Reading Book Challenge
K- 12 Public School Chancellor Cheri Yecke today launched Chancellor Yecke's Summer Reading Book Challenge at Garland V. Stewart Middle Magnet School in Tampa. The challenge is the second part of the Shoot for the Stars: A Record Breaking Year for Middle Schools initiative. Students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades will compete to read a minimum of 15 or more books and write summaries to enter the qualifying round of the challenge.
5/11/2006
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Commissioner Winn Announces Top 10 School Districts Closing the Achievement Gap
Education Commissioner John L. Winn today announced the top 10 school districts closing the achievement gap between minority third graders and their white counterparts. The top 10 districts were identified by comparing the increased percentages of districts' African-American and Hispanic students who are reading and demonstrating mathematics skills at or above grade level on the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test compared to the percentage of white students from 2005 to 2006.
5/10/2006
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Governor Bush Announces That Parents Can Now Access Student Scores on the FCAT Parent Network - Innovative website provides parents online access to student FCAT scores
Governor Jeb Bush and Education Commissioner John L. Winn today announced that parents of third and twelfth graders can now view their child's Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) reading and mathematics scores on the Internet. The scores were posted this morning. To view test results, families can log on to the FCAT Parent Network at www.fcatparentnetwork.com. This secure site also includes detailed information on the meaning of the scores and provides resources to improve student performance in the future.
5/3/2006
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Bush praises local FCAT gains
Third-graders at Jefferson Elementary School got the equivalent of a great big hug from Gov. Jeb Bush on Monday as he embraced their reading and math gains.
Releasing Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test third-grade scores, Bush singled out students at this largely minority, rural school for leaping 10 points in one year in FCAT reading - with 63-percent reading at or above grade level. Similarly strong progress was made in third-grade FCAT math at the school, which was labeled last year as failing for earning two "F's" in four years.
5/2/2006
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Collier students see improved scores on FCAT
The Florida Comprehensive Assessement Test is make or break for 3rd and 12 grade students. If a student passes, he or she moves on. If the student doesn't pass, he or she could face another year repeating that grade.
5/2/2006
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Commissioner Winn Announces Top 10 School Districts for Increases in Third Grade Proficiency
Education Commissioner John L. Winn today announced the top 10 school districts exhibiting the greatest one-year increases in third grade reading and mathematics proficiency. The top 10 districts were identified by comparing the percentage of districts' students reading and demonstrating math skills at or above grade level in 2006 to 2005. This year, Liberty County School District led the state with a 16.51-point increase in the percent of third graders reading at or above grade level — up to 85 percent compared to 69 percent in 2005.
5/2/2006
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County third-graders top the state average
Pinellas County third-graders made impressive gains on this year's Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, mirroring a statewide trend and edging out other urban school districts.
5/2/2006
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Dade, state reading scores rise
Third-grade reading scores spiked across the state this year, especially in some of Miami-Dade's persistently struggling schools, according to standardized-test scores released Monday.
5/2/2006
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Governor Bush and Commissioner Winn Announce FCAT Results for 3rd and 12th Grades
Governor Jeb Bush and Education Commissioner John L. Winn today announced that Florida's rising student achievement continues with a record number of third graders reading at or above grade level. Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) results show three-fourths of all Florida third grade students are reading at or above grade level — the largest number in state history.
5/1/2006
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Governor Bush and Commissioner Winn Announce FCAT Results for 3rd and 12th Grades - Record number of third graders reading at or above grade level
Governor Jeb Bush and Education Commissioner John L. Winn today announced that Florida's rising student achievement continues with a record number of third graders reading at or above grade level. Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) results show three-fourths of all Florida third grade students are reading at or above grade level — the largest number in state history.
5/1/2006
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Commissioner Winn Launches Just Read, Florida! "For Teens, by Teens" Recommended Reading List
Commissioner John L. Winn today launched the Just Read, Florida! “For Teens, by Teens” recommended reading list database as part of the Shoot for the Stars: A Record Breaking Year for Middle Schools initiative. Students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades will submit their favorite books online and view recommendations from other students. This database will also be used as part of K-12 Public Schools Chancellor Cheri Pierson Yecke’s Summer Book Reading Challenge, the second contest in the year-long middle school initiative.
4/18/2006
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Getting back to government
On his late-night TV show, Jay Leno walks up to people on the street and asks famously simple questions that elicit famously idiotic answers.
"Who was the first first lady?"
(Answer: Oprah Washington)
"What are the three branches of government?
(Answer: Legislative, judicial and uh ...)
The audience laughs. But the interviews are cautionary tales to educators like Fran Holleran of Charlotte County, who is working to boost civics education in step with movements around the state and nation.
4/10/2006
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Predators on the prowl
Most parents don't knowingly invite sex criminals into their homes to ogle their children, or bullies to harass them.
But in houses where teenagers have Internet access there's a good chance some of those unsavory characters are waiting in the wings hoping for an open invitation.
That's because more teens -- over 7,000 students from Brevard County high schools alone -- have pages on the popular "MySpace" Web site.
4/10/2006
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S. Florida schools confront bullying problem, create programs promoting tolerance
They prey on the girl with glasses and freckles, torment the fat kid in gym, heckle the Jewish boy who eats matzo for lunch during Passover.
Bullies haven't changed. But adults' images of young troublemakers have evolved from the grubby schoolyard misfit to anyone who has enough edge on their child to humiliate him in front of a crowd.
4/10/2006
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Evacuee Students Finding Ways to Fit In
The badge dangling from Sabrina Hernandez's neck identifies her as a Hastings High senior. The oversized button with the smiling picture of Sabrina in her black-and-gold uniform tells you she's a member of the Bears cheerleading squad. As she glides down the crowded concrete halls, nothing about the bubbly 18-year-old in the pink Barbie T-shirt and silver-sequined tennis shoes says "evacuee" or "refugee" or "victim."
4/9/2006
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Message delivered by student helps Bush shape state's budget
Growing up in Lauderhill, Keneshia Grant had a passion for school, community and youth.
Now 22 years old, Grant has continued that enthusiasm for helping others by encouraging Gov. Jeb Bush to rethink his proposed university tuition increase.
4/9/2006
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Reading to babies: recipe for literacy
Amari is 6 months old, 30 inches long and sitting by himself for the first time - in a pediatric exam room in Miami. His father is 20 years old, 6 feet 6 inches, and standing aloof in the corner of the room.
Before his infant check-up, I hand Amari a sturdy children's board book. Amari's eyes light up. He reaches for the book, grasping it in both hands. Ever so gently, curiously, Amari begins to chew on the book. His mother takes the book away. "Don't eat the book!" she says, half-embarrassed.
4/7/2006
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'Virtual school' pilot program clicks with Senate, House panels
When students go to school, they usually have to go to school. That is, walk into a classroom setting, sit down with a teacher and scribble some notes while surrounded by their peers.
The Internet age is changing that, and state lawmakers seem ready to jump on the wagon for good.
4/5/2006
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Miami-Dade school district is finalist for national prize
A prominent education think tank has chosen Miami-Dade as one of the five most-improved urban school districts in the country and named it as a finalist for its annual award.
The Broad Foundation, which began giving the award in 2002, cited the strong improvement of Miami-Dade's poor, black and Hispanic students on math tests, the narrowing achievement gap and the overall high scores of Hispanic students over the last four years.
4/5/2006
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Apopka 8th grader: Holocaust lesson for all
Holocaust is defined as the genocide of European Jews, gypsies and others by the Nazis during World War II. This was the definition our English teacher gave us at the start of our minor study of the Holocaust, a time of suffering, death, overwhelming loss and other terrible things.
However, none of us can truly begin to realize the depth and reality of it all. We live our lives day by day, taking for granted our freedom, never having to experience what millions of people experienced during World War II.
4/4/2006
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State to post FCAT scores for parents on secure Web site
The state plans to begin releasing Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores to parents on a secure Web site for the first time, officials announced Monday.
FCAT paper reports will continue to be delivered to schools, but the Web site will give parents quicker access and include tools to improve student performance and other resources.
4/3/2006
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Educators want storm days made up
No matter how many days a hurricane might blow out of next school year, Palm Beach County students will make them all up, school board members said Wednesday.
"We need to have these kids in school as many days as we can," Tom Lynch said. "I'd like to see us try and account for 180 days."
3/30/2006
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State: Learn to do better
The chairman of Florida's board of education delivered tough criticism of the state's public schools Wednesday in a speech focusing on education reforms.
3/30/2006
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Florida Department of Education Announces New Website to Support Leadership
Education Commissioner John L. Winn today announced the DELTA (Developing Educational Leaders for Tomorrow's Achievers) School Leadership Development Program's new website during the Florida Educational Technology Conference in Orlando. The website is designed to support the professional development needs of school leaders statewide with high-quality training and resources supporting Florida's Principal Leadership Standards.
3/23/2006
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High schools may ask, what's your major?
Lila and Andrew Zoghbi are bored five days a week in classes at Chiles High School.
It's not that they are slackers. In fact, they are honor students with high ambitions. Lila, 15, plans to be an engineer, and her brother
3/23/2006
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School official shows benefits of adding hour to sched
Brianne Frazier is a fourth-grader who has been to four schools, but Burns-Oak Hill Elementary is the first place she has studied an extra hour every day.
"It's the best school I've ever been to. I'm making mostly A's and some B's," she said.
Brianne said she doesn't mind the extra hour of class that represents the elementary school's Plus One program. That plus is the extra hour added to the school day to give teachers more time to concentrate on subjects
3/23/2006
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Schools Work On Preparedness For Avian Flu Outbreak
Hurricanes, terrorist attacks and now bird flu.
School officials across the country are being asked by federal officials to shore up preparations for a possible outbreak of avian flu, specifically the deadly H5N1 strain that has spread around the globe since 2003.
3/23/2006
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State Board of Education approves newly revised draft of the Reading/Language Arts Standards
The Florida Department of Education is currently conducting a review of the Sunshine State Standards in Language Arts. The Sunshine State Standards delineate what students should know and be able to do for success in the 21st century as well as the learning for which the state holds students and schools accountable. The initial revision of the Language Arts Standards is now available for review and stakeholder input.
3/23/2006
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Winn: State's E-Comp' Plan a valid way to reward teachers
Writers at The Palm Beach Post seem opposed to an idea that rewards teachers for being successful at the primary mission of their profession - educating students ("Winn's merit' pay plan too reliant on the FCAT," Feb. 16 editorial, and "Think of the FCAT as a bonus," March 4 Stebbins Jefferson column). The Department of Education's Effectiveness Compensation, or E-Comp, Plan will give teachers bonuses for increasing student learning.
Since 2002, school districts have been required to pay outstanding teachers a bonus. While some districts did a good job recognizing and rewarding teachers, few actually recognized individual teachers for outstanding performance as the law requires. Every teacher - no matter the grade taught, no matter the learning level of the student, no matter the subject - will be eligible based on increasing student learning gains.
3/23/2006
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Teachers pursue certification
The Wakulla County School District is leading the way with the highest percentage of national board-certified teachers in the state, Superintendent David Miller said.
There are almost 300 teachers in the district. Thirty are national board-certified with The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, which is the highest credential in the teaching profession.
3/20/2006
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Gov. Bush has it right: Teach well, reap rewards
The Feb. 27 article "New state rules on bonuses rile teachers, worry school budgeters" said that "teachers said any new money should be used to boost salaries across the board." What teachers? I don't see any attribution affixed to that statement. A great number of us in teaching don't agree with that sentiment. That is why I, and many other teachers in Florida, applaud Gov. Bush for his commitment to make certain that I have the best of both worlds — a career I love with competitive compensation.
3/18/2006
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The rundown on E-Comp
Ater reading recent news articles, editorials and letters to the editor, it's easy to understand why so many people are concerned about the Department of Education's E-Comp Plan to give teachers bonuses. There seems to be some confusion about what E-Comp will do for teachers, school districts, and, most importantly, students.
3/18/2006
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The foundation for learning develops in the first five years
Children, parents and teachers in our community are breathing a sigh of relief now that statewide FCAT testing has been completed. Shortly, we will see how our children rank in terms of their knowledge of the questions asked, and we will use the results as a litmus test of the ability of teachers and the education system to get kids ready to respond correctly to those questions.
However, the real litmus test is how we, as parents and as a community, helped kids get ready when we really
3/16/2006
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One child, one adult, one success story-YMCA Reads Program helps students improve
The child has a perplexed look on her face as she concentrates on the printed page before her.
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The adult leans down to murmur something into the child's ear and points to each letter in the word in question. The child carefully sounds out each letter and then grins as she pronounces the entire word correctly.
3/13/2006
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Reading Comprehension, High Stakes Testing, and Subject-Verb Linkage: A Mnemonics-Centered Perspective
Reading comprehension, with over a million internet hits each day, continues to vex both American test takers and test designers, to the degree that NCLB should really be called No Reader Left Behind
3/13/2006
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Blackboard Bungle: Why California Kids Can't Read
Rebecca, a tiny ponytailed second-grader, sits in class at a Westside gradeschool that is among the best in Los Angeles. She is contemplating her personal journal, the latest classroom rage for teaching kids to read. She toils with a pencil, filling a page with her crooked sentences, then proudly hands the work to me, a visitor. "I can't spell," Rebecca says shyly, "but I know what it means."
3/10/2006
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GOVERNOR BUSH APPLAUDS GUBERNATORIAL FELLOW SELECTED BY USA TODAY TO THE 2006 ALL-USA COLLEGE ACADEMIC FIRST TEAM
Governor Jeb Bush today applauded Darius Graham, a member of the Gubernatorial Fellows Program, for being named by USA Today to the 2006 All-USA College Academic First Team. Graham was selected from more than 600 nominees in the 17th annual undergraduate recognition program.
3/8/2006
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In his last year as governor, Jeb Bush aims to ensure his many achievements stand up to the test of time
He stormed into office with the promise to pursue his self-proclaimed "Big Hairy Audacious Goals."
Seven years later, with the help of a Republican Legislature awed by his political clout, Jeb Bush has accomplished much of what he set out to do.
But don't assume he's finished
3/5/2006
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Key FCAT begins Monday
Friday was something of a Mardi Gras in Lee schools — parties and pep rallies and good-luck celebrations.
That's because Monday begins the most intense two weeks of the academic year — the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests, or FCATs.
3/5/2006
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