Oklahoma HSTW Updates

UPDATE

SECOND 2008 BEST PRACTICES NEWSLETTER ANNOUNCED
Integration is the theme of the Second 2008 BEST PRACTICES NEWSLETTER announced by Gene Bottoms. The second of a series of eight Best Practices newsletters is now available online. These newsletters describe best practices presented at the 2008 HSTW Staff Development Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

The focus of the second newsletter is revealed in its title: Integrated Academic and Career/Technical Learning Shows Real-Life Applications of Education. The newsletter includes vignettes about schools that are effectively integrating academic and career/technical (CT) studies to help more students find meaning in their learning and to motivate students to make great effort to achieve.

You are encouraged to share this newsletter with school staff (including academic and career/technical teachers), community and business members, parents and students. You can use these newsletters as focal points for conversation at faculty and teacher team meetings. To access this newsletter, click on this link: http://www.sreb.org/programs/hstw/publications/2008/08SummerConferenceNewsletter.asp

You will also find the newsletter by going to the SREB Web site at http://www.sreb.org/. Click on the High Schools That Work tab at the top of the page and then click on Publications and Materials in the side panel. When that page appears, click on the heading, "Newsletters of Best Practices from the 2008 HSTW Staff Development Conference."

As you examine practices other schools are implementing, you are encouraged to work with your staff to identify a practice to effectively integrates academic and CT studies that your school can share at the 2009 HSTW Staff Development Conference. Programs are particularly being looked for that have evidence that integrating academic and CT studies results in greater student motivation and improved achievement ­ in both academic areas and in technical content and procedures.

Between now and December, watch for e-mail announcements of more Online Newsletters of Best Practices. If you would like to add anyone to our announcement list about the newsletters, please send names, titles, schools, locations and e-mail addresses to Leonard Gatungo at leonard.gatungo@sreb.org. If you do not want to receive further announcements, please notify Leonard.

COMING SOON Online 2008 Best Practices Newsletter #3:
"Reading and Writing Are Essential Skills for All Educational and Career Pathways"


GRANTS

Music Matters Grants – Feb 04, 2009 deadline

Source: The Muzak Heart and Soul Foundation
The Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation’s mission is to support and redefine music education. Through music education, a child can better achieve his/her full potential and stimulate personal and educational growth.

Music Matters Grants for 2009 will focus on educational reform in school music programs and independent music programs. Grants will be awarded in April 2009 (money will be distributed by October 2009), to schools and music programs throughout the United States. Grant amounts for this cycle are between $1,000-$12,000 each and are made on an annual one-time basis.


Education, Community, and Medicine/Health Grants - March 06, 2009 deadline

Source: RGK Foundation
RGK Foundation awards grants in the broad areas of Education, Community, and Medicine/Health. The Foundation's primary interests within Education include programs that focus on formal K-12 education (particularly mathematics, science and reading), teacher development, literacy, and higher education.

Within Community, the Foundation supports a broad range of human services, community improvement, abuse prevention, and youth development programs. Human service programs of particular interest to the Foundation include children and family services, early childhood development, and parenting education. The Foundation supports a variety of Community Improvement programs including those that enhance non-profit management and promote philanthropy and voluntarism. Youth development programs supported by the Foundation typically include after-school educational enrichment programs that supplement and enhance formal education systems to increase the chances for successful outcomes in school and life. The Foundation is also interested in programs that attract female and minority students into the fields of mathematics, science, and technology.

The Foundation's current interests in the area of Medicine/Health include programs that promote the health and well-being of children, programs that promote access to health services, and Foundation-initiated programs focusing on ALS.

Although there are no geographic restrictions to the Foundation's grantmaking program, the Foundation no longer accepts unsolicited requests for international agencies or programs. While the Foundation occasionally awards grants for operating expenses, capital campaigns, endowments, and international projects, such grants are infrequent and usually initiated by the Foundation. Multiyear grants are rare; most grants are awarded for a one-year period. Click here to view listing of recent grants awarded by the Foundation.



FOR TEACHERS

Scholarships

College Scholarships – due March 12, 2009
Source: Horace Mann Educators Corporation
Horace Mann is dedicated to serving the needs of the educational community. The Horace Mann Companies is offering $30,000 in scholarships for public and private school K-12 educators to take college courses.

In May 2009, The Horace Mann Companies will announce the recipients. One recipient will receive $5,000 in scholarship funds payable over four years, and fifteen other recipients will receive $1,000 each in scholarship funds payable over two years. Twenty additional recipients will each receive one-time $500 awards. Scholarship money will be paid directly to each recipient's college or university for tuition, fees and other educational expenses.

Scholarship applicants will be judged on a written essay and school and community activities. Financial need is not a consideration, but applicants who have all educational expenses paid through other scholarships and/or grants are ineligible


Awards

Astronauts Memorial Foundation - January 16, 2009 deadline
Source: Astronauts Memorial Foundation (AMF) in partnership with the Space Foundation and NASA: Alan Shepard Technology In Education Award
There is a continuing effort to recognize outstanding contributions by K-12 educators and District level personnel in the field of Educational Technology. The Astronauts Memorial Foundation (AMF) in partnership with the Space Foundation and NASA is pleased to present the Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award. The Award recognizes outstanding contributions made by technology personnel or classroom teachers to technology education.

The Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award rewards excellence in the development and delivery of technology programs. Programs which focus on aerospace and/or aeronautics will be given priority to other programs. Applicants must demonstrate how their programs ultimately benefit the students in a school or district.


RESOURCES

Did you notice these articles in previous blog postings? Scroll down on the Blog to the June 17, 2008 entry in the “Professional Development” and “Student Opportunities” sections for all the information about these topics.

Involve The Community To Change College-Going Cultures
Community involvement is an important factor to sustain a college-going message and change the behaviors of students.

Are Wired Kids Well Served By Schools?
Many teens are hyper-motivated with special skills to create podcasts, directing YouTube videos, or publishing a website.

Encourage Teen Writing Through Blogging
Research shows that teen bloggers write more frequently both online and offline. Use this interest to enrich classrooms.

Environmentally Green Schools
Is Your School Clean? Ok, But Is It Green Clean? What a great science project for students.


PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2 Million Minutes
This You Tube video about the 2 million minutes our students have during high school is only 3 minutes long. It compares attitudes and activities of 6 students in the United States, India and China. View it with your staff to start a discussion about the global competion our students face.