February 28, 2011

Team,

We have a busy week before us. I hope to see all of you on Wednesday at the Community Celebration of Education. It’s time we talk about what’s right with our system in Kuna!

Have a great week!

Celebration of Our Superheros!

If you have a celebration that you'd like to share, we encourage you visit our news web site and select the "Rumors, Questions and Feedback" tab. Congratulations to the following amazing members of the Kuna School District:

 

• Congratulations to Transportation Supervisor Linda Braswell who has decided to retire after dedicating 26 years to ensuring that students in the Kuna School District are safely transported to and from school. A retirement celebration will be held on March 25. More information will be available soon regarding the details of the celebration.

• Thanks to LuAnn Newton and Sherrie Bosserman for leading KSD students in the Southwest Regional Invention Convention at Boise State. Congratulations to the following students who placed in the competition:

Ribbons:

- 1st place, Working Models, Austyn Weber: BackPack Trolley

- 3rd place, Adaptations, Casey Robinson and JoJo Byington, Ross Elementary: Super Cool Sunglasses

- 1st Place, Jules Verne, Christopher Kulin, Kuna Middle School and Ross Elementary: Easy Mind

- 2nd Place, Jules Verne, Wyatt Allen: Laser Remote Locator

- 3rd Place, Jules Verne, Nathyn Kormylo, Ross Elementary: Cerebral Cinema

- 1st Place, Games, Catherine Jarvis and Anjie Ihde, Ross Elementary: Bibleology,

- 2nd Place, Games, Riley Merithew, Reed Elementary: Amazing Mall Adventure

Best in Category, Plaques:

- Working Model, Mason Roberts, Ross Elementary: Wooly Warm,

- Non-Working Model, Abby Nielson, Reed Elementary: Colorful Ponytail Earrings

- Games, Brianna Toddy, Ross Elementary: Sign Language Teacher

• The following comment was submitted by parent Cindy Titus:

“Dear Principal Rognlie,

I just wanted to drop you a note of thanks for all you do to make Hubbard such a great school. You have exceptional Teachers, office personnel, etc., especially Mrs. Stimpson. Katie is so devoted and really cares for all the kids. She gives so much and is so patient with Taylor and I. Her love and logic teaching is so valuable and a great asset. You both have continually helped Dan and I to be better parents to Taylor. You are wonderful people with special talents and I am so grateful and thankful for you.”

• The following appreciation was submitted by KHS science teacher Angela Hemmingway:

“I approached BSU last spring when I realized budget cuts were imminent. BSU’s Concurrent Credit Coordinator Fabiola Juarez-Coco asked me to submit our year-long budget needs - over $3,000 of materials! I had hoped for partial funding, but FULL funding was received in July and materials were purchased in August for the regular curriculum. As we were moving toward our state STEM fair, my Biology 191 (AP Bio) kids were requesting items that were not in the original funding. I once again approached Fabiola who was able to get an additional $1,100 for our kids! This funding is critical to not only the success of my class, but many of these students are in multiple science and/or ag classes. The projects that they are creating, in many cases, will become not only KHS Science Expo projects, but also state science competition projects and hopefully a major component of their senior project! Our kids are doing some AMAZING research and due to the generous funding of BSU, it is possible!”

Updates

• Community Education Celebration to be held on March 2 at Kuna High School

The Kuna Education Association is hosting a community celebration of public education in the Commons at Kuna High School on Wednesday, March 2, from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The celebration will provide all community members and educators with the opportunity to celebrate public education. Speakers will celebrate influential teachers and student achievement gains. Additionally, attendees will have opportunities to learn more about recent education legislation. Those interested in providing celebrations of public education can do so by attending the community event, by visiting the Kuna School District’s website at news.kunaschools.org or by contacting KEA President Josh Noteboom at 870-6118.

• Study Circle on March 3 to Discuss Supplemental Levy

The Kuna School District is hosting a Community Information Night and Study Circle to discuss the possibility of asking voters for a new supplemental levy. The meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the Kuna High School Commons on Thursday, March 3. The district is currently operating with a two-year, $1.1 million per year supplemental levy that voters approved in May 2009. This levy will expire at the end of this school year. The money from the levy mitigated drastic cuts to programs due to a significant reduction in revenue because of state cutbacks to education. District officials want input from the community before considering the possibility of putting a new supplemental levy on the May ballot. School Board Trustees will vote on whether to put a levy on the May ballot at the March 8 School Board meeting.

• Timeline for Elementary Staffing

When	What
Today	Phase 1 Silver Trail staffing dicision announced to applicants.
No later than March 1	In-building transfers openings announced and placed.
No later than March 3	Phase 2 transfer process emailed to teachers.
March 7	Phase 2 transfer forms due to the district office.
March 10	Phase 2 staffing decided.
TBD	Phase 3 remaining eligible transfers process emailed to teachers, if needed.

• Professional Development Opportunities

What’s Education For? March 12, 8:00 – 3:30

Boise State Writing Project Director Jeff Willhelm will present what the Common Core Standards and the Senior Project mean for Idaho’s Teachers, K-12. The cost is $20 and includes lunch and materials.

For more information and a complete agenda, please check out the following site: http://bswproject.com

Mathematical Thinking for Instruction (MTI)

• MTI Credits

The State is no longer paying for MTI credits. Because of a small grant we received this year, we will be able to pay for these credits in full or offset the costs of the credits for educators who attend and successfully complete the required MTI training this spring. If you will be attending the 4-8 MTI course to be held in Kuna on Wednesdays (4:30-9:00) March 9, 16, 23 April 6, 13 Saturdays (8:30-4:30) March 19 and April 9, Wendy will work with the instructor to arrange payment for credit. If you will be attending an MTI class at another location this spring, please let Wendy know before the course begins. Depending on how much money we have remaining after spring courses, we may be able to financially assist with summer course credits as well.

• Summer MTI Courses

Summer course schedule will be posted to the MTI website on March 15. Registration will open on April 4. The registration link can be located at the following URL: http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/math/mti.htm

• Mathematical Thinking for Instruction (MTI) Follow-Up Opportunities

The following website has information about MTI follow-up opportunities:http://tinyurl.com/MTIfollowup . Newly added are two follow-up courses, each worth one credit as well as a workshop on middle school assessment. If you're interested in attending, just contact the person listed with the class.

• Grant Opportunities

CapEd Teacher Grants

Deadline: ongoing October – April

CapEd is offering a grant program is an effort to help teachers and students explore additional educational opportunities they might not otherwise enjoy. Each month during the school year (Oct - Apr), CapEd awards outstanding teachers with grants to pay for programs, materials, field trips, or special projects for the students in their classrooms. $2,250 is awarded monthly, with a $750 maximum per individual grant. To apply or to learn more, visit http://www.capedfcu.org/resources/teacher-grants/. Only teachers in certain regions of the state are eligible.

IEA Cold Hard Cash Awards

Deadline: ongoing

The Idaho Education Association is offering Cold Hard Cash awards for Idaho classrooms. The IEA will draw eight winners each month from September through May. Each winner will receive $50 to be used to upgrade his/her classroom. The entry form is available at http://idahoea.org/explore-iea/cold-hard-cash/. Just click on the "Cold Hard Cash" icon and submit your completed form. If your name is drawn, you will receive a check from IEA to use in your classroom. If you don’t win, your name will be placed in the drawing for the next month. Please note: Only "New Teachers” (those in their first through fifth year of teaching) are eligible to win.

Healthy Schools Competitive Foods Grant

Deadline: March 14, 2011

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare’s Physical Activity and Nutrition program is providing an opportunity for all Idaho school districts to apply for $2,000 - $10,000 mini-grants to participate in the “Healthy Schools Competitive Foods” pilot project. The goal of the pilot project is to help schools prepare for the standards that will be required by The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Recently signed into law, the Act includes several strategies to influence healthy food choices, including a focus on competitive foods in schools. Competitive foods are considered to be any foods and beverages offered at schools that fall outside of the meals and snacks served through the federally reimbursed school lunch, breakfast and after-school snack programs. Under the Act, the USDA will be creating nutrition standards for competitive foods in schools that all schools will be required to adopt and implement.

INL STEM Classroom Grants

Deadline: March 31, 2011

The Idaho National Laboratory is now accepting applications for its Mini Grant and Extreme Classroom Makeover Grant programs. Teachers at Idaho public and private elementary, middle and high schools are eligible to apply for the grants, which are designed to boost science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) instruction. INL’s Mini Grant program provides teachers up to $2,000 to fund STEM-related technology or lab equipment, material for special projects, or professional development. INL also is awarding two $10,000 Extreme Classroom Makeover grants to support instructional resources, materials and laboratory equipment used to integrate STEM concepts across all disciplines. To submit an application, go to www.inl.gov and click on “Education.”

Rumor Mill

Have You Heard a Rumor and Want to Know the Answer? Post your question at KSD News!It is easy for rumors to get started in light of all the questions and concerns employees and parents have regarding the future of the Kuna School District. If you've heard a rumor that you'd like to get an "official" response on, we encourage you to visit news web site. Select the "Rumors, Questions and Feedback" tab.

In last week’s update, we erroneously reported that boxed salads were available to employees. This is not the case for our employees who work at elementary schools. The Child Nutrition Dept. still makes a limited number of box salads at KHS and KMS that are available on a first come, first serve basis.

Question: ....I would like to know who to contact or how to ask to take out the rule that all treats have to be store purchased. I think we should be able to have handmade treats also.

Answer: ....The requirement that treats brought to schools be store-made instead of handmade was put into effect many years ago primarily for the safety of students. Students have life-threatening allergies to some ingredients. By labeling all of the ingredients, it allows teachers to effectively monitor the treats for students with such allergies. Additionally, stores have health standards for cleanliness and are regularly inspected while homes are not required to maintain the same standards.