News for Superintendents and Board Members: June 22, 2006
Summer Programs
IU1 is off to a busy summer. The Summer School Program for high school students in Fayette County began in early June at the Educational Campus at Colonial School. We are offering sections of English (9-12th grade), Math (General, Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry), Science (Biology and Physical Science), and History (World Cultures and American History/Civics) and Physical Education. Currently, there are 241 students enrolled in the summer school program.
Also, we are offering an Online Summer School for all of our school districts. We have 43 students from 10 IU1 school districts registered for 15 different courses. This is the second summer that we have offered high school credit courses online. We are working to develop and use these courses during the regular school year as well through the KITS regional wide area network.
The Summer Correspondence School managed through the Non-Public Schools program started this week as well. There are 180 elementary aged students involved in this six-week program. Students receive weekly work packets to complete in the areas of math and language arts. Once completed, students return the packets and our teachers review the work and provide feedback to students. This highly successful program provides students with the opportunity to maintain their skills during the summer vacation period.
ESL services are also being offered to 30 students this summer. This program is a part of the Title III services to be provided for English language Learners in grades K-12.
The Extended School Year program managed through our Special Education Department began June 28, 2006. The ESY program will serve 302 school aged students with disabilities.
We began the summer schedule of courses for teachers last week. We are hosting 610 course or workshop sessions this summer. Year to date we have had 10,371 registrations in our course for credit and other workshop activities.
Benedum Grants
IU1 has been awarded two additional grants from the Benedum foundation for a total of $88,000. These grants will enable us to extend our 4Sight Benchmark assessment initiative that began last year. We will pilot the new assessments with 2,500 ninth to eleventh grade students through the first grant. The second grant will enable us to extend the robotics curriculum to include engineering concepts and principles.
Central Office Paving Project
Phase two of the paving process for our parking lot will began on June 23rd. The current asphalt surface moved or flexed under the weight of the repair equipment during phase 1. This was caused by an inadequate base course. Consequently, additional work needs to be completed. The project engineer, Chad Stafford of McMillan Engineering, has overseen the change orders and modifications to the original bid specifications.
KITS RWAN
At the Intermediate Unit 1 Superintendents' Advisory Council on Tuesday, June 27, 2006, superintendents, technology coordinators, and curriculum coordinators participated in a demonstration on the KITS regional wide area network at California University. They participated in a video conference with the MAGPI group from the University of Pennsylvania. The MAGPI team along with our partners at Montgomery County IU 23 provided an overview of Internet2 and the role that MAGPI plays in coordinating I2 activities. Additionally, group went on a virtual field trip to the Cleveland Museum of Art to demonstrate the capabilities of the I2 connection and the activities in which teachers and students can participate. In the vernacular of our students, the virtual field trip was "cool beans".
Presentation of Plaque to Joanne Brookover
The executive director presented Mrs. Brookover with a plaque commemorating her IU1 board of directors presidency. Mr. Ed Yorke was elected IU1 Board president for the 2006-07 operational year. Mrs. Francine Pavone will serve as Vice President and Mr. Richard Krause will serve as Treasurer.
