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Lex. KY - October 16, 2007
The Fayette Education Foundation today awarded grants totaling $100,000 to eight Fayette County Public Schools to help provide after school programs, computers, software and additional staff to work with struggling students.
“These schools have proposed innovative ways to build students’ capacity to learn and remove barriers to success,” said Leslie Fannin, Fayette Education Foundation chair. “Our hope is that the programs not only will improve student learning at these schools but also be models of success that can be replicated throughout the school system.”
The grants help sustain the school district’s community 2020 Vision project, which studied proven ways to build children’s capacity to learn and identified barriers to learning. In addition, the grants reward innovative programs that support the foundation’s goals of closing the achievement gaps and raising overall student achievement.
The eight schools to receive funding from the Fayette Education Foundation are:
“The Fayette Education Foundation is a great partner with the Fayette County Public Schools,” said Fayette Schools Superintendent Stu Silberman. “They continue to help our schools raise student achievement and close gaps at the same time. We are so thankful for all these community leaders do to help our kids!”
There were an additional 13 requests totaling almost $325,000 in grant requests that the foundation was unable to fund.
In 2006, Lansdowne Elementary, Yates Elementary, Winburn Middle, Crawford Middle and Bryan Station High were the first recipients of 2020 Vision grants.
FAYETTE EDUCATION FOUNDATION RECOGNIZES, REWARDS ACHIEVEMENT IN FOUR SCHOOLS
Lex., KY - May 29, 2007
The Fayette Education Foundation today awarded $5,000 each to four schools for their success in narrowing the achievement gap while raising overall student performance.
Large crowds of students and faculty at Rosa Parks Elementary School, Picadome Elementary School, Maxwell Spanish Immersion Magnet Elementary and Morton Middle School cheered the news that their success would mean additional funds to help continue their outstanding work in raising student achievement.
“Our goal is to get all kids to proficiency and to close our achievement gaps,” Fayette County Schools Superintendent Stu Silberman said. “When we have an organization like the Fayette Education Foundation recognizing schools for positive movement in this direction, it accelerates our progress! We are so grateful to the foundation for all it is doing to help our kids.”
For the third consecutive year, the foundation rewarded schools that have narrowed more than 80 percent of existing achievement gaps; earned an academic index of 70 or higher on the Commonwealth Accountability and Testing System (CATS); and either posted at least a 10-point gain in reading or math, or have reading and math scores above 90. At the middle and high school level, schools must narrow at least 75 percent of existing achievement gaps to be recognized.
Maxwell Elementary posted an overall score of 99.9 on CATS, earned a reading score of 101.8 and a math score of 108.8 while narrowing all existing achievement gaps.
It was a record year for Morton Middle School, where students earned an overall score of 97.4 – a school best – and also posted the school’s highest-ever reading and math scores of 109.6 and 96.3, respectively. There was also great movement on narrowing achievement gaps with the most significant improvements on the race gap in math and the reading gap between students with disabilities and their non-disabled peers.
Overall on CATS, Picadome Elementary had a score of 94.6, with a reading score of roughly 91 and a math score of nearly 108. The school dramatically reduced achievement disparities among groups of students, and completely eliminated both its gender gap in math and its race gap in reading.
Rosa Parks Elementary beat 100 for the first time, with an overall CATS index of 103.8, a reading score of 107.7 and a math score of 116.5. Progress on achievement disparities included closure on all existing gaps.
In 2005 and 2006, two schools achieved the required benchmarks each year. In 2007, the number of schools receiving awards doubled.
“The foundation believes that a strong education system is fundamental to a successful community,” Chairman Stephen R. Byars said. “We must continually work to provide innovative and enhanced learning opportunities for all children.
“It’s not just an issue for the school system. It’s the responsibility of the entire community. And I’m pleased to report that the community is stepping up to the challenge.”
The Fayette Education Foundation achieved its initial goal of raising $1 million ahead of schedule, and it continues to raise money for innovative, successful programs that can be replicated throughout the school district.
Previous schools that have received the award are Cassidy Elementary School and Jessie Clark Middle School in 2006; and James Lane Allen and Veterans Park Elementary Schools in 2005.
FAYETTE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS RECEIVE PROGRAM GRANTS
Lex., KY - November 20, 2006
A big yellow school bus, with members of the Fayette Education Foundation Board and a few of the organization's major sponsors, today visited five Fayette County public schools to drop off very special deliveries -- a total of $100,000 in grants for school projects.
"These grants are going to very special programs that will help these schools close achievement gaps and raise overall student achievement," said Steve Byars, chair of the Foundation. "It's very exciting to have the opportunity to support the innovative work of our schools." The grants will fund arts programs, instructional after-school clubs, technology, individualized instruction, and student progress measurement.
The five winning programs were chosen from a total 16 proposals that were submitted by local schools. Foundation board members and school administrators reviewed the proposals and chose the winning entries. Decisions were, in part, based on the programs' adherence to Vision 2020 recommendations, as adopted by the Fayette County Board of Education, and to the goals of the Foundation.
The grants are:
Lansdowne Elementary School - $15,000
Lansdowne envisions an after-school arts program for third, fourth and fifth graders. Local artists will provide instruction in instrumental music, drama or dance.
Yates Elementary School - $15,000
Yates plans an extended-day enrichment program through school clubs. Clubs will have a research-based, instructional focus in art, drama, dance, science, chess music, writing and more. The program will continue through the school year.
Winburn Middle School - $25,000
Winburn will purchase 15 laptop computers and reading software for a mobile lab. The goal is to give students increased access to a software program called “Read & Write, Gold,” allowing time to compose and edit portfolio pieces. The mobile lab also provides increased access to IMMEX (Interactive Multi Media exercises) software. IMMEX encourages students to employ problem-solving skills to solve real-life situations.
Crawford Middle School – $20,000
Crawford will target reading, writing and math skills with the purchase of the “Plato Achieve Now” curriculum, a teacher-led, individualized learning plan. Students participate in interactive learning opportunities.
Bryan Station High School - $25,000
This grant designs a pre-K, through 16-curriculum instruction and assessment framework for the Bryan Station feeder pattern. The program includes Bryan Station High School feeder schools and representatives from higher education and the world of work outside of the public school system. Funds will be used to purchase professional development materials, to pay for substitute teachers as needed and stipends for teachers to analyze and discuss student work/progress and instructional implications and for consultation services to help guide program development.
The Fayette Education Foundation was initiated in 2003 by a group of community leaders to work in partnership with the Fayette County Public Schools to help close achievement gaps and raise overall student achievement. The Foundation board is comprised of business and civic leaders whose passion is to work together to help the Fayette County Public Schools reach world-class status for the benefit of all students now and in the future.
“The Fayette Education Foundation has become a tremendous asset to the school system,” said Stu Silberman, Superintendent, Fayette County Public Schools. “Our goals are congruent, which makes them a great motivator for raising academic achievement and closing achievement gaps. On behalf of all of our schools, I want to publicly thank them for their outstanding efforts."
Thank You to the Following Leaders for going "Back to School"
Lex., KY - September 20, 2006
| Name | Company | School |
| Alan Stein | Lexington Legends | Henry Clay High |
| Arnold Gaither | Mayor's Training Center | Mary Todd Elementary |
| Arthur Salomon | Salomon Group | Lafayette High |
| Bill Meck | WLEX-TV | Tates Creek Elementary |
| Brent Boyd | Phoenix Advertising | Edythe J. Hayes Middle |
| Chef Rene' Baril | Lexington Legends | Southside Technical Center |
| Chief Anthany Beatty | LFUCG | Athens-Chilesburg Elementary |
| Chief Robert Hendricks | Lexington Fire Department (sponsored) | James Lane Allen |
| Christa Marrillia | Keeneland Association, Inc. | Julia R. Ewan Elementary |
| Cliff Feltham | Kentucky Utilities | Booker T. Washington Academy |
| Dave Baker | WKYT | Paul Laurence Dunbar |
| David Daniel | Kentucky Utilities | Veterans Park Elementary |
| David O'Bryan | Moore Stephens Potter, LLP | Maxwell Elementary |
| David Owen | Greenbaum Doll and McDonald (sponsored?) | School for the Creative and Performing Arts |
| Dr. Deb Besser | University of Kentucky | Bryan Station Middle |
| Denis Guiliani | Lexmark International, Inc. | Tates Creek High |
| Dennis Anderson | Anderson Communities | Linlee Elementary |
| Dermontti Dawson | Dermontti Dawson PRO Foundation | Leestown Middle |
| Don Hudson | WTVQ-TV | Ashland Elementary |
| Donna Murphy | BCTCS (sponsored) | Southern Middle |
| Dr. Debora Hamilton | Lexington Clinic | Glendover Elementary |
| Gary Bello | entreprenuer | Rosa Parks |
| Gary Detraz | Citigroup Smith-Barney Investments | Picadome Elementary |
| Greg Survant | Lexmark International, Inc. | Johnson Elementary |
| Jessica Green | Keeneland Association, Inc. | Russell Cave Elementary |
| Jim Gray | Gray Construction | Breckinridge Elementary |
| Jim Newberry | Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP | Meadowthorpe Elementary |
| John Cohen | UK Baseball Coach | Cassidy Elementary |
| Kathy Hilliard | Lexmark International, Inc. | Northern Elementary |
| Kevin Goffinet | Lexmark International, Inc. | Clays Mill |
| Kimberly Solsbury | Commerce Lexington | Arlington Elementary |
| Kip Cornett | Cornett Integrated Marketing Solutions | Garden Springs Elementary |
| Kriss Johnson | Lexington Herald-Leader | Squires Elementary |
| Kristi Runyon | WTVQ-TV | Cardinal Valley Elementary |
| Leigh Anne Florence | Booker T. Washington Academy | |
| Lesley Keller | Central Bank | Dixie Elementary |
| Leslie Fannin | Chase | Julius Marks Elementary |
| Lisa Smith | Columbia Gas | Lansdowne Elementary |
| Lynn Hudgins | Junior Achievement | Millcreek Elementary |
| Mark Pimentel | WTVQ-TV | Eastside Technical Center |
| Marlene Helm | Retired Educator | Deep Springs Elementary |
| Mayor Teresa Isaac | LFUCG | Bryan Station High |
| Megan Newquist | WTVQ-TV | Southern Elementary |
| Monica Hall | United Way of the Bluegrass | Yates Elementary |
| Nick Rowe | Kentucky American Water | Winburn Middle |
| P.G. Peeples | Urban League | Martin Luther King Academy |
| Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo | General Assembly | Bryan Station High |
| Rev. C.B. Akins | First Baptist Bracktown | Harrison Elementary |
| Rob Hymas | Lexmark International, Inc. | Stonewall Elementary |
| Shari Fiveash | Commerce Lexington | Lexington Traditional Magnet School |
| Todd Ball | The Bristol Group | Beaumont Middle |
| Tonya Jackson | Lexmark International, Inc. | Crawford Middle |
To Read More and see the Pictures:
http://www.fcps.net/current/BackToSchool.asp?Photo=BTS _Chef.jpg
Community Leaders go "Back To School "
Lex., KY - August 18, 2006
The Fayette Education Foundation is sponsoring a community involvement campaign to highlight all the great things our kids learn every day at our Fayette County Public Schools. We have set aside a half day, September 12th, 2006, for our community leaders to go “Back to School and lead a class, be a speaker on a particular topic or area of expertise, teach a lesson, read a book (for the younger students), demonstrate a skill, etc.
We guarantee that you will enjoy the “Back to School” experience and we know that the students will benefit from your presence, as well. You will get a first-hand view of our public schools and the work that is accomplished in them.
The "Back to School" program is also designed to give the Foundation the much-needed financial support required to re-invest in education. We are fortunate to have strong leaders in our schools, and we want to support their efforts in ways that traditional funding cannot. Please work with us to make the Fayette County Public Schools one of the top education systems in the state, the nation and, eventually, the world!
Donations received through this event will go back into the Fayette County Public Schools through the Foundation’s school rewards program and Vision 2020 grants.
Below are more details about the Back To School event:
When?
- Back to School – September 12, 2006, 8:00 am - Noon
Where?
- Every Fayette County Public School
What?
- Community and business leaders and celebrities go back to school.
- The goal is to have one - two leaders in every school for at least 2 – 4 hours.
- Leaders will: lead a class, be a speaker/presenter, teach a lesson, read a book, demonstrate a skill, sing or dance!
Why?
- Students can benefit from our community leaders’ life experiences in business, sports, politics, public service etc.
- Leaders can get a first hand, up close and personal look at the Fayette County Public Schools and what an average school day is like for teachers and students.
- To raise money for the Fayette Education Foundation which in turn goes right back to our schools!
Interested Participants:
- Contact the Fayette Education Foundation, 859-226-1602 or info@fayetteeducationfoundation.org
- Save the morning of Tuesday, September 12.
- You will be assigned to a school.
- A packet of information will be sent to you several weeks in advance of the event explaining exactly what your role will be-- your homework assignment and class schedule.
- Donate $1,000 to the Foundation allowing you to graduate with the distinction of supporting the foundation’s work to help enhance the Fayette County Public Schools. Donation/pledges can be collected from co-workers and friends eager to send you back to school!