Florida Schools To Share Best Practices At Conference
English Estates Elementary in Fern Park, Atlantic Technical Center in Coconut Creek, and Marion Technical Institute in Ocala have been selected as model schools for 2008 by the International Center for Leadership in Education. The chosen schools will share their best practices at the 16th Annual Model Schools Conference in Orlando. The conference showcases K-12 education reform. For more on the story, visit www.fldoe.org/SuccessStories/2008/05-21.asp.

2008 Congress-Bundestag Vocational Youth Exchange Scholarship Recipients
Graduating high school seniors from Florida will get the opportunity to live in Germany in the coming year as part of the Congress-Bundestag Vocational Youth Exchange Scholarship Program. Created by the United States Congress and the German Bundestag (Parliament), this program is administered nationwide by Nacel Open Door. The Florida Department of Education Division of Workforce Education coordinates the interview process in Florida and supports students interested in applying for the scholarship.
The scholarship recipients from Florida are as follows:

• John Kemp, Titusville High School


• Catherine Waldenberger, Titusville High School


• Meghan Wolfgram, Brevard Community College


• Kelly Tymecki, South Broward High School

Florida Students Win in High-Tech Competition
Several Florida teams won first place prizes at this year’s national eCYBERMISSION competition. eCYBERMISSION is a U.S. Army-sponsored, Web-based science, math and technology competition that allows students in grades six through nine to compete for regional and national awards while working to solve problems in their communities.

Following are the winners:

Seventh graders Anna Bethel, Gabrielle Buckles, Delaney Burlingame and Stephanie Elkin from Rock Lake Middle School in Longwood, Fla.
Eighth graders Zen Campbell, Jason Draper, Dalton Stanley and Spencer Tuttle of Stone Middle School in Melbourne, Fla.

Teacher Named Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction
Lake Brantley High School teacher Bradley Willis in Seminole County was recently selected as a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction by The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS). A role model to pupils, Willis was nominated by his students for outstanding dedication and commitment to excellence in the classroom.

Bria, a five-year cancer survivor, won $5,000, an engraved gold medallion and a crystal trophy for her school. Additionally, the Prudential Foundation will provide a $5,000 grant to a nonprofit charitable organization of Bria’s choice.

Brain Bowl Regional Coach of the Year
For the second consecutive year Patricia Campbell, an English teacher at Lake-Sumter Community College, has been named the Brain Bowl Regional Coach of the Year for the East-Central Region. Campbell's coaching led her team to win the Brain Bowl regional competition, and then helped her team earn fifth place among 22 competitors in the Brain Bowl state tournament.

Melbourne History Teacher To Attend Presidential Academy for American History and Civics
Christopher Carl, a History teacher at Melbourne High School, has been accepted into the Presidential Academy for American History and Civics. In July, Carl will visit Philadelphia, Penn., Gettysburg, Penn., and Washington, D.C., studying the American Revolution and Founding, the Civil War, and the Civil Rights movement.

Two Duval County Elementary Schools Honored for Counseling Programs
Carter G. Woodson Elementary School and Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in Duval County are two of 62 schools from 15 states that will be recognized for making exemplary commitment to comprehensive school counseling programs according to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA).

The schools will receive the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) designation during a special ceremony at ASCA’s annual conference in Atlanta, Ga.

2008 Odyssey of the Mind World Finals
Four schools from Florida recently placed in the top three of their respective divisions at the 2008 Odyssey of the Mind World Finals. More than 800 schools from across the nation and around the globe competed. Teams from each school chose a long-term problem from six categories for which they worked on throughout the school year. Problems ranged in theme from the more technical to the creative. The final products were showcased at the NASA-sponsored World Finals where they were judged on creativity, teamwork and risk-taking.

Several Florida teams were honored for their success in the competition: Poinciana Elementary Math, Science and Technology Magnet School placed first in Division I of the Odyssey Road Rally category, Miami Coral Park Senior High School placed third in Division III of the same category, Bak Middle School of the Arts placed second in The Wonderful Muses category of Division II and Seminole Community College came in second place in Division IV for the Tee Structure category.

Branching Out

The Florida Department of Education Bureau of Student Assistance 2008 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) School Choice Leadership Summit will be held June 23-25, 2008, in Orlando, Fla. This Summit provides a statewide forum for promoting successful and effective implementation of NCLB public school options, including Supplemental Educational Services (SES). Participants will have an opportunity to discuss state and federal information updates and technical assistance related to such topics as contract management; development, implementation, and evaluation of Student Learning Plans; monitoring and evaluation; and parent outreach efforts. State-approved SES providers and school district tutors, program administrators, office managers, district Title I coordinators, district SES administrators, school administrators, and school site facilitators are encouraged to attend. Please note that this is a mandatory meeting for all 2008-2009 state-approved providers according to the Request for Applications for the 2008-2009 school year. Information regarding Summit registration, hotel, and proposed agenda is available at www.fldoe.org/flbpso/nclbchoice/ses/ses_meeting.asp.

Advanced Placement Summer Institute for Administrators
June 25-27, 2008
Clearwater Beach

The Advanced Placement (AP) Summer Institute for Administrators will take place at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort on June 25-27, 2008, in Clearwater, Fla. Teachers, principals and district personnel are invited to participate to discuss a variety of topics about AP programs. This year's institute will focus on building equity in AP programs, teaching strategies and the relationship of the course to the AP Exam. For more information, please e-mail sro@collegeboard.org.

Great Florida Teach-In
June 26, 2008
Lakeland

The Great Florida Teach-In is a statewide job fair sponsored annually by the Department of Education. The Teach-In provides a convenient forum that enables educators seeking employment in Florida to obtain interviews with school and district personnel responsible for hiring teachers. The event is free to candidates who may either register in advance or on site.

To be eligible to attend the Teach-In, candidates must either hold at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution or have an expected graduation date of no later than August 2008. Representatives of approximately 30 school districts and 20 charter schools will be in attendance. Additionally, private and public colleges and universities will also be available to promote their education programs.

For more information or to register, visit www.teachinflorida.com.

7th Annual Just Read, Florida! K-12 Leadership Conference
June 29 - July 2, 2008
Orlando

The Just Read, Florida! office is pleased to announce the 7th Annual Just Read, Florida! K-12 Leadership Conference to be held June 29 - July 2, 2008 at the Orlando World Center Marriott.

This year's Leadership Conference will offer a strand of curriculum sessions focusing on innovative best practices for K-12 curriculum and implementation of the new standards (in lieu of the annual fall K-12 Conference). More than 5,000 educators are expected to attend this year.

Registration and additional information on the conference is available at www.justreadflorida.com/conference.

2008 Juvenile Justice Education Institute and Southern Conference On Corrections
July 29-31, 2008
Tampa

The 11th Annual Juvenile Justice Education Institute and Southern Conference on Corrections will be held at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina in Tampa, Fla., July 29-31, 2008. The Institute will provide important information concerning research, policy, and practice in the areas of juvenile justice, education, and corrections. The three-day conference will include workshops representing national, state, and local experts as well as evidence-based practices in juvenile justice education.

To register for the conference, go to www.criminologycenter.fsu.edu/jjeep.