The Core

In the interest of ensuring that these standards are clear, concise, and accurate, the Office of Humanities in the Florida Department of Education invites you to rate each of the benchmarks and provide valuable feedback to the writers. Please submit your comments no later than Friday, June 26, 2009. If you would like to explore the resource materials from which these standards were derived, please review the Language Arts resources used by the framers and writers of the proposed standards at http://etc.usf.edu/flstandards/la/resources.html.

The Department of Education will hold two public hearings for Student Performance Standards – Language Arts (Rule 6A-1.09401). A presentation will be made at the beginning of the hearing regarding the process used to develop world-class Language Arts standards, including access points for students with disabilities.

The first public forum will take place Tuesday, June 9, 5:30 – 7 p.m. in the Seminole County School Board Room at the Educational Support Center, 400 East Lake Mary Blvd., Sanford.

The second public forum will be held in Tallahassee on Thursday, June 11, 5:30 – 7 p.m., location to be determined.

Governor Crist Unveils New Reading Technology for Florida’s Students and their Teachers
Governor Charlie Crist joined Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith and President of AT&T in Florida Marshall Criser, III, at Hartsfield Elementary in Tallahassee to unveil a new statewide reading assessment system aimed at bolstering the reading success of all Florida students. The new tool will allow teachers to quickly identify students’ reading strengths and weaknesses using web-based technology. To learn more, visit http://www.fldoe.org/news/2009/2009_04_27-2.asp.

Governor Crist Announces Green Schools Awards
Governor Charlie Crist joined Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Michael W. Sole, Florida Department of Education (DOE) Commissioner Dr. Eric J. Smith and nearly 500 students at the Capitol on Earth Day to launch the Governor’s Serve to Preserve: Green Schools Awards. The awards program recognizes the efforts of students, teachers, classrooms, schools and school districts in creating healthy, efficient and productive places for learning. Following the announcement, Governor Crist presented Serve to Preserve Scout Award insignias to Florida Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts for their environmental achievements. To read the full story, visit http://www.fldoe.org/news/2009/2009_04_22-2.asp.

Department of Education Celebrates Earth Day With Recommended Reading List
In celebration of Earth Day 2009, Education Commissioner Dr. Eric J. Smith announced the Just Read, Florida! Earth Day Recommended Reading List on April 22. The list contains a broad selection of books that teach children of all ages about the wonders of our planet and key steps that we can take to help preserve it. To view the Just Read, Florida! Earth Day Recommended Reading List, visit http://www.justreadflorida.com/earthday.asp.

Resource Manual For Special Programs Available
The Florida Department of Education Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services has released the Resource Manual for the Development and Evaluation of Special Programs, Volume I-B: Florida Statutes and State Board of Education Rules – Excerpts for Special Programs, Revised 2009. The publication is available online at http://www.fldoe.org/ese/pdf/1b-stats.pdf. Additional copies of this publication may be obtained from the Clearinghouse Information Center, Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services, Florida Department of Education, Turlington Building, Room 628, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400; telephone (850) 245-0477; FAX (850) 245-0987; or e-mail cicbiscs@fldoe.org.

Chipola College Wins Second Consecutive Brain Bowl Title
The Chipola College Brain Bowl Gold Team won Florida’s State Brain Bowl Tournament on March 28. Chipola successfully defended its 2008 state championship, the first in school history, by defeating perennial favorite Valencia Community College (515-200) in the championship round. Chipola Gold was unbeaten (10-0) in the tournament.

Seminole Community College President Named To Phi Theta Kappa Foundation Board
Dr. E. Ann McGee, president of Seminole Community College, has been named a trustee for the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Foundation Board of Trustees. The Phi Theta Kappa Foundation raises funds for the benefit of the PTK Honor Society, which recognizes and encourages the academic achievement of two-year college students through participation in honors, leadership and service programming, and the awarding of scholarships. Dr. McGee was a member of PTK as a student at St. Petersburg Junior College.

“Rapid Recovery” Job Training Program Offered At Edison State College
Edison State College and the Southwest Florida Workforce Development Board have announced a new education initiative “Rapid Recovery” designed to help people adversely affected by the economy quickly retrain for in-demand jobs.

Rapid Recovery serves dislocated workers, the underemployed and veterans. The mission is to respond to area workforce needs, based on input from area businesses, by putting together courses to best position students to find employment. Many of the courses can be completed in 90 days or less and carry national certification.

Santa Fe Community College Pledges To Keep Five-Acre Tract Wild
Santa Fe Community College pledged to keep a five acre area known as the North Woods Conservation Area, undeveloped in perpetuity.

The five-acre tract of woods is directly north of the college's natural sciences department building. Students have taken inventories of the frogs, snakes and birds that make the woods their home. The Suwannee River Water Management District and the Suwannee Chapter of the Society of American Foresters are partners in the conservation program.

2009 Florida History Fair Takes Place in Florida’s Capital City
The Florida History Fair state contest will be held on Friday, May 8, 2009. Approximately 700 middle and high school students who won at the county level will travel to Tallahassee to vie for state-level honors. Winners of the state competition will represent Florida at the National History Day contest in College Park, Maryland, in June.

Coordinated by the Museum of Florida History, the annual state contest is held on the campus of Tallahassee Community College at 444 Appleyard Drive. Participation in the History Fair allows students to strengthen critical thinking, research, reading, and personal skills that are useful throughout life. They also learn new approaches to more effective ways of communication and expression. The students compete in five categories: historical paper, Web site, exhibit, documentary, and performance.

This program is sponsored by the Florida Department of State Division of Cultural Affairs and the Friends of the Museums of Florida History, as well as 25 other organizations, businesses and individuals. For more information about the fair, visit www.floridahistoryfair.com.

Seeds of Success

Two Florida Teachers Win Leavey Awards For Entrepreneurship Education
Congratulations to Joshua Clearman of Key West High School and Frank Pizzo of Deerfield Beach High School, who were recently selected as the winners of the 2009 Leavey Awards presented by the Freedoms Foundation and the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation. In its 32nd year, the Leavey Awards honor the country's most innovative educators for programs that foster and encourage student interest in entrepreneurship. Each of the recipients received a $7,500 cash award. The two Florida teachers were among nine other winners throughout the country.

Apopka High School Awarded Grant From U.S. Department of Agriculture
Apopka High School in Orange County will earn the distinction of becoming a national and state demonstration site for plant and plant tissue development. The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded a grant worth $46,915 to Apopka High’s agriculture program. Working in conjunction with the University of Florida's Agricultural Research Center, also located in Apopka, high school students will study the latest in plant tissue culturing. To learn more, visit http://www.fldoe.org/SuccessStories/2009/04-15.asp.

Tampa Teacher Receives National Award for Building Community Partnerships
Tampa teacher Julia Cobb Barnes has been selected by the National Civic League as a winner of the 2009 MetLife Foundation Ambassadors In Education award. Cobb Barnes was one of only 25 winners selected for leadership in building bridges between local schools and communities and will receive a $5,000 grant for her school at a local award ceremony. For more on the story, visit http://www.fldoe.org/SuccessStories/2009/04-17.asp.

Kennedy Center For Performing Arts Lauds Polk Schools
The John F. Kennedy Center For the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., announced that Polk County Public Schools has been chosen as the 21st annual recipient of the Kennedy Center’s Alliance for Arts Education Network and National School Boards Association Award. This award is bestowed annually to a school district for its outstanding arts education programs. The school district will receive $10,000 for winning the award. For the full story, visit http://www.fldoe.org/SuccessStories/2009/04-20.asp.

Third Graders To Serve Gourmet Meals
Third grade entrepreneurs from Gulf Breeze Elementary School are busy preparing for a restaurant grand opening. The entire dining experience, from business plan to menu and cooking is known as Jazzy Jellyfish Café. The Café will begin serving gourmet meals Thursday nights in May, with a grand opening set for May 7. For the last three years, the business has raised in excess of $22,000 for local charities. This year, the students are working to help children in the Gulf Breeze and Pensacola communities, specifically the Ronald McDonald House of Pensacola and Nemours Children's Clinic. To learn how you can help, visit http://www.fldoe.org/SuccessStories/2009/04-20-1.asp.

Florida Teen Trendsetters™ Recognized for Excellence in Leadership
Florida high school teens, serving in Volunteer USA’s Teen Trendsetters™ Reading Mentors programs, are being honored this month throughout the state. The students are volunteers for Teen Trendsetters™, which pairs high school students with third-graders for one-on-one weekly mentoring sessions. The goal is to improve the basic reading skills of the younger students and to nurture a volunteer spirit among youth leaders.

The teens were selected based on their outstanding work in mentoring and their overall leadership qualities. The students have excelled with their young mentees, as well as in their own classrooms. To see the list of honorees, visit http://www.fldoe.org/SuccessStories/2009/04-21.asp.

Branching Out

Florida Association for Staff Development Spring Forum Focuses on Technology in Support of High Quality Professional Development
May 4-5, 2009
Melbourne Beach, Fla.

The Spring Forum for the Florida Association for Staff Development will take place at the Crowne Plaza Melbourne Oceanfront, Indialantic, Fla., May 4 - 5, 2009. Individuals who develop, implement or support professional learning to increase student performance are invited to participate in this engaging program. The focus will be integrating technology as a method of enhancing delivery, implementation support and impact assessment. For more information, visit www.fasdonline.org and follow the Spring Forum links.

NASDTEC Annual Conference
May 31 – June 3, 2009
Hyatt Regency Riverfront
Jacksonville, Fla.

The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) 81st Annual Conference, Shifting Sands: Sculpting the New Face of Education, is designed to highlight the changes expected as the new administration begins its efforts to fulfill pledges to reshape public education in the United States. In addition to general sessions, the conference will provide breakout sessions, interactive discussions, and networking opportunities focusing on the areas of Educator Preparation, Certification, Professional Standards and Practices, Program Approval, Technology, and Leadership.

All those interested in the preparation and certification of teachers and other educators are invited to attend. Teacher educators, school superintendents, personnel directors, and others will benefit from the current, up-to-date knowledge provided in matters relating to professional standards and practices and the preparation or certification of professional school personnel. For additional information or to register for the conference, please visit the NASDTEC Web site at http://www.nasdtec.com/.

The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification is dedicated to licensing well-prepared, safe and wholesome educators for our nation's schools. NASDTEC represents professional standards boards, commissions and state departments of education in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Educational Activity, the U.S. Territories, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario, which are responsible for the preparation, licensure and discipline of educational personnel. Associate members include Canadian provinces and representatives of other constituent groups with an interest in the preparation and certification of educational personnel.

2009 SACS CASI Summer Conference
June 15-16, 2009
The Florida Hotel & Conference Center
Orlando, Fla.

The 2009 Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) Summer Conference will be held June 15-16, 2009 at the Florida Hotel & Conference Center in Orlando, Fla. Participants will have an opportunity to learn more about school improvement, accreditation Processes, preparation for the SACS CASI Quality Assurance Review (QAR) team visit, and qualifying for a QAR team. To register or to learn more, visit www.advanc-ed.org/florida.

Florida School Counselor Association 2009 Annual Convention:
Oct. 29 - 31, 2009
Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld
Orlando, Fla.

The most focused program in school counseling in Florida, the 2009 Florida School Counselor Association Convention will be delivered by thoughtful leaders from Florida and throughout the United States. The hottest and most relevant topics will be explored by leading industry advocates, state officials, counselor educators and, most importantly, professional school counselors. To learn more or to reserve your hotel, visit http://www.fla-schoolcounselor.org/.

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