The Core

Florida Virtual School Educator Wins Nation's First Online K-12 Teacher of the Year Award
Teresa Dove, an educator with the Florida Virtual School, has been named the 2010 National Online Teacher of the Year by the two nonprofit organizations that founded the program - the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL). Dove and two other finalists were selected from among 50 nominations of online educators in public schools and state virtual schools in 24 states. For the past four years, Dove has been an online mathematics/Algebra II teacher for grades 6-12 and a Literacy Coordinator at the Florida Virtual School. Dove and the two other finalists were recognized during the SREB's joint annual meeting on Sept. 8, 2010. She was presented with an art glass sculpture designed by Hans Frabel and an all-expense paid trip to the Virtual School Symposium sponsored by iNACOL in Nov. 2010 in Glendale, Ariz. The Florida Virtual School was founded in 1997 and was the country's first state-wide Internet-based public high school. Today the school serves more than 125,000 students in grades K-12 and provides a variety of custom solutions for schools and districts to meet student needs. For more information about the Florida Virtual School, visit www.flvs.net. Congratulations Teresa!

Florida College System Chancellor to Retire
Dr. Willis Holcombe, longtime postsecondary educator and Chancellor of the Florida College System, has announced his retirement. Holcombe was the former president of Broward College and was appointed as head of the state’s 28-college system in January 2008. Under Holcombe’s tenure, the state’s college system continued to garner national recognition, ranking among the top producers of associate degrees in the country for eight consecutive years according to Community College Week’s Top 100 report, and as a leader in graduation and progression rates based on the Southern Regional Education Board’s Fact Book. A former Marine Corps captain, scratch golfer and English professor at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Fla., and Broward College in south Florida, Holcombe will remain as Chancellor until a successor is named.

Floridians Invited to Participate in Hispanic Heritage Student and Teacher Contests
As part of the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, 2010, Florida students in kindergarten through 12th grade are invited to participate in student contests centered around the theme, “Recognizing Florida’s Hispanic Heritage: Past, Present and Future.” Parents, teachers, students and principals are also invited to nominate full-time educators in elementary, middle and high schools for the Hispanic Heritage Month Excellence in Education Award. Winners will be recognized at the Governor’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration to be held in Tallahassee in October.

Student Contests

Art Contest for Grades K-3
Two winners will be selected from entries submitted by students in grades K-3.
Grades K-3 Art Contest Prompt: Luis Nunez is a Hispanic-American artist living in Florida. Students should think about how his paintings “Egret and Mangroves,” “Blue Heron,” and “They’re Humans, Junior, Let’s Go,” make them feel about the importance of protecting Florida’s wildlife, marshes, and beaches. Students should draw a picture of their favorite animal that is native to Florida showing it in its natural habitat.
Essay Contest for Grades 4-12
Three winners will be selected – one at elementary (grades 4 and 5), one at middle (grades 6-8), and one at high school (grades 9-12) – from among essays submitted by students in grades four through 12.
Grades 4 and 5 Writing Prompt: Students should discuss a well-known Hispanic Floridian whose contribution has made a difference in their life or their community.

Grades 6 – 12 Writing Prompt: Students should interview and describe a Hispanic American whom they know has devoted his or her life to the service of others. The essay should answer the question, “How has this person’s life strengthened his or her community and Florida as a state?”

Excellence in Education Award

The Education Excellence Award is open to all Hispanic full-time educators at an elementary, middle or high school in Florida. Three winners – one each from elementary, middle and high school – will be selected. Nominations can be made by students, parents, or school principals. All contest entries must be postmarked by Sept. 20, 2010, and each student is limited to one entry per contest. Winners will be notified the week of Oct. 4, 2010. Full details about the Hispanic Heritage Month contests, including guidelines and entry forms, can be found at www.FloridaHispanicHeritage.com.

Celebrate September as Literacy Month in a Florida State Park
In celebration of September as Florida Literacy Month, the Departments of Education (DOE) and Environmental Protection have partnered to offer special events at state parks and libraries throughout Florida. In conjunction with International Literacy Day on Sept. 8 and National Library Card Signup Month, entrance to all Florida state parks will be free from Friday, Sept. 10 through Sunday, Sept. 12 for park visitors who have a library card, show a library book or donate a new or gently used family-friendly book. To help students locate books they would like to read, DOE is also offering a unique tool called “Find a Book, Florida,” which tailors student reading lists based on each student’s personal interests and their reading ability using Lexile measures. Thousands of fiction and nonfiction books are available through the online resource at http://florida.lexile.com. For more information about Florida Literacy Month, visit www.floridaliteracy.org.

Creative Ideas Sought to Promote Florida KidCare
Florida middle and high school students are encouraged to submit their ideas to promote Florida KidCare, the state’s health insurance program for children under the age of 19. The Florida KidCare Act-Out For Health Contest asks students to produce a 30-second public service announcement (PSA) or design a billboard showing how children with health insurance tend to have healthier lifestyles and perform better in school. The grand prize winning PSA will air on television stations statewide and online. The grand prize winning billboard design will be placed in the winner’s hometown or closest billboard location. Contest winners will also be awarded scholarships and their schools will receive an award. The deadline to submit entries is Dec. 1, 2010. If you have questions about the Act-Out For Health Contest, contact Niki Pocock, senior communications manager for the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation at pocockn@healthykids.org or (850) 701-6124.

America's Young Heroes 10th Annual Juried Arts Contest
Florida tweens and teens are invited to submit original stories, poems, artwork, music and film for the 10th Annual America’s Young Heroes Contest. The multimedia competition aims to promote respect and prevent bullying by encouraging students to write about bullying experiences and to focus on the positive thoughts, words and actions taken to resolve them. New this year is an option to interview a celebrity who was bullied in childhood yet succeeded in life as an entertainer, athlete, politician, entrepreneur, parent, teacher or counselor. Interested individuals should send an e-mail to ameryoungheroes@aol.com by Sept. 15, 2010, to reserve a place in the contest. Entries must be postmarked by Nov. 15, 2010, and should be mailed to America’s Young Heroes, Post Office Box 810561, Boca Raton, FL 33481 or e-mailed to ameryoungheroes@aol.com. If you have questions about the contest, visit www.americasyoungheroes.com or http://web.me.com/getnoticedpr/Americas_Heroes_10th_Annual
_Bully_Contest/10th_Annual_Contest_To_Promote_Respect_and_Prevent_Bullying.html.

Public Review and Comment Window for Next Generation Sunshine State Standards in the Arts Extended
The window for public review and comment of the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards in the Arts has been extended through Sept. 6, 2010, to allow for more Florida arts educators, school and district administrators, parents and other stakeholders to help shape the standards in Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Art. Proposed revisions to the standards can be viewed at:

Americans for the Arts Scholarship Accepting Applications
The National Association for Business Economics has partnered with Americans for the Arts for the third annual Americans for the Arts Scholarship to encourage the integration of the Arts in the study of business economics. The deadline for entries is Sept. 13, 2010. Complete scholarship details can be found at http://nabefoundation.com/docs/2010NABEAFTAScholarshipGuidelinesAndApplication.pdf (PDF).

NASA Invites Students to Compete in Zero Robotics SPHERES Challenge
High school students interested in robotics, space, technology and engineering are invited to participate in the 2010 Zero Robotics competition that opens the world-class research facilities on the International Space Station to students. Each session begins with the unveiling of a game motivated by a challenging problem of interest to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Teams compete by programming a SPHERES satellite to achieve the game objectives while avoiding or interacting with other contestants. The competition is hosted by NASA and students actually write programs at their high school that will control the satellite in space. Teams must submit a Notice of Intent to participate by Sept. 10, 2010, and complete their full application by Sept. 14, 2010. For more information, visit http://zerorobotics.mit.edu.

Seeds of Success

Seminole County Teacher Wins Grant
Lucille Case, a teacher at Rock Lake Middle School in Seminole County, has won a $1,000 grant as part of the A&E Television Network’s “Creative Ideas From Our Teachers” contest. The contest recognizes creative uses of the network’s programming as innovative teaching tools which are then featured in The Idea Book for Educators published by the network. Case used the A&E® HISTORY™ program “Life After People” to explain the scientific process of erosion. Students then developed experiments simulating water and wind erosion, exposure to the elements, and the shifting of landscapes. For more information about The Idea Book for Educators, a free publication from the A&E Television Network, visit www.biography.com/classroom/ideabook.jsp.

Harlem Globe Trotters Visit School for Homeless Youth
As a reward for winning the Howard Johnson Hotel brand’s nationwide “The Give Happy Challenge,” homeless students at Metropolitan Ministries Partnership School in Tampa got a private visit from the world-famous Harlem Globe Trotters. The school also received $15,000 as part of the national competition that challenged people to make others happy. Students were thrilled by the Globetrotters’ signature basketball wizardry while learning about the team’s “C.H.E.E.R.™ for Character” program that promotes Cooperation, Healthy mind and body, Effort, Enthusiasm and Responsibility. The school will use the money to provide clothing, supplies and educational experiences for the students. For more information about “The Give Happy Challenge,” visit http://www.thegivehappychallenge.com/phase7/default.htm.

Polk County School Recognized for Agriculture Program
Roosevelt Academy in Polk County has won a second place award and $3,000 in a program developed by the Nutrients for Life Foundation and the Florida FFA (formerly Future Farmers of America). Through the “Helping Communities Grow” program, the school created Roosevelt Farms, a working farm on the school’s campus that teaches students about various fields of horticulture including plant and crop production and landscaping. Using organic and sustainable growing practices, students grow annual plants and vegetables for numerous commercial entities, donate revenue from the sale of its crops to local non-profit organizations, and perform community service activities at area schools. For more information about the Nutrients for Life Foundation, visit http://www.nutrientsforlife.org/.

Pensacola State College Named Military Friendly School
Pensacola State College (PSC) has been named one of the country’s top 2011 Military Friendly Schools by G.I. Jobs Magazine, ranking it in the top 15 percent of all colleges, universities and trade schools nationwide for reaching out to America’s veterans. The college was recognized for its efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students, results in recruiting military and veteran students, and academic accreditations. For more information about PSC’s programs for veterans, contact the school’s Veterans Affairs Office at (850) 484-1670 or veterans@pensacolastate.edu; Veterans Upward Bound at (850) 484-2068 or vetsupbound@pensacolastate.edu; or the New Student Information Center at (850) 484-1547 or AskUs@pensacolastate.edu.

Palm Beach State College Garners Student Services Grant
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded $255,505 per year for five years to Palm Beach State College (PBSC) as part of a TRiO Grant for Student Support Services. TRiO is a set of federally-funded college opportunity programs designed to motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds in their pursuit of college degrees. Over the past ten years, the college has successfully conducted a Student Support Services (SSS) program that provides academic and other support services to low-income, first-generation or disabled college students to increase their retention and graduation rates, facilitate their transfer to four-year colleges, and foster a climate that supports their success. For more information about the TRiO Grant at PBSC, visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/perspectives.xml.

Branching Out

Florida Reading Association Annual Conference
Sept. 9 – 12, 2010
Shingle Creek Resort
Orlando, Fla.

All Florida educators are invited to attend the Florida Reading Association (FRA) Annual Conference Sept. 9 – 12, 2010, in Orlando. With the theme “Reading Lights the Way,” participants will have the opportunity to interact with authors and experts in the field of literacy. Pre-conference Institutes on Sept. 9 will cover a wide range of topics that include Response to Intervention, Vocabulary Development, and Reading Strategies for K-12. In addition, the FRA bookstore will feature many popular book titles available for purchase and well-known authors will be on hand for book signings. For more information about the FRA conference, visit www.flreads.org/.

Florida Association for Staff Development Leadership Conference
Sept. 20 – 22, 2010
Tradewinds Resort
St. Petersburg Beach, Fla.

The Florida Association for Staff Development Fall Leadership Conference will be held Sept. 20 – 22, 2010, with the focus of providing educators with skills, tools and information to strengthen student achievement through high quality professional development. The featured speaker is Lois Easton who will facilitate two general sessions to include both background knowledge and skill application through practice with the lesson study model. For more information about the conference, visit www.fasdonline.org/events or contact Joyce Menz, Conference Co-Chairman, at (904) 491-9888 or Joyce.Menz@nassau.k2.fl.us.

Florida Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Annual Conference
Sept. 24 – 25, 2010
Orlando, Fla.

“Creating Innovative and Technology Enriched Classrooms in 21st Century Schools” is the theme for the 50th Annual Florida Association for Curriculum and Development Conference in Orlando. The Sept. 24 meeting will take place at the Renaissance Orlando Airport Hotel and the Sept. 25 meeting will be held at Lake Nona High School, also in Orlando. Featured speakers are Dr. Eugene Carter, Executive Director for the International Association of Curriculum and Development, and Jim Warford, Executive Director of the Florida Association of School Administrators. For more information about the conference, visit www.fascd.org.

Read for the Record 2010
Oct. 7, 2010
www.wegivebooks.org

Florida teachers and students are invited to join millions of record-breakers around the world to Read for the Record on Oct. 7, 2010, featuring Ezra Jack Keat’s classic book, The Snowy Day. Everyone who reads the book at www.wegivebooks.org is automatically registered toward a new world record. For more information about this year’s Read for the Record campaign, visit www.readfortherecord.org or www.wegivebooks.org.

Florida Dance Education Conference
Oct. 8 – 9, 2010
News-Journal Center
Daytona Beach, Fla.

Dance educators from throughout the state will work together in meeting the challenges of bringing dance to the next generation of young artists at the Florida Dance Education Conference Oct. 8 – 9, 2010. This year’s conference, hosted by Daytona State College, features Lynn Simonson, renowned dance educator and internationally respected master teacher of jazz dance. Conference sessions address dance technique, wellness, safety, technology, certification, and a preview of the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for Dance. New this year is the expanded National Honor Society of Dance Arts student programs. For more information, visit www.fdeo.org/

Florida Association of Teacher Educators Annual Conference
Oct. 8 – 9, 2010
Carillon Hilton
St. Petersburg, Fla.

“Transforming Teacher Education for the 21st Century,” is the theme for the Florida Association of Teacher Educators Annual Conference Oct. 8 – 9, 2010, in St. Petersburg. The conference features more than 70 presentations by local and national speakers in addition to an informative panel discussion on Florida and Teacher Preparation for the 21st Century Learner. Featured speakers include Sarah Enterline, Director of Assessment and Accreditation at Lynch School of Education at Boston College and Larry Daniel with the College of Education at the University of North Florida. For more information, visit www.fate1.org.

Florida Association for Theatre Education Conference
Oct. 14 – 16, 2010
Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront Downtown
St. Petersburg, Fla.

“Master Your FATE with the Three R’s: Rigor – Relevance – Resurgence” is the theme for the Florida Association for Theatre Education (FATE) Annual Conference Oct. 14 – 16, 2010, in St. Petersburg. Sherron Long, Florida Cultural Alliance president and leading arts advocate will be the keynote speaker for the conference that includes a broad array of workshops and networking opportunities. For more information, visit www.fatefirst.org/.

Florida Art Education Association Annual Conference
Oct. 14 – 16, 2010
The Florida Hotel and Conference Center at the Florida Mall
Orlando, Fla.

The Florida Art Education Association’s 2010 Conference will feature keynote speaker Jacqueline Roch, national award-winning pastel artist, and Dr. Ron Yrabedra, artist and Professor of Art Education at Florida A & M University. The conference will also include the fourth annual Digital Student Exhibition, more than 100 workshops and special interest sessions for arts educators and administrators, the Artists’ Bazaar, Members’ Digital Exhibition and a Meet and Greet to link students in pre-service education programs with Florida Arts supervisors across the state. For more information about the conference, visit www.faea.org.

Florida Distance Learning Association Fall Conference
Oct. 15 – 16, 2010
Nova Southeastern Student Education Center at the Millennium Mall
Orlando, Fla.

“Distance Learning: Future Possibilities” is the theme for the Florida Distance Learning Association Fall Conference Oct. 15 – 16, 2010, in Orlando. Featured speakers include K-12 educators, college and university professors and expert technology providers. For more information about the conference, visit http://fdla.com/.

Education Beyond Borders
Oct. 15 – 17, 2010
Sofia, Bulgaria

Education institutions of higher learning are invited to attend the 2010 “Education Beyond Borders” Oct. 15 – 17, 2010, in Sofia, Bulgaria, to showcase their programs to Bulgarian students interested in studying abroad. The conference will be held at the National Palace of Culture and is a forum for secondary and higher education institutions and organizations of worldwide importance. For more information about the conference, visit www.education-world.eu/index.php?m=930&lang=2.

Working with the Experts for Occupational and Physical Therapists
Oct. 27 – 29, 2010
Miami, Orlando and Gainesville, Fla.

Practical strategies for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders is the focus for regional Working with the Experts for Occupational and Physical Therapists Oct. 27 – 29, 2010. The day-long training will be provided in three regional locations and is free of charge for participants. Interested individuals should contact their school district Occupational or Physical Therapist Coordinator to register. If you have questions about the workshops or need assistance, contact either Peg Sullivan at Florida Gulf Coast University at msullliva@fgcu.edu or (239) 590-7748 or Sheryl Sandvoss with the Florida Department of Education at sheryl.sandvoss@fldoe.org or (850) 245-0478.

First Annual STEMtech Conference
Oct. 31 – Nov. 3, 2010
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort
Orlando, Fla.

Sponsored by the League for Innovation, the first annual STEMtech conference will be held Oct. 31 – Nov. 3, 2010, in Orlando. STEMtech is an interactive learning conference with a strong focus on the STEM disciplines – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – in general education and workforce training. Numerous STEM and tech tracks will allow participants to discuss and exchange ideas with hundreds of colleagues. For more information about the STEMtech conference, visit www.league.org/stemtech.

2010 Florida Charter School Conference
Nov. 8 – 10, 2010
The DoubleTree Hotel at Universal Studios
Orlando, Fla.

“Florida’s Charter Schools: Rising to the Challenge” is the theme for this year’s Florida Charter School Conference Nov. 8 – 10, 2010, in Orlando. Over the past 14 years, the number of charter schools in Florida has grown from the original five to more than 400 today. Parents, educators and interested individuals are encouraged to attend the conference and find out how charter schools provide effective programs and school choice to Florida’s diverse student population. For more information about the 2010 Florida Charter School Conference, visit http://charterschoolconference.com/.

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