ParentInfo, May 15, 2007

Last Updated on Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 10:02 PM

In this issue:

*New Education Commissioner

*Preparing for the end of the school year

*Kentucky ahead of the game on school nutrition

*Try Teaching

New Education Commissioner

Veteran educator Barbara Erwin will serve as the next Kentucky education commissioner. The Kentucky Board of Education hired Erwin last week.

Erwin brings an extensive background in education to her new position. She has served as a teacher, coordinator, elementary principal and superintendent. She is currently superintendent of schools in St. Charles, Illinois, outside of Chicago and has served in that same capacity at districts in Arizona, Texas and Indiana.

Kentucky Board of Education Chairman Keith Travis said of Erwin, “Her vision for Kentucky’s educational future parallels this board’s goals and mission, and we believe her drive and focus will help schools meet the goal of proficiency in 2014.”

Erwin holds a bachelor of arts and doctorate of education degrees from Indiana University and a master of arts from Purdue University.

Erwin will start her job as Kentucky’s next commissioner of education July 16.

Preparing for the end of the school year

In the words of rocker Alice Cooper, “school’s out for the summer”, or at least it is in some Kentucky districts. Others won’t be far behind. So as another school year winds down, here are some tips for those last hectic days before summer break:

If you don’t already have childcare lined up for younger children, make arrangements now.
Make sure your child is registered (or pre-registered) for next year and find out which classes your child will be taking in the fall.
If you’ve moved during the school year, make sure the school has your correct address for back-to-school correspondence.
Make sure any financial dealings you have with the school are cleared up (the cafeteria manager can advise of any outstanding balances).
Be sure your child has turned in any school library books or books belonging to the school or teacher.
If your child is attending summer school, or any school-related summer activities, make sure you know the particulars BEFORE school is out, since it may be difficult to reach the right person after classes are dismissed.
Talk with your child’s teachers about what you can do over the summer to sustain the learning that took place this year (ParentInfo also will be providing some tips).
Be sure you know about any “summer homework” that might be assigned, so you can remind your children that there is something to do on days when they complain about being bored
Talk with your child’s teachers about what your child can expect next year and help your student adjust to the changes over the summer months.
Help your child say goodbye to teachers and friends.

Kentucky ahead of the game school nutrition

It seems Kentucky is ahead of the game when it comes to reducing teenage obesity and increasing nutritional standards for school snacks.

A new brief from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (IOM) provides recommendations to ensure that offerings in schools are consistent with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The report's recommendations are the first national attempt to address the healthfulness of "competitive" school foods -- snacks and drinks that often are sold to raise money for schools.

The Agriculture Department, which sets the standards for school lunches, has no authority to regulate snacks, but nine senators are co-sponsoring the Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act to give the USDA that power. If passed, school districts would be required to meet the guidelines or face fines or loss of school-lunch funding.

In February of last year, the Kentucky Board of Education adopted the current 702 KAR 6:090, a regulation that sets enforceable nutrient standards for the competitive foods available at school. The standards in that regulation are, in several important areas, stricter than the standards proposed by the IOM report.

The IOM report recommends a limit of 35% of calories from fat. The KBE standard is 30%;

The IOM recommends a limit of 35% sugar by weight. The KBE standard is 32%;

The IOM standard for sodium in entree items is 480 mg. The KBE standard is 450 mg.

The IOM recommends low-fat (1% milk fat) or non-fat milk. The KBE standard is no more than 1% milk fat.

There are some areas where the IOM standards are stricter than the KBE standards, most notably with beverages.

The IOM recommends a portion cap (4 ounces at the elementary/middle schools; 8 ounces at the high schools) on 100% juice because of the calories from sugar. The KBE cap is 17 ounces at the elementary and 20 ounces at the middle/high schools.

The IOM would not allow for flavored waters. The KBE standard does allow flavored waters.
The IOM standards prohibit any artificially sweetened, caffeinated, fortified beverages with more than 5 calories per portion as packaged. That eliminates sports drinks and soft drinks (even diet soft drinks because they contain nonnutritive sweeteners like aspartame). The KBE standard is not that strict.

Try Teaching

Ever thought you would make a great teacher? Well, now you have a chance to find out and gauge your comfort level before making a life-changing career move.

Eastern Kentucky University and Ashland Inc. are sponsoring “Try Teaching,” an innovative program for those curious about teaching or considering making the career move to public education. Participants spend one or two weeks in a public school classroom and gain first-hand experience as they assist the host teacher and actually teach lessons. Participants are placed in elementary, middle and high schools in Kentucky as close to home as possible. In addition to classroom time with their host teacher, “Try Teaching” participants spend time with a university-level educator to learn more about certification procedures, the teaching profession and career benefits.

Applications for the program are available online and are due June 1.

Web links in this issue:

New Education Commissioner

http://www.education.ky.gov/KDE/HomePageRepository/
News+Room/Current+Press+Releases+and+Advisories/07-030.htm

Kentucky ahead of the game on school nutrition

http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3788/30181/42502.aspx

http://www.lrc.ky.gov/kar/702/006/090.htm