Local Educator Chosen to Help Write National Standard Test
Henderson County Schools educator, Cathy Fernandez has been chosen to represent Kentucky in helping to write English Language Learners (ELL) proficiency standards for the newest updated WIDA ACCESS Proficiency Test.  WIDA is a federally mandated test that is given to ELL students to check their English proficiency.  This test is taken in addition to the CATS assessment.  She traveled to Washington, D.C. in mid-July to work on the new test. She and another Kentucky educator were chosen by the state to represent Kentucky ELL teachers and students.  Cathy is a district-wide ELL teacher whose office is at Bend Gate Elementary.

Gibson Named East Heights Principal
Nancy Gibson has been named East Heights Elementary Principal.  She received her Bachelor degree from Western Kentucky University and her Masters from Murray State University.  Mrs. Gibson has been with the Henderson County Schools for thirteen years, having most recently served as East Heights Curriculum Specialist. 

Upcoming Back-to-School Events
Bend Gate Elementary will host a “Jump Start” for  Kindergarten students on July 31 from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and will have an Open House for all students from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the school. 

Cairo Elementary will have a “Kindergarten Jump Start” on Thursday, July 31, 2008 from 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.  Call the school at 533-1286 if you need a registration form.

Cairo Elementary PTA will host a “Back to School” picnic on the same date for all children and their families.  The event will be from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.  This will be an opportunity to visit the classroom, meet your teacher, and enjoy dinner provided by the PTA. 

East Heights Back to School Activities:
July 31 2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.  Students will have an opportunity to meet their teachers and visit their classrooms. Families will also have a chance to have “Popsicles with the Principal” in the Learning Garden with Mrs. Nancy Gibson.

All Jefferson Elementary families are invited to attend “Conversations” and a pool party on Monday, July 28, 2008.  The Conversations be from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at Jefferson Elementary and the pool party will be from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at Atkinson Park Pool.  Hot dogs, chips, and soft drinks will be served at the pool.  There will also be a Special Election for minority parent member of the SBDM Council from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m at the school.  The ballot box will be set up at the front of the building.

H.C.H.S. Freshman Orientation
Henderson County High School Freshman students will have orientation on Thursday, July 31 from 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the high school.  Freshman will pick up their schedules at that time.

North Middle School will host a “Back to School” Picnic for all sixth (6^th), seventh (7^th) and eighth (8^th) grade North Middle School students and their families on Thursday, July 31, 2008 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at North Middle School on the football field.  There will be hot dogs, chips, and soft drinks. 

North Middle School will have New Student Orientation on Monday, August 4, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. at North Middle School.  This will be an opportunity for all new students attending North Middle School to meet the teachers and tour the school.

All incoming South Middle School sixth graders are encouraged to attend Bulldog University on July 31 at South Middle from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  This opportunity will allow incoming sixth graders to meet their teachers, go through their class schedules two times, learn the building and practice opening their lockers.  All South Middle School teachers will be available at Bulldog University to assist students.  

Students may catch a bus to Bulldog University at 7:30 a.m. at the feeder schools they attended---Niagara Elementary, Chandler Elementary, Jefferson Elementary or Bend Gate Elementary. Buses will transport the students to South and will return them to the elementary schools at approximately 11:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

A South Middle School representative will meet all students at the elementary schools and ride the bus with them to SMS and then return with them to the elementary schools when Bulldog University is completed.

On July 30, the South Middle School teachers will be reaching out to our school community as they take a bus trip into neighborhoods and communities that feed into South Middle School.

The teachers will also bring a bag of gifts and giveaways as they canvass the neighborhoods of SMS students. Tee shirts, squeeze bottles, Frisbees, and Styrofoam huggies will be given to students by the teachers as they spread the Bulldog pride.

Here’s the timetable for the Bulldog Welcome Wagon:

3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.           Bend Gate School Area (Bend Gate School,  
  Saddlebrook Apartments, Frontier Villiage, Harding
  Trailer Park)

4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.           Jefferson School Area, Seventh Street Area

4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.           Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. and Lawndale Apartments

5:15 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.           Chandler School and Corydon Area

6:20 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.           Niagara Area

South Middle School student schedules and supply lists are ready for pick up at the school. The schedules will not be mailed out.  They can be picked up July 22-25 from 7:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m. If students and parents are considering requesting a class change for the upcoming school year, please contact the Guidance Office to submit this request before school begins on August 5th.

South Middle School will be having an open house for all SMS students on August 4th from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.  Come on out to meet your teachers, enjoy some snacks, and see your friends!

Spottsville Elementary class schedules will be posted on the outside door of the school on Monday, July 28th.

Spottsville Elementary will have a day of activities on Monday, August 4th.  Parent/Teacher Conversations will be from 8:00a.m.-2:30p.m.  Parents and students can come in anytime during those hours to meet their teachers for the 2008-2009 school year.  Kindergarten Orientation will be from 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.  The Panther Pride Picnic and Open House will be from 3:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.  Students will have the opportunity to meet their teachers during this time. 

HCPL offers LearningExpress Library
LearningExpress Library is a comprehensive interacitve online learning platform of practice tests and tutorial course series designed to help students and adult learners succeed on the academic or licensing tests they must pass.  You will get immediate scoring, complete answer explanations, and an individualized analysis of your results.  Begin your testing at http://www.hcpl.org/test

Inclement Weather
Should it become necessary to close school because of inclement weather, the superintendent will notify local radio and television stations before 6:00a.m., if at all possible.  If a decision can be made the night before, in case of snow or freezing conditions, an announcement of school closing will be made prior to the 6:00p.m. or 10:00p.m. television and radio newscast.  You can also check this website or the school closing hotline at 831-8787.
 

ParentInfo from Department of Education
     Parents of school-age children can receive helpful information related to education and child development from the Kentucky Department of Education.
     Twice a month, the department will send out a free electronic newsletter called ParentInfo that includes brief features on testing, school Site Based Decision Making councils, school report cards, technology and more. It will also include helpful resources on the Web.
     To receive ParentInfo, parents can register by going to this Web site --www.education.ky.gov and enter "parentinfo" in the keyword/search box, then click Search. This will take you to the subscription page for ParentInfo.

School Board Encourages Input
    The Henderson County Board of Education wishes to hear from members of the community at its meetings.  In order to have a place on the agenda at meetings, persons or groups requesting to be placed on the board meeting agenda need to complete the Request to Place An Item on the Agenda form.
     This form (01.45 AP.2) is in the board policy manuals located at each school and on our district website, www.HendersonSchools.net under DISTRICT and FORMS. It may be opened in either Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat PDF format.  The completed form should be sent in ten days prior to the date of the board meeting to Natalie Reynolds and/or Superintendent Thomas L. Richey.
     For more information contact:

Natalie Reynolds, Secretary to the Superintendent
or
Cindy Williams, Director of Publications/Pubic Relations
(270) 831-5000.