Changing Schools in Louisville Winter 1996

(Vol. 1, No. 1 - Winter 1996/1997)

The first issue of Changing Schools in Louisville
-- a tabloid newspaper published by the Focused Reporting Project --
is now available on paper and on the 'Net!

All of the stories published in Changing Schools (Volume 1, Number 1) are now available on MiddleWeb. As a bonus to Web readers, we've included several additional stories about Louisville middle grades reform we couldn't squeeze into the newsprint edition (order it here).

Here are the stories published in the paper edition of Volume 1, Number 1:

Are academic standards the roadmap to better teaching? -- While some Louisville teachers are using academic standards to guide their everyday teaching, most continue to rely on traditional approaches that may not be as effective.

BARRIERS along the road to middle school reform -- As they travel the long, uphill road to middle school reform, Jefferson County's principals, teachers, and support staff will have to negotiate several barriers that stand in the way of progress.

Two schools on the edge of success -- Two JCPS middle schools edged over into the "success" category on the latest KIRIS testing. A schoolwide focus on what's working and what's not may be part of the reason.

What's a Standard, Anyway? -- Simply stated, a standard describes a piece of learning that fits into a larger whole. Describes the standards process in Kentucky and Jefferson County.

Louisville's future depends on schools that work for all kids -- Story sets the stage for middle school reform in Louisville, visiting with a group of students in an inner-city housing project, and describing the JCPS program for improvement and the Clark Foundation's support for standards-based reform.

INTERVIEW: Reaching kids through the power of school/community partnerships -- Lynn Rippy, director of the Louisville Youth Alliance and chair of the city's Middle School Coalition, believes students will achieve more when schools and service agencies build stronger partnerships

NYB teens gain confidence, leadership skills -- Inner-city youth find a new resilience as they participate in Louisville's Neighborhood Youth Boards. NYB "makes us aware of the young ones who are coming up behind us--of how they look to us for role models," says Daryl Barnes.

A Day in the Life: Student Diaries -- 7th grader An Nguyen describes a typical day in the life of a middle schooler. "Most are concerned about the relationship to their peers more than their academic knowledge. I think that is the problem with teens today," she says. Also read excerpts from three other student diaries.

Learning to Live (and Grow) with KERA -- The KIRIS tests themselves, not the standards upon which they are based, have become the focus of instruction in many JCPS classrooms. How did that happen?

Surviving the Avalanche -- To thrive in the world according to KERA, principals must be more than managers, they must become leaders of reform. But many principals have not received the professional development and support they need to lead middle schools to higher levels of achievement.

Parents in the Schools: Asking the Right Questions -- A new program sponsored by the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence encourages parents to ask thoughtful questions about teaching and learning.

Connecting the future to the work of schools -- Committed business partners can help students see the connections between education and life -- and help challenge schools to reach higher standards. This story examines a burgeoning partnership between United Parcel Service and Williams Middle School.

IDEAS: Why Middle School? A message to business partners. UPS public affairs supervisor Cindy Read urges potential business partners to consider the many benefits of middle school partnerships.

IDEAS: Powerful ideas for changing schools -- Professor of educational leadership Barnett Berry recounts one of the secrets behind the success of Central Park East Elementary School -- a powerful professional development model.

Is your middle school a N.I.C.E. place to be? -- The JCPS Middle School Coalition is working to certify that your next school visit will be a pleasant experience. Is this the Twilight Zone?

Scenes reveal Louisville's struggle to better educate its young teens -- Scenes of hope, struggle and determination as the Jefferson County Public Schools and the Louisville community search for ways to strengthen support for young teens in the middle grades. Bullet format.

These stories about Louisville/Jefferson County middle school reform are available ONLY in this on-line edition:

Anne C. Lewis: Linking the International Math and Science Study to Louisville reform

What Does "Standards-based Reform" Mean?: Some Pertinent Quotes

Three additional diaries by middle school students in Louisville

ORDER THE NEWSPRINT EDITION

To receive a copy of the newsprint version of Changing Schools in Louisville, send a self-addressed envelope with $1.28 postage to Kevin Kirkwood, The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, 250 Park Avenue, Suite 900, New York, NY 10177. Ask for "Changing Schools in Louisville, No. 1."

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(Vol. 1, No. 1 - Winter 1996/1997)

The first issue of Changing Schools in Louisville -- a tabloid newspaper published by the Focused Reporting Project -- is now available on paper and on the 'Net!

The first issue of Changing Schools in Louisville
-- a tabloid newspaper published by the Focused Reporting Project --
is now available on paper and on the 'Net!