May 2012


Volume 6, No. 4 - Summer Issue

JCPS Home | Diversity Office | Environmental Education | Mission Statements | Archives | Current Edition

Highlights from this issue: Kentucky residents, including 5 JCPS teachers, become certified Community Scholars; best practices in multicultural learning communities; racial profiling in education; Cane Run Elementary's Green Energy Team; create your own classroom bird guide activity; recommended books for children; upcoming events around Kentuckiana; and much more.

Articles

1. "What happens when kids get off the bus: Using best practices in multicultural learning communities," by Dr. Shelley Thomas (UofL) and Dr. Antoinette Linton (LAUSD and USC).
Click here to read the article.

2. "Endangered species," by Aukram Burton, JCPS Diversity/Multicultural Education Office.
Click here to read the article.

3. "The color line: Profiling in education," by Aukram Burton, JCPS Diversity/Multicultural Education Office.
Click here to read the article.

4. "Community scholars discover the diversity of traditions in their own backyard," provided by Amanda Hardeman, Kentucky Folklife Program.
Click here to read the article.

5. "Cane Run Elementary's Green Energy Team," provided by Darleen Horton, Cane Run Elementary Environmental Magnet.
Click here to read the article.

Classroom activity idea:

"For the birds," by Darleen Horton, Cane Run Elementary Environmental Magnet.
Click here to read the article.

The Book Corner

For more information about these books, contact Natalie Thompson, Louisville Free Public Library, at (502) 574-1620.

Maximilian & The Mystery of the Guardian Angel: A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller
By Xavier Garza
Cinco Puntos Press; Bilingual edition (October 8, 2011)
For grades 4-7

Eleven-year-old Maximilian is a passionate follower of lucha libra wrestling. After getting the chance to see his favorite wrestler, the Guardian Angel in action, Maximilian begins to suspect a personal connection to his idol. This edition is Spanish and English and will be a hit for reluctant readers.

Around Our Way on Neighbors' Day
By Tameka Fryer Brown (Author) and Charlotte Riley-Webb (Illustrator)
Abrams Books for Young Readers (August 1, 2010)
For grades 4 and up

A summer block party showcases a diverse urban neighborhood. Bouncing rhymes and vibrant illustrations set the tone for the celebration.

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On the Web

Brandeis University - EcoLibrary

www.ecolibrary.org

EcoLibrary currently contains over 600 images that can be used to teach about ecology and conservation, each accompanied by an accurate explanation of the material depicted. Many of the slides are grouped into mini-lessons, so that you can easily download ten or fifteen images on a single theme such as ecosystems of the world, or camouflage and mimicry, or ecology of leafcutter ants. All are full-screen resolution size, ready to be placed into PowerPoint or Acrobat presentations. On EcoLibrary you can search for materials in any of these ways:

-- search full text descriptions
-- textbook-linked search (materials suggested for use with specific chapters in widely-used textbooks)
-- browse visually by major themes, using thumbnail images

Library of Congress American Folklife Center

www.loc.gov/folklife

The mission of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress is to document the cultural traditions and ways of life of ethnic and social groups around the world. They currently maintain over 4,000 collections that include topics such as American quiltmaking; Native American song and dance; ancient English ballads; Scots-Irish folklore; the Gullah dialect; Cambodian traditions; documentation of the lives of cowboys, farmers, fisherman, coal miners, musicians and others; African-American narratives; and countless other artifacts. The Web site features news about projects, online presentations of multiformat collections, and other resources to facilitate interest in folklife projects and study. The site has an educational resource page specifically for k-12 teachers and students.

Events and Resources

Use the menu below to choose an organization or scroll down the page to view all contents.

Community Criminal Justice Summit

On May 17-19, the African American Community Agenda Initiative (AAI) will convene a Community Criminal Justice Summit that will focus on critical issues in our justice system. The Summit will take place at Jefferson Community & Technical College and is co-convened by various social, educational, justice organizations, fraternities, sororities, neighborhood associations, grassroots advocates, and others that focus on criminal and social justice through effective policy.

The main areas of examination:

-- examining impact and characteristics of criminal justice systems, as related to the national and local African American Community

-- examining inequities (real and perceived) in the outcomes of our adult criminal and juvenile justice systems

-- examining the “school to prison pipeline”

-- identifying criminal justice policy areas that are beneficial and those in need of reform

To preregister or for more information, contact:

Alan D. Benson
AfricanAmericanInitiative@gmail.com
(502) 767-6878.

Festival of Contemporary Writing at Spalding University

Award-winning young-adult author Jacqueline Woodson will give a public presentation on her novel Hush at 6:15 P.M. on May 24 in Spalding University's Center Auditorium (824 S. Fourth Street). Her appearance serves as the headline event for Spalding's Festival of Contemporary Writing, May 19-26. Hush is about an an African-American teenager shot dead by a white police officer. A fellow office, African-American, refuses to keep silent about the murder. The story is told from the perspective of the black officer's daughter, as the family is forced to reinvent their lives within the Witness Protection Program.

Jacqueline Woodson is the inaugural Diana M. Raab Distinguished Writer in Residence for Spalding University's brief-residency Master of Fine Arts in Writing Program. She is one of the premier writers for young adults working today and her works include picture books as well as novels for middle-grade and young-adult audiences.

The evening event with Woodson is free and open to the public. For more information, please visit the Spalding University MFA in Writing Web site at http://spalding.edu/academics/mfa. To download the flyer, click here.

First Person Interpretive Program

Author and educator Judith C. Owens-Lalude presents "Lucy Higgs Nichols: A First Person Interpretive Program" for schools. Lucy Higgs Nichols was a runaway slave from Tennessee during the Civil War and served as a nurse for the 23rd Indiana Regiment. She later became an honorary member of the Grand Army of the Republic in New Albany. Nichols is brought back to life in Owens-Lalude's interpretive performance. For more information, click here to download the brochure. To contact Judith C. Owens-Lalude, please call (502) 327-5056 or email her at jcamille@insightbb.com. Visit the J. Camille Cultural Academy Web site at http://jcamilleculturalacademy.com.

UofL course on environmental education

UofL will host a summer environmental education course at Portland Elementary. Environmental Education P–12 in Schools, EDAP 694, will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Mon., June 18, through Sat., June 23.The course is worth three credit hours, and participants will learn strategies about how to engage students in environmental education at school indoors and outdoors. To print a flier, click here. For more information, send an e-mail to Ingrid Weiland at ingrid.weiland@louisville.edu.

Volunteers needed for Family Fun Math Night

Up to one hundred volunteers are needed for Family Fun Math Night on Saturday, July 21, 2012 from 12:00 P.M. to 2:00 P.M. at St. Stephen Family Life Center Gyms (1508 West Kentucky Street). The event is presented by West Louisville Math and Science Project, Inc. To volunteer, please contact Eboni Neal Cochran at (502) 551-4734 or wlmathandscience@gmail.com. No need to be a math genius, just bring your desire to help children build confidence and have fun!

Americans Who Tell the Truth pd & field trip

The Muhammad Ali Center, in collaboration with Americans Who Tell The Truth and the JCPS Diversity/Multicultural Education Office, presents a professional development opportunity for teachers interested in using artist Robert Shetterly’s portrait series entitled “Americans Who Tell The Truth," an exhibition and program presented at the Ali Center from September 1–November 16, 2012.  The exhibition will feature stunning portraits and commentary with a powerful perspective on what it means to be an American and the contributions the subjects have made as politicians, artists, environmental, social justice and human rights activists in our democratic society. Guided, curriculum-based tours will be offered by the Muhammad Ali Center for the duration of the exhibit for students of all ages.

Teachers interested in planning a field trip will need to attend a professional development workshop with the artist Robert Shetterly, on Wednesday, August 29, 4:30 – 7:30 pm (elementary only), and Thursday, August 30, 3:30 – 6:30 pm (middle and high schools only) at the Muhammad Ali Center (144 N. Sixth Street Louisville, KY  40202). The workshop will introduce teachers to the portraits and curriculum to prepare teachers for student field trips to the exhibit.

To register on PDCentral, elementary school educators should use session #12-1342923. Middle and high school educators should use session #12-1342925. These sessions are not currently available on pdCentral. Please put the sessions on your calendar and continue to check pdCentral for registration availability.

For more information, contact:

Taylor Killough
Education Associate, Muhammad Ali Center
tkillough@alicenter.org
502-992-5340

or visit www.americanswhotellthetruth.org and www.alicenter.org

Bernheim Forest summer events

Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest will offer numerous events throughout the summer months that will to appeal to nature lovers from all age groups. For a calender and complete descriptions of events, please visit www.bernheim.org/programs.html. Bernheim Forest is located off Highway 245 in Clearmont, Kentucky, 25 miles south of downtown Louisville.

For more information, please call (502) 955-8512 and visit www.bernheim.org.

Blackacre summer events

May-October, every Saturday at 9 A.M. - Farm animal feedings. Learn about the farm animals and help with the feeding. Meet at the Barn. Admission is free but donations are appreciated.
May 19 at 2 P.M. - Wild flower walk
May 20, June 24 and July 15 - Farm animal feedings for adults with Farmer Larry. Meet at the Barn at 9 A.M. Admission is free, donations are appreciated.
May 20 at 2 P.M. - Bluebird walk and talk; stay and build a birdhouse afterwards
June 2 at 1 P.M. to 6 P.M. - Pioneer Day
June 24 at 2-4 P.M. - Sing-along with Mike Sanders, Paul Gohman and friends.
June 30 at 2 P.M. - Canning with Jackie and Ashley
July 7 at 9 P.M. - Stargazing
July 8 at 2 P.M. - Dragon Fly Walk
July 14 at 10:30 A.M. - Raptor Rehab
August 19 at 2 P.M. - Heirloom tomato tasting

Blackacre State Nature Preserve and Historic Homestead is located at 3200 Tucker Station Road in Louisville, KY. For more information, please call (502) 266-9802 and visit www.blackacreconservancy.org.

The Bioneers are coming!

Who are the Bioneers?

 “Bioneers are social and scientific innovators from all walks of life and disciplines who have peered deep into the heart of living systems to understand how nature operates, and to mimic "nature's operating instructions" to serve human ends without harming the web of life.”

These are the people who are thinking ahead, anticipating problems in our environment and creating solutions before most of us even realize the problem exists. If you find that idea exciting, come join the Bluegrass Bioneers on November 2-4, 2012 at the University of Louisville. Featured speakers will come from areas as diverse as the arts, indigenous knowledge, ecological medicine, women’s rights, food and farming, and social and environmental activism.

Among those already scheduled to speak are authors Michael Pollan (Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food) and Bill McKibben (The End of Nature and The Global Warming Reader), and Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club. These speakers, as well as dozens more, will be beamed to Bluegrass Bioneers in Louisville from the main conference site in San Rafael, California. There will also be breakout sessions featuring local presenters with activities for both adults and children. The conference is free and open to the public.

Among the activities for students will be the “Message in a Bottle” boat race on 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, October 20, 2012 at Carrie Gaulbert Cox Park in Louisville, Kentucky. Teams from area high schools are invited to build boats from 2-liter plastic bottles and other plastic waste to float down the Ohio River. There will also be an art contest. The winning art works will be on display during the conference.

Dr. Marcus Eriksen of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation will captain the main boat, the “Bottleship Louisville,” and will give a presentation on his experiences fighting plastic pollution. Previously, he has built and sailed plastic bottle boats across the Pacific and down the Mississippi River.  You can read more about Eriksen at www.algalita.org and http://5Gyres.org. For more information, contact Debbie Goldstein at (502) 426-4399 or Dinowriter@insightbb.com, or Debbi Jay at deborahjochnau@gmail.com.

For more information or to propose a topic for a local breakout session for the conference, visit Bluegrass Bioneers at www.bluegrassbioneers.org.

Crane House summer programs

2012 STARTALK Chinese Language Institute

Crane House, in collaboration with Jefferson Public Schools and University of Louisville, is now accepting applications for the 2012 STARTALK- Crane House Chinese Language Institute. The 3-week program develops listening, speaking, reading and writing skills for Chinese, and it expands Chinese cultural experiences in a fun and energetic immersion program setting.

Dates: July 18 through August 5, 2011

Site: Atherton High School

Daily schedule: 8:30 A.M. – 1:30 P.M. Daily class room sessions, field trips & other cultural activities

Fee: No tuition or charges. Deposit: $150 required (The deposit is refundable upon successful completion of the program.)

# of available spots: 50

Qualifications: - 6th through graduating 12th graders - public, private, parochial, and home schools- students in Kentucky and Southern Indiana- students who are highly motivated to learn Chinese language and culture- students who have no prior experiences with Chinese language

University and high school credit: University of Louisville credits awarded based on qualifications. High school credit awarded based on program completion and base school approval. Visit www.Cranehouse.org/startalk.php for an application and submit all forms and a deposit of $150 to: Crane House/STARTALK, 1244 South Third Stree, Louisville, KY 40203. The application deadline is May 30, 2012.

For more information and questions, visit www.Cranehouse.org, email startalk@cranehouse.org or call (502) 635-2240. Crane House Chinese Language Institute is part of Startalk National Language Project administered by the National Foreign Language Center, University of Maryland, in conjunction with a federal initiative for critical-need languages and in partnership with Jefferson County Public Schools and University of Louisville.

IU Southeast Lewis and Clark Summer Institute

The Indiana University Southeast School of Education will sponsor a Lewis and Clark Summer Institute during July 2012. The Institute begins July 9 with an intensive afternoon introductory session which will be followed by several days for reading and preparation of a comprehensive essay that will cover major course themes. The course will resume for daily sessions on July 17-19, and July 23. These sessions will run from 9 A.M. to noon and from 1-5 P.M. and will involve a number of field trips and guest resource people. The Institute will conclude July 25 with presentation of workshop projects, which will involve preparation of a classroom teaching unit related to the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  It also will be an all-day session, depending upon the number of class participants.

Elementary teachers should enroll in EDUC-E 518: Workshop in General Elementary Education and secondary teachers should enroll in EDUC-S 512: Workshop in Secondary Education. Both courses have the subtitle: Lewis and Clark Summer Institute. The Institute may be used for Gifted and Talented Certification.

Required readings for the course will be Stephen Ambrose's Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and The Opening of the American West, and Carl E. Kramer's The Corps of Discovery and the Falls of the Ohio.

The Institute director is Dr. Carl E. Kramer, adjunct lecturer in education and current director of the Institute for Local and Oral History and adjunct assistant professor of history. Dr. Kramer is a member of the board of directors of the Indiana Lewis and Clark Foundation and the education committee of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation.

For more information about the Institute program, contact Dr. Kramer at (812) 941-2279 or caekrame@ius.edu. For information about registration and certification, contact Jane Riehl, licensing and field placement coordinator, at (812) 941-2449 or jriehl@ius.edu. Participants who complete the Institute will be certificated as a “Lewis and Clark Ambassador” by the School of Education, the Center for Cultural Resources, and the Indiana Lewis and Clark Foundation.

Irish Society of Kentuckiana summer events

Thursday, May 24
Irish Tea in the Gardens at Hidden Hill Nursery
Everyone is welcome to join Irish Society of Kentuckiana at the Hidden Hill Nursery (1011 Utica Charlestown Road, Jeffersonville, IN) where they feature rare trees and plants, garden sculpture, and whimsy! Admission to Hidden Hill Nursery is FREE. 10% off any purchase of plants in the nursery. Admission to the Irish Tea is $10.00 for members, $12.00 for non-members. Tickets are limited, so purchase your tickets soon! Contact Connie Fry at (812) 283-7305 or (502) 379-1792. Or mail your ticket request with check payable to the Irish Society of Kentuckiana, 226 W Winbourne Ave, Clarksville, IN 47129.

June 5 at 7:30 P.M.
ISK General Meeting
Speaker: Mandy Dick
Topic: Irish at Locust Grove
Commonwealth Bank, 286 N. Hubbards Lane

Weekends, June 2 through July 8
Highland Renaissance Festival
This annual Celtic Festival will take place in Eminence, KY, just 45 miles from Louisville. The festival includes some of the area’s best Celtic musicians, and lots of good food and great fun!
For driving directions visit the Kentucky Renaissance Fair Web site.

July 3 at 7:30 PM
ISK General Meeting
Speaker: Skip Davis
Topic: Golfing in Ireland
Commonwealth Bank, 286 N. Hubbards Lane

August 7 at 7:30 PM
ISK General Meeting
Speaker: Deborah Campisano
Topic: Genealogy – Irish in America
Commonwealth Bank, 286 N. Hubbards Lane

September 1-3
WorldFest on the Belvedere
Walk with us in the WorldFest parade on Sat, Sept 2 at noon.

September 8
Celts on the River
Jeffersonville, IN
Admission is FREE
Visit the Celts on the River Web site.

September 29-30
Irish Fest
Bellarmine University
2001 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY.

For more information, please visit the ISK Web site at www.irishkyana.org.

Fun Outdoor Adventures 2012

The Louisville Nature Center will offer summer camps for children beginning in June. The Center is located at 3745 Illinois Avenue. To register for the following camps, please call Judy Gardner at (502) 458-1328. For additional information, visit LNC Web site at www.louisvillenaturecenter.org.

Harry Potter: the First Four Books (ages 8-12)

When: June 4-8, 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
What: Through exploration of the Beargrass Creek Nature Preserve, campers will study potions, herbology, astronomy and defense against the dark arts as well as ways of seeing magical creatures.
Cost: $160 members, $200 non-members (per week)

The Bear Basics of Improv! (middle-high school ages)

When: June 11-15, 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
What: Nature inspired improvisational games, exercises, and scene building techniques are designed to make campers think critically, be spontaneous, and build confidence.
Cost: $160 members, $200 non-members

Wild About the Arts (ages 6-12)

When: June 18-22; July 9-13, 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
What: Let the wilderness inspire you in this exciting arts and nature camp! Work with paint, clay, and printmaking, and spend time in the nature preserve. Shine Studio will provide music, yoga, and more.
Cost: $200/non-members, $160/LNC members (per week)

My Home, Their Home, Our Home (ages 4-6)

When: June 25-29, 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.
What: We will learn about various animals and their homes and how we can all live together in this world.
Cost: $100 members $115 non members (per week)

Backbone Bonanza (ages 4-6)

When: July 16-20, 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.
What: Campers will investigate the difference between vertebrates and invertebrates through a series of fun hands-on experiences.
Cost: $100 members, $115 non-members (per week)

What’s Bugging You! (ages 6-12)

When: July 23-27, 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
What: Campers will learn about insect anatomies and classification, collect and identify insects from various parts of the Beargrass Creek Nature Preserve, observe insect behaviors, participate in activities with guest speakers and construct various insect crafts.
Cost: $160 members, $200 non-members (per week)

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Global Connections is a quarterly publication of the JCPS Diversity/Multicultural Education Office and the JCPS Center for Environmental Education. All submissions must be sent to Catherine Collesano, editor, at catherine.collesano@jefferson.kyschools.us the Monday before the publication date. If you are interested in becoming a subscriber or a contributor to Global Connections, please contact the editor at the above email address.

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