Students swings $12K for heart health

Inverness Middle School continues enviable fundraising record for AHA

By Matt Beck, Citrus County Chronicle
Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Jasmin Pryor spins a half-dozen hula hoops around her waist Wednesday morning at the Inverness Middle School as part of a reward program for raising money for the American Heart Association.

Nearly 500 Inverness Middle School students jumped, shot baskets and hula hooped their way through the morning as a reward for collecting more than $12,000 for the American Heart Association.
As part of the physical education department’s community-service project, students have been collecting money for research and education projects for the AHA to work on defeating America’s number one killer of men and women — heart disease.

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Education foundation applauded

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

THE ISSUE: Citrus County Education Foundation.
OUR OPINION: Partnership moves forward with funding and support.

No one ever said it was easy to keep an education system going on all cylinders. In good times, in shaky economic periods, during technological transitions, amid anticipated demands and unexpected legislative actions, that treasured target for excellence can sometimes appear like a long shot.

So when a “little help from your friends” is offered, we say thank you. And when years of support, assistance and funding is produced by a foundation of community and business members, we say thank you very much.

Since 1988, the Citrus County Education Foundation has raised and invested more than $700,000 in teachers, staff and students in Citrus County public schools and actively works to support vital learning initiatives. With its longstanding mission to provide resources to enhance the quality of education, the projects and assistance this foundation has brought to this community are numerous. These include such endeavors as Teacher Mini Grants to fund innovative teacher-driven projects; scholarship programs such as Aspiring Teachers, which offers support staff members in the school system an opportunity to apply for financial assistance as they purse a degree in education; the annual Galaxy of Stars dinner awards program to recognize the best teachers and support staff across the county; support for field trips and academic events such as Math Field Day and Regional Science and Engineering Fairs; and the facilitation of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program, which brings books to more than 2,000 children who are learning to read.

Its newest signature event is ALLEGRO — which stands of Advanced Learning and Literacy Education through Grants and Resource Opportunities. This inaugural spring concert features award-winning a cappella singers on stage at Curtis Peterson Auditorium on May 1, with proceeds to provide funding for art and music programs in Citrus County schools. For ticket information call (352) 726-1931, ext. 2240.

As this foundation moves forward with new programs and new methods of fundraising, our community must not only be appreciative of these efforts, but must also add its support and participation. Through this ongoing involvement, promotion and recognition, that foundation will remain strong and able to continue this vital partnership with our public schools.

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It’s Never Just Another Visit

Visiting schools is always a great opportunity to see the campus and facilities and my favorite, talk and meet the students.  Another benefit to touring our schools is getting the opportunity to watch teachers’ instructional strategies.  Often, I discover a new teaching method or idea. Then I love to share what I am seeing with other teachers.  One of the best strategies for improving education is called “shared best practices”.  Teachers and principals have known this for years.  My recent visit to Homosassa Elementary (HES) provided me with a couple of new gems I want to share with you.

I was visiting HES on Monday (April 18th, 2011). It was a beautiful day outside; the kind of day as summer approaches that makes you feel like the last place you want to be is inside.  However, when I walked into Mrs. Howard’s classroom the room was so inviting and ready for learning that you didn’t mind be inside at all.  The lights were lowered because her students were engaged in her lesson.  She was teaching reading from the “Story Town” reading series by the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, which is part of our elementary curriculum.  This is the same series my own daughter has at her school on the other side of the county.  Mrs. Howard was projecting the story up for the students and then the students were sharing out while the story audiobook played.  At any point Mrs. Howard could stop the reading and review. If a student asked about a word or meaning, Mrs. Howard would click the beautiful interactive online book and the word or sentence would automatically read the story and/or properly pronounce a word.  What is doubly exciting is that this book is also available online to available to parents, students and families at home.  I will tell you having been a dad that has forgot his own daughter’s book at school it has come in handy many to be able to access the book on the computer at home at night.  It also works on iPads, iPhones, Android phones and many other mobile devices.  You will need your student’s login in password which you can get from your student’s teacher if you haven’t already received it.  Then go to www.ThinkCentral.com and choose your subject area and then learn series.  This is also available for some of our other subject area curriculums.

Before leaving HES I also stopped in to Mr. Crowley’s classroom where he was in the middle of teaching math class.  I couldn’t help but look over and see the computers in his room each had different colored screen backgrounds.  I loved this idea.  Each computer station had a different unique color so that students could be assigned to the “Blue” computer and know which was that station.  It also added a pleasant, inviting look to the technology.

If you know of a classroom or idea you would like for me to see or share, please let me know.

Related Links

• Homosassa Elementary
• Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
• www.ThinkCentral.com

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