The Pendleton County Adult Learning Center would like to congratulate recent GED recipients Linda Taulbee and Melissa Nueby.  Linda and Melissa started GED classes together in April of this year and worked diligently as a team in order to achieve their common goal.

Pictured above are the Southern Elementary students of the month for grades third to fifth. Front row, from left: William Teegarden, David Harney, Darian Fletcher, Alanta Marksberry, Cierra Asher. Back row: Sam Bryant, Addyson Crouch, Kaylee Mainous, Michael Harrison, Tredyn Thomas, Abby Moore, Destiny Lyvers. Not pictured:  Dakota Hurston.

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Pictured above are students of the month for Southern Elementary grades kindergarten through second. Front row, from left: Kameron Houston, Jana Buntain, Michaela Gay, Alyssa Webber, Kiersten Harney, & Savannah Jacobs. Back row: James Wang, Audrey White, Emma Gillespie, Cory Clark, Morgan Hart, Sawyer Tillett. Not pictured: Aiden Newkirk.

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Your future is calling. With the GED® test, you can answer the call! If you’ve already started the GED® test, you’re almost there. The current version of the GED® test is expiring at the end of 2013 and your scores will expire too if you don’t finish and pass the test by then. If you act soon, you won’t have to re-take the parts of the test you’ve already passed.

Don’t feel prepared to finish the GED® test? Don’t worry—we can help! Even with your busy schedule, you can prepare, plan, and succeed. The Pendleton County Adult Learning center has teachers waiting to help you, structured classes, evening hours, and even online options you can do in your home.  Please call (859) 654-3325 ext. 2603 to discuss your options.

Passing the GED® test is a key to opening doors to college, a better job, and the respect you deserve. Don’t miss this chance to turn one small step into your next big opportunity! Finish your GED® test by the end of 2013 and earn your high school credential.

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Northern Elementary, Phillip Sharp Middle School, and Pendleton County High School, operated by Pendleton County Schools, has each earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) ENERGY STAR certification, which  signifies that the building performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency and meets strict energy efficiency performance levels set by the EPA.

"Pendleton County Schools is pleased to accept EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts,” said Anthony Strong, Superintendent. "Through this achievement, we have demonstrated our commitment to environmental stewardship while also lowering our energy costs.”

To teach is to touch a life forever. Teachers have the potential to be powerful asset builders. In addition to the Commitment-to-Learning assets (21–25), five other assets (3: Other Adult Relationships; 5: Caring School Climate; 8: Youth as Resources; 12: School Boundaries; and 14: Adult Role Models) focus on the important role of a teacher. Below are some suggestions for what teachers can do to build assets. These suggestions are intended to give you some ideas for how to get started. They may need to be modified or adapted depending on the grade you teach; whether you are a classroom teacher, specialist, or resource teacher; and the nature of your school environment.

Post the list of assets in your classroom.

Devote a bulletin board in your classroom to asset-building messages.

Plan asset-building learning activities as part of the curriculum (for example, service learning projects, social skills training or setting aside time to read for pleasure).

Greet students by name when you see them.

Kentucky schools have routinely screened children around the time they enter kindergarten in order to establish a performance baseline for each child and to prepare teachers to better meet individual needs right from the start. A quick screening of children's developmental abilities and their ability to adapt to the structure of the school setting provides invaluable diagnostic information for kindergarten teachers.  The goal of screening is to prepare teachers to meet each child “where they are” when they arrive on their road to mastery of kindergarten content and to establish a foundation for continued success in elementary school and beyond.

Fortunately, Kentucky is taking steps to implement one common kindergarten readiness screener accompanied by best-practice guidelines for all schools. This is a collaborative effort between the Governor's Office of Early Childhood and the Kentucky Department of Education and is directly tied to the recommendations of the Governor's Task Force on Early Childhood Development and Education and the Transforming Education in Kentucky Task Force.

By Leigh Anne Florence, Illustrated by Chris Ware

Unleashed series: Chapter 1

Go to www.kypress.com to hear Woody read each chapter and try the interactive chapter activities. Thanks to Kentucky Utilities/LG&E, Kentucky Office for Adventure Tourism, Kentucky Press Association and Newspaper in Education for helping to make this statewide literacy project possible.

“Well, Woody, it looks as if all your numbers are higher than last year,” the doctor said as he went over my test results.

“That’s awesome!” I exclaimed, puffing out my chest.

Doc Albert chuckled before she spoke. “Actually Woody, it’s not like exams in school where higher numbers mean better grades. With medical exams, higher numbers aren’t usually a good thing.”

“I don’t understand,” I said, looking back and forth from my parents to the doctor.

“Well, your blood sugar, your cholesterol and your weight are all higher than they were last year. Those three things tell me you aren’t eating right or exercising enough. And for you to be healthy, that has to change.”

Pictured above are the FFA members who attended the FFA State Convention in Lexington. Front row, from left: Jaimie Antrobus, Kelly Armour, Sabrina Sebastian, Melissa Combs, Sierra Pfefferman. Back row: Lance Fisher, Elizabeth Eglian, Jordan Yelton, Jackson Strong. Photo by chapter reporter Kelly Armour.

The Pendleton County FFA Chapter had a very busy summer. The first thing the Chapter attended was the Kentucky FFA State Convention held in Lexington at Rupp Arena. Members who attended are pictured.

2012 Pendleton County graduate Gabe Bowen was awarded the Kentucky FFA Degree at state convention.

Missy Combs stated, “State Convention was a lot of fun. I made new friends from across the state and can’t wait till next year.”

If Ready Fest at Northern Elementary was any sign of what the 2012-2013 school year will be….”it will be a Paws-itively GREAT year” as Northern celebrates the theme of their new mascot-- the Northern Bobcats!    We could not have asked for an event to have been any better.  This year was one of our best events as the weather was great, people didn’t have to run in the rain to attend the event, most importantly, everywhere we looked we heard chatter and laughter and saw smiles on the faces of teachers, support staff, parents, and children throughout the building.  It doesn’t get much better than that!!