Ivy Tech Holds Commencement
Heather Abbott, of Jeffersonville and a respiratory therapy major, waves with excitement as she spots her family at Ivy Tech’s graduation ceremonies Friday.
Photo by Trisha Dunn

Graduate from NA-FC schools now teacher of the year for corporation
All that work in the classroom has paid off. Thursday night at an awards banquet she was honored as the corporation’s Teacher of the Year.

Prosser teacher recognized by state
“The class helped me decide what I want to do with my life,” Bline, 19, said. “Before, I didn’t have any plans. I don’t know what I’d be doing right now if I didn’t take it.”

Car hits bus with NAHS students on board
Two New Albany High School students suffered slight injuries after the school bus they were riding on was hit by a car, according to Dave Rarick, director of communications for New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp.

NJROTC bids farewell to retiring Floyd Central principal

Teaching teens the value of a dollar
By teaching your teen and, most importantly, by setting an example of financial responsibility, you can help them develop skills that will not only allow them to make the best choices for today but that will serve them for the rest of their lives.

Parents can serve as model for ‘how literacy really works’
Dr. H. Keith Cochran said children learn the proper use of language by having parents reinforce proper sentence structure and vocabulary, as well as correcting misuses of words or grammar.

'Kite Runner' faces censorship fight in Massachusetts
A graphic sexual assault scene in the award-winning book has led to a school board member objecting to it being on the summer reading list for high school juniors.

IUS celebrates commencement with record crowd
This year, 1,018 students received degrees, which is the third-largest graduating class from IUS. About 500 of those showed up for the ceremony, which included students tossing around oversized beach balls, spraying silly string and sounding air horns.

‘CSI’ to feature MSU’s fingerprint developer
Beckley will take a proverbial bite out of both the Big Apple and Hollywood later this month when a new fingerprint development system designed by a Mountain State University professor and his students is featured on an episode of “CSI New York.”

‘Nasty’ politicking talked about at GCCS school board forum
The Greater Clark County Schools board election has caused quite a commotion, with 13 people fighting for four seats.

Former secretary of state speaks at IUS; says world is ‘a mess’
SO YOU KNOW
Madeleine Korbel Albright was nominated by President Bill Clinton on Dec. 5, 1996 as secretary of state. After being unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she was sworn in as the 64th secretary of state on Jan. 23, 1997.
— http://secretary.state.gov/www/albright/albright

Full Steam Ahead
Saint Paul’s Catholic School third-graders Calvin Heck, seated, and Parker Graf head back to their team during a wagon race dubbed “The Great Steamboat Race” on Wednesday at the school in Sellersburg. All St. Paul’s students participated in Kentucky Derby-related activities, including stick-horse races, a Derby hat parade and a Run for The Rosé.
Staff photo by C.E. Branham

Spring Hill students visit career fair

GCCS working to be green; $1.6 M saved over three years

Parkwood students getting keen on being green
Five fifth-graders at Parkwood Elementary School leaned in over the table, whispering what they thought was the correct question in a game of Enviro-Jeopardy.

Graduation dates for schools in Clark and Floyd counties

No more half-days at Greater Clark County Schools

Contract talks take center stage at New Albany-Floyd County School Corp. board meeting
The New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. board approved a reduction in force plan that will eliminate three teachers, and the panel also made its first public statement regarding the collective-bargaining process at Monday night’s school board meeting.

Galena students spend day at one-room schoolhouse
With a recess filled with square dancing coming to a close, girls in their long dresses and bonnets and boys in their overalls and straw hats filed back into the one-room Navilleton schoolhouse Monday morning.

Six candidates running for three seats on NA-FC School Board
With a little more than a week left until the May 6 New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated Schools board election, six people remain vying for three positions.

Five fighting for two seats in West Clark
With time ticking closer to the May 6 election for West Clark Community School Corp. board members, one has dropped out leaving five people fighting for two at-large seats.

Issues attract myriad of candidates in several races for Greater Clark County School Corp. board
This year, 14 people filed to run for four positions and 13 of those remain in the race, which will be decided on May 6.
The last time seats were up for election was in 2006. Then, according to News and Tribune reports, six people were vying for three seats.

Students work to change perceptions of race
The students say participating helps them meet other people who can relate to their experiences and get their voices heard in a community where most of the residents don't look like them.

Celebrating diversity through artwork at NA-FC event
The 13th Annual Children Around the World Art Exhibit brought students, parents and administrators from the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. together Wednesday, but the one thing that was missing was the art teachers.

NA-FC School Corporation, teachers continue salary talks
The New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. and the education association that represents about 700 of its employees have been working with a state-appointed mediator in the collective-bargaining process.

Ivy Tech students work to beautify park behind school
Students came down throughout the day, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., to work on the project.

Floyds Knobs Elementary hosts Battle of the Books
Seventy-two children in the third-, fourth- and fifth-grade Excel program at Floyds Knobs Elementary School read a total of 549 books for the Battle of the Books program.

Hundreds of Clark County students showcase work at libraries
Instead of having their artwork just displayed on their parent’s refrigerator, hundreds of elementary students from Greater Clark County Schools have their work exhibited where the whole community can come out to appreciate it.

10 pre-k programs in Clark, three in Floyd win state recognition
Her program, along with the nine others serving special needs students in pre-K in Clark County and three in Floyd County, received an award of recognition from the Indiana Department of Education Division of Exceptional Learners.

Philosophy conference signals trend
``Philosophy is just understanding the way people think.''

Clarksville middle school gets IUS award

Jeffersonville tax revenue more than expected
The city of Jeffersonville will have slightly more money than initially anticipated, thanks to a larger-than-expected tax settlement with the county.

NA-FC School Corp. names two new principals
The New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. board named new principals for Floyd Central High School and Hazelwood Middle School during Monday night’s school board meeting.

Prosser teacher indicted for sodomy, other charge
Mark D. Yarmey, 52, of Louisville, has been indicted by a grand jury in Louisville for sodomy and use of a minor in a sexual performance.

Greater Clark County Schools board clarifies political policies
With allegations and acknowledgment that wrongdoing has occurred, members of the Greater Clark County Schools Board of Trustees reviewed and clarified policy regarding political activities on school grounds and by school employees Monday morning.

West Clark Schools starts curriculum mapping
Curriculum mapping is a process where teachers work together to decide what will be taught and when, such as during which grade level. Each teacher’s individual maps can also include notes on what they used to get the lessons across and what worked and what didn’t.

Six West Clark Community Schools projects move to next phase
The West Clark Community Schools Corp. board voted to allow six of the seven construction projects to move on from the design-development stage to the construction-document phase.

Jeffersonville High School theater teacher to study whales this summer
Miller is one of 121 educators in the state chosen to receive the Teacher Creativity Grant, which is for $8,000.

Jeffersonville High School students start producing local political spots
As the political races heat up nationally, those running locally also are fighting to get the voters’ attention.
So, students with WJHS, the television production at Jeffersonville High School, decided to cash in.

IU Southeast students urged to tell officials of troubled people
Larry Mand, vice chancellor of information, technology and community engagement at IUS, said the college had many security measures in place — such as e-mail and phone alerts — before the tragedy in Virginia, and since has started more, but the shootings caused officials to try to get to the base of the problem. That’s when the school started the Campus Watch program.

Bennett proposes a sacrifice at Greater Clark County Schools
On Friday, about 35 teachers at Greater Clark County Schools received notices that they may lose their jobs because of a reduction in force, caused by cutting $2.5 million from next year’s budget.
At Tuesday night’s school board meeting, that number was brought down to 17 teachers and eight para-educators, or aides, who will be notified today.

Silver Creek High School students spread the word about child-abuse prevention
The group sang “Runaway Love,” by Ludacris featuring Mary J. Blige. The song is about three young girls dealing with physical and sexual abuse and neglect.

Teaming security together at Ivy Tech in Sellersburg
Many larger campuses across the nation made drastic changes in how they deal with emergencies following the Virginia Tech shootings nearly a year ago.

Police: Teacher admits to taking nude photos of child
Prosser School of Technology teacher Mark D. Yarmey is in the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections Jail, accused of sodomizing and taking nude photos of an 11-year-old girl

Father fights to bar dirty-mouth boy from daughter's grade school
Superintendent says he has no choice but to allow the youth to attend school even though he had been suspended for making sexual comments to girl students.

Jonathan Jennings teacher wins WHAS-TV/Teacher of the Year Award
With his head down, Daniel read his letter he wrote, nominating his teacher Karen Hooser for the WHAS-TV ExCEL/ Greater Clark County Schools Teacher of the Year Award.

Jeffersonville High School drum line prepares for final competition of season
With chins up and eyes full of concentration, members of the Jeffersonville High School winter drum line marched in place while drumming their warm-ups in the gym.

Jeffersonville High School student hurt after being run over by school bus
A 15-year-old boy is recovering after being run over by his school bus Monday morning.

Lanesville school system considers insurance switch
Lanesville Community School Corp. employees may see a change in their health insurance provider pending further review.

NA-FC schools miss benchmarks; officials hope curriculum mapping, full-day kindergarten will show progress
The New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. — and 11 individual schools — failed to make progress required under the No Child Left Behind Act, according to the 2007 Adequate Yearly Progress scores released Tuesday.

Greater Clark doesn’t meet benchmarks, superintendent says there’s lots of work to be done
Greater Clark County Schools — and 11 individual schools within the system — failed to make progress required under the No Child Left Behind Act, according to the 2007 Adequate Yearly Progress scores released Tuesday.

Who is bullying? Middle School students investigate
“Every seven seconds a middle school kid is bullied – discovering that was an eye-opener.” — Sherry McEwen, who teaches the talented and gifted civics class at Athens Middle School

Rising food costs cause higher school lunch prices
The high price of oil on work markets and lower production of wheat in the Midwest are driving up the cost of bread, milk and other school lunch staples.

Justice being served at Ivy Tech Sellersburg campus
About 60 Ivy Tech Community College Sellersburg campus students are now majoring in criminal justice, as the second semester of the new degree program is under way.

An Excellent Teacher
Floyd Central High School Orchestra Director Doug Elmore reads the inscription on his ExCEL Award on Wednesday afternoon during a ceremony at the school. The award is given by the WHAS-TV/E. ON U.S. Foundation for excellence in classroom and educational leadership. Elmore, a 22-year teaching veteran at the school, will receive $1,000 to use in his classroom. Elmore explained his teaching philosophy in a press release.
“As I teach, I try to impart to the students a sense of obligation to the common good — the orchestra,” he said. “I believe that every student can successfully participate in an orchestra. Not every student can play a Mozart Concerto, but everyone can contribute in a meaningful way to the art we create.”
Staff photo by Kevin McGloshen

Educator honored at West Clark meeting
The West Clark Community Schools board met in regular session Thursday night.

Books on parade: Students built floats to depict favorite story
Hunter Jones, 6, along with another kindergarten student at Pleasant Ridge Elementary School, pushed their class float to the back of the parade line Friday afternoon.

Elsie R. Meredith

New Albany-Floyd County teachers ending voluntary services
Teachers with the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. will stop all voluntary services at the end of this month if no contract agreement is made in the collective-bargaining process.

Meteorologist John Belski teaches lessons on weather to Galena students
About 65 third-graders sat on the floor at Galena Elementary School, watching and listening intently as John Belski, meteorologist for WAVE-TV, explained weather topics, such as tornadoes.

Bennett prepares to cut $2.5M from budget Greater Clark County Schools budget
Greater Clark County Schools’ Superintendent Tony Bennett announced at Tuesday night’s board meeting he is preparing to cut $2.5 million in expenditures for the 2008 budget.

Student suspended from Providence for threat
Our Lady of Providence Junior-Senior High School has made changes to the school’s internal computer network after a student made a threat using that network last week.

New Albany High School parking lot swept for weapons
Last week, Caleb Stephenson, 18, was suspended from New Albany High School pending expulsion for having guns in his van in a school parking lot.

Four grants awarded to New Albany High School teachers
Suzanne Ponder requires her students at New Albany High School to read a novel outside of class four times a year.
Over the years, she has bought books to create a library for her classroom for the students to choose from.

New Albany High School student suspended for guns
A New Albany High School senior has been suspended pending expulsion for having guns in his van in a school parking lot Tuesday.

Floyd Central, Silver Creek to perform ‘Diviners’ for charity
So You Know
• WHAT: “Diviners” by Floyd Central and Silver Creek high schools
• WHEN: 7:30 p.m., March 8
• WHERE: Floyd Central High School

Grant Line Elementary planning 50th anniversary celebration
For the first time since she retired from teaching in 1996, Betty Baylor flips though the scrapbook she made filled with pictures of students dating back to 1960.

Contract talks start for Clarksville schools
Contract talks begin today between the education association and Clarksville Community Schools.
The matter was discussed at Tuesday night’s school board meeting at Greenacres Elementary School, because the two-year contract in use expires June 30.

Jeffersonville student-athletes get head start on college planning
Student-athletes at Jeffersonville High School were taught lessons that had nothing to do with their respective sports on Tuesday.

Area students celebrate Read Across America Day
Second-grader Meghan Lay, 8, walked into Northaven Elementary School on Monday morning with pajamas on and her hair sticking straight up like Cindy Lou-Who’s in “The Cat in the Hat.”

Clark, Floyd schools being hit with the flu
Coughing. Aching. Cold Sweats. Fever.
Flu season is in full force nationwide, and school officials in Clark and Floyd counties are feeling its impact.

NA-FC Education Foundation asks public for $1.35M to help fund full-day kindergarten
With one year down and what organizers hope are many more to come, those with the New Albany-Floyd County Education Foundation are asking the public to come forward to help make full-day kindergarten possible for all children.
That means the group needs at least $200,000 more to fully fund all-day kindergarten in the fall.

Pioneering professor says thanks for the welcome

Top educator encourages teachers to 'know your students'

6 Greater Clark County school board positions in county are up in May
Earlier this month, Greater Clark County Schools board member Ernie Gilbert was running for another term unopposed.
Now, he has at least two people running against him.

Floyd County schools receive Four-Star honors from state
Four schools in Floyd County have won the Four Star School Award for the 2006-2007 school year.
The award is the highest state distinction. Winners are: Floyd Central High School, and Greenville Elementary, Galena Elementary and Floyds Knobs Elementary schools.

Group reaches out to Clark, Floyd residents to get college degrees
Adults from young to old and everything in between filled the Jewish Family and Vocational Service center Wednesday evening, all with one common goal: to get back into school.

Greater Clark County school board member under scrutiny
A Greater Clark County Schools board member who has helped out with the Jeffersonville High School girls’ basketball team was suspended without pay when he taught at the East Washington School Corp. in 1998 because of alleged misconduct with female students.

Timeline set for West Clark construction
With roses on the table and many of the West Clark Community Schools Corp. board members wearing red in honor of Valentine’s Day, the board meeting started Thursday night, ready to tackle a three-page agenda.

University to pay for A's

Speaker change could affect merit pay proposal

Alumnus makes record $25 million donation to Phillips Academy
Of the $25 million, most will be used to pay tuition for students as the school moves toward a "need-blind" admissions process, which means qualified students are accepted regardless of their ability to pay.

Youthful appeal
The campaign of Barack Obama seems to have captured the attention of young Americans, such as Illinois teenagers. Many are excited about the prospect of casting their first legal votes this year, and seem even more energized by Obama's presence, even if they can't figure out why.

Starting over: New life, new career
Thousands of workers each year leave jobs and skills they know to transition to new careers. Whether by choice or because of downsizing or job elimination, navigating that new path takes planning and determination.

Scrabble tournament has students scrambling
What do the words “qwerty,” “pi,” “impi,” and “miaou” have in common? They count as ‘vowel dumps’ or are otherwise very useful in a rousing game of Scrabble.

Governor: pay teachers regional average
“It is so important that we live up to the promises that we made, but more than that it is important that we pay our teachers a respectable, competitive wage that they so dearly deserve."

DETAILS: 2007 School report cards for Clark and Floyd counties

NAHS, Jeffersonville post below-average graduation rate
The 2007 graduation rates at Henryville High School, Jeffersonville High School and New Albany High School all came in below the state average of 76.5 percent, according to data released by the state Department of Education Tuesday.

Chinese classes popular at high schools
'I teach my students Chinese and they teach me English."

Male kindergarten teacher a rarity
At a time when the percentage of male elementary teachers is at the lowest level in four decades, Brett Hood is an anomaly.

Community Foundation offering scholarships

Clark, Floyd schools get a look at ISTEP numbers
Like the students they teach, local school officials have been waiting for their report cards from the Indiana Department of Education.
And for the most part, the results received favorable response.

Patriots star talks dollars and sense
"Whether it's a dollar here, a dollar there, just put it away," Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker said. "There's a big difference between want and need."

College doesn’t have to break the bank, experts say
As college application deadlines loom, the question plagues many parents: How do I send my child to college without going broke? As bleak as the picture can look, experts and parents believe there is hope. Drapek advocates planning, earnest discussions between parents and children, and a realistic financial outlook.

Greater Clark County Schools' trustees talk cost-cutting
Scheduling changes at Greater Clark County Schools’ three high schools could yield a $500,000 savings in teacher salaries, according to information presented to the Board of School Trustees on Tuesday night.

Lights, camera, teach! Documentary films at middle school
A British crew is filming for a program about how teachers tackle gender and equity issues in American and English classrooms.

NA-FC facilities supervisor honored
In his 27 years with the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp., Steve Green has climbed the ranks from custodian to a supervisor of 20 maintenance employees.

Superintendent to release plan for JHS athletics

Burks played role in civil rights movement
It’s an image that came to visualize the civil rights movement of the 1960s, a Norman Rockwell painting of a small black girl being escorted to school by U.S. Marshals.
One of the U.S. Marshals depicted in that painting is Logansport native Charles Burks, 85, who took part in more than a dozen school integrations.