School Zone
Points of Pride
Duval County Public Schools Teacher Named Finalist for Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
Timothy Kenney, a math teacher at Mandarin Oaks Elementary, has been selected as a state finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the country’s highest honor for K-12 teachers of math and science.
The PAEMST, which is administered by the National Science Foundation, was enacted by Congress in 1983. The program authorizes the president to bestow up to 108 awards each year on behalf of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
"Excellent teachers in the fields of math and science are extremely important for our students’ academic success, and greatly impact their opportunities for the future,” said Superintendent of Duval County Public Schools, Ed Pratt-Dannals. “We are honored that Mr. Kenney has been selected as a finalist for this prestigious award, and we applaud his dedication to preparing Duval County students to succeed in our global economy.”
In addition to teaching mathematics to fifth-grade students at Mandarin Oaks, Kenney serves as a facilitator for the professional development of other math teachers in the district. He also teaches math courses at the University of North Florida, and serves as president of the Duval Elementary Math Council.
Kenney is one of three finalists in the state in the field of mathematics, and was chosen by a state selection committee, which included prominent mathematicians, scientists, mathematics and science educators, and past awardees.
The finalist selected as the state recipient will receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation, as well as a trip for two to Washington, D.C., for a weeklong series of recognition events and professional development opportunities. Award winners will be announced right before the trip, which occurs this spring.
27 Duval County Public Schools’ Students selected 2009 National Merit® Scholarship Program Semifinalists
27 Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) students were among more than 16,000 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists announced today by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).
NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Program.
“We congratulate these outstanding students for their dedication, hard work and superior academic abilities,” said Superintendent of Duval County Public Schools, Ed Pratt-Dannals. “These students are an exemplary representation of our school district and are deserving of this national recognition.”
DCPS Semifinalists
Fletcher High School
Morris, Jennifer A.
Summers, Ryan T.
Mandarin High School
Kang, Sung Woong
Platzer, Laura
Swanson, Heather M.
Paxon School for Advanced Studies
Deary, Rachel R.
Genslinger, Hannah M.
Johnson, Deirdre A.
Levenson, Eric J.
Martin, Patrick J.
Suen, Win Y.
Stanton College Preparatory School
Alvarez, Natalia R. Asistores, Catherine R.
Brust, Ryan
Cameron, Briana C.
Dodd, Evan T.
Ho, Monica S.
Ireland, William T.
Kitchen, Andrew D.
Lui, Diana C.
Lukic, Alen
Matkovski, Anastasia
Narvel, Raed
Pinto, Christopher J.
Reed, Tyler J.
Snow, Alexander J.
Yip, Stephen H.
Semifinalists are now eligible to advance to the finalist competition to vie for 8,200 scholarships worth more than $35 million. About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will be selected as Merit Scholarship winners.
Competition Steps
More than 1.5 million juniors in nearly 21,000 high schools entered the 2009 National Merit Program by taking the 2007 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. The number of semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.
To become a finalist, a semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the school principal, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier qualifying test performance. Approximately 15,000 semifinalists will advance to the finalist level, and it is from this group that all Merit Scholarship winners will be chosen.
Merit Scholarship Awards
Three types of Merit Scholarship awards will be offered in the spring of 2009. Every finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 Scholarships that will be awarded on a state representational basis. About 1,100 corporate-sponsored scholarships will be provided by some 300 corporations and business organizations. In addition, approximately 200 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 4,600 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.
Merit Scholarship winners for 2009 will be announced beginning in April and concluding in July. These scholarship recipients will join some 259,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title.
Highlands Elementary Receives Ready, Sit, Read! Grant
Highlands Elementary recently received the Ready, Sit, Read! grant from Target® to increase emergent literacy skills in its autistic classrooms. The money from the grant will be used to adapt media materials to address different learning styles.
Traditional books will be adapted and enriched by adding removable pictures and objects to simplify story content and increase student interaction and reading comprehension.
“We are excited about the opportunities this grant provides the autistic students at Highlands Elementary School,” said Principal Kerwyn Neal. “The additional funding allows us to supply our students with the proper tools for learning.”
This grant is part of ongoing efforts by Target to strengthen families and communities throughout the country. Since opening its doors, Target has given 5 percent of its income to organizations that support education, the arts, social services and volunteerism. Today that translates to more than $3 million every week.
“At Target, our local grants are making a difference in the communities we serve,” said Laysha Ward, vice president, community relations, Target. “We’re proud to partner with Highlands Elementary as part of our ongoing commitment to give back to the communities where our guests and team members live and work.”
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