Tichenor takes DC
Hands-on learning at Bartlett
Lloyd students get career ready
Learning in Frankfort
Lloyd's mental health roundtable
EES Dreamfest engages gifted students
Tichenor welcomes next year’s students
Lindeman students study science
Progress continues at Cecil Dees Field
Arnett students are outstanding
Lloyd presents The Blue Project
Lloyd and Tichenor visit Reality Store
Enroll in preschool!
Events in Erlanger
Get ready for Election Day
Tichenor takes DC
Forty-one Tichenor students and accompanying chaperones converged on Washington D.C. for the school’s annual eighth-grade trip to our nation’s capital. The weather was perfect for students to tour Arlington National Cemetery, the U.S. Capitol, museums and the National Mall, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the Vietnam Wall, Mount Vernon, the Lincoln Memorial, and many other of our nation’s most iconic landmarks – all while the cherry blossoms were in bloom! The group even had the opportunity to take photos in front of the White House.
It was a wonderful opportunity for students (and the adults accompanying them) to learn more about the history of our great nation and experience the diverse people and ideas that make our country strong. Special thanks to the chaperones who helped make the trip possible and memorable! Everyone had a blast!
At Bartlett, learning is hands-on
This is Ms. Stacy Shaw’s first year as social studies teacher at the district’s Bartlett Educational Center… but she has jumped in with both feet and introduced an approach to learning that is decidedly hands-on. From cooking to animals, Ms. Shaw’s immersive and interactive teaching blends education, real-world application, and social skill development.
It started simply enough. Ms. Shaw herself grew up and lives on a farm, so she naturally had the idea for her students to incubate eggs – especially since many of them might not have access to such an experience. Incubators with chick and duck eggs entered the classroom, along with an abundance of educational opportunities – from tying into a social studies lesson about the Columbian Exchange to learning about animal kingdom classification. Plus, Ms. Shaw’s students were responsible for the care and maintenance of the eggs while they were incubating and then caring for the hatchlings in their crates. That expanded to the introduction of baby goats to Bartlett shortly after they were born on the farm.
It's probably no surprise that these baby chicks, ducks, and goats attracted attention beyond Ms. Shaw’s classroom. There has been a steady stream of visitors to the classroom, and Mr. Steve McNabb at Tichenor invited the Bartlett students and their feathered friends to visit his homeroom on several occasions.
During visits, Ms. Shaw ensures her students take responsibility for the experience and serve as the animals’ ambassadors. The students expertly handle the animals, show others how to hold them, and share details about their care.
“They own it,” Ms. Shaw said. “They carry the boxes, handle the animals, show their fellow students how to hold them, and put them back down. These are students you might not typically identify as eager to put themselves out there in front of the classroom, so I’m pleased with the opportunity for them to develop presentation skills and get more comfortable interacting with other people.”
The animals became so beloved that the students (and teachers, and administrators…) did not want them to leave after they had grown beyond the stage of needing so much care. So, Ms. Shaw gleaned lessons of practices like goat yoga and animal therapy and decided to keep the animals at school. Now students can have a chick on their desk during a lesson or hold a baby goat on their lap. Most students engage with an animal as soon as they walk into her classroom.
Ms. Shaw and her students have also been doing some cooking. It started as a social studies endeavor, making historical recipes from the colonial era and the Kentucky frontier to dovetail studies of the 1800s. Once again, the lessons abound. Students have to read a recipe, follow the directions, and go through each step. Ms. Shaw shows them some tips and tricks along the way. She’ll also throw the occasional curveball, for example, telling them they need to double the recipe so they’re putting their math skills to use.
Through the exercise, students have replicated food from the exploration era and learned about preservation techniques. They’ve made beef jerky, ship’s bullion, pemmican, hardtack, and a variety of snacks indigenous to the time period.
“This is something they might not have the chance to do very often,” Ms. Shaw said. “I love to watch the recipes come together through the eyes of the kids. And it has been rewarding to see how far they’ve come. I have students who walk into the kitchen on cooking day and know exactly what to do… they wash their hands, prep their station, and begin to get their ingredients ready.”
The students enjoy the cooking experiences so much Ms. Shaw organized a family lunch during which her class made lasagna, bread, and desserts. They enjoyed transferring the skills they’d gained through colonial cooking to something they might make at home.
It all ties into the charge Ms. Shaw received from Mr. Alan Haire, Bartlett’s principal, when she was hired. He encouraged her to think outside the box for ideas that might help her students feel more engaged and included in what they’re doing.
“When our kids come to Bartlett, they might already feel down and out, or detached from school,” Ms. Shaw said. “Our students sometimes need something more or different from what we as educators traditionally give them, and we try to do that extra here at Bartlett. This is about the kids… Our focus is on them, trying to show them compassion and inclusion, and understanding. It’s a lot of trial and error.”
Through it all, Ms. Shaw feels she and her students have been unwaveringly supported by her Bartlett colleagues and administrators.
"They have been amazing and so incredibly supportive. They say it takes a village, but it also takes a supportive administration team and staff,” Ms. Shaw said. “Our principal, Mr. Alan Haire has been absolutely amazing – as long as we’ve been willing to clean up after ourselves and ensure nothing gets loose, he’s open to trying new ideas. Next year, I’d like to try to do even more.”
Career ready:
Lloyd students explore potential career paths
A number of Lloyd students recently participated in a variety of events that showcased potential career paths and the opportunities in our region for life after graduation.
Inspire to Hire
Select Lloyd students in grades nine through 12 had the opportunity to attend the Junior Achievement Inspire to Hire event at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center. This event is more than a career fair… it brings the business community and local schools together to help launch students into their futures – high school, college, and careers beyond. The students who attended had the chance to experience an interactive exploration of our region's high-need jobs.
Arlinghaus Career Day
Lloyd senior Chris Bradford attended Arlinghaus Career Day. Students from all over Northern Kentucky were invited to get hands-on experience in Arlinghaus plumbing, heating, and air conditioning. Chris – and students from across Northern Kentucky – were able to see what the Arlinghaus career path in heating and air conditioning looks like.
A visit to DHL
A number Lloyd High School students recently toured the facilities of supply chain/logistics partner DHL. The students were given a full tour of the facilities at the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, which included an in-depth explanation of what they do; a behind-the-scenes look at logistical, control, and support operations; and an opportunity to see the cargo hold and cockpit of a 747 jumbo jet! The tour helped to expose students to and familiarize them with possible careers in the supply chain/logistics field.
Learning in Frankfort
Fifth-graders from several schools in the district enjoyed an extended-day field trip to learn about the place they call home with a visit to Frankfort, Kentucky’s state capital. The excursion included opportunities to participate in a variety of guided activities at various sites to learn about the commonwealth and its rich history, including the new and old capitol buildings, the Kentucky History Museum, and the Kentucky Military Museum.
Lloyd students participate in mental health roundtable
Lloyd High School students recently had the opportunity to participate in the school’s Second Annual Mental Health Roundtable event.
Over 70 students convened to participate in discussions about the importance of mental health and how it affects them and their peers. They also had the opportunity to share their opinion on how they feel their school can best support student mental health.
Mrs. Jennifer Glass, 9th and 11th grade counselor at Lloyd, spoke at the event. Also in attendance were members of the Westwood family, who coordinate the Chelsea Ryann Festival of Hope event each October to support student mental health. The Westwoods invited the roundtable participants to help out with the festival, which celebrates hope, connects families with community mental health services, and supports mental health for Lloyd students.
EES Dreamfest engages gifted students
Gifted and talented students at each of the elementary schools in the district were thinking big as they participated in activities organized by a group of Lloyd’s gifted students during EES Dreamfest. Modeled after a regional event held annually at NKU, the district-specific Dreamfest provided students with enriching activities, creative opportunities, design challenges, and good old-fashioned fun in learning. Activities included skimmer racing, watercolor resist, building a house from straws, coffee filter art, marble mazes, ball launcher catapults, pass the picture, and a magnet maze.
“The high school students did a great job and thoroughly enjoyed their role of teacher with the elementary students,” said Ms. Annie Roberts, Instructional Coach at Lloyd.
The Lloyd students traveled to each elementary school to provide these hands-on experiences, which they crafted themselves.
“With Ms. Roberts’ support, the Lloyd students helped to fill a void of experiences for our elementary-level gifted and talented students, left by rising costs of venues that traditionally held these events in the past,” said Mr. Michael Goodenough, Director of District-Wide Programs. “The district has supported this internal Dreamfest for several years now, and each year it only gets better.”
Tichenor welcomes next year’s students
Tichenor Middle School has generously hosted the district’s current fifth graders in an effort to ease their transition to middle school in the fall. The fifth graders visited Tichenor and had the opportunity to learn more about the school, meet students, teachers, and administrators, and tour the building. It won’t be long now before they’re officially middle schoolers!
Lindeman students study science
Lindeman students have been having a lot of fun with science! Just before Spring Break, the school hosted a Science Fair for fourth-grade students, which was judged by district staff members and honors students. At that same event, the third, fourth, and fifth-grade choir performed, and each of the school’s students had incredible artwork on display!
Mrs. Krista Wainscott, Instructional Coach, has been working on some pretty cool science experiments with Lindeman’s gifted and talented first and second graders. They participated in an Egg Drop Challenge, creating structures to protect an egg dropped from the playground slide. Only one egg broke!
Stay curious, Lindeman Lions!
Progress continues at Cecil Dees Field
If you’ve been by Cecil Dees Field recently, you’ve probably noticed it’s looking pretty green! New turf has been installed, and the project continues to roll right along. But there is still a long way to go!
The entire project is expected to be completed in time for the 2023-2024 school year. In the meantime, the stadium – including the track – is closed for community use and will remain closed for the duration of construction.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to upgrade our facility for our students and community.
Arnett students are outstanding
Two outstanding Arnett students have recently accomplished things that are certainly worth sharing.
Fifth grader Kole Hill recently entered the VFW Art Contest in Elsmere, representing Arnett Elementary… and he won first place! He also placed in the district level of the competition.
Lindsey Larrison is the first Arnett Elementary student to complete all 21 levels of the Lexia Reading program. Lindsey was so motivated she even worked on the program in her free time at home!
We are so proud of both of these students and their achievements!
Lloyd presents The Blue Project
Lloyd recently hosted The Blue Project, a diversity project coordinated by the school’s dual-credit U.S. History class, presented to social studies classes from Tichenor and Lloyd throughout the school day.
The event included student presentations that highlighted inequalities throughout U.S. history, and there were students who presented about their own culture. Parents came to help run games and activities, and outside groups – including the Kenton and Boone County Libraries, the NAACP, the military, and the Chelsea Ryann Festival of Hope organization – were on hand to provide additional information and resources. As the day went on, students began teaching one another their cultural dances, which resulted in the the event ending in a huge group dance. It was amazing!
The Blue Project was named by students last year because blue is the color of unity. This year’s event celebrated just that.
For Lloyd, Tichenor students: It’s Your Reality
Tichenor Middle School and Lloyd High School recently collaborated to participate in “It’s Your Reality” sponsored by the University of Kentucky Extension Office. This "Reality Store" experience is an active, hands-on, real-life financial simulation that gives young people the opportunity to explore career opportunities and make lifestyle and budget choices similar to those adults face on a daily basis.
Participants -- eighth graders from Tichenor -- are assigned careers and make decisions on budgets and lifestyles. They assume that they are 25 years old and have completed basic educational requirements for their specific occupation. They are independent with no financial support from family or others, and some have a randomly assigned number of children or dependents. Participants receive a monthly salary for an assigned career and then proceed through the activity, deducting taxes, determining a savings amount, and spending their monthly "salary" on the necessary and luxury items that reflect the career and lifestyle they have chosen.
Juniors from Lloyd help facilitate the simulation and are key to helping the program achieve its goals: to help all students become aware of basic skills in financial planning, goal setting, decision making, and career direction; to clarify the need for young women and men to examine their attitudes about their futures and their career expectations; and to motivate students to stay in school.
The activity also gives the Tichenor and Lloyd students the opportunity to know each other so the eighth graders can make some connections as they prepare to transition to high school. The booths students visited as part of their "reality" were run by the Lloyd students, giving them a chance to practice their soft skills, see the incomes of many different career options, and, perhaps most importantly, give them a reminder of the expenses they will undoubtedly encounter once they graduate!
Enroll in preschool!
The school district continues to hold preschool screening days!
Friday, May 5
Arnett Elementary School
3552 Kimberly Drive
Click here to register!
Preschool is available at no cost to children living in the Erlanger-Elsmere School District who are:
- 4 years old by August 1 of the school year and have a family income at or below 160% of the federal poverty level
- 3 or 4 years old and have an educational disability due to delays in development, regardless of income
Preschool is offered at Arnett Elementary and at the Early Learning Center at Lloyd. Classes meet four half-days each week, Monday–Thursday, AM or PM. Preschool programs follow the Erlanger-Elsmere School District calendar. Preschool services are free to those who qualify, and the child does not need to be toilet trained to join us!
Sign up for a preschool screening here.
Registration requirements:
- Proof of residency (copy of lease, deed, or current utility bill)
- An official birth certificate of student
- Social Security Card for student (optional)
Prior to the first day of school:
- Current Kentucky Immunization Certificate
- Dental Screening Certificate
- School Physical
- Proof of Vision Exam (by January 2024)
Please call 859.342.2427 or click here to sign up. We will contact you to schedule the screening!
In addition to our preschool program, our district is pleased to offer Early Head Start classrooms at the Early Learning Center, available to children from six weeks to three years old. Click here for details.
Events in Erlanger
There is a lot going on in the City of Erlanger! Mark your calendar and get involved!
April 29
Arbor Day Celebration
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Flagship Park
The City of Erlanger is hosting an Arbor Day Celebration at Flagship Park on April 29! Help us to make the world green! Events include a tree planting demonstration, tree planting activity, raffle giveaways, free lunch, and a free tree sapling to the first 200 volunteers.
https://buff.ly/3yVpWDQ
May 4
Green Gifts Garden Program
6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Depot Park
GREEN GIFTS: Recycle a favorite mug, cup, or small pot, and make it doubly green! Bring it to the park, and we'll provide everything else you need to create a small, recycled gift of nature for yourself or someone you love. We'll provide a plant and soil and the inspiration of the outdoors, along with materials to make a tag to name your plant. Give your mug a new purpose and your space a bit of green! Presented by the City of Erlanger and Kenton County Library.
https://buff.ly/3MzPIpf
May 6
Fishing Derby
8:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Flagship Park
The Youth Fishing Derby will be held on May 6, 8:00 -10:00 a.m., at Flagship Park. The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Department will provide rods and reels, or you may bring your own. Bring a blanket or chair to sit on. Door prizes and breakfast snacks will be provided.
https://buff.ly/3KT4N4c
Get ready for Election Day
Election Day is just around the corner -- Kentucky’s primary election will be held on May 16, 2023. Be sure you’re ready and make your voting plan with this detailed information…
- Verify your voter registration. Voter registration for this election closed on April 17.
Visit govoteky.com.
- Request your absentee ballot, if needed.
Requests can be made online at govoteky.com through May 2, 2023.
- Make your voting plan.
On Election Day:
May 16, 2023 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
If you want a pre-printed ballot, find your assigned location at http://bit.ly/kentonvote OR vote at any location using the Express Vote ballot marker to mark your paper ballot.
Early In-Person (no excuse required)
Early voting will be available on May 11, May 12, and May 13 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 pm. at voting centers. Check online at http://bit./y/kentonvote for locations.
By Mail - Absentee Ballot (excuse required)
Mail-in absentee ballot requests can be made online at govoteky.com or at 859.392.1620. The portal is open through May 2. Drop boxes for absentee ballots are available at the Kenton County Government Center (1840 Simon Kenton Way in Covington) or the Historic Kenton County Courthouse (5272 Madison Pike in Independence).
In-Person Absentee (excuse required)
In-person absentee voting will be available at the Kenton County Government Center (1840 Simon Kenton Way in Covington) on May 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 10 from 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Click here for more information.