Sunshine Week Essay Contest Announced

Governor Charlie Crist invites all Florida students in grades nine through 12 to participate in the 2010 Sunshine Week essay contest. Sunshine Week is observed March 14-20, 2010, and celebrates Florida’s laws dedicated to making state and local government more accessible to the public. Essays should be no longer than 500 words and must explain the importance of one or more of the civil liberties found in the First Amendment and how Florida’s open government laws protect those liberties. For complete information about the Sunshine Week essay contest, visit http://www.FLGov.com/og_home. The deadline to submit an essay by either e-mail or mail is 5:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010.

Cards of Care for Haiti Project Launched

Volunteer USA Foundation, in partnership with the National Disaster Recovery Fund, invites students throughout Florida to send pictures and cards of love and inspiration to children and families affected by the recent earthquakes in Haiti. Anyone wishing to participate can send cards to Volunteer USA Foundation – Cards of Care for Haiti, 5970 SW 1st Lane, Ocala, FL 34474, and should include their name and contact information. 

Free lesson plans are also available to help teachers use the earthquake and other real-life disasters as examples of how Americans assist with humanitarian and recovery efforts and to provide a platform to discuss the need for all families to develop and practice personal disaster plans. For more information about the project or to learn about disaster preparedness for families and schools, visit http://www.nationaldisasterrecoveryfund.org or http://www.volunteerusafoundation.org.

Home Education and ESE Services FAQ

This notice was just issued by the FLDOE today. The information will be archived at Learning is for Everyone's Homeschooling in Florida pages for future reference:

Dear Home Educators

The Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice has issued a new “Frequently Asked Questions” document relating to Home Education and ESE Services in Florida.  I have attached the document for your convenience.  This helpful FAQ will also be posted on the School Choice Web site at http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/Information/FAQs.asp and http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/information/home_education/. 

If you have any questions, let me know!  Thank you all for your hard work out there!

Christopher Fenton

Christopher.Fenton@fldoe.org

Educational Policy Analyst

Office of Independent Education & Parental Choice

Florida Department of Education

School Choice Hotline: (800)447-1636

Fax: (850)245-9134

Web site: www.floridaschoolchoice.org

____________________

Home Education and Exceptional Student Education Services

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What should parents do if they suspect their child has a disability?

The parent should contact the exceptional student education office in the district in which they reside and request that the child be evaluated.

2. What is required of the parent as related to the evaluation process?

The requirements related to evaluation are described in State Board of Education (SBE) Rule 6A-6.0331, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C). Before an evaluation can be conducted, the school district must obtain informed consent in writing from the parent. The parent may be asked to provide information from the child’s portfolio or student records and may also be asked to complete checklists and/or informal observations. Parental consent must be obtained before any information regarding a home education student is shared with the school district.

Once the parent has provided written consent, the formal evaluation will begin. Specific evaluation procedures and eligibility criterion for each disability category are described in the respective SBE rules for that disability. For some disability categories (e.g., emotional/behavioral disabilities; specific learning disabilities), a key component of the evaluation and eligibility determination is analysis of the student’s response to well-delivered, scientific, research-based instruction and interventions. This requires that the parent work with the school district to ensure that this information is available.

3. How long does the school district have to complete the initial evaluation?

The school district must complete the initial evaluation within 60 school days that the student is in attendance after the school district’s receipt of parental consent. For PreK children, initial evaluations must be completed within sixty school days after the school district’s receipt of parental consent for evaluation. (6A-6.0331(3)(d), F.A.C.).

4. After the evaluation is conducted, what happens next?

The parents will be invited to attend a meeting in which the school district staff will review the outcome of their child’s evaluation. Following that review, a determination will be made regarding whether or not the child is considered an eligible child with a disability as defined by Florida State Board of Education Rules.

5. What is the school district’s obligation if the child is eligible for services?

The school district is not obligated to provide services to children in home education programs. If the parent of a child currently enrolled in a home education program chooses to enroll the child full time in a public school, the school district must ensure that a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) is made available to the child.

6. Can a district enroll and report a student part-time only for the ESE services that they provide?

Yes. The district may choose to enroll the child on a part-time basis for services provided through the public school and report the student for state funding through the Florida Education Funding Program (FEFP).

7. Whom should a parent contact if they have questions or need additional assistance?

For home education questions, contact your local district home education office which can be found at the following link:

http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/Information/District/District_List.asp.

Information pertaining to exceptional education and student services in your local district may be found at the following link:

http://www.fldoe.org/ese/pdf/ESEDirectors.pdf

Information related to parentally placed students in private schools can be found at the following link:

http://www.fldoe.org/ese/tap-home.asp

If further information is required, contact the Department of Education:

Laura Harrison – Director of Scholarship Programs, Private Schools and Home Education

Phone: (850) 245-0502

Laura.Harrison@fldoe.org

The Effectiveness of Nonviolent Civic Action Essay Contest

High school students in grades nine through 12 are encouraged to submit an entry for the Effectiveness of Nonviolent Civic Action essay contest sponsored by the National Institute of Peace. Essays must be no longer than 1,500 words and consist of three sections which lay out and develop a position in response to the essay contest question. Each student must have a contest coordinator who can review their essay and act as the key contact between the participant and the Institute. One national award totaling $10,000 will be conferred as well as two other national awards worth $2,500 and $5,000 respectively, in addition to 53 state awards each worth $1,000. The deadline for submitting an essay is Feb. 2, 2010. 

For more information, including the essay question, comprehensive guidelines and submission requirements visit www.usip.org/npec. A study guide can also be found at www.usip.org/npec/sg10.pdf (PDF).

Arts for Life! Scholarship

The Foundation for Excellence in Education is accepting applications for the Arts for Life! scholarship from graduating high school seniors for their outstanding achievement in the arts. To be considered for the scholarship, public, private or home education program students must submit a completed application, a brief essay explaining “How the arts have positively influenced my life,” and a sample of their work in creative writing, dance, drama, music or visual arts. Each of the 25 winners will receive a $1,000 cash scholarship toward their pursuit of the arts in higher education, and have an opportunity to showcase their arts discipline through performance and exhibition at a luncheon in their honor. The deadline to submit an application is Feb. 1, 2010.

Contact the Foundation for Excellence in Education at (850) 391-4090 or visit www.ExcelinEd.org for more information.

Donation of gift copies of children's geography ebooks

To educators everywhere:

... I have been able to donate several thousand printed copies of my and my husband’s recently launched children’s geography books (“Friends and Mates in Fifty States” (Galde Press, 2008), “All Across Canada” (Chipmunkapublishing, 2008), and “All Across China” (Chipmunkapublishing, 2009) to public libraries and schools across the U.S. and Canada. At the present time, I can afford to donate ebook versions of “All Across Canada” and “All Across China” to public elementary school teachers and homeschoolers. Below is a description of these books and their availability.


Dear Members,

As part of a nonprofit venture, my husband and I are donating ebook versions of two of three of our children's geography books (“Friends and Mates in Fifty States,” (Galde Press, 2008) “All Across Canada” (Chipmunkapublishing, 2008), and “All Across China” (Chipmunkapublishing, 2009). These books offer a novel approach to learning geography, and can be obtained as free pdf downloads through our authors' website, www.weisberg-yoffe.org.

"All Across Canada" was submitted to Kirkus Discoveries as a representative of our geography series, and it received a favorable review (details about our children's geography books are below my signature). We have donated a number of printed copies of these books to libraries and schools throughout the U.S. and Canada. At the present time (and with the kind support of our publisher), we are able to offer complimentary ebooks to homeschoolers.

"All Across China" and "All Across Canada" can each be downloaded on their respective website display pages for review using the following link to our authors' website:

www.weisberg-yoffe.org

(Please note: any image outlines seen in the ebooks are intrinsic to the pdf files and do not appear in the printed books themselves. Also, to change orientation of the pdf from sideways to right side up, just go under “view” and “rotate clockwise.”)

Our third book in this series, "Friends and Mates in Fifty States,” features original cartoons and poems about the United States, with each state capital represented by a cartoon character named for the city (such as Denver, a boy who lives in Colorado). The book is designed to help familiarize children from ages 6-11 with U.S. geography in a fun and self-motivating way. It can also serve as a picture book for younger children, and has been known to hold the interest of children as young as three.

"Friends and Mates in Fifty States" has received positive feedback from the U.S. Scholastic Book Clubs. The book has also thus far received considerable interest from libraries, NH-based schools, and Montessori schools. Kenneth J. Relihan (Social Studies & World Languages, New Hampshire Department of Education) has favorably reviewed Friends and Mates in Fifty States, describing it as “unique and original.” We are hoping to eventually have a link for a complimentary pdf version of this book, as well.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about these books at ellenweis1966@yahoo.com.

Take care,
Ellen

All Across Canada (Kirkus Discoveries review)-
This husband-and- wife collaboration provides a tour of the Canadian provinces and territories.
Wandering Wally, Hiking Holly and Ambling Andy trek across the various regions of Canada, meeting with friends and getting to know their country a little better. Readers will make some discoveries of their own, including that the highest population of elderly Canadians is in Saskatchewan, the world’s largest rodeo is held in Alberta and that New Brunswick is the home of the world’s longest covered bridge. For very brief introductions to the major natural formations and economic industries of Canada’s provinces and territories, this is a good choice for younger readers. The mnemonic device of naming characters after the provincial capitals will help kids memorize them effortlessly. Combine this with the rhyming verses summarizing the important information, and Weisberg and Yoffe (Friends and Mates in Fifty States, 2008) have created quite the learning tool: “On Vancouver Island there’s a lovely coastal breeze. / Victoria dances round and round
the old Red Cedar trees.” The artwork mirrors the text, with maps showing the geography of each province and territory in Canada and their highlighted regions. Unfortunately, the illustrations are rather simplistic—rudimentary cartoons and clip art—with a limited color palette that adds to their lack of spark. The straightforward design and large illustrations, though, will be helpful for visual learners.
Helpful mnemonic devices and a simple presentation make learning about Canada a breeze.
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SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR | RSS | REPRINTS
Copyright 2005 Kirkus Reviews
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Friends and Mates in Fifty States (Amazon review)-
Fun and Informative, September 1, 2008
By Keiko Wu (New Hampshire) -
This is a great book that gives kids a fun way to learn more about the states. The rhymes are inventive and cute. This book fills a real niche. There are so few books on geography for kids, especially ones that actually appeal to kids.
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All Across China (Amazon review)-
“All Across China' fills a large void in publishing: namely, geography books for children. The author has wisely chosen a region of growing interest to many. The book gives a thumbnail sketch of all of China's provinces. It strikes a good balance: a map of the location of each province is shown in relation to the rest of the country, but the book is not saturated with highly detailed maps. This is in keeping with the targeted audience. It provides exposure of maps to children without giving in to the temptation to throw too much information at the audience at once. Equally helpful is the accompanying narrative of each province. Animals, topographic features and famous sights are mentioned, in hopes of connecting with various interests of children. The book is almost entirely in English (appropriate for its intended audience). However, I found the inclusion of the province names written in Chinese (in a relatively smaller font size, beneath the much
larger English name) to be a nice addition to the text. Hopefully it will spur the curiosity of some to pursue study of Chinese language as well.”
-Tom Finocchiaro

Florida Wildflower Foundation Seeking Volunteers for Wildflower Surveys

This year the Florida Wildflower Foundation completed spring, summer and fall surveys of naturally occurring wildflowers along the five-county St. Johns to the Sea Loop trail (Putnam, Volusia, Brevard, Flagler and St. Johns counties), which will soon become the state’s first Wildflower Trail.

In 2010, the Foundation plans to survey other wildflower-profuse areas in the Panhandle and in North, Central and South Florida. The surveys will identify showy areas of native wildflowers in order to document species and suggest management practices. This research also will help us promote Florida’s native wildflowers as economic and intrinsic community assets.

First, though, we need the assistance of residents and visitors to find wildflower sites throughout the state. They can help by sending the following information by Dec. 1 to the Foundation at wildflower.research@gmail.com:

1.Approximate locations of any showy roadside or trailside (paved bike or foot path) native wildflowers seen in Florida during spring, summer and/or fall.

Include:

a.The scientific or common name of the plant species. If the name is unknown, describe the flowering plants’ characteristics (i.e., color, height, growth habit, etc.).

b.The road’s name, as well as a nearby intersection or another landmark that will help us locate the site.

c.The geographic region (defined below) and the city and/or county in which the site occurs.

d.The approximate date of the sighting. If the date is unknown, please include the season.

e.A description of the habitat (i.e., wet ditch, sand dune, pine forest, etc.).

f.Digital photos, if possible.

2. The names and locations of public lands (state, national, city and county parks; water management district holdings, etc.) that have great native wildflower displays, along with species names and approximate bloom dates,

Garden or civic clubs that have planted roadside or trailside native wildflowers can help by sending the planting’s location and a species list.

Geographic regions are defined as:

Panhandle: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Jackson, Washington, Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Gadsden, Liberty, Franklin, Wakulla, Leon, Jefferson.

North Florida: Madison, Hamilton, Columbia, Baker, Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Flagler, Putnam, Clay, Marion, Alachua, Levy, Bradford, Union, Gilchrist, Dixie, Lafayette, Suwannee, Taylor.

Central Florida: Citrus, Sumter, Lake, Volusia, Seminole, Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Hernando, Sumter, Citrus, Manatee, Hardee, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Indian River, De Soto, Sarasota.

South Florida: Charlotte, Glades, Martin, Lee, Hendry, Palm Beach, Collier, Broward, Dade, Monroe.

Florida Wildflower Foundation
PO Box 941066
Maitland, FL 32794-1066
407-353-6164
www.floridawildflowerfoundation.org