Newsletter / Podcasts

Welcome to KeyNotes and Voices of School Success!

KeyNotes is PEF's brief monthly report on what's happening in Hamilton County school reform - progress, problems, and keys to success.

Voices of School Success is a series of audio or video discussions that bring the listener into the heart of school reform with stories of students, teachers, and key elements of reform policy.

E-newsletter:  KeyNotes

KeyNotes Issue 14 (June 24, 2009) - College needed to fight fires?

View previous E-newsletters

Podcasts:  Voices of School success

What's going on in the resource room??? - May 21, 2009 (5:43): Snow Hill is one of twelve Hamilton County schools which were awarded funds from PEF for a Leadership Book Club designed to help educators learn more about school leadership and improvement. Snow Hill teachers chose to study the book What Great Teachers Do Differently by Todd Whitaker.

Watch on YouTube
Download video file
Audio only

 View previous podcasts

 
Archive of Previous Newsletters
KeyNotes Issue 13 (May 13, 2009) - Tennessee Ranks #1; Hamilton Co. Featured
KeyNotes Issue 12 (March 25, 2009) - Challener to Serve on Frist Commitee
KeyNotes Issue 11 (January 28, 2009) - VW Speaks: College Needed!
KeyNotes Issue 10 (December 4, 2008) - New Adult High Podcast and Latest Test Scores
KeyNotes Issue 9 (October 30, 2008) - Standards Are Changing!
KeyNotes Issue 8 (September 23, 2008) - National report validates academies
KeyNotes Issue 7 (August 27, 2008) - Benwood schools meet AYP!
KeyNotes Issue 6 (July 29, 2008) - Our First "Voices of School Success" Podcast
KeyNotes Issue 5 (June 25, 2008) - College Access: A Boost From Those Who Went Before
KeyNotes Issue 4 (May 28, 2008) - Tackling That Thorny Math Problem
KeyNotes Issue 3 (April 29, 2008) - Confirmation from Professional Skeptics
KeyNotes Issue 2 (March 27, 2008) - More Graduates Head to College!
KeyNotes Issue 1 (Feb 5, 2008) - Hamilton County Schools Recognized by New York Times

Archive of Previous Podcasts

Voices of School Success: A series of PEF podcasts providing an inside look at progress and problems in Hamilton County school reform. (subscribe)

Volkswagen Interview - January 28, 2009 (8:50 minutes): VW Director of Corporate Communications Jill Bratina speaks with PEF about Hamilton County schools and the skills needed to work at VW's new Chattanooga assembly plant.
(Watch now on YouTube, download video file, audio only)

School of Second Chances - December 2, 2008 (9:56 minutes): This video podcast features students and administrators from Hamilton County (adult) High School, which was established in 2004 as part of the high school reform initiative implemented through a partnership between Hamilton County schools and PEF. The adult high school provides a second chance for students who have fallen behind or dropped out of traditional high schools.
(Watch now on YouTube, download video file - may take several minutes, audio only)

Higher Standards, Higher Scores - October 29, 2008 (12:05 minutes): Video podcast; Academic standards for K-12 education in Tennessee are changing.  State Comptroller John Morgan, School Superintendent Dr. Jim Scales, and PEF President Dan Challener outline what impact these changes will have on Hamilton County schools.
(watch now on YouTube - 2 parts, download video file - can be slow, audio only) 

Middle School Reform - July 29, 2008 (14:44 minutes): Featuring Brown Middle School language arts teacher Romona Goines and four of her students who moved from proficient (or below) to advanced. 
(mp3, wmv, subscribe)