Keller Intermediate is still a 'B' school and the middle school retained its 'A' rating  for the 2010-11 school year, said Superintendent Sherrie Raulerson Thursday.

The release of school grades was delayed after some Florida school districts objected to the accuracy of this year's FCAT scores, which are used to determine school grades, contending they were lower than they should've been. Independent reviews of the scores were then launched by the Florida Department of Education, which postponed the release.

High school grades are expected later this year, she said.

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From left are fourth graders Ethan Knight, William Crockett, Kyrie Holman and Camryn Payne in a Sherlock Holmes-inspired play

Fourth grade students in Jill Johnson’s math class at Keller Intermediate put on an encore presentation of the musical “Mastering Math” in the school’s cafeteria June 7.

Ms. Johnson’s class decided to re-enact the musical for students at Keller who did not have a chance to see the play previously at the school’s open house event last month.

“This class worked really hard on this project,” said Ms. Johnson. “It took them two weeks to learn all the songs and dialogue. They made the props for the stage, too.”

The painted props included several buildings such as a school, a house and a skyscraper, as well as a life-sized canoe.

“Mastering Math” is a musical mystery featuring the main characters of Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick Mr. Watson.

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Coach Ryan Sulkowski reading at MES.

Macclenny Elementary has developed and adopted a community reading initiative called PAWS-itively Reading as part of its school-wide positive behavior support program (PBS).

PAWS-itively Reading is an outgrowth of the PBS program to help students develop pride in their school and community.

On May 13, approximately 30 or so members of the community, from sheriff’s deputies and former teachers to Wildcat football players, visited classrooms and read books to students.

Macclenny Elementary’s assistant principal Denise Mann explained the community leaders’ role as being more than just showing up to read to the kids.

“The volunteers are versed in the principles and purposes of the positive behavior support program,” she said. “They discuss these points with the children and the stories they read promote these same ideas.”

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Kendall Brooks and Lizzy, a white Arabian horse.

Baby lambs and pigs, a heifer, a horse, chickens and rabbits paid a morning visit to kids April 14 as part of Zoo Day and the PreK Center.

Greg Johnson, sponsor of Baker County High School’s FFA program, along with FFA students Kendall Brooks and Clayton Lyons transported the animals to the school, creating an instant petting zoo for the kids to experience.

Kindergarten students went on a field trip to the Jacksonville Zoo that day. Because the pre-k children could not go, the FFA program brought the “zoo” to them.

Several classes of children gathered in the bus circle and sat in a large group while the heifer and horse were unloaded from a trailer.

Ms. Brooks introduced Lizzy, a beautiful white Arabian horse. She has taken care of him for many years.

“Lizzy is 23 years old,” she told the kids. “He’s retired now but he used to be a show horse.”
Lizzy paraded around elegantly and patiently while kids asked questions.