CenturyLink Foundation Awards Idaho Teachers More Than $50,000 in Grants

Representatives from CenturyLink, Inc. surprised 11 teachers across Idaho in recent weeks with awards from the CenturyLink Clarke M. Williams Foundation’s Teachers and Technology grant program, administered by the Idaho State Department of Education.

The program, which has been offered in Idaho since 2005, awards grants to schools in CenturyLink’s local service areas on behalf of teachers who have developed specific plans to innovatively implement technology in their classroom. Over the last nine years, approximately $650,000 has been awarded to Idaho schools to purchase technology for their classrooms.

In recent weeks, CenturyLink’s Vice President and General Manager for Idaho, Jim Schmit, has surprised the winning teachers by showing up at their schools with the grant awards. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna and representatives from the Department joined him on many of these visits. 

Superintendent Luna and Jim Schmit of CenturyLink award teacher Julie Clark at Lapwai Elementary with a technology grant for her classroom.

“We are very pleased to be a part of providing innovative technology in the classroom that enhances the learning experience for students in these schools,” said Schmit. “It is exciting to see teachers implement creative teaching techniques that assist students in hands-on learning.”

Teachers at schools in Lapwai, Meridian, Middleton, Glenns Ferry, Jerome, Pocatello and Leadore all won grants this year. Twenty-two teachers applied for grants, with 11 winners selected by a review committee comprised of community members and a CenturyLink representative. The winning teachers’ schools each received a grant to be used by the teachers to purchase technology to benefit students in the classroom.

“These teachers know and understand the important role technology can play in the classroom to help individualize instruction and raise academic achievement for every student,” said Superintendent Luna. “I am grateful to the CenturyLink Foundation for its continued commitment to Idaho’s teachers and students every year as they work to bring these innovative ideas to life and create a 21st century classroom in every school.”

Here is a summary of the award winners:

• Lapwai Elementary School was awarded approximately $4,800 to purchase 15 Chromebooks and protective covers. These will be used in the 4th grade to teach history, language arts, reading, math and science. Lapwai Elementary Success For All Reading Program Coordinator Julie Clark submitted the project.
• Mountain View High School was awarded $5,000 to purchase 96 student Clickers and the associated application. Teacher Donald R Eberlin, Jr. submitted the project.
• Prospect Elementary was awarded $4,747 to purchase 11 iPad minis. These iPad minis will give fourth and fifth grade students the opportunity to practice math facts using applications which are timed, requiring them to think and finish quickly. For language arts, applications will be available to students which will reinforce basic word identification and spelling as well as suffix and prefix understanding and application of the words. Teachers Carolyn K. Brenner and Michelle Mayfield submitted the project.
• Pioneer School of the Arts won two grant awards. Teacher Molly Stump was awarded $4,995 to purchase nine Lenovo Thinkpad Laptops. These laptops will be used by the fourth grade class on a daily basis for technology-based learning experiences in the classroom. This will help increase student engagement, productivity, and achievement. Teacher Kimberly Brown was also awarded $2,550 to purchase five iPads, accessories and an Apple TV. Students will have the opportunity to create digital stories, conduct animal research and present their animal reports to peers and parents. They will also be used in the reading and math instructional centers.
• Middleton Heights Elementary was awarded $5,000 to purchase 10 iPad minis, a MacBook Pro and a charging cart for a mobile learning lab. This mobile learning lab will transform and redefine current writing instruction, addressing the needs and learning styles of 21st Century students. Teacher Jayna Eichelberger submitted the project.
• Glenns Ferry Elementary School won two grant awards. Teacher Stacie Polland was awarded $4,978 to purchase 14 laptops and a mobile charging station. The laptops will be used by teachers to move towards text-based writing and expand their texts to include audio, video, and pictorial or graphic texts.  Teacher Lynnette Jennings was also awarded $5,000 to purchase 13 iPad Minis, an iPad Air and an Apple TV. First graders will now be able to use Doodle Buddy instead of a lapboard and markers. They will also have the opportunity to use different math apps such as Motion Math and Splash Math and will analyze, create and publish writing using digital tools like Quick Office and Explain Everything. The Apple TV will allow for the students to share their screens instantly with other students.
• Jerome Middle School was awarded $4,872 to purchase 13 laptops and a charging cart.  The laptops will enable each student access to a computer to conduct research and publish an innovative project of their choice. Teacher Miriam Brown submitted the project.
• Pocatello Community Charter School was awarded $4,900 to purchase 12 Chrome books, two scanners and a storage cart. Seventh and eighth grade students will have the opportunity to increase their computer literacy and then share their new knowledge by mentoring younger students. Students will generate electronic portfolios showing their best work utilizing Prezi and Google Docs. Teacher Cara Sonnemann submitted the project.
• Leadore School was awarded $4,949 to purchase equipment and materials with which students will have the opportunity to build 3D models. Students will gain a basic understanding of engineering principles while applying science and math skills learned in their other classes. Teacher Kevin Ramsey submitted the project.

Congratulations to all the teachers who won this year! More information on the grant and the Department’s continued partnership with CenturyLink is available online our website.

HELP IDAHO NAME THE NEW ADVANCED OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Beginning next school year, Idaho high school students attending will get financial help as they work to earn college credit or professional-technical certifications while still in high school.

We need your help in naming this new, exciting program!

“This new program builds on the progress we have already made to ensure all Idaho students not only graduate from high school but go on to pursue their education and do not need remediation once they get there,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna said. “Today, we have a menu of options to help students as they prepare for education after high school and to help reduce the cost of earning their postsecondary degree or certificate. Whether they want to earn college credit while they are still in high school or graduate early, we are making these opportunities available to every student in Idaho’s public schools – no matter where they live.”

Under this new program, which passed the Legislature with bipartisan support as part of Senate Bill 1233, each high school junior will now have access to up to $200 a year and each high school senior will now have access to up to $400 a year to help cover the costs to take:

• Dual credit courses,
• College-bearing exams (such as Advanced Placement), or
• Professional-technical exams to earn a certification or license.

To learn more about this program, students can visit our website or talk to their high school counselor.

Right now, the Idaho State Department of Education needs your help to name this new program! We have heard several ideas already, such as Jump Start or the Pathways Program. But we want to hear directly from Idaho’s creative students and parents. What should this new program to expand advanced opportunities to all high school juniors and seniors be called?

Send your ideas to mrmcgrath@sde.idaho.gov with subject line “Naming Contest” by April 25, 2014.

This new program will work in parallel with other programs the state continues to offer students, such as the Dual Credit for Early Completers Program, 8-in-6 Program and Mastery Advancement Program.

Learn more about all of these opportunities on our Advanced Opportunities website.

Enrolled Agent Exam Review Questions Explained

Pack of twelve number two pencils: $2. Desktop pencil sharpener: $1. College-ruled notepaper: $4. Actually being prepared for the Enrolled Agent Exam (which, for the record, is given by computer): Priceless.
It is been said that tests gauge how much a person knows on a given subject. But that's not entirely true. In reality, tests-- including the Enrolled Agent Exam-- measure preparedness. While knowing the material is crucial, it is important to note that smarts do not necessarily translate into higher test scores. Even if you could memorize the entire tax code, it is possible to fail without an understanding of how to take the exam.
The IRS EA exam, officially known as the SEE Exam (Special Enrollment Examination), is a three-part test administered by Prometric on behalf of the IRS. Each part consists of 100 questions, which you'll have three and a half hours to complete, and a passing score on each part is required before the IRS will allow an enrolled agent to practice. The three parts of the EA test include a section on Individual tax laws, a middle section on Business tax laws, and a third on Representation, Practices and Procedures. The entire SEE test consists of multiple-choice questions, which fall into one of the following formats:
Format 1 -- Direct question
Example: Which of the following entities are required to file Form 709, United States Gift Tax Return?
A. An individual
B. An estate or trust
C. A corporation
D. All of the above
Format 2 -- Incomplete sentence
Example: Supplemental wages are compensation paid in addition to an employee's regular wages. They do not include payments for:
A. Accumulated sick leave
B. Nondeductible moving expenses
C. Vacation pay
D. Travel reimbursements paid at the Federal Government per diem rate
Format 3 -- All of the following except
Example: There are five tests which must be met for you to claim an exemption for a dependent. Which of the following is not a requirement?
A. Citizen or Resident Test
B. Member of Household or Relationship Test
C. Disability Test
D. Joint Return Test
Each EA test is given via computer, which allows examinees to mark questions and review their answers at the end. One hundred questions in three and a half hours gives test takers approximately two minutes for each question-- so if an average time of one and a half minutes is taken on each question, you will have time to go over your answers at the end of the test.
The EA exam score depends solely on the number of questions answered correctly. Incorrect answers and unanswered questions do not count against a score-- meaning that, on difficult questions, guessing is a better strategy than skipping. Rather than agonizing over a difficult question, a guess will allow you to focus on easier questions, as well as giving you more time to go over "guessed" answers at the end. Moreover, a guess has a 25% chance of being correct, whereas a blank question has a whopping 0% chance.
SEE statistics indicate that roughly half of the test takers will not pass on the first attempt. While difficult, the test is not impossible. The best way to prepare for the exam is to take as many SEE sample questions as possible leading up to your first SEE test date.
Now, there certainly exists a person out there with an inexplicable ability to memorize tax information, or with thousands of hours of tax experience, or with a very well-hidden cheat sheet, who can walk into a Prometric test center with no preparation and a bundle of number two pencils and still manage to pass the Special Enrollment Exam. But even the most seasoned tax preparers can be humbled by the test, so it is important to make sure you are well-prepared for the task at hand. (And leave the pencil sharpener at home.)