DECATUR — Northside Elementary School in Decatur is one of 53 schools in Arkansas to be chosen to pilot Kuder Galaxy, an interactive career exploration program for children in kindergarten through sixth grade.
The pilot program will allow school counselors across the state to evaluate the computer program.
If it is successful it will be incorporated into Arkansas Works, Governor Beebe’s workforce education initiative and be available to all elementary schools in Arkansas, according to a letter from Tom Kimbrell, Arkansas Department of Education Commissioner.
Northside Elementary School was the only school in northwest Arkansas selected to participate in the pilot program. It was selected because of counselor Maolina Yang’s outstanding dedication to counseling and engagement in the importance of elementary career development, the letter states.
Kuder Galaxy allows elementary students to explore their interests and learn more about themselves by playing games, watching videos, listening to songs, doing downloadable activities andexploring through field trips, scavenger hunts and experiments, according to the company’s Web site, www.kudergalaxy.com.
Yang said she will be incorporating the program into the school’s classroom guidance program for grades kindergarten through six, as well as in the computer lab and computer classes. There is no cost to schools that have been selected to participate, she said.
Yang and teachers Terry Toland, Andrea Vansandtand Crystal Gregory have all received training in the new program.
All of the school’s students will be able to access their own account for the program online, both in the school’s computer lab and at home. The state will evaluate the school’s usage of the program based on how much it is used, so it will be helpful for students to log on from home, Yang said.
Yang will be providing a parent tutorial session for the new program as partof the Parents Back-To-School night on Sept. 30. Parents will also be given a user name and password for the program during the session, she said.
The Parents Back-To-School night will also include a session on discipline and volunteer training for parents, and information on upcoming parental program activities and dates. The event will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. in the elementary school and refreshments will be served.
News, Pages 2 on 09/29/2010