Two Northern Kentucky schools won awards in the Kentucky Developmental Disabilities Council video contest.

        The council sponsored the contest for schools to promote inclusion of students with disabilities.

        The awards were presented recently in Frankfort.

        White's Tower Elementary in Independence tied for first place, winning $5,000. Grandview Elementary in Bellevue was one of two second-place winners, receiving $1,000.
       

Education council hires director

               The Northern Kentucky Council of Partners in Education hired its first executive director last week.

        Barbara Stonewater will take the helm Aug. 15.

        A former Miami University of Ohio assistant professor, Ms. Stonewater has been the executive director of the Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges and Universities for the past eight years.

        The Council of Partners in Education, established eight years ago, coordinates partnerships between Northern Kentucky school districts and universities and colleges.

        The partners pooled their money this year to set up a $67,000 budget for the council.

        Council leaders hope the state legislature will pick up that cost the following year.

        A bill proposed in this year's General Assembly sought the creation and funding of similar councils across the state.
       

Local schools among 76 sharing $4.5M grant

               FRANKFORT — A dozen Northern Kentucky schools are among 76 schools to share $4.5 million from the Kentucky Department of Education's Early Reading Incentive Grant program.

        Established in 1998, the grant program provides matching funds for elementary schools to supplement their reading efforts for students who are struggling.

        The Northern Kentucky winners are Northern Elementary in Pendleton County, $100,000; Covington's Glenn O. Swing and Latonia elementary schools, $125,000; and Boone County Schools' Burlington, Collins, Goodridge, Kelly, New Haven, North Pointe, Ockerman, Stephens and Yealey elementary schools, $185,000.
       

Elementary's new flag thanks to fifth-grader

               FORT WRIGHT — The flag at Fort Wright Elementary will be replaced with a new one that once flew over the U.S. Capitol, thanks to fifth-grader Andrew Unkraut.

        Andrew, who raises and lowers his school flag each day, wrote Fort Wright Councilman Dave Hatter to express concern over the flag's worn condition.

        Mr. Hatter, in turn, contacted U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Southgate, who obtained a flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol on April 25.

        The 11-year-old will give the flag to Fort Wright School at Wednesday's send-off ceremony for fifth-grade students.
       

Cincinnati Machine gives 16 schools $2K

               Cincinnati Machine has awarded $2,000 grants to 16 Tristate schools, including four in Northern Kentucky.

        The grants are part of the company's Annual Education Support Program, which provides assistance to local school pro- jects.

        St. Cecilia Elementary in Independence, St. Peter and St. Paul Elementary in California and St. Catherine of Siena Elementary and Woodfill Elementary, both in Fort Thomas, received grants.

        Education Notes are compiled by Lori Hayes, education reporter at The Kentucky Enquirer. Contact her with news items at (859) 578-5577, by fax at (859) 578-5565 or by e-mail at lhayes@enquirer.com.
       

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