Download rowan county schools exceed state goals

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BULLITT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Keith Davis, Superintendent
John Roberts, Media Relations
[email protected]
PHONE: (502) 869-8000
FAX: (502) 869-8019
Bullitt Central’s Beau Johnston
participates in Financial Literacy Seminar
Bullitt Central High School business teacher Beau Johnston was one of 110 educators
in the United States selected to participate in the PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC US)
and Knowledge@Wharton High School (KWHS) seventh PwC-KWHS Seminar for High
School Educators on Business and Financial Responsibility held in October in Chicago,
IL.
The intensive, three-day learning experience was designed to help educators deepen
their understanding of financial literacy and develop business-related skills that they can
seamlessly integrate into their classrooms.
The seminar is unlike most professional-development opportunities in that it exposes
educators to an advanced level of learning on business and financial literacy education that
only world-class Wharton faculty and PwC executives can deliver. In this sophisticated
educational environment — paired with practical classroom strategies and regular
networking forums and idea exchanges — educators enjoy an inspiring and comprehensive
seminar experience.
“This program was recommended to me by another business teacher who had been to a
previous seminar,” Johnston said. “My initial interest was piqued once I read about the
seminar components and the implications it could have on my teaching and learning as
well as my career.”
Bullitt Central hosts a round table with top community leaders in Bullitt County to see
what their needs are to create successful business workers. This conference gave Johnston
the opportunity to network outside of county lines.
“Present at the seminar were several professors from the top business schools in the
country, an economist from the Department of Labor and Statistics, and executives from
some top finance and accounting firms,” Johnston said.
His biggest take-away from the conference was confirmation that the curriculum he
teaches about personal finance is exactly what he should be teaching.
“New resources were gained from the PWC with their new grass roots marketing
campaign,” Johnston said. “The PWC’s website provides lessons and resources for ALL
educators in many more areas than just personal finance. Also the site, donorschoose.org,
has a partnership with PWC where they will donate up to $1,500 to further my curriculum
goals.”
Another interesting facet Johnston took away from the seminar was how far behind
Kentucky is in requiring high school students to pass a financial literacy course.
“There is a financial literacy component to the Practical Living program, but it falls
short of what high school students need to function successfully beyond high school and is
often taught in their freshman or sophomore years IF they have room in their schedule.
This was evident, as I was the only educator from the state of Kentucky at this conference,”
he noted.
Johnson has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of
Louisville and a MBA from Morehead State University. This is his 10th year teaching and
all have been at Bullitt Central.
Bullitt County Public Schools has over 13,200 students in grades preschool through 12.
There are 25 school facilities, a certified staff of over 900 and a classified staff of over 800
working to make the district the leader in educational excellence.