“We have less resources, less personnel, smaller budget – we know that. However, these values and the inspiration don’t cost anything. They’re priceless. Those are the pieces that will ignite the passion we have to give us a great and successful school year.” Henderson County Schools Superintendent Marganna Stanley, pictured at right, during remarks to staff at the district’s annual back-to-school event. From the Henderson Gleaner.
“The first part of the process is the must-have list where we’re issuing what we absolutely have to pay for – gasoline, utilities, software – and that’s going to be the first round of our budget meeting. After that we’ll see what we have left. It is a little bit different, but I think it’s been good so far.” Hopkins County Schools Assistant Superintendent Shari Winstead on one aspect of a new budget planning approach the district is using. From the Madisonville Messenger.
“We want to provide the insurance, but we want to see how it’s being used.” Harrison County Board of Education Chairwoman Kristy Carey on the district having to change its student accident policy because of the high insurance costs that ranked the district in the top 10 percent in the state for claims. From the Cynthiana Democrat.
“The money they did not have was approved during a special session last year because they had this tax. We’re getting left behind. Had Lewis County had the nickel tax last year, we would be in the process of building a new school right now and this meeting would not be happening. That’s our fault.” Sam Howard, a local construction company owner, speaking in favor of the Lewis County Board of Education’s nickel tax, which would produce revenues to help replace one of the district’s elementary schools. From the Maysville Ledger-Independent.
“The current concern is the differentiation between children and parents who work the fundraisers. In order to stay compliant with the IRS, all students must be treated equally regarding prize distribution, whether they or their parents worked the fundraising activities or not. Because it is for our children and fundraisers are done in our name, the BOE must oversee to ensure financial obligations are addressed appropriately regarding IRS compliance.” Spencer County Schools Superintendent Chuck Adams on efforts to expand the high school’s annual Project Graduation event while adhering to Internal Revenue Service rules. From the Taylorsville Spencer Magnet.
“Our job is to educate kids, not necessarily to provide a health care service for them, but they go hand-in-hand. It dramatically impacts the funding that is going to come to the school system, due to absences and average daily attendance. When we do not have a nurse, the choice we have is to either call home or have a sick child at school, who is going to infect other children and so our average daily attendance goes down which in turn affects all of the money we are getting as a school system.” Stanford Elementary School Principal Brandi Hon to the Lincoln County Board of Education on its search for a way to restore nurses at all schools. From the Stanford Interior-Journal.
“Instead of going all year with eight class periods, students will have four classes in the fall semester and four classes in the spring semester. The block scheduling is not a huge change because the kids have been in blocks and are used to being in classes for a longer amount of time. In the past, our club time involved splitting up a block and you lost instruction time. Now, we have worked out a schedule where clubs are … on Fridays. So, you will have five or six clubs meeting every Friday.” Allen County-Scottsville High School Principal Shane Davis explaining the school’s new daily schedule. From the Scottsville Citizen-Times.
“We are a small rural school in a location where there are currently few options for child care. Parents who are fully employed need options. Pleasureville Methodist Church has answered a need for not only our parents, but the students. Eastern Elementary enthusiastically partners with this church so that we can continue to do what’s best for each and every student because our staff cares.” Eastern Elementary School (Henry County) Principal Chelsey Tingle on how her school and a nearby church are helping fill a gap following the closing of a private day care center. From the Eminence Henry County Local.
“I just read a quote today that says we have the best prepared kids in public education right now for the Industrial Age. Well, we’re not in the Industrial Age. A lot of our research shows many of our schools are still modeled after the schools of the Industrial Revolution and they haven’t changed much. Employers don’t want to see your transcripts. They want to know if you can work in a team, if you’re creative, if you’re a risk-taker and an out-of-the-box thinker. You’ve got businesses out there now that say, ‘I’ll teach them the content they need to know but I can’t teach them effective communication skills and I can’t teach them to be a team player and to collaborate.’ Those are the things they should come with.” Marshall County Schools Instructional Supervisor Abby Griffy on one reason why the district is implementing a project-based learning approach for instruction. From the Benton Tribune-Courier.
“Proposed legislation that sponsors call a boost for tourism – it would preserve most of August for summer vacation – is a bad plan because it relies on a state mandate to local school boards. Given all the challenges that Kentucky public schools face already, this is unreasonable. School boards should retain authority to set their own calendars based on unique local needs and not on the financial interests of one industry. If a local district wanted to approve a calendar that keeps students out of the classroom for most or all of August, it could. But most won’t opt for that calendar because it does not fit modern demands, and that includes preparing students for spring tests that state and federal education officials use to rank the effectiveness of schools. State lawmakers should let local school boards decide when to break for vacation and when to return for a new year. This bill would put a burden on schools that’s not justified.” Portions of newspaper editorial on a proposal by two state senators to bar schools from having early- to mid-August class days. From the Hopkinsville Kentucky New Era.
“I don’t want to see any kid who wants to play a sport not be able to play because of financial reasons.” Anderson County Board of Education Chairman Roger McDowell asking – and getting – a commitment that no child would be barred from middle or high school sports teams under a new participation fee policy. From the Lawrenceburg Anderson News.
“(We) cannot afford not to invest in next year, the year after that and the year after that. We have quality teachers and part of that is because we pay quality prices for salaries for teachers. It makes it worthwhile to come here.” Bardstown Independent Board of Education member Jim Roby on favoring the board’s 4 percent tax revenue hike. From the Bardstown Kentucky Standard.
“We appreciate the taxpayers and don’t want to take them for granted, but we feel like they want to invest in education. What better way to invest than in students?” Somerset Independent Schools Superintendent Kyle Lively after his board unanimously approved the 4 percent revenue increase. From the Somerset Commonwealth-Journal.