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People Are Talking

Kentucky School Advocate

September 2016

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"It takes the head completely out of the tackle, if you do it right. So we’re doing our part to protect our sons and combat the issue of concussions. We’ve worked on muscle memory so that when they’re out there they don’t have to think about it; it just happens. We’ve put a lot of time in this. We’ll see how it carries over onto the field on Friday nights.” Graves County High School Head Football Coach Lance Gregory on a shift to “hawk tackling,” a rugby-style defensive practice designed to reduce player concussions. From the Mayfield Messenger. Click here for full story

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“I agree with what the kids are wanting to do, and I think it’s up to us to support that. Not being a tobacco user myself, it’s not going to affect me other than some of the kickback that we get from it. But when you’re trying to look out for folks’ health, I think surely to goodness there won’t be too much kickback on it.” Campbellsville Independent Schools Superintendent Mike Deaton on the board’s vote to make the district the latest to be completely tobacco-free. From the Campbellsville Central Kentucky News-Journal. Click here for full story

“I don’t know about you all, but if somebody wants to offer me 2 or 3 million dollars, I’ll change my mind on what that TES building is going to be in the future.” Spencer County Schools Superintendent Chuck Adams on his enthusiasm about a new state workforce development project funding pool that could enable the district to transform an elementary school into an area technology center. From the Taylorsville Spencer Magnet. Click here for full story

“Just as it is not appropriate for outside third parties to dictate field trip selections to schools and districts, it is also not the role of KDE to approve or disapprove specific field trip selections, or to issue blanket approvals/denials of field trip destinations. Field trips should be a direct extension of classroom learning. As a result, all off-site trips should be directly related to the school curriculum and should seek to maximize student learning. In Kentucky, curricular determinations are made by teachers, principals and school-based decision making councils. A field trip destination that may be appropriate and aligned to curriculum for a specific high school course may not be appropriate for an elementary class. Final approval of field trip permissions, travel and expenditures are approved by the local board of education.” Portions of a Kentucky Department of Education advisory issued after a dispute arose over whether school field trips to a Noah’s Ark theme park near Williamstown would be appropriate or legal. From the KSBA eNews Service. Click here for full story

“Working with our students to establish the Black Lives Matter club was a journey that both enlightened and inspired me. These students are not saying that only certain lives matter; rather they are helping to educate and shed light on some of the social injustices that exist in the America we live in today.” Bryan Station High School (Fayette County) Principal James McMillin after the year-old club garnered public attention on social media. From the Lexington Herald-Leader. Click here for full story

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“This is a vision that came directly from the high school. I said, ‘Let’s do stuff different,’ and this is what they came up with, totally their idea. I was sold on it in five minutes. The goal is to create a university-type atmosphere right here on our campus. We are already partnering with eight or nine colleges that are part of Indiana University, so this is just another way to integrate those opportunities for college credit into our district. This has the ‘cool’ factor. It’s totally different from a traditional classroom.” Adair County Schools Superintendent Alan Reed on development of a virtual learning center in the basement of the district’s high school. From the Columbia Adair Progress. Click here for full story

“We always want to combat unexcused absences, but all absences hurt us.” Magoffin County Schools Director of Pupil Personnel Brian Conley on changes in, and communication of, penalties for student truancy, including allowing schools more flexibility to address problem situations at that level. From the Salyersville Independent. Click here for full story

“Before we had shared folders on a hard drive on one machine at school. With Google Drive, I have all my folders still, but I can share them with teachers – I can open it from my phone, from my house, from church, from the grocery store. If my principal needs my schedule, I can upload it to my phone through the Google app and send it to her. I’m not creating anything when I sign up for Google Classroom; I have that folder created and every time I make an assignment it is doing that work for me. It is saving me time, it is making it easier to collaborate (with other teachers), easier to instruct and to assess.” Noraa Ransey, a teacher at Calloway County North Elementary School, leading a session on effective use of technology during the district’s second annual tech-focused professional development day. From the Murray Ledger & Times. Click here for full story

“Technology and staying up-to-date with our hardware is becoming increasingly difficult for the simple reason that it changes so quickly. It seems like we purchase new computers and literally a couple of months later a new faster and better machine is on the market. It is very important over the next few years that we get into a cycle so that we purchase new student and teacher workstations.” Butler County Schools Superintendent Scott Howard on one of the challenges districts face when it comes to effective use of technology. From the Morgantown Banner-Republican. Click here for full story

“Some resources were too expensive for the school to purchase, but to have access through the library gives our kids access to so many more things. Now, everybody can have access to the things they need for classroom success.” Allen County Primary Center Library media specialist Tosha Stamper on taking advantage of a unique partnership with the community public library. From the Scottsville Citizen-Times. Click here for full story

“It’s a very stressful and overlooked job. People think they want to be a school bus driver and then when they come in and go through the class and get behind the wheel of one of these buses, a lot of people end up changing their mind.” Whitley County Schools bus driver and event organizer Jordan Spitser on getting drivers ready for the new school year with a skills ‘Road-e-o’. From the Corbin Times-Tribune. Click here for full story

“We know early learning and academic success start years before children reach a classroom. Our parents will be given ideas for learning opportunities everywhere they go.” Kathleen Reutman Bryant, executive director of Boone County Schools’ student services, on the Ready Rosie mobile app being used in her district (as well as Walton-Verona Independent) to give parents of preschoolers daily tips on building children’s learning capacity. From the Fort Mitchell Community Press & Recorder. Click here for full story

“The students that are here today, those will be our leaders whenever school starts. They will know how to go through the cafeteria line. They will know how to get on and off the buses. They’ll know where the restrooms are. They’ll know classroom expectations.” Highlands Elementary School (Glasgow Independent) Principal Amy Allen on an extra benefit for the school from its summer kindergarten readiness camp. From the Glasgow Daily Times. Click here for full story