0708-13 People are Talking

"It is imperative that our young kids continue to become readers who no longer worry about saying the words correctly, but instead focus on the messages and ideas being stated.” Lincoln Elementary School (Dayton Independent) Principal Greg Duty on the district’s plans to expand its One to One reading program, pictured at right, that uses high school students and adult volunteers as reading coaches for first-, second- and third-graders. From the Fort Mitchell Community Press & Recorder.

“Teacher breaks a coffee pot, kid gets cut or spills hot coffee on them… the liabilities are out the roof. Every school has a lounge that has a refrigerator and microwave. Surely to goodness we don’t have anybody that cannot walk down the hallway to a lounge and get a drink or warm up a meal.”  Bell County Schools Pupil Personnel Director Jeff Saylor on some factors behind a board directive that personal appliances be removed from the district’s classrooms. From the Middlesboro Daily News.

“For a family that moves 15 miles out in the county, and then turns around and moves 800 yards off the main road and then they expect you to come in and build their turnaround, I think that’s wrong. If you live way out in the county and you want public free transportation on a school bus, then you ought to maintain your own turnaround. Some people work with you, some don’t.” Taylor County Schools Transportation Director Rodney Turpin after the county fiscal court announced it would no longer be able to afford to create and maintain school bus turnarounds for families living off many roadways. From the Campbellsville Central Kentucky News Journal.

“I feel it’s the right thing for the kids. I just feel it’s best for the alternative school students to be on the main campus ... that way, they can work their way back into the mainstream school system. More importantly, I think we can help the students more if they’re here. We want to get them back to earning credits, see them stay in school and graduate.” Johnson County Schools Superintendent Steve Trimble on his recommendation that the district’s alternative school be relocated to the high school campus for academic and fiscal reasons. From the Paintsville Herald.

“We’re not separating the two schools, we’re simply appointing a principal at the primary building so that we will have a principal at each place. It’s been very difficult from a leadership perspective for a principal to serve two different buildings. I’ve heard over and over that the staff feels like they have a part-time principal at each building now, and that it’s unfair to both buildings.” Fayette County Schools Superintendent Tom Shelton on the decision to have a second principal for a 700+-plus student elementary school divided into pre-K-2 and grades 3-5. From the Lexington Herald-Leader.

“Not only does this have a long-term savings, but the amount it saves yearly will help to eliminate general fund dollars being used for bond payments. It is a huge savings for the board during these difficult economic times.” Pendleton County Schools Superintendent Anthony Strong on advantages of a construction bond refinancing that will save the district $1.3 million over the fiscal note’s life. From the Falmouth Outlook.

“We’re all in the same boat. We’ve just got to keep paddling.” Terry Loy, job superintendent for Russell Springs-based Branscum Construction, in an update to the Adair County school board on work to get a new elementary school ready for opening day. From the Columbia Adair Progress.

“You can actually get a deeper level of measurement of what a person knows with a digital or online assessment than you can with paper and pencil. If you can get to interactive, performance-based, digital activity, whether it’s games or tasks or apps, you can get to deeper knowledge. I think that’s a big deal to really make that shift. I don’t think our assessments are there yet. If we can continue to push vendors to go that route, that’s definitely where we want to go. We’re still going forward with online assessment.” Marty Park, chief digital officer for the Kentucky Department of Education, on continuing to use online testing despite this spring’s vendor shutdown that affected about 2,000 Kentucky students. From the Bethesda, Md., Education Week.

“I still wonder are we getting the value we need? That salary is unreal. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not belittling nurses whatsoever. It’s just another case of something else being turned over to the school district to be taken care of.” Marion County school board member Bernard Miles on his concerns about the cost of a contract for nursing services with the regional health department. From the Lebanon Enterprise.

“The Barbourville City Schools has traditionally encouraged students to stay in school until they graduate career-ready and prepared, or college-ready, or both. The Barbourville Independent School District supports all endeavors that will prepare our students for a career and/or college.” Barbourville Independent Schools Superintendent Larry Warren. From the Corbin Times-Tribune.

“While the money is a nice incentive to implement the plan, we did it because it was the right thing to do. Kids need an education and encouragement to stay in school. Statistics are not in favor of success for those who drop out.” Bracken County Schools Superintendent Jeff Aulick. From the Maysville Ledger-Independent.

“They have a passion. There’s not enough money to pay for passion.” Bullitt County school board member Dolores Ashby on the decision to not reduce the daily pay rate for long-term substitute teachers as part of a series of cost cutting proposals. From the Shepherdsville Pioneer-News.

“I’m aware that … the painting on the wall is in honor of a student. I understand that. I need you all’s input on how you wish to handle that, whether you want to redo it on the new wall or move it to another location.” Bruce Nelson with Hopkinsville-based JKS Architects to the Trigg County school board on the touchy decision about what to do with a student mural painted on a retaining wall slated to be moved as part of an expansion project at the district’s primary/intermediate school. From the Cadiz Record.