“We have a problem that the community as a whole, the entire community, does not value education at a high priority. We’re going to have to be the ones to step up and promote the value of education for all of our citizens.” Superintendent James Lee Stevens on a state leadership audit of Hopkins County Central High School, finding in part a lack of community engagement in the school. From the Madisonville Messenger.
“Everybody’s talked about how this has been the most productive January that they can remember in a long time without having those repeated interruptions.” Jessamine County Schools Superintendent Lu Young speaking for many Kentucky educators on the positives of the mild winter of 2011-12 – so far. From the Nicholasville Jessamine Journal.
“I can learn in half an hour something that will totally change the way I work in the classroom, without driving two hours.” Boyd County Schools Technology Coordinator Vickie Elswick on the growing use of online professional development for educators. From the Ashland Daily Independent.
“What I want you to understand is that addiction, whether it is to tobacco, caffeine, prescription drugs, marijuana, heroin, it doesn’t matter, addiction is a disease of your brain. If you’ve ever seen someone who has been an addict, someone who is going through withdrawal... it’s an ugly monster. There’s no undoing the things that these pills do to you.” Dr. Karen Shay of Morehead to Henry County High School students on the story of her daughter, who died after overdosing on a prescription medicine. From the Eminence Henry County Local.
“I was not disappointed to see No Child Left Behind move behind us. It seemed like when (NCLB) came in, we lost a lot of our ability to chose what we thought was best for the kids to learn at that time. Everything came down on ‘What are you doing as a teacher? What are you doing as a school? What are you doing as an administrator?’ instead of: ‘What is the child doing? What is being done at home?’ Let's keep what we learned from (NCLB), keep the good parts of it and then move on and see what we can do next.” Newport Middle School social studies teacher Marcia Stegeman on Kentucky being granted a waiver from the federal law’s measurements of school and student progress. From the Cincinnnati WXIX TV News.
“Before the College Road Show came to Middlesboro High School, the kids had heard occasionally about the KEES money and knew there was money they were eligible to receive, but now they have a real, basic knowledge that if they work harder and keep their GPAs up they’re going to receive more money and this is where it is coming from.” Middlesboro High School Family Resource/Youth Service Center Coordinator Joy Williams appreciating a first-time visit by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority’s College Info Road Show. From the Middlesboro Daily News.
“This is not going to be popular, OK. My first thought is I cannot support this much athletic money if we're cutting teachers jobs. I'm going to get beat up over this, but I'm willing to do it for academics and another person's job.” Butler County High School Principal Patrick O’Driscoll asking his school council to look at reducing athletic programs to cut costs for next school year. From the Morgantown Beech Tree News.
“The budget Gov. Steve Beshear sent to legislators calls for keeping SEEK funding at its current level. But with inflation and growing student populations, that means less per-student spending. Beshear’s budget includes an ‘8.4 percent cut to administration and technology and a 4.5 percent cut to instruction, assessment and curriculum programs.’ In the meantime, districts must come up with their own budget plans, and must do so almost blindfolded and with one arm behind their backs. Districts must plan for the worst, which likely means tax increases and decreased services. Hoping for the best, in reality, doesn’t look much better. Houston, we have a problem.” Portions of newspaper editorial on the real world of school funding in Kentucky. From the Elizabethtown News-Enterprise.
“Number one, students are distracted by what other students are wearing. Number two, it’s also a safety issue when you start looking at children in the upper grades, especially with the girls and the boys and the way their hormones rage and the way they behave around each other. I was not on the council when they adopted this policy, but I will tell you now I do support this policy because it eliminates the idea of the hole, period!” Clinton County Middle School teacher and school council member Lonnie Brown on a debate over enforcing the school’s dress code ban on holes in students’ pants or jeans. From the Albany Clinton County News.