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People Are Talking

Kentucky School Advocate
July/August 2016

People Are Talking

Embedded Image for: People Are Talking (201672194932858_image.jpg) "It’s probably one of the best. The judges at competition said that it was the best they ever tasted at this competition.” Henderson County High School student Zane Hankins, a member of the school’s Colonel Cookin’ Crazies, on serving its signature dish at a monthly school board meeting prior to a planned competition at the Kentucky State Fair. From the Henderson GleanerClick here for full story
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“What we attempt to do is to very carefully screen and make a determination about whether a complaint that comes to us is something that we can take action on, and often what happens is we end up referring matters that come to us to some other agency for action. The assumption is that these are much more likely to be mistakes than they are an act of willful misconduct or a crime. These are simply errors in judgment, frankly, quite often committed without any particular ill will, without any thought, without any intent to violate the law, statute or policy. For that reason, the recommendations and the resolutions that we make with districts are very much structured to be rehabilitative and not punitive.” Office of Education Accountability Executive Director David Wickersham to a legislative committee in an annual report of OEA activities. From the Louisville CN2 News Service. Click here for full story
 
 
 
“It’s expensive. But, it’s a hard recommendation to make, because I can see someone getting hurt and it’s probably going to hurt some families financially. If we don’t provide the health insurance, our athletes will have to show proof of coverage before they can play.” Lewis County Schools Director of District Services Nick Adams on the decision to discontinue, after this year, providing student accident insurance due to rising costs and tight finances. From the Maysville Ledger-IndependentClick here for full story

“Howevalley is one of our school areas that has no present childcare around it. There’s no childcare center there close in the Howevalley area. Really there’s very few official in-home childcare for children to go to, so for our parents, the half-day presents them with the question of where do they go either in the a.m. or the p.m. I think everybody’s hope is that we have universal preschool for all 4-year-olds and that it mimics the kindergarten day so it’s a full day. Hopefully down the road that will happen.” Hardin County Schools Early Childhood Director Carlena Sheeran on a pilot program to offer all-day preschool at one elementary school. From the Elizabethtown News-EnterpriseClick here for full story

“What we really want to do is to find those students who are exploring careers and give them a taste in what we call the principles of engineering tech class.”
Highlands High School (Fort Thomas Independent) engineering technology teacher Ron Rosel on plans to offer four new engineering classes in a partnership with the University of Cincinnati. From the Fort Mitchell Community Press & RecorderClick here for full story

“Through this partnership, we will have – by application – the best (education) students of Murray’s senior class for a year instead of just a semester of student-teaching. This will allow student teachers to see what it’s like to open a classroom in the fall, what it’s like to close one in the spring, and everything in between. I truly think it’s a great situation for us, and it’s a great situation for those college students at Murray State.” Clark Elementary School (Paducah Independent) Principal Steve Ybarzabal on a new partnership between the district and the university. From the Paducah SunClick here for full story

“Two hundred people responded, only three said they did not think it was important to teach cursive writing here. Out of those there (were) 76 teachers that said yes, 33 primary teachers that said yes and 115 parents that said they wanted it taught. So I think the community wants it and I think it’s a good thing. It doesn’t hurt.” Shelby County Board of Education member Joanna Freels on public backing of her push to restore teaching cursive handwriting, which will start next year in some elementary grades. From the Shelbyville Sentinel-NewsClick here for full story
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“I learned a long time ago to think about things. Even if I see it one way, I’m able to change my mind. I’ve changed my mind on a lot of things.” East Bernstadt Independent Board of Education member Gene Allen, who is now Kentucky’s longest currently serving school board member, on one of the lessons he’s learned in his 50 years’ service. From the London Sentinel-EchoClick here for full story
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“Big areas of litigation right now concern student and teacher interaction — text messaging, emails, things like that — and there’s never really been anything in this state, and most states, which has defined ‘appropriate’ or ‘inappropriate’ student/teacher interaction. I think it would be something for us to consider adding to our employee handbook because, I think, it does a really good job of defining what is ‘appropriate.’” Williamsburg Independent Schools Superintendent Amon Couch outlining to his board the planned use of a KSBA-created employee handbook. From the Corbin Times-TribuneClick here for full story

“The testing results for lead and copper contaminants in Russell County Schools all came back clear. This has been another great example where a stakeholder brought a concern to us and the school district acted accordingly. Although we had no reason to suspect that there were going to be any issues, the results provide reassurance to our employees, students and parents/guardians that the water is safe, especially since there have been instances across the nation where lead levels in schools’ drinking water have exceeded acceptable standards.” Russell County Schools Superintendent Michael Ford on results of water quality tests done throughout the district’s facilities. From the Russell Springs Times-JournalClick here for full story

“Circumstances dictate that we take this action at this time out of necessity.” Muhlenberg County Schools Superintendent Randy McCarty on one aspect of his plan to right the ship of the financially struggling district – a 4 percent tax revenue increase in each of the next three years. From the Owensboro Messenger-InquirerClick here for full story

“You’re one of our hidden treasures. I don’t think a lot people know all that you do.” Woodford County Board of Education Chairman Ambrose Wilson IV reacting to a report on the activities of the district’s family resource and youth services centers. From the Versailles Woodford SunClick here for full story

“My drivers seem to love their job. If they can be there, they’re there. They’re still knocking home runs for us.” Caldwell County Schools Transportation Director Jimmy Dyer celebrating the end of the 2015-16 school year marked by no bus accidents, few breakdowns and a driver team that included several who delayed surgeries to ensure there were adults to move children safely to and from school. From the Princeton Times-LeaderClick here for full story

“They actually tried to create something new, from taking apart and looking at how things work. Activities like this are going to help reinforce what we’re doing in the classroom. When I walked into the hall, all you could hear were kids and excitement. I had a parent say, ‘I don’t know what you did to these kids to make them want to come to school in the summer, but it’s great.’” Mercer County Intermediate School science teacher Kristy Drakeford on how students and parents reacted to the school’s first Camp Invention summer session. From the Harrodsburg HeraldClick here for full story

“Girls Rock is great, because a lot of kids can kind of see what’s coming from the middle school. Part of what we talked about a lot is how middle school is different from elementary school. If you can keep good friends and find good friends, you can get through a lot of it.” Seventh-grader-to-be Emily Simpson on the benefits of the Bloomfield Middle School’s (Nelson County) summer initiative to help with transition from elementary schools. From the Bardstown Kentucky StandardClick here for full story
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