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People Are Talking

Kentucky School Advocate

May 2017

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“With this, we hope they form new friendships, that they get to know each other and the transition into the new facility runs smoothly.” Perry County Schools Transitional Coordinator Regina Meehan on a day of team-building exercises involving students at three soon-to-be consolidated elementary schools to establish familiar faces for when they start classes this fall at a new school. From WYMT-TV of Hazard. Click here for full story

(Photo courtesy of Perry County Schools)

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“We came together and tried to figure out how to operate this and I have to give credit to my Board of Education. They stepped up and said they would operate it and figure out how to finance it and work all of that out later. They took the leadership. We felt as one of the largest districts in the region that it was an obligation of ours to step up to the plate because we will have the largest number of students going to this school.” Boone County Schools Superintendent Randy Poe on his district’s role in operating an “innovation center” for the 17 school systems in northern Kentucky, located in a building donated by the Toyota Motor Manufacturing. From the Edgewood Northern Kentucky Tribune. Click here for full story

“Embracing these guidelines reinforces the healthy food choices given to students every day in school meal programs and provides a consistent message to students on the importance of good nutrition.” Kentucky School Nutrition Association Executive Director Marty Flynn on a survey that found declines in school vending machine sales of soda, cookies, candy and salty snacks in Kentucky schools under the federal Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act of 2010. From the Lexington Herald-Leader. Click here for full story

“No one should ever do this to someone else. I think everyone should be treated as equals. You don’t have to agree with that person or even like them, but you also shouldn’t go around messing up their stuff. They worked hard for it and it’s a shame someone thought it would be okay to come over here and do this.” Madison Central High School (Madison County) student Taytem Strauel on why a group of students from two clubs spent a rainy day helping clean up vandalism to the home of a same-sex parent family. From the Richmond Register. Click here for full story

“I never imagined that they could go this far. (Community Problem Solving) has taught them so much more than I ever could in a classroom. They have so much potential and this project is giving them a taste of what they can do. I can’t wait to see how they can change the world.” Central Elementary School (Johnson County) teacher Tonya Mullins on how students on the school’s problem-solving team created a solar-powered solution for an orphanage without electricity in Kenya. From the Paintsville Herald. Click here for full story

“Crazy how it works.” Lewis County High School senior Tristan Corns after seeing a computerized package sorting apparatus in action, part of a UPS Kentucky LOOP program field trip that the international freight firm uses to recruit rural students to its work-and-college studies program. From the Insider Louisville online magazine. Click here for full story

“I was 100 percent against it. But when I listened to (Superintendent) Carrell (Boyd) talk in Fredonia, it changed my mind 100 percent. You’ve got to be able to keep the people here. The industry is looking for it … they’re looking for people here to go out there and work.” Electrical contractor Wayne Sledge at the second in a series of community forums on a proposed nickel facilities tax to aid Caldwell County Schools. From the Princeton Times-Leader. Click here for full story

“Our administrators have worked hard for many, many years, and have not seen a significant increase in their pay since FY 2008 when the principals’ extra service pay stipend was last increased. Central office administrators last received an increase in their extra service pay in FY 2004. Our district ranking has continued to increase each year for several years and we are now a top-10 district. Therefore, our board agreed it is time to recognize that hard work and the efforts of all administrators.” Deena Randolph, manager of districtwide services, on the Casey County school board’s decision to award 17 administrators pay increases averaging $8,000 for FY 2018. From the Liberty Casey County News. Click here for full story

“Creating a local facility will allow all students an opportunity to participate in career and technical training and innovative learning. We have over 350 freshman and sophomore students from Caverna Independent and Hart County High School that are interested in taking courses in a technical pathway. The Green River College and Career Academy will give every student the opportunity to graduate from high school with either dual credit or meaningful certifications to ensure success in the workforce and/or postsecondary degrees.” Hart County Schools Superintendent Ricky Line in a joint pitch with Caverna Independent Schools Superintendent Cornelius Faulkner for $4.9 million in state Work Ready Skills initiative funds for the project. From the Munfordville Hart County News-Herald. Click here for full story

“The level of fresh air coming into the high school right now, it’s just not a good quality. Our HVAC is dated. By upgrading the HVAC, the kids will be cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and having that makes for a better learning environment for the students.” Somerset Independent Schools Superintendent Kyle Lively on why a proposed renovation of the district’s high school needs to continue throughout the upcoming school year to shorten the time frame for the project. From the Somerset Commonwealth-Journal. Click here for full story

“The kids decide the agenda. One year they wanted to study Germany and part of that turned into building zeppelins out of balloons and racing them in the hall. Last year we went to the international farmers market at the Parthenon in Nashville. This year, a local businessman anonymously sponsored ten kids to go to Ideafest (in Bowling Green). Not all the kids who are innovative thinkers necessarily get officially identified as ‘gifted and talented’, but you know them when you meet them – there’s a passion there.” Sharon Froedge, who works with the Monroe County Schools’ School of Innovation, on different ways participating students are able to “stretch their minds.” From the Tompkinsville Monroe County Citizen. Click here for full story

“They debate on everything. They do not just say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ They have to support their evidence.” Washington County Elementary School fifth-grader Hailey Medley summing up her experience serving as a legislative page during the 2017 General Assembly. From the Springfield Sun. Click here for full story

“You can’t just erase a color from someone’s mind. Why would they do this to us?.” Christian County High School art student Lexi Hedden on the Crayola corporation’s plan to “retire” a color from its 24-count crayon box for the first time in the company’s 104-year history. Dandelion was later announced as getting the axe. From the Hopkinsville Kentucky New Era. Click here for full story

“Usually charter schools come out of communities where people feel like their needs aren’t being met and our goal is clearly to meet the needs of our community. So if anything, this serves as an imperative to us as a school district to say if there are areas we need to improve, let’s get about that business. Let’s talk to our stakeholders, let’s ask them are we meeting their needs and if not, what can we do better.” Shelby County Schools Superintendent James Neihof on how his district intends to respond to the option for creating charter schools in Kentucky starting next year. From the Shelbyville Sentinel-News. Click here for full story

“This isn’t going to be a two-three page application that you can do in a few minutes. It’s going to be pretty in-depth, pretty well thought out. We are going to do our best to support the people who are submitting (applications) as well as our local boards and superintendents.” Commissioner of Education Stephen Pruitt on plans to create a special unit within the state Department of Education to address charter school issues. From the KSBA eNews Service. Click here for full story