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Photo rendering of playground courtesy of Casey County Schools

Kentucky School Advocate
October 2018

“Our community is phenomenal in supporting this school district. I think this is an investment for our students and our community and to be honest I would prefer that the board make the investment and pay for the playground and not have to fundraise in our community.” – Casey County Superintendent Marion Sowders, after the school board agreed to pay $103,000 for a new inclusive playground (photo rendering at right) at one of its elementary schools. From the Casey County News, Liberty

“It feels like a college, and that’s what we really wanted. I would venture to say, with an almost money back guaranteed, that we’ve probably got the best high school cafeteria in the state right now.” – Fleming County Superintendent Brian Creasman, about the newly renovated cafeteria at Fleming County High School which was designed with couch-like seating and charging stations. From the Ledger Independent, Maysville

“I like when someone comes in here, their main question is, ‘How much is everything?’ And when I say, ‘free,’ their eyes light up because they realize, ‘Wait, I don’t have to pay for stuff like this? And my kids can have nice stuff?’ And it won’t be like, ‘How am I going to scrape up some money to buy this?’” – Barren County High School‘s Family Resource and Youth Services Center Assistant Coordinator Ashley Moore, on the school’s new, on-site “store,” where students and families can get free clothing and school supplies. From the Glasgow Daily Times

“The declining enrollment was one of the driving forces, we are losing kids in the mountains. At the middle school, they had very few limited classes. I mean here seventh grade is going to get a rotation of all the CTE (Career Technical Education) classes, agriculture, music, art. They didn't even have art in the middle school.” – Breathitt County High School Principal Carolyn McDaniel (right), on why the district decided to merge Sebastian Middle School with Breathitt County High. From WYMT, Hazard

“You’ve got to create climate and culture. You can’t teach curriculum until you do that.” – T.K. Stone Middle School (Elizabethtown Ind.) Principal Dawne Swank, on implementing Second Steps, a social and emotional learning program to teach middle school students proactive coping skills. From the News-Enterprise, Elizabethtown

“This is not about pointing fingers. Everybody who was there realized what they need to do different. We handled the situation well but procedurally there are things we must and need to do.” – Boyd County Emergency Management Director Tim England, after a large-scale school shooter drill involving multiple agencies uncovered weaknesses, including communications problems among agencies. From the Ashland Daily Independent

“We serve, we volunteer, we give our time to those in this community. If people have concerns about the sincerity of our efforts to protect the children of this community, I ask that they come speak to us in a way that allows for us to actually respond.” – Shelby County school board member Andrew Cline (right), on concerns about new bus routes. From the Sentinel News, Shelbyville

“There’s so much happening in our district that it’s amazing we even know what all is going on. From a parent standpoint, it was sometimes hard to track down that information. Now, it will be available in one document.” – Mason County Assistant Superintendent Justin Moore, on the district’s establishment of an easily accessed, rolling public calendar for each school through Google Docs, from the Maysville Ledger Independent

“I’d go in there, and people would say, ‘You’re not going to raise my taxes again, are you?’ You have to listen to the people. They spoke and we acted.” – Science Hill Ind. Board Chairman Skip Norfleet, on taking the compensating tax rate after hearing from constituents at Hardee’s. From the Commonwealth Journal, Somerset.

“This will serve as an online reporting/prevention tool for students and other members of the school community to anonymously report tips via email concerning bullying, violence, weapons possession, alcohol/drug possession or use, or any other unsafe condition.” – Wayne County Director of Pupil Personnel Stewart York, on the district using the Kentucky Center for School Safety's Safety Tipline, Online Prevention (S.T.O.P.!). From the Wayne County Outlook, Monticello.

“It was very odd to see that we had zero applicants for, qualified applicants based on the state guidelines, for elementary school 4th grade. That is kind of a shock for me to see that happen.” – Owsley County Schools Superintendent Tim Bobrowski, on the shortage of applicants for teacher vacancies in his district, which has prompted changes in course offerings and content. From WYMT-TV, Hazard.

“We’re not worried if they’re excused or unexcused, we just want them in school. If they’re not in school, they’re not learning.” – Johnson County Superintendent Thom Cochran, on the district’s new attendance policy which will require medical excuse form after 10 days. From the Paintsville Herald

“In order to truly see the operation of the district, I will ride school buses with students, I will eat in district schools … I will regularly attend school and community functions, including student performances, recognition events, and athletic contests, co-curricular and extracurricular events.” – New Walton-Verona Independent Superintendent Matt Baker (right),
on how he plans to learn about the district. Baker was previously director of districtwide programs in Greenup County.
From the Enquirer, Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati

“Really, every project we have bid since March has come up at least 20 percent over budget, except for one – and that’s the outlier, really. That’s been consistent in almost every project that we’ve seen, not just by us but in other districts and with other architects’ projects.” – Studio Kremer Architects architect Steven Ward, explaining to the Danville Independent school board why a renovation project exceeded estimates, from the Danville Advocate Messenger

“To have the opportunity to enter into each school and pray over the teachers and the students is a blessing and an opportunity that I am so thankful for.” – First Baptist Church in Hodgenville senior pastor Paul Richey, as 200 people gathered before the first day of school to pray for LaRue County schools’ faculty and students, starting in the central office and splitting up to pray in each building. From the LaRue County Herald News, Hodgenville