Every Day Counts
According to the Association of American Educators, there are several small steps that a teacher can take to reach students and improve attendance rates. The following five strategies are relatively easy for teachers to implement without changing much of their routine and are research-based to be among the most impactful when it comes to improving retention.
- Be passionate. Teachers who get excited about what they teach communicate many things to the students who are in their classes. They clue students in to the fact that this material is exciting, fun, and engaging. They show themselves in a positive light and make their classrooms a place where students want to be.
- Show students that you care. Both on a group and individual level, when students know that there is someone who cares about how they are doing on a daily basis, they are more likely to come to school.
- Hold students accountable and promote high achievement. Part of communicating to students that you care is communicating that their academic work matters. It's often easy to give students a pass on work that they miss or make excuses for poor test grades, but by doing this you're rewarding students for their absences instead of their effort.
- Encourage extracurricular activities. Like promoting high achievement, research has shown that students who are involved in clubs and sports are more likely to come to school. As you're getting to know that chronically absent student, find out what they're passionate about and make sure there's a club at school where they can exercise that passion.
- Address classroom management issues swiftly. The last thing you want to do when that absent kid comes to school is to make it a negative experience for them, so too often the tendency is to let small misbehaviors slide. The problem with this is that it communicates to students that you don't care about them or their behavior while simultaneously setting the stage for larger issues later on. Find positive methods to correct students on the small misbehaviors in order to create a caring and positive classroom experience and avoid trips to the principal's office.
|
Audit Presentation
The Financial statement audit for Hopkins County Schools will be presented to the Board of Education by Alford, Nance, Jones, and Oakley, LLP, at the Nov. 19 Board meeting.
Final SBDM allocations will be sent to schools before Nov. 1.
|
General Election
The General Election will be Tuesday, Nov. 6. That is a Professional Development day, and there is no school for students. Please exercise your right to vote.
|
Panhandle Relief 
Several of our schools collected relief supplies for victims of Hurricane Michael. This was done through Prayers for the Panhandle: a Hurricane Relief Supplies Drive conducted through the Travis Manion Foundation.
Participants included Browning Springs Middle, Central Office, Earlington Elementary, Hanson Elementary, Hopkins County Central, James Madison Middle, Madisonville North Hopkins, Pride Elementary, South Hopkins Middle, Southside Elementary, West Broadway Elementary, and West Hopkins School.
|
NatureFest held at Mahr Park
NatureFest, a collaborative learning project, kept kids active at Mahr Park with a variety of hands-  on projects. Pride Elementary 5th-graders identified common types of birds, ran water quality tests, separated recyclables, and learned about invasive species, pollinators, bats, park history and more!
This was the first large-scale educational program involving Hopkins County Schools and Mahr Park. It was led by Madisonville North Hopkins teachers Maria Bailey and Kim Shaw and about 75 of their students who volunteered to help. This was done in collaboration with community experts like Master Gardener volunteers, Department of Forestry, Natural Resource Management Solutions, City of Madisonville Recycling, Hopkins County Extension Office, Mahr Park Trust, park volunteers, and Pride 5th-grade teacher Kelly Gates.
This service learning project incorporated environmental science, leadership, planning and preparation, community awareness and partnerships to teach younger generations while all students involved learned lifelong skills.
|
High-Tech SROs
Our school resource officers recently took part in a technology training. All of our new SROs are now on the job in our schools helping keep our kids safe.
|
'Be Incredible' for Safe Schools Week
West Broadway Elementary School's theme for Kentucky Safe Schools Week was "Be INCREDIBLE, don't do drugs." Students signed pledges to not do drugs Those caught doing incredible deeds were given cards.. The school is having different dress-up days throughout the week to emphasize awareness of not doing drugs and keeping the school safe.
|
Pledge against bullying
Earlington Elementary students learned about problems with bullying, social networking, Internet safety, and how to report if they are being cyber bullied. This was planned as part of Kentucky Safe Schools Week. In the school's computer lab, students took the Kentucky Center for School Safety's online pledge against bullying.
|
Marching Maroons 2nd in the State!
The Madisonville North Hopkins Marching Maroons placed 2nd in the KMEA State Band Competition Oct. 27. They competed in the AAAA State Semifinals that morning at Madison Southern High School before advancing to the State Finals that night at University of Kentucky Kroger Field. Congratulations to all of the band members and band directors for their outstanding work this competition season!!
|
|
#LionChaser / #GiantSlayer
James Madison Middle School Assistant Principal Matt Melton was honored by Hopkins County Board of Education on Oct. 15 with the #LionChaser / #GiantSlayer Award for performing the Heimlich maneuver on a student who was choking earlier this month, saving her life.
How are YOU being a Giant Slayer?
|
MLK Essay, Visual Arts Contests
Hopkins County students in kindergarten through 12th grade are invited to participate in an Essay Contest and Visual Arts Contest organized as part of Hopkins County's 36th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.
The theme is "How has the Work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Inspired You as a Potential Leader in our Culturally Diverse Community?" Students are asked to creatively express how the works of this great American leader are relevant to today's youth. Students should reflect on how Dr. King's legacy has inspired them to explore their own leadership opportunities.
The contests are open to students who attend public schools, private schools, or home schools.
Entries are due to their school principal or curriculum coordinator by Nov. 30. An overall winner in both the Visual Art and Essay contests will receive a plaque. Also, the top three entries in each division will receive prizes. Contest divisions are K-1st grade, 2nd-3rd grade, 4th-5th grade, 6th-8th grade, and 9th-12th grade. Prizes will be presented at the Jan. 19 celebration.
For more information, please contact Lori Harrison with Hopkins County Schools at 270-825-6000 or Jay Parrent with Madisonville Community College at 270-824-8571.
|
Lunch raises funds for Humane Society
A special Fall Harvest Lunch on the Lawn at the Central Office on Oct. 25 raised money for a worthy cause. Thanks to Tim Lester for cooking the BBQ! The event resulted in a $265 donation to the Hopkins County Humane Society.
|
Artist residency engages students
Kentucky songwriter Mitch Barrett shared his stories and songs at three of our elementary  schools this week. Barrett drew on his Appalachian heritage while taking the students on a journey with his engaging stories. He gave presentations at Earlington, Pride, and Southside Elementary schools. Thanks to Glema Mahr Center for the Arts for sponsoring this elementary school artist residency. Barrett was a featured storyteller at Madisonville's Blues, Bacon & Big Stories Festival at Mahr Park.
|
(Gallery) Walk like an Egyptian
Seventh-grade students in Michael Powers' social studies classes at James Madison Middle School created group projects as part of a study of ancient Egypt. Then, they held a gallery walk in the library to let other students see their projects.
|
F.A.I.T.H. Riders support FRYSCs 
Representatives of F.A.I.T.H. Riders presented a $1,320 donation to Hopkins County Schools. The funds were raised through a bike ride sponsored by the organization, which is based at Grapevine Baptist Church. Funds will be divided among the Family Resource Youth Service Centers to provide services to our kids. Thanks to F.A.I.T.H. Riders for supporting #TeamHopkins!
|
Bee Observant
Third-graders at West Hopkins School got a close-up view of an observation bee hive on Tuesday. The demonstration led by farmer and Board of Education member Shawn Brumfield included showing students how honey is extracted.
|
Junior Leadership
Participants in the Junior Leadership program recently took part in History/Architecture Day. This  included a visit to the Ruby Laffoon Cabin and the Historical Society of Hopkins County Museum. School ambassadors are Jaxon Ratliff, Earlington Elementary; Noah Florea, Grapevine Elementary; Aiden Clark, Hanson Elementary; Lucy Gast, Jesse Stuart Elementary; Karson Starks, Pride Elementary; Houston Stokes, Southside Elementary; Jerimiah Groves, West Broadway Elementary; Keeley Peyton, West Hopkins; Isaac Williams, Browning Springs Middle; Alexandria Ipock, James Madison Middle; Chloe Mackey, South Hopkins Middle; Riley Carroll, West Hopkins Middle; Trae Barber and Marissa Strader, both of Hopkins County Central; Gracie Herring and Kaylen Young, both of Madisonville North Hopkins. The Career and Technology Center Media Team includes Conner Fattore and Seth Ramage.
Junior Leadership is a program for select 5th-, 8th-, 11th- and 12th-grade students in Hopkins County Schools. Each school selects their school Ambassador. Junior Leadership began 18 years ago when local adults participating in the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program chose this activity as their team project. Michael Hunt, president of Sacramento Deposit Bank, continues to play an active role in planning and implementing the program's six sessions.
|
Fortnite Escape Room
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills were reinforced while 6th-grade language arts students in Libby Groves' class at South Hopkins Middle School worked together today on a Fortnite escape room. Earlier this week, students analyzed text and debated the positive and negative effects of playing video games.
|
Apples to Applesauce
Kindergartners at Earlington Elementary School learned about their five senses this week, and talked about them in relation to apples. As a culminating activity, today in they are helping teachers Brooke Stuart and Danielle Chastain make applesauce. Students helped put the ingredients together. This afternoon, they get to taste their creation. The kids love this annual activity!
|
|
Getting an early start on careers 
Jesse Stuart Elementary School students learned about different kinds of jobs at the school's annual Career Fair on Friday. Participating local businesses, government entities, and individuals let students look at the inside of a computer, practice life-saving techniques, learn about electricity and much more! Students from the Career and Technology Center also volunteered to showcase their programs.
|
Trunk or Treat - Children's Book Style 
Pride Elementary held a Trunk or Treat Family Night on Tuesday. Each trunk featured characters from children's books, and handed out items such as toothbrushes, books, granola bars, and more. The night started with a book read by librarian Kellie Cotton. More than 350 attended this fun event.
|
Native American Artifact Boxes
Fifth-graders at Hanson Elementary School created Native American artifact boxes for a class project. They presented their projects to their classmates.
|
Granolas with Grands
Grapevine Elementary hosted its annual "Granolas with Grands" breakfast Tuesday morning to honor grandparents. Nearly 80 grandparents attended, and enjoyed coffee and conversations with students.
|
Spooky Science
Spooky Halloween science activities made learning fun at Browning Springs Middle School's Fall Family Night last week. Jason Lindsey, known as "Mr. Science," presented the Hooked on Science program.
|
Falcon News Team tours TV studio
The Falcon News Team at Pride Elementary School visited WFIE Studios on Tuesday. Students toured the studio and learned about broadcasting careers. They also got to see the aspects involved in producing a live broadcast. Students spent time with meteorologist Byron Douglas and anchor Shaelie Clark, and sat in on the live midday newscast.
|
Dig Pink: The Tradition Continues
The Madisonville North Hopkins and Hopkins County Central volleyball teams met in the annual Dig Pink night match-up on Sept. 27 at MNHHS. The teams raised funds for the Side-Out Foundation, which is focused on breast cancer research.
|
Event Calendar
Nov. 2
- Last Day of Trimester
Nov. 5 - No School / Board of Education Meeting, Central Office, 5:30 p.m.
Nov. 6 - No School / Professional Development / General Election
Nov. 19 - Board of Education Meeting, Central Office, 5:30 p.m.
Nov. 21 - No School / Central Office Closes at 2 p.m.
Nov. 22 - No School / Central Office Closed / Thanksgiving Day
Nov. 23 - No School / Central Office Closed
|
|
STAY CONNECTED
|
|
|
|
|
