June 2020
Staff eNews
2020-2021 School Calendar Amended
Hopkins County Board of Education amended the 2020-2021 school calendar on Monday, June 15. The district has selected a “variable student instructional year” calendar because of the COVID-19 pandemic, based on recommendation by the Kentucky Department of Education.
The first day of school for students will be Wednesday, Aug. 26. The calendar includes a traditional fall break and spring break.
This calendar includes 165 instructional days. Five minutes will be added to the school day to meet the state requirement of 1,062 instructional hours. This calendar is being adopted for this year ONLY, and the district expects to return to a more traditional calendar model for 2021-2022.
The district is waiting for recommendations from KDE regarding the start days for faculty/staff. Everyone is asked to remain flexible.
As the summer progresses, we will provide updated information on how we will begin the school year. This will be based on guidance from state and local health officials and approval by the Board of Education. Student learning and safety remain our top priorities.
Summer Meal Schedule
Hopkins County Schools will return to a traditional summer meal program on Monday, June 22. This change is similar to the phase system being implemented throughout the state of Kentucky. Meal delivery, which started during the extended closure, will not continue after June 19.

However, we will still offer meals for pick-up from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Starting Monday, June 22, meals may be picked up at the following locations: Earlington Elementary, Grapevine Elementary, James Madison Middle School, Pride Elementary, Southside Elementary, and Christian Food Bank. The traditional summer meal program will run from June 22-July 24.
Summer Payroll Reminder
You cannot change your payroll direct deposit account after June 15 for the summer payrolls. Doing so will delay your payroll direct deposit.
 
Payroll has to process all the summer payrolls before our fiscal year ends on June 30, 2020. Employees may receive multiple direct deposit stubs by email before June 30. However, all the funds will not be direct deposited at that time. We will direct deposit the funds over the pay dates of June 30, July 15, July 30, and August 14 when applicable.
Contract Information
Contracts and hire letters were mailed to all  certified  teachers on a limited contract or for those moving to a continuing contract for the 2020-2021 school year. Contracts and hire letters were also mailed to  all classified  staff.  Transportation  contracts and hire letters  are being mailed  on June 19.
 
For all those receiving a contract, please sign one (1) copy only and return in the self-addressed, stamped envelope that has been provided to you.
Donors Support Backpack Blessings
We are overwhelmed by the love and support our community has shown toward Hopkins County Schools’ Backpack Blessings program. The program provides easy-to-prepare food items to food-insecure students on Fridays. We have received enough donations to fund the program throughout the summer! These donations were given by more than 150 generous individuals/organizations. We want to thank each and every one of them! As part of this, a big “thank you” goes to the churches that support this program throughout the school year.
We also want to give special recognition to donors who gave $300 or more for the summer program. They include the following:
Bobby and Jo Rush
Olive Branch Church
First Christian Church
Hawkins Auto Body and Paint
Donald and Mary Susan Fishman
Amy and Bradley Keith
United Way of the Coalfield
Brad and Connie Scarlett
First United Methodist Church
The Woman’s Club of Madisonville
Tactical Defense Manufacturing LLC
Joseph Badgett
Real Life Church
Barry McGaw
Chi Chi Mills
Pleasant View Missionary Baptist Church
Maurice K. Gordon Auxiliary #6
Dave and Beverly Lander
Richard and Susanna Lee
William and Dorothy Young
Barbara Stoltz
Second Baptist Church
American Legion Post #6
Janet Corum
Emma Gordon
Life Christian Center of Madisonville
New Salem Baptist Church
First United Bank employees
Madisonville Noon Kiwanis
Jeannie Morris
Janice Moore
LaDonna Vandiver
Andrea Nance
Ensign Bickford
Christian Assembly
Hancock Bank
High School Graduations
The Board of Education approved updates to high school graduation dates during the June 15 meeting. Two dates were changed so more graduates can participate. Graduation dates/times are as follows:
• July 31, Hopkins County Central High School, 7 p.m.
• Aug. 1, Madisonville North Hopkins High School, 3 p.m.
• Aug. 9, Hopkins County Schools Academy, 5 p.m., Browning Springs Middle School Auditorium
Additional information will be released by the schools as these dates approach.
Congratulations Retirees!
Congratulations to our 2019-2020 retirees! We thank you for your many years of service to Hopkins County Schools. Those retiring include the following:

Michael Bourland, custodian, Madisonville North Hopkins; Ann Brandon, custodial supervisor, Hopkins County Central; Cathy Broaddus, custodian, Grapevine Elementary; Patricia Clark, CIA, James Madison; Peggy Cobb, food service manager, HCCHS; Julie Coursey, teacher, Earlington Elementary; Marci Cox, director of child nutrition, Central Office; Barbara Harryman, OT-districtwide, CO; Sandra Hill, CIA, GES; Mauretta Holmes, Counselor, Southside Elementary; Susan Hundley, Receptionist, CO; Rosetta Jenkins, Driver, Transportation; Lisa Jones, Cook/Baker, JMMS; Scott Marks, Teacher, MNHHS; Tanya Martin-Milam, Teacher, Browning Springs; Sylvia McNary, CIA, MNHHS; Edward Milum, Teacher, JMMS; Sandra Morgan, Teacher, Pride Elementary; Winona Ruth, Food Service Manager, JMMS; Millie Seiber, Principal, SES; Dewan Smith, Teacher, EES; Patricia Snodgrass, FRYSC, BSMS; Linda Tedder, Teacher, West Hopkins; Debra Tompkins, Driver, Transportation; Phyllis Whitfield, Secretary, South Hopkins; Charlotte Wicks, Secretary, Hopkins County Day Treatment.
New Principals & District Administrators
Hanson Principal

Christian Klaas, an administrator in Hopkins County Schools for the past three years, has been selected as principal of Hanson Elementary School. He has served as director of secondary instruction for the present school year, and was an assistant principal at Madisonville North Hopkins High School for two years. He previously taught and coached at MNHHS and Dawson Springs Junior/Senior High School. 
Southside Principal

Erika Stark has been selected as principal of Southside Elementary School. She has been an educator at Southside for the past 15 years and most recently served as the school’s curriculum coordinator.
Grapevine Principal

Kelcey Postlewait has been selected as the new Grapevine Elementary School principal. She most recently served as curriculum coordinator at James Madison Middle School. Postlewait has been an educator with Hopkins County Schools for the past decade. She previously taught at Southside Elementary and West Hopkins School.
Director of Secondary

Alaina Lancaster has been selected as Hopkins County Schools’ director of secondary instruction. For the past year, she served as principal of the Webster County Area Technology Center. She has a 10-year career in education and previously taught agriculture at Madisonville North Hopkins High School.
Director of Child Nutrition
Lisa Marsh has been selected as Hopkins County Schools’ director of child nutrition. For the past 5 ½ years, she has taught culinary arts in the Family and Consumer Services department at Hopkins County Central High School. She has served as a National Restaurant Association ServSafe instructor for the past 20 years.