#TeamHopkins
Community Connections
August 2019
Did You Know?

Keeping cell phone usage under 2 hours per day and increasing face time with family and friends supports good teen mental health!
The Right Combination
Individuals are encouraged to put away their cell phones during meals as part of a new project sponsored by Hopkins County Schools.

School administrators have distributed “cell phone lockers” to restaurants throughout the district. These small cardboard boxes are intended to be temporary homes for cell phones while families eat together. The idea is for families to silence their phones, place them in the locker, and enjoy the company of family and friends. Restaurants were asked to keep the lockers out until Aug. 17. They will reappear three additional times throughout the school year. Look for them again around Nov. 11.

The outside of the box includes ideas for conversation topics, including a funny story, three good things that happened at school that day, or a time someone went out of their way to be nice. The project is based on a similar one at a Chick-Fil-A franchise. The project is sponsored in partnership with Hopkins County Health Department. We want to thank all of our community partners who have made this project possible!
Upcoming Events
The first round of Parent Teacher Conferences will be in September.

  • Tuesday, Sept. 24 – Elementary Schools, 3:30-5:45 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Sept. 25 – High Schools, 3:30-5:45 p.m.
  • Thursday, Sept. 26 – Middle Schools, 3:30-5:45 p.m.
Infinite Campus Parent Portal
With an Infinite Campus Parent Portal Account, parents can access information on their child’s grades, attendance, food service account balance, and more. This can be accessed on a computer or the mobile app. To request an account, complete and return the Parent Portal Agreement . Make sure you read the Portal Acceptable Use Policy before signing the agreement.

Send the signed agreement to Lisa Baker in the Department of Pupil Personnel at the Central Office. You may scan and email the document to lisa.baker@hopkins.kyschools.us , submit it at the school or Central Office, or mail it to Hopkins County Schools, Attn. Parent Portal, 320 S. Seminary St., Madisonville, KY 42431. For more information, contact Lisa Baker at 270-825-6000.
Help Wanted: Bus Drivers
Attendance Crucial
to Student Success
Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school. Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year.

Good attendance is key to student success. Starting in kindergarten, too many absences – both excused and unexcused – can cause children to fall behind in school. Hopkins County Schools emphasizes the importance of regular attendance, and encourages students and families to do the same. 

September is Attendance Awareness Month, and we will be sharing information throughout the month about the importance of regular school attendance.
Financial Matters

This is a high-level perspective of how General Fund dollars were spent in 2018-2019. The numbers are right in line with other public school districts in the United States. Typically, 80 to 85 percent of school district budgets is earmarked for personnel and benefits, according to the American Association of School Administrators.
Major purchases & projects
  • Four new school buses
  • New paving at Earlington Elementary School
  • Hopkins County School employees received a 2% raise for the 2019-2020 school year. This is the first increase in three years.
  • New HVAC Cooling Towers installed at Earlington Elementary, Jesse Stuart Elementary, and Southside Elementary
  • Demolition of the “old” Career & Technology Center
  • New Tennis Courts at Madisonville North Hopkins High School
  • New Bus Driver Training Center and Browning Springs Middle School Field House
Visit our Finance Department webpage for more information.
Surprise Community Service
Staff members throughout #TeamHopkins gave back to the community during "Scavenger Hunts" prior to the start of school. Many of the activities specified that teams were to go somewhere unexpected in the community to provide volunteer service. Surprised individuals found school staff members bagging groceries, carrying groceries to their car, boxing up canned food at food banks, washing fire trucks, playing with children, and much more. We loved the opportunity to give back and plan to serve our community throughout this year!
Assistant Superintendent Marty Cline took part in First United Bank’s Kiss Cancer Goodbye fundraiser on the front lawn of the main bank office on Friday. He raised the 2 nd highest donation total among the 13 contestants and qualified to kiss a cow! He raised $243.38 to benefit Relay for Life. 
Hopkins County Schools Superintendent Deanna Ashby, Jesse Stuart Elementary School Principal Brandon McClain, James Madison Middle School Principal Matt Melton, and Browning Springs Middle School Principal Jason Clark volunteered for time behind bars to benefit the Hopkins County-Madisonville Public Library. Their combined efforts raised more than $1,400 during the library's Jail-n-Bail fundraiser.
Hopkins County Schools | [www.hopkins.kyschools.us]