This time of year, it’s natural to express gratitude. Regularly showing gratitude improves our happiness and helps us appreciate what we already have. Ways to do this include writing a thank you note, keeping a gratitude journal, and prayer.
I want to express my gratitude to each of you for all you do every day!
As I started my first year as superintendent, our major goal as a school district was to keep students in school in-person five days a week. As of Wednesday, we will have successfully made it to December! The district’s theme, “Remember Your Why,” helps us focus on what’s most important, which is always being there for our students. As teachers, administrators, and staff, your dedication is unmistakable!
Thank you for coming together as #TeamHopkins to work towards this goal. Your efforts have truly made this success possible!
Superintendent Amy Smith
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New Teacher Mentorship Program |
Hopkins County Schools’ new teachers get personal guidance from veteran professionals through the district’s New Teacher Mentorship Program. The program helps new teachers learn to deal with time management, technology, development of lesson plans, student engagement, and more.
“I’m just here to kind of guide her along,” said Elizabeth Bailey, who mentors new teacher Melissa Johnson. Both teach 7th-grade math at James Madison Middle School. “She’s really good about coming to me when she needs something or she’s got questions that I can answer. We can bounce ideas back and forth. Since we teach math together, we co-plan a lot.”
Johnson did her student teaching last year, with hybrid schedules and virtual instruction. “It’s real world this year,” she said. “Now I’ve got a classroom full of kids so if there’s something happening I’m not quite sure about, I can ask about it. It’s so helpful having somebody who’s been here and knows the ropes.”
Through this program, Hopkins County Schools supports new teachers while also encouraging them to stay in the district as they build their careers.
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Staff members are asked to check their address on their pay check stub. That is where their W2 will be mailed. If an employee needs to change their address they can email HR.
December direct deposit dates for payroll are Dec. 15 and Dec. 17.
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Hopkins County
Standards of Practice
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Positive
Our Commitment: Find the good in every person and situation
Our Actions:
- Be active in recognizing, congratulating, and celebrating student, school, district, and community success
- Talk about our students, parents, and staff in a positive manner
- Smile, make eye contact, and greet others in a positive manner
- Strive to be a high performer and achieve excellence every day
- Talk about our schools and district in a positive manner
Maintaining a positive attitude and finding the good in all things is not always easy to do. However, studies have shown that by making the effort to maintain a positive outlook, you can improve your ability to learn, increase your creativity, and boost your confidence!
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'Remember Your Why' Award |
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Tina Plunkett, a cook/baker at West Hopkins School, received the Remember Your Why Award at the Nov. 1 Board of Education meeting. Plunkett deserves the recognition because she knows students by name and greets them every morning as they come to school. She knows student’s preferences and gives them food choices they would love. Plunkett is known for tuning in to students who may be having a difficult time. She lets staff people know if a student needs to have a conversation with someone. She is a kind, welcoming face who makes students feel wanted!
When asked to explain her “why,” she said, I come to work and love my job because of the kids and my coworkers. It’s an awesome and blessed job.”
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Pollyanne Kimmel, an 8th-grade social studies teacher at Browning Springs Middle School, received the Remember Your Why Award at the Nov. 15 Board of Education meeting. She always goes the extra mile to make her kids feel safe and empowered. She loves teaching! She puts student desks in a circle pattern and centers discussions in a way that gains their trust and understanding. She makes fellow staff members want to work harder because they see her continually go above and beyond her job description. She is a constant reminder of what it means to be a good teacher!
Her “why” is the following: “I love teaching Social Studies. However, my WHY is my students. Every student needs help recognizing their own unique qualities and gifts. Sometimes, especially in middle school, students feel invisible or get lost along the way. My why is to SEE them and help them recognize their own potential.”
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Who Would You Like to Nominate? |
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Hopkins County Schools wants to recognize employees for good deeds and kindness shown to others. Remember Your Why Award winners may be nominated by any district stakeholder, including staff, students, parents, and community members.
The district’s theme for this year is Remember Your Why. Faculty and staff are encouraged to focus on what’s most important – the reason they went into education or chose to work in the schools. This initiative is designed to motivate staff. We always want to be there for our students! Raising the motivation levels of staff will have positive impacts on students, parents, co-workers, and the community. Faculty and staff members may be nominated by anyone in the community through a form on the Hopkins County Schools’ website.
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The Board of Education has updated the district’s masking policy effective Jan. 17, 2022. The new policy will start two weeks after the end of the winter break allowing time for parents to get their young children fully vaccinated if they choose as well as giving the same option to staff members.
The metric for the new system would be based on the COVID-19 incidence rate for Hopkins County, which involves the average daily cases per 100,000 population. The policy that will take effect in January includes the following:
- Masks would be optional in school buildings when the incidence rate is zero to 30.9.
- A “masking while moving” policy would be followed when the incidence rate is 31 to 49.9.
- Masking would be required when the incidence rate is 50 and above.
Masks will continue to be worn on school buses under a federal regulation. After the new policy is implemented, Information on masking status for the next week will be communicated via email and social media each Friday. Additional details will be shared in December.
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Reminder: Submit Proof of Vaccination
by Dec. 3 for Incentive Program
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The Kentucky Department of Education announced on Sept. 10, 2021, that employees of public school districts (certified, classified, substitutes, paraprofesssionals, and board members) are eligible for a one-time vaccination incentive payment of $100 after being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by December 1, 2021.
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Employees will be required to submit proof of their vaccination in order to be eligible for the vaccination incentive payment. This proof of vaccination will be due by December 3, 2021. Any forms submitted after December 3, 2021, will not be eligible for the incentive payment.
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The incentive payments will be made on a special payroll to be direct deposited on or around January 10, 2022. These incentive payments are not eligible for retirement contributions to be withheld; however, tax contributions, including Social Security, will be withheld on all employees.
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You may access the proof of vaccination form at the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdynZmZWWqdSE7m30qE099RouymPMlrywPU4hc6xcJVpyVmcw/viewform?usp=sf_link
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Governor's Scholars Program |
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Students who participated in Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program and the Commonwealth Honors Academy were honored by the Board of Education. GSP participants included Micah Brown, Mary Dorris, and Allona Perez from Hopkins County Central and Aidan Brummer, Kendall Duncan, Carson Esquilin, Lucas King, Camryn LaGrange, Gracie Lawrence, and Megan Oakley from Madisonville North Hopkins.
The Governor’s Scholars Program is a summer residential program for outstanding high school students in Kentucky who are rising seniors. The mission of GSP is to enhance Kentucky’s next generation of civic and economic leaders. The application process is highly competitive and the program has grown to over 1,000 students on three campuses each summer.
MNHHS student Callen Edwards (not pictured) was also honored for participating in the Commonwealth Honors Academy at Murray State University. The Commonwealth Honors Academy is a three-week academic enrichment experience held every June at Murray State University. Students collaborate with other honor students and faculty in a campus living-learning environment. The program provides 6 hours of college credit and offers the chance to take 6 additional hours free during senior year as well as a $2,000 housing scholarship.
Congratulations to these outstanding students!
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Regional Coaches of the Year! |
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Three of our coaches have received Regional Coach of the Year honors! Tim Davis, golf coach at Madisonville North Hopkins, has been selected as Boys Region 2 Coach of the Year by the Kentucky Golf Coach Association. Tyrone Gregory of Browning Springs Middle School has been recognized as the 7th Grade Coach of the Year for Region 1 by the Kentucky Middle School Football Association. Sam Westfall, girls golf coach at Madisonville North Hopkins High School, has been selected as Girls Region 2 Coach of the Year by the Kentucky Golf Coach Association.
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Hopkins County Central High School inducted new members into the National Honor Society last week. This is the 25th year for this ceremony. Students must be a junior or senior to apply, have at least at 3.5 GPA and display strong character, leadership, service, and scholarship.
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Hopkins County Central High School High Voltage Dance Team won the KHSAA Semi-State Hip Hop Championship recently in Louisville! The team also placed 3rd in the Pom division. Both High Voltage and Madisonville North Hopkins High School Maroon Magic, which placed 4th in Hip Hop and Pom, will advance to the KHSAA State Championship on Dec. 12.
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Madisonville North Hopkins High School cheer team won the Regional Championship!
The team took the title in the All-Girls Small
Division and will advance to the KHSAA State Championship!
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Hopkins County Central High School cheer team won the Regional Championship!
HCCHS won the Game Day Division and will advance to the KHSAA State Championship.
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English classes don’t typically gather around campfires. However, students in Erin Shaw’s class at Browning Springs Middle School did so recently to share stories they had written. The school encouraged teachers to focus on storytelling for the Campfire Day activity.
“Writing can be a daunting and dreaded task,” Shaw said, “but using creative challenges helps to make writing fun again. We have been using Edgar Allen Poe’s tips for writing short stories. For our campfire narrative they had to write a scary story focusing on mood and incorporating an unreliable narrator to keep their audience actively participating. I am proud of all their creative ideas and hard work.”
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Food trucks and menus designed by students in Sonya Shockley’s Entrepreneurship class were on display at Hopkins County Career and Technology Center. Other CTC students and instructors were given play money to “tip” their favorite trucks. The trucks that generated the most business were declared the winners. |
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What I Want to be When I Grow Up |
“What I Want to Be When I Grow Up,” a career and technical education program for our elementary schools, encourages young students to explore careers. Several schools participated by encouraging students to dress up for a job they are interested in and learn more about that career. Participating schools get to purchase $300 of career-related materials for their school. |
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Kindness Across the Commonwealth |
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Hanson Elementary students shared acts of kindness on the school’s “Be Kind” banner, which is displayed in the cafeteria hallway. Children wrote on the banner as part of World Kindness Day activities. |
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Pride Elementary School’s Courtyard of Curiosity students did an agriculture service learning project for World Kindness Day. They completed service projects and gave a donation to Blanchard’s Gracious Acres in Dawson Springs. |
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To celebrate Kindness Week, Grapevine Elementary School 2nd graders worked together to create posters that spread the message of kindness through the school.
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Veterans Day Recognitions |
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Kindergarten students enthusiastically got warmed up for PE class at Southside Elementary School on Wednesday with the “Hoop Hop Challenge.” The game, which helps kids develop their coordination, includes a rock, paper, scissors match to determine which side moves on. Teacher Kevin Barnes said the students have also been doing a squat challenge this week to see how many squats a student can do in a minute. |
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Third graders decorated balloons for the “Balloons Over Broadway” parade on Nov. 23 at West Broadway Elementary School! The children, led by teachers Melanie McElroy and Nicole Taylor, designed their own balloons which they carried through the hallways that were lined by other students. |
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Earlington Elementary School’s kindergarten students, taught by Brooke Stuart and Danielle Harper, created turkey outfits using brown paper bags donated by Market Place. The classes usually make turkey hats to wear to the school’s Thanksgiving dinner but expanded the project this year. |
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Each Pride Elementary School student received a feather to decorate as part of this school-wide turkey that was displayed in the front lobby! This project, led by kindergarten teacher Kasey Baldwin, was a way for kids to use their creativity and spend time with their family decorating their feathers. |
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