Welcome to Connections, Hopkins County Schools' parent/community newsletter! | |
Superintendent's Message: How We Make
the Decision to Use HCS@Home Days
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#TeamHopkins Reaches Out After Tornado | |
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#TeamHopkins has joined together to meet community needs in the aftermath of the devastating Dec. 10 tornado. Concern for students and co-workers led staff members to immediately reach out to help in any way possible.
After the storm ended Dec. 10. Earlington Elementary Principal Julie Vaughn asked her teachers to reach out to students to see if they were OK. The tornado had cut a destructive path through nearby Barnsley. The next day, school staff made contacts with families and made a list of students who had suffered a total loss.
Donations started coming in on Sunday. By early the following week, Earlington school had been named a donation hub for Hopkins County. Trailers loaded with bottled water, food items coats, and more began arriving. Soon, the classrooms, in addition to the gym and cafeteria, were filled with items for tornado victims. The district used an internal Google form for staff from throughout the district to sign up to volunteer at the site
Family Resource Center coordinator Detra Stafford said it was overwhelming to see all the donations. “To see so many people being together has been a phenomenal experience for me,” she said. “Especially in times of crisis, this is such a small community, and to see that there are so many people that are willing to say that they can give up [their] free time.”
The schools that were closest to the damage also served as sites for tornado victims to pick up needed supplies and hot meals, while individuals and organizations throughout the district volunteered their assistance. West Hopkins School, for example, served as a food pantry, clothing bank, and a place to get a warm meal, all through the help of school staff.
Principal Eric Stone referred to Hopkins County Schools Superintendent Amy Smith’s emphasis on “Remember Your Why.”
“This is the why for us,” he said “For six years, we have had the word ‘family’ on the school shirts. This community is a family. Where I grew up is right across the street from this school. We were giving back to this community. Whatever need they had, we were going to try to provide for it. Just last night, I had a lady who came in after hours. Her mother, aunt, and grandmother all lost homes in the Dawson area. This lady provided for our student Christmas last year. She has a need this year. She came in for some toothpaste and a hairbrush, and she left with a truckload.”
We are so thankful for the efforts throughout #TeamHopkins to help our community during this difficult time! It has been evident that we truly are One Team, One Mission, One Community
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Israeli Consulate Donation
Hopkins County Schools welcomed Consul General of Israel to the Southeast Anat Sultan-Dadon and members of the Israel in Atlanta Consulate staff on Dec. 17 to Earlington Elementary School.
They delivered 400 personally prepared backpacks to Hopkins County Schools. The backpacks, intended for young children affected by the recent tornados, include water bottles, snacks, hygiene products, toys, games and writing/drawing materials, and more.
Guests included U.S. Rep. James Comer, state Rep. Melinda Gibbons Prunty, state Rep. Walker Thomas, Hopkins County Judge-Executive Jack Whitfield, Hopkins County Sheriff Matt Sanderson, Madisonville Mayor Kevin Cotton, and Hopkins County Board of Education members Shannon Embry and Steve Faulk.
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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.
Submit your nomination at www.hopkins.kyschools.us/RememberYourWhy.
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Christy Gast
Christy Gast, attendance secretary at James Madison Middle School, received the Remember Your Why Award at the December Board of Education meeting. During the pandemic, she has found new ways to organize systems used in the front office. While this is difficult to do during a normal year, Mrs. Gast has found ways to make things more efficient during the pandemic. This includes using a Google form to check students in and out for the nurse and a better system to organize student medicine in the front office. She always looks for ways to make tasks easier on others. She also has a special way of talking with parents about their concerns. Mrs. Gast was recently selected to receive one of the Kentucky Region 2 Attendance Clerk Excellence Awards. James Madison is blessed to have Mrs. Gast because of her passion for her job and the students.
When asked her why, Gast said, “So that every student, parent, and staff member feels heard, understood, supported, and respected. To help build a community with a common goal – providing our students with the best education possible.” Congratulations!
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Megan Rice
Hopkins County Schools bus driver Megan Rice received the Remember Your Why Award during the Jan. 10 Board of Education meeting.
She started working as a bus monitor while also holding another full-time job. She soon went from saying, “I’d never drive a bus!” to “What do I need to do to drive a bus?” We’re all glad she took the step to become a driver! There are kids from all walks of life on her bus, but when they are together, they are a bus family. She wants every child she comes in contact with to know they are important to her. She loves them like they are her own and said she refers to them as “my kids.” Above all, she wants each of them to have a successful day at school every day.
When asked her Why, she responded: “The kids are my Why. Each one is special and unique & capable of doing so much. I pray every day that my 5-45 minutes with them every morning and afternoon has a positive lasting impact. That each one of them knows that they matter. That they are all my favorites, all 90 of them.” Congratulations!
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Board of Education Recognition Month | |
As Kentucky observes School Board Recognition Month in January, Hopkins County Schools is joining in the celebration. Dr. J.W. Durst, Shannon Embry, Steve Faulk, Bobby Fox, and John Osborne are among the more than 850 school board members in the state’s 171 local school districts being recognized this month for their service.
This is the perfect time to thank school board members for serving in a role that has become increasingly complex, said Davonna Page, president of the Kentucky School Boards Association and member of the Russellville Independent school board. “Members of the Hopkins County Board of Education are responsible for making decisions aimed at ensuring that every child in their district has a chance to be successful both in school and in life,” Page said.
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2022-2023 Calendar
Hopkins County Board of Education has set the calendar for the 2022-2023 school year. We plan to operate under the Traditional Calendar, which is shared below. The first day for students will be Wednesday, Aug. 10. We want to inform parents the board also approved a variable calendar in case modifications are needed due to extenuating circumstances. Both calendars can be viewed on the district website (Please scroll down below the current calendar).
School Calendar website
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FRYSC Day - Feb. 9th
Family Resource Youth Services Centers have been significant in the lives of students and families in Kentucky for more than 30 years. This year, FRYSC Day in Kentucky will be Wednesday, Feb. 9. To celebrate, businesses and organizations are asked to display the Better Together sign in their windows. With social media posts, please use the hashtags #FRYSCStrong and #BetterTogether to share photos of the great work being done by FRYSCs.
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Hopkins County’s first-year teachers focused on student engagement and classroom management during a special learning session after school at the end of November. This focus group meeting was held as part of the district’s New Teacher Mentorship Program. South Hopkins Middle School teacher Sarah Buchanan and Earlington Elementary School teachers Jenny Haw and Danielle Harper demonstrated how they have transformed their classrooms to cover units on bats and butterflies, used sight word motivators for students, and much more. New teachers learned about a variety of ways to engage students in the learning experience.
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Mentors Lead the Way
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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Cartwright Honored
Board attorney Keith Cartwright was recognized during the December Board of Education meeting. He was honored by the Kentucky Bar Foundation with the Judge Edward H. Johnstone Award. He is the 5th recipient of this award, which is given to members of the legal community serving the First Supreme Court District of Western Kentucky. The Kentucky Bar Foundation selected Mr. Cartwright for this award “because of his embodiment of the mission of the Bar Foundation with his spirit of service to the community and his dedication to the legal profession.” Congratulations!
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Public Comment Procedure Update | |
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We want to keep the community informed about an update to the public comment section of board meetings. Effective Monday, Dec. 13, public comments will be allowed at Board of Education regular meetings only if the topic is regarding an agenda item. Individuals wishing to speak must fill out an online form by noon on the day of the meeting to request to speak at the meeting that evening. The three-minute time limit remains in place. The purpose of board meetings is to conduct school district business. This update allow meetings to remain focused on agenda items while also giving the public a way to submit their comments and questions.
The link to the form will be posted at www.hopkins.kyschools.us/board. The form will typically be available three days prior to a meeting. For example, for a Monday meeting, the form will go live on Friday afternoon.
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Rep. Prunty -
Principal for a Day
State Rep. Melinda Gibbons Prunty greeted students arriving at school, read to kindergartners, worked with a small group of students on their letters, talked to children about her role as a legislator, and much more recently at Grapevine Elementary School. She was participating in the Principal for a Day Program organized through the Kentucky Association of School Administrators to give legislators a first-hand look at the great things going on in Kentucky Schools. As a bonus, it was Christmas Pajama day at Grapevine!
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Hopkins County Central High School girls basketball team won the 2A Sectional Championship. They then competed in the 2A State Tournament at the Owensboro Sportscenter. Congratulations to the Lady Storm! | |
Think Don't Drink Partnership | |
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Earlington Elementary School has partnered with the city of Earlington to present the “Think! Don’t Drink!” Campaign. Through this partnership, the city and its ABC officer sponsored student and staff shirts that follow the school’s "House system" theme. The "Think! Don't Drink!" slogan is on the back of the shirts. Students also received goodie bags from the city.
The purpose of the EES House system is to build unity, improve school culture, and give students a sense of belonging.
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'Trusted Adults Give Us Wings' | |
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A new project at South Hopkins Middle School will give students a daily reminder that “Trusted Adults Give Us Wings.”
Each student thought of an adult they trust and wrote the person’s name on a paper feather. The feathers were put together to form wings that now hang in the school gym. The idea – and the feathers – came from Amber Hackney of Pennyroyal Center. The project got started during World Kindness Week with help from school counselor Ginger Blakeley, according to Family Resource Youth Service Center coordinator Kristin Mackey.
“It means showing kindness,” said 8th grader Kenadee Greer, “showing that everybody has somebody that they can trust.” Classmate Kira Scarbrough echoed the thought. “It shows that you always have somebody there for you that cares about you and that you can confide in and talk to,” she said. “Someone that will just be there for you, no matter what.”
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